The Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill went through the Lords defeating those calling for it to be treated as a hybrid bill which would have risked delaying the Alternative Vote Referendum in May next year at the same time as District Elections. Wednesday was Opposition Day – a day when the opposition can set the agenda for debate –they chose Education and Health and spent the day challenging the Coalition’s plans for change on both fronts.
Closer to home, the Fire Safety (Protection of Tenants) Bill which Adrian Saunders has been pushing forward had its second reading on Friday. I lobbied Grant Shapps and others to press home the need for this legislation to protect vulnerable tenants from fire risk. We need to consolidate and simplify landlords’ obligations but those should include a requirement for a fire alarm to be installed. We need this legislation.
Lobbying for Change
This week I met up with Which? – the champion for consumer rights. They are concerned about energy charges. As a government we have committed to making rates and charges clearer and simpler. Right now there are over 200 tariffs to choose from! But as Which point out, one of the problems is making sure that, having decided to change provider for a better deal, the consumer doesn’t find himself worse off - because having switched to a cheaper provider, the deal to which he has switched – changes!
Big Society is alive and kicking in the South West and on Wednesday I attended a group meeting of the South West Forum setting out what they were doing –I was delighted to see Dame Hannah Rogers at Seale Hayne represented. The group put a powerful case about what was needed. I also met the Fire Brigades Union to discuss the proposed centralised control centre and future pension arrangements. On Thursday I met a group of small to medium size businesses –organised by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Small Businesses, on the executive of which I sit, to lobby Eric Pickles on Local Enterprise Partnerships.
Out and About
On Friday I had a very constructive meeting with local farmers about cost and risk sharing as between the government and farmers in the prevention, detection and resolution of animal disease outbreaks. The EU is expected to bring forward measures for cost sharing in 2012. The last government had come up with proposals which have been rejected by the Coalition. What we need is a fresh look at this problem –and I very much want local farmers to have a voice. Jim Paice MP, Minister for Agriculture and Food has agreed to meet with a group of local farmers –so we were getting our case to put to him together!
On Friday afternoon I had the very great pleasure of opening South Devon College’s Skills Academy for Foundation Learning in Newton Abbot at Pearl Assurance House. It has been a well kept secret for some time and now is a great time to celebrate its success. A very impressive 89% of last year’s Entry to Employment young people moved on to further education or a job. This compares very favourably with the national average of only 55%. These young people deserve our help to get them on the right track –and I am very pleased and proud to have such a success story in Newton Abbot.
On Friday evening I had a public meeting at Holcombe at the Smugglers Inn. Saturday morning was busy with a morning surgery in Kingsteignton which was well oversubscribed but it was good to see so many people.
Surgeries and Getting Together
My next surgeries in Teignmouth will be at the Library at 10am on Saturday 27th November and then at 12.15 on 4th December. My next surgery in Dawlish will be on 4th December at 10am. Please phone 01626 368277 for an appointment or for immediate help with issues that can’t wait until the next surgery. My next pub meetings will be on at 6.30pm at the Hare and Hounds in Kingskerswell on 3rd December and 6.30pm at the Bishop John in Bishopsteignton on 10th December–I should love to see you there!