PARLIAMENTARY REPORT By Rt Hon Desmond Swayne TD MP New Forest West

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Winfred Poole
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1 PARLIAMENTARY REPORT By Rt Hon Desmond Swayne TD MP New Forest West At the Ringwood Conservative Club on Friday 27 th April I set out the Government s achievements consistent with Conservative Values in its first Parliamentary session which ended on 1 May 2012, In defining Conservative Values I have chosen the 7 externally focused values in Built to Last which was the document produced by the Party in 2006 which set out our vision and our aims. Uniquely, this document was voted on by rank-and-file Party members and approved by them: just under 93% of those who voted approved it. It is a good way therefore, of showing to those party members who believe either that we have been forced away from our core values by the Coalition or that we have simply drifted, that we are delivering against the values they voted for. Several members present asked that this be made available on the Association Website and be circulated with the monthly activist . To encourage enterprise in all its forms in the economy and in the community in order to raise living standards and the quality of life for all. The economy and business The Chancellor has set out plans in the Emergency Budget, Spending Review, and two annual budgets which have restored Britain s financial credibility and kept our AAA rating to the benefit of family and business budgets. To encourage growth corporation tax will be 23 per cent by To ensure that this is not a net tax cut for banks, the bank levy rate will be adjusted next year to offset its effect for those institutions. The Government is putting the Bank of England back in charge, and is implementing the recommendations of the Independent Commission on Banking with the aim of improving financial stability and competition. Created the independent Office for Budget Responsibility providing full and transparent forecasts on the public finances. 2 billion has been made available to viable small companies through the Enterprise Finance Guarantee over the next four years. The Chancellor has announced a new National Loan Guarantee Scheme, which will allow banks to raise up to 20bn of funding to lend directly to smaller businesses at a lower cost than would otherwise be the case. A new Office of Tax Simplification has been established to help simplify the tax system. The Government has created 400,000 work pairing, apprenticeship, college and training places over two years and invested in over 100,000 apprenticeships and 100,000 work placements over the next year. A 200 million investment in a network of elite Technology and Innovation Centres has been announced to drive growth in high-tech industries. The Government is bringing superfast broadband to all parts of the UK and creating the best broadband network in Europe by The Government has introduced the New Enterprise Allowance to support would-be entrepreneurs. Ministers have abolished Labour s fuel escalator, cut fuel duty by 1 penny last year, scrapped January s rise and introduced a fair fuel stabiliser. Had it not done so a litre of fuel would be 10p dearer nest month than will be the case Infrastructure

2 This is the first Government to have a national infrastructure plan. The Government is working towards a new system of HGV road user charging to ensure a fairer arrangement for UK hauliers. We are delivering on our promise to reform the railways. There is 14 billion of funding for Network Rail to support maintenance and investment. 1 billion has been given to fund the electrification of the Great Western main line providing a quicker, greener rail service to Wales and the South West. The Government has confirmed the route for the High Speed 2 line from London to Birmingham and eventually beyond. Ministers are supporting Crossrail, the East to West London railway line. To fight social injustice and help the most disadvantaged by building a strong society. Benefits and welfare The Government is introducing the Universal Credit which will replace the current complex system of means-tested benefit, meaning it will pay to go into work, rather than stay on benefits. It has introduced a cap on the amount of benefits which can be paid to a household. The Government has confirmed that it will remove the Default Retirement Age so that people have more choice about when to stop working. The Government is reassessing all current claimants to Incapacity Benefits. The Government has introduced regulations so that jobseekers will be given training to gain new skills or face having their benefits stopped if they refuse the offer of help. The Work Programme will harness the expertise of private and third sector specialists to provide personalised support for those with the greatest barriers to employment including the long term unemployed and disabled. The child element of the Child Tax Credit will be increased by 30 above indexation in We have established a Poverty Impact Fund to. support innovative and effective groups who do not currently qualify for Government funding. Pensions The earnings link to pensions has been re-introduced along with a triple lock to guarantee rises in the Basic State Pension of the higher of earnings, prices or 2.5 per cent. The Government has confirmed that it will keep universal benefits for pensioners. The Warm Homes Discount, launched in April, will give the most vulnerable pensioners automatic annual rebates of at least 120 off their electricity bills. The Government reformed the Civil service compensation scheme to giving extra protection to the lower paid, while limiting payments for higher earners. Legal aid The 2 billion plus system of legal aid is being overhauled, so that it is targeted at those who need it most, in the most serious cases, as well as providing value for money to the taxpayer. To meet the great environmental threats of the age, to enhance the environment and to increase general well-being. The Government has taken forward implementing the findings of the Pitt Review on flood management, including implementing the Flood and Water Management Act As part of the Energy Act every household in the UK will be offered energy efficiency improvements at no upfront cost. Whitehall carbon emissions reduced by nearly 14 per cent, saving over 100,000 tonnes of CO2 and 13 million in energy bills. Electricity Market Reform provides a floor price for carbon and will deliver the right climate for investment in low-carbon energy production. We have pledged 400 million funding to support low carbon and electric vehicles.

3 We have introduced legislation to increase gas storage capacity to guarantee supplies throughout the year in the Energy Act. To provide first-class healthcare, education and housing that respond to the needs of each individual. Healthcare The Government has reformed the healthcare to provide it with long term stability to meet the challenges of an older population and new drug treatments. 4,200 new health visitor positions are being created with a new improved training programme to benefit thousands of families. The number of midwives is the largest ever. The Government is delivering real-term increases in the NHS budget of 12.5 billion extra every year by The Government is making 400 million available through the NHS over the next four years to support carers breaks. There are now nearly 4,000 more doctors and over 15,000 fewer managers working in the NHS since the Election. The reforms have already delivered efficiencies billion of savings last year and 2.5 billion in the first half of this year. The Government s 650 million Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) means that patients can get access to the cancer drugs they need. This fund has helped over 10,000 patients already. 3.2 million is being invested to improve and expand Sexual Assault Referral Centres to help the victims of rape and domestic violence. ContactPoint, a database which held information on all the children in Britain, was switched off in August Three dentistry contract models are being piloted in 50 to 60 areas around the country. 400 million to extend access to psychological therapies. Education All schools can convert into Academies and new free schools. We enabled the creation of a worldclass school system where every parent has access to a good school and all pupils receive a high standard of education. Schools have the freedoms and flexibilities to continue to drive up standards. 2.5 billion has been pledged towards a pupil premium, on top of the schools budget, to provide additional money for disadvantaged children and encourage good schools to take on pupils from poorer backgrounds. The Government has brought all funding for early intervention and parenting support into one budget, the Early Intervention Grant. 2,222 million ( ) and 2,365 million ( ) is being allocated to local authorities in England. The Education Act includes measures to tackle discipline. It makes it easier for teachers to deal with violent incidents and remove disruptive pupils or items from the classroom. The Government has introduced a progressive funding system for Universities that protects graduates on lower incomes and gives universities more incentives to be more student-focused in their approach. The Government used funding from the University Modernisation Fund to provide 10,000 additional university places. Housing A comprehensive Housing Strategy including reenergising the Right to Buy scheme New rights in the Localism Act to allow communities to develop local housing The Government has scrapped Home Information Packs to help the housing market. New Homes Bonus scheme has been introduced, which will match fund the additional council tax potential from increases in effective housing, with an additional amount for affordable homes, for the following six years. The Government is to make 250 million available for a new First Buy scheme to help first time buyers who are struggling to purchase a new home, due to requirements for a large deposit.

4 To take a lead in ending global poverty. Fighting global poverty is a moral obligation a priority, not an afterthought. Aid The Government has ended aid to countries like Russia and China and are refocusing funds on countries most in need. The Government has introduced a new aid transparency guarantee so people can monitor how aid is spent, set up an independent aid watchdog to scrutinise aid spending and demanded that international organisations receiving UK taxpayers money become more transparent. The Government has set out a firm budget to achieve, by 2013, the UN target of spending 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income as aid. The Government launched a MyAid Fund, as set out in the manifesto, to give British people a direct say on aid spending. The scheme matches, pound for pound, donations that the public give to charity appeals focussed on international development causes. To protect the country we love: proud of our past; confident in our future. Immigration Economic migration from outside the EU has been capped, student visas reformed to tackle abuse and automatic settlement is being prevented. There are compulsory English language tests and tough new rules for family visas. There has been a crackdown on sham marriages and a new English language requirement for people coming to the UK on spouse and partner visas has also been introduced. Europe The Government has vetoed an EU treaty, said no to the euro and changed the law so that no new power can be passed from Westminster to Brussels without a referendum. Military strategy The Government established a National Security Council and appointed the country s first National Security Adviser in May The Government will maintain a continuous submarine-based deterrent and begin the work of replacing existing submarines and Trident. Our strategy on Afghanistan has been clarified, setting out our determination that we will succeed in creating a stable Afghanistan and that there will not be British troops in a combat role in Afghanistan by The Strategic Defence and Security Review published. The first strategic defence and security review has taken place in 12 years. This will ensure our mission in Afghanistan is protected and that we emerge with a coherent defence capability in Armed forces The Government has published The Armed Forces Covenant and enshrined it in law. This sets out a range of measures across Government on how we will rebuild the covenant Specific measures include doubling the Operational Allowance will be doubled and backdated to 6 May 2010; providing extra support for veteran mental health needs; a Pupil Premium for Service children, and an additional fund of 3m per year to support state schools catering for significant numbers of Service children including children of Reservists. A new Troops for Teachers programme has been created, to recruit ex-service personnel into the teaching profession. The police and domestic crime

5 The Government has overhauled the Licensing Act to give local authorities and the police much stronger powers to remove licences from, or refuse to grant licences to, any premises that are causing problems and to tackle under-age drinking. The Government is tackling gang crime and knife crime. It has created a new offence of aggravated knife possession, with a mandatory prison sentence of at least six months for adults and 16 and 17 year olds will face a mandatory four month Detention and Training Order. The Government has reduced the amount of paperwork that the police have to deal with. It has returned charging discretion to the police for minor offences. It has legislated to replace the existing, invisible and unaccountable police authorities and make the police accountable to a directly-elected individual who will set policing priorities for local communities. The Cabinet Office is running pilots for National Citizen Service, involving 30,000 young people. The Government has implemented the Prisoner Earnings Act so that up to 1 million a year can be seized from prisoners pay packets and used to fund victim support services. Making Government & Parliament work better The Government has published and updated departmental business plans. Details of senior Civil Servants and senior staff in quangos with salaries over 150,000 which come out of the public purse are now published on a regular basis. The Government has taken the unprecedented step of publishing the Combined Online Information System (COINS) database so everyone can see what is spent where. We have passed the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act which will see the House of Commons reduced by 50 seats to 600. The Government has published plans to implement Individual Electoral Registration (IER). The draft legislation and White paper on IER set out in detail the proposed new system of registration. The Public Sector Transparency Board has been set up in the Cabinet Office to help embed the transparency agenda across government as a core part of all governmental business. The Government has passed the Scotland Act through the House of Commons which gives greater financial responsibility to the Scottish Government, which will give it greater financial accountability. The Government are publishing public accounts online so that people can scrutinise them and help to identify overspending. The Government are making as much public sector data as possible freely available to people. To give power to people and communities, and to recognise the limitations of government. Local Government The Government has scrapped a council tax revaluation, is helping freeze council tax for two years, and via the Localism Act, will allow residents to veto excessive rises in the future. Local Authority pay policies must be open to public scrutiny with senior pay packets put to a full council vote. The Government has changed the planning rules to give councils new powers to prevent unwanted garden grabbing by taking gardens out of the brownfield category that includes derelict factories and disused railway sidings. Reforms of the planning system give local communities rights. National Planning has been simplified. Central Government The Civil service has been reduced to its smallest size since the war. The Government has produced the largest shake-up of quangos in a generation including Regional Development Agencies. The Government has committed to setting up a Big Society Bank to give social enterprises, charities and voluntary organisations access to greater resources. The Office for Civil Society is working across government departments to support voluntary organisations and is delivering a number of key Big Society programmes.

6 Over the lifetime of this parliament, the Community Organisers programme will identify, train and support 5,000 people who want to make a difference to their community. The organisers will have strong understanding of local needs and will catalyse social action.

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