Thomas McAvoy

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Parliamentary update 4th June 2008

The past couple of weeks have been a challenging time for the government. Following the difficult election results south of the border, Labour in government has looked to continue making the decisions that have a positive impact on people’s lives, despite unhelpful media speculation.

The recent parliamentary recess has given me the opportunity to focus on local issues, away from all of the media speculation in Westminster. With the recess I had the privilege of attending Trinity High School’s awards ceremony, held in Hamilton’s Townhouse. This is of course due to the ongoing development of the new school building in Rutherglen, the move being something that the staff and pupils are looking forward to.

At the ceremony I met the new head teacher, Mr Bolan, who has done an excellent job since taking over the reins from Miss Rossi. In Miss Rossi he has a hard act to follow, but I am sure that Mr Bolan will be able to do just as well in the post at an important time for the school.

The hard work that the pupils, teachers and parents have put in was delightful to see. Of course the most important thing in any school is the pupils’ success and I was very impressed with the achievements on show during the awards ceremony.

The recess has also given me the opportunity to tune into the concerns of constituents, a major one being the rising price of oil. As prices reach record highs, businesses have passed these rising costs onto consumers, having a real impact on many people. I understand the concerns that constituents have, which is why I am pleased to hear that the government is making moves to address the problems.

By sharing information with energy companies the government is attempting to help cut the bills of those on low incomes. This will help lift some out of fuel poverty and will help protect them from any future shocks to the market. Given the instability in the world markets, giving greater stability to those who would be hardest hit is something that is clearly desirable.

Returning to parliament this week will see another big issue return to the headlines; the debate surrounding the proposed 42 day detention of terrorist suspects without charge. The government realises the concerns that people may have about the proposals and is assessing various options that have been touted.

My belief on this issue is that we must look at every option to keep the country safe. Keeping the people of the country safe must be a top priority for any government and is a responsibility that the Labour government takes very seriously, which is why all options are being considered to tackle this unprecedented threat.