MPFree
Michael Foster’s Parliamentary
Bulletin
July 2009
This
is the July MPFree and Parliament officially went into recess for
the summer last week signalling the start of what is affectionately
known as ‘silly season’. With the Commons closed for the summer the
press lobby have to work that bit harder to impress their editors
and we can now expect the traditional raft of ‘creative’ political
stories – the recent “Peter Mandelson wants to be Prime Minister”
simply being the first.
There is one perennial story that I
want to dismiss before we hear too much about it in the papers: the
myth of the recess being a prolonged ‘MPs Holiday’. Political
Journalists with little to do in Westminster report on us as
swanning off for three months without a care in the world. I can
assure you nothing could be further from the truth. An MP’s job is
twofold: firstly being a member of the legislature that scrutinises
legislation in Parliament. Secondly we work for our constituents by
representing their views to Government and helping them with
casework issues, both in terms of policy and practical problems.
Over the next three months I will be out and about in the
constituency, talking to local residents, attending community
events and doing all the general housekeeping necessary at my
Bohemia Road office. So if anyone informs you “Michael Foster is
off holidaying on the moon you know, I read about it in the
tabloids”, please do feel free to correct them.
Thanks!
The
town has had a couple of pieces of good news over the past month so
onto the roundup of recent news and events.
Oh
but firstly I would like to highlight the fact I will be holding a
series of public meetings in the constituency:
MP
in your area
Got something on your chest? Want
to give me a grilling on Parliament? What I do each day? Government
Policy? Pensions? Expenses? Well now’s your chance – come along and
join me for a biscuit and a chat.
Over the coming weeks I will be
touring the constituency holding a series of meetings so residents
can ask questions and tell me their views. The meetings will
provide the opportunity to ask questions on any aspect of my
work.
Dates and times of public meetings
are:
a) 4th
August
11am-1pm Udimore,
Kings Head
Pub
b) 4th
August
3-4pm
Brede, Village Hall, Brede
c) 4th
August
6.30-8.30pm Camber,
Memorial
Hall
d) 18th August
11am-12pm Iden,
Village
Hall
e) 18th August
5-6pm
Pett, Village Hall
f) 18th August
6.30-8.30pm
Westfield, Church Hall
g) 20th
August
6:30-7:30pm Sailing
Club, Rye Harbour
If you would like a copy of my
annual written report to constituents which was distributed earlier
in the year call my office on 01424 460070 or email
mp@1066.net.
Investment in Hastings
Youth
Hastings has been awarded £2.3million to create jobs for
young people in the town. The cash comes from Labour’s Future Jobs
Fund which has been specifically created to help young people
through the global downturn. It is hoped this new investment,
awarded following a successful bid from Hastings Borough Council,
will create 354 jobs across the town primarily for 18-24 year
olds.
I'm
determined that we never again repeat the failed policies of the
past - In the 80s and 90s long term youth unemployment went up and
up. This new investment in Hastings (opposed by the Tories)
will help stop that from happening again.
The Future Jobs Fund is a pot of around £1billion to support the
creation of jobs for long term unemployed young people and others
who face significant disadvantage in the labour market. It is due
to be spent over the next two years and should create 150,000 new
jobs across the UK.
£3.5million to Kickstart Hastings
House Building
Hastings has been awarded £3,467,000 to build over 100
new homes over the next two years.
The
money follows the Housing Pledge made by the Prime Minister as part
of his plan to help boost the economy in the wake of the global
downturn. The cash will come from the Government’s ‘Kickstart’
programme and could see the completion of 103 new homes as part of
the Station Plaza housing development. The scheme will provide good
quality homes and create jobs in the local construction
industry.
This
announcement is about making a real impact rapidly. It is part of
the Government's commitment to invest to help Britain through the
recession so it's not just about new homes but also new jobs and
benefits in the local community. I think this new housing
development will be a real boost for the town and complement the
new College and Health Centre also being constructed on Station
Plaza.
Hastings &
Rye Over 60s Swimming Free
Over
3,000 ‘free swims’ have been enjoyed by over 60s in Hastings, and
nearly 4,000 in Rother, over the first three months of the
(clearly) popular Government funded scheme to allow over 60s free
access to Council pools.
The
scheme started in April this year and has well exceeded expectation
with a total of 3,176 ‘free swims’ by Hastings residents and 3,808
by Rother residents. Figures also show there has been a rapid
increase in use with 1,238 ‘free swims’
in June, up from 924 in April.
Keeping fit and healthy is hugely important,
especially as we get older, and swimming is a wonderful way of
exercising. My wife swims everyday and loves it so I’m delighted so
many people have benefited in the town. The scheme also
ensures that local pools are given a new lease of life in the heart
of their communities. So if you’re over 60 get yourself down to
your local Council pool and get splashing!
Telegraph
Apology
I
don’t want to keep going on about expenses – I think everyone has
probably had enough by now but….on the 21st July The
Daily Telegraph published an apology to me for misleading comments
made in their ‘Complete Expenses Files’ supplement published on the
20th June.
If
you have seen it you may be under the impression I earn £94,228 per
year (wrong) and that I claimed £450 for a new sofa (wrong). In
reality I earn only the basic MPs’ salary of just over £60,000
(still generous I acknowledge) and even passed up this years salary
increase in light of the financial challenges being faced by many
people in Hastings and Rye.
I’ve
decided not to take the matter further. Although when they called
me to say it was a ‘mistake’ I did point out the irony of that
explanation given it was one they had refused to accept from MPs.
Indeed my colleagues were pilloried for their
mistakes.
As
I’ve said before I have no doubt that a small minority of Members
have behaved badly but the hysteria that the Telegraph created has
literally ruined the lives of many honourable members who have done
nothing wrong. Even those of us who have been wholly open and
transparent have been subject to abuse which I fear will discourage
good candidates from entering public life.
Cannon
Street Rail
Services
You
may have seen news stories recently regarding the direct Cannon
Street trains to London. Network Rail
recently published the Kent 'Route Utilisation Strategy': the
suggestion made is that in 2015 Hastings-London trains would be
limited to the single destination of Charing
Cross
I appreciate
this is only a proposal from Network Rail but it has clearly not
been thought through. The
Cannon Street services are a vital transport link for local
commuters who work in the financial district of the City of
London.
I
have therefore contacted the transport Minister asking for
assurances these plans will not be implemented. I have also invited
him to visit us using our key transport arteries – the mainline
through Tunbridge Wells and the A21. It takes fifty minutes to get
to Brighton by train from London. It can take upwards of two hours
to get to Hastings! We need to do better and I want him to see
first hand.
Extra!
Extra!
I feel I have already written a
great deal but there is still a lot more I would like to tell you
about. I really would urge you to visit my website so you can catch
up on the following stories: in my role Equalities Minister I have
just launched a new Consultation on Age Discrimination and I
want to hear what you have to say (click
HERE
for the full story). A
new policy paper on social care has just been
launched which I hope can spark a big debate on how we shape a new
‘National Care Service’ to sit alongside the NHS (click
HERE)
For those of you interested in
tackling Climate
Change there have been two major announcements this month.
The Road to Copenhagen Document sets out UK policy for securing a
post Kyoto climate change deal and how we get the world to sign up
(click
HERE). The
Government’s new Energy White Paper, the ‘Low Carbon Transition
Plan’ sets out how the UK will increase our use of renewal energy
and shift our economy onto a low carbon track (click
HERE)
On a
final note I want to highlight the fact I have now set up a kind of
MPFree for the Government Equalities Office (where I work as a
Minister) so you can keep updated on everything Equality related
like age discrimination and what is being done to tackle the gender
pay gap. You can sign up by visiting http://www.geo-newsletters.org.uk/
Well
that just about concludes this month but remember you can always keep up to speed with what I’m doing
by logging onto my website www.michaelfoster.org.uk
or get in touch with me by
emailing mp@1066.net or calling 01424 460070.
With best wishes
Michael
Foster DL MP
