From: Greg Hands M.P. news@greghands.

com
Subject: News Bulletin from Greg Hands M.P. #421
Date: 8 December 2014 15:22
To: news@greghands.com

Issue 421 - Monday 8th December 2014

In this edition:
Greg Hands M.P.s Diary

Since the last edition, Greg:

Website of the Week:

Charlie Dewhirst

Was interviewed on the BBC Sunday Politics Show, giving

the Conservative view of the positive impact of the Chancellor
of the Exchequers Autumn Statement in London.
Attended and addressed the Christmas party of the
Harbledown Area Residents Association in Fulham. Greg
has been a guest of the Association most years since 1998.
The Association is probably the best residents association in
SW6.
Was a guest speaker at the Polish Knights of Malta
community Christmas concert, held at St Clement Danes
Church, the Strand. Greg spoke of the importance of the Polish
contribution in the UK in the twentieth century and today.
Attended the Daisy Trust childrens Christmas concert at St
Dionis Church, Parsons Green.
Attended the Buckingham Palace reception for the diplomatic
corps. Apart from being an MP, Greg is also the Treasurer of
Her Majestys Household.
Met local and national representatives of the Fair Home Tax
campaign in the House of Commons, which is campaigning
against Labours Homes Tax (or Mansion Tax). For more, see
picture below.
Carried out his duties in a busy week as the Conservative Party
and Governments Deputy Chief Whip.
Held a regular, weekly, advice surgery for local Chelsea and
Fulham residents, at Fulham Library, on Fulham Road, close to
Parsons Green tube. Gregs surgeries are generally weekly, on
Monday mornings, at either Fulham Library, or Peter Jones,
Sloane Square, Chelsea. To make an appointment, email
mail@greghands.com or telephone 020 7219 5448.

Video news:
Hands on the Sunday
Politics London
Labour still pledging
Mansion Tax - despite the
Conservatives' overhaul of
Stamp Duty
Photo news:
Campaigning against the
Homes Tax
K&C Council proclaims the
end of mega-basements in
Kensington & Chelsea
Photo news:
Lady Margaret School
Christmas Fayre
Key Points for Chelsea &
Fulham from George
Osborne's Autumn
Statement
Photo news:
Polish Community Carol
Service
Have Your Say on new
Storm Relief Tunnel
Anti-Trafficking Pilot in
Kensington & Chelsea
comes to an end
Week in Westminster and
Constituency Look Ahead 5th December
How to contact
Greg Hands MP

Website of the Week:

www.charliedewhirst.com
The website of Charlie Dewhirst, the Conservative candidate to
be the next Member of Parliament for Hammersmith. Sign up to
help Charlie, in what will be a key battle in next Mays General
Election.

Video news:

Hands on the Sunday Politics London

Click on the image above to watch Greg Hands MP's appearance

on the Sunday Politics London yesterday.

Labour still pledging Mansion Tax

despite the Conservatives overhaul of
Stamp Duty
Despite the reforms to Stamp Duty announced in this weeks Autumn
Statement, Labour still intend to press ahead with the so called
Mansion Tax (or Homes Tax) which will hit hundreds of thousands of
family homes nationally.
This week, stamp duty will be cut for 98% of people who pay it - only
the highest value residential properties will pay more. This means
people buying a home for less than 937,500 will pay less stamp duty.
Under the old rules, people would have paid Stamp Duty Land Tax
(SDLT) at a single rate on the entire property price. Now, they will only
pay the rate of tax on the part of the property price within each tax
band like income tax.
The measures are major reforms to the tax system and will also help
first time buyers through lower up-front costs when buying their first
home.
Whilst the changes will mean more expensive properties will attract
more SDLT, it removes the current cliff edges near the band
boundaries, and makes the tax more progressive. This means
nationally stamp duty will be cut for 98% of people who pay it, and of
people who pay stamp duty in London, 91% will pay less. The
average London home costing 510,000 attracted 20,400 in stamp
duty under the old system and will now attract 15,500 a saving of
4,900. Even in Chelsea and Fulham, with some of the highest
property values in the country, stamp duty will be reduced for about
half of properties, according to estimates from the Treasury.
Commenting on the announcement Greg Hands MP said: Stamp duty
has been described as one of the worst-designed taxes of all time. It
has been charged at a single slab rate on the whole purchase price of
a home, meaning big jumps in tax when house values tip into a new
band. Thats why were abolishing the residential slab system
altogether. In future each stamp duty rate will only apply to the part of
the property price that falls within that band like income tax.
In contrast, Labour want to introduce a new annual tax on the family
home, on top of the changes to SDLT. Responding to the Autumn
Statement, Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls said Labour will support this
stamp duty measure, but are still calling for a Mansion Tax in
addition.
Ed Ballss Homes Tax would mean an annual levy on properties worth
over 2 million, which will be at least 3,000 and could be up to
30,000 or even higher. The tax will have a banded structure, with at
least three bands and the lowest band charged at 3,000 per year
however no details were provided for the higher bands. In parts of
London such as Chelsea and Fulham 2millon would not just cover
mansions, but small family homes and even some flats.
Greg Hands added We are reducing stamp taxes for 98 per cent of
people who pay them and are increasing taxes on the most expensive
2 per cent of homes. But, unlike Labour, we will only ask people to pay
that tax when they buy that house and have the money.
"The changes at the top end could have a big impact on the property
market in Chelsea & Fulham, and the impact will need to be watched
closely.
Meanwhile, Labour want to hit home owners with a new tax every
year. Many of the properties that would be hit by this tax are ordinary
family homes and flats. Many were bought years ago for modest
prices, and due to house price inflation would now fall into this
bracket. As prices continue to rise, more and more homes would be
hit. Elderly people would find it impossible to pay amounts of up to
30,000 per annum to live in their family home which in many cases
they have been in for 30 years or more.
I shall continue to fight Labours unfair and damaging Homes Tax
proposal, which unfortunately it seems Labour are determined to
introduce if they are given a chance after the next election. Labours
Homes Tax will damage the economic recovery in London.

Photo news:

Campaigning against the Homes Tax

Greg Hands MP meeting national and local campaigners from the

Fair Homes Tax campaign in the House of Commons this week,
Howard Cox and Gavin Prentice, to discuss the ongoing
campaign against the Homes Tax (or "Mansion Tax").

K&C Council proclaims the end of megabasements in Kensington & Chelsea

The Council has won its historic battle to limit the scale of basement
development in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
In its report just published, the Governments Planning Inspector
declares the Councils proposals for tougher policies to be sound.
Basements will still be permitted but strict guidelines will now set limits
on their scale. Highlights include a reduction in the maximum extent
basements can extend under the garden, from 85 per cent to 50 per
cent, with that 50 per cent being a single area of space; a restriction to
a single storey in most cases (with exceptions for large sites); an
outright ban on basement developments under listed buildings and a
requirement for Construction Traffic Management Plans to be
submitted alongside planning applications to help protect residents
from the disturbance caused by these developments .
Commenting on the Planning Inspectors announcement, Cabinet
Member for Planning Policy, Cllr Tim Coleridge, said: Basements
have been the single greatest planning concern our residents have
expressed to us in living memory. Many have experienced years of
misery from noise, vibration, dust and construction traffic.
Two years ago we started drafting a policy to try and strike the right
balance between addressing our residents concerns and the genuine
need for people to expand their homes.
It hasnt been easy and basement developers have aggressively
opposed us every step of the way. We are delighted that the Inspector
agrees that we have got it right while at the same time praising us for
our extensive public consultation.
This ruling is a victory not only for the Council but also our residents
who have been overwhelmingly supportive of what we have been
trying to do.
The new guidelines will formally be adopted on 21 January at the next
Full Council meeting.

Photo news:

Lady Margaret School Christmas Fayre

Greg Hands MP at the Lady Margaret School Christmas Fayre

last week.

Key Points for Chelsea & Fulham from

George Osbornes Autumn Statement
Greg Hands MP has welcomed the Autumn Statement, echoing the
Chancellors argument that it is only by working through the
Conservatives long-term economic plan that we can achieve
prosperity and security for families in Chelsea and Fulham.
The new forecasts for the British economy in the Autumn Statement
show the Governments long-term economic plan is working. The
forecast shows the deficit will be halved this year, and the British
economy is expected to grow by 3 per cent this year. Meanwhile,
employment is up and unemployment is down, with over half a million
new jobs forecast this year.
The Chancellor set out the next steps in his long-term economic plan
in the Statement. The Chancellor also set out a number of other
measures to help individuals and families. These include:
Overhauling stamp duty so that 98% of home buyers across the
country, and 91% in London, pay less tax when they buy their home.
Continuing to back businesses to create jobs in all parts of the
country - with action on business rates, and more help for the high
street.
Abolishing the jobs tax on apprenticeships for people under 25 to
help more young people get the skills they need.
Raising the personal allowance, and higher rate taxpayers will also
benefit a down-payment on the Conservatives promises to raise the
personal allowance to 12,500 and the higher rate threshold to
50,000 in the next parliament. In London, this will lift 49,000 of the
lowest-paid people out of income tax altogether in 2015-16. 3.28
million people will see an average real terms wage boost of 95.
Supporting savers by letting husbands and wives inherit their
partners ISA and keep its tax free status.
Supporting higher education by making 10,000 student loans
available for young people doing post-graduate masters degrees. This
could benefit the 40 universities based in London.
Cutting tax for families by abolishing Air Passenger Duty for
children. This will save a two child family travelling from Heathrow or
Gatwick Airports 26 on the cost of economy short-haul flights and
142 on the cost of economy long-haul flights.
Greg Hands welcomed these measures as good news for
hardworking taxpayers in Chelsea and Fulham, and the rest of the
country, saying: I welcome the news in the Chancellors Autumn
Statement that our deficit will be halved and economy expected to
grow by 3 per cent this year. I was also pleased to hear that
unemployment is predicted to fall, from the 8 per cent we inherited, to
5.4 per cent next year.
This is excellent news for hardworking families in Chelsea and
Fulham. The changes to income tax will mean In London lifting 49,000
of the lowest-paid people out of income tax altogether in 2015-16.
3.28 million people will see an average real terms wage boost of 95.
Additionally the 40 universities based in London will benefit from the
new post-graduate loans system.
This Autumn Statement confirms the Governments long-term
economic plan is working. This matters to families here in Chelsea
and Fulham because its only with a strong and healthy economy that
families here can have economic security for the future. We must
carry on working through our plan and stay on course to prosperity.

Photo news:

Polish Community Carol Service

The scene at the Polish Community Carol Service for the Polish
Knights of Malta this week, where Greg was a guest speaker, with
General Lord Guthrie and the Polish Ambassador.

Have Your Say on new Storm Relief Tunnel

Residents are encouraged to take part in a consultation launched by
Thames Water about its proposals for a major new sewer to help
reduce the risk of flooding in Hammersmith & Fulham.
The Counters Creek Storm Relief Scheme would run the length of the
borough, close to the border with Kensington & Chelsea. It involves
digging a new four-metre-wide tunnel, 40 metres below the ground, to
store rain water during storms and protect basements from flooding.
The 5km storm relief sewer would be connected to the existing sewer
network and would require construction sites at five locations,
including three in Hammersmith & Fulham.
The main site would be the car park of the Kensington Olympia
exhibition centre, where Thames Water would dig two 15-metre-wide
drive shafts. These would allow for the tunnel to be dug in two
directions, north and south, at the same time. Construction work
would last around three and a half years, from late 2016 to early 2020.
The second site would be at the Five Star Car Wash at the top of
Shepherds Bush Road, close to Shepherds Bush Green, where
Thames Water intends to create a connection to the Hammersmith
storm relief sewer and a local sewer in Goldhawk Road. Work would
last around 18 months, from winter 2017 to summer 2019.
The third site would be a small grassed area at the corner of Mund
Street and North End Road in Fulham, where local storm flows would
be diverted into the new sewer. Work would last for 21 months, from
winter 2017 to summer 2019.
The consultation is now open and runs until January 25, 2015. Visit
www.thameswater.co.uk/counterscreek to find out more and have
your say.
Thames Water is also running a series of consultation sessions at
these locations:
Urban Partnership Group
87 Masbro Road, W14 0LR
Thursday December 11, 4pm to 8pm
Saturday December 13, 10am to 1pm
Bhavan Centre
4a Castletown Road, W14 9HE
Thursday January 8, 4pm to 8pm
Saturday January 10, 10am to 1pm
St Cuthberts Day Centre
The Pillbeach Hall, Earls Court SW5 9EB
Thursday January 15, 4pm to 8pm

Anti-Trafficking Pilot in Kensington &

Chelsea comes to an end
A two-year collaboration between the Royal Borough of Kensington
and Chelsea and the Metropolitan Police to tackle human trafficking is
coming to an end next month (December).
Funded by the European Commission, the European Communities
Against Trafficking (ECAT) Project began in December 2012 and has
raised awareness of the signs of human trafficking among thousands
of professionals and what to do when it is identified.
Its aim of working in partnership with a variety of organisations to help
stamp out human trafficking both here in the Capital and abroad has
resulted in groups of vulnerable people being equipped with the
knowledge and skills to resist trafficking and also provided direct
support to victims to prevent them being trafficked again.
The Council-led project included the Metropolitan Polices specialist
Anti-Trafficking and Kidnap Unit, the City of Westminster, Rahab, and
STOP THE TRAFFIK in the UK and agencies in Perugia (Italy) and
Kaunas (Lithuania).
One particularly important piece of work has been the collaboration
between the Metropolitan Police and the Kensington-based charity
Rahab, which identified over 300 potential victims of trafficking and
offered them support. It resulted in more than 60 criminal
investigations, with 27 arrests, the recovery of over 100,000 and
traffickers receiving sentences totalling over 35 years.
On Monday 8 December the ECAT Project Tool-kit will be launched at
the final ECAT Conference at City Hall, London SE1. It will showcase
the findings from the two year project. Kevin Hyland, the UKs first
ever Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner will be speaking, he
was appointed by the Home Secretary on 13 November 2014.
Commenting on the work, the Royal Borough of Kensington and
Chelseas Cabinet Member for Community Safety, IT and Corporate
Services, Councillor Joanna Gardner, said: The scourge of human
trafficking is something we must do all we can to stop, as it is going on
in our community and takes many forms from slavery to prostitution.
The collaborative work across the ECAT project that has been carried
out across organisations and countries has had some significant
successes. I hope that the launch of the toolkit to help tackle human
trafficking and the findings over the two years of this project will help
others, throughout Europe, to build on its great work and combat
human trafficking.
For
more
information
on
the
ECAT
www.rbkc.gov.uk/againsthumantrafficking.

Project

go

to

Week in Westminster and Constituency

Look Ahead 5th December
1 5 December 2014: This week in Westminster
NHS Spending
The NHS gives us all the peace of mind, guaranteeing world-class
healthcare, free at the point of use. Over this Parliament, the
Government has increased the NHS budget by 12.7 billion and I
welcome the 2 billion a year extra funding for frontline NHS services
the Chancellor announced this week. The Government will also use
1.1 billion in Forex fines to invest in local GP and community
services that will give patients access to advanced care, such as
chemotherapy and dialysis, in their local communities. More
information here.
Road Investment
I know that until recently, our roads they have suffered from underinvestment. This makes the Governments announcement this week of
the biggest investment in roads in a generation particularly welcome,
through a 15 billion Road Investment Strategy that will increase the
capacity and condition of roads across England. This funding will
increase the capacity and condition of roads across England, to keep
the economy growing and make a real difference in helping people get
on and get around. More information here.
Small Business Saturday
I look forward to Small Business Saturday this weekend. Im proud the
Conservatives are the party of small businesses and this is a great
day to recognise and celebrate the many wonderful small businesses
and their vital contribution to our local economy. Not only are they the
lifeblood of our economy but small businesses are responsible for
nearly half the job creation in the UK. Chelsea and Fulham is an area
where small businesses thrive, particularly with the large range of
independent shops on the Kings Road and Fulham Road. On Small
Business Saturday last year over 460 million was spent in small
businesses and I hope this year will be as, if not more successful.
Upcoming Events in the Fulham part of the Constituency (for a
full list of local events, check out local website Those Who Noes
Fulham - www.thosewhonosefulham.com)
CHELSEA FC HOME GAME - Chelsea v Sporting Lisbon
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
19:45 - 21:45
Stamford Bridge, Fulham Road, London, SW6 1HS
Kicks off at 19.45
Please visit Chelsea FC website for more information about the match
and tickets. Visit website >>
CHELSEA FC HOME GAME - Chelsea v Hull City
Saturday, December 13, 2014
15:00 - 17:00
Stamford Bridge, Fulham Road, London, SW6 1HS
Kick off 3pm
Please visit Chelsea FC website for further information about the
match and tickets. Visit website >>
CHRISTMAS CAROL CONCERT
Sunday, December 14, 2014
18:30 - 20:00
Fulham Palace, Bishop's Ave, London, SW6 6EA
Come along for this special evening of festive celebration. Enjoy
traditional carols in our Victorian Chapel featuring the Fulham
Camerata, conducted by Hannah Parry-Ridout. Light seasonal
refreshments will be served afterward in front of the roaring fire in our
Great Hall.
15 per person. Booking essential, click here to book.

5 ways to contact Greg Hands M.P.:

By Phone:
By email:
By post:
In person:

020 7219 5448

mail@greghands.com
Greg Hands M.P.
House of Commons
London SW1A 0AA
Click here for details of how
to book an appointment at
Greg Hands M.P.s weekly
surgery

www.greghands.com

More news from Greg Hands M.P., coming soon

Please forward this email on to anyone you think may be interested. If
you have had this email forwarded to you and would like to be added
to the mailing list, please send an email to: news@greghands.com
with JOIN in the subject heading.
To unsubscribe from this list, please return an e-mail to
news@greghands.com with "UNSUBSCRIBE" in the subject heading.

Greg Hands M.P. a strong voice for Chelsea & Fulham

Published & Promoted by Jonathan Fraser-Howells on behalf of Greg Hands M.P.,
both of 1a Chelsea Manor Street, London SW3 5RP