Letter from Parliament

Jim Dobbin MP

Workers have the right to a decent minimum wage and I am determined that they get it.  To those employers avoiding the minimum wage, the message is clear. Don’t pay it and you’ll pay the penalty.

I’ve spent ten years in Parliament campaigning for a Labour Government to bring in a minimum wage and to keep on increasing it up to £5.35 per hour.  I’ve no intention of letting firms get away with paying illegally low wages in my constituency.  New powers announced in January will mean that employers who refuse to pay up can end up with a criminal record and a £5000 fine. The government’s National Minimum Wage has already made a significant difference in lifting families out of poverty.  Before the national minimum wage was introduced, wages as low as £1.20 an hour were common and legal.  Against all the predictions of the Tories and Liberals, Labour has delivered a rising minimum wage at the same time as achieving the highest employment level ever with 2.4 million more people working since 1997.  If you know someone who isn’t getting what they are owed, make sure they get in touch with my office on 01706 361137 or email dobbinj@parliament.uk.  In addition, statutory annual leave entitlement for over 6 million workers will be increased in two steps rising from 20-24 days on 1 October 2007 (pro-rata for part timers) and from 24-28 days on 1 October 2008.

Resident groups on council estates in England are to be given new powers to apply for ASBOs  (Anti-Social Behaviour Orders) which are used responsibly.

This in my opinion is a good move.

On 22 January, I met with the Chairman and chief Executive of the Institute of Bio-Medical Sciences, my old professional body on which I used to represent  the whole of the North of England on its National council.  We discussed ways in which I should help NHS medical scientists in their professional and educational needs. 
I then met a delegation from Burma who were meeting MPs to seek help with the injustices they are experiencing from the military dictatorship in Burma.  I promised to exert pressure on the Russian and Chinese embassies who may be able to help.

On Tuesday I was appointed by the Whips’ office to a standing committee to examine a government Statistics and Registration Bill.  It means two days this week and next until the bill is agreed.  It then goes to the Commons and the Lords for further scrutiny before becoming law.  This prevented me from taking part in a debate about Greater Manchester Police. This was an opposition debate.  I would have pointed out that in 1997 the budget for policing in 1997 was £315.6 million and will be £498.4 in 2007/8, an increase of £183 million.  Further, that in 2006 there were 1037 more police officers and 714 more support staff than in 1997 and that there were 251 GMP police support officers in 1997 rising to 828 in April this year.  These are large increases and these statistics are mirrored across England and Wales.

Again on Tuesday I met Bill Williams representing the Education Lobby on behalf of Public Sector Workers.  There is real concern about job losses and reduced working conditions and pensions and I promised to take up these issues with the ministers.

In 2005 people in Heywood and Middleton demanded that we take action to help the world’s poorest people.  I was proud to work with Labour members to make sure the wealthy G8 nations promised to double aid, cancel debt for the poorest countries and support basic free education, healthcare and access to Aids treatment. These are the visionary goals of Gordon Brown.  It is also clear that the biggest long term threat that we now face is climate change.  I know from approaches from constituents that this has to be confronted and that the UK should lead by example.  It was good to hear the Prime Minister call for action on climate change at the World Economic Forum in Davos. I agree with him that Africa should be the central beneficiary of any World Trade deal that may soon be agreed.

There is a recognition in the fascinating report by the Health Care Commission which examines complaints about the NHS, that Labour’s investments and reforms have seen waiting lists fall of the scale of complaints. There is little doubt now that by every independent evaluation, there has been a monumental improvement in waiting times overall.  This is the situation in our local NHS hospitals and these improvements will continue.

As I am Chairman of the National Prayer Breakfast in Parliament this year, I was invited to attend the U.S. National Prayer Breakfast in Washington during the week beginning 27 January.  I therefore had to cancel an invitation to Manchester Golf Club’s Burns Supper this year but I have put it in my diary for next year. I shall report back on the Washington trip in my next letter from Westminster.