Regulation will Improve patient safety

Clinical physiologists perform a range of procedures including pacemaker reprogramming and non-invasive ventilation. Despite the sensitive and potentially high risk nature of their work, they are currently not regulated. This means that incompetent practitioners who potentially put the lives of patients at risk are able to move from job to job escaping detection. 

Tabling an Early Day Motion in Parliament, I have called on the Government to introduce a statutory register at the earliest possible opportunity. The Early Day Motion also highlights the important role of clinical physiologists in diagnosis and argues that only a statutory register will provide the necessary protection for the patient. The Department of Health agreed to a statutory register for clinical physiologists in 2004, but are yet to deliver on their promise.

Clinical physiology is currently only covered by a voluntary register maintained by the Registration Council of Clinical Physiologists (RCCP).  The lack of statutory regulation means that, while the RCCP operates a disciplinary code, it cannot be enforced to protect patients from clinical physiologists unfit to practice.

Clinical Physiologists deliver a wide range of diagnostic and often invasive procedures directly to patients and work closely with medical staff and other healthcare professionals to diagnose, treat, monitor and manage the care of patients.

Despite the recognition by the Health Secretary accepting the need to statutorily regulate clinical physiologists back in 2004, the fact that six years later statutory regulation is still not in place, has potentially huge implications for patients' safety.

Anne Burge, Chair of the RCCP, said, “The current system of voluntary registration is wholly inadequate and urgently needs reform to ensure patient safety.  Many patients are horrified when they find out that clinical physiologists are currently not registered, despite their patient-facing role and the high-risk nature of the procedures they often undertake."

“We hope that this motion will encourage the Government to take statutory regulation forward as a priority.”

EDM 1352 
  
That this House welcomes the valuable contribution that clinical physiologists make to patient care in the NHS; notes their importance in developing and delivering a wide range of sensitive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures directly to patients in the disciplines of audiology, cardiology, gastro-intestinal physiology, neurophysiology and respiratory physiology; further notes with concern that, despite the Health Professions Council's recommendation in 2004 that clinical physiologists should be statutorily regulated and this advice being accepted by the Department of Health in 2005, statutory regulation has not yet been put in place; recognises the value of the current voluntary register which has been compiled and administered by the Registration Council for Clinical Physiologists; understands the Government's direction of travel that voluntary regulation is the preferred way forward for most new healthcare professions, but believes that, because of the potentially highly invasive nature of clinical physiologists' activities, voluntary registration does not provide patients with enough protection against those who are unfit to practice; regrets that some of the delay appears to have been caused by the Department's otherwise worthwhile plans to better integrate the wider healthcare science workforce through Modernising Scientific Careers; and calls on the Government to publish a clear timetable for a draft Section 60 Order which will take forward statutory regulation as soon as possible to minimise the ongoing risks to patient safety.

Legal Aid debate

Yesterday, I secured a debate in parliament on the Tory-led Government's proposal to cut £350 million from the Legal Aid Budget.

MPs from across all parties debated for the first time on the floor of the House the controversial proposals set out by Justice Secretary Ken Clarke MP.

The Government is consulting on reforms to the Legal Aid system in England and Wales, set out in a Ministry of Justice consultation which is open until 14th February 2011.

Over half a million people will lose out on advice, according to the Government's own figures, as the legal aid budget is cut by £350 million.

The proposals will very seriously restrict:

• What advice legal aid funds, especially in social welfare, family and education law.
• Who can get legal aid, by asking people on low incomes to pay more towards their legal advice.

The changes will also make it harder for not-for-profit advice agencies, such as Citizens Advice Bureau or Law Centres, to make ends meet. The lowest fees for civil and family law advice will all be cut by 10%.

You can read the full debate here.

No place for animals in circuses - self regulation is not the way forward!

I joined Animal Defenders International (ADI) in stepping up the UK campaign to ban wild animals in circuses this week.

I pledged my support to secure a ban on the use of wild animals in UK circuses, and called on the Minister responsible Lord Henley to finally action what the UK is calling out for.

I am just one of over 160 MPs who have now signed a parliamentary Early Day Motion (EDM) 403 calling for the wild animal ban to be implemented.

I do not believe that it is appropriate for wild animals to be used to perform tricks in circuses and it is clear from the overwhelming public support for a ban that most people share that view. The only way we will see this welfare issue addressed is for the Government to implement a ban on the use of wild animals in this way. Self-regulation is not merely a poor substitute for a ban, but no substitute at all.

Jan Creamer, Chief Executive of Animal Defenders International said, “We have been encouraged by the results of our recent political opinion poll and by the results of government’s own public consultation last year that found nearly 100 per cent of the public were behind a total ban."

“It is now abundantly clear to us that public and political support for a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses has never been stronger. This process has been trundling along for over five years, and it is now time that government listened to the will of the UK people and enacted a ban.”

A recent parliamentary poll conducted by ADI found that 63% of MPs would like to see a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses and only 14% disagreed.  The then Labour Government’s public consultation in March 2010 also found that 94.5% of respondents backed a ban on wild animal acts.

EDM 403 ‘Wild Animals In Circuses’, tabled by former Defra Minister Jim Fitzpatrick MP, states there is no obstacle to a ban on wild animals in circuses and a ban should be implemented. This shows strong cross-party support for a ban on animals in circuses in the UK Parliament, and demonstrates the depth of feeling as this is one of the top number of signatories to an animal welfare EDM.

All present on Wednesday agreed that the draconian use and abuse of animals in circuses is no longer acceptable, and that self regulation of the industry, which is being considered as a viable route by the Minister, is totally flawed, as effectively the abusers themselves are being asked to self regulate.

ADI has already provided government with a wealth of overwhelming evidence from undercover investigations that graphically shows that random violence and abuse is an unfortunate part of everyday life for animals currently languishing in circuses. Both evidence and opinion is now overwhelming, and government needs to act decisively and enact a total ban.

For more information on the work of ADI click here.

'Pass IT On!' Technology Challenge

Working alongside e-skills UK, the fifth year of the Make IT Happy competition has been launched, a UK-wide technology challenge for primary school students aged 9 to 11. The competition is run by the Parliamentary Information Technology Committee (PITCOM) and e-skills UK, the Sector Skills Council for Business and Information Technology.

The competition recognises and rewards the excellent and inspirational work primary schools do with IT, particularly how they use it to reach out to their wider communities. This year’s Make IT Happy theme of “Pass IT On” calls for schools to use IT to connect with people to make a positive impact on their lives.

The judges will be looking for entries that demonstrate innovative ways in which pupils have used technology to forge links with others. Projects could be as simple and local as helping other members of the school community, such as younger children or support staff, to use IT. Equally, they could involve children linking up with schools or organisations in other parts of the country to share skills and experience. Projects could even be international, since many schools have close connections with British forces serving overseas, or with schools in the developing world.

£1,200 will be awarded to each of the regional competition finalists with the overall winning school taking home an additional cash prize of £4,000. Winners will also be invited to attend an awards ceremony to be held at the Houses of Parliament in London in June 2011.

This week I have written to local primary schools encouraging them to get involved.

The closing date for entries is April 10th, 2011.

For further information and details of how to enter, visit the website here. 

About PITCOM

The Parliamentary Information Technology Committee (PITCOM) provides a forum for MPs, Peers, senior civil servants, academics and ICT professionals to exchange information and opinions. It has evening meetings in a Committee Room of the House of Commons on the policy implications of new technologies, and holds receptions and an annual dinner in the House of Lords. The Committee also provides in-depth briefing papers for Members of Parliament.

About e-skills UK

e-skills UK is the Sector Skills Council for Business and Information Technology, rated ‘outstanding’ in the relicensing of Sector Skills Councils in 2009.  We work on behalf of employers to ensure the UK has the technology skills it needs to succeed in a global digital economy. Our work covers software, internet & web, IT services, telecommunications and business change.

Find out more here.   

Holocaust Memorial Day

Today I pledge my commitment to Holocaust Memorial Day by signing the Book of Commitment in the House of Commons to honour those who perished in the Holocaust.

With 27th January marking the 66th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration and extermination camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau, the Holocaust Educational Trust placed a Book of Commitment in the House of Commons to give MPs the opportunity to remember those who were persecuted and murdered during the Holocaust – and to support the sharing and safeguarding of ‘Untold Stories’, learning from survivors’ experiences to help create a future free from hatred and prejudice.

In doing so, I have paid tribute to those remarkable individuals who survived the appalling events of the Holocaust and have since dedicated their lives to educating younger generations about the dangers of allowing persecution and intolerance to take hold in society.

Thousands of events are being held across the country to commemorate all those who suffered at the hands of the Nazis during the Holocaust and in subsequent genocides. The aim of the day is to motivate people – individually and collectively, to ensure that the horrendous crimes, racism and victimisation committed during the Holocaust are neither forgotten nor repeated.

As antisemitism, racism and prejudice are still present in our society, learning from the extraordinary ‘Untold Stories’ of those who survived gives us the opportunity to reflect on the evil that was perpetrated during the Holocaust and other genocides and pledge to create a brighter future.

Warm Homes Campaign

The National Energy Action’s Warm Homes Campaign is stressing that a national energy efficiency drive is vital in combating rising levels of fuel poverty.

My support for the campaign comes after recent Government statistics revealed that the numbers of households in fuel poverty is continuing to escalate, with NEA estimating that the figure in England and Wales has reached over 4.1 million.

The Warm Homes Campaign highlights that there are still millions of people who are simply struggling to keep their homes warm and protect their families from the ill effects of the cold. Fuel-poor households experience a number of detrimental health impacts and reductions in general well being as a result of cold, damp living conditions. Whilst this is unacceptable, the campaign also demonstrates how help is available.  It also underlines how important it is that future government schemes are able to target support for the most vulnerable households effectively.

The most important message this year is that there is help out there for vulnerable households. I urge everyone to contact the Home Heat Helpline on 0800 33 66 99 to get help and advice on staying warm in their home this winter without the fear of fuel debt and ill health.

NEA is the UK’s leading fuel poverty charity campaigning for affordable warmth in the homes of vulnerable people. For further details, visit here. 

Fuel poverty is defined as when a household is required to spend more than ten per cent of its income after housing costs on total fuel use.

Justice for All Campaign Launch

Update - I have secured a parliamentary debate to discuss the government's proposals - date to be determined.

A coalition of groups opposed to proposed cuts to free legal advice will converge on Westminster today for the official launch of the Justice for all campaign.

Over 1000 legal and advice agencies, including Citizens Advice and the Law Centres Federation, charities including Kids Company and Scope, politicians, trade unions, community groups and members of the public have already signed up to the campaign.

They will be at Westminster today lobbying their local MPs and urging them to oppose the cuts and sign an Early Day Motion tabled by me calling on the Government to rethink the provision of legal services for the poorest in society.

Half a million fewer people will be helped through legal aid funded advice on social welfare law and family problems, according to Ministry of Justice figures, as part of a package to reduce the legal aid budget by £350 million.

Advice funded by legal aid will be cut entirely to welfare benefits and education law. It will be restricted to housing and debt cases with an ‘immediate risk’ of homelessness and employment cases involving discrimination. Much of legal aid on family law will be limited to cases of domestic violence.

Access to justice for all is one of the cornerstones of a free and civilised society, It is vital that everyone – particularly the most vulnerable - is treated fairly under the law, no matter who they are, how much money they have or where they live.

Visit the campaign website here.

EDM 1194 

That this House welcomes the Justice for All campaign launched in the House of Commons on 12 January 2011; supports the aims of the campaign which are to raise awareness of the vital importance of advice and representation on legal matters for the most vulnerable in our society and to ensure that everyone is treated fairly under the law, no matter who they are, how much money they have or where they live; recognises that the strength of feeling is reflected in the fact that the campaign is a broad coalition of legal and advice agencies, trades unions, charities, community groups and members of the public; regrets that the reduction in spending on legal aid, through restrictions in scope and eligibility and the blanket 10 per cent. cut in the lower fee paid to providers of legal services, is having a detrimental effect on access to justice and on the well-being of the most vulnerable people; questions the real cost savings to the public purse that this budget reduction will achieve, given that early advice on legal matters saves money by keeping families together in their homes, and in work and education; believes that free, independent advice and representation on legal matters is essential to achieve justice for all; and calls on the Government to rethink the provision of legal services for the poorest in society.

To listen to a report of the launch of the campaign on Radio 4's Today in Parliament (scroll to 23min 20sec mark for start) click here.

The programme will be available on BBC iplayer until Saturday, 22nd January.

Rethink required on Woodland sell-off!

I am calling on the coalition government to think again about controversial plans which could see local woodland sold off to the highest bidder.

Government proposals to sell off parts of the Public Forestry estate in England contain no assurances on who can own the land and how it will be managed once in private ownership.

Uncertainty remains about rights to public access and the maintenance of biodiversity in woodland once sales go ahead. Before any sales go ahead we need to know what these plans involve and what safeguards will be put in place so that local woodland is protected.

There are 28,000 hectares of Forestry Commission land in the North West and 153 hectares in the Wigan Borough. It would be a tragedy if the Government’s plans result in a forestry fire-sale.

Rather than putting a “for sale” sign over Wigan’s woodland the Government should be consulting local people about what their plans mean in practice.

Ministers should be talking about how we secure the future of our national forests for the next generation. Instead we have heard nothing so far. Until the Government comes clean over their plans the public will rightly remain sceptical.

A special school assembly for Christmas card competition winner!

This week, I was proud to announce the winner of my inaugural Christmas card competition as 8 year-old Molly Fisher, a pupil of RL Hughes Primary School, Ashton in Makerfield.

I presented Molly with a set of Roald Dahl books and a framed copy of her winning picture during the school’s full assembly while the other pupils watched excitedly.

The competition attracted entries from across the constituency with all of the designs being carefully judged.

It was an absolute pleasure to present Molly with her prize. It’s a great design and she’s clearly hit the right note, so I’m sure people will enjoy receiving the card in the run up to Christmas.

I know everybody at RL Hughes Primary School will be very proud of Molly and I am too.

In this the competition’s first year, we had a fantastic response from local schools. The children clearly put a lot of effort into their art-work so it made my job of picking the winner extremely difficult. But I’d like to thank all of the children and their teachers for taking part.

I also handed out a prize to the runner up, Ellie Unsworth and Shona Greenhalgh who was awarded 3rd place. Both Ellie’s and Shona’s designs feature on the back of the card.

Molly’s winning design will be sent to a number of distinguished people in the political world, including both the Prime-Minister and the Leader of the Opposition -  Ed Miliband. The card will also be sent to individuals across the Wigan Borough including the Mayor of Wigan, Cllr Michael Winstanley.

Christmas Card Competition Winners

1st Prize
Molly Fisher
Aged 8
RL Hughes Primary School
Ashton in Makerfield

Runner Up
Ellie Unsworth
St Wilfrid’s RC Primary
Ashton in Makerfield

3rd Place
Shona Greenhalgh
St William’s Catholic Primary School
Ince in Makerfield

Click here to view the Christmas card.

My parliamentary expense claims

The Independant Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) has published the first tranche of MP claims for the current financial year.

My expense claims can be accessed here.

No 2 AV - The fight for fair votes

Alongside twenty MPs elected for the first time at the 2010 general election, I have added my name to the growing list of people who will be voting no in the referendum next May.

You can view the declaration by clicking here.

'Use it, don't lose it,' as cuts package could hit local Library

A review of council spending on the borough’s libraries has ignited a campaign to save Ashton Library from the threat of closure.

Wigan Council have confirmed that, in line with government spending cuts, the library service will need to cut £1.1million from its budget over the next 3 years.

Council bosses accept that the review will ‘necessitate significant changes in the shape and scale of the service’.

I joined Labour’s Ashton and Bryn Ward councillors Nigel Ash and Ann Rampling to urge local people to use the central Ashton facility.

I know that money is tight and that the council are grappling with a cuts package not of its own making but as a major town in the borough, with the third busiest library, Ashton Library is well placed to meet the needs of users and the wider community.

The consultation commences on Monday, 29th November and runs through to 31st March 2011.

Update. Sign the online petition organised by Ashton Ward Councillor, Nigel Ash here.

The campaign to retain the Monaco Ballroom

The decision to remove council subsidy from the famous concert hall has a result of a council wide plan to reduce spending in light of the coalition governments public spending cuts has united campaigners across the political spectrum.

The Monaco is much more than just a concert hall. It holds special memories for so many people - local Hindley Councillor, Jim Talbot met his wife at the Monaco

I know from my postbag that the Monaco holds a special place in the hearts of local people. I have also received emails from across the North West such is the value that people attach to this iconic venue.

It would be a tragedy to see the Monaco close its doors and I want to work with campaigners to keep the venue open.

Relocation of my constituency office

I wanted to take this opportunity to advise you that with effect from Wednesday, 24th November 2010 the constituency office currently based at Gerrard Winstanley House will be relocating to:

Yvonne Fovargue MP
Elizabeth House
The Pier
Pottery Rd
Wigan WN3 4EX

Visitors to my current office at Gerrard Winstanley House will notice immediately, that it is an ageing building and with that comes a number of difficulties, not least, problems with access for disabled constituents.

I have sought with Lisa Nandy MP to obtain a town centre location and in Elizabeth House, we have been able to secure a modern, fully accessible office with good transport links and just a short walk from the town centre.

I hope to make the relocation as seamless as possible, but we will need to be closed on Monday, 22nd and Tuesday, 23rd to allow for the removal of equipment from Gerrard Winstanley House and set up of the new office.

As you know, I pride myself on offering constituents a fully staffed constituency office which they can call into for help and assistance and Elizabeth House will assist in delivering a first class service to constituents.

Child Benefit cut set to hit mums’ pension entitlements

Last month I raised the issue of state pension entitlement for women who will lose Child benefit under cuts announced by the Chancellor at the Tory Party Conference in Birmingham.

Described by the Conservative Leader of the House, Sir George Young MP as a ‘legitimate point’ (Hansard: Thurs, 14th Oct Col 498), I unearthed a potential disastrous consequence, of the Chancellor’s announcement, for the state pension entitlements of mums who stay at home to raise their children.

New rules implemented in the current tax year 2010/11 will mean that parents are able to build up qualifying years through new weekly credits for the basic State Pension and additional State Pension.

If you are a parent (or carer), you will get a credit for each week in which you:

• are getting Child Benefit for children aged under 12
• are an approved foster carer
• are caring for at least 20 hours a week for people who are getting Attendance Allowance, the middle-rate or highest-rate care component of Disability Living Allowance, or Constant Attendance Allowance, or the need for care has been certified
• There will be no limit to the credits awarded to parents and carers after April 2010, as long as you meet the qualifying rules.

If you reach State Pension age on or after 6 April 2010, complete tax years of Home Responsibilities Protection that have already built up before 2010 have been converted into qualifying years up to a maximum of 22 years. These qualifying years will also count towards bereavement benefits.

The Chancellor, in withdrawing Child benefit cash from higher rate tax earner households will hit mums across Makerfield who stay at home as it would appear, based on the new rules, that they will lose entitlement to credits towards their state pension as a result.

At present mums with children under 12 years of age can build up credits towards their state pension by virtue of the fact that they receive Child benefit. The change announced at the Tory conference would stop credits being awarded to those mums.

As was reported at the time, this is an ill thought out change to the benefit system announced in a rush without due consideration to the ‘knock on’ effects to parents who will now face a double whammy of losing their child benefit and seeing their state pension entitlement eroded.

Families in Makerfield up to £9 a week worse off because of Housing Allowance cuts

Today I have warned of the impact of changes to housing allowance on people living in Makerfield.

The Conservative led coalition government want to change the way Local Housing Allowance (LHA) is calculated. The change they propose means 700,000 people in Britain are set to lose out according to official DWP figures, with losses in every local authority in Britain from October 2011. As a result of this measure 4,780 LHA recipients in the borough will lose out.

Families on modest incomes in Makerfield will be concerned that from next year they could be £9.00 a week worse off because of cuts to the support they get with housing costs.

The government like to paint a picture of the work shy receiving huge state handouts of Housing Benefit but the truth is that these figures contain a large number of in work Housing Benefit recipients, seeking to make a better life for their families.

This is a big drop in income for people struggling to make ends meet with no time for individuals or landlords to adjust.  For those receiving Local Housing Allowance, this will come as a dramatic change imposed at a reckless speed.

The Government just doesn't seem to understand that higher homelessness, like longer dole queues make it harder not easier to deal with the deficit.

Why I'm backing shopworkers call for respect

This week I have backed Usdaw, in their call for respect for retail workers, after they released preliminary survey results that show over one million shopworkers were assaulted, threatened or verbally abused in the last twelve months.

The survey shows that in the past 12 months, 6% of shopworkers were subjected to violent attack, 37% were threatened with harm and a massive 70% had suffered verbal abuse.

While reported incidents of assault are slightly down, incidents of threats and abuse have increased since last year.

Also revealed in the survey is that around 50% of incidents of abuse were as a result of selling age-restricted products, like alcohol, cigarettes, aerosols, etc.

Shopworkers deserve respect and they have my full support. We must do more to help them do their job safely.

I would like to see a high profile publicity campaign in support of ‘no id – no sale’ ensuring that young people are aware that it is an offence to attempt to buy alcohol if you are under 18.

That is why I introduced an early Day Motion to parliament to show my support and help make the voices of shopworkers heard.

I am challenging the Government not to declare shops as automatically safe workplaces, as has been suggested by Lord Young. They need health and safety inspections from time to time to ensure that risks are minimised. The Government must continue to support the HSE and local authorities to inspect all workplaces.

The Early Day Motion I introduced reads as follows:

EDM 791 – Freedom from Fear 2010

‘That this House recognises the excellent work done by employers, trade union health & safety reps and inspectors from the HSE and local authorities to make workplaces safer; notes with regret the latest survey of abuse of shopworkers by the Union of Shop Distributive and Allied Workers that shows that in the last year 6% of shopworkers were subjected to violent attack, 37% were threatened with harm and 70% were verbally abused: expresses sympathy with all of the victims of attack or injury in the workplace; is concerned that the survey also showed that 50% of the abuse suffered by shopworkers was related to age-restricted sales and dealing with proof of age; acknowledges that no workplace can automatically be assumed to be safe and that therefore all workplaces need health and safety inspections from time to time to ensure that risks are minimised; calls on the Government to continue to support the HSE and local authorities to inspect all workplaces; to maintain the current record numbers of police and Community Support Officers to continue to protect front-line workers and the public from violence, threats and abuse, and to run high profile publicity campaigns in support of ‘no id – no sale’ and ensuring that young people are aware that it is an offence to attempt to buy alcohol if you are under 18’.

Show Racism the Red Card!

I recently joined ex-professional footballers, representatives from the Professional Footballers Association and members of the Show Racism the Red Card campaign to give my support to the charity’s bid to become The Football Association’s Charity of the Year for 2011.

Show Racism the Red Card is an anti-racist charity, established in January 1996 with the aim of harnessing the potential of professional footballers as anti-racist role models and combatting racism through anti-racist education. The campaign involves hundreds of top footballers and managers and carries its work out throughout the UK delivering anti-racism workshops, football fun fitness sessions and hosting educational events at football clubs.

I threw my support behind Show Racism the Red Card’s bid to become FA Charity of the Year. I can think of no other charity that has worked so hard and so effectively to condemn racism within football. I wish them all the best of luck with their bid!

This sign-up event follows on from the Early Day Motion raised in parliament and signed by me which received significant support.

For more information about the work of Show Racism the Red Card click here.

I am pictured with ex-Fulham and West Ham striker, Leroy Rosenior, former professional footballer and manager, Dave Bassett and former West Ham striker and Deputy Chief Executive of the Professional Footballers Association, Bobby Barnes.

EDM 607 reads as follows:

‘That this House recognises the excellent work of the anti-racist charity Show Racism the Red Card which was established in 1996 with the aim of harnessing the high-profile status of professional footballers as anti-racist role models to combat racism through education; notes that hundreds of top footballers and managers take part in its activities which have made racism the exception rather than the rule at football matches in contrast with experience abroad; further notes that the campaign employs 12 former professional footballers throughout England, Scotland and Wales to coach young people using football as a way of engaging young people with anti-racist messages; welcomes the possibility that the campaign could be selected as the Football Association Charity of the year for 2011 and has so far won the support for this of Gordon Taylor and the Professional Footballers' Association, as well as former England Manager Graham Taylor; and wishes them the best in their endeavours’.

Health Select Committee

I was today elected to serve on the powerful House of Commons Health Select Committee.

I look forward to working on this Select Committee. Health is a critical issue for the Borough and this is a body which can make a real difference to how policy works in a place like Wigan.

I stood for election to this Committee to make a difference. In 1997 we inherited a NHS on its knees. We now boast new primary care facilities across the borough because of the direct investment by the last Labour Government.

The proposed changes announced by the Coalition Government are a dangerous leap in to the dark and pose a serious threat to the fabric of the NHS. The proposals were not to be found in either the Tory or Lib Dem manifestos.

At a time of deep cuts across the public sector it is astonishing that David Cameron should embark on a needless restructure of the NHS.

'Wear it Pink' Day

I am joining forces with Breast Cancer Campaigners to raise awareness of the fundraising event, 'Wear it Pink Day', supported by Vanish.

On Friday 29 October 2010 supporters in schools, colleges and businesses throughout the country are encouraged to don an item of pink in support of the campaign and each donate £2 to fund innovative world-class breast cancer research.

Last year over one million people took part in 'Wear it Pink' day to help improve survival rates for the one in nine women who experience breast cancer during their lifetime.

Every year in the UK, over 45,500 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in women. Although it is rare, men can also suffer from breast cancer, with around 300 men diagnosed each year. I know people who have lost friends and family members to the disease and I would like to encourage everyone across Makerfield to support 'Wear it Pink' on October 29, to raise valuable funds for breast cancer research.

To take part in the UK’s original and best pink day call freephone 0800 107 3104 or visit here and register to receive your free fundraising pack now. Wear it Pink is supported by Vanish, which has committed to raising an incredible £250,000 for the charity this year.

The Coalition Government has no plan for jobs or growth in Makerfield

Yesterday,  the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review was announced.

The Government’s cuts are too deep and too fast, taking a dangerous gamble with Makerfield's economic future and people’s jobs. What the Government is saying is that it wants to take more money off children than it does off the banks. That can’t be right. And it can’t be right for the government to reduce the number of police officers on our streets.

Ed Miliband was correct to point out that the government is taking an irresponsible gamble with the recovery and Shadow Chancellor Alan Johnson is right to assert that without growth it’s impossible to get the deficit down. If the Government throws people out of work it costs us all more. So to get the deficit down our starting point must be jobs, jobs, jobs.

A million jobs gone – that’s the price we now know the coalition think is worth paying.
 

Make A Difference this month!

This week I joined forces with pop mogul, Pete Waterman, to encourage people throughout Makerfield to give their time to benefit the local community as part of CSV Make a Difference Day, the biggest single day of volunteering on Saturday 30 October 2010.

I am passionate about the world of volunteering having managed a team of over 30 volunteers in my previous job role before becoming Makerfield’s MP.

As a supporter of CSV Make a Difference Day, I am encouraging the residents of my constituency to do something to benefit our community! No matter how big or small – make a cup of tea for a lonely neighbour, dig out those weeds and plant flowers in the community park, or even renovate the local homeless shelter. I’ve seen the positive changes a little volunteering can help impact the local community.

This is the 15th Make a Difference Day organised by CSV, the UK’s leading volunteering charity. More than half a million people have taken part so far.

This year's CSV Make a Difference Day, the UK's biggest single day of volunteering, is on Saturday 30th October with events taking place from 23rd October to 7th November.  Each year tens of thousands of people turn their minds to benefit others in the community; they bake cakes for nursing homes, create allotments in schools, tidy isolated neighbours' gardens, put on theatrical performances and visit patients in hospitals – to give a few examples.

If you are stuck for inspiration, the campaign has produced free “How to” guides on:

How to plant your family tree
How to design a door number mosaic, courtesy of interior designer Andrea Maflin
How to bake a pumpkin pie, courtesy of TV Chef Rachel Allen
How to print your own t-shirt, courtesy of Hemingway Designs (as in Wayne Hemingway)
How to volunteer as a family 

There is a special focus on encouraging families, as well as individuals and groups to volunteer this year. New independent research commissioned by CSV, shows that families want to spend more time together. Up to half of Britons (48%) say they would like to spend more time together and volunteering to help others is one way to do this.

More information about the day can be found on the Make a Difference Day website by clicking here

World Arthritis Day

Today I am supporting the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) on World Arthritis Day in calling for improvements in services for people with rheumatoid arthritis.

The theme of World Arthritis Day 2010 is ‘Let’s Work Together’. NRAS members, health professionals will be working together to raise awareness of RA and of what needs to be done to improve outcomes for patients. 

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic and disabling autoimmune disease, affecting about 690,000 people in the UK.  It has no known cause or cure. It remains a major cause of people not working – almost 30% of people with RA surveyed by NRAS in 2007 gave up work within a year of being diagnosed with the condition. The overall cost of the condition to the UK economy is almost £8 billion each year.

There are, on average 1,061 people with rheumatoid arthritis in each parliamentary constituency. To support NRAS on World Arthritis Day, I am working with them to raise awareness of rheumatoid arthritis and the importance of early diagnosis so that people can get the treatment they need at an early stage and continue to enjoy life and work with the condition.

Super League Champions

Well done Wigan on a superb performance at Old Trafford. Looking forward to attending the homecoming today.

Why I am supporting The Lawful Industrial Action (Minor Errors) Bill

I will join Labour MPs in supporting the 2^nd reading of a Bill to remove some of the most restrictive and damaging burdens facing trade unions today.

The Lawful Industrial Action (Minor Errors) Bill will receive its 2^nd reading in Parliament on Friday, 22^nd October and will be preceded by a national lobby of Parliament on Wednesday, 13^th October.

A number of high profile court cases including Network Rail v RMT Union (April 2010) and British Airways v Unite the Union (Dec 2009) have demonstrated that current legislation places onerous and excessively complicated duties on trade unions in relation to balloting and notice procedures.

British Airways Cabin Crew voted to strike by a margin of 92.5% on a ballot turnout of 80% of 12,000 workers. The court granted BA an injunction on the basis that the ballot included an unknown number of members amongst 811 crew who had since taken redundancy despite the fact that, even if the 811 had all been members and had all voted for stike action and should all have been excluded, the vote would still have been 91.5% in favour of action.

Trade unions are being prevented from inplementing democratic decisions of their members by employers applying and winning court injunctions based on minor technical errors.

The Bill seeks to amend the Trade Union & Labour Relations (Consolidation Act) 1992 by extending the protections offered by Section 232B relating to small, accidental errors by introducing 5 main improvements.

1. Small accidental failures in ballots will be disregarded.

2. Small accidental failures in notices will be disregarded.

3. Minor errors in the information about the result of a ballot will be

          Disregarded.

4. Forensic examination of procedures will end and be replaced with

    the concept of ‘substantial compliance’

5. The burden of proof in injunctions will shift so that evidence will be

    required that ‘substantial complaince’ has not taken place.

We have seen in the last year a succession of disputes where employers have been able to exploit loopholes in the law by using minor technical errors in a trade union ballot to thwart the democratic wishes of trade unionists from taking strike action.

This resort to the courts by some employers is bringing current trade union and labour relations law into disrepute and undermining the good industrial relations which are the norm in this country. This cannot be right and that’s why I will support this Bill and the lobby of Parliament next month.

Click here for details of the national lobby of Parliament.

Housing Benefit cuts will hit the poorest hardest in Makerfield

Official Figures released to me confirm the devastating impact of the coalition government’s changes to Housing Benefit.

Housing benefit (HB) is a means tested benefit. It exists to enable people on low incomes to access decent, affordable housing. HB is paid to tenants who are working, looking for work or unable to work. It is paid to 4.7 million tenants in England & Wales and the average payment is £83 per week. In the private rented sector, HB is paid to tenants in the form of a Local Housing Allowance (LHA). The main impact of the proposed changes will be felt in the private rental sector.

Dept Work & Pensions figures confirm that 48% of households renting in the private sector already face shortfalls averaging £23 per week and the proposed changes from 2011 onwards will place additional pressure on people’s budgets.

Many private tenants will face very significant shortfalls between their Housing benefit and their rent as a result of the budget cuts and they will face financial hardship to make this up from their other income.

The Coalition Government has made much of the people who are receiving payments of over £1,000 per week – but across the whole country there are fewer than 100 people in this category, and the Coalition have cynically used this as a smokescreen to attack the living standards of some of the most vulnerable people in our community.

In Wigan, for example, people living in the cheapest shared room accommodation will see their entitlement cut by £7 per week and by over £360 per year, and households with large families will lose over £800 per year.

Over 4,500 Wigan households will lose out and these figures do not take into account cuts in tax credits which will also hit those on low and modest incomes.

The independent housing charity Shelter fear that 134,000 families across the country will be forced to move because of these savage cuts, and some will be left to live on less than £50 per week.

It is simply outrageous that, as a number of independent studies have shown, the poorest families will lose five times as much as the richest. This shows that the Tory-Lib Dem claims about ‘fairness’ are completely false and that far from being ‘all in it together’ their cuts are hitting the poorest hardest.

Tote up for sale!

In a written ministerial statement the Government has announced that it will kickstart the process for selling off the Wigan-based company. The Minister announced that they will be inviting proposals and expect to have completed the process by the New Year in order to secure ‘value for the taxpayer'.

The ministerial statement gives little in the way of answers and raises the prospect of a sale to an overseas buyer which is not in the long term interests of the Tote or the racing industry. I will shortly be joining Lisa Nandy MP in meeting with the minister (John Penrose MP) at which we will stress the importance of the Tote to the Wigan economy and alternative proposals for its future.

Why you should ‘know your pulse’

This week I have supported the campaign to help raise awareness about Atrial Fibrillation (AF), the most common heart rhythm disorder in the UK.

The campaign, spearheaded by the charity, the Atrial Fibrillation Association (AFA), aims to raise awareness of this debilitating condition and reach out to the public, parliamentarians and clinical experts.

At a meeting in Westminster, I was briefed by the AFA about Atrial Fibrillation and had my picture taken with a ‘giant calculator’ which estimates that 948 people here in the Makerfield constituency’s electorate suffer from AF.

Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most common heart rhythm disturbance encountered by doctors. Department of Health, 2007 figures, suggested AF affected in excess of 600,000 people in the UK. This is now considered to be an under estimate and that a more accurate figure may now be in excess of one million, with 200,000 patients being newly diagnosed each year. It is also thought to be responsible for 18% - 20% of all strokes suffered in the UK.

The risk of developing AF rises sharply with advancing age, roughly doubling with each decade of age, from 0.5% of people aged between 50-59 years visiting their GP, rising to almost 9% for those aged 80 to 89.

Simple pulse checks with GPs are a quick, and low cost way of detecting AF. That is why the AFA are today calling on people who are worried they might be suffering from AF to book a simple check up with their GP. The AFA are also calling for pulse checks to be made a routine procedure within the NHS Health Check programme and at seasonal flu vaccination clinics.

It is astonishing to think that an estimated 948 people in Makerfield have Atrial Fibrillation, and the possibility that many more have it but as yet have not been diagnosed. It is important that this condition is understood by medical professionals and patients so that they can be identified at an early stage and treated accordingly.

This is a little-known condition, yet estimates suggest that AF exerts a considerable economic toll on the NHS. For example, patients with primary or secondary diagnosis of AF accounted for an estimated 5.7 million bed days in 2008, at a cost to the NHS of £1.8 billion.”

I am pictured with Chief Executive Trudie Lobban.

The Atrial Fibrillation Association (AFA): is a UK registered charity which focuses on raising awareness of Atrial Fibrillation (AF) by providing information and support materials for patients and medical professionals involved in detecting, diagnosing and managing Atrial Fibrillation (AF). AFA works closely with medical professionals, Department of Health, Government, NHS Trusts, PCTS, patients, carers, patient support group members and allied groups. Further information can be found here.

A 'nifty-fifty' on Wigan to win Super League

I recently visited the Ladbrokes shop in Ashton in Makerfield to learn more about the betting and gaming industry, the issues affecting the sector and its employees, and to take part in a charity bet.

Ladbrokes is the world’s largest retail bookmaker, with over 2,000 shops employing 14,000 people in the UK alone and an important online presence. However, the industry maintains it has suffered from increasing tax levels, under-regulated offshore competition and misperceptions held by many who may never have visited a betting shop.

During my visit I was shown the wide variety of betting and gaming activities available, met the staff and customers and asked questions about responsible gambling procedures and the safety of Ladbrokes staff who could be targeted by criminals, due to the large sums of cash held on the premises. At the end of the visit Ladbrokes offered me a free £50 bet which I placed on Wigan to win this year’s Super League Grand Final with odds of 11/8 with the winnings being donated to Age Concern – Wigan.

It was an extremely interesting visit to see how everything actually works. MPs regularly make decisions that impact upon this industry and its many jobs, so it is important that our judgements are well informed and based on factual information. I also wanted to learn about the procedures for dealing with underage or problem gambling, and the safety of staff.

I am grateful to Ladbrokes for offering me the free charity bet and I just hope that the pressure I have placed upon the Warriors doesn’t affect the team’s performance on the pitch as we enter the play-offs!

Farepak - Four years on and why are people still waiting for compensation?

Almost 4 years since the Farepak Christmas savings club collapsed, the 120,000 families affected are yet to receive a penny in compensation.

Farepak was a Christmas savings club allowing customers to choose Christmas hampers and vouchers, months in advance. They then made regular payments towards the goods over the year. It had around 120,000 customers and agents collected clients' funds.

Financial statements obtained from Companies House show profits of £1.283m for the year ending April 28, 2005 however Farepak ceased trading on 13th October 2006. Any payments made on or after 11th October were returned to customers.

Administrators were called in after Farepak's bank, HBOS, decided not to extend an overdraft facility to its owner, European Home Retail.

An estimated £37 million was lost by Farepak customers. The average Farepak customer was left £400 out of pocket, with some losing more than £2,000.

A 700 page report from The Companies Investigation Branch into the Farepak collapse has never been published. This is because counsel is still considering further legal action.

Initially, those who had lost money were to be reimbursed by liquidators at a rate of 5p in the pound. In April this year liquidators managed to secure a further £4 million from the directors of the company through legal action, meaning that this payment has increased to 15p in the pound. They failed to get the full £37 million back though.

It is not known which members of the Farepak board are contributing to the payout after agreeing the settlement, but none of the directors have admitted liability.

I appeared on ITV’s flagship ‘Daybreak’ morning programme hosted by Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley. Investigative reporter John Stapleton visited Wigan to learn more about the Farepak collapse as part of his research for today’s broadcast.

I saw at first hand the devastating effect of the Farepak collapse in my role as Chief Executive of St Helens CAB and I have vowed to continue the campaign for compensation started by my predecessor Sir Ian McCartney.

Four years on it is a scandal that not a penny of compensation has been received by farepak customers. These were pensioners and families on low incomes who were robbed of their Christmas after saving all year.

Farepak was marketed as a savings club and its customers regarded themselves as savers and not creditors at the bottom of the pile waiting and waiting for compensation. I do not want to prejudice any potential legal action that may be taken but I see no reason why parts of the government report cannot be placed in the public domain.

I welcome the formation of the Christmas Prepayment Association (industry self regulator eg Park is a member) but I am advocating people consider Credit Unions as a safe and secure alternative, backed by regulation protecting savings in the same way as banks and building societies.

Wigan Flashes

On Tuesday I visited Wigan Flashes at the invitation of The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester & North Merseyside.

The Flashes (or lakes) are a legacy of the town's industrial past and were formed as a result of mining subsidence.

The Trust manages Wigan Flashes statutory Local Nature Reserve (LNR) on behalf of Wigan Council. This covers 260 hectares of wetland and woodland. It is part of a larger network of important wetland habitats forming a ‘Living Landscape’ running for approx 9Km along the Leeds-Liverpool Canal.

These include Hey Brook, Abram Flashes, Pennington Flash Country Park and Hope Carr Nature Reserve. The Trust has recently acquired Abram Flashes, as an additional wetland reserve.

Wigan Flashes habitats include large areas of open water, reedbed, fen, rough grassland, wet woodland and scrub. Over 200 species of bird, 15 species of dragonfly and 6 species of orchid have been recorded.

The elusive Bittern is regularly recorded in the winter months and work to improve and manage the reedbeds is aimed at attracting this nationally rare bird to stay and breed.

The Makerfield area also supports healthy populations of Water Vole, having suffered catastrophic declines elsewhere in the UK.

I was delighted to hear of the committment of the Trust to engage with schools, colleges and youth groups and the impressive 600 strong regular volunteer army who help the Trust’s staff in maintaining wetland areas.

Trust Chief Executive Anne Selby arranged the tour of the Flashes with Mark Weston – Asst Chief Executive and Mark Champion who has worked tirelessly over the past decade as Conservation Manager of the Wigan Flashes.

We are blessed to have such a fantastic resource protecting the natural environment. The Flashes offer a network of important wildlife habitats and provide recreational activities for the community. In our busy lives we can sometimes overlook what is on our own doorstep, so I would encourage local people to visit this oasis within the borough.

For more information about the work of the Trust please click here.