07/11/11 - The Way I See It: Chris Kelly MP writes for the Dudley Chronicle

I visited Netherton Park Children’s Centre to meet with principal Helen Ruffles. I was hugely impressed with the facilities and the enthusiasm and dedication of the staff. The centre really is helping to give a great start in life to so many local children.

During my travels I also visited Janan Meat in Kingswinford where I was interested to learn about the rapid growth in unstunned ritual slaughter in UK abattoirs. Janan pre-stun their animals but there is now a great deal of unstunned, ritually slaughtered meat in our food chain. I believe that consumers should be informed about the method of slaughter used so they can make an informed choice about the kind of meat they wish to buy and consume.

I was pleased to receive a fifty strong group from Dudley in Parliament. The group travelled to Parliament by coach from Kingswinford Conservative Club and arrived in time to watch Prime Minister’s Questions in a Parliamentary committee room. Following PMQs I joined the group for a wide ranging question and answer session before we were joined by Nick Herbert MP, Minister of State for Policing and Criminal Justice. The group had the chance to hear from and question a leading minister about his wide ranging brief before I led a tour of Parliament including historic Westminster Hall. The afternoon was completed by tickets for the public galleries to observe the chambers of both the House of Commons and House of Lords at work. For details of our events visit dudleyconservatives.com/events or, for information on visiting Parliament, see dudleyconservatives.com/parliament

With flu season once again upon us I had my flu jab in Parliament as part of a campaign to remind all those at risk of seasonal flu to get their flu jabs this winter – make an appointment with your GP today.

I visited St. Mary's Church of England Primary School in Kingswinford where I chaired a school debate as part of Parliament week.

There was also a meeting with Geoff Bull, Managing Director of Generic Punching Systems in Netherton. It was great to see another thriving small business which has invested in apprenticeships and the latest laser cutting equipment. GPS doesn't advertise – their full order book comes from word-of-mouth, reputation and customer service.

I held busy constituency advice surgeries on Friday evening and Saturday morning. Please contact me if I can help – dudleyconservatives.com/surgeries

On 7 November I met – with Parliamentary colleagues from our borough – another group of students from King Edward VI Sixth Form College, Stourbridge in the Commons.

Also I led a delegation of Parliamentarians to Warburton’s, the bakers, as Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Family Business. It was great to see one of the UK’s most successful family businesses and meet company Chairman, Ross Warburton.

This week I will be leading a meeting with business minister, Ed Davey MP, and next week I will be hosting a Parliamentary reception with Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Vince Cable MP, business minister Mark Prisk MP and Treasury minister Lord Sassoon attended by leading family business delegates from companies such as Warburtons, JCB and Clark's, to discuss how the Government can do more to help the UK’s family businesses through these tough economic times.

It is a little known fact that 4 people in every 10 working in the private sector work in a family business. Family businesses are the backbone of the UK economy. Family businesses:

• account for two thirds of the total 4.5 million private sector enterprises in the UK economy – that’s 3 million businesses
• account for over 40% of private sector employment, providing jobs to 9.5 million people – one job in three throughout the UK
• make a very large contribution to the UK economy, accounting for over 30% of GDP

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