View From The House - 1st August 2002

Reprinted From The Lichfield Mercury

Parliament has entered into its summer recess though it may well be recalled if a war breaks out in Iraq or some other crisis develops. The House of Commons was recalled three times last year as a consequence of the attacks on New York and Washington on September 11th. But the work of MPs continues. We all get a flood of letters each week - I get around 300 - and we continue with our advice surgeries. As people see me in the area, it is tempting for them to write to me at my home address in Lichfield (for those who know it) or just to "Michael Fabricant MP, Lichfield". Please don't! Because when I am not around, the letters remain unopened on the mat and some urgent issues can get delayed.

If you need to write to me, whether in recess or when the House is sitting, always write to "The House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA". Or, if you are on the internet, launch my website on www.michael.fabricant.mp.co.uk and click on 'Contact' and fill in the web form. Either way will reach my merry team. I have staff on duty every week of the year and your mail will immediately be attended to - whether I happen to be in Lichfield or elsewhere.

• On Thursday last week I travelled to Manchester to see the opening of the Commonwealth Games. What an experience! This was a very professional production and demonstrated very clearly that London does not have the monopoly in launching these major events. Indeed, following the Dome and Wembley debacles, there is very clear evidence that London has lost its touch in this respect. As a member of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee which has responsibility for such things, I am keeping a watching brief on the Wembley project. If the promised money does not appear from the West Deutsches Landes Bank or some other source by the end of August as promised, I will insist that Birmingham and Coventry be given a fair chance to bid for the National Stadium. They have been treated shabbily so far by the Government; this should not be allowed to continue.

• On Sunday afternoon I walked in the sunshine back through the Close in Lichfield after visiting my mother who lives in another part of the City. I watched people admiring the Cathedral and sucking on ice lollies. They were visitors to the City and, I hope, spend much money in the area for the benefit of us all. A few weeks ago, someone in Burntwood said to me that the Council would be able to spend more money on facilities in Burntwood and elsewhere if it weren't for the drain on cash by the Cathedral. I made a few enquires and I find no money goes from council tax payers into the Cathedral or the Close. Indeed, it's the other way round. By generating tourism and by residents paying council tax, the Cathedral is a cash generator not a cash sink for our District. I think it important to put the matter straight.

• British businesses are finding it tougher and tougher operating in an environment of over-regulation. The collapse of the US Stock Exchange combined with over eager British regulators has severely damaged the value of British stocks and shares. With people growing ever older, the fall in share value has put increasing pressure on pension funds. Six out of every 10 pension schemes are now saying they will have difficulty linking pensions to final salaries. But all this has been made far, far worse by Gordon Brown's stealth tax on pensions which he introduced in 1997. So far, the Treasury has taken £25 billion from pension funds: that is from you, me, anyone who pays into a pension. It is time he considered reversing that decision.

• But the real worry - and one where everyone in Staffordshire must unite, regardless of political Party - is the new funding plans for counties announced by Mr Prescott. Back in 1997, Labour promised that if elected they would ensure fair funding for Staffordshire schools in the first year of office. For five years nothing happened. But a sustained campaign from Conservative and Labour MPs alike has finally forced the Government to come up with new funding proposals. But guess what? In nearly every case they make matters worse not better! Can you believe this? After all the campaigns by teachers and parents, the gap between Staffordshire and other counties widens and in 3 of the 4 proposals, we would get even less money than we do at present! And this is also the picture with the Staffordshire Police. Under one proposal we could get 80 more police officers. But in the 3 other funding options, we would lose police officers: the worst option being over 200 policemen being taken out of service. This is something that all MPs in Staffordshire must unite against.

  And I hope that all Staffordshire MPs will unite against a Regional Assembly too. This might benefit Birmingham and the large industrial conurbations, but it will damage still further rural counties like our own. John Prescott says there will be a vote on this issue. What he doesn't say is that because the urban areas out-vote the rural areas 2 to 1 and counties like Staffordshire will not have a right to a veto, we will be sucked in whether we like it or not. John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, has a lot to answer for!

  But Staffordshire MPs do work together, regardless of Party, and we have regular meetings in Westminster with the County Council and the Police Authority. I hope that Labour MPs will have the courage to vote in Parliament according to their convictions and loyalty to Staffordshire - and not according to the instructions of the Parliamentary Labour Whips.