Message from John Barrett MP
Posted by John Barrett, MP for Edinburgh West, at 22:50, Wed 29 March 2006:
Dear Constituent,
Thank you for signing up to "Hear from your MP". I am always interested in finding new ways to better keep in touch with constituents.
The best way to keep up-to-date with my work at Westminster and in the constituency is through my regularly updated website at www.johnbarrettmp.com. The website contains the latest news including details of current campaigns, online polls, and upcoming community events. Details of the best way to arrange surgery appointments are also included. As well as regular weekly advice surgeries, I conduct roving surgeries around the constituency in Kirkliston, Queensferry and Muirhouse as well as home visits for people with mobility problems.
I would be interested to hear your views on how you would best like to use the 'Hear from your MP' service. I would be only too happy to send a monthly report of my work, but if you would rather monitor the latest news on my website, please let me know. Your views on this would be greatly appreciated. You can email me at barrettj@parliament.uk. I receive a regular flow of correspondence by post and email and am always glad to hear of issues that require attention to improve our community. If you are aware of anything that I should turn my attention to please contact me.
In the meantime, I have put together a brief report of some of my work during the past week. I hope this will give you a flavour of my work on your behalf.
Monday: After spending the morning dealing with constituency issues, I arrived in London in time to question a Home Office Minister in the House of Commons on the governments identity card proposals. Details of my question can be found at http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2006-03-20a.10.2. One of my campaign promises during the general election was to oppose the ID cards Bill. I believe that the huge price tag (£300 million for Scotland alone!) would be better spent on more police and improved intelligence services. I will be voting against the ID cards proposals when they return to the Commons later in the week.
Tuesday: On Tuesday I was delighted to be able to launch a debate in parliament on the continuing problem of tuberculosis in developing countries. This is a disease that kills over 5000 people every day despite being both preventable and curable. Friday was world TB and I was keen to raise the profile of this issue and what the international community need to do to tackle this growing problem. Details of the debate and my speech can be found at http://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id=2006-03-21a.23.0.
Wednesday: Wednesday was Budget day and I was in the chamber to hear Gordon Browns 10th Budget as Chancellor. I find it hard to believe that we still live in a country where the top 20% of earners pay a smaller percentage of their income in tax than the bottom 20%. Sadly, I feel that the latest Budget was yet another missed opportunity to tackle our unfair tax system and ever growing pension’s crisis. Over the coming weeks I will be pushing the government over the continued unfairness in our tax and benefits systems.
Thursday: As part of my work as a member of the international development select committee I took part in an evidence session on conflict and development in developing countries. If we are going to help lift developing countries lift themselves out of poverty they will need more than just increased aid. Conflict costs developing countries billions of pounds every year while the instability resulting makes economic recovery much harder.
Friday: On Friday I made my way to the Scottish Liberal Democrat Conference where I was delighted to speak at two packed fringe event meetings on third world debt and food aid for developing countries organised by Oxfam and Liberal International respectively.
I have only covered relatively few items in this email as some of my time is also spent dealing with correspondence and on background reading as well as attending a variety of meetings with groups and individuals. Please do get in touch if you have any queries or comments about anything I have covered or any other issues of interest.
Many thanks again for signing up to the 'Hear from your MP' service. I look forward to hearing your views on the best way to use this service.
Kind regards,
John
John Barrett MP
Comments
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Posted by Sean Farrell, 21:11, Sun 14 May 2006: (Is this post abusive?) #
I appreciated this kind of update. Interesting to find out what is happening in London from time to time. Occasional note through the "hear from your MP" service would be of interest, appreciate the time and work going into communicating through this in addition to the up to date news on the constituancy website.