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Newsletter June 2013

Posted by Margot James, MP for Stourbridge, at 18:29, Sat 1 June 2013:

Dear Subscriber,

In the last month companies like Google have been in the news for their aggressive tax avoidance strategies. But two tragic murders have called in to question the unregulated pursuit of profit in the ethics free zone that is the Internet. Google is not uniquely culpable; all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have questions to answer.

The government have tightened up the law with regard to the spread of Islamist incitement to kill on street corners; but it is easy to access such extremist views and incitement online. In the light of the tragic death of Lee Rigby more action needs to be taken to close down extremist sites.

More prevalent than Islamic extremism online is violent pornography which incites crimes of sexual hatred. Child pornography is the worst category of this evil trade and experts are in no doubt that abusive pictures, depicting the rape and torture of innocent children, contributed directly to the wicked murders of Tia Sharp and April Jones.

The very term "indecent images" used by the NSPCC and others is a gross understatement of the violence and sadism celebrated on these sites. I take my hat off to Daily Mail journalist Amanda Platell for having the courage to view these sites in order to facilitate what I hope will be an ongoing campaign to get the ISPs who profit from the sites that encourage men like Bridger and Hazell to turn their sick fantasies in to an evil reality to take some corporate social responsibility.

I agree with the Daily Mail, just what will it take to get these ISPs to act? How dare Google come up with the lame statement that they "remove such material whenever it's reported"?

Can you imagine Google, when they were censoring search results in China, telling the Chinese Government that they would remove dissident material "whenever it got reported"? Oh no, somehow the technology to pro-actively identify and prevent activist comment that would upset the Chinese Government disappears without trace, when it comes to tackling the relentless growth of a service industry for Paedophiles which results in the tragic death and abuse of innocent children.

The ISPs really need to take clear and effective action against these sites and users, and provide the same protection as used to be provided to the Chinese Communist Party. This is a far more serious issue than tax avoidance.

I will conclude (for now) by expressing my heartfelt sympathy for the parents of these innocent lives lost in such terrible and cruel circumstances.

---Activity in Parliament:---

--I asked questions and I spoke in debates on:--

Exploitation of young girls: to call for severe penalties to be given to the perpetrators of the Oxford grooming ring. http://www.margotjames.com/content/deputy-pm-backs-local-mp-oxford-gang-sentences

Economic growth: to note that the Labour Party’s spending commitments would bring the country’s borrowing back towards £150 billion.

Civil marriage: I spoke in support the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill and noted the guarantees given to the Church of England and other religions that they would not be subject to the new law.

--I wrote to Ministers on the following subjects:--

Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Health, regarding the pressures on A&E and wider NHS issues. http://www.margotjames.com/pdf/Letter_to_Jeremy_Hunt_03052013.pdf

Mark Hoban, Employment Minister, on behalf of a constituent experiencing difficulty with Jobseekers’ Allowance while seeking employment opportunities abroad.

Mark Simmons, Foreign Office Minister, to update him on my work to establish a trade body with Africa.

Sajid Javid, Treasury Minister, on behalf of a constituent affected by Arck LLP investment failures.

Esther McVey, Minister for Disabled People, about the issuing criteria for blue badges which have given rise to several complaints in my surgery recently.

Mark Harper, Immigration Minister, about immigration visa delays exceeding 24 weeks.

Greg Clark, Treasury Minister, about the bureaucracy surrounding inter-spousal transfers of shares.

Norman Lamb, Care Minister, about the delay experienced by Mary Stevens Hospice in receiving a Department of Health grant, since rectified I am pleased to say.

--I attended various events and had meetings in and around Parliament:--

A reception at the Foreign Office in honour of the Japanese delegates visiting for the UK-Japan 21st Century Group conference and the conference itself in Hampshire. Several meetings to discuss the best way forward for Europe and our place within the EU.

A meeting of the new Downing Street Policy Unit, which I was delighted to be appointed to recently. I will be looking into policy on business, the economy and trade in particular with my colleague Jesse Norman MP.

Hosting a Parliamentary reception on behalf of Santander to promote their Breakthrough programme for Small Businesses. http://trade.appg.co.uk/2013/05/23/santander-breakthrough-reception-monday-13th-may/

The AGM of the APPG for Trade and Investment, which I Chair. http://trade.appg.co.uk/

Speaking at the APPG for European Reform meeting on how to make the EU globally competitive (an uphill task but very necessary).

Hosting a meeting on a new initiative to establish an Africa House, which I anticipate will increase trade and cultural links between the UK and Africa.

A wonderful performance by the Parliamentary Choir at the Southbank Centre.

A roundtable meeting on the Middle East and North Africa and our the challenges and our foreign policy on these areas.

A regular meeting with Lord Green, the Minister for Trade and Investment.

Meetings with both Prudential and Barclays to discuss feedback from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Trade and Investment trade mission to Asia.

I was also pleased to have been able to attend two conferences this month - the UK-Japan 21st Century Group annual conference in Sussex, which focused on how the UK and Japan can work together on areas like the economy, climate change and international aid, and also the Königswinter Conference in Berlin, looking at Europe’s future. Both were very interesting with some excellent speakers.

---Out and about in Stourbridge---

I took part in various visits and meetings: Meeting Rob Brighouse, Chiltern Railways CEO, on two occasions to raise local residents’ concerns about the noise from Stourbridge Junction station late at night, and to help find solutions. I am quite optimistic that the noise levels can be significantly reduced and will continue to work to help achieve this outcome. http://www.margotjames.com/content/mp-petitions-chiltern-ceo

Attending Stourbridge Stroke Club’s 25th anniversary lunch and I spoke about the improvements in stroke care and the work that still needs to be done. The Club really is a great way of bringing people together to share food and good company, so I was delighted to be invited. http://www.margotjames.com/content/mp-marks-stourbridge-stroke-club-anniversary

Launching Waitrose Stourbridge’s excellent ‘Grow and Sell’ initiative, which involves local pupils growing their own fruit and vegetables at school and then selling the produce later in the summer; a really good way of helping children understand the origins and importance of fresh food.

Taking part in the donation of a £1,000 cheque from family-run Nisa-local store to Quarry Bank Community Centre. Also I took the opportunity to meet the Rainbows youth group, which was a lovely way to end the day. http://www.margotjames.com/content/mp-welcomes-local-charity-donation

Attending the annual Mayor-making at Dudley Council House. Many thanks and congratulations to the outgoing Mayor Cllr Melvyn Mottram and his consort Mrs Michelle Mottram; and a very warm welcome to the new Mayor Alan Finch who I am sure will do an excellent job.

Hosting a seminar at the Ruskin Glass Centre which aimed to give advice and support to local businesses that are looking to export their products for the first time or expand their export operations. Many thanks to NatWest, UK Trade & Investment and UK Export Finance on their very helpful and informative presentations; it was an excellent event attended by over 60 businesses.

Attending the Dudley Volunteer Awards at Atlantic House in Lye to recognise the inspiring work of volunteers and to welcome the new Mayor into his role as ‘Volunteering Champion’. http://www.margotjames.com/content/mp-attends-volunteer-awards

Opening the new Francis and Ashley Hairdressing, a superb new hair salon in Victoria Passage; Ashley gave me a very good styling so I can recommend them from personal experience too!

Interviewed by Al Jackson on The Bridge Radio with Cllr Pete Lowe about a range of issues including Europe, the spare room subsidy, and my new Policy Unit role.

An ongoing project of mine in both Westminster and Stourbridge is looking into asthma care in schools. I have been working with Asthma UK on this issue, and would encourage those with asthma to take part in the charity’s current campaign to improve asthma care nationally. You can give your feedback on local asthma care here: www.asthma.org.uk/compareyourcare/

---And it wasn’t all work...---

By coincidence my old friend Peter Field took me to the Arts Theatre to see a new production of “A Beautiful Thing” a very moving play about two boys growing up, falling in love and all the problems that brought in the 1980s, I say coincidence because I walked up to the theatre immediately after the Commons vote that passed the same sex marriage bill.

Jay and I had a lovely Whitsun bank holiday weekend in the Cotswolds, which made up for the bank holiday weekend at the beginning of May which I spent at the UK Japan 21st Century Group conference. I think May is the loveliest month in the English countryside whatever the weather and I really enjoyed my walks.

My nephew’s wife Laura Doggett and I took my great nieces to the Aquarium and it was a fantastic visit. I was very impressed with all the educational and conservation work they do there to say nothing of the fabulous fish and underwater life; to see it through the eyes of a five year old added a special magic to a lovely morning.

During the recess I managed to get more time for my yoga and went up a level which was very satisfying (from a fairly low base I should add...)

Margot