Rochdale MP Paul Rowen challenged Tony Blair at Prime Minister's Question Time on the potential closure of Accident and Emergency services at Rochdale Infirmary. He asked the Prime Minister: "Can the Prime Minister tell the House what the evidence is for his assertion that closing or downgrading A&E's like Rochdale's saves lives?" The Prime Minister answered but Mr Rowen was far from satisfied with his response.
Local MP Tim Farron has this week tabled a motion in parliament lending his support to 'Open Farm Sunday' on the 10th June. The initiative will see eight Cumbrian farms open their gates throughout June allowing people from as many different backgrounds and ages as possible to experience farm life.
Following news that yet more farmers are having payments delayed by the Rural Payments Agency because of confusion over commons land entitlements, Lib Dem MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Hill Farming, Tim Farron has expressed concern through a parliamentary Early Day Motion.
Following the news today that the NHS is now back in the black after being half a billion pounds in deficit last year, local MP Tim Farron has again called for a moratorium on hospital closures. The Department of Health has today claimed that the NHS will report a surplus of more than £500 million, to be invested in new drugs and 'future services for patients'.
Local MP Tim Farron has in parliament this week shown his support for the new Help the Aged Campaign 'My Home Life'. By putting forward a parliamentary Early Day Motion Tim hopes to raise awareness of this programme which seeks to improve the quality of life of older people in care homes. The motion also calls upon the Government to take note of the recommendations of the My Home Life report in drawing up new minimum standards for care homes.
SWW's top boss, Chris Loughlin, has met with Liberal Democrat MPs as part of their campaign to drive forward a fairer system for water bills. Due to the Conservative privatisation programme sadly the South West pays the most expensive rates in the country, suffering from disproportionate sewage clean-up costs.
