Week in Westminster

13 March 2008

Gordon’s week started off with meetings on Monday in the Constituency and Westminster. He also spoke with several media contacts about his campaign to ban looped blind cords.

On Tuesday, it was back to Committee and Gordon took up his post on the Regulatory Reform Committee to discuss the possible merger of the Health & Safety Commission and the Health & Safety Executive.

Still on Tuesday, As part of his campaign to promote a change in the law on Organ Donation, Gordon questioned Health Minister Anne Keen about funding levels for transplant service centres.

Since 1997, funding for Liver Transplant Services has nearly doubled and there have also been healthy increases in other services such as Liver and Pancreas Transplants. An increase across the board of just over £15 million has taken place since 2004.

The same day, Gordon questioned Transport Minister Jim Fitzpatrick about his Department’s responsibility to encourage airlines to become more involved in reducing their carbon emissions. Mr Fitzpatrick said the Government had a comprehensive strategy which supported the development and application of new aircraft technology as well as making gains in air traffic control systems.

He also chose to highlight that Airlines have a strong incentive to minimise fuel use due to proposals in the Government's consultation on Aviation Duty.

On Wednesday, Gordon spent the majority of his day in the Parliamentary Chamber, first at Prime Ministers Questions then also listening and contributing to the debate on the Treaty of Lisbon. Mr Banks called the House of Commons attention to the similarities between the arguments being put forward by Foreign Secretary David Miliband and Pro-European Conservative MP Kenneth Clarke. Both men saw the potential damage to the UK if the European Treaty was not to be ratified, a viewpoint shared by Mr Banks.

During Wednesday, Gordon also found the time to attend a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Osteoporosis which was addressed by Professor David Marsha Professor of Clinical Orthopaedics. Gordon was keen to discuss with Professor Marsh the link between Coeliac Disease and Osteoporosis.

Later that evening Gordon was able to show his support for the Holocaust Educational Trust by attending a dinner near the House of Commons.

It was back to the Constituency on Thursday Morning for a full diary of constituency meetings followed by a visit to the Scottish Parliament to meet with Labour Party colleagues.

On Friday, it was another day of meetings with constituents, before heading off to Menstrie Primary to meet with staff and pupils to discuss the schools partnership project with the local Mosque. The programme is designed to foster a better understanding of faith groups in Clackmannanshire and is designed to support school lessons on the subject of anti-sectarianism.

The day was rounded off by a visit to Kinross to examine the extent of some flooding which has been worrying constituents