Must do better! That has to be my teacher's report on keeping this blog up to date. I do tweet but I need to start setting aside the time to do an update, though I hope my new website will be online by the end of the month.
It's easy to fill every moment with Parliamentary and constituency business, as well as a number of events to be briefed and entertained. Well, now everything is coming together in the office, new staff ready to join in September, nearly sorted out the constituency office and, if IPSA approves the contract, a flat in Pimlico by the end of the month, ending the living out of a suitcase and a car AND walking in on other guests, thanks to a faulty hotel reception system.
There has been a lot going on in Parliament - 2nd reading of the Budget on the floor of the house, Select Committees finally being formed (I am on Culture), briefings on different topics including increase in personal insolvency, presenting a private members' bill and I initiated a Westminster Hall debate on fuel poverty in rural Britain.
A big announcement was the BSF revision; the Felixstowe academy is up for discussion, so I have asked for a meeting with Lord Hill (who was John Major's political secretary in the 90's), though I have been told that Michael Gove is personally assessing and arranging any meetings.
Rural broadband is uppermost in my mind for the business community, reinforced when I met Andy Wood, MD of Adnams and heavily involved in a few Suffolk business forums (fora?), for the Parliamentary Beer Group Dinner. Ed Vaizey has agreed to meet a delegation and just trying to sort out
Of course, the health changes are huge. I had coffee with Dr Janet Massey, secretary of Suffolk BMA, who seemed up for the changes. More surprising was the meeting with NHS East of England - which seemed to be trying to reinvent itself and gave the impression they would still be around in some shape or form, but I doubt it.
Tackling coastal erosion is the distinctive campaign for my constituency and I am formulating my plan to change the DEFRA policy, "Making Room for Water". This is the framework that is happy for, indeed wants, my constituency to fall into the sea. Again, the minister is due to come and trying to fix a date.
Back in the constituency, I have been supporting the Arts, giving prizes at Felixstowe Regatta, visited some more schools (Yoxford, Peasenhall and Rendlesham Primary Schools and Leiston High) and have had more surgeries. There is much else and when the website is online, I will update fully.
Finally, some people have been leaving messages on 07733 996068 but it has been difficult to make them out. Can I suggest that you ring 020 7219 7164 instead?
1 comments:
How exactly do you intend to get DEFRA to change their plans? There's not enough infrastructure along the coast here to make it worthwhile defending and it's all boulder clay, the fastest eroding rock in the world, so practically impossible to defend without building extensive sea walls all along the coast. Just look at Slaughden
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