Stockport Express Column November 2011

Last week I was delighted to welcome Lib Dem Leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg back to our area. The two of us paid a special visit to North Cheshire Jewish Primary School, where we were able to see first-hand the excellent work that goes on there and why it has the reputation it does as a top class educational institution. We also toured the new state of the art nursery, and the Deputy Prime Minister discussed the School's outstanding record of achievement with members of staff and governors.

Next we headed to The Kingsway School in Cheadle where Nick engaged in a Q&A session with students who had the opportunity to ask the Deputy Prime Minister any question they wished. Kingsway is one of the many schools across Stockport which will benefit from the £2.6 million cash injection through the pupil premium - a Lib Dem policy implemented by the Coalition Government. This investment is targeted at children from disadvantaged backgrounds and is part of a scheme to ensure all children have a fair start in life.

We then concluded the whistle stop tour by meeting with the Cheadle Muslim Association, discussing issues of concern to the local Muslim community including The Arab Spring. With many of the CMA members having close friends and family in Syria, the situation has been very worrying indeed for them and I was pleased to recently arrange a meeting between their members and Foreign Minister Alistair Burt in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that he was "very impressed" with the schools he had visited and that the talks with the CMA were "extremely useful".

Looking ahead, over the next few days we have both Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday coming up. These are very important occasions for all of us as we think about those who bravely died fighting for the freedoms we enjoy today. On Sunday, I'll be attending wreath laying ceremonies in Cheadle Hulme, Cheadle and Heald Green to pay my own tribute to the fallen.

On a personal note, I'll also be thinking of the Grandad I never met who died just before I was born. His service medals from the Second World War and his photograph are proudly displayed in my constituency office.

We must never forget the selfless acts of our forbears who gave their lives for the freedom we enjoy today.

Stockport Express Column October 2011

This Monday, Parliament resumed after three weeks of political party conferences. The Party Conference season is an important event in any party member's and, of course, Member of Parliament's, calendar.

The key theme which ran through all three Party Conferences was the need for economic growth. I, personally, have long argued that the key to our economic growth and prosperity is the prevalence of strong, viable, small and medium businesses. Whilst big businesses across the country obviously make a huge difference to the number of jobs and services available, it is the small businesses up and down the country that create the vast bulk of jobs and keep our economy moving.

With this in mind, I was delighted last month to accept the Federation of Small Business's offer to become a "Local Ambassador" for their "Keep Trade Local" campaign, which aims to secure the sustainability of communities through recognising, supporting and promoting small businesses at the heart of those communities. The campaign makes a simple but powerful point about these businesses: "If we don't use them, we'll lose them". I have been pleased to see the Coalition Government introduce a range of measures to support small businesses, and I will certainly be pushing for more action in the coming months, but supporting our local shops, restaurants, cafes and pubs is something we can all play a part in.

A perfect example of a successful businessman is Apple co-founder, Steve Jobs, a genius the world sadly lost last week. He developed Apple into one of the world's most successful companies through passion, determination and an unerring belief in a visionary project. We don't have to look overseas, though, to see examples of innovative, successful enterprise - just visit our village centres in which there are dozens of examples of local enterprises which make a difference not just to our local economy but also to our quality of life.

Finally - and on a completely separate note altogether - a plug for "Wear it Pink" Month, led by Breast Cancer Campaign to raise vital funds for breast cancer research. Almost all of us have lost, or know somebody who has lost, a friend or relative to this terrible disease. Research into Breast Cancer has already helped saved millions of lives and with our support for this campaign, even more is possible.

Stockport Express Column September 2011

To commemorate its 40^th anniversary, St Ann's Hospice have arranged a number of fundraising events across the Greater Manchester area, and I was delighted to join Chief Executive, Jayne Bessant, on the starting line to launch their latest event just last week - a "duck race" and family fun day at Bramall Park. Hundreds of local families came along to enjoy the occasion, and the well organised event proved very successful. I would urge everybody to try to get to a St Ann's event - for more information, visit their website at www.sah.org.uk. I have had a close relationship with St Ann's ever since I first became the MP for Cheadle back in '05. I secured a special face to face meeting with their Chief Executive and the Prime Minister to discuss the funding of care, and more recently brought Care Services Minister Paul Burstow to see for himself the fabulous work that they do at their Heald Green base.

I often remark how lucky we are to have so many excellent local organisations and community events for all interests and ages, and I believe I am well justified in doing so! I recently met with Youth Work Manager Jenny Hurst at "The Mill" Youth Club above Costa Coffee in Bramhall village centre to discuss the important work that goes on there as well as the support that I can provide as the local MP. I also joined local councillors Lenny Grice, Suzanne Wyatt and June Somekh at the annual Cheadle Hulme Flower Show in the Parish Rooms on Church Road - once again an enjoyable and well organised occasion as well as a great community event.

On a different note altogether, following the recent rioting in towns and cities across the country, there has been a lot of attention on the issue of crime and policing. I regularly meet with our officers in and about the area and met with the Stockport Borough Police Commander, Rebekah Sutcliffe. I have nothing but praise for the effective work carried out by the local police team. We are very fortunate to have relatively low levels of crime across the Stockport Borough - with the number of crime victims decreasing significantly in recent years - but it is always helpful to discuss what can be done to help target crime hotspots, and further increase the safety of our neighbourhoods, villages and town centres.

Stockport Express Column August 2011

Despite the summer recess from Parliament, it is business as usual for me in the constituency. The break from Westminster is an excellent opportunity to get out and about, and catch up with local people about the things they really want me to be raising in Parliament. In addition I've also done a number of visits to local businesses to take the temperature on our economic recovery.

Just before the end of the last session of Parliament I was delighted to be asked to host a special event in Parliament for the Seashell Trust, based in Cheadle Hulme (formerly The Royal School for the Deaf). As ever, I was genuinely touched when listening to the stories of many of the parents who benefit from Seashell Trust's outstanding care and facilities - it is a truly exemplary charity and deserves all the support it gets.

One recent visit was to the Paterson Institute at The Christie Hospital, to which I was invited along for a special tour of the facilities. There are over 36,000 people across the North West diagnosed with cancer every year, and the Paterson Institute's world class research centre could well make a huge difference to their lives. I have also recently met with representatives from Stockport MIND to discuss what the Government can do to help them. Almost all of us know somebody who has experienced mental health problems and the work of Stockport MIND (the mental health charity) is instrumental in providing much needed support to those people.

I was also delighted to be one of the first to inspect the improvements at Cheadle Hulme Train Station. The new footbridge, equipped with three lifts, allow disabled users; people with buggies, bikes and heavy bags to use the station - as the Stockport Express said last week, 'now it really is all aboard'.

Finally, like the vast majority of British people, I have been shocked and saddened by the recent rioting and looting we have seen in city centres across the country. Following the disturbances in Manchester I met with other local MP's and the Chief Constable to assure the Police of my full support. There can be no excuses for the appalling behaviour we have witnessed on our TV screens and the Police must ensure the culprits are brought to justice urgently.

Stockport Express Column June 2011

Last week was a momentous one for our Health Service, as the Government responded to the consultation over the Health and Social Care Bill in Parliament. Almost everybody will be affected by the changes to the National Health Service over the coming years. They will mean better, more efficient services for patients; they will mean less bureaucracy and more resources for the frontline; and they will mean greater accountability and so those who use the services will have more influence on how those services are delivered.

The difference the Lib Dems have made to the plans is enormous: slowing the pace of change to ensure changes are not rushed into; ensuring the NHS is properly accountable, both nationally and locally; and ensuring there is no American-style privatisation of the NHS and no special favours for the private sector.

Most importantly, the Secretary of State's responsibility remains as defined by the original 1946 NHS Act i.e. the Secretary of State will remain responsible for securing a comprehensive health service, in line with the NHS constitution and ensuring that the interest of patients remain the paramount consideration. Any regulation will thus need to bear in mind the need for integrated, efficient services. Integration and co-operation within the health service is vital if we are to get on top of the chronic diseases that beset an aging population.

Under the last Labour Government, private providers were introduced into the NHS and this led to the wasting of over £35 million in Greater Manchester alone being paid to private health organisations for procedures which never even took place - an overpayment of 41%. The Liberal Democrats have been adamant that this cannot continue, and I am pleased to say this issue has been addressed.

It is absolutely right that the Government has put political point scoring to one side and invested great energy in listening - and reacting to - valid concerns over the NHS plans. It can only be good news for the service that as a country we rely on more than any other. My sole interest is in making the reforms work effectively for patients. We now have a much improved Bill which, in my view, will help to deliver services much more effectively for those who need them.

Stockport Express Column April 2011

Despite the difficult financial situation, last week's Budget brought good news to people across the country. In Stockport, 110,000 people on low and middle incomes will receive a £136 tax cut and over 6,000 of the lowest paid workers will be taken out of tax altogether. Motorists will also be delighted to see that Labour's planned 5p fuel rise has been scrapped, and the Government have reduced fuel costs further by a penny on every litre, funded by a £2bn levy on oil firms.

The message was clear from Wednesday's Budget: we are moving forward from the rescue plan set out in the past year's Budget to put in place a strategy for growth. The Government has made fairer taxes a priority, has eased pressure on the cost of living, encouraged growth and re-balanced the economy, made bankers and billionaires contribute more and is standing up for pensioners.

We are making the wealthy pay their fair share with increased measures to tackle tax evasion and avoidance, higher charges for non-doms and closing of the loopholes which gave concessions to those who use private jets. The bank levy - which was also announced recently - will raise around £10bn. This is far greater than any measure previous governments have taken and ensures the big banks do pay their fair share.

Here in Stockport the Lib Dem-run Council are implementing an important tax freeze of their own which will help local families on top of the Coalition's tax cuts. The Council is also saving money on waste and inefficiencies, to ensure that every penny is spent more wisely and to protect vital local services such as libraries, schools and services for the elderly.

There is no doubt that the next few years will be incredibly difficult for many, but last week the Government showed its determination to ensure the most vulnerable are protected, and I am glad to see that the local Council here in Stockport have the same idea.

Stockport Express, March 2011

Last week saw the announcement of Stockport Council's Budget for the forthcoming financial year. This came the week after we welcomed the Deputy Prime Minister to the area to see for himself the way Stockport Council is working to make savings whilst protecting vital front-line services. Stockport has been doing a good job in difficult circumstances, in direct contrast with which other less efficient local authorities such as Manchester City Council who have failed to deal with spending reductions sensibly - and instead operate a 'slash and burn' approach.

In recent months, Stockport Council has focused on protecting important public services by making back office savings wherever possible, whereas Manchester are cutting much more in this year than they need to and hitting residents hold instead of using the millions of pounds they hold in reserve. An example of this different approach is that Stockport will see no closures or reductions in opening hours from libraries, whereas Manchester will see both closures and reduced opening hours. Similarly, the reduction in workforce across the Stockport Borough will be less than 300 compared with Manchester's drastic announcement of 2000 jobs to be lost.

Nobody is pretending that economic recovery will be easy, and the next few years will be rocky and painful for many. What the Manchester v. Stockport comparison shows, is that the choices over where and how to cut spending is THE big challenge for local authorities. Working closely with our councillors in Stockport as I do, I very much believe they are on the right track. We have a strong and robust local economy and are well placed to overcome the recession.

The economy will not heal simply by cutting public spending though, and I am proud to be a part of a Government that is increasing support for viable small and medium local businesses, which I believe will help get our economy 'back on its feet'. It was on this subject that I spoke last week at a special business forum with local businesses in Heald Green. It is vital that the Government promotes growth by making life easier for business to thrive and jobs to be created. We've agreed a deal to ensure banks lend more to businesses, we're easing the National Insurance burden on new businesses, and we're providing unemployed people with support and finance to start up their own enterprises. Britain is well and truly 'open for business' and by working together we can be confident of getting the country back on track.

Stockport Express, August 2010

Last Tuesday saw the final day of parliamentary business before the beginning of September. Summer recess, however, is by no means a holiday for this MP! It's an opportunity to catch up with local residents, visit community groups and other local organisations - as well get up to date with the ever-increasing pile of paperwork in our ever-busy constituency office.

Summer recess is also, of course, a time to reflect on the political year gone by. I don't think anybody could have predicted the series of events that have unfolded in recent months - let alone in the last year. The Coalition Government has been up and running for ten weeks now and, although there have been some incredibly difficult decisions to take due to the legacy of mismanagement we have inherited from the previous Labour Government, I am proud of what we have achieved in so little time. To date (to name just a few achievements), we have lifted over 800,000 people out of income tax altogether, helped pensioners by restoring the earnings link, and have made sure that the Banks and the better off pay their fair share through a banking levy and increasing Capital Gains Tax.

My approach to being a Member of Parliament has always been about being a good MP for the area I represent. The constituency always has - and always will - come first. Just last week I led a cross-party delegation in an urgent meeting with the Transport Minister to highlight the plight of train passengers across Greater Manchester, with the need for extra carriages to ease overcrowding on commuter trains.

Two weeks earlier I had brought Care Services Minister Paul Burstow up from London to see for himself the outstanding work that goes on at St Ann's Hospice in Heald Green. This was also an excellent opportunity to welcome the new Chief Executive, Jane Bessant, into her role at the Hospice which rightly enjoys such an outstanding reputation.

For me, it will be business as usual in the coming weeks, and if there are any issues you would like to raise or would like to make an appointment, you can write to me at Hillson House, 3 Gillbent Road, Cheadle Hulme, Stockport SK8 7LE or hunterm@parliament.uk. Alternatively, you can contact my office by phone on 0161 486 1359.

Stockport Express, July 2010

Parliament has been busier than I have ever seen before. With a fresh Government, there is a real determination to tackle the country's economic problems and restore the sustainable growth that the people of Britain need and deserve. There is also a real determination that this is done in the fairest way possible - that whilst making necessary spending cuts, we take care not to harm those who are less well off.

I would argue that last week's Budget was the most difficult task to confront any post-war Government. The mess left by the last administration is difficult to put into words. We are spending £150bn more than we raise in tax and borrowing £1 in every £4 we spend. Our children will be the ones to repay this.

I am very disappointed that VAT has had to be raised. In the Lib Dem Manifesto we set out an aim to eliminate the deficit solely through spending cuts, only considering tax rises if necessary. Sadly the structural deficit is £12bn more than Labour claimed, and so pre-election assessments were inadequate, meaning that the VAT rise was unavoidable.

Considering the scale of the task, however, there are positive achievements within the Budget. Just under 900,000 people will be lifted out of income tax altogether, putting money back in their pocket to help them through the crisis. The earnings link to the state pension will be restored helping many elderly people, and a new Banking levy has been introduced. More money will also be going into education in order to deliver on our promise that youngsters should have the best start in life.

I realise many measures in the Budget may be controversial, but doing nothing was not an option. The huge financial deficit needs to be addressed now before the problem gets even worse.

Stockport Express, May 2010

First of all, let me say a huge 'thank you' to all of those who supported my successful re-election campaign - and indeed everybody who voted regardless of Party - on May 6th. I was delighted with the result, though somewhat surprised to discover afterwards that this was the highest ever number of Liberal Democrat votes in any Stockport parliamentary constituency since the Party's formation. After a hard-fought campaign, this was an exceptional reward and I am extremely grateful for all the support I received.

Now, we have finally managed to shake-up British politics and change things for good. Not surprisingly, since the election many people have contacted me to express their feelings about the new Coalition Government. The majority of people have responded positively but of course other people, quite naturally, have had their reservations and concerns. Anybody who has written to me directly on this should hopefully have received a reply by now.

I believe the Lib Dem/Conservative Coalition is the best available option for the country - politicians working together at a time of national crisis cannot be a bad thing. From a local perspective, those people who voted Liberal Democrat will finally be able to see those Liberal Democrat values and policies in action: raising the income tax threshold to help low and middle income earners; extra funding for schools; dramatic political reform; and restoring the link between pensions and average earnings to name just a few achievements.

Personally, I've been fortunate enough to have been offered (and have accepted) the job of Lib Dem Deputy Chief Whip. This job means I am now also a Government Whip and I believe it can only be good for our community that in these difficult times the voice of our area is right at the heart of Government. Those who know me will know that serving our local area always remains my top priority; it is an honour and a privilege to represent local residents in Parliament, something I never forget.

I remain as committed as ever to being accessible to constituents, to keep in touch, be contactable in the usual ways, and I will continue to hold my regular advice surgeries. If you are a constituent and have any issues that you would like to take up with me, please do get in touch on hunterm@parliament.uk, 0161 486 1359 or write to 3 Gillbent Road, Cheadle Hulme SK8 7LE. You can also catch up on my activity locally and in parliament at www.markhunter.org.uk.

Stockport Express, February 2010

As we approach the General Election, parliamentary business has slowed down as the country gears up for what promises to be the most interesting election in years. The country wants real change - and after the recent Legg enquiry demanded over £1 million of money from over half of all MPs - quite frankly I think that is a good shout. I have never claimed on my family home in Bramhall, have not been asked to repay any money and have published my own expenses on my website for years now. Politicians should stand for Parliament as public servants - not for personal gain. This means a proven record of action - not glib words.

The cold start to 2010 has created new potholes across the Borough that both residents and councillors have reported. After speaking to the Council, priority will now be given to fixing these problems promptly and effectively. Local Liberal Democrat councillors have also checked every single road in their individual patches to report work that needs to be done. Action - not words.

The Lib Dem tax campaign is also going from strength to strength - we want to stop tax on the first £10,000 people earn - saving the average couple £1400 a year, funded through a 1% levy on houses worth £2million or more, and by closing tax loop holes by the super-rich. Over 500 people have signed our petition in the Cheadle constituency.

We've also had great success with our campaign for Cheadle Hulme Train Station - with Network Rail to start work early next year on radical station improvements.

Further positive news is that last week the local police hosted their first surgery in my office on Gillbent Road, which was very successful. I'm shortly to meet Stockport's new Police superintendent to discuss problems of crime and anti-social behaviour that unfortunately still blight our area, and to discuss what the next step forward is.

Stockport Express, January 2010

First of all, happy new year. I hope that all Express readers had a happy and peaceful festive period and were lucky enough to spend some time with loved ones despite some of the coldest weather in decades.

I'd firstly like to pay tribute to our local emergency services, who have offered an outstanding response in these icy times. I've spoken to many local residents about the difficult conditions and have been in constant contact with the Council to ensure roads and pavements are made as safe as possible.

At the end of 2009, along with a cross-party delegation of MPs, I met with Defence Procurement Minister Quentin Davies to press for the retention of jobs at BAE Systems in Woodford. Tragically in my view, it now looks as if the Government are set to commission American aircraft instead - an absolute scandal!

You may also be aware that I am leading the parliamentary fight to save cheques from being abolished. This would cause great inconvenience for Britain's most vulnerable - particularly elderly, disabled and housebound people who rely on cheques as a means of payment. I have heard from hundreds of supporters both locally and from across the country and has won the backing of Which? and the Federation of Small Business - the campaign goes on.

Finally, news recently broke that Wolstenholmes, a law firm in Heald Green, has been shut down and five solicitors had their licenses suspended. I'm in discussions with the Solicitors Regulatory Authority and am meeting Jack Straw to ensure that justice is delivered for the many constituents of mine that have documents and/or monies held by the firm. I have assured all those affected: we will get to the bottom of this.