In Harlow
* I was delighted to welcome 12 GCSE students from Mark Hall School to Westminster, and to have the opportunity to give them a ‘lesson’ in Parliament on my work as an MP, an overview of how Government works and politics in general. This follows an earlier visit I made to the school to speak to A-level students about being an MP.
* I also met Jackie Sully, from Rainbow Services, to talk about the Big Society, and I met with the Department of Education to discuss the possibility of a University Technical College coming to Harlow. Because of the late confirmation of this meeting I was unable to undertake any constituency visits on Friday, however on Friday evening I met volunteers from the Streets2Homes charity who were taking part in a charity sleep-out in the town.
* I recently held one of my school surgeries at Fawbert and Barnard School, a great opportunity to meet with parents and to hear about their local issues. I also attended a meeting of the Harlow Olympic Committee, met the School Council at Holy Cross School and visited local funeral directors Daniel Robinson and Sons.
* In a whirlwind week, I have also met with trustees of Harlow Health Centres Trust regarding the re-development of Osler House doctors’ surgery in Potter Street and attended the public meeting held over the proposals for housing on the West Sumners site in Harlow.
In Parliament
* In Parliament, I asked Transport Secretary Justine Greening whether she would consider extending the use of Oyster cards to Harlow. This would certainly be of benefit to local commuters, as would an increase in investment in rolling stock, which I also asked her to undertake, when financial conditions allow. Commuters would certainly benefit from more trains at peak times running between Harlow and London.
* Once again I have been able to high the issue of fuel poverty, with motorists in Harlow who are on average earnings spend a tenth of their income on petrol and diesel costs. I joined FairFuelUK for their Fair Fuel Day lobby event to again highlight the issue of fuel tax and renewed my call to the Chancellor not to increase fuel taxes.
* Regular readers will know that ever since 2010,I have been campaigning and working with the NUS to set up a Royal Society of Apprentices. I am delighted we have now successfully taken our first major step. The new "Apprentice Card" -which is available on the NUS website - gives British apprentices the chance of the same discounts, benefits, and protections that graduates have enjoyed for over 50 years. It is a scandal that apprentices have had such a raw deal for so long.
* I was able to highlight to Employment Secretary Chris Grayling how the number of apprenticeships in Harlow has increased by 76 per cent in the past year who acknowledged the efforts that have gone into attracting apprenticeships to the town.
* I proposed an Early Day Motion highlighting the current situation regarding the high cost of fuel, and the fact that a motorist on averages earnings pays up to a tenth of their income on fuel. I am urging the Government to stop the planned fuel tax rise, look at cutting fuel taxes when financial conditions allow and introduce a fair fuel stabiliser which would reduce taxes when pump prices rise due to increases in international oil prices.
* I seconded an Early Day Motion that highlights the “second to none” service that is provided national by the BBC World Service which on Thursday celebrated its 80th anniversary. The World Service has many journalists working in difficult and sometimes hostile environments and provides a lifeline for people in many countries offering an unbiased news service. The Early Day Motion adds that funding should be provided to the BBC World Service in order to enable it to carry out its role as a world class broadcasting network.
* News that the Coalition Government has increased the personal allowance of income tax, which has already taken 800,000 working people out of the tax system and given 23 million people a 200 tax cut, is to be welcomed. The commitment to increasing the threshold to £10,000, which will save working people £700 a year and take millions of the lowest paid workers out of the tax system.
* Fantastic news, that Cabinet Minister Caroline Spelman has now backed the apprentice school that I have set up in Parliament with the charity New Deal of the Mind. For a video, click here http://www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com/2012/03/video-cabinet-minister-backs-my.html
* I also spoke in a parliamentary debate about Trade Union funding. My main argument was that we should make a distinction between moderate trade unionist members (a third of whom vote Conservative) and Union militants. For more about the debate click here http://www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com/2012/03/defending-trade-unionism.html
* Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg asked Baroness Tonge to apologise or resign following comments that she made about Israel. I had written to the Deputy Prime Minister asking him to consider withdrawing the whip from her following her remarks.
You can read more about the issue here http://www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com/2012/02/praise-for-nick-clegg-for-taking-swift.html
* I am delighted to have won my campaign against a move to charge visitors £15 to climb up Big Ben. I had addressed the Backbench Business Committee to ask for a debate on the proposal. My motion to scrap these plans already had the support of over 35 MPs from all sides of the political spectrum.
* Finally, I have raised the issue of security threats given the forthcoming Olympics during a debate with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Owen Paterson, with the security threat level in Northern Ireland remaining at ‘severe’. Mr Paterson said Northern Ireland-related terrorism in Great Britain is graded as “substantial”.
If you would like to come to the House of Commons on a tour, please call my office on 020 7219 7223.
You can also keep up-to-date with my news and views by visiting my new-look website - www.roberthalfon.com
* Once again I have been able to high the issue of fuel poverty, with motorists in Harlow who are on average earnings spend a tenth of their income on petrol and diesel costs. I joined FairFuelUK for their Fair Fuel Day lobby event to again highlight the issue of fuel tax and renewed my call to the Chancellor not to increase fuel taxes.
* Regular readers will know that ever since 2010,I have been campaigning and working with the NUS to set up a Royal Society of Apprentices. I am delighted we have now successfully taken our first major step. The new "Apprentice Card" -which is available on the NUS website - gives British apprentices the chance of the same discounts, benefits, and protections that graduates have enjoyed for over 50 years. It is a scandal that apprentices have had such a raw deal for so long.
* I was able to highlight to Employment Secretary Chris Grayling how the number of apprenticeships in Harlow has increased by 76 per cent in the past year who acknowledged the efforts that have gone into attracting apprenticeships to the town.
* I proposed an Early Day Motion highlighting the current situation regarding the high cost of fuel, and the fact that a motorist on averages earnings pays up to a tenth of their income on fuel. I am urging the Government to stop the planned fuel tax rise, look at cutting fuel taxes when financial conditions allow and introduce a fair fuel stabiliser which would reduce taxes when pump prices rise due to increases in international oil prices.
* I seconded an Early Day Motion that highlights the “second to none” service that is provided national by the BBC World Service which on Thursday celebrated its 80th anniversary. The World Service has many journalists working in difficult and sometimes hostile environments and provides a lifeline for people in many countries offering an unbiased news service. The Early Day Motion adds that funding should be provided to the BBC World Service in order to enable it to carry out its role as a world class broadcasting network.
* News that the Coalition Government has increased the personal allowance of income tax, which has already taken 800,000 working people out of the tax system and given 23 million people a 200 tax cut, is to be welcomed. The commitment to increasing the threshold to £10,000, which will save working people £700 a year and take millions of the lowest paid workers out of the tax system.
* Fantastic news, that Cabinet Minister Caroline Spelman has now backed the apprentice school that I have set up in Parliament with the charity New Deal of the Mind. For a video, click here http://www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com/2012/03/video-cabinet-minister-backs-my.html
* I also spoke in a parliamentary debate about Trade Union funding. My main argument was that we should make a distinction between moderate trade unionist members (a third of whom vote Conservative) and Union militants. For more about the debate click here http://www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com/2012/03/defending-trade-unionism.html
* Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg asked Baroness Tonge to apologise or resign following comments that she made about Israel. I had written to the Deputy Prime Minister asking him to consider withdrawing the whip from her following her remarks.
You can read more about the issue here http://www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com/2012/02/praise-for-nick-clegg-for-taking-swift.html
* I am delighted to have won my campaign against a move to charge visitors £15 to climb up Big Ben. I had addressed the Backbench Business Committee to ask for a debate on the proposal. My motion to scrap these plans already had the support of over 35 MPs from all sides of the political spectrum.
* Finally, I have raised the issue of security threats given the forthcoming Olympics during a debate with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Owen Paterson, with the security threat level in Northern Ireland remaining at ‘severe’. Mr Paterson said Northern Ireland-related terrorism in Great Britain is graded as “substantial”.
If you would like to come to the House of Commons on a tour, please call my office on 020 7219 7223.
You can also keep up-to-date with my news and views by visiting my new-look website - www.roberthalfon.com
No comments:
Post a Comment