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| May 10 2008 Hi all – Apologies for the lengthy delay since the last update – we've been busy organising the distribution of 25,000 letters to constituents in areas affected by proposed development. Many thanks to the over 300 volunteers who are currently delivering them! I should be able to report further on this after meeting NRL again on the 28th. First, an invitation. 1. Would you like to discuss energy and global warming with the Energy Minister? Are you interested in issues surrounding global warming, renewables, nuclear power, oil and gas prices, etc.? If so, would you like the Minister for Energy to ring you up for a personal discussion? I'm the PPS (assistant) to the Minister, Malcolm Wicks, and I've asked him to set aside an hour and a half on this Tuesday evening (May 13), starting at 6.15, to talk to interested constituents about their hopes and fears. If you'd like to have a call from him, please let me know your number, and if there is part of the 615-745 period that wouldn't be convenient for you. We plan to ration each call to about 4 minutes so that 20 or so people can get a chance to put their views and hear his reply. This is an experiment that no Minister to my knowledge has tried before so we're curious to see if it attracts interest. Hope to hear from you! 2. Notes on fiction I'd like to comment on the wider political scene, but I'll let it wait for a week or two as there are a lot of local issues to catch up on – see below. However, without wanting to introduce a particularly partisan note, I think it's a pity that a whole series of Conservative leaflets and emails have attacked me recently in quite distorted terms. To take three examples: a) Both a leaflet and an email have claimed that I've "refused" to talk to Ministers about the projected need for housing in Greater Nottingham. This bizarre idea was something they simply made up, as I pointed out some weeks ago (I've discussed the estimates with the Housing Minister, and the Minister for the East Midlands, and their technical advisers). The Conservatives are cheerfully continuing to distribute the leaflet, even though they know it to be false. b) An email from Ms Soubry headed "Labours U-turn no thanks to your Labour MP" [original punctuation preserved] claims that I wasn't one of the MPs who criticised the effect of the 10p abolition. Ms Soubry was writing more than two weeks after my very public criticism here: http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/BroxtoweIn fo/message/ 444 I made the same comments directly to the Chancellor, and told him that I wasn't willing to support the current Budget unless he publicly promised compensation for those affected. As a PPS I don't sign amendments to the Budget – I'd simply have quietly resigned if necessary. I was glad to get the commitment to compensation, and am collecting a range of local cases to ensure that all those affected are helped. A quick correction while I think of it: in my last email I said that the higher personal allowances for pensioners means that people with large pensions will be much better off. Not so – it tapers away for large pensions. c) Another leaflet claims that I voted in favour of post office closures. This is about the frankly two-faced Conservative motion calling for an unfunded freeze, that I discussed back in March: http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/BroxtoweIn fo/message/ 440 I've not had any reply to my challenge there to guarantee the current subsidy, which I assume means that it would indeed be cut under a Conservative government. I can't believe they'd get rid of it altogether, but a rough rule of thumb is that every 10% that they reduce would result in four more branch closures in Broxtowe. There is a genuine issue here – how far taxpayers should subsidise the network – and the honest position is that both parties accept that there are limits to the subsidy. However, it appears that the Conservatives aren't willing to match the current level, so it's cynical to criticise me for not voting for their zero-funded motion. The Conservatives are doing well in national polls, and spending huge sums on glossy leaflets in Broxtowe. They've got every right to put forward their ideas, and if they choose to be relentlessly negative instead, that's up to them. They obviously feel I have some personal support that they'd like to erode, but it would be nice if they didn't think it necessary to go in for systematic distortion. If their message is any good, it should speak for itself without the need for this sort of thing. OK, enough on that. Getting on to: 3. Abortion law: proposed amendment I consulted you on this some while back here: http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/BroxtoweIn fo/message/ 439 I'm now planning to put forward two amendments. One is a technical one allows frozen embryos to be kept for longer – this is to help a particular constituent who has been recovering from cancer and is only now ready to have IVF. The other is more controversial. I'm proposing that if an `abnormality' is detected in the foetus, the mother should be offered up-to-date scientific information concerning the life expectancy, the expected intellectual and functional development and the treatment options and supportive service providers, including telephone help lines as far as available for that condition, as well as neutral counselling. The idea isn't to urge a decision either way – the choice should rest with the woman – but to ensure that she is not panicked into an abortion by feeling that the condition diagnosed would mean a terrible and unsupported life for the child and the family. I should declare a sort of personal interest here. I was born with a cleft lip and palate – one of the conditions which has prompted abortion – and my parents were advised that I'd be able to live a decent enough life `so long as he doesn't take a job that involves talking a lot'. (Yeah, right - my late mother, who detested politics in all its forms and disliked my taking it up, nevertheless thought that aspect was pretty funny.) It seems to me that as a society we have become too fixated on physical perfection, to the point of having even late-term abortions (up to 40 weeks) to prevent the smallest defect. The truth is that none of us are perfect, even if we look it (I know you're all incredibly good-looking) – one of us may have a cleft lip, another may be short-tempered or forgetful. I think it's important that women worried about whether to have an abortion should be offered serious, neutral, pressure-free information about the implications of whatever the condition is and what help is available. Choice, yes – but *informed* choice. 3. Local updates ------------ --------- A host of things I've been asked to pass on: - The local police and council report that crime has fallen in Broxtowe by 30% in the last three years (over 2000 fewer victims), and ask me to thank everyone who has contributed to this by reporting criminal activity. Burglary in particular has nearly halved, from 1499 cases to 780 – this is generally seen as a good measure of overall crime since it's normally reported for insurance purposes (whereas something like graffiti might not be reported at all). I've agreed with the Inspectors responsible for Broxtowe to organise a joint briefing meeting in the summer for constituents interested in the local policing strategy and questions such as the relative value of beat patrols vs car reaction teams. I'll give details of this (free and non-political) meeting when we've got a date for it. - Blockbuster, the owner of the site leased by Out of This World, the popular Beeston shop, has reportedly approached a restaurant to take over the premises. OOTW is seeking to persuade Blockbuster to reconsider, and I'm giving them a reference confirming their status as a widely-admired local shop. - At a public meeting of people interested in Kimberley issues, Conservative Cllr Jill Owen (Jill.Owen@broxtowe. gov.uk) agreed to take up a suggestion from me with Kimberley Leisure Centre to have a young people's gym at Kimberley Leisure Centre, similar to the one at Bramcote, with computers linked up to physical activities e.g. cycling and dancing. She investigated very promptly and writes that this is likely to happen: "Broxtowe Borough Council already has the funds in place for the equipment but additional funding is required to convert the former Youth Club into a suitable area for the equipment to be installed. Currently discussions are being held with Kimberley School, the County Council and the Primary Care Trust to try and secure the additional funds required." If you are involved with a firm that might like to sponsor this, Ashley Marriott at the council would be delighted to hear from you. - The traffic issues around Eastwood Road/Maws Lane, where I've been supporting Labour Cllr Robinson and a local action group, seem on the way to being properly addressed. Details available from Richard.Robinson@ broxtowe. gov.uk . - Broxtowe Council say the dog rescue facilities are particularly strained at the moment and are putting a particular appeal for adoptive families. If you might be able to adopt one, contact www.babbington- rescue.org. uk - A constituent, Cheryl Smith, is setting up an informal cafe for the residents of Rylands - to give them basically somewhere to sit and chat, now the Post Office has closed. It will be in the rear room at Rylands Methodist Church on Victory Road each Monday 9.30am till 11am. She has been in touch with C.A.B in Beeston who have offered literature. She is on the lookout for old display stands if anyone is having a re-fit. Contact cheryl@flamestopper s.co.uk - A constituent warns of an organisation called "Helpmate Limited", which purports to collect clothes to give to poor people in third world countries. What they don't mention clearly is that they are a profit-making company who SELL clothes to poor people. If you have clothes to spare, it's better to give them to a charity shop. Back to national issues next time! Best wishes Nick
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