I receive many letters from pensioners about the problem of increasing council tax with static or falling incomes. I have been asked to remind pensioners about Council Tax Benefit which has been widely publicised recently. If you have missed this, leaflets on "Cut your Council Tax – Find out if you can get a rebate" are available in Post Offices and doctors’ surgeries.

Last week I met representatives from British Telecom following letters I had written to them on behalf of constituents who had had their service provider changed without their knowledge. A practice that I understand is called "slamming". It apparently happens to customers of the gas and electricity providers as well. If others have been affected by this practice please let me know so that I can learn if it is a frequent problem.

I also met representatives from Norwich Union, the insurance company with a large share of the flood protection market. They demonstrated their flood mapping system with which they plan to cover the whole country. They showed me flood maps of Shrewsbury and parts of East Anglia which, with one metre contours, can separate houses within a postcode into bands of decreasing flood risk. This immediately makes insurance cover for properties within a postcode very unlikely to flood insurable on normal terms. They plan to extend their map to Bewdley and Stourport later this year. I asked them if they yet recognise the effectiveness of the flood defences on Severn Side North, Bewdley, and if that will be reflected in reduced insurance premiums for protected properties.

To my surprise, they told me they have to wait for the Environment Agency to pass the good news through Government to them.

I have put in a parliamentary question to try to accelerate this process.

The decision to close Alexander Patterson School has been taken and County Council Education Chiefs faced a meeting of parents and staff last Thursday. Although there was great sadness the meeting sensibly concentrated on the future and the alternative provision to be provided for the children at present so happy at Alexander Patterson School. I think we were all surprised but relieved to learn that the headteachers of Blakebrook School and Stourminster School are planning to provide the same services for these children and it was clearly stated that parents and children would have choice about their future education. The review of Blakebrook and Stourminster Schools was not felt to be a major problem as wherever Alexander Patterson children go, the same staff that they have got to know at their new schools will go with them. Another meeting is planned in due course to explain more detail of future arrangements for the children.