Letter from Parliament

Jim Dobbin

It is fair to say that tackling obesity is one of the most significant public and personal health challenges facing our society. The problem is simple; as a nation we eat too much and exercise too little. In England alone nearly ¼  of men and women are now obese, with concerning trends among children signalling a need for a strong and long term strategy. So I was pleased to get details of a new  £372 million plan aimed at tackling obesity and helping everyone to lead healthier lives. 

The 5 key elements are:

1. Healthy growth and development of children.
2. Promoting healthier food choices.
3. Building physical activity into our lives.
4. Creating incentives for better health.
5. Offering personalised advice and support from the health authorities.

Cycling is good for your health and fitness and helps tackle road congestion and improve air quality.  I hope Rochdale Council makes a bid for a slice of the record  £140 million funding the government is investing in cycling.  Local authorities can now apply to become new cycle demonstration towns and receive money to encourage people onto their bikes and offer local children the chance to be trained to cycle safely.  I welcome the government’s massive increase in funding for cycling and working with cycle England, the commitment to encouraging more people onto their bikes, even more safe links for children to cycle to school and the creation of cycle parking spaces. The long delays the suffering Rochdale motorists are experiencing because of roadwork chaos all over town at present could have been reduced had earlier cycling investment been in place.

There is not a single service or development in my constituency which has not been improved by involving local people who are best placed to spot problems and come up with ideas to solve them, whether it is in tackling anti-social behaviour or litter or providing more services at a time people need them.  So I was interested in an announcement this week on Community Contracts giving local people the opportunity to agree deals and written guarantees from their councils.  12 areas across the UK will be piloting the scheme.  These local contracts would be voluntary agreement that allow residents to expect minimum standards and put in place checks on quality of service.  When trams are late for example passengers are entitled to refunds. 

Improving transparency for other public services on a similar scale will not only improve standards but will also increase confidence in local democracy.  This should also help councils, the police, health authorities and local people to work together in tackling the issues that matter, improving their local neighbourhoods and public satisfaction.  These pilot areas are worth watching.

On Saturday 18th I held a surgery at St Paul’s Church Hall in Norden, followed by an extremely busy surgery at Castleton Community Centre.  I am never surprised by the high level of activity in the  Castleton Centre, lots going on, lots of children and parents and the place buzzing.  It’s how a community centre should be used.  Congratulations to the management team.

On Sunday I travelled as a guest of East Lancs Railway from Bury to Rawtenstall via Ramsbottom and then from Heywood Station by bus to Castleton.  It was a worthwhile trip and offered the chance to learn about new developments planned for the future, including the need for more intensive lobbying on the possible extensions from Heywood to Castleton and Manchester Victoria.  I thank the East Lancs Railway company for the opportunity.

I chaired a seminar in Parliament where Lord McKay, former Lord Chancellor and Lord Patten spoke to MPs on, “the need for a father”, one of the issues highlighted in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill at present in the House of Lords.  The bill will be coming to the Commons after the Easter break.  I hope as many people as possible write to the Health Secretary Alan Johnson outlining their revulsion to the idea of human/animal hybrids, their opposition to the manufacture of babies whose organs will be used for spare parts for siblings, argue against the removal of the “need for a father to be named on the birth certificate and press strongly for a National Bio-Ethics Committee to be set up to control scientists.  It is interesting to note that these experiments are all done in the name of a possible breakthrough in finding a cure for the many dreadful diseases that we have struggled to treat over the last few decades.  Oddly the only successes to date with known diseases have been through the use of adult stem cells where over 70 successful outcomes have been found. Scientists however are adamant that they must continue with the use of embryonic stem cells despite their notable lack of cures.

Eighteen thousand police officers marched through London’s Parliament Square on Wednesday 23 January to protest about their pay awards. I attended a meeting with officers from Greater Manchester, some from my own constituency. They were aware of my support for their cause and I do think the Home Secretary should have honoured the arbitration agreement.

I then attended my select committee which lasted over two hours before meeting Julie Sneddon from Middleton who was there in support of a national campaign on bowel cancer.

I was re-elected treasurer of the North West Group of MPs for the ninth year. 

I enjoyed a Burns Supper evening at the invitation of the National Grid.  On Thursday MPs pay was debated and consensus was reached without a vote to accept the 1.9% but with a promise to consider a more independent system for decisions in future years, something I strongly support.

On returning to the constituency I attended another Burns Evening in Salford where Michael Kearns former Head of Sacred Heart School and Manchester Radio DJ entertained the guests.  It was a most enjoyable event. 

On Saturday I completed a speaking engagement at the Manchester Area Co-operative Party in the Castlefield Hotel.  As a Labour Co-op MP I have to do this from time to time.  I presented a research paper prepared by Nigel Lawson and Ian White from Manchester University following the two episodes of flooding in Heywood and Middleton to the Environment and Rural Affairs Committee.  Their Chair Michael Jack MP has acknowledged that the paper offers some unique recommendations for the committee’s consideration.  I look forward to the eventual report.

I left Rochdale on Sunday for another week in Westminster.