30/01/12 - The Way I See It: Chris Kelly MP writes for the Dudley Chronicle

I went on BBC Radio WM and BBC2’s Daily Politics with Andrew Neil to discuss the campaign for measures to prevent metal theft. I was asked if the Government would outlaw cash payments for (scrap) metal within the next six months. I replied that I very much hoped so and would continue pressing the Government to do so. I was therefore delighted when my colleague the Home Secretary, Theresa May, announced to Parliament a few days later that the Government will be outlawing cash payments for metal and significantly increasing the penalties for dealing in stolen metal within weeks.

Whilst the Parliamentary process completes I will continue to press for greater enforcement of existing laws, including more Police checks on rogue scrap yards to clamp down on metal theft. Having campaigned for changes to the Scrap Metal Dealers Act (1964) I will now be asking Chief Constable Chris Sims to ensure that these new laws are effectively enforced in our area.

At Prime Minister’s Questions I strongly backed the Government’s £26,000 annual benefits cap. I also pressed the Secretary of State for Work & Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, about progress with implementation of the universal credit and for more details about how it will benefit my hard-working constituents in Dudley South.

I signed the Holocaust Memorial Day book of remembrance in Parliament ahead of attending the service of remembrance at Dudley College on the 67th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi death camp. The talk by holocaust survivor Joanna Mallin was truly inspirational and moving; a real reminder of what can happen when democratic politics and dialogue is allowed to break-down and racism and hatred allowed to flourish. We must teach all future generations the horrors of the 1940s so that they can never happen again. Sadly, as I know from my social action work in Rwanda and Bosnia, genocides have happened as recently as the 1990s.

I attended a Health and Adult Social Care review meeting at Dudley Council House. I met with the Environment Agency for an update on the situation with the waste pile at the waste transfer station in Moor Street, Brierley Hill and to press for faster enforcement action. I am currently liaising between the EA and Dudley MBC to make sure that local residents see improvements in the situation.

I visited Summerhill School in Kingswinford, meeting head teacher Mr Warren and holding a question and answer session with pupils. The positive ethos of the school was palpable and made for an extremely enjoyable visit.

I held a constituency advice surgery at Kingswinford Community Centre. If you live in Dudley South and would like an appointment please see dudleyconservatives.com/surgeries or use the contact details below.

The Mayor’s Charity Ball is coming up soon and I’ve bought my ticket. I’ve made GiftAid donations to support the charitable work of the Mayor and several Dudley Councillors from both sides of the political divide – it’s great to see so many worthwhile causes locally benefitting from Councillors’ fundraising.

We are now in the year of the London Olympics – I hope that many Dudley schools will get involved in the 2012 Youth Sport Trust School Games: yourschoolgames.com

I’ve been asking Parliamentary questions about that New Labour folly in the Black Country, The Public (a.k.a. The Pink Elephant) in West Bromwich, Sandwell and the Arts Council for England’s decision to pump money into The Public at the expense of almost everything else in our area.

As founder and chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Family Business I chaired a meeting at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills with Mark Prisk MP, Minister of State for Business and Enterprise, to discuss issues of importance to mid-size and family businesses.

Mr Prisk’s Department has re-launched the Manufacturing Advisory Service (www.mymas.org). I hope that many Dudley manufacturers will access this improved service.

As I have said before, this recovery can only be private sector led so I also welcome the Government’s ‘Business in You’ initiative – businessinyou.bis.gov.uk. With our entrepreneurial spirit and skills base in the Dudley borough there are potentially many innovative, new start-up businesses that could benefit from this new service in our area.

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