The Academies Bill continued to be debated. Academies will receive the same level of per-pupil funding as a maintained school. In addition they will receive top up funding to meet additional responsibilities that are no longer provided for them by the local authority. But teachers have been concerned about the funding for those schools that do not become academies.
Becoming an academy or not should not bring about a financial advantage or disadvantage to a school. Academies however will have greater freedom on how to use their budgets, alongside the other freedoms that they enjoy. I met up with an NUT lobby group to listen to their concerns.
The two coalition parties met for the first time as a political cabinet to map out their political strategy as a government of reform, bringing together the complimentary ideas of the two parties to fix the public finances and put in place the long term reforms that will equip Britain for long term success.
Interest Groups
As a politician you get approached by literally hundreds of groups wanting to brief you and lobby for their cause. You have to be quite selective. This week I met up with the Chief Executive of the Association of Colleges. It was a useful meeting exchanging views on what we could do to get better integration of business and tertiary education, so that students are better prepared for the work place and have a better chance of getting a job.
I have now been elected a Vice Chairman of the Life Sciences All Party Parliamentary Group to look at how we can enable development of some of the life saving drugs we need. Insulin is a good example of a life saving drug which would not have been developed in any other way. Drugs for dementia care are on the list for development.
Later in the week I met up with Professor Passmore, an expert in Dementia care to talk about the use of anti-psychotic drugs in the care of dementia patients. NICE is about to look at the issue and he wanted me to be fully briefed. It’s a complex issue and can’t be looked at in isolation from the variety of other drugs and care pathways involved in the care of these patients.
Together with fellow MPs from Devon and Cornwall I met up with the Treasury to put the case for the Peninsula (Devon and Cornwall) on a number of issues including our water rates, our infrastructure, particularly roads and railways, access to the internet and more generally the shape of support for local government and local businesses.
Out and About
On Friday I met up with the Harbour Commission in Teignmouth to hear about their challenges and to see how I could best help them. Businesses of all sorts are finding themselves facing new challenges and it is important that I am well briefed to represent their interests at Westminster.
Later that day I visited South West Ambulance Services to hear about and understand the opportunities and challenges the health reforms pose for them. I was treated to a tour of the control room where all 999 calls come in–it is a first class operation and one we are very lucky to have. It will be the first ambulance service to go for foundation trust status.
My surgeries in Newton Abbot, Kingskerswell and Dawlish were full and while I did manage to see everyone, it is becoming clear that booking ahead, while not necessary, is helpful so that I can plan my day so that I have enough time to see everyone. To book ahead please call 01626 368277.
Finally I had a very useful meeting with Teignmouth Town Council to talk about a number of things including the way forward after the collapse of the Teignmouth Community Association and the future of the three buildings –Eastcliff, the Ice Factory and the Meadow Centre all of which form key community facilities. I am delighted that, following my call alongside others for an emergency meeting, the County Council have offered to take on the Eastcliff building to ensure a continuity of Youth Provision in the town. But there is more to be done.
And the opening of the Teignmouth Carnival and Ideford Fete were a great way to end the week.