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Caroline's bulletin - September 2011

Posted by Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton, Pavilion, at 13:38, Fri 7 October 2011:

BRIGHTON PAVILION BULLETIN Update on the recent Parliamentary work of Caroline Lucas MP

September 2011

This news bulletin is an update on work I have undertaken as an MP. It is also available via my website at www.carolinelucas.com or as a hard copy from my constituency office (details at the end of this bulletin).

Health and Social Care Bill

An unprecedented number of constituents emailed, telephoned and wrote to me to urge that I oppose the Coalition Government’s plans to ‘reform’ the NHS. I submitted over 40 amendments to the Bill at third reading stage, seeking to amongst other things:

• secure, rather than undermine, the “duty to provide” and not contract it out. This is the fundamental legal basis for the NHS and has been in place since 1946. However, insufficient MPs backed my amendments, as a result of which this duty will be removed, entitling private companies to run much of the NHS and allowing for market forces to determine the way many health services are provided.

• remove charging in the NHS, thus guaranteeing free prescriptions, eye tests, dental care and so forth. In the debate I made clear that this should be funded through a fairer tax system overall but, sadly, the amendment was not widely supported.

• change the way in which the Bill will seriously curtail Freedom of Information.

• limit the ability of Clinical Commissioning Groups, who will be responsible for decisions on priorities in health provision, to themselves charge for commercial activity.

The Bill is now being discussed in the House of Lords and I hope some of my proposed changes are picked up there. Despite high awareness of the impact of the Government’s plans amongst those constituents who contacted me, I fear that many people have been persuaded by the ‘listening exercise’ and believe that sufficient safeguards are in place to protect the future of the NHS as a public service, free at point of use. Nothing could be further from the truth so I will continue to do what I can to stand up for our health service.

Another aspect of the Bill that resulted in significant lobbying was an amendment put by Nadine Dorries to restrict women’s access to impartial and accurate advice when considering an abortion. I voted against her proposal, which was defeated.

Drugs Policy reform

Brighton has more drug deaths than anywhere else in Britain, so I am working with statutory authorities, agencies, health bodies and providers locally to identify what more can be done to reduce drug related harms in our city. I am also calling for national drugs policy to reflect the evidence and learn from cities like Brighton and Hove when it comes to treatment, policing, education and reducing the impact of drug misuse on our communities.

I held a round table at the start of September which brought together over 35 experts, professionals and people with an active interest in drugs policy and delivery, including drug users. I was very encouraged by the high level of ambition and energy in the room and, as well as reaffirming a commitment to reducing drug related deaths in the city, we also discussed several concrete ideas that might make a real difference. I look forward to working with colleagues to explore these further and to lending my proactive support to reducing drug harms in Brighton and Hove.

Arms Trade

This month the DSEI arms fair took place in London and I was invited, along with other MPs to attend. As a long standing campaigner against the arms trade, I wanted to visit the event to see for myself firsthand how arms sales are being promoted by this country. I also tabled an Early Day Motion which reads as follows:

That this House notes that the arms export priority markets for the UK Trade and Investment's Defence and Security Organisation in 2010-11 included Algeria, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates; further notes that, with the exception of Libya, these sales efforts continue; is concerned by the inherent conflict between the Government's promotion of military exports and its stated desire to help protect human rights overseas; and therefore calls on the Government to end the export of military equipment to all authoritarian regimes.

This was launched outside Parliament in conjunction with the Campaign Against the Arms Trade and is attracting cross party support.

Information I received prior to attending the arms fair led me to suspect that illegal cluster munitions were being openly promoted in brochures on the Pakistan Ordnance Factories stand, and from the Defence Export Promotion Organization of Pakistan Pavilion. On viewing the pamphlets, it was clear that this constituted a direct breach of the UK Export Control Act 2002, so I immediately alerted the event organisers, Clarion Events. Once Clarion and DSEi were made aware of the illegal material on display, the decision was taken to permanently shut down the two exhibitors, revoke their licences and prevent staff from re-entering DSEi.

I think it is shocking that our Government seems unable or unwilling to police arms sales happening here on its own soil – and I remain deeply concerned about the level of scrutiny at this event. I was able to find illegal advertising materials on the basis of one short visit to the exhibition and with very few resources at my disposal. Since the Government has so far demonstrated that it is unable to properly regulate arms sales, I have called on it to seriously reconsider the future of events like DSEi.

Energy Bill

I was on the Energy Bill Committee earlier in the year and this legislation came back to Parliament in September. It was a further opportunity for me to raise some key concerns and I tabled amendments as follows:

To introduce a moratorium on oil drilling in environmentally sensitive areas

• To block the Government from reducing nuclear operators’ responsibilities in relation to decommissioning redundant nuclear power stations.

• To increase consumer protection under the Green Deal (the Government’s flagship energy efficiency programme), including preventing companies selling non Green Deal products on household visits to promote the scheme.

• To get more money into the Eco (a pot of money from a levy on energy companies and designed to specifically target homes in fuel poverty or homes that are hard to treat). Unless there is more public money supporting the Green Deal it will be very difficult to meet the targets needed for reducing emissions and making our homes more energy efficient.

I also backed amendments submitted by a Liberal Democrat MP to improve standards in the private rented sector. You can follow the debate at: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm110914/debtext/110914-0001.htm#11091475000002

None of my amendments were supported by enough MPs to get adopted, so I am very worried that the Energy Bill is not fit for purpose and will be continuing to use every opportunity to press for improvements.

Other parliamentary work

One of the best ways for me to raise the concerns you have is via parliamentary questions and Early Day Motions, so I have been making good use of these opportunities. You can read all the tabled questions to which I have received replies here and also keep up to date with the EDMs I have tabled, sponsored and signed here.

I spoke at a meeting organised by Liberty in the House of Commons to highlight the extent to which the Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Bill (TPIMS) ignores the evidence around the effectiveness of control orders. Moreover, the Bill allows terrorist suspects – who may or may not be guilty - to be processed outside of the rule of law, as well as retaining many of the measures introduced by the previous Labour Government that undermine human rights. I also expressed concerns that the Bill seeks to remove what is known as the “sunset” clause – a commitment to revisit the measures each year and vote on them again in Parliament.

This month I have asked questions on a range of topics including tax evasion, nuclear power, planning reforms and the Government’s plans to give a free rein to developers, work capability assessments and forced marriage.

During a departmental question time with the Culture, Media and Sport Ministers I raised the issue of support for Brighton’s digital industries. Here is the exchange:

Caroline Lucas to Edward Vaizey, Under Secretary of State

If he will attend the Brighton digital festival in September 2011.

Edward Vaizey

Very sadly, neither the Secretary of State nor I will be able to attend the festival this month. I must say, it looks absolutely fantastic and we wish it well, and I am delighted that the Arts Council is giving it £50,000.

Caroline Lucas I am disappointed that the Minister cannot make the festival this time, and I hope very much that he will next year. Will he give a boost to the city’s growing digital sector by using his good offices and those of other Ministers to support a move towards all public sector contracts of less than £100,000 being given to small and medium-sized enterprises, and larger public sector contracts being broken down so that SMEs, particularly in the digital sector, have a much better chance of getting them?

Edward Vaizey

If I am still in this job, I will certainly try to attend next year—and even if I am not, I will try to attend. I will be in Brighton at the beginning of October for the Museums Association conference, at which the hon. Lady is the keynote speaker. I heartily endorse what she says, because we must do all we can to ensure that small and medium-sized enterprises can get Government contracts.

I also asked the Justice Secretary in his Department Question Time about one impact of changes to the legal aid system:

Caroline Lucas

What his policy is on the right of overseas victims of alleged human rights abuses by UK multinational companies to access justice in the UK.

Kenneth Clarke

Overseas victims of alleged corporate harm by UK international companies are, where appropriate, able to bring civil claims in the UK now, and that will continue to be the case following implementation of our reforms to civil litigation funding and costs. My officials and I are in contact with the Foreign and Colonial Office—[ Laughter ] —the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as and when necessary to discuss the impact of our proposed reforms to legal costs in this class of case in this country, the Commonwealth or the colonies.

Caroline Lucas

I thank the Secretary of State for that interesting reply. Notwithstanding his response, he will be aware that the United Nations Special Representative on Business and Human Rights has said that clauses 41 to 43 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill will present a major barrier to justice for overseas victims of human rights abuses by UK multinationals, not least because of the significant increased cost burdens. Will he therefore withdraw those clauses from the Bill?

Kenneth Clarke

We are not changing the jurisdiction in this country, which certainly does entertain claims in personal injury cases and so on against multinational companies that have some footing in this country. All we are arguing about is how much is paid in legal costs. The reforms to the no win, no fee arrangements that we are proposing would ensure that the costs would be fairer, more balanced and not out of proportion to the claim. We are not making any change at all to the jurisdiction. Most of the cases against multinational companies are not human rights cases; they are personal injury cases. Many of those cases might be attracted here because our present system of rewarding lawyers is far more generous than can be found in any other jurisdiction in the world.

Proposals to restrict access to legal representation for those held in police stations by opting out of new EU regulations and standards were voted on by MPs this week –I voted against but the Government’s motion went through.

Constituents have contacted me about a wide range of issues which I have followed up with Government Ministers, including the consultation on badger culling, corporate reporting of greenhouse gas emissions, the Localism Bill and changes to the planning system, HIV detection rates, support for working parents needing childcare, the UN’s consideration of a bid to recognise Palestine as an independent state, and tackling the underlying causes of squatting.

Constituency Work

In early September I joined Fair Fares at Brighton train station to protest about train fare increases and to call for improvements to local services. Campaign for Better Transport launched the national Fair Fares Now campaign to call for cheaper, simpler, fairer rail ticketing. The Brighton rally follows a month of action which saw protests taking place at over 40 rail stations across the country. We already pay some of the highest fares in Europe, and under successive governments, we've seen public transport fares increase while services have failed to improve. For many, travelling by train has already become an expensive luxury. The Government must urgently recognise that the relentless price hikes are having a serious effect on people's quality of life, and focus investment now to deliver affordable train travel for all.

I have also visited Rockinghorse Children’s charity this month to learn more about their work and offer my support, had a meeting with Sussex Enterprise, given evidence in court at the trial of local anti tax dodging campaigners.

I helped raise awareness of homelessness by being a Big Issue vendor for a few hours. I was buddied up with a Brighton Big Issue vendor on Western Road and spent an afternoon putting my on-the-street sales techniques to the test. The Big Issue is 20 this year and has a proud history of providing homeless and vulnerably housed people with an invaluable opportunity to earn an income - and producing a good quality magazine which people want to read. Homelessness remains a significant problem in our city, as demand for affordable homes continues to far exceed supply, and for many, the Big Issue provides a crucial first step out of poverty so I was very pleased to get involved in selling the magazine.

I have also lent my support to Brighton and Hove’s bid to be a pilot city for the Government’s local TV channels initiative and to 4Children’s Give me Strength campaign, designed to encourage early intervention for families in difficulty – see http://www.carolinelucas.com/cl/media/caroline-pledges-support-for-give-me-strength-campaign.html for more information.

Contacting me

If you are a local resident and want help with case work or to find out more about my activities locally please contact me at the office of Caroline Lucas MP, Brighton Media Centre 15-17 Middle Street, Brighton BN1 1AL. Tel: 01273 201 130. Email: brightonoffice@parliament.uk

If you want to know about my parliamentary work please get in touch at the House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA. Tel: 020 7219 7025. Email: caroline.lucas.mp@parliament.uk

If you want to receive this bulletin automatically by email please send a message to caroline.lucas.mp@parliament.uk putting ‘email bulletin’ as the subject. Your details will not be passed on to any third party and will only be used to send you news bulletins every two months and the occasional additional update.

Media Highlights

I write a regular blog for Guardian Environment – you can read it here.

This month, I have achieved good coverage in the Brighton Argus, which has carried my comments on the phasing out of old lightbulbs, rail fare rises, the profits of bus and train company Go Ahead, and the trial of UK Uncut activists, as well as a letter on the human cost of alcohol. My views on rising energy bills recently made the paper’s front page.

I and other party activists were interviewed by ITV Meridian at a protest on rail fares in Brighton, while the Guardian’s Andrew Sparrow interviewed me for an online feature piece. The Guardian also covered my work on exposing corporate influence in Government departments, as did the FT.

Harrow Observer carried a piece on tax haven firms winning contracts, and I appeared on BBC Westminster Hour to talk about climate change and banking reform. My actions to uncover the illegal promotion of cluster munitions at the DSEi arms fair in London were featured in over 180 media worldwide. I was also interviewed for a feature in Permaculture magazine, and an article on rethinking drugs policy for Brighton and Hove News and Latest magazine.

ENDS