Subject: News

Bulletin from Greg Hands M.P. #306 Date: Friday, 22 July 2011 11:50:48 United Kingdom Time From: To: Greg Hands M.P. news@greghands.com

In this edition:

Issue 306 Friday 22nd July 2011

Greg Hands M.P.s Diary Website of the Week: The Chelsea Physic Garden Greg Hands M.P.s submission to TfL consultation on future of the District Line Commission to probe multibillion pound super sewer Judicial review granted on childrens heart surgery consultation Two H&F Parks named as best free places to go David Cameron's statement on phone hacking Hands in Parliament: Hands questions the Prime Minister on phone hacking How to contact Greg Hands M.P.

Since the last edition, Greg:

Made a submission to the TfL consultation to call for more District Line trains on the Wimbledon branch. Gregs submission is given below. Heard news that the Royal Brompton Hospital in Chelsea has been granted permission for a judicial review on the NHS PCTs consultation on closing child heart surgery at the key London hospital. For more, see below. Met the new Chief Executive of Imperial College Healthcare, Mark Davies. Greg is watching closely to see that there is no further downgrading of services at Charing Cross Hospital. Questioned the Prime Minister about the phone hacking controversy. For more, and the Prime Ministers statement, see below. Was interviewed by Dutch Radio 1 about the impact of welfare reform on London. The programme will be broadcast later this month. Welcomed the secretariat of the Associate Parliamentary Group for Parents and Families to the Commons. Greg has recently become a Vice-Chairman of the group, which campaigns for a better deal for parents and families. Chaired a roundtable lunch between CityUK and members of the House of Commons. The CityUK seeks to promote financial services throughout the United Kingdom. Met the Chairman of the Hurlingham Club to discuss community initiatives at the club. Met local business 192.com to understand their perspective on possible changes to how the electoral register is gathered and published. Ran a surgery for residents of Chelsea and Fulham at Peter Jones, Sloane Square. Gregs surgeries are generally every Monday, at either Fulham Town Hall or Peter Jones, Sloane Square. To make an appointment, call 020 7219 5448 or reply to this bulletin.

Website of the Week:

The Chelsea Physic Garden

www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk
Situated in the heart of London, this 'Secret Garden' is a centre of education, beauty and relaxation. Chelsea Physic Garden was founded by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London in 1673 for its apprentices to study the medicinal qualities of plants. Throughout the 1700s it was one of the most important centres of botany and plant exchange in the world. It is Londons oldest botanic garden and a unique living museum.

Greg Hands M.P.s submission to Tf L consultation on future of the District Line

Friday 15th July 2011 I am writing to give my full support to the proposal to increase the number of trains on the Wimbledon Branch of the District Line. The response from my constituents, particularly in Fulham, has been overwhelmingly positive tot his proposal, having been to Fulham Broadway, Parsons Green and Putney Bridge stations last week to seek their views. According to the last census, the Hammersmith & Fulham Borough had the highest percentage of tube users of any Borough in Britain, so this is a very important issue for my constituents. TfL figures show the Wimbledon branch to be the most congested part of the District Line, and one of the most congested parts of the whole Underground. As a user of the Line myself since 1990, my impression is that after a small decline in usage during the 2008-10 recession, that passenger numbers on the Wimbledon District Line even be at their highest ever again. Conditions on the Line, particularly in rush-hour are unpleasant and often dangerous. My constituents, particularly at Parsons Green, Fulham Broadway and West Brompton, normally have to queue in the morning rush hours, sometimes having to wait for two or three trains before even being able to get close enough to the train to even attempt to board it. Conditions border on the dangerous, and I sometimes think it only a matter of time before the surge causes an accident. This proposal will also add capacity for my Chelsea constituents boarding at Sloane Square for onward journeys into Westminster or the City. I commend TfLs proposal for more Wimbledon Line capacity, and I look forward to it being enacted later this year. Yours faithfully,

Greg Hands M.P. M.P. for Chelsea & Fulham.

Commission to probe multi-billion pound super sewer

Plans for a London-wide super-sewer that is set to add 10 a month for life to the bills of 14 million Thames Water customers will be probed by an independent commission. A team of internationally renowned experts, led by Lord Selborne, will examine the case for the massive 20-mile long sewer which will be larger than the Channel Tunnel if it is built. Thames Water claim the tunnel is needed to avoid EU fines and clean up the River Thames but growing numbers of residents, councils and MPs are questioning whether the super sewer, which is also known as the Thames Tunnel, is the best solution. The Thames Tunnel Commission was launched on 4th July 4 ahead of a meeting between the Environment Minister, Richard Benyon MP, and the Leaders of the 14 riverside London boroughs that will be affected by the scheme. Thames Waters Chief Executive, Martin Baggs, recently revealed that the sewers 3.6billion price tag initially costing customers an extra 65 per year for life was based on 2008 figures and will inevitably increase. The admission comes despite Caroline Spelman MP, Secretary of State for the Department of Environment, demanding that not a penny extra be spent. Lord Selborne said: I welcome the opportunity to pose the questions that millions of water bill payers are starting to ask. The key question is whether this multi-billion pound project is the best solution to making the Thames cleaner or whether there are sensible alternatives that are cheaper, greener and less disruptive. Arguments against the super sewer have so far focused on localised issues about which neighbourhoods will be blighted by the 24 hour-aday construction works e.g. Carnwath Road, Fulham and King Stairs Gardens, Southwark. But questions are being asked about: The large and escalating price of the scheme will cost all 14 million Thames Water customers from Essex to Gloucestershire an extra 10 a month for life. 25% of water bill customers in England will see their bills rise by a fifth The threat to homes, schools and businesses around construction sites The sewer will not fix the problem, Thames Water has acknowledged that some sewage will still be discharged into the Thames, on average four times a year, and it will do nothing to prevent homes and basements from flooding Other major cities have similar combined sewer systems but have not chosen a single concrete tunnel solution There are greener alternatives to clean-up the river like sustainable urban drainage (SUDS) and collection of rainwater

The Commission, which also includes representatives from the Consumer Council for Water, respected engineers and the US-based National Resources Defense Council, is sponsored by H&F Council with the support of other London boroughs with the support of other London boroughs, including Southwark, Richmond and the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea. H&F Council Leader Cllr Stephen Greenhalgh said: At a time when our public services are under intense pressure, Londoners cannot afford to effectively write a blank cheque for this scheme without proper scrutiny, accountability and debate. Doing nothing is not an option, but we need to consider the possibility that there are better alternatives. On a recent trip to Chicago I heard how very few world cities are approaching it in this way many realise that a tunnel-only option is not the best solution. I am concerned that our approach seems to be one where Thames Water customers are being asked to foot the bill for a European edict where the main beneficiaries will be shareholders from an Australian finance group which owns the utility company. He added: It remains my view that an alternative hybrid scheme, involving a shorter tunnel, diversion of run-off rainwater and sustainable drainage as well as improved river water treatment should be revisited as a matter of urgency. These solutions would be far less expensive, far less disruptive and much more beneficial to the environment. We need proper Government-led scrutiny we cannot leave this decision to Thames Water which is after all a monopoly and has a vested interest. The EFRA Select Committee also recently agreed that Thames Water has not properly evaluated alternatives. The pressure has finally led to Thames Water to consider alternatives as part of phase two of their consultation which is set to start in September. Lord True, Leader London Borough of Richmond, said: "The case for the Thames Tunnel has not been properly made. It is time for Thames Water to rethink and deliver a scheme that secures greater value for money and less disruption to Londoners. With the country still plunging into debt at 16 million an hour, inflation too high and utility bills constantly growing, this is one prestige project that could be shelved until better days." Peter John, Leader of Southwark Council, said: "Seven years of misery for those who use Kings Stairs Gardens or who live adjacent to Chambers Wharf is not a prospect which we are prepared to contemplate without a thorough independent investigation and challenge of the scheme as currently presented. "I look forward to the work of the Commission being taken forward and it proposing a scheme which will make the Thames cleaner and safer, but which minimises the disruption and cost to our communities." Sir Merrick Cockell, Leader Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, says: I welcome an objective look at this project from an independent commission. It is an enormously expensive scheme and comes at a time when there are other schemes being shelved that will meet more immediate needs, such as the replacement of our Victorian sewers."

Judicial review granted on childrens heart surgery consultation

Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust was today granted permission for a judicial review of the Safe and Sustainable consultation on the future of childrens heart surgery in England. The Trust believes that the recommended options put to public consultation are fundamentally flawed, such that a consultation based on them is unlawful. Mr Justice Burnett granted permission for a judicial review later in the year, on all grounds advanced by the Trust. Mr Bob Bell, chief executive of the Trust, said: This is extremely good news, first and foremost for patients. We have always supported the principle that all babies and children who undergo heart surgery deserve the best possible care, but decisions about the future of such vital services have to be made on the basis of sound, objective evidence, and the decision-making process must, of course, be entirely transparent. These conditions were not met by those responsible for this review, and it is with regret that we find ourselves having to take legal action to ensure that the grave inadequacies of their approach are heard in a court of law. While we are pleased that Mr Justice Burnett has granted permission for a full judicial review to take place, it is a great shame that the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts did not listen to our concerns in February. Had they agreed to meet us then to discuss the flaws we had discovered, we would undoubtedly not be in this position today. The Trust highlighted a number of areas in the consultation which it identified as flawed. They included: The decision to reduce the number of childrens heart surgery centres in London from three to two, which did not stand up to scrutiny and was not transparent. It was based on the perception that London had to share the pain of closure in an effort to show willing to other centres around the country, and was not based on any clinical evidence. The decision on which two centres were to keep childrens heart surgery was made by a committee that included doctors from each of the two centres which, it was decided, kept their surgery. Both were active in the decision-making process. Royal Brompton was not represented. The Safe and Sustainable steering group set criteria, and then ignored them when considering Royal Bromptons fate. Royal Brompton fulfils the set criteria, with four surgeons undertaking over 400 procedures each year. It is the third largest centre for childrens heart surgery in the country, with very low mortality rates and an international reputation.

The review panel requested information on, and then chose to ignore, the disastrous effects on other NHS services at Royal Brompton if childrens heart surgery were to be withdrawn. Information submitted by the Trust clearly stated: The removal of paediatric cardiac services would render the PICU completely unworkable, in turn removing an essential underpinning for our paediatric respiratory services for patients with diseases such as cystic fibrosis and DMD. These are widely recognised as one of the leading set of services in the UK, if not Europe: the impact on patients (as well as on the Trusts long-term financial health and reputation) would be hugely detrimental. Recognising this error, the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts recently announced plans to convene an expert panel to consider the knock-on effects of removing childrens heart surgery from Royal Brompton, but the panel has not yet met despite the public consultation ending on July 1st.

Two H&F parks named as best free places to go

Mothers from across the capital have named Ravenscourt Park and Bishops Park as two of the top free places to go in London. Both parks came top in a poll by online parenting organisation Netmums who asked mothers to nominate their favourite places to take their children. The two parks have a wide range of attractions for mothers and their children so it is no wonder that they won the awards. Cllr Greg Smith, Cabinet Member for Residents Services, said: This borough has some of the most beautiful and family-friendly parks and open spaces in London and I am delighted that Ravenscourt Park and Bishops Park have won these awards. They are particularly special as they are mums choice awards and recognise what great places both parks are for families to visit. Ravenscourt Park in Hammersmith is already an award-winning park having been given Green Flag status from the Keep Britain Tidy Group for the last two years. The park boasts a hugely popular natural play area featuring climbing areas and slides, a nature area, tennis courts, a caf with reasonable priced healthy foods, a dog-free picnic area overlooking a pond and interesting birdlife. Ravenscourt Park also plays host to the annual Playday extravaganza which sees thousands of children and their families attend for a day of free activities. This years event will take place on Wednesday August 3, from 12 noon to 4pm, and will feature a selection of free inflatables and children's funfair rides. There will also be a talent show, music and much more. Bishops Park in Fulham will be even more popular with families when its urban beach opens to the public in September. The beach forms part of an 8million project to improve Bishop's Park and the adjoining grounds of Fulham Palace. The council has received 3.65million from the Heritage Lottery Fund to help pay for the project. The park also features a natural play area and was recently named one of the capitals safest parks by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.

David Cameron's statement on phone hacking

Wednesday 20th July 2011 With permission, Mr. Speaker, I would like to make a statement. Over the past two weeks, a torrent of revelations and allegations has engulfed some of this country's most important institutions. It has shaken people's trust in the media and the legality of what they do, in the police and their ability to investigate media malpractice, and, yes, in politics and in politicians' ability to get to grips with these issues. People desperately want us to put a stop to the illegal practices, to ensure the independence and effectiveness of the police and to establish a more healthy relationship between politicians and media owners. Above all, they want us to act on behalf of the victims: people who have suffered dreadfully - including through murder and terrorism and who have had to re-live that agony all over again because of phone hacking. The public want us to work together to sort this problem out, because until we do so it will not be possible to get back to the issues they care about even more, getting our economy moving, creating jobs, helping with the cost of living, protecting them from terrorism, restoring fairness to our welfare and immigration systems. Let me set out the action we have taken. We now have a well-led police investigation which will examine criminal behaviour by the media and corruption in the police. We've set up a wide-ranging and independent judicial inquiry under Lord Justice Leveson to establish what went wrong, why and what we need to do to ensure it never happens again. I am the first Prime Minister to publish meetings with media editors, proprietors and senior executives to bring complete transparency to the relationship between government ministers and the media stretching right back to the general election. And the House of Commons, by speaking so clearly about its revulsion at the phone hacking allegations, helped to cause the end of the News Corp bid for the rest of BSkyB. Today, I would like to update the House on the action that we are taking. First, on the make-up and remit of the public inquiry. And second, on issues concerning the police service. And third, I will answer - I am afraid Mr Speaker at some length - all of the key questions that have been raised about my role and that of my staff. Judicial Inquiry So first, the judicial Inquiry and the panel of experts who will assist it. Those experts will be: The civil liberties campaigner and Director of Liberty, Shami Chakrabarti; The former Chief Constable of the West Midlands, Sir Paul Scott-Lee; The former Chairman of OfCOM, Lord David Currie The longserving former political editor of Channel 4 news, Elinor Goodman; The former political editor of the Daily Telegraph, and fomer special correspondent of the press association, George Jones And the former Chairman of the Financial Times, Sir David Bell. These people have been chosen not only for their expertise in the media, broadcasting, regulation and policing, but for their complete independence from the interested parties. Mr. Speaker, I also said last week that the Inquiry will proceed in two parts and I set out a draft terms of reference. We have consulted with Lord Justice Leveson, with the Opposition, the Chairs of relevant Select Committees and the devolved administrations. I also talked to the family of Milly Dowler and the Hacked off campaign. We have made some significant amendments to the remit of the Inquiry. With allegations that the problem of the relationship between the press and the police goes wider than just the Met we have agreed that other relevant forces will now be within the scope of the Inquiry. We have agreed that the Inquiry should consider not just the relationship between the press, police and politicians but their individual conduct too. And we have also made clear that the Inquiry should look at not just the press but other media organisations - including broadcasters and social media - if there is any evidence that they have been involved in criminal activities. I am today placing in the library of the House the final terms of reference. Lord Justice Leveson and the panel will get to work immediately. He will aim to make a report on the first part of the Inquiry within 12 months. Mr. Speaker, there should be no doubt: This public Inquiry is as robust as possible. It is fully independent. Lord Justice Leveson will be able to summon witnesses under oath. The Police and Ethics Mr. Speaker, let me now turn to the extraordinary events we have seen over the past few days at Britain's largest police force - the Met. On Sunday, Sir Paul Stephenson resigned as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. I want to thank him for the work he has carried out in policing over many, many years in London and elsewhere. On Monday, Assistant Commissioner John Yates also resigned and again I want to express my gratitude for the work he has done, especially in improving our response to terrorism. Given the sudden departure of two such senior officers, the first concern must be to ensure the effective policing of our capital - and that confidence in that policing - is maintained. I have asked the Home Secretary and Mayor of London to ensure that the responsibilities of the Met will continue seamlessly. The current Deputy Commissioner - Tim Godwin - who stood in for Paul Stephenson when he was ill, and did a good job, will shortly do so again. The vital counter-terrorism job, carried out by John Yates, will be taken on by the highly experienced Cressida Dick. The responsibilities of the Deputy Commissioner - which the House will remember include general oversight of the vital investigations both into hacking and into the Police - Operations Weeting and Elveden will not be done by someone from inside the Met, but instead by Bernard Hogan-Howe who will join temporarily from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary. We are also looking to speed up the process for selecting and appointing the next Commissioner. But Mr. Speaker, we cannot hope that a change in personnel at the top of the Met is enough. The simple fact is that this whole affair raises huge issues about the ethics and practices of our police. Let me state plainly - the vast majority of our police officers are beyond reproach, and serve the public with distinction. But police corruption must be rooted out. Operation Elveden and Lord Justice Leveson's Inquiry are charged with doing just this. But I believe we can, and must, do more. Put simply there are two problems. First, a perception that when problems arise it is still 'the police investigating the police.' And second a lack of transparency in terms of police contacts with the media. We are acting on both. These were precisely the two points that my Rt Hon Friend the Home Secretary addressed in her Statement to this House on Monday. We believe this crisis calls for us to stand back and take another, broader look at the whole culture of policing in this country, including the way it is led. At the moment, the police system is too closed. There is only one point of entry into the force. There are too few - and arguably too similar - candidates for the top jobs. As everyone knows, Tom Winsor is looking into police careers, and I want to see radical proposals for how we can open up our police force and bring in fresh leadership. The government is introducing elected Police and Crime Commissioners, ensuring there is an individual holding their local force to account on behalf of local people. And we need to see if we can extend that openness to the operational side too. Why should all police officers have to start at the same level? Why shouldn't someone with a different skill-set be able to join the police force in a senior role? Why shouldn't someone, who has been a proven success overseas, be able to help turn around a force at home? I think these are questions we must ask to achieve the greater transparency and stronger corporate governance that we need in Britain's policing. Specific Questions Finally let me turn to the specific questions I have been asked in recent days. First, it has been suggested that my Chief of Staff was behaving wrongly when he didn't take up then Assistant Commissioner Yates's offer to be briefed on police investigations around phone hacking. I have said repeatedly about the police investigation that they should purse the evidence wherever it leads and arrest exactly who they wish. And that is exactly what they have done. No 10 has now published the full email exchange between my chief of Staff and John Yates and it shows my staff behaved entirely properly. Ed Llewellyn's reply to the police made clear that it would be not be appropriate to give me or my staff any privileged briefing. The reply that he sent was cleared in advance by my Permanent Secretary, Jeremy Heywood. Just imagine, Mr Speaker if they had done the opposite and asked for, or acquiesced in receiving privileged information - even if there was no intention to use it. There would have been quite justified outrage. To risk any perception that No 10 was seeking to influence a sensitive police investigation in any way would have been completely wrong. Mr Yates and Sir Paul both backed this judgment in their evidence yesterday. Indeed, as John Yates said: "The offer was properly and understandably rejected." The Cabinet Secretary and the Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee have both now backed that judgement too. Next, there is the question as to whether the Ministerial code was broken in relation to the BSkyB merger and meetings with News International executives. The Cabinet Secretary has ruled very clearly that the code was not broken - not least because I had asked to be entirely excluded from the decision. Next, I would like to set the record straight on another question that arose yesterday - whether the Conservative Party had also employed Neil Wallis. The Conservative Party Chairman has ensured that all the accounts have been gone through and has confirmed to me that neither Neil Wallis nor his company has ever been employed by or contracted by the Conservative Party - nor has the Conservative Party made payments to either of them. It has been drawn to our attention that he may have provided Andy Coulson with some informal advice on a voluntary basis before the election. To the best of my knowledge I didn't know anything about this until Sunday night. But as with revealing this information, we will be entirely transparent about this issue. Finally Mr Speaker, there is the question whether everyone - the media, the police, politicians - is taking responsibility in an appropriate manner. I want to address my own responsibilities very directly - and that brings me to my decision to employ Andy Coulson. I have said very clearly that if it turns out Andy Coulson knew about the hacking at the News of the World he will not only have lied to me but he will have lied to the police, to a select committee, to the Press Complaints Commission and, of course, perjured himself in a court of law. More to the point, if that comes to pass, he could also expect to face severe criminal charges. I have an old fashioned view about 'innocent until proven guilty'. But if it turns out I have been lied to, that would be a moment for a profound apology. And, in that event, I can tell you I will not fall short. My responsibilities are for hiring him - and for the work he did in Downing Street. On the work he did, I will repeat, perhaps not for the last time, that his work at Downing Street has not been the subject of any serious complaint. And, of course, he left months ago. On the decision to hire him, I believe I have answered every question about this. It was my decision. I take responsibility. People will, of course, make judgements about it. Of course I regret and I am extremely sorry about the furore it has caused. With 20:20 hindsight - and all that has followed - I would not have offered him the job and I expect that he wouldn't have taken it. But you don't make decisions in hindsight; you make them in the present. You live and you learn - and believe you me, I have learnt. I look forward to answering any and all questions about these issues and following the statement I will open the debate. But the greatest responsibility I have is to clear up this mess - so let me finish by saying this. There are accusations of criminal behaviour - by parts of the press and potentially by the Police where the most rapid and decisive action is required. There are the issues of excessive closeness to media groups and media owners where both Labour and Conservative have to make a fresh start. There is the history of missed warnings - select committee reports, information commissioner reports - missed by the last government but yes also missed by the official opposition too. What the public expects is not petty point scoring, but what they want, what they deserve, is concerted action to rise to the level of events and pledge to work together to sort this issue once and for all. And it is in that spirit that I commend this statement to the House.

Hands in Parliament:

Hands questions the Prime Minister on phone hacking

Wednesday 20th July 2011 Greg Hands (Chelsea and Fulham) (Con): Is the Prime Minister aware that under the Inquiries Act 2005, and contrary to the evidence given by his predecessor, it is actually under the terms of the Act the job of a Minister to cause an inquiry, not the Cabinet Secretary? The Prime Minister: I believe that my hon. Friend is right, and this does go to the point about the speech made last week by the former Prime Minister. In the end, Ministers have the responsibility to make these decisions, and I do not think it is particularly noble to try and hide behind and blame your civil servants.

5 ways to contact Greg Hands M.P.:

By Phone: By email: By post: In person: 020 7219 5448 mail@greghands.com Greg Hands M.P. House of Commons London SW1A 0AA Click here for details of how to book an appointment at Greg Hands M.P.s weekly surgery

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