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Neophyte Liberal MP - Paul Rowen of Rochdale

Neophyte Liberal MP - Paul Rowen of Rochdale

Councillor Paul Rowen MP, what he does, when and why -
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
 

Paul a

Parking Offences (Decriminalisation) Hansard 31 Oct 2005 : Column 671W

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he has made of the process by which power was transferred from the police to local authorities following the decriminalisation of parking offences; what steps he took to ensure that this was a smooth transition of authority; and if he will make a statement; [22882]

(2) what guidelines he has provided for local authorities to ensure the validity of penalty charge notices since the decriminalisation of parking offences; [23077]

(3) what assessment he has made of the management of parking offences by local authorities since decriminalisation of parking offences; and if he will make a statement. [23078]

Ms Buck: The Road Traffic Act 1991 provides for the decriminalisation of most non-endorseable on-street parking offences in London and allows similar arrangements to be introduced elsewhere. Research for the Department by the Transport Research Laboratory ("Special Parking Areas in London"; "The Special Parking Area in the District of Winchester"; and "The Special Parking Area in Oxford") showed that decriminalised parking enforcement provides local authorities with greater control over their enforcement activity and an enhanced ability to deliver their parking strategies. The Department partly funded the British Parking Association's recent review of decriminalised parking enforcement, which concluded that the existing system works well but that it would benefit from some modifications.

In 1995, the Secretary of State issued detailed guidance for local authorities in England outside of London on applying for, introducing and operating decriminalised parking enforcement. The guidance—local authority circular 1/95—makes clear that local authorities should liaise with the police to ensure a smooth and orderly transfer of responsibilities and that they should, therefore, continue to liaise with the police so that the two systems can operate effectively side-by-side. When applying for the power to enforce parking regulations, authorities have to submit detailed applications to the Department for Transport which need to confirm, among other things, that the authority will review its existing Traffic Regulation Orders, signs and road markings and use suitable documentation—including an appropriate penalty charge notice (PCN)—when enforcing contraventions. The appropriate police authority is asked whether it supports the application.

Circular 1/95 also makes clear that the Government expect authorities to have regard to the minimum or common standards set out in that guidance. The information that must appear on a penalty charge notice is set out in the Road Traffic Act 1991. The Secretary of State's 1/95 guidance provides further suggestions about information that should be provided on penalty charge notices.

The Department is considering options for strengthening the existing system for the civil enforcement of parking contraventions while drafting regulations and guidance under Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2005. We have established an expert working group to help us take this work forward and aim to carry out public consultation in spring 2006.

31 Oct 2005 : Column 672W

Thursday, October 20, 2005
 

PQ to Minister of Education October 18th 2005

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what
schemes have so far been approved for the voluntary aided sector under
the Building Schools for the Future scheme; and what the total value of
these schemes is.18th October 2005.

Jacqui Smith (Minister of State (Schools), Department for Education and Skills) Hansard source


The Government has announced 37 projects in waves 1 to 3 of Building Schools for the Future (BSF), of which 29 have at least one voluntary aided (VA) school within them.
So far 13 project outline business cases have been approved by the Treasury or the Department, and the VA schools that are included in these are listed as follows:

Knowsley Kirby RC; Central RC
Lancashire St. Theodore's RC Burnley
Leeds Corpus Christie RC; New RC High
Leicester English Martyrs; St. Paul's RC
Lewisham Northbrook
Newcastle St. Cuthbert's RC; St. Mary's RC
Solihull The Archbishop Grimshaw RC
Stoke St. Peter's CE; St. Margaret Ward RC;St Thomas More RC; St Joseph's RC
Waltham Forest Holy Family RC

All the BSF projects are currently moving towards procurement, but none have been signed as yet. Funding is not finalised until contracts have been signed, and no details can be released prior to this for commercial reasons.

Which begs the Question ... why does the State support Faith Schools ?

Monday, October 17, 2005
 

Parliamentary Questions to Minister of Transport 10/10/05

Paul has been a busy bee after his brief holiday - Look out for some more PQ's on Human genetics and Education.... meanwhile

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total
investment in quality bus corridors has been in each Passenger
Transport Area in each of the last five years.


Karen Buck (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Transport) Hansard source

The information on investment provided is based on annual returns the Department receives from local transport authorities. It does not hold records on the level of investment in quality bus corridors alone for all Passenger Transport Areas. An authority may have classified investment in quality bus corridors as a bus priority scheme or less likely as a bus infrastructure scheme. The following tables include information provided on both bus priority and bus infrastructure covering the five years of the first local transport plans.

The information on investment provided is based on annual returns the Department receives from local transport authorities. It does not hold records on the level of investment in quality bus corridors alone for all Passenger Transport Areas. An authority may have classified investment in quality bus corridors as a bus priority scheme or less likely as a bus infrastructure scheme. The following tables include information provided on both bus priority and bus infrastructure covering the five years of the first local transport plans.

Bus priority schemes





£000
Passenger Transport
Area
2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06
Greater Manchester 4,743 6,589 6,484 9,099 8,572
Merseyside 697 1,158 69 12 0
West Yorkshire 774 854 1,354 1,530 1,812
South Yorkshire 2,422 4,106 3,680 4,703 5,999
West Midlands 9,598 11,839 19,702 21,945 37,775
Tyne and Wear 590 3,117 12,987 13,590 10,305
Bus infrastructure





£000
Passenger Transport
Area
2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06
Greater Manchester 2,130 826 1,681 1,535 1,395
Merseyside 6,884 6,292 6,462 4,016 5,308
West Yorkshire 1,962 4,664 6,128 6,056 7,295
South Yorkshire 1,568 656 549 2,684 1,377
West Midlands 505 2,656 1,993 3,162 4,381
Tyne and Wear 519 1,281 0 0 0

The figures for 2005–06 are forecast expenditure to the end of this financial year. Other bus related investment is not included in these figures.

----------------

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what the
total additional cost of introducing free travel for pensioners will be
in 200/ 07; (2) what the cost to passenger transport areas will
be for the provision of free travel for pensioners; and if he will make
extra resources available to cover this.


Karen Buck (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Transport) Hansard source

The Government will provide an extra £350 million in 2006–07 which will be sufficient to fund the cost to the concessionary travel authorities, including the passenger transport executives.

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what
progress he has made in considering the Greater Manchester Integrated
Transport Strategy submitted to his Department on 4th April; (2) what
progress has been made in his consideration of the Manchester Metrolink
Phase 2.


Derek Twigg (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Transport) Hansard source
The Integrated Transport Strategy for Greater Manchester incorporates proposals for Metrolink Phase III into a wider package of measures. The Department has had a number of discussions with Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive concerning their strategy and these are continuing.

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria
will be used for the approval of schemes for the Transport Innovation
Scheme


Derek Twigg (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Transport) Hansard source
Information on the objectives and operation of the Transport Innovation fund was published on 5 July 2005 in the paper "The Transport Innovation Fund". This paper outlined the characteristics that successful schemes would meet. More detailed guidance on the operation of the fund, including information on the application and decision making process, will be published by the end of 2005.

 

PQ's to Minister of Education October 11th 2005

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what
her plans are for replacing the Leadership Incentive Grant when it
finishes next year.

Jacqui Smith (Minister of State (Schools), Department for Education and Skills) Hansard source

Ministers have yet to take decisions on the targeting of additional funds through the new Single School Grant from 2006–07 onwards.

Comment
Maybe next time , ask what date the Minister expects to make an announcement on the continuation etc ......

----------------------

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how
many head teachers and senior teachers have completed the National
Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) programme; how many
middle leaders have completed Leading from the Middle; and how many
applicants have failed to complete either NPQH or Leading from the
Middle programmes in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith (Minister of State (Schools), Department for Education and Skills) Hansard source

On the basis of information provided by the National College for School Leadership:

The number of candidates who have completed the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) in the last five years is—2,258 in 2001; 3,183 in 2002; 3,295 in 2003; 3,838 in 2004; and 1,899 (to date) in 2005. Of those who hold NPQH—4,601 are headteachers and 8,657 assistant and deputy headteachers. While we can say how many candidates completed the NPQH in a given year, this will not necessarily be the same year they were appointed to a headteacher or assistant or deputy headteacher post. It is, therefore, only possible to say how many headteachers, and assistant and deputy headteachers currently hold NPQH.

The number of middle leaders who have completed the Leading from the Middle Programme since it was delivered for the first time in September 2003, is 1,978 in Cohort 1 which started in September 2003; 1,965 in Cohort 2 which started in April 2004; and 3,127 in Cohort 3 which started in September 2004. As the programme lasts for 10 months, no information is available so far for the numbers who have completed Cohort 4 which started in April 2004.

The number of applicants who have failed to complete NPQH in each of the last five years is—77 in 2001; 315 in 2002; 332(17%) in 2003; 508((26%) in 2004; and 328 (10.5%)in 2005.

The number of applicants who have failed to complete the Leading from the Middle programme is 175 from Cohort 1; 193( 10%) from Cohort 2; and 124 (4%) from Cohort 3.

Comment
It is difficult to tell what these figures show us, there are many who believe teaching leadership is a fairly pointless exercise. There are many styles of leadership, derived usually from alifetime of experience and many failures and succeses on the way. The training often involves formulaic responses which are rarely useful in real life.



 

PQ to Minister of health

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she intends
to follow the recommendations of the Select Committee on Science and
Technology's Fifth Report and create a new Human Genetics, Fertility
and Tissue Commission.

Jane Kennedy (Minister of State, Department of Health) Hansard source

The Government published their response to the report from the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, "Human Reproductive Technologies and the Law", on 16 August 2005. Copies are available in the Library. Conclusions can be read here

The Government considered whether to establish a single commission with a remit covering the entirety of bioethics issues as part of the Department's review of its arm's length bodies. This was rejected, after careful consideration, on the basis that the present distributed model of advisory bodies with more specific briefs remained the best option as it enables specific bioethical issues to be addressed by dedicated groups with the appropriate expertise and sufficient time to devote to the issue.

...he might also pursue how underepresented ..or even not represented ,are any opportunities for lay people, religious representatives, or alternative views other than those of mainstream embryologists, fertility peddlars and academic reseachers.

Sunday, September 25, 2005
 

Stopping up the Dentist's mouths.

The Rochdale Observer reports the efforts of Paul and young thruster Hobhouse to ensure the success of the proposed NHS contract with dentists. Currently (if you can find an NHS dentist who will treat you and your family) … Under the current NHS system, patients pay 80% of the cost of treatment up to a current maximum of £354.
Dentists receive continuing care payments for each NHS patient on their list. Some dentists are salaried, including those employed by hospitals and community dental services. Last year, average earnings for dentists were around £53,000.

Community dentists, called dental officers, offer treatment to vulnerable groups like the elderly and disabled, currently earn between £25,165 and £41,160. Senior dental officers can earn up to £53,820.

Dentists employed by the new trust based dental services pilots earn around £43,800. (compared with Doctors £56,000 plus various other payments.

Proposed changes will mean an increase in the minimum of the scale for dental officers of 13% at the lowest end of the scale and 9% at the top.

They may also offer certain treatment on a private basis to NHS patients while carrying out NHS treatment.

“Dentistry has reached crisis point” said Paul at this week’s Liberal Democrat party conference and said “ morale among dentists in the town had plummeted to an all-time low” he also lashed out at the government for failing to announce their new contract on time.

The contract, to be introduced next April, it is claimed will allow primary care trusts PCT’s to commission local dental services according to local needs.
Dentists will also be paid for overall level of care rather than each individual treatment carried out.
The British Dental Association however says the Government aren’t listening to them and ignoring their concerns.


Paul undertook a survey among dentists in Rochdale, said:
“I was shocked at the results. It is apparent dentists feel undervalued and look to the private sector to continue their work.This Labour government promised in 1997 and 2001 that anyone who wanted an NHS dentist should receive one. This is another let down.”


“Our children in Rochdale have some of the worst teeth in the country and Tony Blair should hang his head in shame.

Together with Hobhouse, erstwhile Conservative MP, who has had a Damascene conversion to the Liberal democrat cause , proposed that Dentists be paid a flat fee per patient in the practice. Simplistic and meaningless without any sums attached. The basic grievance is , dentists want more pay, and less drudgery. It is often forgotten that dentists die earlier than any other category of worker which is reflected in their pension arrangements.


Lester Ellman, Chair of the BDA's General Dental Practice Committee said on 23rd September in a message to the 18,000 members of the BDA.

“ The Government's proposals for NHS dentistry add up to a wasted opportunity and will do nothing to solve the current problems experienced by many people who struggle to find a dentist. Our message to the Government is that they need to look again at the new contracts which they're offering the profession and take seriously the concerns that are being raised by the BDA.”


He also criticised the chronic underfunding of NHS dentistry, highlighted by the National Audit Office last year which found that spending on the NHS as a whole had increased by 75 per cent since 1990/91 but spending on dentistry had risen by only nine per cent.

He told members that the proposals will not achieve the Government’s original goal of enabling a more preventative approach to dental care.

The proposals will also fail to tackle the excessive workload experienced by dentists working within the current out-of-date NHS system - a situation which the Government claims reforms would address.

This one will run and run,

Wednesday, August 10, 2005
 

No. 1 Let's get this thing started...Ugandan Discussions


Paul is a home grown talent, with wide interests, he has for example through his teaching career had wide experience in Kenya and Uganda, so let's get to know more about him and his political concerns...

Since 1986, the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) of self-styled mystic Joseph Kony, who many consider clinically insane, has carried out merciless attacks across the north of Uganda, ostensibly in an attempt to overthrow the government of President Yoweri Museveni and to have Uganda ruled in accordance with the Biblical Ten Commandments.

For 17 years the Acholi people of northern Uganda have been the victims of a brutal, unrelenting rebel insurgency. . According to recent estimates from the UN World Food Programme (WFP), over 800,000 people in the three northern Ugandan districts of Gulu, Kitgum, and Pader have now been forced from their homes and are living (and being fed) in camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs).

This represents 70 to 80 percent of the entire Acholi population.

The Ugandan army does not recognize the LRA as a bona fide rebel group, denouncing it simply as a terrorist organization. There is some support for this view; the group has been denoted a terrorist organisation by the US government, and has been included on the US State Department's 'Terrorist Exclusion List' since December 2001.(See footnote re pic)

The UN estimates, some 8,400 children have been registered as abducted by the LRA during raids between June 2002 and June 2003. This represents a sharp increase in the level of abductions, and brings to over 20,000 the total number of registered child abductions since 1990. Fewer than 100 children were reported to be abducted during 2001, a period when hopes were high that the conflict was slowly dying out.

Once captured, abducted children are often forced to take part in horrifying initiation practices, including the torture and murder of others. Many other children are forced to watch helplessly the beatings, killings, abductions, rape and murder of other people, who are sometimes their close relatives. Whilst girls are taken as sex slaves by the LRA leaders.

Apart from the Ugandan army's troubled campaign against Kony, there have been some, so far unsuccessful, attempts to bring a peaceful end to the war. These peace initiatives have included a presidential peace team, which was established by Museveni with a view to starting serious negotiations.

It was therefore interesting to see that on the 18th July 2005 Paul Rowen took the opportunity to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs “what assessment he has made of the security situation in northern Uganda.” Ian Pearson was able to tell him that, “ the security situation has deteriorated since the expiry of the cease-fire in February and the onset of the rainy season. The Lord's Resistance Army continue to attack and loot for food and supplies.” Furthermore the Noble Lord Triesman of Tottenham, (David T as was, now adorning benches of the House of Lords and whom many will remember when he was in the Communist Party in the 70’s as a raving Trotskyite) discussed this with President Museveni on 4 July, although he remained silent upon what they discussed and any resulting actions the UK Government might make.


Dorcus Inzikuru won the first world women’s 3,000 metre steeplechase title in Helsinki this week to get Uganda its first gold medal ever in the 22-year history of the World Athletics Championship >>>

It is therefore fascinating to see the interest our MP has in the Dark Continent …which continues to trouble those intent on providing aid …in the case of Uganda, British Aid accounts for half the Government revenues, yet In April, Britain cancelled £5 million out of £40 million in aid to Uganda, and Norway followed suit 10 later, denying Uganda £2.4 million... after the President made slow progress in moving away from a one-party state….To put it into perspective The buildup of the Ugandan external debt under President Musaveni coincided chronologically with the Rwandan and Congolese civil wars which Musaveni was (at the behest of the US) very active.

With the accession of Musaveni to the presidency in 1986, the Ugandan external debt stood at 1.3 billion dollars. With the gush of fresh money, the external debt spiraled overnight, increasing almost threefold to 3.7 billion by 1997. In fact, Uganda had no outstanding debt to the World Bank at the outset of its "economic recovery program". By 1997, it owed almost 2 billion dollars solely to the World Bank.Those anxious to cancel African nation’s indebtedness may well ask, “ Where had the money gone ?”

Of course multiparty politics, was banned when Musaveni came to power in 1986, and the ruling National Resistance Movement has since been the only recognized political group. Internal and international pressure mainly from US , the EU, and Germany for more democracy, have it appears forced his hand and the president now says he supports a return to multi-party politics and a referendum was held on July 29th resulted in a low turnout of 47% (the opposition called, remarkably for a boycott) but a 92.5% majority to restore multi-party politics. But both internal and international pressure for more democracy seem to have forced his hand and the president now says he supports a return to multi-party politics.

The referendum is, Paul Rowen will know, is only partly about democracy. It’s also aimed at enhancing political power, in allowing Musaveni to stand in forthcoming (?) elections next year.

It is interesting and refreshing to see that our MP’s eagle eye and concern for geo-politics resulted in a further Parliamentary question on July 21st, when he asked Kim Howells , Minister for the Midle East “ What progress has been made in negotiations between Pakistan and India on Kashmir and Jammu.” To be told rather gnomically ,” We welcome President Musharraf and Prime Minister Singh's recent declaration that the peace process is "irreversible".

We will take the opportunityt to look at Kashmir and Jammu at some other time....


PICTURE FOOTNOTE Lokeria Aciro recovers at a hospital in northern Uganda. She had her lips and ears cut off by an 11-year-old soldier of the LRA when she and other women left a refugee camp to gather firewood. The other women were taken by the rebels.Photo Ann Orr for more see Los Angeles TimesAug 9th © 2005

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