Alok Sharma's Westminster Diary, December 9, 2010
Alok Sharma MP • Published 9 Dec 2010 09:30
0 Comments
THE festive season is quickly approaching and this was brought home to me when I was invited, together with one Mr Claus, to cut the tinsel and open the Argyle Community Church's Christmas Fayre.
The money raised at the event is being used to support projects such as Reading Street Pastors, who provide such a valuable community service.
I know that many of the Christmas events being held across Reading raise money for excellent local causes. The repeated success of initiatives such as The Chronicle's Toys And Teens Appeal underscore the generosity of Reading people.
Christmas is a time for giving, something our town understands very well.
- NEXT Wednesday at 6.30pm, West Berkshire Council's planning committee will meet at the Calcot Centre to hear the latest planning application on the Underwood Road site. I very much hope that this application is rejected since the proposed development is not in keeping with the local area.
Like everyone else, I do want this site to be developed so the current eyesore is dealt with. However, it must be done in a proper consultation with local residents so we can all get behind any new scheme.
I know I tend to go on about inappropriate development but this kind of issue really matters to local people. Local people should have a real say in how their neighbourhoods look, a matter which will be addressed in the upcoming Localism Bill.
- IN Westminster I have spent a lot of time sitting in on finance-related debates and bill committees and the pace does not seem to be slowing!
As a Treasury PPS, convention dictates that I don't speak in debates related to the department which has rather restricted my speaking. However, I do hope to take part in this week's tuition fees debate.
The backdrop to the tough decisions being taken by the Coalition Government is clear. We cannot continue borrowing £1 of every £4 spent in the public sector and we need to eliminate Labour's budget deficit.
When it comes to the tuition fees policy, it is important to remember some key points: No one pays up front; parents don't pay and students don't start paying back until after they graduate, with no one paying a penny back until they are earning at least £21,000. Currently this is £15,000. Everyone will pay back less per month and the bottom 20 per cent of earners will pay back less in total.
No doubt this will be a passionately argued debate on all sides.
Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our Opinion archives.
