November 2025 Monthly Newsletter

The period going into the Autumn after party Conference season is always a busy one in the constituency, at Westminster, and on the political calendar generally.

Below is a brief account of my work over the past month. To stay in regular touch in ‘real time’ with my Ministerial, Parliamentary and Constituency work, please follow me on social media and see Department for Work and Pensions - GOV.UK and Spoken contributions of Dame Diana Johnson - MPs and Lords - UK Parliament.

Spotlight on Clean Energy

The work of highlighting the importance of renewable energy to our future in Hull has continued in recent weeks. The Government announced its Clean Energy Jobs Plan in October, with the potential creation of over 400,000 new jobs - 20,000 of them around the Humber Energy Estuary.

The Humber is already an industry leader in a part of the UK economy that is growing at a much faster rate than the economy overall. As the cost of extracting remaining UK fossil fuel reserves increases, the costs of renewables is coming down. This means that while the UK’s transition to clean energy security is important to families and businesses throughout the UK, it is doubly important for boosting the Hull and Humber sub-region.

Recently, at a Future Humber event in Liverpool, I heard that the volume of potential private investment in clean energy projects around the Humber is now nearer to £30bn than £15bn. Although the Humber economy is broad-based, no other sector has such transformative potential over the next decade. Promoting an understanding of this to key players locally, not least the Elected Mayors, is an important part of my current work.

During October, I visited the Groupe Atlantic/ Ideal Heating site in National Avenue to see their impressive new £19.2m Technology Centre. This is bringing world-leading technology to Hull, focusing on the development of heat pumps and other technologies essential to the low carbon transition.

Down in Westminster, I had the privilege of inviting local business HiiROC to No.11 Downing Street for the Chancellor’s Yorkshire and Humber Business Reception. This was a good opportunity to connect with a wide range of innovative businesses who are driving growth in our regional economy and to highlight the work of HiiROC and their vital role in reaching Net Zero to the Chancellor in person.

I had a face-to-face debate with Hull and East Yorkshire Mayor Luke Campbell on BBC Politics North in mid-October. I emphasised the importance of welcoming green investment around the Humber and of ensuring that local young people and others are trained to take full advantage of new clean energy jobs.

Inspiring the Next Generation

Another cohort of students with an interest in politics joined Hull University this September and I was delighted to welcome some of them to my office. We had a chat about how the political landscape has transformed over the two decades since I became Hull North’s MP, the current challenges of being a Minister and what may be in store for the future. 

Drop-in at Orchard Park

On 24 October, I spent a busy morning at The Orchard Centre hosting a drop-in event to assist constituents with a range of cost-of-living issues. I was delighted to bring together more than 25 local charities and organisations to provide help and assistance to my constituents. This included Citizens Advice, Unity in Community, Stop the Loan Sharks and many others — all dedicated to helping residents access free advice on benefits, energy costs and household finances. Over 80 constituents came along and I look forward to hosting similar events around the constituency.

Welcome to Westminster!

It was a pleasure to meet a number of constituents who were visiting Parliament over the past month. This included Ian Start, my Cottingham Community Champion for October. Ian is a long-standing trustee and community leader with the Cottingham Village Trust and has played a central role in securing and running the Civic Hall and turning it into a thriving local hub for community use. 

I was pleased to meet my constituent Darren Abramson who was in Parliament for an event promoting targeted prostate cancer screening for high-risk men.

In and around Hull, many people will be aware of the important work that Ian Cuthbert does to ensure that there is proper recognition of Hull’s Headscarf Revolutionaries – the women who campaigned to improve trawler safety in the 1960s. Ian recently kindly sent me a lovely, framed picture of the Headscarf women to put on my office wall at the Commons. I can report that this is another pledge I have been able to keep!

Remembering Blood Scandal Victims

Since 2010, one of my campaigns as an MP was on the NHS Infected Blood scandal after constituent Glenn Wilkinson contacted me.  After many years of campaigning, a Public Inquiry was secured in 2017. This reported in 2024. The new Labour government then began the roll-out of the £11.8bn compensation scheme last year.

Legislation is about to go through Parliament to introduce a ‘Hillsborough Law’ that would require a Duty of Candour from public officials. Such a duty would have impacted on the infected blood scandal and that’s why I am a strong supporter of the Bill. 

I was honoured to be asked to do a reading at the annual service at St. Botolph’s in Bishopsgate to remember those who have died in the Infected blood scandal. It was as ever incredibly moving and poignant. The campaigning of victims and families over so many years to uncover the truth and seek justice remains an inspiration.

New Challenges

Following the Government reshuffle in early September, I am now the Employment Minister at the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), working with Secretary of State Pat McFadden.

My aim at the DWP is to raise the employment rate to 80% and reduce the number of young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs) – getting them off benefits and into work that pays. This is all central to the Government’s growth and anti-poverty agenda.

I went on a number of ministerial visits as a DWP Minister in October, including to Job Centre Plus in Gorton, Greater Manchester, and to Wakefield to see the National Jobs and Careers Service pilot with West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin.

Skills for the Future

The end of September and start of October saw several announcements made at the Annual Conference in Liverpool that marked further progress on the Government’s change agenda.

The Education Secretary announced the return of Maintenance Grants for some low-income students, playing a vital role in widening access to Higher Education as well as addressing skills shortages. The grants will support students from low-income households on priority courses aligned with the Government’s skills agenda around technical qualifications.  

The move follows a 20% real-terms decline in the value of maintenance loans over the past five years, leaving many students struggling with the rising cost of living.

The Prime Minister also announced in Liverpool that the old 1990s target of 50% of young people going to university is being replaced by a new target of two-thirds studying for either technical qualification, a gold standard apprenticeship or going to university.

New Towns to Back the Builders

As part of the Government’s commitment to housebuilding and growth, Ministers announced that the construction of three new towns will begin before the next general election. So far twelve locations have been recommended as potential new towns. A New Towns Unit will also be established to work with all government departments and their agencies to unblock barriers to delivery.  Each new town will have at least 10,000 homes with an ambition for a minimum of 40% being affordable and social housing.  

Funding Best Start Centres

October also saw the Government commit to the roll-out of Best Start family hubs. These follow on from the successful legacy of the Sure Start centres introduced after 1997. The hubs will act as a ‘one stop shop’ for free advice and support, with classes, events, activities and help with children before they start school.

The Government also confirmed that they will provide £154,994 of funding to open a new Best Start Family Hub in the East Riding of Yorkshire by next April.  

Warm Homes

With colder weather arriving during October, more than a quarter of a million families are receiving confirmation of their £150 discount on energy bills this Winter. This is part of the Government’s drive to help families tackle fuel poverty and to put more money into people’s pockets. 

The Prime Minister took the decision last year to expand the Warm Home Discount to a further 2.7 million families, meaning six million households across England and Wales will now receive it. Alongside this, it had already been announced that 75% of pensioners - those who need it most - will get the Winter Fuel Allowance this Winter.

New Laws

Important Government legislation has also moved forward over the past month.

Mental Health

The Mental Health Bill will shortly become law. This reforms our outdated mental health laws, bringing them in line with modern-day attitudes and the greater knowledge about conditions such as autism. It was a manifesto commitment to give patients greater choice, autonomy and ensure that everyone is treated with dignity and respect throughout treatment. Some of the key measures include improving care for those with learning disabilities and ending the use of police cells for people in mental health crises.

Rights for Renters

The Renters Rights Bill became law in October, enshrining the rights of private renters and clamping down on rogue landlords. This was another manifesto commitment. Some key measures included removing no-fault evictions – a leading driver of homelessness – as well as aiming to drive up standards through a new decent homes standard and the introduction of Awaab’s Law. This mandates landlords to investigate significant damp and mould within 10 working days, do emergency repairs within 24 hours and make properties safe within five working days of investigation.

Other changes include banning landlords and lettings agents from stoking bidding wars, giving tenants a right to own a pet and ending discrimination against renters with children or in receipt of benefits.