The York Mosque (the York branch of the UK Islamic mission) has strong links with the local community.  Members are encouraged to integrate with York residents and they play an active role in all walks of life.  York Mosque is a charity and it provides a peaceful place of worship together with schooling for Muslim children in their faith.  The new building will provide a range of opportunities for York residents – both Muslim and non-Muslim – and it has an interfaith room to allow local people, school groups and other interested parties to visit the Mosque and use the room as a central point.

The new two storey eco friendly Mosque will include prayer facilities for 600 worshippers and it has full wheelchair access and facilities for the disabled.

I have had a long association with the Mosque since my election as MP for the City of York back in 1992.  It is a well respected Muslim faith group and it has strong links with the local community.

The fundraising campaign for the new Mosque is going well and so far over £195,000 has been raised.  This is a fantastic achievement and I congratulate everyone who is involved.  I look forward to visiting the Mosque to look round the new building when it is complete.

York High School encourages all Year 8 students to spend a day volunteering in the community and one of the ways they can get involved is to spend a few hours collecting for the Foodbank at the Waitrose Supermarket in Foss Islands Road.  As customers enter the store they are given a shopping list and they are asked to buy one or two items from the list to donate to York Foodbank.  The young people then collect the items and arrange for them to be sent to the Gateway Centre for distribution.

In the last twelve months Trussell Trust Foodbanks have seen the biggest rise in numbers given emergency food since the charity began in 2000.  Almost 350,000 people in the UK have received at least three days’ emergency food from the Foodbanks, nearly 100,000 more than anticipated and close to triple the number helped in 2011/12.  A sharp rise in the cost of living has resulted in more people seeking emergency assistance and the impact of the Government’s welfare reforms could see numbers increasing further in 2013/14.

The Trussell Trust is currently launching three new Foodbanks every week to help meet demand and it has launched 345 UK Foodbanks to date in partnership with churches and local communities.

The food bank based at the Gateway Centre in Acomb opened in November 2012.  Since it opened 401 food vouchers have been redeemed and these have provided food for 789 people.  More than 5000kg of food has been issued.

Thousands of people across the country are turning to food banks to help feed their families.  Some are on a low income whilst others are affected by redundancy or with delays to their benefits payments.  Many families are only a couple of pay packets away from a financial crisis and it can happen to anyone.

The food bank is a really worthwhile cause and I am glad the students from York High School are supporting it.  The young people are doing a fantastic job and people in need will benefit as a result.

York station staff have also helped East Coast to deliver its best ever results in the National Passenger Survey.  East Coast achieved a 92% overall satisfaction rating in the most recent survey carried out in Autumn 2012 by Passenger Focus – the highest score on this franchise at any time since the survey was first launched in Autumn 1999.

The Secure Stations Scheme was launched in 1998 and is designed to establish and standardise good security practices at both overground and underground rail stations.  It was developed after Department for Transport research showed that waiting at stations was a particular concern for passengers, particularly after dark, and especially for women and young people.

The scheme is primarily about improving personal security at stations for passengers and staff but it also encourages Train Operating Companies to work with other agencies to improve the whole journey for passengers.

The Department for Transport and the British Transport Police jointly direct the scheme with the British Transport Police acting as the Independent Accreditor.  The Department for Transport administers the scheme and acts as the Accreditation Agency.  Whilst it is a voluntary scheme, rail franchises now contain a contractual requirement for the franchisees to improve stations and get them accredited as a Secure Station.  The scheme accredits those stations that have introduced a comprehensive package of security measures aimed at cutting down crime and helping to reassure passengers and staff.  The national standards relate to such measures as staff training, Help Points, CCTV, lighting and information.  A passenger survey is also carried out.

Dennis Middleton, the Station Manager at York, and the team have worked hard with the British Transport Police to get the station re-accredited under the Secure Stations Scheme.  Railway stations can be lonely places, especially early in the morning or late at night when there are few people about and women and young people can feel particularly vulnerable.  Improvements to the station, such as the installation of CCTV and additional lighting, will make everyone, including the staff, feel safer and at ease.

York Station is one of the most important stations in the country and thousands of people pass through it every day.  It is reassuring for residents and visitors to know that York station is one of the safest in the country. This is a great achievement and I congratulate everyone who is involved.

My exchange with the Minister was as follows:

Hugh Bayley (York Central) (Lab): What help are the Government giving to smaller local authorities away from metropolitan areas, to introduce smart ticketing to make bus journeys more convenient and cheaper, and to get more people on to buses?

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Norman Baker): We have seen a significant roll-out of smart ticketing, but I agree that it is more difficult for small local authority areas.  The Department for Transport budget allocates £15 million to pick up on small bus operators in particular, to ensure that they are not left behind and to retain diversity of supply in the bus industry.

In York, as part of the Better Bus Area Fund bidding process, the council has worked with Metro to incorporate an “optional” element in to a wider smart ticketing bid to the Department for Transport.  The Department for Transport has agreed to this element and the council has been allocated £0.65 million to implement the infrastructure for the delivery of smart ticketing in York.

The following bus companies are now operating ITSO compliant (the national agreed standard for smart ticket machines): First (city service buses), Transdev/Coastliner, and EYMS.  Stephensons, Harrogate Coach Travel and Utopia have been leased machines by the council which could enable them to operate through an arrangement with Yorcard.

The council is also working with operators, regional authority partners and Yorcard to transfer the current fleet of Park & Ride vehicles on to an ITSO platform.  Further plans include putting the YOzone (proof of age card) on to a smart platform with the opportunity for young people to store a travel entitlement on the cards and developing a smart carnet of all York day tickets which will be available for purchase and top up off bus.

If the council can secure the funding it plans to sell Smart tickets from electronic on street kiosks, various outlets including universities and colleges and Payzone points.

Nearly all our major cities offer a system of smart ticketing and I want residents in York to have the same benefits.  I congratulate City of York Council in securing funding for this.

Smart ticketing has many advantages, it speeds up boarding times and reduces queuing because passengers can put credit on their card before they get on the bus and they no longer have to count out their change.  Bus operators can also run their own loyalty schemes and offer ticket types to suit individual customers needs.

My exchange with the Minister was as follows:

Hugh Bayley (York Central) (Lab): What obligation will be placed on any future holder of the east coast main line rail franchise to co-operate with High Speed 2 to ensure that classic compatible train services connect the north-east and York to High Speed 2.

The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Mr Simon Burns): Where future rail franchises interact with HS2, we will ensure that the two are complementary.

Hugh Bayley: I welcome the Government’s decision that classic compatible trains will run on the high-speed line to Leeds and then continue up the east coast main line, but the east coast train operator might well see that as unwelcome competition. Therefore, the terms of a franchise for the new east coast train operator, whoever gets it, must include a provision that allows it to profit from getting the high-speed trains running over the east coast tracks as soon as possible.

Mr Burns: I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising a valid and interesting point. He is absolutely right that that will have to be looked at. Fortunately, we have time on our side. I can assure him that between now and when High Speed 2 begins operating on phase 2 in 2032-33, this will be looked into fully in order to avoid the very problems he identifies.

I want the Government to make it a condition of the new East Coast Main Line rail franchise that the new holder has to work with High Speed 2 to ensure that the classic compatible trains link with the East Coast Main Line at York.  The franchise holder needs a financial stake in HS2.  Maybe the two companies should share ticket revenue for the high speed Services which run on the East Coast Main Line tracks.

In his response to my Parliamentary Question, the Minister says we have time on our side.  However, it is important for the new franchise to work with High Speed 2 as soon as the contract is awarded so that the two companies can work together on planning how their services will interact.  There is a need for continuity whilst the changes are taking place so that rail passengers continue to receive a good service.

I met Caroline White, Chief Executive at the Youth Hostels Association, today to have a tour of the newly refurbished Youth Hostel in Water End, Clifton.

York Youth Hostel has benefitted from a £1.95 million investment by the Youth Hostelling charity which aims to create a world-class network of Youth Hostels in England and Wales and change the outdated perception of its accommodation.  The charity’s significant investment in its network is helping to modernise the premises and create a facility which is proving particularly popular with young families looking for great value, child friendly breaks.

As part of the Youth Hostels Association investment in the York hostel, it now has a new reception and bar and it has upgraded its restaurant.  YHA York has also been extended to increase the number of bedrooms from 37 to 45, providing accommodation for 205 guests.

The site has also undergone full redecoration and has improved public facilities and communal spaces.  There is an enhanced educational offer for schools, including secure zoned areas, to maximise child and group safety and security whilst on site, as well as educational and conference rooms with a full audio visual solution, each accommodating up to 80 people.

Many people have told me they are holidaying in the UK this year because they cannot afford to travel abroad.  Youth hostels offer different types of accommodation, all at an affordable price.  York is one of the most historically and culturally rich cities in the country.  The Youth Hostel opens it up to many people who could not otherwise afford to visit.  It also caters for school groups and provides a safe environment for them.

Everyone deserves a break once in a while and the Youth Hostels Association has done wonderful work in ensuring York is a viable option for everyone.  The refurbishment looks great and I hope it encourages lots of tourists to stay here.

Photo: Hugh Bayley MP with Caroline White (Chief Executive of the Youth Hostels Association) at York Youth Hostel, 22 April 2013

The Dolly House is a facility that the York Animal Home has wanted for some time and has been made possible by a bequest from the late Mrs Doris (Dolly) Stericker.  The building is named after her.

The Dolly House is a purpose built wooden cabin constructed to high environmental standards and will generate its own electricity and collect rainwater for use around the home.

The new facility is a great idea.  It allows families to get to know their new pet in a home environment without having to worry about other people or animals being present.  I was delighted to join Dolly’s daughter, Barbara Boyce (who is also a Trustee at the RSPCA) to open the Dolly House today.

Inspector Drummond is the Safer Neighbourhood Area Inspector and he oversees safer neighbourhood policing in the West of York.  I was accompanied on my tour by Sergeant Roy Brown who works within the Community Safety Department of North Yorkshire Police and PCSO, Dave Hale.  Dave Hale set up the scheme in Beckfield Lane and was helped by Natasha Hardy, who is the Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator and chair of the Neighbourhood Watch Committee.  Antony Baldwin, a police volunteer who works at the front desk at Acomb police station, was also present.

I congratulate Inspector Drummond and the team for setting up the Beckfield Lane Neighbourhood Watch Scheme.  Acomb is a relatively safe area but there are still problems with anti-social behaviour, criminal damage and vehicle crime.

Neighbourhood Watch Schemes are a tremendous help to the police.  They teach people how to protect themselves and their property and they can reduce the fear of crime by helping to provide improved home security, greater vigilance and the reporting of suspicious characters or incidents.  The new scheme will help reduce crime and everyone in the Beckfield Lane area will benefit as a result of this.

I also met Ken McArthur, who is the owner of Polly Anna’s Day Nursery in Haxby and a founding member of the National Day Nursery Association, becoming the Chair over 10 years ago.  He works very closely with City of York Council’s Early Years Services and is regularly involved with their consultation groups.

I also met Helen Gration, Manager of the Home to Home Nursery Company.  Helen got into the nursery business after becoming a mother to twins in 2003.  She believed there was a need for high quality, loving childcare with a focus on learning and development, activities, resources, food and physical buildings.  In 2007 she bought two nurseries in need of updating and refurbishment, the nursery in Fulford and another in Strensall.  Between them the two nurseries now employ 42 members of staff including 3 at Head Office.  Helen is hoping to expand the nurseries in the future.

The Fulford nursery is situated by the river and the natural environment creates a safe place for young children to explore, enjoy and learn.  The children have towers to climb, slides and bikes to play with and there are blackboards outdoors which encourage the children to draw and paint.  There is also a roof top garden with an outdoor play area which is accessible from the upstairs of the nursery.

The nursery looks after children from birth to 5 years of age and it has rooms for babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers with specialist equipment for learning at each stage of a child’s development.  In addition the children are encouraged to develop their skills by drawing on experiences using their five senses.  They are taught to build up their spatial awareness and their motor skills as well as how to further their creativity.

The children at the Montesorri nursery have a wonderful environment in which to learn.  The staff encourage them to explore their environment and each new experience is an adventure.  The nursery encourages the children to make friends and it teaches them to take turns and think about the needs of others.

Helen Gration and her team have created a wonderful environment for the children.  I am sure they will look back on their days in the nursery with great fondness when they are older.

I have received a large post bag of letters from worried constituents who will struggle to pay the new tax when it comes in from April.  Some of these people have major disabilities and are already struggling to make ends meet in the current economic climate.

I challenged the Prime Minister about the unfairness of the Bedroom Tax because I was contacted by a couple who have a 2 bedroom bungalow who were facing a reduction in their housing benefits if they did not downsize to a one bedroom property.  The husband has been paralysed for over thirty years and he relies on his wife, to help him.  He feared the Bedroom Tax would force him to move into a home and his wife would have to find somewhere smaller to live.  He said in his letter that if this happens he will lose the will to live.

My exchange with the Prime Minister was as follows:

Hugh Bayley (York Central) (Lab): The money that the Government have set aside to help people who are hit by the bedroom tax will not cover a fraction of the really hard cases, such as that of my paralysed constituent who receives round-the-clock care from his wife. There is an acute housing shortage in York, and they have nowhere to move to. So will the Prime Minister do one more U-turn on the bedroom tax, and scrap it altogether?

The Prime Minister: First, let me remind the hon. Gentleman that only the Labour party could call a welfare reform a tax. It shows how little they understand how tax and benefits work. We are making available a discretionary fund that is there for the hard cases, but we are also recognising that there is a basic issue of cost—about £23 billion is spent on housing benefit every year—and a basic issue of fairness, not just between the private sector and the social sector but in recognising that there are 1.8 million people on housing waiting lists who would love to have a bedroom.

Since raising the case, I have been told the couple will now get extra help so they will not have to move.

The Bedroom Tax is hitting a lot of vulnerable people.  People with disabilities have enough to contend with in order to manage their everyday lives.  It is nonsense for the Government to expect people who are disabled to move out of a home which has been specially adapted for their needs in to a smaller property which then costs thousands to adapt.

The Government have not thought this policy through.  First they said foster parents would pay the Bedroom Tax – then they backed down.  Then they did a U-turn to exempt members of the Armed Forces from being forced to pay the Bedroom Tax when on active service abroad.  People who are seriously disabled should also be exempt.