Work on Local Issues

Health

Arising from a case at the West Middlesex Hospital, I have campaigned widely on MRSA and helped to make hospital cleanliness a national issue. I have also pressed for better hospice funding to help the teminally ill, much of this work has been in support of the Shooting Star Children's Hospice. I have also campaigned for specialised nurses for conditions like Motor Neurone Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's Disease. I also secured a debate on NHS scientists' pay and campaigned successfully for free diabetic pens, for NHS digital hearing aids and better stroke rehabilitation.

Cancer Screening

I have secured several debates and questions to the Prime Minister on cancer screening and treatment. I have also sought the views of women within the constituency for their views on cancer screening. Prompted by the strength of feedback from local women I have secured three parliamentary debates on cancer screening, in particular pressing for early implementation of the new LBC (liquid based cytology) test which will now replace the 'smear' test over the next two years.

Read full cancer screening debate here.

Alzheimer's

The care of those with Alzheimer's and dementia has been a matter of particular importance to me personally. It has also affected a great number of my constituents. Since entering Parliament I have made representations to Ministers and introduced several debates aimed at improving life for those who live with these conditions.

Read my latest Alzheimer's debate here.

Schools

I have secured parliamentary debates and questions to ministers about the shortage of maths and science teachers. I have also been working with schools and colleges - the Adult College; the Tertiary College and St. Mary's University College - to press for improved funding arrangements. I have attempted to get the Greenwich Judgment repealed; (it can stop Councils giving preference to the families of local council tax payers when allocating school places). On a national level I have also campaigned against student tuition and top up fees and for additional university funding. Arising from problems within the consituency schools I have sought to rectify difficulties in the Private Finance Initiative in schools (with the collapse of Jarvis).

Read full maths and science teachers debate here.

Environment

Before becoming your Member of Parliament, I was heavily involved in preparing key reports on the global environment: the Brundtland Report on "sustainable development" and a major international report on Climate Change. Locally, I have strongly supported residents' groups resisting overdevelopment and encroachment on urban green belt land. I also secured a debate in Parliament to seek changes to planning guidance on mobile phone masts. The guidance currently favours the companies and largely ignores health concerns. I have been a strong supporter of local allotment holders and Twickenham bee keepers.

Read full mobile phone masts debate here.

Mogden

Read full Mogden debate here.

Transport

Since the disastrous privatisation of the railways, I have frequently met senior management of South West Trains and questioned ministers in Parliament seeking improved services, greater station safety and faster connections to Central London. I have asked many questions in Parliament regarding night noise and numbers of flights at Heathrow; spoke at the Terminal 5 enquiry; and secured a debate to argue for greater weight for environmental factors in airport policy.

Sign the Lib Dems petition, 'The Battle for Waterloo'

http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/waterloo

Crime

I chaired the All Party Police Group for 5 years and raised many police issues in Parliament such as gun crime, and more recently the "knives destroy lives" campaign with the Victims of Crime Trust based in Twickenham. Through this campaign we hope to bring greater regulation over the carrying of knives. I have also worked extensively on the role of armed officers, and funding of the Metropolitan Police and the Transport Police. I secured the first parliamentary debate on graffiti, demanding it take greater priority by the police and the courts. My debate in parliament on Graffiti and Vandalism has given momentum to a variety of initiatives to curb and clean up graffiti. Richmond Council has doubled its budget for the anti-graffiti hotline to clean up homes. (Tel: 8891 7053). The council is using legal powers to force companies like Railtrack to clean up their property. The local police are more actively pursuing vandals. Over 50 arrests have been made in the last few months. Local magistrates have publicly committed themselves to exemplary sentences. I also launched a probe into Feltham Young Offenders Institution, contributing to less over-crowding and improvements in education and medical treatment.

Fear of Crime

Fear of crime is almost as big a problem as crime itself, I believe it is essential that people feel they are free from fear of crime and anti social behaviour. One of the ways to do this where I have had sucess is through CCTV. Evidence suggests that cameras - CCTV - deter crime. I sought support from the then police minister, Charles Clarke, for a fully monitored CCTV project locally . The council is currently building up a proposal for staff to monitor CCTV. I have persuaded SW Trains to give priority to several local stations for fully monitored CCTV camera systems. This will deter vandalism and graffiti 'artists' and give greater security, especially to women.

Binge Drinking

It don't believe it is excessively puritanical to expect the drinks industry nationally and licenses locally to behave in a more socially responsible manner. After criticising the growth of anti social drinking in Twickenham I have seen evidence of tougher admission policies by bouncers, better use of 2-way radios and more police patrols. There is however simply too much licensed capacity in Twickenham and I have regularly urged the new licensing authority and the council to get to grips with this issue. To help I have encourgaed the introduction of a code of conduct for pubs to try to reduce anti social behaviour which is so often associated with binge drinking.

Post Offices

I fought the closure of post offices, locally and nationally. I have delivered a nationwide petition to 10 Downing Street to alert the Prime Minister to widespread unease at the closures of urban post offices. By closing a third of urban post offices, the government is forcing through changes that even Mrs Thatcher shied away from. When the Post Office announced last year 5 more post office closures I sent out questionaires to those effected and thousands replied, saying they would be adversly effected, these Post Offices however were still closed. I will continue to fight to ensure that Twickenhams remaining Post Offices stay open and the play the necessary and valuable role in the community