News

3rd June 2013

This week MPs have been debating the Energy Bill. This is a hugely important and complex policy area, with implications for our energy security and affordability for years to come.

I take a very close interest in the debate over energy policy. As well as being the local MP for North Warwickshire & Bedworth I also serve on the Energy & Climate Change Select Committee, and I chair the All Party Environment Group and the All Party Group for Unconventional Oil & Gas (shale gas). Just to be clear - I receive no additional pay for these. It is part of my wider role as a national legislator.

In the last six years energy bills have doubled. We have a massive affordability problem. We also have a wider problem - in the next ten years most of our nuclear and our coal fired power power stations will come to the end of their lives and switch off. A quarter of our generating capacity will switch off by 2023. We need to replace that generating capacity, and the cost is going to be very high.

3rd June 2013

Dan Byles MP will use a Private Members Bill to introduce a "modest and simple" House of Lords Reform Bill

North Warwickshire MP and former soldier Dan Byles has announced that he will be using his Private Members Bill to bring forward a simple House of Lords Reform Bill which, if it becomes law, will remove Peers who are convicted of a serious criminal offence from the House of Lords and introduce a retirement mechanism to help limit the size of the Upper House.

13th May 2013

Quality Company, Quality People

Last week I had the happy task of visiting a successful local company to help them celebrate an impressive achievement. Not many people are aware that the Bristan Group are based at the Birch Coppice Business Park in Dordon, employing several hundred people. The largest UK supplier of taps, showers and bathroom accessories, it is estimated that one British home in four has a Bristan tap fitted.

I have visited the Bristan Group several times before and have always be impressed by the company and their workforce. You just know when you're entering a happy work environment, and I always got the impression that the staff at Bristan were particularly dedicated. So I was delighted to learn last week that Bristan has been awarded a rare Investors in People Gold Award in recognition of their dedication to investing in their staff.

7th May 2013

MPs Meet With Trade Unions To Discuss Latest Developments Over Daw Mill

Local Members of Parliament Dan Byles and Marcus Jones have expressed their deep concern at the continued uncertainty facing the workforce at Daw Mill, and today held an urgent conference call with Energy Minister Michael Fallon and met with trade union representatives. They also met with the Job Centre Plus district manager to discuss the support and training available to help members of the workforce find alternative employment.

2nd May 2013

Crime Figures Show Police Reform Is Working

Last week the Office for National Statistics published the latest crime figures for the year ending 2012. I'm sure everybody will be pleased that the national rates are continuing to fall, with the number of crimes recorded by the police in the year ending December 2012 down 8% compared with the previous year. Recorded crime has fallen in every police force area. The independent 'Crime Survey for England and Wales' also shows a fall in crime for the year.

Here in Warwickshire, recorded crime has matched the national picture and fallen by 8% on the year, with burglary down an impressive 17%. These are particularly interesting figures, as they feed into a debate that is continuing to rage about the relative importance of police numbers, street lights and police stations versus smarter ways of utilising police resources.

22nd April 2013

Unemployment Falls As PM Opens New Ocado Site

We've had some good news this week from the Office of National Statistics, whose latest figures show that unemployment in North Warwickshire fell between February and March and is lower than this time last year. There has been a fairly steady fall over the last three years and we now have almost a thousand fewer people unemployed in North Warwickshire today than in January 2010.

There are a number of reasons why the local economy is doing relatively well, with unemployment significantly below the national average. We have a strong local automotive supply chain, and some major companies who have chosen to base significant assets here. Our strong transport links are a big help. We also have some very high quality business sites such as the Bayton Road Industrial Estate, the Loades Ecoparc in Bedworth, Hams Hall in Coleshill and Birch Coppice in Dordon.

16th April 2013

Margaret Thatcher

Last week Margaret Thatcher died. She was a controversial Prime Minister, but I have been extremely saddened by some of the nastier reactions to her death. Regardless of your political views, the death of an 87 year old lady should not be the cause for celebration for anyone with a decent bone in their body. There are too many people who should be hanging their heads in shame this week.

Margaret Thatcher's record as Prime Minister has become wrapped in myth on both sides, but I don't intend to write about her record. Enough people are doing that already. Instead I wanted to briefly write about two ways in which she directly impacted on my family.

9th April 2013

Street Lights - A Difficult Issue

The decision by the County Council to switch off around 80% of the street lights across Warwickshire has proved to be controversial, and is an issue that I am following closely. It is clear that many people are concerned about the possible impact on crime and traffic accidents, and that is understandable. However, I feel to is important to stay calm and to consider this issue based on the evidence rather than on gut feelings.

When I first heard about the plan I had the same concerns, and I questioned council officials hard on what they were doing and why. I was concerned about the potential impact on crime in particular, and I was surprised at the time by what I was told. It seemed that council officials had looked closely at local authorities in other areas who had already switched off street lights, and the evidence was not what you would expect. None of the authorities that had switched off their lights reported any significant increase in crime or road accidents. Some, such as Essex County Council and Gloucestershire County Council, reported reductions in crime after switching off some of their lights.

So I found the report last week that crime has fallen in Nuneaton & Bedworth since the lights were switched off particularly interesting. The information was obtained by the Nuneaton News in a Freedom of Information request to Warwickshire Police. Now this was just one period, and one that saw unusually cold weather which may have had an impact, so it is clearly too early to draw firm conclusions - but I was disappointed at how quick some people were to rubbish those crime figures simply because they didn't fit their preconceptions. Warwickshire Police are extremely professional and I don't doubt their integrity or sincerity. And the fact is, the figures back up the early evidence from other local authorities who are doing the same thing.

2nd April 2013

Coleshill Police Hub More Accessible To The Public

Local politicians Dan Byles MP and Cllr Peter Fowler investigate the long arm of the law

Local Coleshill politicians Dan Byles MP and Councillor Peter Fowler have visited the new Coleshill Police base in the Town Centre to see for themselves how policing in Coleshill has evolved.

Inspector Pat Devereux, the police inspector responsible for local policing, showed Dan Byles and Peter Fowler how the new system is bedding in and explained that all the officers and staff previously based at the old police station are now based in the town centre at the new police base. He explained that Coleshill residents can now access a police front desk in the Library, while policing operations are run out of of a police base right next door.

Local MP Dan Byles said: "This was my first opportunity to see the new system since it has had time to bed in, and I was impressed. I know that some people liked the old police station, but having the same level of police cover based in the town centre instead of a large expensive building on the edge of town is actually more effective."

Cllr Peter Fowler added: "I have been struck by local people who tell me that the front counter in the library is actually more convenient than the old station. Is right in the centre of town, and it makes the police feel more accessible."

27th March 2013

Last Week's Budget

The Chancellor of the Exchequer's annual Budget speech is always a time that excites politicians and journalists a lot more than it excites most normal people. I have to confess that as a politician (and by definition, no longer a normal person) I find budget day particularly interesting.

Member of Parliament for North Warwickshire and Bedworth

I'm working for You...

Latest on Facebook

Latest images

Poll

Links