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Freeman Hospital and the Clinical drive for Safe and Sustainable Congenital Cardiac Services for Children

Regular readers will know that I have long championed the Freeman Hospital, which provides an outstanding service to the entire North East region. Our NHS Yes Campaign, the Petition, and the extensive campaigning will hopefully bear fruit when the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts make their decision.
Ten days ago the Journal covered our efforts
http://www.journallive.co.uk/northumberland-sites/hexham-northumberland/hexham-news/2011/06/22/hexham-mp-voices-support-for-heart-unit-61634-28923448/

On Thursday 23/6/11, Stuart Andrew, my Conservative colleague from Pudsey, secured a debate in the House of Commons on this issue. I could not attend myself but I urge you to read the debate on Hansard or They Work For You as the debate was a real example of parliament working well together - with all parties and all politicians supporting the clinically based review and seeking an improvement in the services that the doctors have so clearly sought. Our fight has been to support the Freeman, but also support the need for improvement and specialisation.
All spoke well but if I had to pick one speech to recommend, it would be that of the Chairman of the Health Select Committee, Stephen Dorrell was particularly good.

Tourism and Heritage Minister in Hexham Constituency - 23rd June

Good news that John Penrose MP, the Minister for Tourism and Heritage, will be visiting Northumberland on this Thursday 23rd June 2011. After spending time at Vindolanda next to Hadrian's Wall, the Minister will be going to Newcastle and Gateshead mid afternoon for a brief tour of The Sage and the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. He then goes on to the Newcastle / Gateshead Initiative’s offices in South Shore Road, Gateshead for discussions with leaders from the tourism industry across the region. John is being hosted by the Northern Tourism Alliance (NewcastleGateshead Initiative, Visit County Durham, Northumberland Tourism, Hadrian’s Wall Heritage and NE Hotels Association).
Sadly I cannot be there on Thursday but John's visit is timely and a good chance not only to visit key sites but also discuss the opportunities and issues facing tourism businesses and to hear any feedback on the Government’s recently launched Tourism Policy.
I met with John and representatives of Northumberland Tourism in the spring in parliament and he is a good man firmly committed to trying to bring the tourists in and maximise our assets. In Hexham the team has done a lot to promote tourism and our Vist Northumberland campaign is really kicking in

The Greek Tragedy that is the demise of the Euro

Cartoon courtesy of the great Matt

It is becoming ever clearer that the Greek economy is a busted flush. Ever larger bailouts are not working; however, the options are all bad. The Europeans can apply another sticking plaster to a terminal wound or let Greece go bankrupt - both would see the loss of much more IMF and Eurpoean cash. The only other alternative is to see Greece leave the Euro and return to the Drachma. This would be politically and econmoically disastrous but the least worst option.

Three things are clear:
- Greece is insolvent and technically bankrupt - their financial demise is a matter of when not if
- All of us will be affected if we lose a trading partner and have our finances affected again by the bankruptcy of such a country - it is no different to a business losing a long term customer who owes us money
- The Euro currency in its present form is toast

One final thought - well done to John Major, William Hague and others who fought hard to ensure that we never joined the Euro.

Locals doing well and good news on Housing

Still at home getting better every day and building up stamina but following local and national news with great interest.
I am so pleased to report yet another accolade for one of our local producers, Gilchester Organics: Andrew and Sybille Wilkinson have set up a business producing top quality, home grown, organic wheat flour and having used it I can only agree; so does the Saturday Telegraph that named them as one of the nations best
see: Gilchester Organics website and the report on
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinkadvice/8566364/Tried-and-tested-stone-milled-flour.html

Separately there is good news on the housing front as reported in the papers and as announced by Housing Minister Grant Shapps in the House of Commons last week
http://www.conservatives.com/News/News_stories/2011/06/New_plans_will_help_tackle_housing_crisis.aspx

The government is using unused state owned land to be developed to create social housing, starter homes for first time buyers and generally to address the housing crisis. The office in westminster have requested urgent details of the proposed projects in our constituency, however there are already plans afoot to develop the old hospital sites in Prudhoe and Stannington - details of which I am still chasing. I will update when I know more.

Kielder and Countryfile - 7pm tonight

Update: The Iplayer of Countryfile is on - http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b011wh23/Countryfile_05_06_2011/

Julia was expertly shown around Kielder Forest by the Forestry Commission team, saw gosshawks, owls and tree felling on an industrial scale, and followed the Salmon with the Environment Agency, before finally trying to find some freshwater pearls in the Upper North Tyne. Well worth watching!

Stop Press!
Delighted to read that Northumberland's tourist attraction Kielder Water and the surrounding Forest are featuring on Countryfile tonight at 7pm BBC 1.
We welcome Julia Bradbury and the Countryfile team and look forward to welcoming the tourists who will follow; everyone at Kielder does and amazing job - it is a really diverse tourist attraction: but credit must go to Elizabeth and the team at the Kielder partnership, to volunteers of the Kielder Council, to the Northumbrian Water employees and all who make it such a special place. I am looking forward to returning there soon - and would particularly recommend the cycle ride around the lake = 26 miles of stunning countryside.

Health update and Monitoring the News

Have now been out of hospital for several weeks resting and recovering; progress is good and I have been back to Queens Square in London this week for testing; it was good to see the nurses who looked after me again - I took them a thank you card and a big box of chocolates - which always make you popular on a ward!
I have passed all the mental evaluation tests with flying colours and it is now just a long march back to the physical fitness and stamina required. I am liasing every day with Jon and the team in Hexham and Westminster, albeit I am still following doctors orders that I am not physically strong enough to return to parliament.

I have had plenty of time resting up to study the news and TV over the last few weeks and 3 events have particularly caught my eye:

1. The Queen in Ireland: she is simply amazing; the impact of her trip on Anglo Irish relations is impossible to underestimate. As one commentator put it - "The Queen's visit has allowed Ireland to forgive and move on."

2. Obama: an amazing speech in Westminster Hall and he is clearly not a bad table tennis player! I was particularly sad not to be at Westminster Hall because a lot of my friends in the House got to meet him afterwards.
If you have not read Obama's speech I urge you to do so - he is a great man doing an impossibly difficult job.
See: http://www.newstatesman.com/2011/05/nations-rights-world-united
for a full transcript

3. Broadband: sadly I have just been informed that the Lib Dem run Northumberland County Council have failed to apply for the government funding for rural broadband. Their inaction is simply tragic and patently wrong. I have organised a press release on this issue as local people are and will be very upset at the Council and we need to put pressure on them to sort it out.

Finally thank you for your support, cards and messages. They mean a lot to me.