HearFromYourMP

Previous message | Messages for this constituency | Next message

Progress on International Development

Posted by Dawn Primarolo, MP for Bristol South, at 11:58, Mon 6 October 2008:

WELCOME!

Here’s the latest edition of my regular newsletter. If you would prefer not to receive it in future, please respond to primarolod@parliament.uk and I’ll remove you from my mailing list.

GLOBAL ECONOMY

We’ve experienced yet another week of global economic turmoil. The Prime Minister and Chancellor have said they will do whatever it takes to protect financial stability during these extremely challenging times. The Government has already shown that it will act to protect people’s savings, as demonstrated by the nationalisation of Bradford & Bingley last week, and by the rise in the guaranteed savings limit. So far, no UK depositor has lost money as a result of recent problems in the banking system. The Prime Minister has also established a new National Economic Council that will advise on measures to steer the economy through the current global crisis.

PROGRESS ON INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Since 1997, the Government’s aid budget has more than doubled. The Department for International Development is doing fantastic work all over the world but, of course, tackling world poverty has to see truly global action, with all developed countries playing their part. I was, therefore, delighted to see that real progress has been made at a United Nations meeting. The meeting saw pledges of $4.5 billion to improve education; $1.75 million for emergency food aid and $2 billion for health programmes. Nobody doubts the enormous challenges we face globally, but the British Government will continue to stand up for the poorest people in the world.

LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE

I spent an enjoyable week in Manchester, at the Labour Party’s annual conference. As well as speaking at events about choice and personalisation in the NHS, smoking cessation and health inequalities, I was able to meet with a large number of colleagues, delegates and organisations. The highlight of the week was the Prime Minister’s speech. Gordon Brown made a number of important policy announcements in his speech, addressing a number of concerns which residents of Bristol South have previously raised with me. These proposals include:

• Free prescriptions for people with cancer from next year – with a move toward free prescriptions for everyone with a long-term condition as soon as possible.

• Tougher targets for reducing carbon emissions. The Government will ask the Climate Change Committee to look at how to implement an 80 per cent cut in the UK’s emissions.

• Providing better nursery provision for younger children. Pilots will be set up in a number of areas for free nursery places for two year olds, with the scheme to be rolled out across the whole country soon.

PLANNING FOR BRISTOL'S FUTURE

You may be aware that a consultation is currently taking place on the revised South West Regional Spatial Strategy which was published in July. The document builds on proposals put forward in the 2006 draft strategy, and sets out a long term development vision for our region, including plans to address housing shortages, strengthen the regional economy and tackle climate change. I have been carefully considering the revised strategy over the past few weeks, particularly regarding how the plans affect the Greater Bristol area and especially Bristol South. I welcome many of the proposals contained in the strategy, such as the requirement for more public transport provision and the commitment to ensuring sustainability of any new developments. I also fully appreciate the high demand for housing in our region and the need for more homes, but I am concerned that Bristol City Council is now being asked to accommodate 36,500 new homes within its boundaries - 8,500 more than proposed in the draft strategy. This will present a significant challenge to the local authority and I will be asking questions about this revised figure. If you would like to take part in the consultation process, details are available on the following website: http://www.gosw.gov.uk/ and the closing date for comments is 24 October.

COMMUNITY POLICING AWARDS

All across south Bristol, neighbourhood policing teams are working with local communities to reduce crime and the fear of crime. The teams, consisting of Police Officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), play an absolutely crucial role in our communities, and I have had the opportunity to meet with a large number of officers in the past year or so. I know that their role is really appreciated in all of our communities, so I wanted to let you know about this year’s Community Policing Awards. There are awards for beat manager of the year, PCSO of the year, special constable of the year, neighbourhood team of the year and an outstanding customer service award. Please do visit the website – www.communitypolicingawards.org.uk – and make a nomination. If you would like a paper copy of the form, just get in touch, and I will arrange for one to be sent to you.

On a related subject, if you want to have your say on the Home Office’s Policing Green Paper which was published in July, please do so by the consultation closing date of 10 October. The paper sets out the vision for the future of policing and includes new plans to cut red tape and give the police more freedom to get on with the job of reducing crime, combined with new measures to increase public confidence, and give the public a greater say about how their communities are policed. More information can be found on the Home Office website: http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/police-reform/policegp/ or by contacting my office.

LAUNCH OF CABOT CIRCUS

Along with thousands of Bristolians, I attended the opening of Cabot Circus last week. It really is a fantastic venue, with a wide range of shops and restaurants. The new development is, of course, about much more than just shopping. Cabot Circus has really regenerated our city centre without making Broadmead desolate. It is the culmination of a great deal of hard work, not least by the construction workers who have been on site for the last three years. Most importantly, it has provided 4,000 jobs, many of them brand new, and many of them offering flexible hours that are so important to many people.

REGENERATION AWARDS

The British Urban Regeneration Association (BURA) is currently seeking best practice examples of regeneration for its 2008 awards for Community Inspired Regeneration. The awards are a celebration of outstanding grassroots regeneration projects and recognise the work undertaken by local people to transform their neighbourhood and raise community spirit. If you know of a local project or scheme that might want to apply for an award, the programme is open for entries until 15 October. Details of how to enter are available on the BURA website: http://www.bura.org.uk/ or you can contact my office for more information.

INCREASE IN MINIMUM WAGE

Around a million workers across the country have benefited from Wednesday’s increase to the minimum wage. The rate is rising to £5.73 per hour for workers aged 22 and over, £4.77 for 18-21 year olds and £3.53 for those aged 16 and 17. If you are concerned that you, or somebody you know, is not being paid the minimum wage, you can call the National Minimum Wage helpline on 0856 6000 678. The helpline can provide confidential advice on underpayment, or advise on how to make an official complaint.

ANY QUESTIONS?

If you have any queries about these issues, or have a question you would like to ask about anything else, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Just email primarolod@parliament.uk, phone 0117 909 0063 or write to me at PO Box 1002, Bristol, BS99 1WH. Alternatively, for more information on what’s happening in and around Bristol South, you can visit www.bristolsouthlabourparty.org.uk.