Local Member of Parliament, Robert Halfon, has welcomed the new plan for legislation unveiled by HM King Charles III on behalf of the Conservative Government this week at a ceremony to mark the State Opening of Parliament.
Welcoming the commitments in the King’s Speech, Mr Halfon said, “I was honoured to hear the King’s Speech in Parliament yesterday where His Majesty set out what the Government will do for Harlow people over the next year.
“If we are going to improve people’s lives for the better in Harlow, we must deliver long-term solutions to the problems families and businesses face. That’s why the King’s Speech set out new laws that will improve people’s lives for the better in Harlow, delivering long-term solutions for people across Harlow and the Villages.
“We are breaking down barriers to opportunity for everyone by taking steps to ensure young people have the knowledge and skills to succeed, through the introduction of the Advanced British Standard that will bring technical and academic routes into a single qualification. The Government is also cracking down on poor quality university degrees and increasing the uptake of high quality apprenticeships As the Minister for Apprenticeships, I am looking forward to continuing my work with the Secretary of State and the Department for Education to deliver more for our young people and help them climb the ladder of opportunity.
“Following the appalling attacks by Hamas against Insrael, it is horrifying to see the rise in hate crimes and antisemitism we are witnessing across our country and in our local communities. I welcome that the King has committed this Government to eradicating antisemitism everywhere, delivering the Holocaust Memorial Bill, and to build a national Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre in central London.
“By taking long-term decisions for a brighter future, this Government introduce new laws that will deliver for Harlow people by:
- Keeping people safe by making sure the police have the powers they need and by handing out tougher sentences to criminals. This will end anti-social behaviour in Harlow whilst also tackling new and complex crimes, such as digital-enabled crime, child sexual abuse, and child grooming, to protect local people.
- Promoting British interests at home and overseas through increased investment in our Armed Forces to support Ukraine, protect the UK from terrorism and lead the world in new challenges, such as AI and climate change. This will create opportunities in Harlow’s Innovation Park whilst continuing our town’s incredible support for Ukraine.
- Growing the economy by protecting our energy security and maximising the benefits of our Brexit freedom. We will support tech firms and regulate the industry – covering everything from social media giants, to supporting new emerging technologies like driverless vehicles and machine learning. This will drive down energy prices for Harlow residents and end our reliance on imports.
- Strengthening society by protecting the health of young people and supporting private renters and landlords. New laws will phase out smoking, meaning those young people aged 14 or below today will never be able to buy cigarettes and Harlow leaseholders will be given new legal rights to make it easier to extend their lease or purchase their freehold.
“This Conservative Government’s long-term agenda will deliver safer streets, stronger communities and a bigger economy whilst taking advantage of the benefits of Brexit and the emergence of AI and new technologies.”
Commenting, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said, “This week marked the first King’s Speech in over seventy years, bringing forward our plan to build a better future for the next seventy.
“Just as I have done with energy security, net zero, illegal migration and HS2, the King’s Speech takes the long-term decisions to address the challenges this country faces, not the easy way out with short-term gimmicks.
“As we take the necessary steps to halve inflation and reduce debt, we will legislate to grow the economy, by supporting innovative businesses and protecting consumers. To make the real change this country needs, we will bring forward bills that strengthen our society, help people feel safer in their own communities and give a sense of pride in the place they call home.”
