Meetings with Independent Age and Pocklington Lodge Residents

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Report back from Andy Slaughter, MP for Hammersmith and Chiswick

Andy Slaughter MP

July 14, 2025

A couple of weeks ago, I was grateful to be invited to meet with Independent Age at their offices in Hammersmith. It was very useful to talk to them about some of the challenges older people on a low income face and their recent research which you can find out more about here.

The same day, I was delighted to visit the London Veterinary Specialists and hear about the work they do. I was very impressed with the facilities, and it was lovely to meet the brilliant staff.

On Friday 4th of July, I attended Pamela Mussenden’s funeral at St Stephens and St Thomas’s Church in Shepherd's Bush. Pamela was a community leader in Shepherd's Bush and White City for many years and was involved with the Hut Association and senior citizens’ group.  Pamela set a great example of public service to us all and she is dearly missed by all those who knew her.

Last Monday I attended a workshop at Ark White City Primary School which was put on as part of School Arts Week. It was a Visual Arts/Manga workshop which was very fun, the children had a lovely time and made some impressive art!

On Wednesday I was delighted to be introduced to the new Vicar, Rev Gaz Daly, at St Mary’s Church, West Kensington after his induction that evening.

On Friday last week I met with residents of Pocklington Lodge, a housing scheme for those who are blind or partially sighted, who are concerned about the future their accommodation. It was useful to hear the perspective and concerns of the residents, and I will again be raising this with Thomas Pocklington Trust to seek assurances for residents that their wellbeing and housing security is prioritised.

Last week the Justice Committee heard evidence form Lord Timpson. The evidence session will form part of the Committee’s two current inquiries on Tackling drugs in prisons and Rehabilitation and resettlement: ending the cycle of reoffending. At the evidence session the aim was to assess the Ministry of Justice’s progress in addressing the drugs crisis in prisons and look at outcomes relating to rehabilitation during Lord Timpson’s first year in office. This session was very useful for both enquiries.

On the topic of Justice, last Tuesday I raised the Crown Court Backlog in Justice Questions. Specifically, that 839 magistrates court trials and 186 Crown court trials had to be cancelled because the defendant was not brought to court on time by prisoner escort contractors. I asked whether the Lord Chancellor agrees that however effective the reforms recommended by Sir Brian Leveson, prove to be, they will be undermined from the start unless the performance of contractors such as Serco improves.

I also recently spoke in the debate on forced displacement in the West Bank, in my speech I again raised the settlement expansion in the West Bank and the ICJ judgement. I also reiterated my support for banning trade in settlement goods, looking at our trading relationship with Israel and much more widespread sanctions. You can see my full speech here.

Finally, I spoke in the debate for the remaining stages of the Rare Cancer’s Bill last Friday. I’ve had lots of constituents who have written asking me to attend, and rightly so. In my speech I highlighted cases brought to me by constituents who have suffered greatly due to rare cancers. The Bill is an important step forward in tackling rare cancers and I hope to see its enactment later this year.

Best wishes,

Andy

andy@andyslaughter.com

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