Latest news with #FabianHamilton
Daily Mirror
7 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
DWP update on expanding Universal Credit top-up scheme
MPs recently approved a bill to make changes to Universal Credit The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has issued a statement after being asked if a Universal Credit top-up scheme could be extended to more people. Labour MP Fabian Hamilton asked the DWP if there had been any assessment of expanding transitional protection to include couples who form a household which becomes eligible for the benefit. He asked the question in relation to how such a policy could reduce overall welfare spending and free up social housing. DWP minister Sir Stephen Timms provided a response from the Government. He said there had been so such assessment. Mr Timms went on to explain how transitional protection works: "Transitional protection was introduced as part of the Move to Universal Credit journey to ensure legacy benefit customers maintain the same level of entitlement on moving to Universal Credit at the point of transition. "Transitional protection is considered for both single and couple households that manage migrate to Universal Credit. "It is not extended to customers in receipt of the transitional element that have a significant change of circumstances or where a couple forms and makes a new claim to Universal Credit." People on six older benefits, known as legacy benefits, have been gradually moving over to Universal Credit. As moving across could result in a drop in your payments, the transitional protection scheme guarantees you continue to get your benefits at your previous rate. Mr Timms also said in his response: "The Universal Credit (Managed Migration Pilot and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019 made provision for transitional protection. DWP has no plans to amend the regulations to extend transitional protection to include couples who form a household after they have moved to Universal Credit." MPs recently approved a bill making key changes to Universal Credit payment rates. The legislation means the standard allowance for Universal Credit will go up above inflation for the next four years. But there will be cuts to the health-related top-up some claimants get, with the top-up for new claims to be limited to £50 a week. How much is the standard allowance for Universal Credit? These are the current monthly standard allowance rates for Universal Credit: If you're single and under 25 - £316.98 If you're single and 25 or over - £400.14 If you live with your partner and you're both under 25 - £497.55 (for you both) If you live with your partner and either of you are 25 or over - £628.10 (for you both).
BBC News
13-07-2025
- BBC News
'There has to be a way for us to co-exist' with travellers
After social media posts detailed anti-social behaviour, intimidation and property damage from a travelling encampment in Roundhay Park last month, Leeds North East MP Fabian Hamilton said he wanted authorities to be granted powers to move travellers on more quickly. When the BBC visited the park, people enjoying the public space said it was not the presence of travellers that was their concern, but the "mess" left behind."I have no problem with them being here," James Robertson said, as he walked his dog through Soldiers' Field."It is part of their culture and they travel about; I chatted to a couple of them and they are all right." The 39-year-old said while he was "not bothered" about groups camping on public land he was "slightly annoyed" by mess."I think there needs to be a bit more of a provision in place for when they are here; in previous years, they have set up skips but this time there was nothing." Mr Robertson said discarded wood chippings, flagstones and pipes could be seen on Roundhay Park after the travellers left last month."It is fly-tipping at the end of the day," said Mr Robertson."I just think we need to work out a way to co-exist together so that everyone is happy."A number of incidents of anti-social behaviour, including vandalism to allotments, had been reported while travellers were staying at the park in recent months and holder Katherine Gilboy said her father had been "pelted with rocks" by children from the camp in March."When challenged, they ran out through a hole that they made in the fence and then just continued to keep coming back and throwing rocks at various people at the allotments," she Gilboy also complained of people defecating in the said: "It is obviously incredibly traumatic and unhygienic, especially where people are trying to grow their own fruit and vegetables."It got to the point where a number of people don't feel safe being on their allotments and have had to leave."West Yorkshire Police said it had increased patrols in the area while the travellers were present and had monitored behaviour at the camp.A spokesperson for North Leeds Cricket Club said they lost "thousands a year" due to vandalism and cancelled events because of travellers, describing the impact in recent years as "hell"."The worst year was over £10,000," they said."We have gone past the point of being angry or upset. It's something we have just become accustomed to now." Local authorities have legal powers to evict unauthorised campers from land they own, and the police can act if there is disturbance, disruption and anti-social Hamilton, who represents the Leeds North East constituency, said he wanted "legislation that allows orders granted instantly, so that removal can take place within hours, if not a day or two, rather than days and weeks".Roundhay resident Tony Quinn said that quicker removal would only "speed up the merry-go-round" of eviction and push the groups to other areas."If the decision is taken to evict people who have unauthorised access on Roundhay Park they will just end up at Fearnville or Thorner or Temple Newsam," he said."They would just be on a faster roundabout." The 69-year-old has been a member of the Friends of Roundhay Park for 30 years and said he felt "quite strongly" about keeping the park in good said to see it "being used as a garbage tip" was Hamilton's comments, Leeds City Council said it "considers the potential for negotiated stopping for all unauthorised traveller encampments within the Leeds boundary".Negotiated stopping is an agreement pioneered by the charity Leeds GATE (Gypsy and Traveller Exchange).The policy works when an encampment agrees to work with the local authority, allowing them to stay on the land no longer than 28 pledge to leave the site clean, using toilets and skips provided for them. Since travellers left Roundhay Park, the council has placed boulders at entry points to the green space to block vehicular access, though a number of caravans were seen on the park again on Mistry told the BBC a wider West Yorkshire strategy was needed to allocate suitable spaces for travellers to camp. The 58-year-old, who lives nearby and walks her dog regularly on Roundhay Park, said: "There must be green spaces that are suitable."Then you give them a set time to be there in which case they move on to another allocated green space so it is controlled."I think pushing them too quickly without anywhere to go just creates another problem elsewhere."Nomadism is not illegal in the UK but travellers can only park on authorised sites which can be either council-owned or privately-owned under a encampments can be considered a breach of civil law. Ms Mistry believes travelling communities should be able to move from place to place "with ground rules"."I think we've all got different ways of life, I come from an ethnic minority group and we live in a way that is harmonious with the rules and the laws of this country."We have all got to share these spaces and you need some rules around how we share those spaces so we can all live harmoniously."Ian Longford, who walks on Roundhay Park during his lunchbreak, said travellers should have the right to pull up on public land as "there is plenty of room"."I do not mind them stopping here, as long as they are not bothering other people or just leaving a mess behind really."I do not think you will gain any benefit from forcing them to conform to what everyone else does." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
16-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Leeds MP warns over dangers of illegally modified e-bikes
The use of illegally modified e-bikes was a growing public safety and fire risk which required "urgent action" from the government, a West Yorkshire MP has said. A report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling and Walking (APPGCW) has found that the lack of regulation around e-bike safety was putting lives at risk, particularly among delivery riders in low-paid, high-pressure Hamilton, Labour MP for Leeds North East and co-chair of the APPGCW, said it was a "crisis hiding in plain sight".The increase in battery fires caused by unregulated e-bike conversion kits was a "serious risk", according to Hamilton. The cross-party report, called Unregulated and Unsafe: The Threat of Illegal E-Bikes, was written following an inquiry which took evidence from fire services, police, industry bodies, gig economy workers, academics and regulators. It heard evidence that delivery riders, such as those transporting food, were often exploited and their working conditions were comparable to the "sweated labour" faced by factory workers during the industrial APPGCW report found that as a result of those working conditions, some riders were incentivised to use faster, often illegal, bikes to meet delivery also found that online marketplaces were selling unsafe products with little or no oversight, enforcement, or legal liability. 'Illegal and unsafe' The report called on online retailers to immediately withdraw unsafe e-bike items from sale, and for them to be accountable for unsafe suggested creating a government-backed e-bike safety "kitemark" in order to enable transport authorities and insurance companies to confidently lift e-bike also recommended reinstating "worker" status for gig economy riders so their rights and protections could be said: "While responsible cycling businesses continue to meet high safety standards, the rise of illegal and unsafe e-bikes, often bought online and used in the gig economy, has created serious risks for riders, the public, and the future of active travel. "We need urgent action from government and industry to stop unsafe products entering the UK and to protect those being exploited while trying to earn a living." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Times
14-06-2025
- Automotive
- Times
Amazon urged to ban sale of ‘unsafe' e-bikes
Amazon is being urged to crack down on the sale of modified electric bikes that can travel at 40 miles per hour and run on batteries that are prone to bursting into flames. MPs have criticised the online retail giant and food delivery firms such as Deliveroo, whose couriers sometimes use the hazardous e-bikes to boost their earnings. The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling and Walking has written to the head of Amazon in the UK, urging the retailer to immediately halt sales of the bikes and all equipment that is used to convert legitimate electric bikes into so-called 'fake e-bikes', it is understood. The group, chaired by the Labour MP Fabian Hamilton, is also calling on ministers to implement tighter controls on the sale of ebikes. Electric bikes can be legitimately bought and ridden on UK roads if they adhere to a strict set of safety regulations. Ebikes cannot exceed 15.5 miles per hour and must have a motor that is limited to 250W to prevent fires. However, some bikes are being sold that can reach speeds of up to 70 mph, equipped with throttle controls and powerful motors, under the guise that they would be ridden off-road. Despite recent crackdowns by police, these bikes have been terrorising pedestrians in cities and have caused house fires because of substandard batteries. The authors of the MPs' report found one bike on Amazon that boasted speeds of 40 mph and a 2000W motor described as being for 'city commutes'. The MPs also found an 'unsafe charger with an unfused clover leaf plug, and multiple charging cables supplied, both of which are considered a fire risk', being sold on the site. Amazon told the MPs that the clover leaf plug 'should not be anywhere near the Amazon store, it's clearly not safe' and promptly removed the charger from sale. An Amazon spokesman said that safety was a top priority. 'We require all products offered in our store to comply with applicable laws and regulations and we monitor for product safety concerns. We also go further by requiring sellers of e-mobility products to provide documented testing certification carried out by an accredited lab.' The report also criticised companies in the 'gig economy' such as Deliveroo, JustEat and Uber Eats which typically class their couriers as self-employed rather than staff. Couriers are paid based on their trips and are responsible for their vehicles, which the report claims has led meant that many riders 'turn to illegal or unsafe vehicles that can travel faster than a legal e-bike but are far cheaper than road-legal mopeds or electric vehicles'. Shaf Hussain, a food courier who also represents the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain, a trade union for gig economy workers, said: 'There are road-legal bikes. Unfortunately, those bikes… it's all the distance factor. Is that going to last me for the entire day? Most bikes only do about 50 miles range, unfortunately. So I need something that can do at least 100-150 miles range just for the day. That's why you see a lot of bikes with, like, three or four battery packs on them.' The MPs are calling for all noncompliant e-bikes to be withdrawn from sale; for delivery companies to be made to pay couriers across shifts, rather than per delivery; and for a national scrappage scheme for illegal bikes. A Deliveroo spokesman said that all of its riders have to comply with all safety regulations and defended their working conditions. 'Complying with safety standards is a condition of riders' supplier agreements. If an incident of a rider using an illegally modified e-bike is reported to us, we will investigate and stop working with the rider if they are in breach of their obligations.' An Uber Eats Spokesman said: 'The safety of our customers, couriers and the general public is a top priority. Couriers must adhere to all applicable laws and regulations, including the Highway Code, and we work closely with a range of partners to provide ongoing safety education and access to discounted legal e-bikes and e-mopeds.' Just Eat said that on average its couriers earn significantly more than the London minimum wage. 'Safety is taken very seriously at Just Eat. Couriers sign a robust Service Agreement, and we regularly provide guidance on safety and responsible behaviour, including e-bike use. Breaches are met with swift action and zero tolerance for criminal behaviour.'
Morocco World
03-06-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
UK Delegation Meets Morocco's FM Following Historic Backing of Autonomy Plan
Rabat – Moroccan Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita hosted in Rabat today members of the British parliamentary delegation, with the visit coming on the heels of a significant shift in the UK's position on the Western Sahara dispute. The delegation, representing the UK group at the Inter-Parliamentary Union and led by Fabian Hamilton, held talks with Bourita following British Foreign Secretary David Lammy's visit to Morocco on Sunday. During his visit, the UK's top diplomat officially announced his government's support for Morocco's autonomy initiative as the only credible basis for resolving the dispute over Western Sahara. Today's meeting reflects growing diplomatic momentum between the two countries, coming shortly after Lammy stated that the UK now considers Morocco's autonomy proposal 'serious and credible' and a viable solution to the decades-long dispute. Yesterday, Hamilton talked extensively to Moroccan media about the significance of the UK's recent decision to support Morocco's Autonomy plan. He pointed out a growing consensus among the world's top powers: 'We now have three out of the five permanent members of the Security Council supporting the autonomy plan.' Read also: UK Support for Morocco's Autonomy Plan Opens New Chapter, Says British MP The presence of the British parliamentary group in Rabat notes a strengthening of bilateral ties, not only at the executive level but also through inter-parliamentary cooperation. Discussions reportedly focused on reinforcing legislative dialogue between Moroccan and British lawmakers, in line with broader efforts to deepen political, economic, and security collaboration. Observers view the visit as part of a broader British diplomatic push to connect with key partners in North Africa, particularly as London seeks to recalibrate its foreign policy post-Brexit. The UK's endorsement of the Moroccan plan represents a diplomatic win for Rabat, which has long lobbied international actors to support its autonomy initiative as a final settlement to the Western Sahara dispute. The British delegation's visit also signals a continuation of the strategic dialogue between the two countries, which have expanded cooperation in sectors ranging from trade and investment to education and renewable energy. As diplomatic activity intensifies, Morocco's foreign ministry has signaled that it expects further engagements with UK officials in the coming months.
