This week saw the final two days of debate on the Finance (No 3) Bill. On Wednesday, the Speaker granted an emergency debate related to the phone hacking scandal following a series of shocking revelations about the disgraceful activities of some journalists at the News of the World. As a result, the newspaper published its final edition and I welcome the announcement from the Prime Minister that inquiries will be set up to get to the bottom of what has happened here. The Government also introduced the Police (Detention and Bail) Bill this week and it passed the through its House of Commons stages on Thursday. It has now gone to the House of Lords where it should proceed with similar swiftness. This bill will address a recent development which drove a coach and horses through established bail procedures and this had to be rectified straight away.
The Dilnot Report on funding social care was also published this week, with Andrew Lansley welcoming the report in the House via a statement. I spoke in the subsequent debate, which led to a radio request from the BBC to debate the issues for their weekly roundup on Saturday. Dilnot is suggesting protecting people from extreme care costs by capping their lifetime contribution at £35,000. Those unable to make that contribution would continue to be supported on a means tested basis. The report however suggests that support, when it comes to residential care, should be extended so that the asset threshold should increase from £23,250 to £100,000. This, if introduced, would hopefully go some way towards enabling families not to have to sell the family home to pay the care bill.
I chaired the All Party Parliamentary Group on Water as we looked at the recent government consultation on the affordability and fairness of water charges. The chief executives of the Consumer Council and South West Water made very valuable contributions. There was a general consensus that affordability needed to be addressed to deal with the gaps the WaterSure programme leaves for the most vulnerable, but that careful thought needed to be given to how this is funded. Consumers want to feel the water companies and their shareholders are sharing the burden with the taxpayer. Nobody disputed the need to resolve the fairness problem for the South West, a result of an inadequate settlement at privatisation. In Westminster Hall, I was delighted to have the opportunity of thanking the water minister Richard Benyon for the progress that has been made towards getting the Teignmouth Flood Defence Scheme off the ground. This is subject to planning permission and I am hopeful, should this hurdle be passed, that construction can begin early next year.
Lobbying for Change
First and foremost, I am delighted that Devon County Council was successful in their bid to secure money from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund. This pot of money is designed to introduce measures, such as improved cycle tracks and work hubs, which will improve sustainable transport options in our area.
I am delighted to see that the mentor portal has been launched! Businesses need help and advice and both the Government and the banks have promised to address this by providing 40,000 mentors across the country. Those wishing to offer mentoring services, or those wishing to receive the help of a mentor, should visit www.mentorsme.co.uk. Mark Prisk, the responsible minister, and the chief executive of the British Banking Association launched the portal on Monday. I also had the chance to lobby John Hayes on the help small businesses need for better educated and trained young people and the changes needed to improve access to apprenticeships for the very smallest of our businesses. I am pleased to see progress being made on the establishment of proper technical academies and University Technical Colleges – and a new Technical Baccalaureate.
I am concerned to ensure we find a lasting solution to the challenge of providing good quality and affordable care to individuals as they grow older and less able. To that end I had a number of meetings with interested parties and lobby groups, including Skills for Care, who want to see better training for those working in the sector and to professionalise this group giving them greater pride in what they do. I also met Steve Smith from WRVS, established to provide care for older people since the war. Finally I met up with Dairy 2020 who are looking at putting together an end to end strategy for the dairy industry from farmer to supermarket.
Out and About
This week I was able to spend time in schools before they break for their summer holidays. On Friday morning I went to visit Dawlish Community College. I was then pleased to be able to join the community at Shaldon for the official opening of the new hall, classrooms and offices at Shaldon Primary School. That afternoon I had the very great pleasure of attending Oakwood Court College’s Summer Fete and the opportunity to talk to the head teacher and staff about the school and the most recent government proposals for education. That evening I had a face to face community meeting in Ashcombe at the village club – a great facility. Saturday was busy with two full surgeries in Dawlish and Newton Abbot. A busy week!
Surgeries and Getting Together
My next surgeries are on Saturday 16th July at 10am in Teignmouth Library and 12 noon at Kingsteignton Community Centre. Following that, I will be holding surgeries on the 30th July at 10am in Dawlish (Manor House) and 12 noon in Newton Abbot (Courtenay Centre). Please phone 01626 368277 for an appointment or for immediate help with issues that can’t wait until the next surgery. My next Face to Face will be at The Ship Inn in Cockwood on Friday 15th July. I look forward to seeing you there!