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Newsletter October 2011 (30 Sept)

Posted by Margot James, MP for Stourbridge, at 18:13, Fri 30 September 2011:

Dear Subscriber,

This time last year Labour’s leader, Ed Miliband, was chosen over his brother by trade union votes at Labour’s party conference. Twelve months on he is delivering what the unions want to hear.

Using the debacle of Southern Cross as a stick with which to beat the Private Equity sector, Miliband labelled that sector ‘bad’ and signalled his intention to pile on more regulations to curtail its activity. At a time when the whole economy is reliant upon the private sector to invest for growth you would expect, if not wholehearted approval, at least a balanced appraisal.

It is worth noting that private equity is one of the most successful sectors of UK plc. Research conducted by academics compared the corporate performance of private equity backed buyouts, to a matched sample of private and listed companies through the recession to the end of 2010. They found private equity-backed companies outperformed other businesses with 14% higher productivity and a 5% higher return on investment.

So the ‘bad’ sector, according to Miliband, has a thing or two to teach the rest of business about productivity. Quite apart from it being a much needed source of desperately needed corporate funding. To define a hugely important and successful sector by the terrible performance of one company is propaganda of the worst sort; and surely not worthy of someone who aspires to be Prime Minister.

Let the courts and the authorities deal with the odd bad apple, while the rest of us support the great companies from all sectors that make up the best of British industry. I am looking forward to our party conference in Manchester where I will be putting the case for UK business with enthusiasm, amongst likeminded colleagues. ---Representing Stourbridge in Parliament---

Parliament sat for two weeks between the end of the Summer recess and the start of the Party Conferences. I spoke on various issues:

• In the report stage of the Health and Social Care Bill on public health http://www.margotjames.com/07092011_health_and_social_care_bill

• On an opposition debate on younger people and skills http://www.margotjames.com/13092011_next_generation1

• Asking the immigration minister about the case of an illegal immigrant still at Russells Hall Hospital a year after he was declared fit for discharge http://www.margotjames.com/12092011_illegal_immigrants_nhs

• Asking Transport Minister about the review in to how the UK interprets EU Directives, too often to the detriment of British Companies http://www.margotjames.com/15092011_transport_procurement

• In a Westminster Hall debate on services for older people http://www.margotjames.com/06092011_care

• Speaking in a debate on the public spending disparity between Scotland and England http://www.margotjames.com/09092011_west_lothian_question

• Asking the Chancellor of the Exchequer to challenge the cost and delays in the planning process whilst ensuring protection for the green belt. http://www.margotjames.com/06092011_planning_costs_for_business

I wrote to ministers on the following issues:

• I arranged a meeting with Prisons Minister Crispin Blunt for a local company that employs ex offenders.

• I contacted Damian Green’s office about the illegal immigrant at Russells Hall.

• I wrote to David Gauke about a constituent’s problem with HMRC.

• I wrote to Baroness Browning, a Home Office minister, about the effect of the late night levy on the Stourbridge Royal British Legion club.

• I contacted Nick Clegg about House of Lords reform.

• I wrote to Michael Gove about outdoor learning in schools.

• Following meetings in Stourbridge, I passed on concerns about the Government welfare policies to Chris Grayling, Minister for Employment.

• I urged Lynne Featherstone, a Home Office minister, to maintain our high animal welfare standards.

• I entered Dudley PCT’s consultation on the reorganisation of vascular services in the Black Country.

I attended and contributed to various other meetings and briefings as follows:

• Debate on the future of UK Manufacturing.

• A meeting of the Midlands Industrial Council.

• Launch of the European Reform Group of backbench Conservative MPs.

• Meeting on the recommendations of the UK Electoral Boundary Commission.

• All Party Group on Financial Markets and Services discussion on the future of bank regulation.

• I spoke to a visiting group of civil servants on a study tour from Bangladesh.

• The launch of ‘Kaleidoscope’ a new charity that seeks to promote human rights for gay people in the developing world.

---Media---

• The Politics Show (West Midlands edition) asked me to observe sittings at Birmingham Magistrates Court and interviewed me afterwards about sentencing. offenders charged during the riots (this will be screened on Sunday October 2nd)

• I enjoyed my monthly discussion with Phil Tonks on The Bridge.

• I wrote for the Huffpost UK blog on why the UK needs a new strategy for dealing with the EU and why the new Ofsted guidance for school inspections is required. http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/margot-james/drive-for-excellence-supp_b_988452.html

---Out and about in Stourbridge---

• I visited the newly refurbished Folkes property at Copthall House on the ringroad, seeing some great units available for rent by small businesses.

• Base Studios arranged for me to take part in an excellent Q&A session with young people about the riots and issues facing younger people generally.

• I joined volunteers collecting for the Stourbridge Royal Air Force Association to commemorate the Battle of Britain.

• I visited the ‘Memory Walk’ organised by the Alzheimer’s Society in Mary Stevens Park

• I ran two advice surgeries, in Quarry Bank and Stourbridge Town Centre.

• I spoke at the Ludlow Conservative Women’s Association’s annual lunch.

---It wasn’t all work---

• There were some enjoyable social occasions in Parliament this month, a dinner for as many Conservative MPs as they could fit in to the Dining Room, about 150 of us, there were some very funny speeches and I enjoyed talking to IDS and Liam Fox.

• I went to drinks parties hosted by Andrew Lansley and my office room mate Ben Gummer.

• Jay and I drove down to the South of France for a friends wonderful 50th Birthday Party on the coast in the tiny village of Eze.

• My friend in the theatre Peter Field directed four short plays by Samuel Beckett at the Putney Arts Theatre which I was very pleased to see with a group of friends.

Finally I’d like to congratulate my researcher, Gary Moore, from Halesowen, who climbed Mount Kilamanjaro with his father, really quite a feat.

Best wishes

Margot

http://www.margotjames.com