HearFromYourMP

Messages for this constituency

Email from Philip

Posted by Philip Hollobone, MP for Kettering, at 21:34, Tue 28 February 2006:

Thank you to all those who have signed up to this e-mail service and thank you to the organisers of this facility, which hopefully helps make MPs more accountable to the people they represent.

I see it as my role to stand up in Parliament and speak out on behalf of local people in the Kettering Constituency about the issues which are important to us all. Therefore, I try to use as many of the various Parliamentary devices as I can to advance the cause of the Kettering Constituency, including Adjournment Debates, Parliamentary Oral and Written Questions, speeches and interventions. I also write to Ministers to put constituents' concerns direct to them. I also serve on a number of Parliamentary Bill Committees, including those for the Crossrail Bill, the Animal Welfare Bill, the Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Bill, and the International Development Bill. I also served on the Statutory Instrument Committee which discussed new NHS dentists' contracts, which I voted against. The new contracts went through by 8 votes to 7, and I fear they will lead to the loss of even more NHS dentists in and around Kettering.

An MP's work doesn't just take place just at Westminster, and I actually prefer being in the constituency meeting residents, visiting groups and attending surgeries. Necessarily, however, when Parliament is sitting Monday-Thursday are spent in London, with Friday-Sunday at home in Kettering. Often, however, I come back during weekday evenings to attend local meetings.

Whenever I take a decision on which way to vote in Parliament, I always think "if all 81,000 local residents in the Kettering Constituency had the chance to read the motion or Bill in question together with the background material and representations from local people, which way would a majority go." I also think "is this law really necessary and could the desired outcome be achieved by alternative means other than a new law." And then I think "if this law is passed will it adversely and unfairly affect a particular group of people." I am sure I will never please everyone all the time that I vote the correct way on any issue, but I hope this thought process offers some reassurance that I try and represent local views rather than my own.

I am always keen to show local residents around the Palace of Westminster and can arrange tickets for the Commons Gallery.

I am also keen to help residents where I can with particular concerns they may have. If I can't help over the telephone or via e-mail or letter I will happily visit constituents' at their home. I also hold surgeries around the constituency and try to be as accessible as possible. I don't claim to be perfect, but I do try to do my best on constituents' behalf.

Thank you again for signing up to this service.

Best wishes,

Philip