News from Westminster
Posted by Dawn Primarolo, MP for Bristol South, at 15:43, Fri 23 October 2009:
OPENING OF BRIDGE LEARNING CAMPUS
I was delighted to attend the official opening of the Bridge Learning Campus in Hartcliffe this week. The Campus was opened by The Princess Royal, and I know that everyone involved had a fantastic day. This is the culmination of a project which began more than a decade ago, and is another sign of continued investment in Hartcliffe. So many people have worked so hard to make the Campus a reality, and it was great to catch up with some of them last week. The magnificent facilities really will help improve the learning of all of the children and young people on site. GCSE results this year were massively improved, and I look forward to seeing the continued success of students at the Campus in years to come. The Princess went on to formally open the excellent new Heart Institute in central Bristol.
DISCUSSING CHILD POVERTY WITH BARNADO'S
I visited Barnardo’s in Hartcliffe this morning to discuss their campaign to reduce child poverty. The Government’s Child Poverty Bill will place tough new measures on the Government to continue our work in this absolutely vital area. Measures including the minimum wage and tax credits have helped a great deal, but we must continue to tackle this difficult problem head on.
NEW ADVICE ON PAY AND WORK
The Government have set up a new helpline if you think you are being treated unfairly at work. The Pay and Work Rights Helpline can provide information on the National Minimum Wage, the right not to be forced to work an average of more than 48 hours a week, and information for people working for an employment agency. The National Minimum Wage is now set at £5.80 per hour for workers over 22. If you work in the service industry, tips can no longer be used to top up your wage to minimum wage level. For more information and advice, you can call free and in confidence on 0800 917 2368.
UPDATE ON 10:10
You will remember in my last newsletter I mentioned that I had signed up to the 10:10 campaign which encourages everyone to cut their carbon emissions by 10% in 2010. I’m pleased to report that all of the Cabinet and many other MPs have also signed up. This week I’ve continued to receive lots of emails from local residents on this subject and the matter was discussed in Parliament on Wednesday when MPs welcomed the 10:10 campaign as a motivator of public action to cut carbon dioxide emissions through individual and collective behaviour change. Government departments are also aiming to reduce their emissions in line with the carbon budgets introduced by the Climate Change Act 2008. The carbon budgets ensure all major departments will deliver long-term sustained emissions reductions not only in 2010, but through to 2022 and beyond.
CWU LOBBY
I met with local representatives of the Communication Workers Union in London last week. I am concerned that strikes are continuing. Nobody wants these stoppages, least of all hard working delivery staff who are losing out on their pay due to the strike. Talks are continuing, and I very much hope that a compromise can be reached very soon.
CIGARETTE VENDING MACHINES
The House of Commons this week resolved to move towards a ban on cigarette vending machines. The legislation now moves to the House of Lords for further consideration. I was wholly in support of the amendment to ban cigarette vending machines, and was very pleased to see that we are now a step closer to a ban. Evidence shows that many children buy their cigarettes through vending machines and we do, of course, have to do everything we can to ensure that children do not smoke.
The move toward a ban to cigarette vending machines has been welcomed by cancer research and public health charities. Other measures in the Health Bill include a new requirement on retailers not to have cigarettes on public display.
ANY QUESTIONS?
If you have any queries about these issues, or have a question you would like to ask about anything else, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Just email me at primarolod@parliament.uk, phone 0117 909 0063 or write to me at PO Box 1002, Bristol, BS99 1WH. Alternatively, for more information on what’s happening in and around Bristol South, you can visit www.bristolsouthlabourparty.org.uk.
Commenting on this message is now disabled.