Letter from Parliament

Paul Rowen MP

The weeks leading up to Christmas are especially busy for most people including myself. In the last few weeks I’ve attended Christmas Fairs, Carol Concerts and Christmas Parties at a number of places including the Salvation Army, Holy Family, St. Patricks, St Johns, Springhill Hospice, HMP Buckley Hall and the Civic Carol Service.

These are important occasions bringing together Christians of all denominations giving people an opportunity to raise money and remember those people less fortunate than ourselves. To all those involved in organising these events I say a big thank you.

In the run up to Christmas we must also remember those who make our celebrations possible and those emergency services who will continue to work over the Christmas period. These include the postal workers who deliver our mail and the emergency services. On Monday this week I visited the Sorting Office on Ainsworth Street. I have done this every year since I’ve been elected. They do a great job delivering our mail on time. During my visit I met several of the staff, including the hardworking lady who collects the mail in Littleborough. She does a fantastic job alongside our popular Postman on Drake Street Mr Alan Calow and the other hardworking staff.

This week I have also been able to demonstrate how my departmental responsibility for Work and Pensions and my role as a constituency MP can raise issues of importance to all people. Such an issue arose when I was contacted by Chai Patel of Buersil Post Office who told me that the DWP had decided that Pensioners and those receiving benefits could only collect their entitlements for Christmas week on Christmas Eve. In the past these benefits have been paid a week in advance. In this case pensioners would only have three and a half hours on Monday to collect their pension – wholly inadequate!

I wrote to the Minister and worked with Help the Aged, with the result that when I raised the issue with the Prime Minister Gordon Brown a compromise solution was being worked on. It is not ideal and I will continue to work with partners to get a better deal for pensioners and those on benefits. I am pleased to see that our strong action after a complaint received by a Rochdale lad benefited millions across the country.

In the last 10 days I’ve had more mail on the Police Pay rise than anything else since I was elected. There is no doubt that the Police are very upset about the Labour Government’s failure  to honour the arbitration agreement. Few people will remember the reason why arbitration was introduced. In the dying days of the Callaghan Government they failed to agree a pay rise for the Police. Mrs Thatcher when she was elected agreed to binding arbitration in lieu of the police agreeing not to strike. This Labour Government Appears to be going back on this, which is why the Police are so angry.

In the New Year MPs will agree their own pay rise which, like the Police, will be based on comparison with others. How can MPs agree their own pay rise while still rejecting fail pay for the police. I have signed two Motions in Parliament supporting our hardworking Police Officers.

This last week I’ve been involved in two debates in the Chamber. The first was raising the case of Asma Akhtar, a young lady brought up in Rochdale who went on holiday to Pakistan with her husband and four children. Following this he tried to keep both her and the children in Pakistan against her will. I have been working with the courts in the UK and the Pakistan government to enable Asma and the children to return home.

I’ve also spoken and led for the Liberal Democrats on a bill to raise National Insurance contributions. While agreeing with some of the changes I was nevertheless disappointed the earning link with pensions was not restored. I know that many pensioners would benefit from this change and I did raise this as a real concern. I know that Annelise Fellingham is a great campaigner on this issue.

I was delighted this week when my colleague Nick Clegg MP was elected as the new Lib Dem Leader. I have worked with Nick on a number of bills in Parliament and he will be an excellent leader who will lead us to Electoral success across the country just like we enjoy here in Rochdale.

My office closes for the Christmas Festivities until 3 January though we can be contacted in an emergency. I want to give my best wishes to all residents of Rochdale.

Have a very happy and peaceful Christmas.