Trade Union wrong about Health Protection Agency

I was very disappointed to see that Unite Trade Union, has come out against the Health Protection Agency (HPA) coming to Harlow. Unite's view is all the more surprising given that Trade Union's are supposed to be about protecting jobs rather than destroying them.

In a speech on the House of Commons on 22 June, I argued that the HPA move to Harlow, would represent value for money for the taxpayer, would be good for public health and would help transform Harlow's economy:

Value for Money: The HPA move would benefit the taxpayer by £100 billion over its lifetime, according to the HPA Study. The HPA site at GSK Harlow, would be also be cost effective and save millions in construction costs.

Public Health: The site at Porton Down is reaching the end of its life, so represents a danger to public health. Most of the kind of 'bugs' examined by the HPA, are studied daily in hospital laboratories up and down the country. The site at GSK would be purpose built and extremely secure. It should be noted that the HPA is a public health laboratory - not military. If the HPA were in Harlow, it would also form part of the scientific corridor around the M11 and North London, making scientific collaboration easier.

Benefits to Harlow: The HPA in our town would transform employment - with possibly over 1,000 extra jobs. The secondary effect would be to boost local shops and businesses around the Pinnacles. Harlow has the highest unemployment in West Essex, so these jobs could not be more important - especially with the GSK redundancies.

Let us hope that this inept Unite intervention has not ruined the chances of the HPA coming to Harlow. According to the Electoral Commission, UNITE has given substantial funds to Harlow Labour Party in recent years.

P.S. It is good news that Conservative led Harlow Council has voted unanimously for the HPA move to Harlow.

P.P.S. You can read my Commons Speech on the HPA HERE.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com