Update from Linda Gilroy MP / Week ending 15 May 2009
Posted by Linda Gilroy, MP for Plymouth, Sutton, at 12:55, Fri 15 May 2009:
Update from Linda Gilroy MP
Week ending 15 May 2009
You have received this email either because you have asked to or because you have contacted me by email. If you wish to be removed from the list, then please let me know. I am always keen to hear what you think on issues and policies - or to try and help you with any problems you may have. Please visit www.lindagilroy.org.uk/contact to find out more.
Thought for the Week
Today I am accompanying Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker to various meetings and projects looking at community safety and tackling crime in the city.
My week at a glance
MPs Expenses
The public have every right to be angry about MP's expenses. Parliament has failed collectively to deal with this issue over many years. This is a sloppy and outdated system that has been allowed to rot – and we should have sorted it out years ago. I will be publishing my expenses fully as soon as possible I first have to remove sensitive details relating to staff members and taking into account the guidance we are being offered. In the meantime you can read about what I claim and my thoughts on how we should reform the system at www.lindagilroy.org.uk/expenses
Equality Bill
On Monday I spoke in the debate on the Equality Bill. This legislation seeks to tidy up much of the piecemeal legislation that has been introduced over the last couple of decades. I raised the impact this could have on special offers for older people on things like holidays and insurance as well as the way in which this will help ensure public services continue to address inequalities. You can read my contribution here.
Bribery Bill
This week has seen two sessions of the committee that is scrutinising the draft Bribery Bill, of which I'm a member.The present law does not work very well and makes it more difficult than it should be to prosecute serious cases of bribery - including those by big business seeking contracts abroad. I will also be trying to make sure that it improves the law relating to the thorny issue of bribery in sports betting. My colleague Ian Gibson MP had a very interesting adjournment debate on this very subject this week which I will be studying closely.
Combat Stress
On Tuesday I attended a service of celebration at Westminster Abbey to mark the 90th Anniversary of Combat Stress. It was an opportunity to discuss with a range of different people how government and the voluntary sector can best meet the mental health needs of service personnel and veterans. It served as a useful update for me following the Defence Committee's own report into Medical Care for the Armed Forces.
Lord Mayor
Tonight I'm going to the the dinner to mark the appointment of the new Lord Mayor which is one of the City's civic occasions. Over the past year Councillor Brian Vincent has done a fantastic job. I know from my discussions with the Marines and Royal Artillery that they greatly appreciated the fact that he and his wife Pauline were present to wave every coach off to Afghanistan and welcome them home. His work to raise money for the cystic fibrosis charity and to highlight young people's interests and contribution to the City has also struck a cord with people in Plymouth.
Looking ahead
Next week I'm attending a seminar with representatives from the Treasury, from the banking sector and the housing market to explore some new ways of brining pension and insurance investment funds alongside co-operative housing solutions; I'll be meeting the Water Minister to discuss the Walker Review of Metering and Charging as part of my ongoing campaign for fairer charges; and I'll be hosting a meeting for the British Armed Forces Federation - a group who wish to establish a staff association to work on behalf of UK servicemen and women. Ongoing work on the Draft Bribery Bill and the Defence Select Committee will also keep me busy.
With best wishes
Linda Gilroy MP
Comments
Commenting on this message is now disabled.
Posted by Liam Brennan, 11:46, Sat 16 May 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
You are just angry we the taxpayers are bloody fuming and as an ex shop steward who has voted labour for as long as I have been voting (I'm 63) from now on I will vote UKID to get out of Europe and get rid of the cretins at Westminster, I hated the Blair's and the replacement is worse Blair, Brown & Darling, have ruined this country in an effort to establish themselves as world Leaders and they couldn't run a bath never mind a country. I cannot stress strongly enough how I feel or what I think of those self serving self congratulatory Pigs, I think they should get a basic wage £60,000+ a year is a GOOD wage for people who in general know nothing and when they are asked about anything or even the job they have got they hire an expect to tell them what to think and what to say, A retarded monkey could do that much. They should all be on the dole.