Weekly news
Posted by Edward Vaizey, MP for Wantage, at 17:59, Sun 26 July 2009:
Here is my news for the week...
Parliament has risen for its controversial summer recess. 11 1/2 weeks, 82 days, 1960 hours or however you want to put it. I am taking a week's holiday, but apart from that will be at my desk or in the constituency as normal. I have one official trip - to Birmingham. Before Parliament rose, on Monday we had Department of Culture, Media and Sport questions, and I asked a question in my capacity as frontbench spokesman on culture http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090720/debtext/90720-0002.htm#0907206000025 The Parliamentary Standards Bill also went through its final stages.
As Parliament goes into recess, there are a number of relevant select committee reports that have been published. The Communities and Local Government Committee publisheed a report on town centres, very relevant for the constituency, with several market towns concerned about maintaining their vitality http://news.parliament.uk/2009/07/committee-publish-report-on-planning-for-town-centres/ . They also published one on the future of traditional markets http://news.parliament.uk/2009/07/report-on-plight-of-traditional-and-local-markets/
The Science Committee also published a report on science and engineering, also very relevant given our huge science base in the constituency http://news.parliament.uk/2009/07/committee-publish-report-on-science-and-engineering-policy/
In the constituency, I had two constituents come for tea after they had bid for the opportunity at a charity auction; I had a meeting with local residents in Appleford with First Great Western, who have cut the train service there quite dramatically. We made good progress. I had lunch at the Diamond Synchrotron to discuss future science funding; I met a local teacher from King Alfred's to talk about politics for his dissertation; and got a briefing on the future of the European School at Culham.
I had an extremely busy surgery at Wallingford, where many people came to discuss the plans to build 850 houses in Wallingford - the site choices are proving very controversial.
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