It is a pleasure to bring up the rear in this important debate—last, but hopefully not least—and I commend the hon. Member
for Workington (Mark Jenkinson) for his maiden speech. Labour Members obviously mourn the loss of his predecessor, but we trust that the hon. Gentleman will speak up for Cumbria as strongly as she did.
I wish to touch on three important areas that I think the Government should keep in mind as we look to rebuild our economy, and as communities across the UK get used to our new normal. We must remember that this is a recovery from the first wave of covid-19, and events in Leicester and elsewhere in England show how sensitive the evolving situation continues to be. A key component of any recovery effort is public sector pay, and the way we treat those who go above and beyond for us. Our workers deserve to be paid properly, and we must pledge to do that now. Last week there was a debate in this House about how we can acknowledge and support those workers in the NHS who give their lives to keep us, our families and our constituents alive and healthy. The answer to how we show our appreciation, and when we do it, is simple: we should pay people what they deserve. I hope that the Chancellor’s statement next week will lay out the building blocks to enable that to happen.
Newport is one of the most diverse parts of Wales, and I am proud of our city and its diversity. It is, however, a matter of deep regret that our cherished diversity has seen us on the frontline in the fight against the devastating impact of covid-19 on black and minority ethnic communities. A report commissioned by the Welsh Labour Government under First Minister Mark Drakeford was published recently, and it rightly calls for action to tackle the structural and systematic racism that may have contributed to the higher than average death rate in BME communities. Addressing those structural inequalities must be integral to the economic recovery for which our city is crying out.
In a city such as Newport—it will be the same in many other cities across the UK—we know at first hand how vital BME communities are for our collective prosperity. It really is as simple as that. We know that BME workers are more likely to be in low-paid jobs with little of the protection needed to stay safe and secure, and so the funding and delivery of PPE, and other protection, must be a priority for this Conservative Government.
One real, tangible thing that Ministers could do is follow the lead of the Welsh Labour Government, who have made provision for a comprehensive risk assessment that supports people from BME backgrounds in the NHS and social care sector in Wales. That works for my constituents in Newport West, and it should be rolled out in England too. For our welfare system, there is a need for common sense and decency to be at the heart of our economic recovery. That is vital to ensure that we do what the Blair and Brown Labour Governments did, which was to take millions of children out of poverty.
A few weeks ago, we saw a Manchester United player shame this Tory Prime Minister and his Ministers into ensuring that free school meals would be provided throughout the summer in England. I say to new Tory Back Benchers, many of whom are auditioning for places on the Treasury Bench: we will not forget the tweets, the press releases and the speeches in this Chamber explaining why free school meals for children in England
were not possible, and neither will the people who were affected. I am proud to say that, in Wales, we take our responsibility to our children seriously. We did not need to be shamed into action; the Welsh Labour Government know how crucial it is that we give our children nutritional and accessible meals. As such, we guaranteed that free school meals will be available to Welsh children throughout the summer, because it is the right thing to do.
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Tackling child poverty is also achieved by ensuring that there is a secure and realistic safety net for families in all parts of the country. It says a lot that the priority for Ministers has been to reintroduce benefit sanctions, rather than ensure that we keep supporting people through this unprecedented period. It is also about jobs. My right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Holborn and St Pancras (Keir Starmer) has been clear that jobs must be at the forefront of the recovery. We know that a well-paid job with good terms and conditions is the best way out of poverty. Like many of my constituents in Newport West, I read the increasingly frequent news from businesses across the country with horror, with announcement after announcement of job losses, shop closures and mergers.
I will be going to see the Orb steelworks close its doors for the last time tomorrow. It is the only site in the UK producing electrical steel. Tomorrow will be a sad day for all of us in Newport and a waste of a highly-skilled workforce who could produce the steel required for the electric cars we need for our greener future. The impact of those job losses on poverty levels, inequality and child poverty will be beyond significant, so this Government need to get a grip now.
The shocking and deadly events of recent weeks and months have shaken us to our collective core. Our families, communities and nations will never be the same again. Our economy and our United Kingdom will never be the same again. We must seize the opportunity to change our way of life for the better, and we must deliver a fairer, greener and more sustainable economy for all of us. That is my pledge to the people of Newport West, and I look forward to the Minister giving us more actions and fewer words.