Letter from Parliament

Jim Dobbin MP

The Prime Minister Gordon Brown has had a dynamic start to his Premiership.

The failed car bomb attempts in Glasgow and London and the severe flooding in Yorkshire followed by further flooding episodes in the Midlands and Wales have tested his strength of character and resolution.

The recent polls have indicated that he has responded with sensitivity and strength as demonstrated by theresults in both by-elections.

The Prime Minister has made a number of interesting and radical statements, some himself and some through members of his cabinet.

He intends to publish around summertime the contents of the Queen's speech in advance of the official ceremony in order that there can now be widespread and informed consultation across each region of the UK. Following this period of deliberation and taking responses into consideration the full and final programme will be set out in the Queen's speech in November.

Among the radical proposals will be a Constitutional Reform Bill. A written constitution may well emerge.

Any manifesto that is taken forward will ensure the strengthening of the security for the British public.

He will reassess the support needed for parents and children with more emphasis on the educational chances of all children.

There will be new focus on the need for more people to get on the housing ladder with a commitment to build three million houses a year by 2020 is a major announcement.

Even although we have a high level of employment there will be more opportunities to achieve full employment and of course the NHS will have the government's attention.

There will be a new Pensions Bill which will ensure security for all pensioners. There will be increased support for all students in higher education.

Local government will be encouraged to play a bigger part in future service provision, something I support having spent 16 years on Rochdale Council.

The new Ministers for each region and the setting up of a Select Committee for MPs in each region will help to direct every agency or organisation within those regions and hold them to account for their performance and delivery.

I must raise the issue of the fortnightly rubbish collection which is proving to be a complete mess. The Communities and Local Government Select Committee has said that some councils including Rochdale have blundered into scrapping weekly rounds and there is no evidence that it has increased recycling. Indeed they highlight Oxford council which has returned to a weekly bin collection because of the levels of fly tipping and an increase in vermin.

The number of complaints in my constituency office is increasing as the bin collection system is presently in chaos throughout Heywood.

The Liberal Democrat led council should use its common sense and re-establish the weekly bin collection and concentrate on increasing recycling levels instead. The people of Heywood are receiving a third class service at present.

The decision by the Senior Clinical Review Panel looking at the reconfiguration of Health Services that will affect the four hospitals that serve my constituents has been delayed slightly to give some further thoughts to the proposals.

I am also concerned at some of the charges that are being imposed on householders without any warning, e.g. charges for trespass on council land. Some people with a gate at the back of their gardens are being billed by the Lib Dem Council for stepping out onto that land. This smells of income generation by stealth. The Lib Dems should investigate why this is happening to people who have lived in these properties for many years. The next thing is we'll be billed for stepping out of our homes onto the pavement.

Following my overnight visit to Rome to agree a joint programme of study with the Italian British Group from Italy, climate change and migration will be at the top of our agenda.

I arrived back at the Commons to host a dinner together with Paul Rowen MP for the Mayor and Mayoress of Rochdale, Councillor Peter Evans and his wife Helen. Councillor Anne Metcalfe and her friend Alan had also been at the Garden Party in the afternoon and joined us for dinner. It was great to have them all in Westminster.

For the last two weeks we have had a school student from one of the South London schools doing work experience in the London office. I am always amazed at the excellent computer skills of young people today.

On Wednesday after enjoying a good performance by Gordon Brown at Prime Minister's Question Time, I was elected chairman of the Channel Islands All Party Group, set up to improve relations between their governments and Parliament.

After the last vote I met up with Mr Christopher Lee-Jones from the local Middleton Brewery as his guest at the All Party Beer Group Dinner, always a well attended event, a group oversees the Pub and Brewing industry legislation.

On Friday 13th (unlucky for me) I was involved in a mugging and had my car stolen in Middleton just before my advice surgery in Middleton Civic Hall. It's an experience I want to forget but I am all too aware that it happens only too frequently and that it could have been much worse. I have to commend the police for their help and support and the staff at Middleton Civic for their kindness.

I had to cancel a number of events that I had intended to go to on the Saturday and I apologise for that. I returned to Westminster on the Sunday having borrowed my son's car.