Letter from Parliament

Paul Rowen MP

When I visit schools, colleges or various groups, I’m often asked what it is like to be MP for Rochdale and how it is different from being Leader of the Council. The first thing I say is that the job can be what you make it. It is a huge privilege and honour to represent my hometown at Westminster and during the last two and a half years I’ve championed both individuals and causes that I thought would make Rochdale and our country a better place. I’m not daft or arrogant enough to say that I’ve done everything on my own – it’s been a team effort.

Two issues I was heavily involved in while Council Leader have been Metrolink and asbestos contamination. Prior to the 2005 election the government scrapped four light rail schemes – Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Leeds, and Hampshire. Of these only Greater Manchester has had its funding restored and work starts on the Rochdale / Oldham loop line next year. I spoke about it in my maiden speech and the Speaker was very kind enough to grant me an adjournment debate on light rail and I set up the All Party Light Rail group. All this pressure resulted in Alistair Darling being forced to restore our money – alone of all light rail schemes! This year we are taking the message to all three party conferences with a fringe meeting on Light Rail and this week the Department of Transport announced a 9% increase in the number of passengers using Light Rail.

Rochdale is the home to what was the world’s largest of asbestos factory – Turners. In its heyday thousands were employed at the factory. However that industrial legacy has now come to haunt us in the guise of a massive polluted industrial site, workers suffering Mesothelioma and Asbestosis and concerns about the Pensions of former workers at the factory. Again I worked with Jason Addy and the Spodden Valley Group to highlight the issue with an adjournment debate, several EDMs [Early Day Motions] and meetings with Ministers and lobby groups. As a result Government have now agreed to produce new guidance on safe levels of asbestos in soil. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence have agreed to make Alimta available for mesothelioma victims and compensation for victims and their families will become statutory when a bill which I’m now sitting on becomes law in a couple of weeks time.

As a member of the Public Administration Select Committee, I’ve backed the Parliamentary Ombudsman in her battle with the Government on Pension’s misspelling. We’ve secured important concessions from the Government on this vital issue that affects us all. Post Code lotteries pervade Government working and when I discovered that pensioners in different parts of the town were not getting cold weather payments because the temperature was being determined from a weather station in Cheshire. I successfully lobbied the metrological services and got them to agree that the temperature would be taken from Bingley, Bradford for everybody.

I worked closely with the emergency services including successfully lobbying the Government for an additional grant for the fire services to employ people to fit smoke alarms free in homes. This followed the very tragic fire in Sparth Bottoms. I’ve continued to liase with the Coroner and police for the family.

When cuts resulting in the loss of over 200 police officers for GMP were announced I worked with my other two Lib Dem MPs for Greater Manchester to secure an adjournment debate on this vital issue. With greater cuts threatened this year this remains a very concerning issue.

When it was announced that cricket was going from terrestrial TV I lobbied and secured an agreement that before the next contract is let, the department for Culture, Media and Sport will bring the issue before Parliament.

I’ve lobbied for the funds for our new Six Form College, Town Centre regeneration and additional investment in our buses, trains and bus and rail stations.

I’ve dealt with over two and a half thousand individual cases and asked over 100 questions on issues as diverse as funding for British Waterways, use of organophosphates in sheep dip to penalties for uninsured drivers. All this and I’ve not mentioned Health or our hospital!

It has been a busy and exciting time – things achieved but much to do. I’m getting on with the job and will leave others to carp!