Page 41 - Phonebox Magazine November 2007

Out and About with Mark Lancaster
Our local MP
Iconfess I couldn't wait from £30m to just
for Parliament to start again after the summer
recess, so much had been going on. After the Prime Minister’s indecision over whether or not to call an election there really was a ‘back to school’ feel at the start of the month as I joined fellow MPs heading back to Westminster. We must be one of the few countries in the world where for 18 weeks of the year Parliamentarians are unable to hold the Government to account simply because of ‘Recess’, I'm now firmly of the opinion that the time has come for shorter ‘recesses’ and I never thought I'd hear myself say that!
Prime Minister's Questions
The now famous first Prime Ministers Questions after the Summer break was one of the most remarkable experiences of my Parliamentary career, whilst I did not actually ask a question, I had to keep pinching myself to check that I was really there. The atmosphere was electric and the noise simply unbelievable, I realised just what an honour it was to have a second row seat watching the remarkable exchange between David Cameron and Gordon Brown and it will be an experience that I will remember for a very long time, almost a month on and it is still the talk of the members tea room!
Schools Funding
I am rarely political in this column but one thing has happened this month that has
£10m over the next
three years. Having
campaigned long and
hard for 'I before E' or
'Infrastructure before
Expansion', I simply do
not understand why, as
we are expected to
construct thousands of
new homes, the
government have
effectively removed the
ability to build the new
schools that we
desperately need
alongside them. With
seven new schools
already identified as
being required in the next few years, all things being equal, this cut means that four of them may not now be built. Frankly this is idiotic and as some of you may have both read in the local papers and heard on national and local radio I have already been very vocal in Parliament about it. It is an incredibly short-sighted move and I can only pledge to fight the government all the way over this absurd decision.
Okay rant over, back to the constituency.
Milton Keynes Relate
I confess I knew very little about Relate, but the ‘marriage guidance council’ of the 1980s
has come a very long way since then and it was a pleasure to be able to go and see the excellent work that it does, not only in the traditional area of relationship counselling but also the extensive work that it does with younger people. Often the biggest barrier seems to be people plucking up the courage to contact the organisation in the first place, so I
recommend that
of chats over the phone, should ring 01908 310010, don't be shy!
Nampak – Newport Pagnell
Along with my pledge to visit every school in the constituency, I've also been trying to visit as many businesses as well. I'm a firm believer that local business should be the driver for growth here in Milton Keynes and not artificial housing targets. Because of this I do whatever I can to keep our local businesses on side and keen to stay here in MK. My visit to Nampak was a real eye opener, I've never seen so many plastic milk containers in my life, literally millions and millions being produced every week in one of Europe's most high-tech lines here in Newport Pagnell. An amazing place, I was particularly impressed with the work it was doing on the recycling agenda, minimising waste and doing its bit for the environment, an example to all of us.
Milton Keynes Hospital
Finally, my congratulations to Milton Keynes hospital on securing foundation status, this really is good news. It is something that I have been campaigning for now for several years as it allows the hospital to have greater local control over its own finances rather than being subjected to over rigid central government control, great news and hopefully we will all get to see the benefits soon! K
An end to new schools in MK?
made me so angry that I am determined to tell as many people as I can about it; the devastating news that the government has slashed Milton Keynes' new school budget
anybody experiencing difficulties does exactly that as a more
professional, friendly and relaxing staff you could not hope to find. Anybody who does want to get in contact, even for the briefest
We love to hear from you! Send your news and views to: Phonebox Magazine Unit 2 Stanley Court, Olney, Bucks MK46 5NH or email yvonne@olney.co.uk To advertise please phone 01234 713298
Mark at Relate.
Phonebox Magazine 41
CONTACT INFORMATION
Mark Lancaster TD MP, 13a High Street, Newport Pagnell, Bucks MK16 8AR
Tel: 01908 615757 Fax: 01908 618433