As a result of new Government funding to upgrade cancer detection technology The Royal Berkshire Hospital will receive two new CT scanners with advanced capabilities. This is most welcome news for patients and their families as early diagnosis is vital to saving lives.
The Home Secretary is consulting on giving the police new powers “to arrest and seize the property and vehicles of trespassers who set up unauthorised caravan sites”. The idea is to have something similar in our law to that used in the Republic of Ireland.
The Home Secretary said “The public want their communities protected and for the police to crack down o n trespassers. Our proposals aim to ensure encampments can be challenged and removed as quickly as possible”
As this Parliament struggles its way to a premature close making a further mockery of the Fixed Term Parliaments Act it has decided on one last decision to carry its waning power into the next Parliament. It has decided to persevere with the election of a new Speaker on Monday. Whilst the new Parliament could choose a different Speaker on its first day, this would be unlikely.
The election campaigns of the candidates have not been front page news. On many issues the candidates agree. They all want the role to be less flambuoyant, more referee and less player. They all say they wish to raise standards of behaviour and to show respect for MPs and the institution.
To me the crucial question is how will they wish to redefine the balance in Parliament between allowing strong and telling criticism and investigation of government whilst at the same time allowing a government to govern,
Some reforms of recent years are good and should be kept. More frequent Urgent Questions and topical debates keep Parliament relevant and make governments answer when things are worrying or going wrong. Too many Urgent Questions that are not urgent, have been asked before or are not of wider interest can absorb too much time for no great purpose.
Question Times have been extended informally. The new Speaker should review with interested parties how long Questions should normally last and make arrangements accordingly. Making the PM or Ministers stay long after the appointed time is discourteous to people with busy diaries.
Opening up the House for better public access, and allowing use of Speakers House for charities and other civic institutions has been welcome. The Parliament buildings belong to us all and should serve the wider community.
The more recent constitutional experimentation should stop. Legislation should be proposed by a government, with a Money resolution to show it fits into the budget and Queens consent where needed to show it is compatible with the way the government is using prerogative powers. Parliament rightly has plenty of powers to delay or make difficult the passage of an unwelcome government Bill. It should not create powers to speed through legislation the government opposes on a one day only temporary alliance of MPs against the government.
The next Speaker also needs to come to a view with the Commons on what remedial and improvement works need doing over the next decade to the fabric of the buildings.
Some time ago I raised with Tesco management the issue of sometimes blocked access to one of the four fuel pumps they put into the car park of the Wokingham store.
I am pleased they did put in a new route which gives fair access to all four pumps with an orderly queue which has improved the facility.
I will let you into a well kept secret. Each time Conservatives have cut the top rates of Income Tax or taxes on wealth the rich have paid more tax.
When Margaret Thatcher and Nigel Lawson in budgets cut the top rate of Income Tax from 83% to 40% there were howls of protest from Labour about a loss of revenue and the moral outrage. Instead the better off paid more tax in cash terms. They paid more tax in real terms after allowing for inflation. They paid a bigger percentage of total Income Tax.
How? More rich people came here or stayed here. More kept Income and wealth here to tax. More worked harder to earn more, and more took risks with their money to set up businesses and create more jobs which in turn produced bigger dividends. It was a win win for all.
The same thing happened when George Osborne cut the top rate of tax from 50% to 45%. Lib Dem’s in the Coalition blocked more tax raising rate cuts. With labour they want taxes to penalise success and deter risk taking.
Corbyn’s UK were he to become PM would be a hostile place for business builders, risk takers and hard workers with good earnings. Jealousy is not a good emotion at the best of times. It is a dreadful basis for an economic policy. We need to get tax rates down.Not only will more people be more successful but there will also be more tax revenue for schools and hospitals. Labour’s launch was unusual with its lists of people and roles they want to bash.