Weekly e-mail
Posted by Edward Vaizey, MP for Wantage, at 21:06, Sun 19 July 2009:
Here is this week's news...
Parliament
I did a debate on the future of local and regional newspapers. The internet and the recession have caused significant difficulties for the local media, and many titles are either closing or moving from daily to weekly. We have announced our own proposals to merge local newspapers with radio stations and possibly local television stations, in order to give them a strong base from which to earn revenues. Anyway, here is the full debate http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090715/halltext/90715h0006.htm#09071568000003
Almost as important was the report published last week by the Public Accounts Committee on the health of the honey bee http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmselect/cmpubacc/366/366.pdf This is an issue dear to my heart, as Rowse Honey in Wallingford is the largest manufacturer of honey in the UK (ie it buys it and blends and packages it) and has given six figures to this research.
Constituency
Buisness-orientated again this week. An evening with the Faringdon Chamber of Commerce on wednesday night, and then a few hours at Grove Technology Park meeting businesses based there. Did you know that Grove has a hugely successful business called Bybox, which makes secure boxes for the infrastructure industries. Or that all those Aasvogel skips we see are named after an African vulture, and ensured the company was first in the yellow pages? The main themes were rates on empty business properties, planning concerns, and the banks, of course.
I looked in at the Volunteer Inn in Grove to celebrate Proud of Pubs Week - the threat to the British pub is causing great concern in Parliament, it is very similar to the Post office crisis.
I opened a social housing development in Wallingford, which is fantastic, really well built and very well thought out.
I welcomed Didcot Cricket Club back from a charity ride between Lands End and John OGroats.
I attended and judged the Faringdon Craft fair on Saturday morning.
Comments
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Posted by Sue Bunch, 17:48, Mon 20 July 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
I enjoy reading your weekly emails (I guess this must be replacing your blog, which is sorely missed!).
Please keep up with the email as it's interesting to see what you do each week, especially concerning local issues.
Sue in Grove