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House prices in constituency 12 times average salary
David Heath has expressed his dismay at the rate at which house prices are rising.
As part of their ‘Home Truths’ campaign, the National Housing Federation has released figures that show that the average house price in Somerton and Frome has increased from £66,801 in 1996 to £216,090 in 2006, a rise of 323%.
Average earnings in Mr. Heath’s constituency are only £17,940 per annum. This means that in 2006 the average house price in Somerton and Frome was 12 times the average salary.
David Heath said: “You don’t have to be an economist to realise that a 323% rise in house prices over a ten year period is a serious problem.
“This Government’s chronic mismanagement of the country’s housing stock and the policies of the Conservatives before them have left a generation unable to get on the housing ladder and millions languishing on council waiting lists.
“It is a disgrace that house prices in my constituency are twelve times the average salary. It makes me sad that people who have lived in this area all their lives are unable to buy a house close to their roots
“I worry that my kids won’t be able to afford a house in the village that they grew up in and I’m worried for my constituents’ kids, for whom buying a house in this part of Somerset may be an impossible dream.”
David Heath congratulates award winners
David Heath has congratulated two groups on winning funding from the Awards for All Programme.
Martock Local History Group has been awarded £4,373 and Charlton Horethorne Village Hall has been awarded £2,443.
The awards programme is supported by the Arts Council England, the Big Lottery Fund, the Heritage Lottery Fund and Sport England. Grants of between £300 and £10,000 are awarded ‘for people to take part in art, sport, heritage and community activities, and projects that promote education, the environment and health in the local community.’
Martock Local History Group will use the award to involve the community in researching and recording the local history of the area.
David Heath said: "Somerset has a rich and varied history to be explored, and I’m delighted that the Awards for All Programme have allocated funds to allow even more local people to research their pasts. We can learn a lot about Somerset today from the many events which have shaped our county over the years.
“I am sure that the money will allow this exciting project to involve even more people from across the Martock area.”
Charlton Horethorne Village Hall will use the award to buy new chairs for the hall.
David Heath said: “The village hall provides the focal point for most Somerset villages, and any funding to improve facilities and make them more accessible to all in the community should be warmly welcomed.
“I hope this allows Charlton Horethorne Village Hall to continue to provide an invaluable service to the residents of the village and surrounding areas.”
Heath slams Government over parole board recall figures
has criticised the Government after figures released by the Parole Board today showed a 58% increase in the number of recall cases.
David Heath said: “The massive increase in workload for the Parole Board threatens to overwhelm it and make its job much harder.
“Particularly worrying is the big rise in the number of recall cases, which even the Parole Board admits is ‘staggering’. This suggests a widespread flouting of parole conditions by prisoners on release.
“If ministers want the board to deal with a great many more cases each year then they must provide the resources to enable it to do so, otherwise the safety of the public and the integrity of the criminal justice system are put at risk.
“It is staggering that eight out of ten deferments are due to lack of reports or the absence of key witnesses. This only serves to highlight the chaos in the prison system.”
Heath urges Government to go further in constitutional reform
David Heath has urged Jack Straw and Gordon Brown to go further in their program of constitutional reform, after the Secretary of State for Justice made an announcement on the subject in the House of Commons today.
David Heath MP said: “One of the main threats to civil liberties over the last decade has been the behaviour of an increasingly overbearing Labour Government that has transformed Britain into a surveillance state.
“If Gordon Brown is genuinely signalling a change of heart then that is good news, but authoritarianism seems to run deep in the lifeblood of this Government.
“Jack Straw’s statement to Parliament had much to welcome, but it is largely undoing the Government’s position of only a few months ago.
“The Liberal Democrats have long argued against the royal prerogative in war making and treaties, limits on demonstrations in Parliament Square and further restrictions on freedom of information. Sadly both the Government and the Tories refused to listen.
“What we are still waiting to hear are further reforms to make Parliament work better as a whole, and the promises to act to reinvigorate our democracy which must include a fair voting system.”
Government must tackle root causes of fuel poverty, says Heath
David Heath has expressed his dismay after figure released by the Liberal Democrats this week show that the Winter Fuel Allowance now only covers 36% of the average winter fuel bill, compared with almost two thirds in 2003.
The Winter Fuel Allowance is designed to cover the cost of pensioners’ winter heating costs, but because rises in energy prices have not been matched by a rise in the Winter Fuel Allowance, many pensioners have been left struggling to pay their bills.
David Heath said: “This is just another example of Labour hoping that no one will notice that pensioner benefits have been significantly devalued.
“Whether it is delaying restoring the link between pensions and earnings, massively increasing means-testing or capping the state second pension, ministers have shown a callous disregard for the needs of some of the most vulnerable members of society.
“As energy prices continue to rise, it is essential that the Government takes effective action to tackle the root causes of fuel poverty and doesn't just attempt to lessen its effects.
“Increased energy efficiency will stem the tide of rising bills and ensure that even the poorest pensioners can keep their house warm for the whole year.”
Rise in number of offenders returning to prison "unacceptable"
David Heath attacked the Government after new figures were released yesterday showing a large rise in the number of offenders returned to prison for breaking the terms of their licence.
Commenting on the national statistics for Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) annual reports 2006/07, David Heath said: “This report confirms that prison is clearly not discouraging these people from re-offending.
“More resources need to be put into protective services at all levels to protect the public, not just those assessed to be the highest risk.
“For even one offender to commit another serious offence while under supervision is unacceptable. For 83 to do so in a single year – a tenth of all the offenders released from prison – is a catastrophic failure.”
"Token" increase not enough for pensioners, says David Heath
David Heath has criticised the Government for not doing enough for pensioners after they announced a £3.40 a week rise in the basic state pension yesterday.
David Heath said: “It saddens me to see so many pensioners in my constituency are struggling to make ends meet. This token increase will do nothing to help the thousands of pensioners in Somerset trying to survive on a derisory state pension that is still £30 below the poverty line.
“Rather than relying on the incredibly complicated Pension Credit, which over 1.5 million eligible pensioners do not claim, the Government should immediately restore the link with earnings as a first step towards a decent state pension.”
David Heath quizzes Government over foot-and-mouth policy
David Heath made two interventions in a debate about foot-and-mouth in the House of Commons on Wednesday.
Mr. Heath voiced his concerns about the use of an incinerator in his constituency for the disposal of infected carcases and the restrictions imposed on small producers for the movement of pigs.
David Heath said: "I was delighted to be able to contribute to this debate and to address a couple of issues regarding foot-and-mouth that have been concerning me and a number of my constituents.
“Many people in Somerset are rightly concerned about infected carcasses being taken from the area of the foot-and-mouth outbreak into my constituency, into the heart of dairy country, for disposal.
“The Government assure me that there is no risk of infection and that the carcasses are transported in sealed containers but I am not sure of the wisdom of lorries travelling from the protection zone into an area densely populated with dairy cattle. I think that it is an unnecessary and avoidable risk.
“I am also concerned about the limited movement orders for pigs only being available to producers in established pyramid schemes. This issue was brought to my attention by a small farmer from Muchelney, who fattens weaners on his premises, but cannot bring in weaner stocks or move fattened pigs.
“I am not sure how the Government can justify this distinction between small producers and large producers. It seems unnecessarily punitive towards small farmers.”
David Heath praises Sir Menzies Campbell
David Heath has praised Sir Menzies Campbell for his leadership during his tenure after the Leader of the Liberal Democrats resigned yesterday.
David Heath said: “I was extremely disappointed to hear of Sir Menzies Campbell’s decision to stand down. Sadly, I feel that his resignation can only be described as a victory for the worst elements of the national press, obsessed with age and image rather than substance.
“I would like to personally thank Ming for the wisdom, clarity and leadership he has brought to his role. He is an exceptional parliamentarian, with the valuable capacity of being right on all the key issues that have faced us in recent years. He departs with dignity and, I hope, with a real sense of achievement.
“It is now for the party to elect a leader around whom we can unite and continue to go forward. I certainly will not be standing, nor is it my intention to publicly support another candidate at this stage.
"I am, however, confident that whoever is elected, the principles that underpin the party and the essential role we have in the politics of Britain will be secure.”
David Heath leads calls for fixed-term parliaments
David Heath has has today organised a Bill to be tabled to the House of Commons to introduce fixed parliamentary terms of four years.
Mr. Heath and his colleague, Liberal Democrat Shadow Solicitor General, David Howarth MP, made the decision to table the Bill after the Prime Minister ruled out holding a General Election in November and said it was ‘very unlikely’ that there would be one in 2008.
Mr. Heath and Mr. Howarth are hoping to introduce the Bill in the Commons later this week.
David Heath MP said: “It has been Liberal Democrat policy for many years that Parliaments should be elected for fixed terms. This would bring Britain in line with most other democracies across the world.
“The last few weeks have seriously damaged the credibility of politics and politicians, as the Prime Minister has toyed with the electorate over the possibility of an election.
“It is both damaging to the political system and deeply unfair that the Prime Minister can determine the date of an election purely on the basis of short term political advantage.
“This Bill for fixed term Parliaments would stop politicians like Gordon Brown from playing games with the electorate over their basic democratic rights in the future.”