Weekly columns, 22 and 29 December
Posted by Tom Levitt, MP for High Peak, at 10:33, Tue 30 December 2008:
This is my weekly column for 22 and 29 December 2008. You can find more about my work at www.tomlevitt.org.uk or by emailing me directly at tomlevittmp@parliament.uk, where priority is always given to emails from High Peak constituents.
Tom Levitt MP’s Column 22 December – Questions, questions
As the Parliamentary year ended I welcomed the announcement that Britain’s military role in Iraq will finish next summer. Although our forces there are now only a tenth of what they were, in recent months we have made sure that Iraq’s own police and military are competent and effective. The economy of that country is now on its feet. Public services are better now than under the fascist dictator, Saddam. And democracy is thriving, with a third free and open general election due in 2009.
I asked the Prime Minister about the development of civil society there. He replied that there could be opportunities for British organisations and volunteers to help develop the strong communities which Iraq’s social cohesion requires. He named the Prince’s Trust as a model which may well be copied over there.
The invasion of Iraq was not a black or white decision. I stand by the position Parliament took, difficult though that stance has been at times. My feeling today is more of relief than pride. I am sure we should not desert Iraq at times of peace as we did not desert its people at times of conflict.
Two months ago I said that having directly elected police authorities was unnecessary and could be counter-productive. Yes, our police need to be accountable to those they police. But accountability should start in our communities rather than in the authority boardroom.
The government has seen sense and dropped the policy of direct elections, in favour of looking at what works best. Very sensible! So I asked Harriet Harman at question time to pass on my thanks to the Home Secretary for listening.
The local politicians who praised the outcome of the Manchester referendum should say what they really mean: that Manchester should stay congested and polluted and High Peak’s rail passengers deserve to be treated like cattle. I disagree.
Column 29 December 2008 – Future of the Post Office
The Post Office has hardly been out of the news this year. High Peak has the largest number of branches in this Post Office region even after the closure programme, and the Post Office Card Account has been saved. But at this time of year, when we most appreciate the efforts of our postmen and postwomen to deliver Christmas cheer, it is in the news again.
Although Royal Mail is looking for a commercial partner from the private sector this does not mean that it is being privatised. The government is pledged to keep it in the public sector. The minority partner, with about a 30% stake, will be brought in to help out – not to break up the service.
This process will introduce successful practices and investment from other parts of the communication industry. We will continue to deliver to every home, six days each week. Of immediate reassurance to Royal Mail staff is the move to protect their ailing pension scheme. I spoke with Royal Mail staff about this last week. I understand their uncertainty, coupled with relief about the pensions, but I believe this move is for the best.
Everyone agrees that the present situation cannot continue, with taxpayers’ money being used to subsidise rather than invest in the service.
These new measures will not affect post office branches. I can confidently predict for 2009 that there will be no more programmed closures. On another issue, Doctors and patients in rural High Peak will be relieved to know that, following public consultation, proposed changes to the rules on rural pharmacies are not to be made. Some doctors were worried and patients wrote to local papers fearing that the proposals could make access to medicines in rural areas more difficult. This will not now happen.
A very happy new year to all my readers!
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