Monthly Report for June 2010
Below is a summary of my work in Parliament and in Southampton for the month of June 2010. Click here to read previous reports.
If you'd like to know more about any of the work I've been doing, or if you think there is another issue you think I should be acting on, you can always contact my office.
As you may know, I write a monthly email to a number of constituents reporting on a selection of my recent work as your MP. These reports took a brief hiatus during the election campaign, but will now return as of this month. My heartfelt thanks to all the constituents of Southampton Test who voted to re-elect me as your MP. I’ll always work hard for all the people of Southampton in return.
Shopmobility
The Conservative-run Council is proposing to close Shopmobility from December as part of a serious reduction in funding for voluntary groups. They are claiming they are increasing grants to voluntary organisations, when in fact what they are doing is continuing existing funding on for a few months in order to mask a serious cutback later in the year.
The Conservatives argue that disabled people can use the West Quay Shopmobility instead, however as anyone who uses the service understands, this would mean disabled people not being able to use the scooters to go to the Royal South Hants or indeed most other places outside West Quay. Constituents with limited mobility who do not have cars have also pointed out that Shopmobility is far more accessible for them than the in-store West Quay service. All in all, this is an extraordinarily out of touch and ill-considered proposal and I will be working closely with supporters’ groups to try and get the plan dropped.
If you would like to support the campaign to keep Shopmobility open, you can join the facebook group here or download a copy of the petition here. However, remember all petitions must get back to Shopmobility, 7 Castle Way Southampton SO14 2BX, by Monday 21st June 3pm.
Libraries
I will also be meeting library users and staff on Monday as part of the campaign against reducing the quality of service in local libraries by replacing paid staff with volunteers. While there is a fair case for giving volunteers the opportunity to have a role in delivering local services, it is wishful thinking to believe this will always reduce costs. Indeed proper volunteer engagement is likely to cost more money, at least in the short term.
Gaza Blockade
I was one of the backbench Labour MPs who signed a Parliamentary motion condemning the Israeli attack on aid ships headed to Gaza. The full motion reads:
That this House is appalled by the loss of life associated with Israel's attack on the flotilla of ships carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza;
notes that UK and other nationals have been held by Israel despite the attack having taken place in international waters;
endorses the call of the United Nations Secretary General for a prompt, impartial, credible and transparent investigation conforming to international standards;
recognises that Israel's blockade which has destroyed the economy of Gaza and deepened poverty still inflicts widespread suffering and, by imposing collective punishment on the people of Gaza, is itself contrary to international law;
and calls on the international community to require Israel to end its blockade and to redouble international efforts to secure a lasting settlement with a secure and independent state of Palestine alongside a secure and independent Israel.
Private Rented Housing
Last week I pressed the new Housing Minister on whether he would keep the new protections we brought in relating to Houses in Multiple Occupation. The government has already scrapped a number of protections due to be brought in for private rented tenants. Labour was due to bring in a national register for landlords, tougher requirements for written agreements between landlords and tenants, as well as more help for tenants seeking to find out more about a landlord before signing a deal with them. These measures would have been a real help driving up standards of private rented accommodation in Southampton, and it is extremely regrettable that the new Government has- once again- sided with the National Landlords Association rather than ordinary tenants and residents.
Climate Change
I also spoke on measures relating to energy and climate change in the debate on the Queen’s Speech. My main point was to make it clear that tackling climate change must be considered a ‘front-line service’ over the coming years and that the government must be committed to financially underwriting the changes to our economy that need to be made. Fine words and hoping the private sector will cover the cost simply won’t work. My speech also covered a) that the Coalition’s policy proposals had completely missed out a vital area of policy relating to supporting renewable heat, and b) the most likely consequence of the Coalition’s position on nuclear power will be a new generation of gas-fired power stations, that will in turn completely destroy any chance Britain has of meeting our legally binding carbon emissions reduction targets.
Shirley Towers
During the election campaign I was contacted by the Salvation Army to talk with residents of Shirley Towers who had been evacuated following the fire there. This month I met with residents again to listen to problems many were still facing. The Council and insurance companies do appear in certain cases to be dragging their feet regarding compensating residents for what was lost both in the fire and in the aftermath.
Future Jobs Fund
My office is conducting research on the impact of the Liberal-Tory cuts specifically to Southampton. The first statistics- relating to the number of jobs likely to be lost thanks to the government abolishing the Future Jobs Fund- was published this week on my website.
Alan Whitehead
June 2010