Lynda MP

The most prominent activity of an MP is speaking in debates in the chamber of the House of Commons and questioning Ministers. But this is only a small part of an MP's work. Support for issues can be registered through Early Day Motions but much serious and time consuming work is done in Committee.

An MP also works on behalf of the electorate in the constituency. She can lend her support, send out press releases, lobby organisations and therefore generate publicity for local issues. She will also hold regular 'surgeries' and do casework on behalf of individual constituents. Much of this work is confidential.

A Member of Parliament can investigate matters relating to Parliament or Central Government. They include:

Inland Revenue;
Customs and Excise;
Department of National Savings;
The Land Registry;
Immigration and Nationality;
Post Office;
Passport Offices;
Prisons;
Health - including hospitals and the NHS (but not complaints about individual doctors);
Social Security - including pensions and National Insurance;
Education - including school closures and grants (but not day to day running of schools);
Employment Service - including Job Centres and unemployment office;
Training and Enterprise Councils;
Department of Transport and related organisations such as DVLC and Traffic Area Offices;
Local Authority - dustbins, street cleaning, housing repairs, tenancy matters, playing fields, social services (but you must first exhaust avenues of complaint through your local councillor).

In certain cases your MP can refer your complaint to government ministers or to the Parliamentary Ombudsman. Your MP will try to give advice on any problem you have but there are some problems that she cannot investigate. They include:

Private disputes between individuals;
Decisions made by the Courts.

Most recent appearances in Parliament

(sourced from www.theyworkforyou.com)

Fertility Treatment (Dudley PCT) (30 April 2008)
Lynda Waltho: Thirty years ago, a female child was delivered by caesarean section at Oldham and District general hospital ... Both those constituents are married to men who have fathered a child in an earlier relationship, yet, despite the fact that in both cases the child lives with their natural mother, and not with my constituent, both women are denied fertility treatment by Dudley PCT...

Women and Equality: Women's Suffrage (7 Feb 2008)
Lynda Waltho: What plans the Government have to mark the 90th anniversary of women's suffrage?

Written Answers — Solicitor-General: Rape (7 Feb 2008)
Lynda Waltho: To ask the Solicitor-General what steps the Government are taking to improve investigations and prosecutions of cases involving rape.

Women and Equality: Women's Suffrage (7 Feb 2008)
Lynda Waltho: I thank my hon. Friend for that answer. Despite all the progress, there are still only 97 Labour, 17 Conservative and 9 Liberal Democrat women MPs, and the Fawcett Society estimates that it will take at least 200 years to get anywhere close to having 50:50 representation. All-women shortlists have helped in our case, but those provisions contains a sunset clause and are due to end. What more can we do to ensure that we get closer to having 50:50 representation in my lifetime, rather than in the lifetime of my great granddaughters?

Written Answers — Health: Fertility Services (5 Feb 2008)
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to improve access to fertility services.

Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: Holocaust Education (4 Feb 2008)
Lynda Waltho: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the contribution of the Holocaust Educational Trust's nationwide Lessons from Auschwitz project to teaching of the Holocaust in the national curriculum.

Oral Answers to Questions — Children, Schools and Families: Topical Questions (4 Feb 2008)
Lynda Waltho: I was pleased to hear about increased and continued funding for holocaust education, as was my hon. Friend the Member for Ochil and South Perthshire (Gordon Banks). Last year I was privileged to accompany a group of Dudley pupils to Auschwitz-Birkenau, and I have witnessed their work since then. I know that they have learnt much more than facts and figures about the holocaust. They have...

Orders of the Day: Special Educational Needs (Information) Bill (1 Feb 2008)
Lynda Waltho: My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We know about the cases that are diagnosed, and children born with FAS constitute the largest group of children with non-inherited disabilities, and their number is growing in the UK. At least with the Bill in place, we will be better able to plan, train and develop and ultimately improve the outcomes for those children. The Bill will be useful, too, at the...

Written Answers — Environment Food and Rural Affairs: Whaling (31 Jan 2008)
Lynda Waltho: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Japan on whaling in the Southern ocean.

Business of the House: Topical debate — Holocaust Memorial Day (31 Jan 2008)
Lynda Waltho: I am also very moved by what the hon. Gentleman has been saying. Is it not precisely because of the point he makes that we must encourage organisations such as the Holocaust Educational Trust to continue their work? It was only when I went to Auschwitz that I started to comprehend the industrial nature of what happened. The young people I was with were silent for virtually the whole trip...

Treasury: VAT reduction on repairs and maintenance (24 Jan 2008)
Lynda Waltho: Will my right hon. Friend consider the views of the Federation of Master Builders and those of 58 MPs who have so far signed early-day motion 669, calling for a reduction in VAT from 17.5 per cent. to 5 per cent. on repairs to and maintenance of existing buildings? Such a move would bring far more empty homes on to the market, assist home owners in making their homes energy efficient, and, importantly, assist groups such as the West Midlands Historic Buildings Trust to maintain heritage buildings such as Lye and Wollescote chapel in my constituency.

Transport: New Roads and Rail (22 Jan 2008)
Lynda Waltho: The midlands, like every other area, deserves a transport network that is fit for the future. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has just approved the black country study and the designation of Brierley Hill as a strategic centre. The missing part of the jigsaw is the extension to the midland metro. Will my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport undertake to visit the black country to see not only what has already been achieved but what can be achieved once approval is gained, in terms of job creation, regeneration and congestion busting?

Home Department (14 Jan 2008)
Lynda Waltho: I thank my right hon. Friend for that answer. I am sure that it will be welcomed on both sides of the House, although possibly not by researchers who are busily working on speeches for Wednesday's debate. I appreciate that there have been problems on the way to full ratification, but I am pleased that they have not prevented the police from carrying out their duties on this matter. I wonder...

Neighbourhood Policing Schemes (14 Jan 2008)
Lynda Waltho: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of neighbourhood policing schemes; and if she will make a statement.

Occupational Pensions (7 Jan 2008)
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to increase access to occupational pensions for those on low incomes.

Home Department: Litter: West Midlands (3 Dec 2007)
Lynda Waltho: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers police have to take action against those caught (a) dropping litter and (b) fly-tipping; how many (i) prosecutions were brought and (ii) penalty notices were issued under each power in each of the local authority areas in the West Midlands in each of the last five years.

Communities and Local Government: Litter: West Midlands (3 Dec 2007)
Lynda Waltho: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what powers are available to local authorities to take action against those caught (a) dropping litter and (b) fly-tipping; and how many (i) prosecutions were brought and (ii) penalty notices were issued under each power in each local authority area in the West Midlands...

Innovation, Universities and Skills: Topical Questions (15 Nov 2007)
Lynda Waltho: Stourbridge college in my constituency is delivering 40 per cent. above its original "train to gain" contract target, and it will deliver 100 per cent. next year. It is about to establish Stourbridge Training to respond to employer-led demands. Will my right hon. Friend undertake to visit Stourbridge to see what a can-do college is doing to reinforce the message that we need a relentless focus...

Orders of the Day: Health and Education (13 Nov 2007)
Lynda Waltho: I rise to speak in favour of the Loyal Address and against the Opposition amendment. I want to examine the education and skills Bill, mention some of the great things that have happened in my constituency as a result of our policies so far and consider what the Bill's introduction will mean. Although the headlines in the days after the Gracious Speech seemed to focus on the school leaving age...

Children, Schools and Families: Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (12 Nov 2007)
Lynda Waltho: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he is taking to improve education provision for children born with foetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

Other appearances in Parliament

An archive of previous parliamentary contributions can be found here.

View more appearances at theyworkforyou.com