Gary's views

noreply@blogger.com (Nigel) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 08:32:00 +0000

KNIFE CRIME

What lies behind the sudden spate of stabbings in some of our larger cities? The root cause flows from something I have written about many times, namely the breakdown of the family unit in many parts of our society. One of the things we get from our families – or should do – apart from encouragement and discipline is identity. Family teaches us a lot about who we are. Identity is important to all of us; we all need to know who we are and where we fit into the bigger picture.

For a significant minority of young people, those coming from households of chaos, there is no real sense of identity. (Please note: I am not talking about single parents, but households of chaos). No order, no stability, no framework. This is why so many turbulent youngsters are ending up in street gangs in which they find their identity, where they fit in, for the first time in their lives. These brutal gangs are becoming a family substitute. I do not mean the groups of young people who hang around in Plympton, Plymstock and Ivybridge – they are not gangs in this sense they are just teenagers hanging out together. I mean hardened units with a clear pecking order, almost always involved in drugs or other criminal activity, many of them carrying knives. We do not have this in south west Devon and hopefully never will.

What are we to do about it? I certainly favour tougher sentences for anyone caught in possession of a weapon, but this alone will achieve little – because these kids have got nothing to lose by going to prison – unless we also tackle underlying causes. This is but one reason why we now have to confront these households of chaos.

It horrifies me to think that the state should muscle into how a person raises a child. But what choice do we have when the consequences of so many children being left to drag themselves up go far beyond personal under-achievement and spill over into the lives of all of us. I support the government seeking to target the problem families that lie at the heart of this.

This must not be another gimmick – this must mean tough effective intervention. Let the message ring out loud and clear: if you bring a child into this world you are responsible for bringing up that child to be a responsible citizen. Is that so radical?

noreply@blogger.com (Nigel) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:33:00 +0000

FIGHTING

Surely the greatest word in the English language is “Granddad” especially when it comes attached to a look bordering on adulation (I know it won’t last). These days it is often followed by “can we play fighting?” or “can you be a monster?” I hope this too will pass.

But fighting is part of my job. In recent months I have been fighting for clarity about the future of the dockyard and naval base which have defined our city and driven our local economy for generations. Following a meeting with a defence minister in Whitehall this week the mist is beginning to clear. I now believe that I know precisely what future is intended for us.

The frigates will be leaving us and will be base-ported in Portsmouth. The submarines will go to Faslane. A much smaller Devonport naval base will be the home of the amphibious fleet, basically: Ocean, Albion and Bulwark. Some marine units will be transferred to our region. This will all mean a net loss of servicemen and women from this area and the spending power that goes with it.

The dockyard will continue to maintain the Trident submarines, and as soon as Rosyth starts work on its bit of the two new aircraft carriers that will be built for our navy, Devonport will get a reasonable share of the surface ship refit work. This is crucial to smooth out the fluctuating peaks and troughs of the nuclear work to enable the skill level at the yard to be maintained. But what will happen once the carriers are built? Surface ship refit work will be in short supply after that. So a reasonable medium term future for the dockyard (although there are job losses to come this year) but thereafter it is likely to down-size, possibly drastically. The worst scenario, but sadly a realistic one, is that the yard will ultimately become the place where nuclear vessels are decommissioned and the fissile material is stored. Not an attractive prospect.

The shrinking of the naval base is a blow but brings some good news – the release of real estate along the waterfront including south yard. But this is worthless without significant government investment to make development of these polluted sites possible. The fight for that cash will be a very determined one.

No formal announcements will be made for some months – but the picture seems crystal clear. More fighting to come, I am sure.

noreply@blogger.com (Nigel) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:26:00 +0000

BOUNDARIES AGAIN

It is 340 miles from Hull to Plymouth. I know because I drove it on Saturday and it feels like a very long way indeed. It was a great relief to see the road sign on the M5 welcoming me to Devon, a joy to get to the top of Halden hill (down hill all the way from there I always think) and a thrill to pass the Woodpecker pub (even though it looks such a mess) because that marks my constituency boundary.. Deep Lane junction 12 minutes later, relax, nearly home.

Boundaries are important to us for all sorts of reasons. On Monday we will learn where our future local government boundaries will lay in this county for the next generation. I hope the Boundary Committee will include at the end of their report these words: light blue touch paper and retire, because their recommendations are likely to be explosive.

There are three main options that affect us down here: Plymouth’s and Torbay’s boundaries staying the same and a single unitary council for the whole of the rest of Devon ( this is promoted by Devon County Council); a merger of South Hams and Teignbridge and West Devon into a South Devon Unitary with Plymouth’s boundaries staying more or less as now (this is the district council’s option); or thirdly, Plymouth’s boundaries (and Torbay’s) expanding dramatically to take in a chunk of South Hams and West Devon with the rest of the county being one unitary (as championed by Plymouth Council).

All options have strengths and weaknesses, but the third option would cause much anxiety in the rural parts of my constituency, understandably so. People would ask the question: what does a large city know about running a small Devon village? Would it speed up the rate at which our fields become houses? It would signal the start of major campaigns from many parish councils to be left alone.

So Monday is a big day. The recommendation will come from five unelected people and the final decision after several weeks of hectic consultation and representation will be made by the secretary of state for Communities and Local Government. Whatever happens, the status quo is about to be shattered. I protested with the good burghers of Underwood recently on the impending closure of their post office. I suspect my marching days are not yet done.

What do you think about the future shape of our county?

noreply@blogger.com (Nigel) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 08:12:00 +0000

PLANNING BILL

There was a big vote in the Commons this week on something that seems obscure: how big planning decisions are made. Hardly the stuff to get the revolutionary juices flowing, you may think, but think again, for this is the kind of thing that can make a huge impact on a community.

In the planning bill going through Parliament the government is proposing a new quango to make big planning decisions for us, the excitedly named Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC). There has been a lot of controversy about this on all sides of the chamber.

We know all about these kinds of decisions because we have been through the mill on this with the new town at Sherford, a project which would clearly come within the new regime. It is true that for most of us the existing planning regime delivered the wrong result – we didn’t want it, but we had to have it. But at least the process was of a sufficient length and involved several opportunities to have our say. The fact that South Hams has been the planning authority has meant that they have listened to strong local views and tried to accommodate them in the scheme.

The power station at Langage on the other hand, was not decided by local people because it involved a licence granted by the DTI a top down decision that we could not oppose.

My worry is the new system for major planning decisions would be more like that, more like the French system: new rail link – no problem just crack on with it, irrespective of protests.

The new IPC would bypass the orbit of the planning authority, where at least local councillors have a proper feel for the heartbeat of a community. The IPC would be completely disconnected. Many of us feel that the local community should have a greater say in planning decisions even than now, because local decisions are too often overturned on appeal by remote inspectors from Bristol.

We are the ones who live here; we should decide what our community looks like and how it grows. As is it is we now have a gas fired power station on our doorstep that will not be delivering cut price electricity that we were promised and will not be attracting firms to relocate here as we were promised and there is still no sign of the 4000 job energy park that we were promised.

noreply@blogger.com (Nigel) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:20:00 +0000

FUEL

This time it was a few hundred lorry drivers; next time it could be the Russians! The sight of empty service stations in our area is a reminder that we all depend so heavily on fuel and that we are at the mercy of those who produce and supply it.

North Sea oil will be largely gone within 10 years or so whereupon we will import virtually all of our oil and gas. Unfortunately the places around the world that still have plenty of supply are not exactly stable places: the Middle East, Russia and Nigeria to name but a few.

We know how volatile the Middle East can be. If, for example, Iran acquires nuclear capability, or Israel and/or the USA launches a first strike to prevent them from so doing, the entire region could easily collapse into turmoil, affecting oil production. Russia is enjoying a renewed influence thanks to extensive oil and gas resources, but is not above exercising its muscle by denying supply to western countries to make a political point. Nigeria, well, where do we start?

Energy security has now become a huge long term issue for the future of this country. That’s why we need to move much more quickly to build a new generation of nuclear power stations and increase the practical deployment of renewables into the national grid. But that won’t help us stay mobile unless we move to electric cars. So one crucial duty of any government over the next few decades is to guarantee oil and gas supplies.

But that doesn’t let the rest of us off the hook. The interruptions this week should serve as a reminder that the good times, the times of plenty, are coming to an end.

We have to gradually change our ways and become less reliant on our cars. Easy to say, hard to do. We must certainly all review the fuel efficiency of the vehicle we drive and tax policy should encourage us to do so, although, this should not be retrospective. Green taxes must give people the chance to change their behaviour before they get clobbered with extra taxes, otherwise the least well-off (who have less capacity to change) will be penalised once more.

How much oil is left beneath the surface of the planet? Nobody really knows, but it could well run out altogether within my lifetime. What will we do then? I hope somebody has got a plan!

Nigel Double
Special Adviser

Tel: 020 7219 5033

Mobile: 07718 349853

Room 484

Portcullis House

House of Commons

London

SW1A 2LW

noreply@blogger.com (Nigel) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 19:31:00 +0000

YOUNG PEOPLE

A major report this week by the UK Children commissioners have called for a change in the way we deal with young people offending. We lock up more young people than any other country in Western Europe, 2,900 in the past year alone.

It is certainly true that we do not want to make criminals out of decent young people who are just going through the high jinks phase of adolescence. If a person has not entered the criminal justice system by the age of 21 they are unlikely to do so (apart from traffic offences) so keeping youngsters away from the university of crime that prisons and young offenders institutions clearly are, is a good thing. When I look back on the stupid things I did in my youth, I often think, there but by the grace of God go I.

On the other hand, we do not want tearaway teenagers ruining things for the rest of us, as they sometimes do even in our leafy suburbs. The recent spate of problems in Plymstock is but one example of where teenage action went well past exuberance and into criminal activity. I wrote immediately to the local police inspector supporting his force’s robust response. We should not have to put up with drunken aggressive behaviour in our public spaces.

This is a difficult balance to strike. I was interested to hear the chief constable speaking recently about the number of calls they get reporting youngsters playing football in parks! Isn’t that partly what parks are for? Also we have to recognise that standards of behaviour in public have changed, but that does not mean that youngsters are being offensive. Every so often a teenager in the street will greet me with “Hi Gary!” Some may think this is over familiar, (and certainly I would never have dreamed of addressing my MP by his first name when I was young) but I think it’s great.

The answer is to give more discretion to the police to exercise their on the spot judgment. They can identify, especially since the welcome re-introduction of community beat officers, the real trouble makers from the also-rans and should have the freedom to deal with each incident accordingly. The Crown Prosecution Service should heed the voice of the police more in deciding when to prosecute. We need more common sense policing, and I see the first signs of it.

What do you think?

noreply@blogger.com (Nigel) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 07:13:00 +0000

TROUBLED TIMES

I suppose we will look back on the past decade as a time of plenty. Looking forward, it is hard not to simply see troubled waters, and we cannot even pour oil on them, for it is too expensive!

There has always been an ebb and a flow to all economies and those who think we have somehow overcome this natural cycle have failed to grasp the lessons of history. The British economy, as a trading nation, has always been impacted by what happens in the USA and Europe, now we can add the rest of the world to that list – the global economy as truly arrived.

The main driver of these troubled times is, I think, no longer the credit crunch, but two other crucial factors. First, the sharply rising price of oil, which impacts all of our lives, whether in increased fuel costs or the price of the transportation of goods. The last time we suffered such major increases of this most important commodity was in the early 1970’s just after the Arab/Israel war and it led to a decade of inflation and economic hardship in the UK. In a world where China and India are demanding more and more oil to fuel their surging economies and in a world where oil is obviously a finite resource (maybe 30 years left) – it is hard to see the price of crude coming down again. Expect $100 per barrel plus until the oil runs out.

Second, we are coming to the inevitable end of a period of too many of us, as well as the government, living beyond our means fuelled by cheap borrowing. The bubble has now burst. We can expect to see house prices falling for quite a while, a necessary correction in the market where prices have become disconnected from ability to pay. It won’t all be bad, in that falling prices will in time put the price of houses within reach of ordinary families once again, but sadly, much pain will be endured along that corrective journey.

Is it all the current government’s fault? Of course not. These are largely global circumstances beyond the control of any one administration. But when will we learn to store up some reserves in times of plenty so that we can help the vulnerable in times of need? Joseph cottoned onto this 3,500 years ago, but unfortunately we come to these troubled times with empty barns.

noreply@blogger.com (Nigel) — Fri, 30 May 2008 08:13:00 +0000

TERRORISM

Last week the true threat of terrorism came to our door. This region is often sheltered from many of the worst excesses blighting other parts of the country, but no longer. If the bombs in the Exeter restaurant had detonated properly, many lives would have been devastated. We have had a lucky escape

Imagine the shock of sitting on the pavement caf� in Old Town Street sipping your cappuccino when suddenly a man whips a pistol out of his bag and sticks it against the head of the person sitting at the next table. Then another plain clothed man does the same and then within seconds the place is full of armed police officers shouting and screaming.

It seems to me that the police have acted swiftly and decisively and deserve our praise.

So the threat of terror has landed locally and what should our response be? First, we must ensure that life goes on as before. The terrorists do not have any ransom or political demand. They just hate all western values and want to tip us into chaos; to terrorise us. We will not let them.

Second, although life goes on as normal, it is a timely reminder to be extra vigilant and be ready to report suspicious activities to the police. Intelligence is the main weapon against this threat, and we, the people are best placed to gather it.

Third, and most importantly, we must not start treating the entire Muslim community as suspects. Most of them despise terrorism just as much as the rest of us. The reaction from Islamic leaders in the city has been swift and decisive, well done to them. Maintaining positive community relations is now paramount, or the bombers will have succeeded.

This incident plays dramatically into the debate at Westminster about detention without charge. During the next few days the police will be gathering intelligence about the would-be bomber and those who may have put him up to it. Mobile hone and computer records will be being poured over all around the clock.

How long should the police be able to detain suspected terrorists without charge? The current law says 28 days. The government want to move it to 42 days although there has been no case yet where more than 28 days has been necessary. A decision will be made by parliament shortly. We have to balance cherished civil liberties with public protection. What do you think?

noreply@blogger.com (Nigel) — Thu, 22 May 2008 09:41:00 +0000

UNDERWOOD

The phoney war is over, the gloves have come off: the Post Office have announced the post offices throughout Devon (including Plymouth) that are destined for the chop. I feel slightly like the man who was threatened to have both legs cut off, almost pathetically grateful that they only took one; for in south west Devon we have escaped relatively unscathed.

Only one village post office is to close, in Ermington, and sadly that has been on the cards for a while. The rest of the rural network in my constituency has survived – this time. One PO in Plympton has been closed for a while, and another was closed and only recently re-opened and there is (so far) a reluctant acceptance of this verdict.

But one decision must be challenged, namely the closure of Underwood post office. This is a thriving hub in a close-knit community. The suggestion that people, some of them elderly, some of them mums with double buggies, some of them without access to a car, can easily pop down to the Ridgeway along difficult terrain for their post office essentials is simply not on. The queues at the nearest alternative (Plymco on the Ridgeway) are already bad enough at peak times. The bus service that used to run along Underwood to the Ridgeway has now been discontinued. The couple who have run this store for over twenty years offer a warm personal service. For all of these reasons and more, we have decided to fight this decision.

There will be a public meeting, at St. Mary’s village hall on Friday 30^th May at 7.00pm to put our case to post office management. Please come along if you are affected by this closure or wish to support the excellent couple who run this store. If you would be particularly affected by this closure, I would love to hear from you.

The way we change post offices has changed over recent years and many use the Internet to get our car tax and so on. The national PO network is losing money and action is needed, but far greater attempts should be made first to re-introduce business into the system, before the axe is swung. In some cases, the post office should be allowed to die.

But not in Underwood, not when it will be tricky for so many to access alternatives.

Let us show the people who made this decision that they are wrong.

noreply@blogger.com (Nigel) — Thu, 15 May 2008 09:26:00 +0000

TRACK HEAT

My journey back to Devon last Thursday was delayed by 38 minutes. Not in itself all that unusual or life-changing, but the reasons given says a lot about contemporary society. Track heat. It was the first week in May and we had enjoyed 3 sunny days the first for a while. On several occasions the train crawled along at 10 mph and each time the chirpy train manager informed us that this was due to track heat. Apparently Network Rail has imposed a new speed limit during these climatic conditions (sunshine).

Other passengers were as gob-smacked as I was. A bishop stopped by my seat to express his frustration! Sometimes during extreme August droughts I have encountered such a thing, but in early May?

The real enemy is risk aversion. Of course we all want our public services to be conducted safely, but there has to be some commonsense and balance. No doubt a lawyer/risk assessor/ bureaucrat somewhere had issued some advice about train times during hot weather, and to avoid possible litigation, Network Rail management are imposing it to the very letter – irrespective of the impact on customers.

It is by far from the only example of risk aversion that we come across daily. Police officers who do not intervene robustly for fear of investigation; teachers no longer able to hug children in primary school because of possible child abuse claims; doctors who hold back from trusting their instincts to avoid lawsuits.

By far the worst cases of risk aversion come from administrators one step removed from the front line issuing disproportionate instructions to those on the front line. I saw a picture recently of a stone bridge on Dartmoor, on the route of a new cycle path, now flanked by massive fences bolted on either side – totally spoiling its ancient beauty – for health and safety reasons! People have been crossing over this bridge for centuries without harm, but oh no some official at county hall has decided to protect his own back by insisting on a horrific wire mesh barrier.

Compare this with the wonderful day out Jan and I had recently with our two lively grandchildren at Buckfastleigh steam railway. Everything was real, accessible, and the children were allowed to get close up and personal with their Thomas the Tank heroes; the way it used to before Mr Jobs Worth Risk Aversion showed up. And the Fat Controller never once mentioned track heat.

noreply@blogger.com (Nigel) — Thu, 08 May 2008 13:42:00 +0000

PENDULUMS

The pendulum is swinging. I never write about party politics and will not do so today, except to suggest that almost as soon as I was elected to Parliament in 1992 my party’s fortunes plummeted. I am hoping it has nothing to do with me! You will understand therefore that after 15 years of being on the back foot it feels rather better to now be on the front foot. Last weeks results were sweet indeed.

It is crucial in any democracy that the main opposition party has a chance of recapturing power to avoid a one party state. After more than a decade when that was not the case, normal service seems to be being resumed.

But something deeper than a shift in the temporary popularity of any of the political parties is underfoot. Attitudes to key issues in our country have changed in recent months. The pollsters have begun to record this and I have noticed it increasingly in the constituency.

For ten years, maybe twelve, nobody ever complained to me about being over taxed – frustrating but true. Now it is a widespread complaint. The pendulum is swinging. People look at their wage slip and see how much is deducted, do not see the improvements in public services and wonder where the money is going. For most of the last decade, few people complained to me about those who could work but chose not to work. Now this has become once again a real focus (rightly so in my opinion) especially in relation to young people. Why should the rest of us be keeping this small minority of shirkers in booze when they won’t earn or learn for themselves? (Extract from a recent e-mail) Once again the pendulum is swinging. It is moving on law and order, immigration and welfare reform.

The British people are basically a good hearted bunch. With all of the challenges facing us, this is still the best country in the world to live. But after a decade of spending an unprecedented fortune on public services, being very generous and inclusive to all and sundry, the silent majority is moving decisively towards a more robust approach to key political issues.

The party that understands this and encapsulates the genuine public mood shift will reap the electoral rewards and be in power for a generation, until the old pendulum starts to stall and swing back once more.

Maybe it was ever thus.

noreply@blogger.com (Nigel) — Thu, 01 May 2008 13:09:00 +0000

POST CODE LOTTERY

Most of us have cars, but a vibrant bus service is vital to keep our communities alive, and even more so if we are to reduce carbon emissions. In Plymstock the bus service seems worse than the one in Plympton and the only reason seems to be that the bus operator is less efficient. The First Bus Company does not have a great track record in our region, and has made heavy losses. Recent changes to the numbers 5/6 and 7 in Plymstock have gone down like a led balloon.

The system we currently operate is a network of different private bus operators all over the country who exist to run their services to make a profit. Where there are important routes which are uneconomic, the bus company can apply to the local council which may subsidise that route to keep it going for wider social reasons. There are two main problems with this system: first of all some operators are much better than others. The well run operators can make more routes pay than the less efficient and therefore run more services without the need for subsidy. This is definitely the case in the battle between Citybus and First. I have a very small file of complaints about the Plympton service over the years, whereas the Plymstock file has helped to cut down many trees. In rural areas, even the occasional sighting of a bus causes great excitement.

Second, at a time when all councils are under great pressure with their budgets, one of the first things they will look to cut is the bus subsidy which only impacts a minority of their residents. There is not much hope in expecting councils to cough up more support in the near future.

There is no reason why Citybus cannot extend its service fully into Plymstock so that it covers the whole of the city. It could start by bidding for the new high quality bus links to Sherford as and when that contract is put out to tender and then spread out from there. I will be encouraging the management of Citybus to do precisely that. If First respond and start producing a better service, all well and good.

Real competition can help drive standards up for the benefit of all. It is time to bring our post code bus lottery to an end and give a better service for those living in Plymstock.

noreply@blogger.com (Nigel) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 09:42:00 +0000

SCOUTS

Isn’t it amazing that the scout movement has survived into the twenty first century, not just survived but is flourishing. I attended a packed meeting at Ivybridge Community Centre on Sunday to witness hundreds (it seemed) of scouts beavers and cubs renewing their promises in front of each other and their families. They entered proudly in neat formation behind their flags and paraded out again in slightly less order at the end.

Promising to do a good deed every day and to remember your duty to our Queen and to God, how old-fashioned is that? But how wonderful and these young people were sincere in their commitments.

The scout movement, started by one man’s vision over 100 years ago in radically different days – has updated itself; new uniforms, opening its ranks to include girls, embracing some more modern language and rules, but the values and the traditions remain. Respect, duty, kindness, be prepared, the changeless principles roll on.

These young people will always benefit from the truths they learn whilst collecting their badges and singing around the campfire.

In chatting to some of them afterwards, it was obvious how much they enjoyed their involvement. The movement has a robust, healthy innocence about it. We all owe a huge debt of gratitude to the adults who give up their time – stacks of it in many cases – to lead and mould these fine young lives. I gather that there is in some parts of this area a waiting list of young people who wish to join, but not yet enough adult leaders, an opportunity for some of you who know how to light a fire by rubbing your knees together, or whatever they do.

It is easy to lose heart at the state of the world today, all that selfish, superficial, consumer-led stuff that fills our lives. But we need not. I am a great believer in the ability of the human spirit to adapt and overcome. There is still a yearning for traditional values – traditional because they are timeless and they work. And they can still be outworked in a modern context.

We do not need any more law in this country, or more money spent on welfare. How much more would we all benefit from a renewed emphasis at every level of society on the meaningful values that the scout movement embraces.

I was never a scout. On Sunday I began to wish that I had been.

noreply@blogger.com (Nigel) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:09:00 +0000

WATERMARK

It was a joy to open the Watermark building in the centre of Ivybridge this week. This �4.5 million complex, with state of the art library and ICT suite, coffee shop, multi-purpose hall/cinema and start up office units will revitalize this important town. We all know that during the eighties Ivybridge was the fastest growing town in Europe and, shamefully, hundreds of houses were built without putting in place the necessary infrastructure. Now the town council is setting about levering in the facilities that can provide that vital heartbeat at the centre. The Watermark building will be a great success and is well worth a visit.

This experience leads me onto two points. The first is that community facilities, reflecting the wishes of local people, do matter. Chaddlewood is another example of a rapid growth area where too little regard was given to where the people might gather, with the community centre being tagged on almost as an afterthought. The proposed new town at Sherford on the other hand, if it ever does get built, will have most of its infrastructure put in place up front. It is crucial to have places to meet, put on community and cultural events to foster those relationships and shared activities that bind an area together.

Secondly, I congratulate the Ivybridge town council on taking the lead in getting this project built. It was a struggle to find the necessary funding, but other councils all chipped in to get the job done. This is an impressive town council, very rooted in what local people want.

Whatever happens to the future shape of local government in Devon, councils that are close to their people and deliver good services should be allowed to continue. Although, Plympton and Plymstock have now been part of Plymouth council for many years, I am coming to the view that these areas would benefit from a council similar to Ivybridge – with a small budget and some decision making capacity, to make sure that the voice of the community is heard. I am not certain that the existing area committee structure works as well as a full blown parish council would work. There is scope under current law to set up new parish councils, so it is worthy of further thought.

For now, well done the people of Ivybridge for creating such an impressive facility at the heart of the town. May the Watermark go from strength to strength!

noreply@blogger.com (Nigel) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:54:00 +0000

BADGERS

Badgers are noble and attractive creatures, made popular by the enchanting story of the Wind in the Willows, but I strongly support a cull of their numbers in designated areas of the country, especially Devon.

The science now demonstrates that badgers are almost certainly responsible for infecting herds of dairy cattle with bovine tuberculosis. This is the nasty disease that we had virtually eradicated from the UK, but in the last decade we have seen it creep back in. Cases of TB have increased in this region by 18% between 2006 and 2007. I met with a group of local dairy farmers recently and their fear of this killer disease affecting their farms was palpable.

Every few months dairy cows are tested to see whether any in their midst have contracted TB and if there is even one reactor, the whole herd is slaughtered. I remember these occasions from my own childhood and they are full of stress for farmers and cattle alike.

It is easy to recognise the financial devastation this causes to the farmer concerned, but what is less commonly considered is the emotional impact of seeing your life’s work wiped out in a single day. The financial compensation never takes this into account and just imagine how hard it must be to get going again.

TB is an unpleasant experience for badgers as well, infected animals taking a long time to die in pain in the wild. My father, a retired dairy farmer, always puts a simple point to me. Why do the animal rights people think it is OK for cows to be slaughtered, but badgers cannot be touched? If they looked like rats, he says, nobody would bat an eyelid.

Their numbers have grown exponentially in recent years and the rise in over-crowded sets might be why TB is on the march.

After many difficult years, the next decade could be a better time for British farmers as global demand for dairy products, meat and cereals takes off and prices for them begin to rise. We are well placed to meet some of that demand and to underpin our own food security; but only if we can finally overcome the blight of TB.

It is an unpleasant decision to exterminate so many of these fine creatures, but government is about making difficult decisions for the greater good. It is time to cull and give our farmers a chance. What do you think?

noreply@blogger.com (Nigel) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 09:11:00 +0000

EMBRYOLOGY
Pretty soon the Commons will be grappling with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. This will "modernise" the law on what scientists and doctors will be permitted to do in the controversial world of human reproduction.

I currently intend to vote against three measures in particular � but I thought I ought to consult you on this first!

I am nervous about allowing scientists to fuse animal embryos with human ones, the proposal dubbed a Frankenstein measure by some (probably unhelpfully � this debate deserves serious language). Such hybrid creations would only be permitted to exist for 14 days, and experimentation on them could be helpful in pushing forward the battle against disease. Even so I do not believe we should tamper with nature in such a flagrant way. There has recently been significant progress in using adult stem cells for this important research and I would prefer to see this developed rather than specifically creating life, whether hybrid or not, just for experimentation.

Similarly, I am uneasy about the concept of saviour siblings. This is where a second child is created in a way that means he or she will have bone marrow or other tissue that can be used to help an older brother or sister. This is would be good for the sick child already alive, but I am concerned about the future impact on the specially manufactured child. Many people already struggle with their own identity. How would it be to know that you were born or crafted in a certain way to save a sibling? Would not that person always wonder � who would I be if I had just developed naturally in the womb?

Finally, I do not like the proposal to do away with any need of naming a father in the process of conception. With the obvious exception of human tragedy, I am against any process that brings a child into the world, already fatherless. I appreciate that many children grow up in that state, but we should not be designing children in this way. Law is both about practical impact and setting out our framework of values. We can hardly bring pressure to bear on parents of turbulent teenagers on the one hand and sanction fatherlessness at birth on the other.

There are free votes on these issues, although my faith and instincts steer my conscience in this direction in any event. But I am keen to know what you think.

noreply@blogger.com (Nigel) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:25:00 +0000

TEACHERS

This week is a nervous time for many households who will find out whether they have been allocated their first choice of school for their child. I can remember it well first time around and am about to go through it all again, one step removed, with the grandchildren. Most years I also do my best to help a number of constituents battle the system and try and get their loved one into their chosen place of learning.

For busy, committed parents few things are more important than seeing your children settled into a good school. It can set them up for life. It is a weight off your mind. No wonder that being in the catchment area of a top-ranking school can add thousands of pounds to the value of a house.

We are fortunate in this area to have excellent schools at both primary and secondary level. I have not yet visited a school in Plympton, Plymstock or Ivybridge that I would not have been happy to send a child of mine. This cannot be said of every part of Plymouth. Many of our schools are truly outstanding.

What makes a school successful? Leadership from the top is crucial, setting the culture of a nurturing, aspirational but disciplined environment. Then, the ability and commitment of teachers makes all the difference. I do not think we say a huge “thank you” enough to the dedicated teachers we have in this part of the world. When I was preparing for university we used to have an expression: those that can, do – those that can’t, teach. This is utter rubbish and always was. I can still remember the teachers who made an impact on my life: John Lello, Mr Bacon, Miss Prior, Jim Shapter, Terry Townsend. Where would I be without their input, I wonder?

Inspirational teachers are worth their weight in gold. This has become even more true as traditional family structures have broken down over recent decades. With the rise of working mums, kids are spending more time at school and the impact of the school environment that much the greater. For some, responsible and encouraging male teachers are the nearest thing to a positive male role model in their lives.

Teachers have to deal with ever more unruly pupils, top-down initiatives and complex rules. If the next generation turn out OK, which I think it will, we owe today’s teachers a huge debt of gratitude.

noreply@blogger.com (Nigel) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 07:58:00 +0000

UNDERCLASS

What are we going to do about the underclass? Not a very nice phrase, I know, but, in all its harshness, it seems to be the best one on offer.

I refer to the group of people out there who live outside or beneath any norms of behaviour that the majority of us respect. They do not work or pay taxes, they know every trick in the book to cheat the welfare system and they live in chaotic, ever-shifting households. They underachieve at school and then live on the margins of society for the rest of their lives. Alcohol and drugs are commonplace, as is having children in a plethora of short term relationships, then giving these kids no positive input, ensuring that the next generation terrorise the rest of us in the same way.

The leaders of an independent caring charity I met with last week surprised me by saying in effect that their patience was running thin with people who have no intention of living responsibly – looking after a flat or paying rent, but continue to expect the state to fund their disordered lifestyles. They were calling for a more robust approach from government to tackle this kind of welfare dependency. This point of view seems to be spreading amongst many good-hearted professionals who have spent their lives in the support sector. The pendulum is beginning to swing.

We do people no long term favours if we constantly pick up the tabs for them irrespective of how they live. I accept that many of the men and women who live in this netherworld ever had much of a chance in the first place. They never had any love or encouragement when they were small, no positive role models, no framework of stability. I also accept that they are of equal individual value to our creator as I am.

But that does not mean the state can carry on writing a blank cheque. Britain’s escalating underclass eats up the lion’s share of the welfare budget and commits most of our crime.

Apart from better education, zero tolerance and tougher welfare rules, it seems to me that early intervention is the key: to somehow intervene in the generational cycles that perpetuate the problem. It would be highly controversial to pluck more children from these households of chaos and place them with families who can nurture them properly, but is there any other way?

What do you think?

noreply@blogger.com (Nigel) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 14:36:00 +0000

POST OFFICES

In May of this year a battle Royal is set to commence. I refer not to local council elections which will come and go, as usual, without interfering in most people’s lives, but to a fight of a much higher order. In May, the Post Office will be announcing which of Devon’s post offices will be culled in the next instalment of the government’s policy of closing 2,500 around the country. It will be unveiled as a consultation exercise, of course, but do not be fooled. Elsewhere in the country very few branches have escaped closure once initially on the hit list.

The criteria used in this massacre of yet more cherished institutions are: customer numbers, proximity to other branches, financial benefits to Post Office Limited of closure and relative size of the branch. In rural areas, the proximity test will be met if the post office in question is more than 3 miles from the nearest other branch. In suburban areas (and I can think of 3 or 4 branches in Plympton and Plymstock) which may well appear on the kill-list, the distance is one mile.

In many areas it will be the vulnerable who will suffer most, having to relocate elsewhere to draw their pension or buy their stamps or licences. The reason for this closure plan is to save money. This is the same reason why the railway branch lines faced Beeching’s axe in the 1960’s. How short-sighted. What would we give now to have back all of that local railway infrastructure so that we could have small trains chugging from village to town getting carbon heavy cars off the road and keeping our rural areas alive.

What can be done? When the list is announced it is my intention to support every community that organises itself in a campaign to keep its post office open. If you feel yours is under threat, you may want to be thinking about this now. We cannot do much to challenge geography – although we must make sure that the distances are measured in the way humans, not crows, have to travel - but the amount of business conducted over the counter is a crucial factor we can change. If you want to retain your post office as the hub of your community, please use it as often as you can in the next few weeks. Use it or lose it was never a more worrying maxim.

noreply@blogger.com (Nigel) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 08:17:00 +0000

POLYCLINICS

Do you want a polyclinic? It has nothing to do with placing a parrot in the reception of your local doctor.

The government is proposing a shake up in the way our General Practitioners deliver their services so that for many of us we would go to a super-surgery where there might be 25 doctors working in collaboration. The plan is for about 150 of these new clinics spread across the country, serving an area of 50,000 people. So, in theory, we could have one for Plympton and Plymstock. It would be open for private sector companies to come in and set these up.

I can understand the rationale behind getting more doctors together under one roof and being able to offer more specialist services to patients without the need to go to the acute hospital. This would have special advantages for us locally, if we did not have to trek up to the gloomy towers of Derriford. I also understand that things can never stand still and governments are right to consider new ideas.

But I would like to recommend an old maxim: if it ain't broke don't fix it! The one part of the NHS that is working well for most of us is access to GP services. Hospital experience can still be an ordeal, but our GP practices tend to be efficient and friendly. The appointment system can be irritating, and of course mistakes do happen, but given how often my 70,000 constituents visit their doctors, I receive almost no complaints about this aspect of our health service. Most of us can see the same doctor most of the time, so a relationship of trust and knowledge exists. It would be good if surgery times could be a little more flexible, but most of us find a way of accessing when the need arises.

We must not throw the baby out with the bath water. If some go-ahead practices want to join forces with others under the shelter of a polyclinic and feel that they can make it work, perhaps that should be permitted. But nobody should be forced to embrace this change just because it looks good on a Whitehall drawing board.

I am keen to learn what you think about this. Do you feel you have a relationship of trust and knowledge with your local GP, or has that already gone? What do you think of super-surgeries?

Please let me know.

noreply@blogger.com (Nigel) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:10:00 +0000

DEVONPORT

What is the truth about Devonport’s future, the naval base and the dockyard? I simply do not know, but I am worried.

First, the naval base. As our fleet is down-sized (wrongly) it is clear that less concrete waterfront at which to base-port our ships is necessary. The government very nearly decided last year that because of this we only need two bases not three, but bottled out of making such a dramatic decision. Portsmouth is going to be the home of the new aircraft carriers around which all of our fleet is to be organised. Faslane in Scotland is our submarine base. The risk is that the top brass will conclude that Devonport has no separate reason to exist and will order our ships elsewhere. Even if they have not reached that decision now, as the fleet continues to shrink, this decision will be revisited again and again. The hunt to save money in the defence budget will not go away. This makes us vulnerable. If we get a sniff of the frigates being moved to Portsmouth and the Trafalgar class submarines to Faslane, we know the writing is on the wall.

No government minister is going to stand up and say that he has decided to close the navy base. It will be left to wither on the vine until it becomes obvious that it has no future as a naval base.

Second, the dockyard. It is not sustainable on refitting Trident alone. There is less surface ship work to go around and plenty of competition. If the naval base does go, the impact on the yard will be colossal. The fear is of the work load dwindling so that the skills necessary to carry out future work disappear. The yard would not close of course; it would still be used as a storage depot for nuclear waste material. Unacceptable.

But surely, I hear you say, Babcock would not have invested �350 million in the yard if it did not have a glorious future. Why even ask the question when all of the worlds top banks have lost billions in investing unwisely in sub-prime mortgages in the US in recent years.

A senior person in the MOD has flown a kite about the naval base to judge the reaction. We have to respond decisively. The battle is now joined in earnest to secure a long term future for the engine room of our local economy.

noreply@blogger.com (Nigel) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 16:13:00 +0000

BOUNDARIES
Some of you can remember vividly when Plympton RDC was annexed into the city of Plymouth during the early 1970's. Hardly a month goes by without a resident of Plympton or Plymstock grumbling to me about becoming part of the city all those years ago.

But what if it is about to happen to Ivybridge, or Yealmpton or Modbury? Strange as it may seem, such an outcome could well be determined in a new review of Devon's boundaries that the government has just ordered.

It all started last year because Exeter City Council wanted to become a unitary authority in the recent round of local government review. Plymouth and Torbay are both already unitary authorities, but the rest of Devon is run by a county council (schools, social services and roads) and a series of district councils (planning and refuse). The Exeter bid failed because it is too small to run its own show, but rather than just declining the bid, the government ordered a review of the entire shape of Devon governance to see if a better solution could be found.

The pressure on the committee that will make its recommendation to ministers by the end of 2008 is two-fold. First, they have an in-built bias towards a unitary solution (Cornwall is soon to become one single tier council), so the likelihood that they will recommend no change is minuscule. Second, they have been expressly ordered to look at the boundaries of Plymouth and Torbay if necessary to find a Devon wide solution. A larger Plymouth and Torbay, with the rest of the county split into one or more unitaries is the most likely outcome.

There is some logic in expanding Plymouth to take in Langage and Sherford, but a more fundamental outcome, swallowing more rural places into the city boundaries is unattractive. Watch this space.

noreply@blogger.com (Nigel) — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:12:00 +0000

SHARIA LAW
Few things have made me as angry recently as the Archbishop's comments about Sharia law. I have met him and he is a genuine and intelligent man, but he has got this completely and utterly wrong. Instead of suggesting that elements of Islamic law might be drafted into our own law in the future we should be sending the opposite signal: that Sharia law will never be acceptable in any part of the legal system in the United Kingdom, full stop.

I say this for two reasons. First of all, it is crucial, if we are to retain any form of national and social cohesion that we all live under the same law. Naturally now we have devolved institutions in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, sometimes their laws are different from those in England. But if I fly into Glasgow the same law applies to me in that city as any other person in it. That is how it should be. I do not like certain aspects of our drinking and gambling laws, but I cannot claim that certain parts of the law do not apply to me differently because I am a practicing Christian, nor should I. Britain has never been so diverse and even the cultural gaps between old and young have never been greater. But having one law for all, irrespective of race, colour or creed is part of what binds us together.

Second, we have got to stop pandering to minorities, and in this case a minority of a minority. I am pleased to know lots of Muslims. They are delighted to be British citizens and embrace all that westernisation has to offer. They are hard working, committed to their families and ambitious for themselves and their children. They love the freedom this country offers. They would be horrified at the thought of being shackled once again by Sharia law, especially the women. The Muslim community makes up about 3% of British people and of those only a tiny fraction are the religious zealots we see on TV. The vast majority of this group just want to be accepted for what they are: moderate British citizens who want to get on with their lives.

So let us stop bowing and scraping to a few extremists who want to impose their ways on the rest of us. Let there be one law, the same law, for all of us. What do you think?

noreply@blogger.com (Nigel) — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 20:52:00 +0000

MENTORING

Amidst all of the media feeding frenzy about MP's employing family members last week, I was glad to slip into one of the many receptions and events that take place in the mother of Parliaments every day and meet some real people. It was a celebration of the wonderful work done by heroic people all over the country mentoring others, young and old. We heard from those who had been mentored as well as the people, some of them still teenagers themselves, who had been mentoring others.

I met a fifteen year old girl from Plymstock School who was proud to tell me about the impact on her life that her wise mentor, also present, had made. She produced a computer print out (sign of the times) of her behavioural record at school. Three years earlier there was a list as long as your arm of incidents of "disruptive behaviour" and detentions. This had shrivelled to three minor incidents in the current year. This bubbly young lady also told me that as a result of being mentored the relationship with her mother had improved dramatically and that she had lifted her horizons about what she might do with her life.

One meeting a week over a three year period with an experienced woman was all it had taken to bring about this change of heart.

What a powerful testimony of how well placed voluntary effort can make all of the difference to a young life. The state can help organise but does not have the resources to field a team of professional mentors. Besides it is important that the confidante is seen as being on the young person's side.

The mentoring scheme at Plymstock School is organised by Jane Brotherton who told me that they have more pupils suitable for this kind of help than volunteers.

Are you a good listener who has something to offer to the next generation? Can you put all of those excruciating years guiding your own teenagers in the vague direction of normality to good use? If you can help, why not offer your services, or find other avenues for mentoring people whose lives might be changed for ever. Jane would love to hear from you.

In the end, most mentors tell me that they are the ones who benefit most. The rewards of seeing a young life blossom just by listening and offering the occasional word of advice are very real.

noreply@blogger.com (Nigel) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 11:25:00 +0000

LANGAGE POWER STATION

Of the many campaigns I have fought and lost, the Langage power station still rankles. I remain convinced that placing a new gas fired power station right alongside 35,000 people, on the gateway to the moor and rolling beauty of the South Hams was a poor decision by the DTI. Given that they have had to move pylons and dig up half of Devon to install a new pipeline, I feel somewhat vindicated.

However, it is now being built and it is time to accept that it will shortly be part of our daily lives in south west Devon. I was shown around the construction site on Friday. Centrica Plc (British Gas to you and me) are spending �400 million on this ultra-modern complex and currently there are over 500 people working on it � most of them British workers � a number that will rise to a massive 850 this summer. I have never seen so many cranes and tractor type vehicles in my life, with steel and concrete thrusting out of the ground at every turn. It is intended to open the station in late 2008/early 2009. The project is currently running to time and on budget.

Through the constant lobbying of many people, the design has been improved and the foundations lowered so that the impact on all of us locally will be diminished. We will see it from the Deep Lane junction, but probably not from the A38. We won't see it in Plympton until we drive through Langage and I am assured we will not hear or smell it. Time will tell.

It is an impressive feat of engineering. Already the firm are starting to employ the 50 or so people who will run it, several of them local people. I never bought into the idea that we will benefit in our power bills locally, and it seem that we will not. The main benefit will be security of supply.

My primary concern remains the energy park alongside the power station that would attract 2,000 new jobs to the region. This has nothing to do with Centrica, but is owned by Carlton Power Limited. Well, there is a posh sign on the entranceway and some swanky landscaping has been done. But there is not a sign of a building in which these new jobs can be created. Carlton Power - please get a move on. As the economy tightens we need those jobs.