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org> News Bulletin from Aidan Burley MP #67

19 July 2013 09:59

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In this edition:
Aidan Burley MPs Diary Aidan welcomes Secretary of State for Transport to Cannock Aidan in the papers: HS2 line is vital for the economy McLoughlin Aidan in Parliament: Aidan speaks out in EU Referendum Bill debate Local MP selected to serve on EU Referendum Bill Committee Photo news: Cannock Carnival Aidan in Parliament: Aidan speaks in debate on emergency, acute and maternity services at Stafford Hospital Photo news: Campaigning against Labours Beecroft Road development plans Burley welcomes potential 65 average saving on energy bills for homes in Cannock Chase Council Watch: Council push ahead with Beecroft Road car park site, despite their own consultants telling them it wont work Photo news: Rugeley residents visit House of Commons Aidan in the papers: Minister lines up HS2 fair deal Aidan in the papers: Outrage as killers get right to freedom after landmark ruling Photo news: 10 Downing Street Reception How to contact Aidan Burley MP

Issue 67 Friday 19th July 2013

Since the last edition, Aidan has:

Welcomed the Secretary of State for Transport the Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP to Cannock Chase to announce the start date for electrification work on the Chase Line. Aidan also accompanied the Secretary of State on visits to local charity the Newlife Foundation and his old School Cardinal Griffin. Spoken in a House of Commons debate on and voted for the EU Referendum Bill. Aidan fully supports the British people having a say on our membership of the European Union. Aidan has also been selected to sit on the Public Bill Committee scrutinising the Bill. Spoken in a House of Commons debate on emergency, acute and maternity services at Stafford Hospital. Been quoted in the Express & Star blasting a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights that means Cannock Chase Murderer Raymond Morris could mount a bid for freedom as sick and twisted. Welcomed a group of residents from Rugeley for a tour of the Houses of Parliament. Sat on two delegated legislation committees, including the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Regulations 2013, which puts in statute the increase to the National Minimum Wage. Met with David Wootton - Chair of the Interim Executive Board (IEB) at Norton Canes and Heath Hayes Primary Schools. Attended a reception hosted by the Prime Minister at Downing Street for Conservative MPs, Peers and other halves, where he took the opportunity to raise with the PM that the British and Irish Lions should be invited to Downing Street for a celebration of their series victory. Visited Cannock Carnival, where he enjoyed seeing the town in full swing but also supported the residents of Allport Road in their campaign to oppose the proposals for redevelopment of the Beecroft Road site. Met staff and governors at St Peters Primary School to discuss the schools progress. Aidan also spoke in assembly, and took some very interesting questions from the pupils about important local and national issues, including how to discourage children from smoking, and how to protect the environment. Visited Staffordshire University Academy to meet with the school council and public services students, to talk about the life of an MP and discuss local issues, including planning matters, local hospitals and schools. Aidan was also pleased to note the significant progress made with the new build on the site, and is looking forward to seeing the completed brand new academy buildings later this year.

Aidan welcomes Secretary of State for Transport to Cannock Chase

Aidan with Secretary of State for Transport, the Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP at the Station Road Bridge in Hednesford.
Photo courtesy of Adam Partoon

This week Aidan welcomed the Secretary of State for Transport the Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP, to Cannock Chase. A former local resident, whose political career began in the Council Chamber in Cannock Chase Council. During his time in Cannock Chase the Secretary of State visited Hednesford train station to speak with Aidan and local Conservative Councillors about the electrification of the Chase Line, line speed upgrade, and HS2. They then visited one of the first bridges which will be rebuilt as part of the improvements. The Cabinet Minister also took the opportunity to visit important Cannock Chase Charity The Newlife Foundation, to meet with CEO Sheila Brown and discuss their campaign for road traffic act legislation to be amended to permit higher-class wheelchairs to be used by younger disabled children. Finally, Aidan and Patrick rounded off the visit with a trip to Cardinal Griffin Catholic High School Patricks former secondary school, where he spoke to pupils about becoming an MP, his political background, and took questions on Government policy.

Aidan in the papers:

HS2 line is vital for the economy McLoughlin

Daniel Wainwright, Express & Star Tuesday 9th July 2013

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, centre, takes a trip down memory lane on a visit to his old school Cardinal Griffin at Cannock with, from left, Aidan Burley MP, pupils Tony Dominic and Aidan Marsden and school headteacher Michael Burrowes.
Photo courtesy of Adam Partoon

High speed rail will be a huge benefit to the region, despite concerns about the cost, the Transport Secretary has said. This comes as Patrick McLoughlin admitted making the 42.6 billion HS2 scheme a reality was proving long and frustrating. He described the controversial project as motorway for trains as he vowed affected residents would be fairly compensated in the long run. He said: It all adds up to one of the biggest issues for me which is capacity. Hence why we need a new rail line. I gave the most up-to-date figures I had o Parliament which includes a 14bn contingency. It is expensive, yes, but one of the biggest issues around HS2 is providing more capacity. Intercity connections between our great cities are very important. HS2 is more a project for Birmingham and northwards and its very important for the future of the country. Many have hit out at the Government after it emerged three quarters of claims for compensation which have been processed ad been rejected. Claims Those claims relate to phase one between London and Birmingham while phase two will stretch north to Leeds and Manchester. Work on phase one is scheduled to start in 2016/17 and be completed by 2026. Mr McLoughlin said a consultation on phase two was yet to be launched. The Transport Secretary was in Hednesford yesterday to meet Cannock Chase MP Aidan Burley. He is a former Cannock Chase councillor and went to St Josephs Primary just up the road from Hednesford rail station. He added: You could say that High Speed 2 is a motorway for trains. It does affect peoples properties. We have to make sure we do the right thing. Is t too long and frustrating? Yes it is. But Id rather live in a country where people can challenge the government than one where hey cannot. Mr McLoughlin also confirmed that the scheme to electrify the Chase Line will begin at the end of the year as work takes lace on three bridges. He said that rebuilding work would commence between the end of 2013 and February next year on bridges in Hednesford and Essington.

Aidan in Parliament:

Aidan speaks out in EU Referendum Bill debate

Friday 5th July 2013

Click on the image above to watch Aidans contribution to the debate on the EU Referendum Bill. Aidan has voted for a Bill which would finally give the British people a chance to have their say on our membership of the EU. If successful, the European Union (Referendum) Bill, which passed its second reading with majority of 304, will put in statute the provision for the holding of a referendum on the United Kingdoms membership of the European Union before the end of 2017 - the first public vote on Europe for 40 years. The Bill will be now sent for scrutiny before returning the Commons later in the year. Speaking during the debate last Friday, Aidan made the point that neither he nor the Bills sponsor James Wharton MP were alive at the time of the last referendum on the EU, and that it is high time that their generation had a say on our membership of the European Union. Both the Labour Party and Liberal Democrats refused to support the Bill. Speaking after the vote Aidan said: "It is clear from my conversations with constituents over the last few years that most people, of whichever party and whether they are for or against the EU, want to be able to have another vote. This Bill will pave the way for such a vote and therefore why I had no hesitation in supporting it last week in the House of Commons. I am disappointed that both the Labour Party and Liberal Democrats did not support this Bill and remain resolutely opposed to allowing the people their say. Come the election in 2015 whether to support a referendum is going to be a key question that each candidate is going to have to answer. I have nailed my colours to the mast and call upon all other candidates to let the public know where they stand on this vital issue.

Local MP selected to serve on EU Referendum Bill Committee

Local MP Aidan Burley has been selected as one of the FIVE Conservative backbench MPs to sit on the Public Bill Committee looking at the EU Referendum Bill. The European Union (Referendum) Bill, which recently passed its second reading with majority of 304, will put in statute the provision for the holding of a referendum on the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union before the end of 2017 - the first public vote on Europe for 40 years. The Public Bill Committee, made up of MPs from all sides of the House, will sit for the first time tomorrow and begin to scrutinise the Bill line by line before it is returned to the House of Commons for Third Reading later this year. Commenting Aidan said: I am very pleased to have been selected to sit on this important committee. It is clear from speaking with local people, of whichever party and whether they are for or against the EU, that they want to be able to have another vote. This Bill will pave the way for such a vote, and I am determined to ensure that those opposition members who seek to deny the people a vote by scuppering this Bill are not successful.

Photo news:

Cannock Carnival

Aidan helping Bert sell hand made bird tables at the Cannock carnival.

Aidan with Cllr Jodie Jones at the Cannock Carnival.

Aidan in Parliament:

Aidan speaks in debate on emergency, acute and maternity services at Stafford Hospital
Thursday 4th July 2013

Click on the image above to watch Aidans contribution to the debate on emergency, acute and maternity services at Stafford Hospital. The full text was as follows: Aidan Burley (Cannock Chase, Conservative): I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this timely debate as we await the final report from Monitor at the end of this month. We must oppose any serious downgrading of Stafford hospital, but the other hospital that was poorly managed by the former Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust was Cannock Chase hospital, which has been mismanaged to the point that 50% of its hospital buildings are currently lying empty. There is therefore a threat to its future. Does my hon. Friend agree that any solution provided in the report at the end of the month must involve Cannock hospital being fully utilised, and Stafford hospital not being downgraded? Jeremy Lefroy (Stafford, Conservative): I entirely agree with my hon. Friend, and I congratulate him on the huge amount of work that he has put into ensuring that Cannock Chase hospital can be better utilised. To watch the full debate click here.

Photo news:

Campaigning against Labours Beecroft Road development plans

Aidan gathering signatures in Cannock town centre with Beecroft Road residents campaigning against the Councils plans to demolish their homes.

Burley welcomes potential 65 average saving on energy bills for homes in Cannock Chase
Aidan has welcomed news that 2,050 households in his constituency are already benefiting from increased control over energy bills through British Gas smart meters, with average annual savings of 65 per household. Smart meters mean for the first time, households can see how much gas and electricity they are using, as they use it, and how much that costs in pounds and pence. By gaining insight into what they are spending and where, consumers can take control over their energy use and consequently their bills. Smart meters also send meter readings to suppliers automatically, seeing an end to estimated bills. All energy companies are required to deliver smart meters to every home and business in the country by 2020, with British Gas already installing one million smart meters - around 75% of the total currently installed in Britain today. Commenting Aidan said: At a time when household budgets are being stretched, this is good news for the families in Cannock Chase. Energy bills are a big worry for many households and anything that can provide greater transparency and help people take control of their costs and reduce waste is welcome. Every home in Cannock Chase will have a smart meter by 2020 and its good to see British Gas helping my constituents get the benefits of smart today. Stuart Rolland, Managing Director of Smart Metering at British Gas said: British Gas is working hard to make sure people are in control of their energy bills. Thats one of the reasons we chose to get smart meters to our customers earlier than everyone else. Over two thousand of our customers in Cannock Chase are already seeing the benefit of smart and we look forward to the rest joining them. British Gas customers will receive a new smart meter when the life of their standard meter expires, but customers are also welcome to register their interest to see if they can get one sooner. Visit www.britishgas.co.uk/smartmeters to find out more.

Council push ahead with Beecroft Road car park site, despite their own consultants telling them it wont work
Cannock Chase Labour Council have struck again this timing hiring consultants with your money only to ignore them. Labour Councillors seem so determined to push ahead with controversial plans to redevelop the Beecroft Road car park site which will devastate the surrounding neighbourhood, particularly Allport Road that they are ignoring a consultants report that the scheme just isnt going to be a reality. The Councils Cabinet have launched a consultation to gather local views. The rather one-sided questionnaire asks people whether they support redevelopment in Cannock Town Centre without making clear what this would mean for residents and existing businesses. Residents in Allport Road, whose homes are under threat of Compulsory Purchase under the scheme, have set up a campaign to oppose this development. The Allport Action Alliance has already held its first meeting and campaign day, gathering signatures from those who believe that the scheme needlessly blights their homes. Allport Road is one of the oldest streets in Cannock with high-quality family homes. While these discussions go on, residents are left feeling ignored and undermined by the Council. To sign their petition and support them in protecting their street, click here or visit Aidans MP Help Zone, or contact one of the Cannock West ward Councillors here. While the town centre gets emptier on a daily basis, perhaps Labour should be focussing their efforts on protecting what we already have, rather than creating more units to sit empty at the expense of peoples homes?

Photo news:

Rugeley residents visit House of Commons

Aidan welcoming a group of Rugeley residents to the House of Commons. 50 residents attended for a professional tour and a Q&A session with Aidan, which covered topics including defence spending, legal aid reforms and the need for a living wage.

Aidan in the papers:

Express & Star Tuesday 9th July 2013

Minister lines up HS2 fair deal

Pledge to families over rail line People whose homes are blighted by the planned high speed rail line will be treated fairly, the Transport Secretary has pledged during a visit to Staffordshire. Patrick McLoughlin, the Governments most senior transport minister, was speaking to the Express & Star on a visit to the county to see where 30 million will be spent electrifying the Chase Line by December 2017. He was at Hednesford railway station yesterday, where he was greeted by Chase MP Aidan Burley. Stafford Borough Council and Lichfield District Council have formally opposed HS2 but are controlled by Mr McLoughlins party, the Conservatives. The planned route will cut through swathes of Staffordshire countryside. The councils are concerned about the effect HS2 will have on the landscape, including how it will cut the car park of Staffordshire County Showground in half and slice through farm land and blight peoples homes. Mr McLoughlin said: I fully accept you dont do a major infrastructure project of this nature without some people being upset by it. What we have to do is get a compensation system to treat them fairly and we will go out to consultation on that. Mr McLoughlin also confirmed that the scheme to electrify the Chase Line will begin at the end of the year as work takes place on three bridges. The project will be finished by December 2017 and will mean quicker trains, new track and improved signalling.

Aidan in the papers:

Outrage as killers get right to freedom after landmark ruling

Express & Star Wednesday 10th July 2013 The families of Midland murder victims whose killers were locked up for life today said they were horrified that the monsters could be freed to walk the streets following a landmark legal ruling. Angry relatives demanded to know why their rights were being ignored after the European Court of Human Rights ruled that life can never mean life as removing the chance of release is a breach of human rights. Staffordshire MP Aidan Burley today blasted the ruling as sick and twisted as it emerged Cannock Chase Murderer Raymond Morris is now considering a bid for freedom following the decision. He said: What about the victims rights? Where are the rights of the people that have been murdered, and their families? Murderers Jeremy Bamber, Douglas Vinter and Peter Moore were told by the European judges that their whole life sentences amounted to inhuman and degrading treatment because they had no hope of release. The ruling has sparked further outrage among critics of the court despite reassurances that the decision did not amount to grounds for imminent release. Gavin Williamson MP for South Staffordshire is calling for Britain to leave the European Convention of Human Rights. There are fears a string of the countrys most evil killers can hope of freedom as life will not mean life. These include sadistic killer Victor Miller. The Wolverhampton warehouse assistant, then aged 32, abducted 14-year-old paper boy Stuart Gough on his round in Hagley village, and then murdered him in January 1988. Stuarts mother Jean said she was horrified by the ruling. Mrs Gough, now aged 69, said: Where were Stuarts human rights? He lost his life and his rights. I hope the Government ignores this ruling. Morris is serving life for the murder of seven-year-old Walsall girl Christine Darby in 1967. He is also the prime suspect in the killings of schoolgirls Margaret Reynolds and Diane Tift found on Cannock Chase. All three were abducted, raped and murdered. The release of Stephen Farrow, the murderer of grandmother Betty Yates is now also a possibility. Midlands

The full extent of homeless Farrows violent past only emerged as he was convicted of two murders, including the killing the Rev John Suddards. Express & Star readers have been voting on the issue of whole-life jail terms. Of 439 people who voted 93 per cent said they believe whole-life jail terms are fair, with seven per cent saying they are not. The following comments were also made: Colin Dodd: Personally, I believe that anyone convicted of murder, beyond all doubt, (DNA can ensure this), should pay the ultimate price, but, sadly, this will never happen, so yes, life should mean life. Tony Driver: The question of fair or unfair should not be the criteria. The perpetrators of the type of crimes that attract whole life sentences have gone far beyond any consideration of fairness in their actions towards their victims. Albrightondek: Before making pronouncements about the inhuman life sentences handed to these killers, they should bear in mind the inhuman act the killers have done to their victims. Just Me: Maybe if we werent so soft in the first place and made prison less of a luxurious place to stay, then we might deter a bigger number of potential lifers.

Photo news:

10 Downing Street Reception

Aidan with Jodie Jones at a summer reception for Conservative MPs at 10, Downing Street.

5 ways to contact Aidan Burley MP:

By Phone: 01543 502 447 By email: aidan.burley.mp@parliament.uk By post: Aidan Burley MP 6 High Green Court, Newhall Street Cannock, WS11 1GR In person: Click here for details of how to book an appointment at Aidan Burley MPs regular help and advice surgeries.

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