The proposed new boundaries for parliamentary seats has just been published by the boundary commission with the idea of making all MPs represent around 75000 residents. The largest constituency was the Isle of Wight at over 100,000 so starting by reducing the size of the electorate over there , there is a knock effect nation wide plus there is proposed a reduction in the overall number of parliamentary seats. The new boundaries will be brought into place in October 2013.
Everyone is invited to comment over the next 84 days before the commission publish their final recommendations . You can see the proposals by logging into
http://consultation.boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk/
You can also leave comments with us in Walsall Labour Party as we shall of course be looking carefully at the new proposals and will be happy to raise comments on your behalf.
Ian Robertson ( secretary Walsall South)
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Please do your bit to hit illegal part of scrap wagons trade
Cashless Scrap Metal Trade - Amendment to Scrap Metal Merchants Act 1964
Responsible department: Home Office
Due to a significant rise in value, metal has become a much sought after commodity. This increased demand has resulted in a sharp rise in metal theft nationally. Metal fencing, gates, manhole covers and other metallic items are stolen on a regular basis. Property is raided for lead, copper and cabling. War memorials and statues have been taken. Overhead power lines are stolen at serious risk to personal safety with huge costs for replacement and major inconvenience to the public. Historically the scrap metal trade has been a cash in hand industry. This creates difficulties as there is no audit trail, making identification of individuals who may be trading stolen metal or who may be committing tax or benefits fraud, a difficult proposition. An amendment to the Scrap Metal Merchants Act 1964 to prohibit cash transactions would make payment by cheque or directly into a bank account mandatory and would be a significant component in reducing metal theft.
Please follow this link sign and forward to as many people as possible
Thanks
Ian Robertson
Walsall.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/406
Responsible department: Home Office
Due to a significant rise in value, metal has become a much sought after commodity. This increased demand has resulted in a sharp rise in metal theft nationally. Metal fencing, gates, manhole covers and other metallic items are stolen on a regular basis. Property is raided for lead, copper and cabling. War memorials and statues have been taken. Overhead power lines are stolen at serious risk to personal safety with huge costs for replacement and major inconvenience to the public. Historically the scrap metal trade has been a cash in hand industry. This creates difficulties as there is no audit trail, making identification of individuals who may be trading stolen metal or who may be committing tax or benefits fraud, a difficult proposition. An amendment to the Scrap Metal Merchants Act 1964 to prohibit cash transactions would make payment by cheque or directly into a bank account mandatory and would be a significant component in reducing metal theft.
Please follow this link sign and forward to as many people as possible
Thanks
Ian Robertson
Walsall.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/406
Friday, September 2, 2011
August newsletter
August 2011 Walsall South Valerie Vaz newsletter
VALERIE OPENS WALSALL SAMARITANS AWARENESS DAY
Valerie opened the Walsall Samaritans Awareness Day at the New Art Gallery, and unveiled the artwork, „A Call for Help,‟ donated free of charge by local artist Lynn Hughes.
Valerie said: “It is a privilege to open the Samaritans Awareness Day. The event is an excellent way for Walsall Samaritans to make more people aware of their vital work offering emotional support to people in need.”
Walsall Samaritans was set up in 1969 and is staffed and managed entirely by volunteers and paid for by donations. For each of the last three years Walsall Samaritans have seen an increase in contacts. In 2010, 18,900 contacts were made with the branch.
Valerie said: “It is important to recognise the commitment of the volunteers and to raise awareness of the Samaritans‟ vital service which provides confidential, 24-hour emotional support, available to everyone, every day of the year.”
VALERIE PRESENTS BILL FOR ADOPTION RIGHTS
Valerie introduced the Adoption (Leave, Pay and Allowance Arrangements) Bill to Parliament under the Ten Minute Rule procedure. Valerie identified 3 areas where there are inequalities between the statutory entitlements for adoptive parents and the entitlements for parents whose children were born to them: the eligibility for adoption leave; the different rates for the first 6 weeks of statutory maternity pay and statutory adoption pay; and maternity allowance, which is available to self-employed mothers but not to self-employed adopters.
Valerie said: “I am bringing in this Bill because more needs to be done to support people who do so much for society by adopting children who do not have families of their own. It cannot be right that the people who come forward to give children a family life and offer them a stable and secure environment are not currently entitled to the same support as other parents.”
The Bill is listed for second reading on 20th January 2012.
VALERIE FIGHTS AGAINST PHONE MAST
The phone mast recently erected at the junction of Bea-con Road and Waverley Avenue in Pheasey, will be removed. The mast was put up despite Walsall Council refusing Vodafone planning permission. Residents raised their concerns with Valerie.
Valerie‟s suggestion to the Council of obtaining a second legal opinion on the position led to the issuing of an enforcement notice. The notice would require the removal of the mast within 3 months of the service of the notice.
The Council have also met with Vodafone to look at other sites.
PUBLIC DISORDER
Parliament was recalled on the 11th August due to the recent rioting in London and around England. Despite rioting and looting in parts of the West Midlands, Walsall Town Centre was secure thanks to the police and local authority.
Valerie said: “I want to thank the police and the local authority for working together protect the Town Centre.”
HEALTH SELECT COMMITTEE
The Health Select Committee, of which Valerie is a member, published its report into Complaints and Litigation. They found that the current com-plaints system is not effective, and called for an overhaul of the role of the Health Service Ombudsman. Valerie said:
“The Government need to be clear about how com-plaints will be handled. It is important that information gathered during com-plaints procedures is properly reported and analysed, in order to avoid systematic weaknesses being over-looked.”
The Committee recognised that the number of general NHS complaints has gone up, and that action should be taken to resolve this. More than 100,000 complaints were made in 2009/2010, a 13.4% increase on the previous year.
To Contact Valerie:
Westminster Office: House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
Telephone: 020 7219 7176
Email: valerie.vaz.mp@parliament.uk Constituency Office: 114a Lichfield Street, Walsall. WS1 1SZ Telephone: 01922 635835
Surgeries Valerie holds regular surgeries. To arrange an appointment, please call the Constituency Office on 01922 635835
For further information, please visit: http://www.valerievazmp.co.uk
VALERIE OPENS WALSALL SAMARITANS AWARENESS DAY
Valerie opened the Walsall Samaritans Awareness Day at the New Art Gallery, and unveiled the artwork, „A Call for Help,‟ donated free of charge by local artist Lynn Hughes.
Valerie said: “It is a privilege to open the Samaritans Awareness Day. The event is an excellent way for Walsall Samaritans to make more people aware of their vital work offering emotional support to people in need.”
Walsall Samaritans was set up in 1969 and is staffed and managed entirely by volunteers and paid for by donations. For each of the last three years Walsall Samaritans have seen an increase in contacts. In 2010, 18,900 contacts were made with the branch.
Valerie said: “It is important to recognise the commitment of the volunteers and to raise awareness of the Samaritans‟ vital service which provides confidential, 24-hour emotional support, available to everyone, every day of the year.”
VALERIE PRESENTS BILL FOR ADOPTION RIGHTS
Valerie introduced the Adoption (Leave, Pay and Allowance Arrangements) Bill to Parliament under the Ten Minute Rule procedure. Valerie identified 3 areas where there are inequalities between the statutory entitlements for adoptive parents and the entitlements for parents whose children were born to them: the eligibility for adoption leave; the different rates for the first 6 weeks of statutory maternity pay and statutory adoption pay; and maternity allowance, which is available to self-employed mothers but not to self-employed adopters.
Valerie said: “I am bringing in this Bill because more needs to be done to support people who do so much for society by adopting children who do not have families of their own. It cannot be right that the people who come forward to give children a family life and offer them a stable and secure environment are not currently entitled to the same support as other parents.”
The Bill is listed for second reading on 20th January 2012.
VALERIE FIGHTS AGAINST PHONE MAST
The phone mast recently erected at the junction of Bea-con Road and Waverley Avenue in Pheasey, will be removed. The mast was put up despite Walsall Council refusing Vodafone planning permission. Residents raised their concerns with Valerie.
Valerie‟s suggestion to the Council of obtaining a second legal opinion on the position led to the issuing of an enforcement notice. The notice would require the removal of the mast within 3 months of the service of the notice.
The Council have also met with Vodafone to look at other sites.
PUBLIC DISORDER
Parliament was recalled on the 11th August due to the recent rioting in London and around England. Despite rioting and looting in parts of the West Midlands, Walsall Town Centre was secure thanks to the police and local authority.
Valerie said: “I want to thank the police and the local authority for working together protect the Town Centre.”
HEALTH SELECT COMMITTEE
The Health Select Committee, of which Valerie is a member, published its report into Complaints and Litigation. They found that the current com-plaints system is not effective, and called for an overhaul of the role of the Health Service Ombudsman. Valerie said:
“The Government need to be clear about how com-plaints will be handled. It is important that information gathered during com-plaints procedures is properly reported and analysed, in order to avoid systematic weaknesses being over-looked.”
The Committee recognised that the number of general NHS complaints has gone up, and that action should be taken to resolve this. More than 100,000 complaints were made in 2009/2010, a 13.4% increase on the previous year.
To Contact Valerie:
Westminster Office: House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
Telephone: 020 7219 7176
Email: valerie.vaz.mp@parliament.uk Constituency Office: 114a Lichfield Street, Walsall. WS1 1SZ Telephone: 01922 635835
Surgeries Valerie holds regular surgeries. To arrange an appointment, please call the Constituency Office on 01922 635835
For further information, please visit: http://www.valerievazmp.co.uk
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