🌺Remembrance Day

It was an honour to attend the Remembrance Service at the Enfield Memorial, standing alongside our local veterans, scouts, cubs, beavers, brownies, cadets, and residents as we came together to pay tribute to all those who have served our country.

Each year, this ceremony is a profoundly humbling moment - a reminder of the immense courage, sacrifice, and selflessness shown by the fallen, and of the freedoms we enjoy because of them.

Seeing so many young people taking part also gives me hope that the spirit of remembrance continues to be passed on through the generations.

We will remember them.

🚗 Tackling Driving Test Backlogs: Extra Support on the Way

This is an issue I see raised in my mailbox time and again, so I’m delighted that the Labour Government is taking decisive action.

Driving test waiting times remain far too high, with thousands of learners facing delays of over 21 weeks. These new measures will help bring those waits down and get people on the road sooner.

👮‍♂️ Military Examiners Drafted In

To boost capacity, 36 Defence Driving Examiners from the Ministry of Defence will step in one day a week at public test centres.

This will create up to 6,500 extra tests over the next year.
Military examiners may also assist with bus and lorry tests if needed.

📈 Backlog by the Numbers

642,000 learners currently have test bookings.
Waiting times have reached 21.8 weeks.
182,000 tests were conducted last month - up 9% on last year.
Demand has soared since the pandemic, with many learners booking months earlier than before.

🤖 Cracking Down on Bots and Touts

A major factor behind the long waits has been online touts and bots reselling test slots. New rules will help stop this practice:

Learners can only change a booking twice before needing to cancel and rebook.
Test moves will be restricted to nearby centres only.
Driving instructors will no longer be able to book tests on behalf of learners.

This is designed to create a fairer, more transparent system for everyone.

🌳Community Walkabout in Albany Park and Woolpack House🌳

Today I was joined by the Leader of the Council Ergin Erbil, ward councillors, the Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Enfield Council’s Anti-Social Behaviour team, local residents, and police sergeants from North Area Neighbourhood Policing for a community walkabout in Albany Park and Woolpack House on the Kettering Estate.

We walked through Albany Park and along Turkey Brook to look at ongoing issues with anti-social behaviour, before visiting Woolpack House to hear directly from residents about the challenges they’re facing.

Seeing these issues first-hand was incredibly valuable, and I’m grateful for the open conversations with residents, councillors, police officers and council staff about what more can be done.

Tackling anti-social behaviour and helping our neighbourhoods feel safe remains my top priority, and I’ll continue working closely with all partners to push for the improvements our community deserves.

☕Enfield Lock Coffee Morning ☕

My recent coffee morning surgery in Enfield Lock was a busy and constructive session, with many residents dropping in to speak with me and my caseworkers about issues affecting them.

It was also great to be joined by Lock Councillors Ozaydin, Hurman and Yuruk, who were on hand to listen to concerns from residents in their ward and offer support on local matters.

I’m committed to making these informal surgeries as accessible as possible, so do keep an eye on the events page on my website for details of the next coffee morning in Enfield North.

I look forward to seeing many more of you there.

🛡️ Protecting Children Online: New Laws to Stop AI-Generated Abuse

As a parent of young children, I am pleased to see that the Labour Government is taking decisive action to protect children from the growing threat of AI-generated sexual abuse imagery, as reports of such material have more than doubled in the past year.

📘 World-Leading Legislation

A new, tough law will prevent the creation and circulation of AI-generated child sexual abuse images (“deepfakes”). The legislation will:

Ensure AI models cannot be misused to produce synthetic child sexual abuse material.
Allow authorised organisations to check AI systems for safeguards against extreme pornography and non-consensual intimate images.
Strengthen protections for real victims by stopping abuse before it happens.

👩‍💻 New Powers for Oversight

Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will be empowered to designate approved AI developers and child protection organisations - such as the Internet Watch Foundation - as authorised testers.

Only Government-approved bodies will be permitted to carry out this testing, and it will be done under strict, tightly controlled conditions. Work is already underway with:

Industry experts
Child protection charities
Law enforcement

Together, they will create robust safeguards that protect victims, support research, and ensure accountability.

📉 Why This Matters

New figures from the Internet Watch Foundation reveal a sharp rise in AI-generated child sexual abuse reports - from 199 cases in 2024 to 426 so far in 2025. These measures are designed to tackle the problem at source.

🌍 Leading the World in Child Safety

The changes announced today will:

Prevent abuse before it occurs
Protect real children and help police focus on rescuing victims
Put the UK at the forefront of global child safety standards in the AI era

This Labour Government remains firmly committed to making the digital world a safe, secure, and accountable place for every child. As technology evolves, so too must our protections - and we will continue to lead the way with strong laws, tough enforcement, and close partnership with experts to ensure children are protected wherever they are online.

♻️ Carterhatch Community Recycling Day Clear Out Before Christmas! ♻️

If you’re planning a pre-Christmas clear-out in Carterhatch ward, the next Community Recycling Day is the perfect opportunity to dispose of unwanted items responsibly.

📍 Bouvier Road, EN3 5SF
📅 Saturday 15 November
⏰ 9am – 2pm

Residents in the area are invited to drop off large items that are difficult to take to the main recycling centre. Enfield Council will be accepting:

Electrical items
Textiles
Furnishings

It’s also a great chance to speak to the council team about general household recycling and meet the crews who keep our borough clean.

For full details - including future Community Recycling Days across Enfield - please visit the Council website.

🧡 Carers Rights Day - Supporting Unpaid Carers in Our Community

Carers Rights Day takes place this year on 20 November, with the theme “Know your rights, use your rights.” Now in its 25th year, the campaign - led by Carers UK - aims to ensure unpaid carers understand the support, protections and entitlements available to them.

Across the UK, 5.8 million people provide unpaid care to disabled, older, or seriously ill loved ones. Our health and social care system simply could not function without their dedication. Yet many people do not see themselves as carers and are unaware of the rights they are entitled to.

Every day, around 12,000 people become unpaid carers, often suddenly, and the impact on wellbeing, education, employment, and finances can be profound.

Ensuring carers know and can access their rights is vital to helping them receive the support they deserve. You can learn more about Carers Rights Day and the help available at Carers UK’s website.

🤝 Standing with Carers

If you are an unpaid carer in Enfield North and need support or advice, please do get in touch - I am always here to help.

I hope you have a good week!

Best wishes,

Feryal

Weekly Update

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