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Newsletter January 2015

Posted by Margot James, MP for Stourbridge, at 11:27, Sunday 1 February:

January 2015

** Newsletter ------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Subscriber,

I hope your new year has got off to a good start. There has already been considerable coverage of the election so I won’t add to that in my monthly newsletter. Save to say that the necessity of campaigning for my re-election as your MP, which I do with great enthusiasm, is certainly adding to my workload. This will be the way of things from now until May.

This week has seen some controversy over the school league tables. Being on the governing body of Redhill School I am only too aware of the importance of league tables. I understand how disappointing and frustrating it is for schools who have seen their ratings slide. Under the last government people took comfort from the year on year improvements in GCSE and A level results. But it soon became clear that the improvements were in part illusory.

Employers complained that school leavers with GCSEs at C grade were not able to read and write properly. Stourbridge College found that students admitted to study A levels with Cs, and even Bs, in English required remedial teaching to bring them up to the standard required at A level. Something was clearly wrong beneath the surface.

I am very pleased that this government has tightened up the whole exam process up. I agree strongly with every change made, except possibly the changes to the AS level which is taken at the end of year twelve, (first year A level) although I understand, and sympathise with the reasons behind the change. The result is a temporary decline in the league tables and exam results across the board; and it is important that employers are made aware of the forces driving the change.

** Parliamentary work ------------------------------------------------------------

I asked questions and spoke in debates about:

I wrote to Ministers about the following issues:

  • Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, to ask about funding for Russells Hall Hospital.

  • Nicky Morgan, the Education Secretary and Equalities Minister, regarding the legal status of British Sign Language, and asking if the Government has any plans to give it extra recognition.

  • James Brokenshire, the Immigration Minister, to call for the UK to do more to help vulnerable Syrian refugees.

  • Claire Perry, Transport Minister, about rail disruptions and replacement transport between Birmingham and Stourbridge when delays occur.

  • The French Ambassador to the UK, Her Excellency Ms Sylvie Bermann, to express deepest condolences to the French people and the bereaved families following the massacre of innocent journalists and shoppers.

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

  • The Parliamentary launch of a series of events to mark the 800th anniversary of the sealing of the Magna Carta.

  • A fascinating lecture given by William Hague about William Pitt the Younger. View here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0505xpc)

  • A lunch hosted the Russell Group about widening access to the UK’s top universities.

  • Several meetings to discuss policy about English Votes for English Laws.

** Out and about in Stourbridge ------------------------------------------------------------

  • Visited the No. 92 Oldswinford Coffee Lounge and met Jonathon and Keifer Smith, the owners of this recently opened business. I really enjoyed meeting these enterprising individuals and I had a delightful coffee. www.oldswinfordcoffee.co.uk (http://www.oldswinfordcoffee.co.uk/)

  • I met with local GP Dr Hugh Yarwood Smith to learn more about his ideas for the doctors’ surgeries in the Lye area. It was very interesting to discuss the pressures on GP recruitment with Dr Yarwood Smith, and I very much look forward to working with him over the coming months on his ideas.

  • Attended another Black Country Business Breakfast at the Copthorne Hotel. It was a pleasure to speak to the guests at the event, and I enjoyed taking questions on the economy, employment issues and the Government’s approach to benefit reform.

  • I popped in to the Duke William pub in Coventry Street where landlord Dave Craddock updated me on the pressures facing publicans in the area. I stayed for a delicious lunch and had the opportunity to pull a pint.

  • I visited Base Studios in Stourbridge where for the second year running I held my Battle of the Bands contest. I formed a judging panel with Warren Evans and Martyn Smith from Base to choose finalists to represent the area in the national Rock the House competition for both over 19 and under 19 categories, as well as a soloist.

  • I co-hosted a London School of Economics information evening with King Edward’s College, to help students to find out more about the University.

  • I met Ian Dury, Heritage Officer at the Webb Corbett Centre, to view finds uncovered during last years’ archaeological dig at the Glasshouse College. The finds were a fascinating insight into Stourbridge’s glass heritage.

  • It was a privilege to be invited to the National Event for Computing which was held at Pedmore Technology College. The event was very well attended, and it was excellent to see the students so well engaged and interested in the activities during the morning.

As ever thanks very much for your interest in my newsletter, and if you would like to contact me or raise an issue then please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can call the office on 01384 370574, email me at margot.james.mp@parliament.uk, or write to me at The Old Library, Hagley Road, Stourbridge, DY8 1QH.

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