Friday 29, November 2013
Welcome
Welcome to this, my 143rd news bulletin.
As we look towards January and the new year, a number of constituents have contacted me to share their concerns about the changes happening within the European Union next year, particularly the entry of Romania and Bulgaria into the labour market that we share with the rest of Europe.
My view is clear: we need a considered, long-term plan to fix the EU's immigration system – and to control immigration from Romania and Bulgaria. Properly controlled immigration can benefit us hugely as a nation, and it is right that the UK should continue to attract the best and brightest talent from across the world, in all fields, to work, set up businesses, to study and research. Controlled immigration means more money coming into our economy - but we know that we can't afford to have uncontrolled immigration.
In 2004, the previous government made the decision that the UK should opt out of transitional controls on the new EU member states. They had the right to impose a seven-year ban before new citizens could come and work here, but Labour refused it. And when Romania and Bulgaria joined the EU, Labour had not learned the lesson. The other major lesson they didn’t learn was that failures in immigration policy were closely linked to welfare and education – if it does not pay to work, or if British people lack skills, that creates a huge space in our labour market for overseas migrants to fill.
Thanks to the current Government, we are taking back control – and net immigration has been reduced by a third so far. Recent statistics show that the long-term trend is towards less immigration, and better-controlled immigration. I hope you will also be reassured to know that the Government is:
- Training our own young people to fill jobs by providing record numbers of apprenticeships, demanding rigour in schools and building a welfare system that encourages work.
- Changing the rules so that no one who comes to this country will be able to claim work benefits for the first three months. If after three months an EU national needs benefits, they will only be able to claim for a maximum of six months unless they can prove they have a genuine prospect of employment.
- Putting in place a new minimum earnings threshold, which if migrants don’t pass they can’t access benefits such as income support.
- Not allowing newly arrived EU jobseekers to claim housing benefit.
- Removing people who are not here to work and are begging or sleeping rough. They will be barred from re-entry for 12 months, unless they can prove they have a proper reason to be here, such as a job.
- Clamping down on those who employ people below the minimum wage, with a fine of up to £20,000 for every underpaid employee – more than four times the fine today.
This is what we can legally do within the limits of the treaties that the Labour government signed Britain up to.
But I also believe it is time for a new settlement with Europe. One which recognises that although free movement is a central principle of the EU, it cannot be an unqualified one. So, as part of our plan to reform the EU, Conservatives in government will work with others to return the concept of free movement to a more sensible basis. We will then let Britain decide by putting that reformed Europe to the British people in an in-out referendum.
Best wishes,
Edward Timpson
Member of Parliament for Crewe & Nantwich
Please remember, you can always contact me directly if you have any questions for me, or if there is anything I can do to assist you.
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Locally I have...
- Attended this year's Remembrance Day services in both Crewe and Nantwich.
- Celebrated the achievements of students at Sir William Stanier School, at their Year 11 Awards Evening
- Met with the NHS South Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group. Newly authorised by the NHS, the 'CCG' is made up of local GPs and their practices, and it has taken over the important role of commissioning healthcare in the Crewe and Nantwich area.
- Visited the Berkeley Primary School in Wistaston, to talk to pupils studying History about Parliament and the Government.
- Held one of my regular advice surgeries, at the Beechmere Extra Care apartments in Crewe. I try to make myself available for surgeries across the Crewe and Nantwich area, so if you'd like an appointment to speak to me, or if you have a suggestion for somewhere I might hold a surgery, please do get in touch.
- Met with representatives of Sportscape, a Community Interest Company, which has recently been awarded a grant by the Big Lottery Fund. The money will be used to run a project called "On Your Marks" in the Gresty Road area, during school holiday periods.
- Participated in the Children's Commissioner's Takeover Day at MMU Cheshire. This local event is part of a national day, organised by the Children's Commissioner, enabling children and young people to have the opportunity to be involved in working alongside adults and in local and national decision making. In our case, running the university for a day!
...and in Westminster, today is hopefully the final day dedicated to debating the EU Referendum Bill in the House of Commons. I have represented Crewe and Nantwich constituents by voting in favour of this vital piece of legislation. The Prime Minister wants to give the people of Britain their say, in a full, in-out referendum on Britain's membership of the EU - you can read more about this important campaign at the "Let Britain Decide" website.
Westminster Report
Read my most recent Crewe & Nantwich Talk
The latest edition of my Westminster Report has been delivered across Crewe and Nantwich. Click here or on the image to read a copy.
Photo News
On 21 November, I joined in with the Children's Commissioner takeover day at MMU Cheshire.
You can see all of my photos by visiting my website.
Community News
Cheshire PCC alert
Cheshire’s Police & Crime Commissioner, John Dwyer, is urging everyone in the county to sign up to the new alert system. The system allows you to receive regular information from him, the Constabulary, Fire & Rescue service and other public services in Cheshire.
“Communicating with the public is an important part of my role,” said John Dwyer. “I know that people are busy and I want to offer as many ways as possible for people to keep in touch with what I’m doing and to have their say about policing. I want to encourage people to sign up to this alert system, as it enables them to be kept up to date not only with what I’m doing, but with any major incidents and local news for their local area.”
The Alert system is free and simple to use. Once you have registered you will be able to select how you would like to receive information (either by phone, text or email).
To join Cheshire PCC Alert visit www.Cheshire-pcc.gov.uk.
Do you have community news to share? Are you involved in any projects that could be of help or interest to local people in Crewe and Nantwich? E-mail me and your news could be here too!
Pupils taking over campus
The Sentinel, 20 Nov 2013: School pupils will be taking over a university campus for the day to gain an insight into decisions which affect student life.
Young people from Crewe's Kings Grove School and Springfield School will be spending tomorrow at Manchester Metropolitan University's base in the Cheshire town.
They will be shadowing staff from the post room up to the boardroom and working with student ambassadors. The pupils will also take part in a panel discussion with senior academic staff and children's minister Edward Timpson, who is MP for Crewe and Nantwich.
The event is part of national takeover day, which is coordinated by the office of children's commissioner Maggie Atkinson.
Dennis Dunn, dean of the Cheshire faculty of MMU, said: "We are delighted to invite the children to find out how the university ticks and to give us feedback about their experiences.
"We hope that some of them will be interested in becoming advisers to our childhood and youth studies degree programme and that some will also be attracted to coming to work or study with us in the future."
It is one of a series of events that young people are getting involved in across Staffordshire and Cheshire to mark takeover day.
Business boost for the North West
Crewe Chronicle: Crewe and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson has welcomed new figures that indicate the number of private sector businesses in the North West has increased by 46,395 over the past three years.
Edward said: "These figures are great news for everyone in Crewe and Nantwich who wants to work hard and get on in life. Thanks to the hard work and sacrifices of the British people, our economy is now turning a corner.
"There is still more to do, and that is why in 2014 the Government will slash the jobs tax on all businesses with a new £2,000 employment allowance. this will see 450,000 small businesses paying no jobs tax at all. I am committed to securing a recovery that works for all hardworking people."
5 ways to contact Edward Timpson
- By email: timpsone@parliament.uk
- On the web: edwardtimpsonmp.com
- By phone: 01270 501 725
- By post: 30 Victoria Street, Crewe CW1 2JE
- In person: Click here to see surgery times
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