VIEWPOINT FOR 9 JULY 2009
FROM DR RICHARD TAYLOR

As usual the House of Commons follows its own unpredictable way. 

Last week Government whips were caught unawares as only 247 Labour members turned up to vote for an amendment to the Parliamentary Standards Bill that would have reduced the protection by parliamentary  privilege which could have adversely affected, for example, witnesses appearing  before select committees. 
The Government were defeated as opposition parties including independents mustered 250 votes.
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This week an amendment to the Finance Bill that aimed to make sure no one was penalised financially by the abolition of the 10p income tax band, was tabled by 44 MPs including 31 Labour members. 
I expected a very close result but the amendment was lost by 268 votes to 311. 
Of the Labour signatories to the amendment 16 stuck to their guns, 8 abstained and 7 changed their minds and voted against their own amendment. I cannot help wondering what pressures were applied to the potential rebels.
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My disillusionment continued when I was asked, as a member of the All Party Floods Group, by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology to take the chair at an important meeting about the forthcoming draft Water and Flooding Bill because no member of the appropriate select committee was available. 
The contributions from eminent scientists and a civil servant, experts in flood risk and management, were interesting and valuable. 

One example of risk new to me was that the risk to life from wading across a river or stream depends on the speed of flow just as much as the depth of water. Even shallow water (25 cms) flowing at 3 metres per second carries a severe risk. 

I was the only MP at this meeting designed to inform us before we consider this draft Bill.
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Thank goodness to restore my equanimity somewhat two good things have happened in the past week. 

The Health Select Committee report on Patient Safety was published and I am very pleased with it. 
The message is that safety depends on quality of care and it points to ways of ensuring that the quality of care is at the top of the agenda for all health service commissioners and providers. The disasters in Staffordshire were largely because the management forgot about quality of care and concentrated on financial balance and fulfilling targets to ensure the trust achieved Foundation Status. 
I have given this report to our acute hospitals trust Chief Executive to make sure that in the trust’s aim for Foundation Status quality becomes paramount.

The other good thing is that I have met the new Chief Executive of NHS West Midlands, which used to be called the Strategic Health Authority, and made sure he is aware of our major health concerns in Wyre Forest . These include, of course, quality of care in our hospitals, out-of-hours care, emergency services and head and neck cancer surgical services.

More good news! I met representatives from the heritage lottery fund recently and they have funds available for applications to 
Your Heritage (grants from £3,000 - £50,000) and 
Young Roots (£3,000 - £25,000). 

Details from 0121 616 6871 and www.hlf.org.uk

RT

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