News Bulletin from Greg Hands M.P. #303

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  • 8/6/2019 News Bulletin from Greg Hands M.P. #303

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    Subject: NewsBulletinfromGregHandsM.P.#303

    Date: Friday,1July201112:34:08UnitedKingdomTime

    From: GregHandsM.P.

    To: [email protected]

    In this edition:

    Greg Hands M.P.s DiaryWebsite of the Week:District Line ConsultationLabour refuse to backcampaign to stop SuperSewer threat

    Photo news:Wandsworth BridgeRoad Summer FairHands urges Fulhamresidents to speak up forextra Wimbledon BranchtrainsHands joins campaigners inDowning Street to saveRoyal BromptonPhoto news:Queens Club GardensSummer Garden Party

    Greg Hands MP speech onthe anniversary ofthe birth of Solidarityin PolandPhoto news:Royal Borough ofKensington & ChelseaCivic Service 2011K&C Council partnerswith Bloomsbury topromote library usePhoto news:Redcliffe Ward SummerGarden PartyK&C Leader elected aschairman of the LocalGovernment AssociationHands in Parliament:Hands on escalatingcost of Super SewerHands in Parliament:PM agrees with Handson Euro stress tests

    Hands in the papers:Hope for Royal BromptoncampaignersHands in the papers:F1 chiefs girl mustrevise 56m housemakeover brandedbotox architectureHow to contactGreg Hands M.P.

    Issue 303 Friday 1st July 2011

    Since the last edition, Greg:

    Handed in a petition at 10, Downing Street, withcampaigners, calling for child surgery at the RoyalBrompton Hospital (Chelsea) to be spared, currentlythreatened by an internal NHS review. See photo and pressreport below.

    Addressed a celebration of the work of the Polish Solidarity

    trade union, and its key role in ending Communist rule inPoland. For photo and Gregs speech, see below.

    Attended the 175th anniversary celebrations of St JohnsWalham GreenCE Primary School, with mass led by theBishop of London, Rt Hon Rt Rev Richard Chartres,including a presentation to retiring Headmistress PaulineMorazgalska.

    Attended the Kensington & Chelsea civic service at StMary Abbot Church, Knesington, with new mayor Cllr JulieMills.

    With the Mayor, Cllr Frances Stainton, opened theWandsworth Bridge Road summer fair. (see photo).

    Attended the summer fete of Lady Margaret School,Parsons Green.

    Attended a Redcliffe Ward Conservatives event inChelsea, with guest speaker Justine Greening MP.

    Took questions from representatives of the Hammersmith &Fulham Borough Youth Forum at a meeting inHammersmith Town Hall.

    Attended the Hurlingham Clubs summer garden party as aguest of the Chairman.

    Welcomed Bill Browder, founder of Hermitage Capital, to theHouse of Commons. Bill is spearheading the campaign to

    seek justice for murdered Russian lawyerSergei Magnitsky. Attended the Sulivan School summer fete, Fulham. Was joined for a day by Russian MP Grigory Fandeev,

    through the John Smith Memorial Trust. Greg is a patronof the Trust, which was set up in memory of former Labourleader, and brings up-and-coming politicians and otherleaders from the ex-USSR to Britain to learn about ourdemocratic system.

    Attended the summer garden party of the Queens ClubGardens Residents Association, W14.

    Met representatives of Goldman Sachs in Parliament todiscuss issues surrounding EU regulation of financial

    services. Met the new headmaster of the ARK Conway Primary

    Academy, Damian McBeath. The new school will open inShepherds Bush in September.

    Attended the St Johns Walham GreenCE School summerfair.

    Ran a surgery for residents of Chelsea and Fulham atFulham Town Hall. Gregs surgeries are generally everyMonday, at either Fulham Town Hall or Peter Jones, SloaneSquare. To make an appointment, call 020 7219 5448 orreply to this bulletin.

    Website of the Week:

    District Line Consultation

    The consultation website for improvements to the WimbledonBranch of the District Line. For extra rush hour trains, make

    sure you have your say here before 15th July 2011.

    Labour refuse to back campaignto stop Super Sewer threatConservatives continue fightfor residents

    Greg Hands M.P. with Cllr Steve Hamilton supporting RATS,the Fulham campaign against the Super Sewer.

    In an extraordinary move this week, Labour Party Councillors inHammersmith & Fulham refused to vote in favour of challengingThames Water's proposals to turn Sands End into an eight yearconstruction site.Whilst Conservative Sands End Councillors delivered speechesattacking Thames Water's proposed use of Carnwath Road as adecade long construction site, as well as pointing out the flaws in thescheme that will not solve problems of overflows or local flooding,

    Labour politicians seemed to act as spokesmen for Thames Water.Not only did they ask the council to support the 'Super Sewer'project in principle, to the shock of Sands End residents in the publicgallery they then refused to vote to back the ConservativeAdministration in fighting Thames Water's plans.You can read Sands End Councillor Steve Hamilton's speech to theCouncil here and Cllr Ali de Lisle's here.Whilst Labour are playing politics, Greg Hands M.P. has been busystanding up for Sands End residents. This week he questionedEnvironment Minister Richard Benyon in the House of Commons onthe ever rising cost of the Thames Tideway Tunnel scheme.

    Currently estimated to be 3.6 billion, the 'Super Sewer' will costevery Thames Water bill payer 65 a year. Greg was assured thatthe cost of any scheme to meet the European Union's instructions toBritain on the treatment of waste water was at the forefront ofdiscussions with Thames Water.Greg, along with Hammersmith & Fulham Conservative Council hasabsolutely opposed to Carnwath Road being used as a constructionsite for Thames Water's scheme and are backing local residentsaction group RATS (Residents Against Thames Sewer). If youhaven't already signed their petition to save Carnwath Road and theSands End area, you can do sohere: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stop-the-stink/ .

    Photo news:Wandsworth Bridge Road Summer Fair

    Greg Hands M.P. with H&F Mayor Cllr Frances Stainton,opening the Wandsworth Bridge Road summer fair.

    Hands urges Fulhamresidents to speak up for extraWimbledon Branch trainsAs reported in this bulletin in April, Transport for London areproposing to make the morning commute for Fulham residentseasier, with five extra trains on the Wimbledon Branch.The extra trains will be a welcome relief for Wimbledon Branchusers, who will also see increased reliability of services, with 24 percent more capacity on the line through the withdrawal of the under-used Olympia to Earls Court service, which many commuters havetagged 'the ghost train'.The Olympia service, which accounts for 10 per cent of trainscoming into Earls Court but carries only about 0.5 per cent ofpassengers going though the station, will still operate during theweekend and additional services will be put on if there is a majorevent at Olympia exhibition centre on a weekday.

    Richard Parry, London Underground director, said: "The District lineis one of the busiest lines on the Tube network, used by over700,000 people each day. The new timetable would providesignificant reliability improvements for the whole line and in particularmajor benefits to customers who use the Wimbledon branch duringthe morning."The District line is set to be completely upgraded with new air-conditioned trains from 2013 and a new signalling system goes livefrom 2018.In order to ensure these changes come about it is vital that T fLhears from Fulham residents in favour of the extra trains. Theconsultation has been extended and you can have your say here

    before 15th July.

    Hands joins campaigners in DowningStreet to save Royal Brompton

    Greg Hands M.P. with campaigners in Downing Streethanding in a 35,000 strong petition to save childrens heart

    surgery at the Royal Brompton.

    Greg Hands M.P. joined children and parents who have experiencedthe care of the Royal Brompton in Downing Street last week topresent a 35,000 strong petition to save children's heart surgery atthe hospital.

    As the petition was handed in, Health Minister Simon Burnsindicated that the Government would be taking a more flexibleapproach, giving hope to the campaign to keep services at the RoyalBrompton.Simon Burns said: "The consultation literature specifically asksconsultees for their views on how many centres it is best to have inLondon, two or three."If they agree that two is optimal, they are asked to state which twothey prefer, including the Royal Brompton."Although the Royal Brompton has not been included in any of thefour proposed scenarios for child surgery units, people who aretaking part in the consultation process can argue its case."The review remains flexible and open-minded as to the finalnumber, and is happy to listen to all options."Greg said: "Royal Brompton is recognised as a centre of excellencethat has pioneered many life-saving techniques."I have been overwhelmed by the concerns raised by parents andfamilies who cannot understand why NHS managers are proposingto destroy a world class service that has transformed many

    thousands of lives."I hope that they will listen to people's concerns now."The Safe and Sustainable review consultation closes on July 1, afterwhich a decision on the unit will be made.

    Photo news:Queens Club Gardens

    Summer Garden Party

    Greg Hands M.P. with Mrs Erika Lang and Cllr Harry Phibbs atthe Queen's Club Gardens Residents Association garden party.

    Greg Hands MP speech on theanniversary of the birth of Solidarity inPoland

    London, 27th June 2011

    Greg Hands M.P. addressing the Conservative Friends of Polandto celebrate the success of Solidarity, the ground-breaking

    independent trade union, which helped bring an end toCommunism in Eastern Europe.

    Your Excellency, ladies and gentlemen,The first of my 10 visits to Poland was in 1985.

    I was on a train from East Berlin to Warsaw, and the change at theborder wasnt only to swap the Mitropa wagon for a WARSwagon. It was also the change in peoples spirit. Both countries hadoppressive regimes, but thanks to Solidarity and the incredible spiritof the Polish people, one couldnt help but notice the change inpeoples vivacity.Truth be told, however, in 1985, nobody knew if Solidarity was, bythen, simply an event in the past. We all know and we can alltoday give thanks that it was a big part of the future as well.When Solidarity was born, I was a teenager, and was spellbound bythe events. It was part of my own political awakening. I had a

    Solidarnosc poster at university.It is an amazing story, which has been told just now by theAmbassador so eloquently, who lived it in Gdansk. I wont repeat it,but I will try to draw out three lasting ramifications of Solidarity.First, it was a worker-led revolution. This was, of course, contrary tothe Marxist ideology that gripped the Soviet Empire, and, indeed,some people in the West. According to Marx and Engels, theworkers were supposed to be on the other side, not rebelling againstCommunism.Second, and in a similar vein, was the vital role played by theChurch and by Pope John Paul II. Again, under Marxist thinking, theChurch was supposed to be part of the establishment, not the co-leaders of a workers revolt.And third, we must always recognise the role of world figures likeMichael Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan in the ending of the ColdWar. However, Solidarity predated both of them. We must neverforget that the end of the Cold War was also brought about fromhome-grown grassroots movements like Solidarity and Charta 77.So, Solidarity was a bottom-up, popular workers revolt, with churchsupport precisely the opposite of what Marxist doctrine told us

    should be the case!I will also pay tribute at this point to my former Hammersmithconstituent Giles Hart, who led the Polish Solidarity Campaign here

    in the UK, and who was to die tragically in the 7th July Londonbombings in 2005, a victim of a different kind of tyranny.But today is not just about looking back. We should also celebratethe contribution of todays Poles in the UK. I have said this before,and I will say it again, that the Poles are Britains most-popular everset of immigrants, and I have never, in London at least, heard a badword said about them.

    UK Polish links could hardly be stronger. We work closely togetherin NATO, the EU and in Afghanistan. We in the Conservative Partyhave particularly strong links. Nor is it just links at the top. When Ifirst visited in the 1980s there were two flights a day betweenLondon and Warsaw. Now 10 Polish cities have scheduled air linksto the UK.So I look forward to the Polish presidency of the EU. I am sure thatwe have many items of common interest just as we did 30 yearsago!

    Photo news:Royal Borough of Kensington &Chelsea Civic Service 2011

    Greg Hands M.P. at the Royal Borough of Kensington &

    Chelsea Civic Service, with from left to right: Dr CharlesTannock M.E.P., Mayor Cllr Julie Mills, Deputy MayorCllr Elizabeth Rutherford, Leader of the Council Cllr

    Sir Merrick Cockell and Sir Malcolm Rifkind M.P.

    K&C Council partners with Bloomsburyto promote library useThe Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and BloomsburyPublishing Plc announced plans (Tuesday 28 June) to form a

    working partnership designed to promote reading and to encouragepeople to visit and use their local libraries.Council librarians will use their knowledge of the public's readinginterests to work with the Bloomsbury team to design a series ofevents that will run throughout the year.The first event will be a major initiative focussed on London schoolsthis September. This will be open to teachers and children attendingany school in Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster orHammersmith & Fulham. Librarians hope the event will encouragechildren to visit libraries regularly.This will be followed by a spring festival in early 2012 for whichBloomsbury will supply a wide range of authors from across their list.The festival events will be open to all and events will be held inlibraries across the borough.Cllr Elizabeth Campbell, Cabinet Member for Libraries said: "Ourlibraries are highly valued by our residents but we don't want to reston our laurels and want to do all we can to continue to encourage aculture of reading by getting more people to visit libraries to discussbooks with their authors or listen to readings. We hope our

    partnership with Bloomsbury will help promote libraries and foster alove of reading."

    Nigel Newton, Bloomsbury Chief Executive, said: "Bloomsbury's

    partnership with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelseaarises from a call I made at a recent Reading Agency event for

    publishers to use their access to authors to create more librarybased events to bring books alive in the community. We are verykeen to support UK Public Libraries. In particular, we look forward toworking with the Royal Borough on this exciting partnership and wewill look for others too."

    Photo news:Redcliffe Ward Summer Garden Party

    Greg Hands M.P. with Cllr Frances Taylor, Cllr Marie-ThereseRossi, Justine Greening M.P. and Cllr Charles Williams at the

    Redcliffe Ward Conservatives summer garden party.

    K&C Leader elected as chairman of theLocal Government AssociationSir Merrick Cockell has been elected as Chairman of the LGA,winning a decisive victory over his rival candidate, David Parsons,the current leader of Leicestershire County Council.Sir Merrick took some 60 per cent of the votes cast by theelectorate, which is made up of Conservative councillors.

    He takes up his new post this week. It's not the first time Sir Merrickhas worn two municipal hats: between 2006 and 2010 he waschairman of London Councils, which is the association for theLondon boroughs."I'm pleased and honoured to have been elected," said Sir Merrick."Local government needs a strong voice right now and I hope areformed LGA will be able to provide it."

    Hands in Parliament:

    Hands on escalating cost ofSuper Sewer

    Thursday 30th June 2011

    Greg Hands (Chelsea and Fulham) (Con): Thames Waters chief

    executive said last week that the previous costing of 3.6 billion forthe Thames tideway tunnel was

    simply an indicative 2008 price

    that would inevitably increase. The Minister will know that underthe existing pricing, Thames Water bill payers throughout the regionwill each have to pay 65 per annum in perpetuity for the tunnel.Will he assure me and 142 other Members of this House that ourconstituents will get value for money for this project?The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment,Food and Rural Affairs (Richard Benyon): I canand I am one ofthem. I can assure my hon. Friend that my constituents and his areabsolutely in our minds. We meet weekly with officials from Ofwatand Thames Water, the issue will be discussed at the DEFRAsupervisory board this afternoon and I shall meet the Londonboroughs and the Greater London authority next week to discuss theproject. I can assure my hon. Friend that its price is foremost in ourminds.

    Hands in Parliament:PM agrees with Hands on

    Euro stress tests

    Monday 27th June 2011

    Greg Hands (Chelsea and Fulham) (Con): Does the Prime Ministeragree that in the event of any breakdown in the eurozone, inassessing the potential banking liabilities in this country and abroad,by far and away the best thing we can do is ensure that there is,first, transparency in the banking system and, secondly, a proper setof stress tests in place so that we know what the potential liability forUK banks might be in future?The Prime Minister: I think my hon. Friend is entirely right. TheGovernor of the Bank of England spoke powerfully about this andhas set out what the liabilities of British banks are in terms ofGreece. We need the stress tests to be transparent, and we thenneed them to be acted on by making sure that those banks that needto build up their reserves do so. One of the things I wanted to secureat the European Council was to ensure that the conclusions werevery tough on this, because at the same time as they are operatingthese stress tests and arguing for more capital to go into the banks,some European powers are trying to water down the Baselrequirements. It seems to me to be completely illogical to try, on theone hand, to strengthen a banking system to withstand pressure in

    the eurozone, and then to start weakening it on the other. I amthankful that the conclusions are pretty clear on that point.

    Hands in the papers:Hope for Royal Brompton campaignersEmma Heseltine, London Informer

    Monday 27th June 2011

    Campaigners hoping to save children's heart surgery at the RoyalBrompton have been given a glimmer of hope by the government.On Friday, as they took a petition carrying 35,000 signatures toDowning Street, health minister Simon Burns said that the review ofcardiac centres for youngsters would take a 'flexible approach,'despite already signalling that the unit at the Chelsea hospital wouldface the axe.A panel of PCTs had proposed, as part of the Safe and SustainableReview, that only two of three units should stay open in London -Great Ormond Street and the Evelina at St Thomas'.

    But Mr Burns told MPs in parliament: "The consultation literaturespecifically asks consultees for their views on how many centres it isbest to have in London, two or three."If they agree that two is optimal, they are asked to state which twothey prefer, including the Royal Brompton."Although the Royal Brompton has not been included in any of thefour proposed scenarios for child surgery units, people who aretaking part in the consultation process can argue its case."The review remains flexible and open-minded as to the final

    number, and is happy to listen to all options."His comments came as parents and children who had used theworld renowned unit, marched on Downing Street to try and save thethreatened services.Trudy Nickels, from the Brompton Fountain, a charity supporting thehospital, said: "Children's heart surgery is highly complex andrequires specialist expertise."The Royal Brompton is a world class centre and its expert doctorshave saved and transformed the lives of thousands of children.

    "Parents like me can testify to the excellence of its care. We can'tbegin to understand why NHS managers would want to remove thisservice and risk seriously undermining the availability of quality carefor vulnerable children in London."Children and parents who have experienced the care of the hospitalfirst-hand took the petition to 10 Downing Street, along with GregHands, MP for Chelsea, who added: "Royal Brompton is recognisedas a centre of excellence that has pioneered many life-savingtechniques."I have been overwhelmed by the concerns raised by parents and

    families who cannot understand why NHS managers are proposingto destroy a world class service that has transformed manythousands of lives."I hope that they will listen to people's concerns now."The Safe and Sustainable review consultation closes on July 1, afterwhich a decision on the unit will be made.

    Hands in the papers:

    F1 chiefs girl must revise 56mhouse makeover branded botoxarchitectureEvening Standard

    Wednesday 29th June 2011

    Petra Ecclestone has been forced to rethink the design plans for her56million Chelsea house after residents expressed their outrage atwhat they described as a Botox architectural makeover.

    The 22-year-old daughter of Formula 1 mogul Bernie Ecclestone hasnow withdrawn a planning application to demolish Sloane Lodge, a19th-century property in her grounds, and then rebuild it.The 6,892 sqft building is next to Sloane House, her Grade II-listedGeorgian mansion in one of Londons most expensive streets.The Chelsea Society described the work on the lodge as extensiveand unwarranted and said the rebuild would create an ultra-moderninterior behind faades of bland Botox neo-Georgian architecture.Miss Ecclestones planning consultants, Adrian Salt and Pang, saidthey were receiving guidance from the local authority on any newdesign.The original plan submitted said that the lodge needed to bedemolished to allow trucks and construction equipment to access theproperty.Planning permission was given in 2009 for a major basement andsub-basement excavation for a swimming pool and gym complex,with space for a games and media room and underground parking.The original intention was then to rebuild Sloane Lodge in the samestyle apart from the front portico, which was to be redesigned.

    The withdrawal followed conversations with planners about theextent of demolition and what was likely to be required in terms ofrestoration in order to win planning permission. Part of the lodge willstill be demolished under the original 2009 permission.Greg Hands, MP for Chelsea and Fulham and a vice-president ofthe Chelsea Society, said: I know that basement excavations can bevery divisive in this area.Although Sloane Lodge is not listed, the council has applied thesame architectural standards to it. Sloane House and Sloane Lodgeare thought to have been built between 1793 and 1805.

    Miss Ecclestone intends to move into Sloane House with her fiancJames Stunt, 28, who she will marry in August. It was bought for herby her father from Sir Anthony Bamford, the JCB tycoon, last year.

    5 ways to contact Greg Hands M.P.:

    By Phone: 020 7219 5448

    By email: [email protected]

    By post: Greg Hands M.P.House of CommonsLondon SW1A 0AA

    In person: Click here for details of howto book an appointment atGreg Hands M.P.s weeklysurgery

    www.greghands.com

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