Copy of My Week In Westminster: w/c 19th January
- connorbwhittam
- Jan 23
- 2 min read
It's been another busy week in Parliament! On Monday, I was pleased to see the Government launch its consultation on banning social media for the under-16s. The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology gave a powerful speech in the Commons, noting how "up and down the country parents are grappling" with social media harms, and her commitment to act in the interests of children, rather than unaccountable tech firms.
The announcement comes alongside immediate action to give Ofsted new powers to check schools' mobile phone policies and builds on efforts mentioned in last week's newsletter to crack down on non-consensual deepfake pornography and assess the impact of screen use for the under-5s.
Relatedly, I'm pleased to share that next week, I'll be hosting a roundtable on the impact of social media and phones on young people. If you're a parent and are interested in coming along, please do sign up by clicking here.
On Tuesday, the Government published their Water White Paper which will deliver long-overdue oversight and enforcement powers to a single, strengthened water regulator. The announcement moves the power back into the hands of the residents of Ossett and Denby Dale, and ends the accountability gap that allowed local water companies to deliver unacceptable services and pollute our precious local waterways.
Wednesday saw the Government publish its Warm Homes Plan. Heating at home shouldn’t be a privilege; it should be a basic guarantee for every family in our area. This week's announcement is a key step in this direction - including providing direct support for low-income families, and government support for renewable energies and home upgrades - is a major step in this direction.
Finally, across the week, I've been assured to see the Government take a strong stance on the damaging rhetoric emerging from the US around Greenland. On Monday, the Foreign Secretary outlined the UK's commitment to our alliance with Denmark and membership of NATO. Following this, the Prime Minister was clear in his comments to the Commons - the UK "will not yield" to threats and pressure. I'm glad to see that all parties have now agreed to a more mutual framework for Arctic Security that works in our collective security interests.
As ever, I hope you have wonderful weekends. Thank you for reading!
