Newsletter August 2012
Posted by Margot James, MP for Stourbridge, at 17:16, Wed 1 August 2012:
Dear Subscriber,
Parliament rose for the Summer recess towards the end of July and in good time for the Olympics. After some setbacks on the security side everything seems to have gone well. The opening ceremony was an absolute triumph of British creativity, ambition and sportsmanship. There is no doubt that the whole event has lifted the national mood and not just in London. Just ahead of the opening ceremony the Prime Minister hosted a magnificent global investment conference at Lancaster House which I was fortunate enough to attend, we went to Clarence House afterwards where global CEOs were welcomed by Prince Charles. The 'Business Olympics,' as they are callled, are going on throughout the Olympics with different days devoted to different sectors. Tomorrow I will be attending the conference for the life science industries.
The national mood needed lifting. The economy is fragile but the recesssion would be worse than it is had the government not tackled spending and reduced the budget deficit by 25% since it came to power. Employment is still rising, very unusual in a recession. I have just today returned from visiting an excellent medium sized manufacturer in Stourbridge called Porter and Woodman where sales are up 20% this year. I talked to them about the potential for exporting, an opportunity that like so many other medium sized companies they have yet to really tap in to, exports could take these companies to a new level. I wish everyone a good Summer, hopefully the weather will improve somewhat and if you are going away a good holiday. I will be going away for three weeks this month and look forward to being back in touch in September.
-- Activity in Parliament --
I spoke in several debates and asked questions:
• Afghanistan: I asked the Prime Minister about the Government’s commitment to protecting Women’s rights in Afghanistan.
• Disclosure: I asked the Attorney General about the disclosure of sensitive material in complex criminal cases. This was further to the review on disclosure in cases of rape and sexual assault which I secured in June.
• House of Lords: I contributed to the debate about House of Lords reform.
• Care: I also spoke in a debate about adult social care and asked ministers about training standards for staff working in the care sector.
• Europe: I asked the Foreign Secretary about rebalancing the power of the EU vs member states.
• The Business Innovations and Skills committee, on which I sit, completed inquiries in to the scrutiny of arms exports and the Post Office network transformation.
I wrote to the following Ministers:
• Vince Cable, Business Secretary, about the launch of a possible new academy for the British glass industry
• Earl Howe, Health Minister, on behalf of a local pharmacist about pharmaceutical regulations.
• Norman Lamb, Employment Relations Minister, regarding tax collection and the Insolvency Service.
• Tim Loughton, Children’s Minister, regarding the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act.
• Andrew Lansley, Health Secretary, about improving the use of new technologies in the NHS.
I attended various events in and around Parliament:
• A lunch for the Black Country Chamber of Commerce which I hosted.
• An Action Aid event about women’s rights in Afghanistan at which I spoke.
• A reception for MPs at 10 Downing Street.
• A roundtable breakfast to discuss Britain’s economy hosted by Reform
• The UKTI Global Investment conference and China Business Day at Lancaster House.
• A meeting with the CEO of Santander to discuss bank lending to small businesses and issues arising from the tighter regulation of the financial sector
• I attended a lecture given by former President Bill Clinton at LSE
The All Party Parliamentary Group for Trade and Investment, which I Chair, held two events:
• A meeting to discuss the role larger companies can play in helping small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) trade with the growth economies abroad, addressed by Paul Walsh, CEO of Diageo plc, and a panel of SMEs who have experience exporting their products.
• A summer reception in the House of Lords, attended by 150 guests. I was joined on the panel by Lord Green, Minister for Trade & Investment, Alexander Justham from the London Stock Exchange and Karen Murray from Dryad Maritime, an innovative SME from Hampshire.
http://www.margotjames.com/content/margot-hosts-trade-and-investment-group-summer-reception
-- Out and about in Stourbridge --
I work as closely as possible with our schools and young people and was pleased this month to meet the principals of King Edward’s College and Redhill, attend a governor’s meeting of Redhill and arrange a meeting for the CEO of Base Studios and the Black Country Consortium to discuss the funding of a business hub for young entrepreneurs at Base.
At the Redhill governor’s meeting it was agreed that the School should indicate their interest in pursuing Academy status, if successful, Redhill will be the first Academy School in Stourbridge.
I met the new Police Inspector for Stourbridge, Dez Lambert, together with Sgt Steve Gordon to discuss policing and crime issues.
I held a lunch at home for representatives of Stourbridge and Halesowen Age Concern.
I met John Parry and his co-directors of Parry People Movers to support the development of light rail.
I attended and contributed to the West Midlands Anti-Trafficking network forum in Birmingham.
There is a proposal to close the ticket office at Stourbridge Junction station which is obviously causing concern and I visited the station to discuss the situation with the staff.
I visited the Stourbridge Platoon Army Cadet Force (ACF), to see some of the activities that young people in the Cadets are involved with.
http://www.margotjames.com/content/stourbridge-platoon-army-cadet-force-visit
I visited McDonalds in Cradley to congratulate its apprentices on receiving their certificates.
http://www.margotjames.com/content/mp-congratulates-local-mcdonald%E2%80%99s-apprentices
I was delighted to attend the Glasshouse College Graduation Ceremony, meeting with some of the staff and students.
-- It wasn’t all work --
I have really enjoyed the olympics so far, right from point at which I saw the Olympic Torch as it passed through the Black Country Living Museum to watching the men's and women's cycle race which came virtually past our door in London.
Jay and I won a trip to Paris on the first Saturday of July to see Renee Fleming sing the title role in ‘Arabella’ at the Bastille Opera House, it was a very enjoyable visit and a real pleasure to meet Ms Fleming after the show.
We were delighted to have Cllr Pete Lowe and his daughter Katie visit us in Parliament this month. Katie, who is currently at Redhill School, joined the team for a week’s work experience, spending a few days in each of the offices, and we wish her the best for the future.
We spent Jay’s birthday in the Cotswolds and I cooked a dinner for her friends, all was great apart from the weather! An old friend of mine, John Clare, published a book on communication and medicine and I managed to get to the launch at the National Portrait gallery.
Margot
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