Update From Linda Gilroy MP - Week ending 22 May 2009
Posted by Linda Gilroy, MP for Plymouth, Sutton, at 07:26, Tue 26 May 2009:
Update from Linda Gilroy MP
Week ending 22 May 2009 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
Mr Speaker
It seems a little unfair that Speaker Martin should be a scapegoat for the problems with MPs expenses and wider issues about transparency in Parliament - these are matters for which every MP has a responsibility. However, the election of a new Speaker offers a chance to move forward in reforming Parliament so that it is more open and accountable and to start rebuilding the relationship between MPs and the electorate. My week at a glance
Cooperative Housing Seminar
On Monday I hosted a meeting which included representatives from the housing market and banking sector coming together with officials from the cooperative movement to discuss examine ways of bringing pension and insurance fund investment alongside co-operative housing solutions. The forum follows the publication in January of the Co-operative Party’s blueprint for affordable housing ’New Foundations: Unlocking the potential for affordable homes’. This proposes a new model of mutual home ownership which can create permanently affordable intermediate market homes, even against the back drop of the credit crunch.
Fairer Water Bills
On Tuesday I led a delegation of South West MPs to meet with Water Minister Huw Irranca-Davies to discuss the soon to be published interim findings of the Walker Review of Metering and Charging. I have met with Anna Walker recently and I know she has a good grasp of the issues we face in the South West - how the botched Tory privatisation back in the 1990s has left a legacy of economic hardship. The Minister too understands the importance of getting a grip on this issue. Keep an eye on www.lindagilroy.org.uk/water for further updates on this campaign in the coming months.
British Armed Forces Federation
On Wednesday I hosted a briefing in Parliament by the British Armed Forces Federation (BAFF), an organisation which seeks to represent all ranks and services of the British armed forces by providing a voice on matters such as accommodation, welfare, pensions and healthcare, much like the Police Federation of England Wales. We heard from speakers from similar organisations in Ireland and Denmark who made some fascinating points about the need to support wives and families as a means of actually ensuring a better fighting solider. Initially I had wanted simply to find out more about this organisation but having discussed the issues at length with them I have come to feel it has a great deal of potential, both from the point of view of welfare and operational capability. See http://www.baff.org.uk
Looking ahead
Parliament is in recess next week and I shall be working in Plymouth. I will be meeting with officials at the City Council to discuss some of this issues that are regularly brought to my attention by constituents and I am very much looking forward be visiting some of many projects run by the Devonport Regeneration Partnership.
With best wishes
Linda Gilroy MP
P.S. The organisers of Plymouth Armed Forces Week have now launched a website with details of some of the events which are going to be staged and how you can get involved - www.plymoutharmedforcesweek.co.uk
Comments
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Posted by Dr Mark Fitzsimons, 14:55, Tue 26 May 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
Thanks for the update Linda. I disagree that the Speaker was a fall guy as he, representing parliament, actively opposed the Freedom of Information request lodged by Heather Brooke that led to the disclosures now being revealed by the Daily Telegraph. Apart from the indefensible claims that have gone in, a further question that is now being posed by the electorate is how the Cabinet members shown to have abused the expenses and allowance system can be trusted to govern ethically (e.g. examples of those that have awarded contracts to private companies and taken a place on the board of said companies soon after leaving the relevant Cabinet post).