New publicly owned Great British Railways launched
The Railways Bill will create Great British Railways, bringing together 17 different organisations, cutting through the frustrating bureaucracy and lack of accountability that continues to plague the railways. Britain’s railways will be run as a single organisation for the first time in decades.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “The future of Britain’s railways begins today. I’m immensely proud to unveil the new look for Great British Railways as we deliver landmark legislation to nationalise our trains and reform the railway so it better serves passengers. This isn’t just a paint job – it represents a new railway, casting off the frustrations of the past and focused entirely on delivering a proper public service for passengers. With fares frozen, a bold new look and fundamental reforms becoming law, we are building a railway Britain can rely on and be proud of.”
Plan to halve rough sleeping and prevent homelessness launched
As the coldest months of the year settle in and Christmas fast approaches, for many, the harsh reality of homelessness becomes harder than ever – whether for someone bedding down on the street, or children struggling in temporary accommodation. Currently a family is being made homeless or threatened with homelessness every five minutes.
The National Plan to End Homelessness has three key pledges to be achieved by the end of this parliament – to halve the number of long-term rough sleepers, end the unlawful use of B&Bs for families and prevent more households from becoming homeless in the first place. It will be underpinned by a duty on public services to work together to prevent homelessness, a boost to the supply of good-quality temporary homes, and £3.5 billion – a £1 billion funding boost over and above previous commitments – to support rough sleeping and support services.
£3bn investment to end postcode lottery for children with SEND
Children with SEND will benefit from a brilliant education close to home as the government announces at least £3 billion to create tens of thousands of new specialist places in mainstream schools.
The Education Secretary has announced a transformational expansion of specialist, calm learning spaces in mainstream schools, equipped with facilities to support children with special educational needs and disabilities, following the launch of the largest national conversation on SEND in a generation.
It will mean young people won’t have to travel miles from home to have their needs met and can instead get support in tailor-made spaces with the right facilities while also mixing with other classes for subjects or parts of the day that are appropriate for them.
50,000 more young people benefit from apprenticeships, along with more youth centres and Youth Futures Hubs
The £725 million package of reforms to the apprenticeship system will help to tackle youth unemployment and drive economic growth – especially those not in education, employment or training (NEET) – with thousands of apprenticeship opportunities at local employers.
Additionally, the National Youth Strategy will deliver up to 250 new or refurbished youth centres, 50 Young Futures Hubs, and new support for youth workers, backed by over £500 million of investment. One of the first hubs to be operational by March 2026 will be in Brighton and Hove.
Backing Your Business campaign launched
MPs across the South East urged friends, family, neighbours and colleagues to come together and shop local on Small Business Saturday – a national celebration of the UK’s entrepreneurs and the 5.7 million small and medium businesses that power our economy.
The launch of the new Backing Your Business campaign comes hot on the heels of the Government’s flagship Small Business Plan, which includes the strongest reforms to tackle late payments in 25 years – designed to help sole traders, start-ups, family firms and high street shops access the support they need to thrive.