05/12/11 - The Way I See It: Chris Kelly MP writes for the Dudley Chronicle

I went to the BBC at the Mailbox in Birmingham for a live interview with Nick Owen on Midlands Today about my founding of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Combating Metal Theft and the associated 10 Minute Rule Bill. Then it was on to Saltwells EDC in Quarry Bank for the Dudley Schools' Sports Awards. The sporting achievements and spirit on display were hugely inspiring – many congratulations to all those pupils who picked up their awards from former world record holder for 5,000 metres, David Moorcroft OBE, including several students from the Kingswinford School, and well done to Martin Duffield for organising a great evening.

I visited Blanford Mere and Maidensbridge primary schools where I met with both head teachers plus many of the teachers and teaching assistants. Both heads arranged for me to meet with the school council which is always enjoyable because you never quite know what questions a group of under elevens might come up with. The most fantastic question come up: "Have you had to compromise since becoming an MP?" The children were not told until the morning of my visit that I was coming – for a youngster to think up such a complex question at short notice shows real intellect and thoughtfulness.

I visited David Parry and his son, Simon, at Nova Design Limited to learn more about this established Kingswinford-based engineering design business. The company employs sixty people and, as there is sufficient work to enable it alongside a company ethos of investing in the training of staff, the Parrys are keen to take on as many young employees with a willingness and aptitude to work in the industry as they can find. I hope that Nova Design and other local businesses will become the source of the growth we need in employment and in the economy.

I attended the Dudley Youth Awards at Dormston Mill Theatre in Sedgley – congratulations to all the winners and thank you to all the performers who entertained us members of the audience. There are so many inspiring young people in our borough and it is good to see them celebrated and receiving some of the recognition they deserve.

The Xmas fayre and Christmas tree display at Holy Trinity Church in Wordsley was a great way to round off the weekend.

I have been invited to the launch of Dudley Business First, a new service that offers free and tailored support to help businesses to establish, grow, diversify and relocate in our borough. Sadly the House is sitting that day but I wish the new service – which can be accessed via www.dudleybusinessfirst.org – success. I know that the leadership of Dudley MBC are always keen to hear from businesses to help understand and address any specific issues they may have so this new service is a welcome development.

I spoke in the Commons during the feed-in tariffs (solar power) debate where I argued that reform of the tariff is necessary because the reduction in the cost of solar photovoltaics and an increase in take-up will mean that the budget for the entire scheme would otherwise be exhausted well before the scheme ended.

I asked the PM at Prime Minister's Questions to join me in condemning the outrageous attacks on our Embassy in Tehran and in paying tribute to our diplomatic staff serving in such difficult environments with such distinction.

As I am a eurosceptic MP I asked the Pensions Minister to assure me that the European Union is not overstepping the mark with its proposals to regulate the UK’s occupational pension sector to which I received a pleasingly firm response.

As usual I’ve held several constituency advice surgeries in the past month. If you live in Dudley South and would like to make an appointment please see dudleyconservatives.com/surgeries or use the contact details below.

> Chris Kelly can be contacted on 01384 211 041 or via officeATchriskellympDOTcom. You can also read the latest news & views at chriskellymp.com