This Week in Westminster

28 April 2008

Parliament returned this week and so did local MP Gordon Banks as he continues representing the views of his constituents in Ochil & South Perthshire.

First up on Monday was a meeting with Council Officers at Clackmannanshire Council to discuss a number of casework issues.

Gordon then returned to Westminster and was welcomed back by bulging mailbag.  After sorting through the mail and continuing work on Casework, Gordon launched into Home Office question time where he asked Home Office Minister, Meg Hillier what estimate she has made of the value of the National DNA database.  The Minister did see the value and stated that in the last year almost 42,000 crimes have been solved through use of the DNA Database.

There was also an opportunity on Monday for Gordon to quiz Chancellor Alistair Darling about measuring the impact of the UK’s measures to tackle the ongoing crisis in world credit markets.

Gordon then attended the weekly meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party which was addressed by the Prime Minister.

Tuesday was also a day for some Written Parliamentary Questions and Gordon quizzed Ministers on several issues, particularly the Performing Rights Society, Advertising Standards Authority and the Mail Preference Service.

Then it was back to the Chamber to debate the latest stage of the Pensions Bill which is currently making its way through the House of Commons.  Gordon has been involved with this bill since its inception back when he was Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Pensions Minister and he continues in his role on the Pensions Bill Committee.

On Wednesday morning Gordon meet with representatives of Royal Mail to discuss general issues and challenges faced by Royal Mail, but also to discuss matters surrounding the Network Change Programme.

Then it was back to the Chamber for Scottish Questions closely followed by Prime Minister’s Questions.

Next up on the day’s agenda,  Gordon went off to meet the Prime Minister to discuss his concerns over the 10p Income Tax proposals and other matters before heading to a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Coeliac Disease and Dermatitis Herpetiformis which Gordon serves as the Chair.  After the group meeting, Gordon was back in Downing Street to meet the Chancellor to discuss further 10p Income Tax proposals.

Thursday was a One Line Whip which meant Gordon could return home to the Constituency to meet with Constituents.  Gordon was firstly in Glenfarg to meet with the local sub-postmaster to discuss his recent proposals to campaign for additional funding for Post Office services.  Gordon then continued onto Abernethy for a similar meeting with the sub-postmaster there.

On Friday, Gordon visited Crieff High School to meet staff to discuss developments in the Citizenship Programme which Gordon has taken a keen interest in.  There was also an opportunity for Gordon to meet with Alex Wilson, Jamie Henry and Bruce Coull, the three pupils who came to the aid of their stricken ski instructor on a ski trip in France in January.  Gordon has invited the boys down to London for a tour of the House of Commons and also to a small gathering at the Scotland Office where they will meet with a Government Minister.

After Crieff, Gordon continued with his regular schedule of Surgeries when he travelled to Comrie and then onto Braco to meet with constituents.  Then in the evening, Gordon attended a Memorial Ceilidh for Menstrie toddler Muireann McLaughlin who tragically lost her life when she became entangled in a blind cord at her home in February.  Gordon has launched a campaign at Westminster to improve the safety standards of blinds and at the Ceilidh he was presented with a 3,500 strong petition calling for Government action on the issue.

To round off the week, Gordon held a roving surgery in Luncarty on Sunday where he met with several constituents to discuss issues of concern.  A major issue in the area which Gordon has been addressing for some time now is the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) which residents in Luncarty pay to use from communal facilities.  However residents now seem to have been tied into a process where it becomes extremely difficult to change suppliers and prices are on the rise.  Gordon has been addressing this issue for some time now and is hopeful of some developments in the near future.  However he still remains keen to hear from constituents about their experiences and for further information about LPG.