Message from David Lidington MP
Posted by David Lidington, MP for Aylesbury, at 11:43, Tue 8 August 2006:
Welcome to my update on my work as an MP. I hope you find it interesting but please do not hesitate to contact me if you think I should use this forum in a different way.
On 24 July, the Healthcare Commission published the results of its investigation into last year’s outbreak of clostridium difficile, a hospital-acquired infection, at Stoke Mandeville. The tragic outbreak may have claimed the lives of 33 people at the hospital, and the report was scathing about cleanliness and staff relations at Stoke. The problems last Summer were the second time that the hospital had suffered seriously from the bug and it is unacceptable that important lessons had not been learned.
However, the report was clear that key measures, such as the isolation of infected patients, were not carried out because of the pressure to meet Government targets. The Government’s target culture, with jobs and budgets on the line if they are not meant, must therefore take a great deal of the blame for this tragedy and I just wish Whitehall would trust our local health professionals a little more instead of trying to micro-manage the health service from the centre.
This month, I have met members of the Aylesbury Vale Chamber of Commerce and the local branch of the Federation of Small Businesses. I also discussed crime levels in Aylesbury with the local district commander and, separately, the new Chief Inspector. For more information on local issues, please do not hesitate to visit my website at www.davidlidington.co.uk. Moreover, I would be delighted if you were to complete some of my short polls on www.telldavid.com to tell me your thoughts about a range of issues,
I have also been to Dublin and Belfast again this month to meet charities and politicians in my role as Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. I also visited Cairnryan Ferry Terminal in Stranraer to discuss the problems they are facing in trying to improve ferry links between Scotland and the province
One of the most interesting subjects that has again raised its head in Northern Ireland is the issue of Community Restorative Justice Schemes. New Government guidelines published on 25 July specifically allow for people with substantial criminal convictions before 1998, such as the murder of police officers, to be active players in CRJ schemes in the province. This would be unacceptable anywhere else in the United Kingdom and should not be tolerated in Northern Ireland. I am also very worried about many other parts of the guidelines and the Government will need to go a great deal further to allay my concerns that these are a recipe for a lawless and not a lawful society in Northern Ireland.
Please do use the HearFromYourMP website to post your comments on my work or thoughts, as I am always grateful for feedback from local residents.
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