A message from Katy Clark

Welcome to my email newsletter. I hope to provide a regular email update on what is happening
at Westminster and some of the issues I am involved with.

More information about my activities at Westminster is available on my website.

These are some of the issues I have been involved with:

Benefits for Disabled Young People

During Prime Minister’s Questions this week I asked the Prime Minister about the Government’s proposals to remove the youth condition from contributory Employment and Support Allowance. According to the Government’s own figures this move will mean that an estimated 1,500 disabled young people will end up at £4,900 worse off as a result of this change. Unfortunately I do not believe the Prime Minister addressed my concerns adequately and I will continue to look for ways in Parliament to ensure young disabled people are not unfairly penalised by the Government’s reforms.

Committees on Arms Export Controls

On Tuesday I had the opportunity to question the Foreign Secretary and Business Secretary on the sale of weapons from the United Kingdom. As a member of the Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee I am a member of the Committees on Arms Export Controls which monitors the export of weapons out of the country. The meeting questioned the Ministers on the sale of arms to countries with poor human rights records where it might be used for internal repression and on what the Government’s negotiation stance is in relation to the current international discussions for a global treaty on the sale of arms.

Health and Social Care Bill

The Government has come under considerable pressure this week as more and more healthcare professionals have voiced their opposition to the proposed reforms to the NHS. The Royal College of GPs and Chartered Society of Physiotherapists are among the latest organisations to announce their opposition to the Government’s proposals. The Bill is currently progressing through the House of Lords and will return to the Commons in due course so that any amendments made can be debated. I previously voted against the Health and Social Care Bill when it was debated in the House of Commons and hope that the Government now withdraws the Bill in the face overwhelming opposition. Because of the Barnet formula funding for Scotland is likely to affected if the Bill becomes law and I am asking Parliamentary questions about what implication to the use of private companies under this legislation will have on Scotland.

Depleted Uranium Weapons

This week I met again with representatives from the Uranium Weapons Network who are campaigning for an end to the use of depleted uranium weapons. Following Parliamentary Questions which I asked the Government has agreed to undertake a legal review of the United Kingdom’s CHARM3 depleted uranium munitions to ensure it is compatible with the Geneva Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. I am now campaigning to ensure that once the review is completed that its findings are made public.

Human Rights in Ethiopia

I have recently questioned the Secretary of State for International Development on support given to the Ethiopian Government, and in particular in relation to its ‘villageization’ programme. A recent report has indicated that this programme has led to up to 70,000 people being forcibly removed from their homes. Those who refused to move have been threatened by the police and security services according to the report. I believe it would be completely unacceptable if UK aid was in any way contributing to these human rights violations. The Government have confirmed that they will be looking into the report’s findings.