Jeremy Browne MP’s Monthly Update - New Year
Posted by Jeremy Browne, MP for Taunton, at 11:58, Wed 6 February 2008:
JEREMY BROWNE MP'S MONTHLY UPDATE - NEW YEAR
Following the inquest in January into the tragic death of 18 month old Rhianna Hardie, Jeremy has secured a government commitment to revise existing standards for thermostats made before 2004.
Read Jeremy’s Early Day Motion at; http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=34875&SESSION=891
See the commitment at; http://pubs1.tso.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080123/text/80123w0009.htm#08012478000053
PROTECTING TAUNTON'S FUTURE
This month Jeremy spoke out in Parliament about government plans to house over vast swathes of Taunton Deane without adequate regard to the pressure it will place on local people and amenities;
"What concerns me is the sheer scale of the extra building that is being proposed. The Regional Spatial Strategy is calling for 21,800 new houses to be built in Taunton Deane between 2006 and 2026.
“I want any new houses to be properly integrated into our community. I want to make sure that the public amenities are sufficient to support any additional population.”
Read the debate at; http://pubs1.tso.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080122/halltext/80122h0004.htm#08012265000002
NHS IN TAUNTON DEANE
After securing a debate on local NHS services in Taunton, Jeremy praised local services. He said;
"My recent NHS survey shows there is plenty of positive news about the NHS in Taunton Deane.
“People support the work done by staff at Musgrove Park, the other hospitals and GP practices in the area.”
Read the debate at; http://pubs1.tso.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm071212/halltext/71212h0009.htm#07121273000005
IN THE COMMUNITY
Jeremy’s activities in Taunton over the New Year included;
- Promoting World AIDS Day, Carers Rights Day, the Football Foundation, opening the new teenage café at Taunton Methodist Church, Christmas card recycling at WH Smiths and bag recycling initiatives at Marks & Spencer’s and Morrison’s.
- Visiting the Six Acres Resource Centre to meet users and staff, Taunton Sorting Office, Cedar Lodge Care Home, the Regional Youth Work Unit in Bishops Hull, Netherclay Care Home, Cotford St Luke primary school and St Andrews primary school in Rowbarton.
- Speaking at Taunton Chamber of Commerce, the opening of the Ginger Fig Art Gallery, the certificate presentation at A4E, the Taunton and Wellington Pensioners Forum and the SCAT technology awards.
- Attending the Christmas tree festival at Taunton United Reform Church, Taunton rugby club’s match against Newton Abbot, the charity panto performed by staff from Musgrove Park Hospital, the reopening of Royal Oak, Robinson Crusoe at the Brewhouse, and the Pride of Somerset Youth Awards.
- Meeting the Law Commission to promote debt awareness, the Chief Executive of the UK Hydrographic Office, West Somerset Steam Trust, local Church leaders at Taunton Baptist Church, and the Housing Corporation.
ALSO IN PARLIAMENT
Over the New Year Jeremy;
- Welcomed groups from the Trefoil Girl Guide Association, Beech Grove primary school, and three other groups to parliament - guiding each of them on one of his weekly tours.
- Launched an essay competition for 16-18 year olds in Taunton constituency in support of the Holocaust Educational Trust. The winners, to be announced next month, will join Jeremy and the HET on a trip of a life time to Auschwitz.
- Attended the WhizzKids parliamentary reception and met with constituent Dougie Coles and his mentor Olivia Baker Dunn from Heathfield School at the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation’s House of Commons lunch.
SPOKESPERSONS NEWS
Following the election of Nick Clegg MP as the new Liberal Democrat leader, Jeremy was promoted to the shadow cabinet shortly before Christmas. His new role, as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, will see him focus on issues such as accountability in public spending, personal debt and taxation.
THE NATIONAL INSURANCE CONTRIBUTIONS BILL
Jeremy’s first legislative responsibility of 2008, the National Insurance Contributions Bill, saw him raise concerns at the removal of safeguards from the personal taxation system;
“My party supports the overall principle of simplification in the tax system. We regret, however, that the simplification has been given something of a bad name by the proposals before us, because it has been achieved as a by-product of an increase in overall tax revenue of about £1.5 billion. The public respond well to the idea of being better able to understand the tax burden that is placed on them, but not when a degree of sleight of hand is deployed to relieve them of some of their income in the process. The Budget left millions of losers: more than 5 million people were net losers. That is the context in which we are having this conversation today.”
Read the Committee debate at; http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmpublic/national/080115/pm/80115s01.htm
Read the Third Reading debate at; http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080131/debtext/80131-0011.htm#08013153000004
EU FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
Jeremy has argued that the government is not doing enough to make sure that other EU countries are tackling fraud and wasteful spending;
“Countries that are, by and large, net contributors rather than recipients of EU funds and least likely to have large-scale fraud to detect are volunteering to detect fraud… Cannot the Government try to turn the attention of the Commission and others in the EU to nations that are receiving larger sums and have a less glorious record in this regard?”
Read the debate at; http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmgeneral/euro/080128/80128s01.htm
PROTECTING CONSUMERS
In a debate on changes to the structure of insurance business transfer schemes, Jeremy sought reassurances from the government that policy holders would not be negatively effected by any transfer that occurred;
“In case a policy holder, claimant or someone with an insurance or reinsurance business asks me about the effect of the changes, I would be interested to know what tangible effects there will be. Is there anything that need cause them concern? Do the Government think that the industry as a whole will be affected? Will the legislation affect the behaviour of the industry?”
Read the debate at; http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmgeneral/deleg2/080129/80129s01.htm
Contact Jeremy at office@tauntonlibdems.org.uk , or write to him at: Masons House, Magdalene Street, Taunton, TA1 1SG
Commenting on this message is now disabled.