Report from Doug Naysmith
Posted by Doug Naysmith, MP for Bristol North West, at 13:32, Thu 26 June 2008:
26th June 2008 Dear Constituents
Thank you for saying you would like to hear from me. I thought I would tell you a little bit about what I have been doing as well as my thoughts on some of the more controversial matters we have been discussing recently in Parliament.
In January the Prime Minister invited me to bring a guest to a reception at 10 Downing Street that he was giving for young people who had made a contribution to the life of their communities. Sam Townend, who will be Labour’s candidate in Bristol North West at the next election after I have retired, was also going so we were able to invite two constituents. I arranged to take them to Prime Ministers’ Questions and then, after lunch, to see something of the Palace of Westminster and Portcullis House before going to Downing Street. One of our guests, Shalayne, had been a member of Southmead’s girls’ football teams and then went on to help run the under 12s team while training to be a coach and youth worker. The other, Jenny, was one of Bristol’s MYPs (Member of the Youth Parliament). When we met, she was hoping to be elected for a fourth term but that did not happen – such is life in politics. Shalayne was impressed with Gordon’s knowledge of football and Jenny told him that she wanted his job.
A much sadder event I attended recently was the funeral of Gwyneth Dunwoody. I know she scared some people but we got on well and, as Chair of the Transport Committee, she had once done me the favour of coming to Bristol North West for the opening of the Four Towns Community Transport.
We have had several controversial bills in the last few months. Constituents contacted me about the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, mostly wanting me to vote against. I was on the committee which considered this bill in detail so had given it a great deal of thought. I believe that research covered by this legislation, such as stem cell research, is key to the search for treatments for many debilitating diseases and therefore could be essential to improving the lives of many people worldwide. Despite the fact that the Bill wasn’t concerned with abortion, opponents of abortion put amendments to reduce the time limit. I voted against any reduction and the amendments were not passed. We debated this bill thoroughly and seriously for two days in a way that I think showed Parliament at its best.
We discussed the future of Post Offices and I disappointed some constituents and members by supporting Government policy. I voted for the subsidy of £2 billion since 1997, and the planned £1.7 billion subsidy between now and 2011 which has kept and will keep thousands of local post offices open. There is a limit, however, to the amount of tax-payers’ money that can be spent in this way. For example, I think there have to be very strong reasons for keeping open those post offices with fewer than twenty customers each week as these cost the taxpayer, on average, £17 per visit. I know some people blame the Government for the reduction in the numbers of people using post offices because it has encouraged people to have their pensions and benefits paid directly into their bank accounts but I do not think, in 2008, that we should insist that people go to the post office to collect their money in person. Most people now are used to having their wages paid directly into their bank accounts and find it more convenient to have their pensions paid directly too. It costs the taxpayer 1p to pay a benefit or pension into a bank account, 80p to use the Post Office Card Account and £1.80 to pay by girocheque. As there are about 16,000 people in Bristol North West in receipt of the retirement pension, that is a difference between £40, £1,280 and £2,800 every week in one constituency. Any Government which chose to ignore this fact would, I believe, be guilty of a gross misuse of public funds. I have, however, supported those constituents who for particular reasons have needed to have giros or wanted to have the Post Office Card Account and I will continue to do so and the Government has reassured MPs that people will still be able to access their pension and benefit in cash at the post office if they choose to do so.
Many of you are concerned about trade justice and fair trade. I discussed the UK’s position on this with Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for International Development during Fair Trade Fortnight. We need to pressure international governments to secure better trade rules that will allow the world’s poorest countries to help grow their economies and reduce poverty. We can be proud that our government has led international efforts to secure fairer trade rules and committed £12 million on Fair Trade promotion since 1997.
I voted against 42 days detention without charge in the Counter-Terrorism Bill. It was not easy to go into the lobby to vote with the Tories, knowing that the press would report the result simply in terms of Gordon Brown’s strength or popularity or how divided the party was. Nevertheless, I feel that there are some issues so important that they transcend loyalty and this was one of them. It has not made me popular with some of my colleagues but I have heard from a few constituents who think I did the right thing.
I visited Scandinavia and Holland with both my Select Committees: Health and Regulatory Reform. In Health we are looking into health inequalities and I went to Glasgow last week as part of the same investigation (Glasgow has some of the most glaring health inequalities in Europe and it was interesting to see what is being done to overcome that.
I have been the sponsor or co-sponsor of a number of Early Day Motions (EDMs) including: the charity Rethink’s campaign for carers of people with mental health problems; the Stoke Association’s Lost without Words campaign; Prostate Cancer Awareness Week; the right of looked-after children to be involved in key decisions about their lives; welcoming the investment by Government and industrial and regional partners led by Airbus in the Next Generation Composite Wing programme; and criticising First Great Western’s decision to withdraw buffet car services from its trains, a move which will deprive me of my Thursday night sandwich. Back in Bristol, summer Saturdays are following their usual pattern of fetes and festivals. Horfield always picks a fine day for its fair and, after that, I went on to the Bradley Stoke Festival, which seems to get bigger and better every year. The same day I celebrated Volunteers’ Week, in Lawrence Weston, presenting certificates to volunteers with the Community buses. It is always good to be able to say ‘thank you’ to people who give up their time in this way.
If there are any matters I missed out that you wish I had mentioned or if you want to let me know your views, please write to me at Unit 6, The Greenway Business Centre, Doncaster Road, BS10 5PY, email me at naysmithd@parliament.uk or send a fax to 0117 9505302.
Best wishes DR. DOUG NAYSMITH MP
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