Time Flies!

It's that time of year again! It only seems like 5 minutes ago that we were last preparing for Christmas, time really does fly.....It has certainly been a busy and fairly dramatic year, internationally, nationally and in Northamptonshire.

I think we were all frankly amazed by the Arab Spring. First, we saw Tunisia over throw their Government, then Egypt and finally the brave Libyans achieved the end of Gadaffi's long years of dictatorship. Meanwhile there is still unrest in Syria and in Egypt. I said towards the beginning of the year that it is a dangerously fine line that foreign governments must tread in their efforts to try to help other nations. We had to make that decision with regards to Libya, whether to impose a no fly zone and whether to help arm Libyan rebels. I believe that Parliament made the right decision to intervene in Libya and whilst the road ahead will be hard, I hope there are brighter days ahead for Libya and the other countries that are going through transition to greater democracy.

In 2011 we also witnessed the tragic Japanese Tsunami that caused so much devastation and disruption, the appalling terror attacks in Norway and we were all shocked by the phone hacking scandal. We also experienced the disgraceful behaviour of rioters in our towns and cities during the summer. The right to freedom of speech and the right to protest are extremely important and should be protected at all cost; however, what we witnessed on the streets of some of our major cities was nothing more than greed that spread fear and intimidation through the thuggery of a minority. I was pleased MPs of all parties robustly condemned the violence and destruction. Those who went out to riot would do well to learn a lesson from the citizens of the countries involved in the Arab Spring who have been fighting to regain their streets not destroy them.

However, 2011 also had some fabulous highlights: the Royal Wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in April caught the attention of around 2 billion people worldwide and was a fantastic day that highlighted exactly what is great about Britain. The extra bank holiday was also well received! I am sure we are all looking forward to the Diamond Jubilee next year as well as Britain's opportunity to host the Olympics.

A key issue which has dominated the news this year has been the European Union. Greece, Ireland and Portugal have received bailouts as the sovereign debt crisis continues to sweep across Europe and it is difficult to see how and when this crisis will end. It is very clear that we were right never to join the Euro and events suggest that whatever happens, we almost certainly never should. I believe now is the right time for us to negotiate a better deal with Europe. It has been 36 years since the British public have had a say on our relationship with Europe and that is why, in the debate in October, I voted for a referendum – promising to give the public a vote on Europe at some point. Before we get to a referendum, however, I believe we need to look at what we want our relationship with the EU to be which is why I have established the EU Fresh Start Project. We aim to research and build cross party support for a new relationship between the UK and EU, culminating in a draft White Paper that we will produce by July 2012. Working closely with Open Europe and other think tanks, we will produce detailed research on each policy area affected by the EU and we will then consult with MPs, MEP's, interest groups and constitutional experts on the substance of each area.

2011 has obviously been a busy year both nationally and internationally and I am yet to touch upon how busy life has been in Northamptonshire. My campaign against High Speed Rail continues and we expect an announcement from the Government early in the New Year. I sincerely hope that the new Secretary of State for Transport is having a re-think - HS2 is not a sound project and with our economic position now so much worse as a result of the Eurozone crisis, we simply cannot afford this vast expense with unproven returns.

I remain committed to Localism and making sure local residents have a say on how their communities look and feel. I hope the Localism Act will go a long way to achieving this but I am still working with the Government to iron out some strong concerns. I am also working closely with the Department for Energy and Climate Change to look at alternatives to meet our energy security needs other than onshore wind farms – I feel that there has been a shift in thinking and that these incredibly intrusive turbines are no longer as central to policy as under the previous government. Energy security is vital but it's not clear onshore wind turbines can genuinely contribute to our long term security as they are extremely inefficient.

The Northamptonshire Parent Infant Project (NORPIP) has been launched this year and is doing very well. The work has already begun to help parents form a secure early bond with their new born babies. Prevention is much kinder than cure and early intervention is the ultimate in prevention. The first ever NORPIP carol concert at Magdalen College School in Brackley raised a staggering £1,800! Beachborough School choir sang beautifully.

I am also continuing my campaign to promote age appropriate sex and relationship education in primary schools - a huge concern of many parents who feel far too much inappropriately explicit material is being shown to very young children. I have proposed to the Department for Education that the material shown to children should be rated in the same way that films and play station games are rated. This would help schools and parents to make the right decisions for their children.

Next year I plan to campaign on the issue of late payments to small businesses by larger companies and areas of the public sector. I am hoping that by encouraging payments to be made in a timely manner, particularly by the public sector, this will help small businesses in the supply chain during these difficult economic times. I am also pleased to see that the Brackley and Towcester Job Clubs continue to do excellent work in helping people find jobs.

I attended some wonderful local events during the year including many school visits, trips to Museums including Sulgrave Manor and the new Towcester Museum as well as the Ironstone Railway Trust; I saw the soon to be restored Iron Trunk Aqueduct at Cosgrove, attended the opening of the fabulous new 'Wing' at Silverstone, met with many businesses and local charities, attended the Army Cadets Annual camp in Norfolk, the Wootton Walk in the Park, the Blakesley Show and the superb Remembrance Day Service at All Saints Church in Northampton, to name just a few highlights. I have enjoyed meeting lots of people out and about in the constituency as well as during the 12 advice surgeries and 12 drop in surgeries I held during the year at Towcester, Wootton and Brackley.

You can see that 2011 has been a busy year and I suspect 2012 will be even busier. I do believe there are difficult times ahead but I am confident that the Government is on the right course to lead us to better and more prosperous times. Now is the time to stick to our programme of cuts with reforms that will lead to a better and more competitive future for Britain in an ever more global world. There is much to look forward to in 2012, including the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics, which I think will be superb for both morale in the country and for the money they will bring into our economy.

And so I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas and all the very best for 2012.

With best wishes from Andrea and her team.

(Left to Right: Luke Graystone, Secretary – Duncan McCourt, Office Manager – Tom Greeves, Parliamentary Assistant – Andrea Leadsom MP – Sarah Jackson, Caseworker – Marc Pooler, Parliamentary Researcher – Breon Finch, Apprentice Caseworker)

Pictures:

1. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
2. Presenting the HS2 Petition to Downing Street
3. Presenting the SRE Petition to the Department for Education
4. Northamptonshire Army Cadets

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Where to Start!?

Time for another update. The summer recess is a distant memory now, the Conference season has come and gone and Parliament is back in full swing. There is a lot to share with you.

HS2 has been high on the agenda. With Dan Byles MP and Chris White MP, I went along to Downing Street recently with members of the Stop HS2 campaign to present a petition of over 100,000 signatures to the Prime Minister.

Following that, on Thursday 13 October I led a debate in the House of Commons to discuss HS2. I was particularly pleased to see that MPs from across the country including the North West and Birmingham raised their concerns about the project. I made clear that I entirely support the need to improve capacity on our railways but that this particular project is neither environmentally friendly nor will it narrow the North South divide, it is, in fact, an enormous waste of taxpayers' money. I argued that there are many measures we can take now to deal with the capacity issue. These measures can be delivered far quicker so that commuters on the West Coast Mainline do not have to wait until 2026 at the earliest for relief to the overcrowding.

Thousands of constituents are doing a fantastic job of writing letters, attending meetings and giving up their own time to oppose this project – keep up the hard work. The battle continues, and now that we have a new Transport Secretary in Justine Greening, I feel there is a new opportunity to win the argument!

There has been another important debate on the National Planning Policy Framework. I believe the Planning Framework does contain the protection required for the countryside. Our rural areas are incredibly important to us all, and I have personally long campaigned to protect them. I do still have reservations regarding the 'grey area' between now and when neighbourhood development plans are put in to place and I am concerned by evidence that developers are using this 'grey area' to have plans approved on appeal. I am still challenging Ministers on this point and raised them during the debate in the Chamber. I have closely followed the Localism Bill from when it was introduced at the end of last year to now and I have followed the introduction of the National Planning Policy Framework. Constituents can rest assured that I will continue to monitor the Bill and the NPPF closely.

Staying with the topic of planning, I would again like to reassure constituents that I continue to represent their views on onshore wind farms. I am meeting with Charles Hendry MP, Minister of State for Energy on Monday 7 November with many MP Colleagues to discuss the subject. My main concern is that onshore wind power still needs to be proven as a valuable contribution to our energy security needs rather than just an opportunity for 'subsidy farming' by developers. Britain has some of the best renewable resources in the world - not just on land, but in offshore wind, wave and tidal power available off one of the longest coastlines in Europe and it is right that we utilise such resources. I am holding a public meeting at Sponne School on Thursday 10 November at 8.30pm to update all concerned residents.

I am also pursuing the issue of how sex and relationship education is being delivered in primary schools. There is no doubt that sex and relationship education is important and needs to be taught to our children as we try to deal with issues such as teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. However, there is evidence that some of the material being used in some schools is completely inappropriate for the ages of the pupils.

I am confident that every school is teaching SRE with the best of intentions; however most of the material is unlicensed and supplied by private companies without proper guidance to schools. A number of head teachers have said to me that they would appreciate far more guidance on what is age appropriate and suitable for children of different age groups. The debate was well attended with some interesting and constructive speeches and comments being made. Away from the Punch and Judy style politics of Prime Ministers' Questions and the big debates in the Chamber of the House of Commons, which the media tend to focus on, it is often the smaller debates that receive less attention that are the most constructive, informative and productive.

I imagine that few would have failed to notice that the issue of our membership of the European Union has again reared its head. On Monday 24 October a debate was held in the House of Commons on whether to allow the British public a referendum on our membership of the European Union. The Government had told all their MPs to vote against the motion calling for a referendum. Whilst I believe the Government are doing an excellent job in Europe, for example keeping us out of further bailouts of Greece and putting in place the EU Referendum Lock, nevertheless I decided to support the motion for the sake of our democracy. For too long, voters have been denied the chance to have their say on ever closer EU integration, and so, whilst it was a very difficult decision, I concluded that I had to support the principle of a referendum.

Finally, I would like to tell a little about the new EU Reform Project, sponsored by me with Colleagues George Eustice MP and Chris Heaton-Harris MP that aims to research and build cross party support for a new relationship between the UK and EU, culminating in a draft White Paper that we will produce by July 2012. Working closely with Open Europe and other think tanks, we will produce detailed research on each policy area affected by the EU (social and employment law, financial services, Structural funds, CAP etc) and we will then consult with MPs, MEP's, interest groups and constitutional experts on the substance of each area.

This has been a mammoth update, so well done if you have made it all the way through in one go! I haven't even touched on the fantastic events, interesting meetings and exciting visits I have been to in the constituency but I will save them for my next newsletter. As ever, if you think I can be of any help in any way, do not hesitate to call, write, and email or come visit me.

With best wishes

Andrea

Pictures show Andrea and Colleagues presenting the HS2 petition to Downing Street and Andrea speaking in the House of Commons during the HS2 debate.

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Making The Most Of Recess ...

It has been an interesting couple of weeks in the constituency with visits to charities, projects and museums. A highlight was a visit to the award winning Iron Trunk Aqua Duct where residents have been awarded money from the heritage fund to restore the aqua duct which takes the Grand Union Canal over the River Ouse. From the photo you can see it needs a facelift! An army of volunteers as well as paid staff are working to restore it to its former glory and British Waterways want to restore many of the scenic walkways around the area. British Waterways are a huge asset to Britain and there is enormous scope to expanding our tourism industry. I am looking forward to them becoming a charity instead of a quango next year as I think it will give far greater flexibility in their efforts to reconnect people with the countryside.

I also visited Sulgrave Manor, the ancestral home of the Washington family and chatted to Wendy Barnes about the challenges of keeping this beautiful house thriving with no Government or Local Authority funding.

I had an important meeting with police officers and staff who wanted to express their concern about cuts in the police budget and what that means for them and their families. I was grateful for the opportunity to meet so many of them and to discuss the challenges they are facing. We're lucky to have such a professional and committed police force and I have taken away some questions to bring up with Ministers.

On a day of torrential downpours I went along to the amazing Bletchley Park home of the World War Two code breakers to attend a fundraising event hosted by Google. My children came too and enjoyed a real 1940s style tea and games as well as a tour of World War Two communication systems and 'Collossus' the world's first electronic computer that played such an amazing part in shortening World War Two and saving many lives.

Perhaps the highlight of my visits was the trip out to Norfolk to see the Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland Army Cadet Force at their annual summer camp. The three hour drive each way was well worth the effort, seeing Northamptonshire cadets from 12 to 18 taking part in a huge range of activities from obstacle courses to army drill events to 'It's A Knockout' style competitions. The most impressive bit was being shown inside a 'billet' (army sleeping hut) where three army teenagers stood to attention by their immaculately made beds, with their boots shining, and addressing me as 'ma'am' whilst making full eye contact. If only I could introduce this regime at home with my own children! I'm sure their parents will be very proud of them.

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Time For A Recap!

I haven't written for a while so here's a bit of a recap:

This year the first UK wide referendum since the European Communities membership referendum in 1975 took place on whether to change our voting system. I campaigned strongly for a 'No' vote and I was delighted that the vast majority of the public agreed with me and voted 'No to AV'. The First Past the Post system we have now is strong, simple, fair and understood and I am delighted we have retained it.

On the same day voters went to the polls in the local elections in Northamptonshire and the Conservatives took control of the Borough Councilfor the first time in 20 years! I think our relative success at the polls shows that although many members of the public are concerned with the cuts we have to make they understand it is necessary to clear up the mess left by the previous Government. Labour will no doubt be asking themselves some tough questions as they did not perform nearly as well as they would have hoped for.

Back in Westminster, I am pursuing campaigns both old and new. Recently I have written to every Chief Executive of the top supermarkets in this country asking them to support my 'British Aisles' campaign! I would like to see one aisle in all the leading supermarkets dedicated to British produce and clearly marked as British. This would be a clear sign of the support that our supermarkets have for British manufacturing and farming. I will keep you updated with how this progresses.

I am also supporting the campaign launched by Claire Perry MP to keep children safe from internet pornography. The idea is to make access to internet pornography an 'opt-in' option for adults only by encouraging Internet Service providers to come up with a self-regulatory model. Linking in with this I am also launching my own campaign to make sure that the material being used in sex and relationship education being taught in schools is age appropriate to the children. I have seen some shocking examples of material being used which is completely inappropriate for young children. I am looking into the possibility of age certificates, similar to those used for films and video games, being used on SRE material. Both campaigns are about providing choice and education but also providing protection for our young children.

The campaign against the proposed High Speed Rail link is also gathering pace. HS2 Roadshows have been taking place along the proposed line of route and I attended each one in South Northamptonshire at Greatworth, Chipping Warden, Upper Boddington and Brackley. Local residents took the opportunity to come along, find out information, ask tough questions and show the strength of feeling against this project. I am continuing to argue at every opportunity that this project has a flawed business case, is, at best, carbon neutral and therefore not environmentally friendly and will not provide the regeneration that is expected. The Transport Select Committee begins its inquiry into the business case for HS2 next week and is likely to report towards the end of September. The consultation is still open until the end of July, I encourage everyone to take part and tell your friends and family in every corner of the country to take part as well!

In previous newsletters I have written about my plans to launch a Northamptonshire Parent Infant Project (NORPIP) and I am delighted to announce that NORPIP is having its first trustee meeting on the 24 June. We are recruiting staff and are due to formally launch later this year. Northamptonshire County Council have announced that they will be providing £20,000 of funding in the first year, and we have raised £50,000 from charitable donations. The potential for saving money via early intervention, let alone the benefits to families across the country are enormous, and I look forward to NORPIP beginning it's work very soon. Ultimately, I hope to roll out 'PIPs' across the country!

There has been plenty going on in South Northamptonshire. In Upton the Elgar Community Centre opened - I was impressed by the stunning building and the huge potential that the centre has. It can accommodate activities for all ages, whether in one of the spacious function rooms or outside on a sports pitch. It is a fantastic example of what a community can do by working together.

Deanshanger Primary School invited me to their art exhibition at the Milton Keynes Gallery. The artwork, based on the theme of the rainforest, was wonderful. The work is now on display at the Saatchi Gallery in London – what a fantastic achievement, and I congratulate the teachers, parents and young artists involved.

We are fast approaching the date of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. The new 'Wing' is ready to provide top quality entertainment for race goers, and the potential of Silverstone as a major event venue in the future is enormous. I'm supporting the bid of Tresham College to build a Universtity Technical College there, specialising in motorsport and event management – it would be a real jewel in Northamptonshire crown!

I have now been the MP for South Northamptonshire for over a year. I have enjoyed every minute of it and I am extremely proud to be your MP. I look forward to many more years serving South Northamptonshire and please do not hesitate to contact me if I can ever be of help.

With best wishes

Andrea

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George Osborne Makes A Silk Purse Out Of A Sow’s Ear!

At any time the budget dominates the news, even more so in the current economic climate. I think that the budget delivered by the Chancellor on Wednesday 23 March really does make a silk purse out of the sow's ear that was the economic legacy left to us by the last Government. I know some get frustrated that the argument keeps being used that the difficult decisions being made are because of the economic legacy of the last Government but I am afraid that this is the truth! I do not believe that these decisions are ideologically driven and I do believe that in the long run these measures will ensure the recovery and achieve future prosperity.

This budget will encourage jobs and growth for the future and help families with the cost of living. Families will be helped by income tax being cut, fuel duty being cut immediately and further increases being postponed. Jobs and businesses are benefitting from a cut in corporation tax from April this year, unnecessary regulations being scrapped and investment in science and innovation. An additional 50,000 apprenticeships and 100,000 work experience places are to be created. There will be help for first time home buyers and investment in the Green Investment Bank – all measures I fully welcome.

Our plans are backed by the IMF, OECD and every major business body in Britain. Labour have no plan to deal with the problem, they would have us continuing to spend £120 million a day on the interest on our debt which is more than we spend on our schools and defence!

Away from Westminster and I recently visited the wonderful Northamptonshire Community Foundation. Vicky the CEO explained to me how they act as a 'funnel' for those philanthropic local people and businesses who wish to give to specific local charities or projects. They are able to give out up to £750,000 in a year to 'good causes' and I strongly support what they do. I also held some advice surgeries, one at Towcester Farmers Market and the other at Wootton Community and Sports Centre. They were both well attended. If anyone feels I could be of help, do come along to one of my advice surgeries. You can make an appointment for my monthly Friday afternoon surgeries or just pop along to one of the 'drop in' surgeries. Details of both kinds of surgery can be found under 'contacts' on my website. Also while you are here, please take a minute to sign up to my newsletter, which is now up and running!

As I am sure many of you know the HS2 consultation period is well underway now and I hope as many of you as possible will take part. Last Friday I addressed a public meeting at Boddington and updated a packed village hall on HS2. The HS2 section of my website has loads of up to date information on the subject. I also secured a 3 hour debate in Parliament on Thursday 31 March to specifically discuss High Speed Rail. As the consultation is now nearing the end of its first month and the roadshows have just begun, now is a great time to discuss this matter again. I was delighted that so many MPs took part in this debate. There will be a full report published very soon so watch this space!

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Parliament Back In Full Swing!

We were all back into the swing of things this week in Westminster as Parliament returned. Recently events beyond our country's borders, let alone our border of Northamptonshire, have grabbed our attention. The human cost to the people of Libya in their fight for freedom is now all too apparent. It is a dangerously fine line that foreign governments must tread in their efforts to try to help the Libyans. Whether to impose a no fly zone and whether to help arm Libyan rebels are matters of complex and difficult judgment. Providing humanitarian aid and helping foreigners trapped in Libya to get home are a priority.

For us living in a democracy, whatever its faults and challenges, it is difficult to understand the chaos and brutality of the Gadaffi regime and the lengths to which this dictator will go to hold onto power. Sitting in Parliament it makes me really appreciate the democratic processes that we enjoy and take for granted. Freedom of speech and association are cornerstones of our society. Winston Churchill said when speaking about democracy, 'It is the worst form of Government except all the others that have been tried.' It is amazing to see the bravery and determination of the people of Libya to achieve their own freedom.

Elsewhere in Parliament this week I was disappointed to learn of the massive bonuses that Bob Diamond, the new Chief Executive of Barclays and many of his fellow senior bankers have been awarded. Mr Diamond earns £250,000 as a basic salary and plans to take a further £6.5 million in bonus yet the last Barclays Chief Executive received 'only' a bonus of £2 million in 2008. The argument that I hear time and again is that if these bonuses aren't paid, we will lose talent. Well Bob Diamond is moving to become CEO of Barclays where, in theory at least, his compensation will be around £3 million a year rather than the £6.75 million this year. So where does that leave the argument about the only motivator being financial reward? If that were true, surely he would have requested to take the job of CEO of Barclays for reasons of the pay on offer.

I appeared on Sky News this week to explain this point and to explain how my constituents feel rage and frustration at this news. When people across the country are losing their jobs, the Chief Executives who helped us get into this mess, are carrying on business as usual and are about to take home very generous bonuses, with no accountability for what is happening in our economy.

In Northamptonshire I visited a primary school last week to discuss the teaching of sex education in our primary schools. It has come to my attention recently that some of the material being taught to children as young as five, is simply unacceptable and inappropriate. It is, of course, very important that children learn about sex and are taught to be responsible and safe as we try to tackle teenage pregnancies and sexual transmitted diseases, however, the right sex education at the right age is also very important.

It is quite obvious that schools are teaching this material with the best of intentions and whilst I do not want to see central Government dictating everything our schools are doing, I do believe that some guidance is needed. I would like to see the Department for Education issuing guidance to schools, all material supplied to schools properly licensed, Governors to be actively aware of what materials are being used in their schools and to take a sensible and responsible view on this and parents to be made aware of the material that is being taught and to be offered the choice of 'opting in' to these lessons rather than 'opting out' as is the case at the moment. I have written to Rt. Hon. Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Education to raise this matter.

There have been many changes to the role of an MP over the years perhaps the biggest change has been the advances in technology. Once upon a time the only way to contact your MP was by a letter and the only way to find out what they were up to was by a leaflet through the door or perhaps a piece in the local newspaper. Now there are many ways of contacting me and I do my best to keep you up to date with all I do. I receive many letters a day plus around 150 emails and telephone calls. As well as this weekly column, articles in local newspapers and newsletters and leaflets, I regularly tweet and I have just updated my website. So as well as reading this column, please have a look around some of the other pages and see what is going on and follow me on twitter! I am hoping to launch an email newsletter soon so there will be no excuse for not knowing what I am up to!

With best wishes

Andrea

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Recess In Westminster But I Am Keeping Busy!

Parliament took a break last week but I found plenty to keep me busy! Just before the recess I took part in a three hour debate on the Transport Select Committee report on priorities for railway investment. This was a good opportunity to raise the issue of High Speed Rail and many other MPs had the same thought. During the debate MPs spoke on issues relating to investment in transport infrastructure, however, the proposed plans for High Speed Rail was the main talking point with many MPs questioning the project, especially the cost, and asking if there were better solutions to our transport infrastructure needs.

On Saturday I attended the Stop HS2 Convention at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire and listened to speeches from campaigners. The event was very well attended and it was an excellent idea to get everyone together to talk more about the campaign, to pass on information, share ideas and get involved. The five month consultation period into HS2 has just begun and I would encourage as many people as possible to take part in this consultation and to have your say. The Government has announced that this is to be a 'full and inclusive public consultation' and therefore I hope people will make the most of it. To take part in the consultation click here.

Last week I visited Roade School and spoke to the Sixth Form. I always enjoy visiting the schools in our area and am impressed with how knowledgeable the students are. The main issue that many students still raise with me is tuition fees and I was pleased to have the opportunity to explain to them that anyone that wants to go to university will be able to, they will not have to find any fees up front and will only begin paying money back once they are earning £21,000 a year. I really feel that the Government need to communicate this message more clearly and I have written to Rt. Hon. Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Education suggesting that we need to do this.

I also had the great pleasure of visiting Piddington Roman Museum during recess. It was a fascinating glimpse of local history. I will be visiting local museums and other places of interest in coming weeks.

I have mentioned on many occasions how I am looking forward to the Localism Bill passing through Parliament, abolishing Regional Spatial Strategies and top down housing targets and returning planning decisions back to local communities. I am very keen for local communities to have a say over how their areas look and feel. Last Monday I met with the Northamptonshire Residents Association and representatives of residents associations around the county and I explained the process that the Localism Bill is going through. You can read more about the meeting here. I have also been pleased to add my support to the Yardley Gobion Parish Council in their effort to have their parish plan adopted by the government as a 'vanguard plan' under the new Localism Bill. It is an excellent example of localism in action and I commend the Parish Council for putting together their plan for the future of Yardley Gobion with the support of the community. I have urged the Department for Communities and Local Government to adopt their plan.

Parliament returns next week and therefore I will be speaking on 'women in business' and on 'Sure Start Children's Centres', among other things. Please do check back for my next update.

With best wishes

Andrea

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Important Issues Aplenty This Week In Westminster!

I know there are plenty of other important issues, however this week was a big week with regard to wind farms! I sponsored a 3 hour debate through the backbench business committee to discuss onshore wind farms and was delighted that some constituents attended either in person or 'online' to hear the arguments.

The debate was well attended with around 27 MPs coming along altogether, quite a result considering there was the very important debate in the Chamber on Prisoner's Voting Rights at the same time! After I spoke another 12 backbench MPs made speeches. What was remarkable was that everyone who spoke was a coalition MP except for one Labour MP and everyone spoke against onshore wind farms - there was not one MP that spoke in favour of them!

Charles Hendry MP, Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change responded for the Government. He stressed the need for a balance of technologies which should include nuclear, clean coal and a 'broad mix' of renewable. Whilst he didn't give any firm guarantees regarding onshore wind farms, I was delighted that during the day he had announced that the Government was committed to listening to the wishes of local communities and that it would be an obligation of the developer to only site wind farms in windy places. You can read the full debate by clicking here.

Many other important issues have been raised this week. Many constituents continue to write to me regarding forestry and I have learned a great deal from hearing their concerns. I must stress that there has not been a vote to sell off or privatise our forests or woodlands. There is, however, a consultation on whether the small proportion of our forests that are currently controlled by the Forestry Commission could be better managed by other means. I entirely support having this consultation but I assure you that I would not support legislation that would destroy, damage or commercialise these valuable heritage assets. I can also assure you of my confidence that this government intends to improve, not to worsen, the quality, access to and biodiversity of our woods and forests. I will continue to listen to all the arguments as this consultation continues.

I mentioned earlier that there was an important debate on Prisoner's Voting Rights and whilst I was sorry that the debate clashed with my own on wind farms, this was an extremely important debate. I am absolutely against prisoners having the right to vote. This shows a complete arrogance on the part of some EU institutions that try to force such ridiculous legislation on us. These institutions need to be challenged. It is outrageous that up to 28,000 prisoners, including 6,000 jailed for violent crime, more than 1,700 sex offenders, more than 4,000 burglars and 4,300 imprisoned for drug offences could be allowed to vote and that compensation payments could amount to more than £160m if the Government does not comply. On Thursday the UK sent a clear message that it is tired of being pushed around.

There was another important debate that took place on Friday. Usually the House of Commons doesn't sit on a Friday and all MPs return to their constituencies. However, occasionally there are some debates on Fridays on Private Member's Bills so last Friday, before rushing back to Brackley for my advice surgery, I went along to support a particular Bill called the 'Legislation (Territorial Extent) Bill' which aims to address the 'West Lothian Question'. The West Lothian Question is the bizarre situation when Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish MPs can vote on an issue which only affects England. The Bill aims to support better English democracy by ensuring that all Bills set out what territory they cover, the financial implications and how they affect individual constituencies. I voted in favour of this Bill and I am pleased to say that we won the vote. I will monitor the progress of this Bill closely and with interest.

With best wishes

Andrea

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We Can See The Wood For The Trees!

One of the most interesting things about Parliament is the diverse range of topics that are covered. This week we have been discussing everything from the NHS to our beautiful forests. I know these two issues have provoked a great deal of interest and have divided opinion and understand that people might feel nervous.

I know many constituents are concerned with plans for our forests and the wonderful Salcey Forest in Northamptonshire. It is extremely important that the public's access rights and enjoyment of our forests are protected and our natural heritage is secured. The Government has published a consultation paper which sets out a range of options for ownership or management of the forests in England which are currently run by the Forestry Commission. The Commission is currently responsible for a fifth of England's woodlands.

Over the last thirteen years, the Labour Government sold over 25,000 acres of forestry land, often without ensuring any protections. By contrast, the Government's consultation paper guarantees protections on rights to access so our ability to take the dog for a walk, go cycling or horse riding in the woodland we know and love will not be in danger. The paper also sets out how heritage forests could be transferred to charitable trusts, while commercial land could be leased, with strict protections build into its clauses.

Any land transferred to a new ownership or management will be subject to the same strict legal controls that are already in place including country rights of way protection, planning restrictions, wildlife conservation laws and felling licence requirements.

At the moment the Government is only considering these proposals and it's response to the public consultation will be published in the summer. Please rest assured that this Government will protect our forests better than ever before.

With regard to the Government's plans to modernise the NHS. We have a simple aim which is to ensure everyone is provided with healthcare which is free at the point of use and based on need and not ability to pay and which is the best in the world. At the moment, and despite the best efforts of its staff, the NHS doesn't achieve this. Someone in this country is twice as likely to die from a heart attack as someone in France, survival rates for cervical, colorectal and breast cancer are amongst the worst in the OECD; and premature mortality rates from respiratory disease are worse than the EU average. Put simply, the NHS is subject to too much, top-down control. Whole tiers of bureaucracy continue to restrict the decisions of doctors and nurses, while the number of managers in the NHS doubled under the previous Government. Despite the years of extra investment, productivity in hospitals has declined by 15 per cent over the previous 10 years.

These modernisation plans will ensure that the NHS delivers what its staff know it is capable of delivering: efficient, responsive, patient-centred care. When the NHS faces the twin pressures of an ageing population and of advances in medicine, we simply cannot afford not to modernise our NHS services and we must start now. First, the Health Bill will give responsibility for the NHS budget to frontline family doctors so that they can shape services according to the needs of the patients they see every day. Secondly, the Bill will ensure there is much greater local democratic involvement in health services, by giving local councils a crucial new role in helping frontline doctors take their decisions in the best interests of local communities. Finally, the Bill will allow anyone who requires treatment on the NHS to choose to be treated anywhere which meets NHS standards - whether this is at a charitable organisation, in the private sector, or in the NHS itself.

As a result of these modernisation plans, the NHS will be able to save £5 billion by reducing the unnecessary administration in the NHS over this Parliament. Because the Government is protecting the NHS budget, all of these savings will be reinvested where they should be - in treating patients.

In Northamptonshire I visited Infinis recently which is a company turning methane from landfill sites into biofuel. The machines they use generate heat that could be used for industrial purposes and I will be urging the Government to do all it can to provide support for the capital cost of kick starting this highly carbon efficient activity.

On Friday I am having my monthly advice surgery in Old Stratford. As ever, if you would like to come along to a surgery please call my constituency office on 01604 859721 and check the 'surgeries' section under 'contacts' on my website.

Until next week, best wishes

Andrea

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Wind Farms Are Not Blowing Away!

Wind farms remain high on the agenda for me this week. I was not pleased to hear of the proposed plans for 16 wind turbines to be built in the Tove Valley, near to Paulerspury and Alderton and I will be working with residents to agree a way forward. I have said before that renewable energy is of course necessary for our 21st Century needs but local communities must be allowed their say rather than having them forced upon them. I also think there are major question marks over whether onshore wind energy is the best way to go forward with renewable energy. I met this week with representatives of two wind farm development companies and I remain unconvinced by the arguments.

I am using every opportunity I have in Parliament to raise the issue of wind farms and this week I made an application to the Backbench Business Committee. This is a newly created committee set up within Parliament which allocates time for debates on issues that backbenchers want to talk about, rather than having the Government deciding the agenda all the time.

So along I went on Tuesday at 1pm with a cluster of supporting MPs to try and convince the committee to give some time on the floor of the House of Commons Chamber to discuss onshore wind farms. The meeting has a 'Dragon's Den' feel about it, where the applicant makes their pitch and is then quizzed by the committee, some had some tough questions but I left feeling positive. Later that day I received news that the committee had allocated me a 3 hour debate on onshore wind farms. The debate will take place on Thursday 10 February between 2.30pm and 5.30pm and I expect it will be very busy!

The Backbench Business Committee is a great place for raising issues, and in the next few weeks I am going to make a further application for a debate to discuss the High Speed Rail project. Like the issue of wind farms, there is great interest from Members of Parliament from all across the country and whilst there will be those speaking for and those speaking against these projects it is vitally important we have a debate on them. The consultation period for HS2 begins in February and we are as yet unclear about what form this consultation will take. I am still of the opinion that the business, economic and environmental cases for HS2 have not been made convincingly and therefore this is an essential time to discuss this with other MPs.

I had an excellent meeting this week at Number 10 to discuss the importance of secure early attachment between babies and their carers and the need include this in public policy. I have been a trustee of OXPIP (Oxford Parent Infant Project) for the last 10 years and the work they do with struggling families is fantastic. I spoke in the Chamber last week where I talked about the brain development of babies in an excellent debate on 'Disadvantaged Children'. You can read my speech here. This year I hope to set up a NORPIP (Northampton Parent Infant Project) and I will keep you updated with my progress. I left my meeting at Number 10 feeling very positive so we will see what happens!

With best wishes

Andrea

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