E-newsletter 28 Oct – 3 Nov

This is a summary of my work for Brighton Pavilion locally and in Parliament last week.  For more information, go to www.carolinelucas.com

NHS demo

On Saturday, I took part in a march and demonstration against NHS cuts and privatisation.  Because of cuts.

Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust is being forced to slash its budget by £30 million this year, next year, and the year after, and I think it’s utterly unfair that patients and the fantastic staff at the Trust are paying the price for the Coalition’s costly and unnecessary restructure of the NHS.

It was great to see so many people taking a stand to call for a genuinely public and decently funded national health service.

You can read more about the demo here:

Addressing pensions unfairness

The Government’s Pensions Bill had its report stage and third reading in the Commons this week.  As it stands, up to 700,000 women born between April 1951 and April 1953 could be at a double disadvantage.  Their state pension age has been raised, but they will not qualify for the new single-tier pension, whereas men of their age will.    This is a major issue for many people in Brighton who are rightly angry at this blatant unfairness and who raised the issue with me.  I tabled an amendment that would allow those affected to choose between the existing and new pension schemes, and spoke in the debate.   Although it didn’t get taken, I’m hoping the issue can be taken up in the Lords.

Of course, this isn’t the only problem with the Government’s changes to state pensions, which will leave many people worse off, and do nothing for existing pensioners on low incomes, so I’ve also been calling for calling for a universal, non-means tested state pension for all, set at the rate of the official poverty line and linked to average earnings.

Energy Market Review

Once again, fuel bills have been the focus of party-political debate, with an announcement from the Energy Secretary that there would be a review of competition in the energy market.   Shockingly, it contained no mention of community renewable energy (like the wonderful Brighton Energy Co-op) nor very much about energy efficiency.  In my response I argued that if the Government were serious about breaking the stranglehold of the Big Six, it would be supporting locally owned renewable energy projects and investing in making our housing stock much more energy efficient.

Environmental Audit Committee

At a particularly lively meeting of the Environmental Audit Committee, Minister Michael Fallon did his best to defend the Government’s energy policy.  We had a long exchange as I tried to pin him down on when a subsidy is not a subsidy (in the context of the Government’s commitment not to give nuclear any public subsidies – a commitment that has been roundly broken with the announcements at Hinkley C).

Support for University Staff

I was happy to visit the picket line and show my support for staff at the Universities of Brighton and Sussex, who went on strike on Thursday after being offered a real terms pay cut after years of pay freezes.  They – and the students who took action to support them – are right to be angry that the Government seems to put such low value on education and those who provide it.

Mass surveillance

I took part in this week’s Westminster Hall debate on mass surveillance.  Because of leaks from whistleblowers like Edward Snowden, and media like the Guardian, we are now aware of the scale of programmes run by the US and UK intelligence services, and that the vast majority of our internet communications are being seized, stored and searched by governments.  I argued on my blog that it’s time to ask fundamental questions about whether security services are behaving in line with their duty to respect our human rights. There was also an amusing moment when MP George Howarth, who was criticising the Guardian, was forced to admit that the Intelligence and Security Committee, on which he sits, didn’t investigate some of the issues until they were raised by the Guardian!

Horsemeat

In an excellent new chapter to her book ‘Not on the Label’, the Guardian journalist Felicity Lawrence has exposed some of what made this year’s horsemeat scandal possible.  After the initial furore, everything has gone rather quiet, yet there are still major questions to be answered – about the role of supermarkets and how much they knew about what they were selling, and about the need for shorter supply chains with more accountability, and for better regulation.    In an article in the Guardian, I’ve called for a public inquiry.

Achievements of Brighton charity recognised

 I was delighted that Brightonian Scott Freeman, who set up local charity Cyber Smile, was awarded the Talk Talk Digital Hero award.  The work on cyber-bullying that Scott and his team do, in Brighton and nationally is absolutely essential, and it’s great that it has been recognised.

In other news

I met with representatives from Sussex Probation to hear about their pioneering work to reduce re-offending rates by offering specialist support to offenders who are identified as having mental health issues, drink or drug problems, or learning difficulties.  I also met with BUAV to discuss animal protection commitments.

 And I had a great time co-hosting the all-party Diwali celebrations in Parliament.

This week

This week, I’m looking forward to a coffee morning organised by the Brighton and Hove Chamber of Commerce to mark Living Wage Week, meeting Sussex colleges at an event in Parliament, taking part in a meeting to raise concerns about the increasing reliance on drone warfare, and joining schoolchildren at Middle St to mark Free School Meals Week.

Contacting me

If you are a local resident and want help with case work or to find out more about my activities locally please contact me at the office of Caroline Lucas MP, Brighton Media Centre 15-17 Middle Street, Brighton BN1 1AL. Tel: 01273 201 130. Email: brightonoffice@parliament.uk

I hold regular surgeries across the constituency. If you want to book an appointment at a forthcoming surgery please call Liz Collis on 01273 201130. She coordinates my constituency office and is able to help with most local enquiries.

If you want to know about my parliamentary work please get in touch at the House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA. Tel: 020 7219 7025. Email: caroline.lucas.mp@parliament.uk