February 2010

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 03:29:40

Monday 1 February - Attended a memorial event for Graham Goddard, the former Deputy Joint General...

January 2010

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 02:32:21

Monday 11 January - Attended a meeting on Social Care with Phil Hope, the Minister for Care Services Vote on the Children, Schools and Families Bill Tuesday 12 January - Attended Westminster Hall debate on Exportable Benefits - Attended a meeting of the Jammu Kashmir Self Determination Movement - Attended the Which? reception and consumer champion award Votes on the Personal Care at Home Bill Wednesday 13 January - Chaired the meeting of the Work and Pensions Select Committee where we took evidence for our report on the Local Housing Allowance, - One-to-one meeting with representatives of Vocalink - Attended the Local Government Association annual reception -...

November 2009 Westminster Diary

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 03:48:12

Monday 2 November - Visited Leeds with the Select Committee where we met a number of senior people in DWP tribunal system to learn more about the DWP appeals system Tuesday 3 November - One-to-one meeting with Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions - Attended a briefing for Yorkshire and Humberside MPs on the NHS’s National Programme for IT Votes on the Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill Wednesday 4 November - Chaired the meeting of the Work and Pensions Select Committee where we took evidence for our one-off report, ‘Working Better: Meeting the changing needs of families,...

October 2009 Westminster Diary

Wed, 30 Nov -0001 12:00:00

Monday 12 October - Return to Westminster Votes on Health Bill Tuesday 13 October - One-to-one meeting with representatives of FourstaR Employment and Skills - Chaired special briefing meeting of the Work and Pensions Select Committee with DWP economists - Attended the launch of the Royal College of Psychiatrists report, “Tackling unjustified age discrimination in mental health services” - Attended a drop-in meeting to mark ‘Advice Week’ - Attended the launch of the National Autistic Society’s “Don’t write me off” campaign - Attended a reception hosted by Scottish Widows launching their 5th annual Women and Pensions report Votes on the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill Wednesday 14 October - Chaired the meeting of the Work and Pensions Select Committee where Yvette Cooper, Secretary...

June 2009 Westminster Diary

Wed, 30 Nov -0001 12:00:00

Monday 1 June - Attended a reception organised by Skillsmart Retail on the theme of ‘Upskilling for Recovery” - Attended the Parliamentary launch of the Friends of Off the Streets and into Work - Attended the launch of the All Party Group for Paediatric Mobility Vote on the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill Tuesday 2 June - Spoke at an Industry and Parliament Trust seminar for civil servants from the Health and Safety Executive on the role of Select Committees - Meeting with representatives of the Royal Bank of Scotland Vote on the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill Wednesday 3 June - Chaired the meeting of the Work and Pensions Select Committee taking evidence as part...

May 2009 Westminster Diary

Wed, 30 Nov -0001 12:00:00

Monday 4 May – Thursday 7th May - Work and Pensions Select Committee visit to Canada looking at their policies on Pensioner Poverty Monday 11 May - Attended the launch of the South Asian Consensus Group Report on treating patients with diabetes from the UK’s South Asian Community Vote on the Equality Bill Tuesday 12 May - One-to-one meeting with James Purnell, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions - Spoke at Westminster Briefing event on the topic of “New demands on Job Seekers: Balancing Rights and responsibilities” - Attended the Mind parliamentary reception Vote on the Finance Bill Wednesday 13 May - Chaired the meeting of the Work and Pensions Select Committee taking evidence as part of our enquiry into Tackling...

April 2009 Westminster Diary

Wed, 30 Nov -0001 12:00:00

Wednesday 1st April - Chaired the meeting of the Work and Pensions Select Committee where we discussed our Equalities Inquiry - Meeting with Bradford MPs and representatives of Westfield to talk about lack of progress on their Bradford development - Recording of piece for the BBC’s Politics Show on ME - Attended RADAR Dialogue Scheme reception and launch of MP Guide on Disability - Supported USDAW’s Parents and Carers Campaign Vote on the Non-Domestic Rating Regulations Thursday 2nd April - Recording of a piece for the Japan Broadcasting Corporation on Welfare Reform in the UK Friday 3rd April – Friday 17th April Out and about in Bradford during House of Commons Easter Recess Monday 20 April - Chaired the meeting of the Work and Pensions Select...

March 2009 Westminster Diary

Wed, 30 Nov -0001 12:00:00

Monday 2nd March - Attended a celebration to mark the successful passage of the Health & Safety Act with Lord McKenzie at the Department for Work and Pensions Vote on the Political Parties and Elections Bill Tuesday 3rd March - Met the Moldovan Ambassador, Natalia Solcan, on behalf of the Work and Pensions Select Committee - Met a group of students from the Challenge College who were visiting parliament - Attended a reception launching ‘Money Skills’ a financial literacy programme for young people developed by West Yorkshire Trading Standards in partnership with Barclays Bank - Met representatives of the PCS union who were lobbying parliament about the Welfare Reform Bill Wednesday 4 March - One-to-one meeting with representative of UCATT - Chaired lunchtime...

February 2009 Westminster Diary

Wed, 30 Nov -0001 12:00:00

Monday 2 February Although I managed to make it into the office in the House of Commons, unfortunately some of my meetings were cancelled because all transport in London was severely affected by the snow. However, the following did go ahead: - Work and Pensions questions in the Chamber - Chaired the meeting of the Work and Pensions Select Committee where we received evidence for our enquiry on the Equality Bill Votes on Liberal Democrat motions on ‘Building out of recession’ and ‘The case for urgent reform of parliament’ Tuesday 3 February Further meetings cancelled because of the snow, but the following went ahead: - Chaired the Westminster Food and Nutrition Forum on the subject of ‘Nutrition and...

January 2009 Westminster Diary

Wed, 30 Nov -0001 12:00:00

Monday 12th January - Attended the launch of the Women’s Budget Group - Attended a meeting to discuss the future of the Social Fund Vote on the Business Rate Supplements Bill Tuesday 13th January - Meeting with Rita Donaghy, Chair of the Inquiry into Construction Safety - Led a delegation to James Purnell arranged by UNITE seeking justice for Turner & Newell employees suffering from Asbestosis - Attended the launch of the Labour Friends of Palestine Vote on the Saving Gateway Accounts Bill Wednesday 14th January - Chaired the meeting of the Work and Pensions Select Committee with the Secretary of State and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development...

Week beginning 21 July 2008

Wed, 30 Nov -0001 12:00:00

Monday 21 July I went with one of my constituents, Majidu Ahmed, to meet Bill Rammell, the Minister for Lifelong Learning, to see what can be done to help Majidu get a place to study medicine at University. He had been offered a place at Imperial College, but the place was withdrawn because of a past spent conviction. Majidu is a very bright, straight ‘A’ student who will make a wonderful doctor. I hope that our meeting with the minister will help move things forward and that Majidu will soon be able to take up his place at medical school. At the final meeting of the Select Committee before the summer...

Week beginning 14 July 2008

Wed, 30 Nov -0001 12:00:00

Monday 14 July My first meeting of the week was with representatives of the British Chambers of Commerce who were interested in my views on the impact of regulation on businesses as well as issues around pensions. I then met the Chief Executive of One Parent Families to talk about the work of her organisation. At the regular meeting of the Select Committee we started going through the final version of our report on Carers. In the evening I went to the Communication Workers Union annual reception which was a well attended event. Tuesday 15 July I spoke at a Department for Work and Pensions training event for people working in their Pensions section where they...

Week beginning 7 July 2008

Wed, 30 Nov -0001 12:00:00

Monday 7 July At our regular meeting, the Work and Pensions Select Committee met the Chief Executive of the Personal Accounts Delivery Authority. Tuesday 8 July I began the day by attending a breakfast meeting organised by Beginnings, a coalition of people from the public, private and voluntary sector who have come together to campaign to help disabled people get into work. In the evening I went to the annual TUC summer reception. Wednesday 9 July The Work and Pensions Select Committee discussed the DWP’s annual report with James Purnell, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. In the afternoon I attended the launch of a report by UCATT (the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and...

Week beginning 30 June

Wed, 30 Nov -0001 12:00:00

Monday 30 June I met with a representative of the CREATE consortium and heard about their proposals for a community allowance. See here for more information. Tuesday 1 July I had a productive meeting with Stephen Timms, the Minister for Employment and Welfare Reform, about the governments targets to reduce child poverty and we discussed possible ways of moving ahead on this vital issue. Wednesday 2 July At its regular meeting the Select Committee met Stephen Timms for a discussion on the new Employment Support Allowance regulations. In the afternoon I met representatives with the End Child Poverty Campaign and pledged my support to their campaign (see news section of my website). I popped in to a reception held by...

Week beginning 23 June

Wed, 30 Nov -0001 12:00:00

Tuesday 24 June I went to an event organised by the National Deaf Children’s Society as part of their Close the Gap campaign. The campaign aims to break down the barriers that are holding deaf children back from achieving their full potential. See here for more details. In the afternoon I attended the launch of the Justice after Acquittal campaign – a campaign that aims to raise awareness and help those families who have experienced an unjust acquittal after a murder trial. Wednesday 25 June The Select Committee met in the morning to discuss its programme for the autumn. In the afternoon I spoke at an event organised by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health on...

Week beginning 16 June

Wed, 30 Nov -0001 12:00:00

Monday 16 June I began the morning with a very useful meeting with someone from the Consumer Council to talk about consumer debt and advice available for those struggling with debt. In the afternoon I met with the National Political Officer of UCATT, the union for construction workers, to talk about the Select Committee’s recent report on Health and Safety. At the regular meeting of the Select Committee, we heard about the work of the Pensions Regulator and the Pension Protection Fund. Tuesday 17 June I attended the launch of a report on Death and Injuries at work published by the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies. The report highlighted the shocking number of people...

Week beginning 9 June

Wed, 30 Nov -0001 12:00:00

Monday 9 June There was a big rally and lobby of Parliament today organised by the TUC called “Speak up for Public Services” The TUC organised the mass rally and lobby of Parliament with thousands of trade unionists working in the public sector coming to Westminster as part of the campaign. I met a number of people who had come down from Bradford, in particular those representing Prospect and the National Union of Teachers, as well as a delegation from the Yorkshire and Humberside Region TUC. They were asking the government to make sure that those working in the public sector did not lose out with below inflation pay increases. Tuesday 10 June In...

Week beginning 2nd June

Wed, 30 Nov -0001 12:00:00

Monday 2 June Arrived back in Westminster after the Whitsun recess. First thing in the afternoon was Work and Pensions Questions where I raised the important question of the disproportionate costs of child care for disabled children with the Minister for Disabled People. I spent the afternoon catching up with the pile of paperwork that had built up whilst I had been away and then went to meet James Purnell, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, to talk about Incapacity Benefit issues. Tuesday 3 June I was one of the keynote speakers at a one-day conference organised by Inside Government on the theme of “A Welfare State Fit for The 21st...

Week beginning 12 May

Wed, 30 Nov -0001 12:00:00

I spent the week in Australia with the Work and Pensions Select Committee as part of our current inquiry into the Government Carers’ Strategy. I arrived in Sydney on Saturday morning (having left London late on Thursday) which meant that I could spend Sunday exploring Sydney and recovering from my jet lag before a busy week of meetings. On Monday 12 May we went to the British Consulate where we met representatives of the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs in the morning. After lunch we went on to meet the Chair of the Taskforce on Care Costs and then the head of Carers NSW. On Tuesday we visited...

Week beginning 5 May 2008

Wed, 30 Nov -0001 12:00:00

Tuesday 6 May On Tuesday afternoon I chaired a round-table discussion organised by Microsoft on “How are innovations in accessible technology bringing benefit to the UK economy and society at large?” One of the issues that came up was the increase in number of over-sixties who use the internet and the work Microsoft is doing to encourage ‘silver-surfers’. In the evening I attended a meeting of backbench Labour MPs where James Purnell, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, talked about his plans for Incapacity Benefit and the Employment Support Allowance. Wednesday 7 May The DWP Select Committee heard more evidence relating to its inquiry into the Government’s Carers Strategy The DWP Select Committee...