Last week was yet another varied week in Westminster. At the heart of recent domestic policy has been the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, widely known as the Hillsborough Law. It seeks to instil a duty of candour across all public authorities, ensuring transparency and frankness when tragedies occur.
The Bill is designed to make sure that the state stands with families rather than against them, addressing the needs of those affected by tragedies such as the Manchester terror attack, Grenfell Tower, and the Horizon sub-postmaster scandal.
Something that has featured heavily in my correspondence over the last few weeks was a campaign to introduce a ban on social media for children under the age of 16. I received over 700 emails on this topic, so I was pleased to see the government announce a new three-month consultation exploring this ban, which will look at a range of potential measures such as “overnight curfews” to prevent excessive doomscrolling.
The consultation will look closely at similar models in Australia and will focus on protecting children and their data. Furthermore, mobile phones are being removed from schools, with Ofsted now including phone policies in their inspections.
The Warm Homes Plan represents a historic £15 billion investment designed to lift half a million families out of fuel poverty. By 2030, all private and social landlords must upgrade properties to meet minimum energy efficiency standards, tackling damp and mould. To reduce reliance on fossil fuels, the government is offering grants of up to £7,500 for heat pumps and £2,500 for heat batteries. The plan is expected to create a massive 180,000 new jobs in green technology by the end of the decade.
In other domestic news this week came the announcement of the Water White Paper. It will introduce a once-in-a-generation plan for the water sector. It includes creation of a single, powerful regulator to replace the current fragmented system and an “MOT approach” for water infrastructure to prevent pollution before it starts.
The government is also refusing to sacrifice food standards in trade deals. I was pleased to see that hormone-treated beef and chlorine-washed chicken remain banned, and the government is pursuing an agreement with the EU to reduce red tape for agricultural exporters.
On the international stage, another difficult week. The UK has taken a firm position on Arctic Security. The Foreign Secretary recently opposed US tariff threats regarding the future of Greenland. Greenland’s future is a matter for Greenlanders and Danes alone. We remain committed to addressing Russian security threats in the region.
Finally, a milestone in national education was reached as the Holocaust Memorial Act received Royal Assent on 22 January 2026. I was pleased to see this piece of legislation be enacted, particularly given that we have now entered Holocaust Memorial Week.
The Act authorizes the construction of a national memorial and learning centre next to Parliament. The centre’s primary focus—education about the Holocaust and antisemitism—is legally and operationally protected, ensuring future generations learn the vital lessons of history.
Back in the constituency on Friday, I was delighted to attend the launch of the Old Trafford Regeneration Mayoral Development Corporation. Chaired by Lord Seb Coe, it will be the the driving force to deliver thousands of jobs and homes in the area, centred around a new 100,000-seater stadium for Manchester United.
I was particularly pleased by commitments made to put local people at the heart of the regeneration and will be monitoring progress on this with a keen eye.