Richard Bacon MP | Member of Parliament for South Norfolk

Foreign ‘danger lorries’ sneaking on to Britain’s roads

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:50:00 GMT

• Foreign HGVs cause more deaths per kilometre travelled than British lorries.
• VOSA inspectors barred from one port for causing 'commercial disadvantage'.

Commenting on the publication of the Commons public accounts committee’s report on the way the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) enforces regulations on commercial vehicles, South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, a member of the committee, said:

“According to the National Audit Office, foreign lorries overall cause more deaths per kilometre travelled than British Heavy Goods Vehicles and most accidents involving foreign lorries involve mechanical failures such as faulty brakes, illegal tyres or defective steering.

“VOSA wants to inspect vehicles at or very near ports so that the Agency can stop as many dangerous HGVs as possible from using Britain’s roads.

“However, VOSA can’t get into ports without permission from the port’s owners, who aren’t always cooperative. In fact, one ferry terminal banned VOSA examiners because they put the port at a ‘commercial disadvantage’, forcing the Agency to set up shop five miles away.

“There is no good reason why VOSA and HM Revenue and Customs are failing to reach agreement over sharing intelligence on vehicles arriving from mainland Europe. HMRC and VOSA should come to an agreement without further delay. It is also unacceptable that foreign lorries are being given free passage on our road network. All UK hauliers pay tax and foreign HGV drivers should not be allowed to come and go without paying their fair share.

“Britain’s roads should be wide open for honest drivers and safe vehicles from anywhere in the world, but dangerous lorries must not be given the chance to sneak onto our roads. VOSA must work with port operators so that inspections can be conducted on the quayside.”.

MP urges NOMS to break the cycle of reoffending

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:50:00 GMT

• Offenders on a short prison sentence have an average of 16 previous convictions
• 60 per cent of prisoners on short sentences will be back in prison within 12 months of their release.

Commenting on the publication of the National Audit Office’s report on the management of offenders on short sentences, South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, a member of the Commons public accounts committee, said:

“It is a truly depressing statistic that most short-sentenced prisoners are career criminals with an average of 16 previous convictions behind them, more than any other type of offender. Most short-sentenced prisoners are jailed for theft or violent crime.

“The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) only has a short time to try and turn these offenders around but they are failing to use the time they have adequately. Only a fraction of prison budgets is spent on reducing re-offending by short-sentenced prisoners, even though 60 per cent of these prisoners will be back in jail within a year. The economic and social cost of this failure is estimated to be up to £10 billion a year. NOMS tries to address the causes of re-offending through a range of activities, but waiting lists are too long.

“Daytime activities for prisoners on a short-sentence fall short of HM Inspectorate of Prisons’ standards. As many as half of all short-sentenced prisoners spend each and every day sat in their cells. This is partly because of prison overcrowding and the lack of physical space for activities.

“Most short-sentenced prisoners are habitual criminals who are constantly going back into prison at horrendous cost to the rest of society. NOMS is failing to make a difference and needs to work much harder to break the cycle of re-offending”.

MP condemns £1 million revolving door for quango staff

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:52:00 GMT

• Equality quango paid a total of £630,000 in redundancy pay to seven senior staff...
• ...only to pay £338,000 to re-hire them as consultants.

An MP on the public accounts committee has condemned the “£1 million revolving door” for quango bosses who were given large redundancy payments and then re-hired as consultants due to staff shortages.

Commenting on the Commons public accounts committee’s report on the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, a member of the committee, said:

“Seven senior employees of the Equality and Human Rights Commission were given a total of £630,000 in redundancy payments and then hurriedly re-hired as consultants at a further cost of £338,000 because of staff shortages.

“The Equality and Human Rights Commission took over from the Commission for Racial Equality, the Disability Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunities Commission in October 2007. The new commission required fewer staff than its predecessor bodies and so the former commissions offered their staff voluntary redundancy as part of an £11.1 million ‘early exit’ scheme.

“However, the new Commission had no control over who was being offered voluntary redundancy. The resulting rush for the door left the Commission 140 people short, with skill gaps in key areas. Seven senior staff who had already left under the ‘early exit’ scheme at a cost of £630,000 were hurriedly re-hired as consultants, costing a further £338,000.

“This expenditure could have been avoided if there had been some basic planning. Taxpayers have the right to expect that the government will take better care of their hard-earned taxes. Unsurprisingly, the Treasury refused to give retrospective approval for this £1 million revolving door and these irregularities forced Parliament’s financial watchdog, the National Audit Office, to place a black mark against the Commission’s accounts”.

Unitary Authorities in Norfolk, Suffolk and Devon

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:00:00 GMT

• Richard defends civil servant over leak allegations
• Norfolk MPs condemn unitary process

Mr. Richard Bacon (South Norfolk) (Con):I am grateful to have the opportunity to take part in this debate. I want to focus on the narrow issue of the correspondence between me and the permanent secretary of the Department for Communities and Local Government, to which my hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Norfolk (Mr. Simpson) referred in his introduction. Since that correspondence there has been an extraordinary and indefensible outburst from the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, the right hon. Member for Exeter (Mr. Bradshaw). I should like to hear the Minister, on behalf of the Government, condemn what was said and state, on the record, that civil servants have done nothing wrong in relation to such matters.

I wrote to the permanent secretary, Mr. Peter Housden, on 3 February. As a member of the Public Accounts Committee, I see permanent secretaries from various Departments twice a week, and have done so for the eight-and-a-half years that I have been a member of the Committee. I am familiar with the fact that one of the titles of the permanent secretary-it is the reason why the permanent secretary is the witness before the Public Accounts Committee-is accounting officer. Permanent secretaries are legally, as opposed to politically, responsible to Parliament for the effective, efficient and economic use of public funds.

This morning, I was at a seminar, which was chaired by the admirable Peter Riddell, at which a former senior Labour Cabinet Minister, who has only recently stepped down from the Cabinet, said, "Ministers are there to represent the public interest first and foremost in obtaining value for money in the use of public resources. That is their job. It is the job of accounting officers, of permanent secretaries, to stand behind them to make sure, if there is any falling short from that standard, that they notify it to the appropriate authorities.

The right hon. Member for Exeter accused Mr. Peter Housden of being biased and said that he was not surprised that the documents had been leaked. May I say for the record that the documents were not leaked? They were sent to me in response to a letter that I had written to the permanent secretary. Mr. Housden copied them to the Cabinet Secretary, Sir Gus O'Donnell. I can hardly think of a less likely way to leak something than to send a copy of what one is doing to the Cabinet Secretary. In his letter, which he also attached to the Secretary of State, he said that:

“I am concerned that the approach you are currently proposing”-

that is the approach currently proposed by the Secretary of State-

“makes it difficult for me to meet the standards expected of me as Accounting Officer.”

Far from leaking the documents, he did the right thing.

As for seriously mishandling the situation, I have since had a letter from the Comptroller and Auditor General to whom I also copied the correspondence. It is a fact of the nature of requesting a direction from a Secretary of State that the permanent secretary will also send copies of it to the National Audit Office and the Comptroller and Auditor General. In his letter, Mr. Housden alludes to that. He says:

“As I am required to do, I will send copies of your instruction and this letter, to the Comptroller and Auditor General, who will normally draw the matter to the attention of the Public Accounts Committee raising his concerns about the value for money of the scheme by seeking a Direction from his Secretary of State and notifying me. In accordance with the provisions set down in 'Managing Public Money'”-

which is a Treasury guidance document-

“I have notified the Chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts of this Direction”.

In other words, there is no question but that the permanent secretary has acted properly.

The reason he acted properly is that he was concerned that the approach being proposed by the Government was improper, an indefensible use of public funds, unfeasible in the sense of being undeliverable, and almost certainly unlawful. In such circumstances, he did exactly the right thing. I see that Mrs. Humble has transmogrified into you, Mr. Jones, in the last couple of seconds, so I will address my concluding comments to you.

I repeat my request to the Minister to ensure that we all understand, on the record, that the behaviour of that civil servant has been in the finest traditions of the civil service rather than against them. We all understand that the career of the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has, in some ways, been an anger management therapy and a working out of his feelings towards his former employer at the BBC, but that is not a reason to lash out at civil servants, and I hope that the Minister will confirm that.

Taxman is ‘letting down pensioners’, says MP

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Report finds 1.5 million pensioners overpaying a total of £250 million
• Many pensioners are not claiming allowances to which they are entitled.

Commenting on the Commons public accounts committee’s report on how HM Revenue & Customs deals with the tax affairs of older people, South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, a member of the committee, said:

“Around 1.5 million older people have overpaid the taxman by a total of around £250 million because of discrepancies between the tax records held by the government and the records of employers and pension providers.

“Furthermore, many older people are not claiming the age-related tax allowances they are entitled to, because HMRC makes people jump through hoops even though the government should already know whether someone is eligible for an allowance or not.

“People’s tax affairs often become more complicated as they get older, but the tax system cannot cope properly with what are often multiple sources of income for older people. The UK’s population is ageing, so it is only going to get harder to deal with the taxation of older people unless HMRC takes action to address these issues.

“HMRC is letting pensioners down and it needs to work much harder to make the tax affairs of older people easier to understand”.

South Norfolk enjoys a business boom-time

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 10:00:00 GMT

Last week I visited three South Norfolk firms which are holding their own despite the current economic climate.

Syne Qua Non in Diss manages clinical trials for global pharmaceutical companies. It has recently won the Queen's Award for Enterprise.

Started 14 years ago by Tony Rees in his spare bedroom, the company now employs 120 people and is looking to expand.

As well as taking on people locally, Syne Qua Non also recruits skilled staff from further afield by promoting the excellent quality of life in South Norfolk.

As an IT-based company, Tony Rees is highly critical of the poor broadband service in Norfolk. I have urged BT to get on with upgrading the broadband service to East Anglia now. This will help companies such as Syne Qua Non to prosper and in turn bring more jobs to the area.

WELL PACKED

I was pleased to hear that, despite a set-back last year, Mondi Packaging is feeling optimistic about the future and is installing a new high speed case-making machine at its Pulham factory.

The company was also recently awarded the BRCIOP, which is an industry standard for food packaging, thereby giving Mondi the opportunity to expand into this growing market.

Mondi has long had good green credentials, using 75 per cent of recycled paper for its packaging products. The company also helps to sustain the local economy by employing local people, some of whom have clocked up 42 years of loyal service.

I admire Mondi's consistent support of local charities. The company also has an excellent policy of using local suppliers when ever possible, which help further in stimulating the economy in South Norfolk.

IN THE SWIM

Tucked away down a farm lane in Seething, Fendercare Marine Solutions is a world leader in producing gigantic rubber fenders to protect submarines, navy ships and oil tankers. It also sells ships anchors and chains as well as making to order marking and mooring buoys.

Fendercare’s latest product is an eco-friendly low pressure washer which uses small quantities of abrasive to clean the exterior of ships. It’s also ideal for removing graffiti – local councils please note!

The company, which has been in business for 22 years, now has offices as far away as Brazil, Nigeria and Australia.

I would like to congratulate Fendercare’s Managing Director Eric Plane and his team for winning the contract to supply the anchor and chain and other items for the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers.

Treasury ‘in the dark’ over bank lending, says MP

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:35:00 GMT

• £850 billion of taxpayers' money put up to support banks
• Bank of England's books closed to Parliament's financial watchdog.

Commenting on the Commons public accounts committee’s report on the support given to the UK banking industry, South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, a member of the committee, said:

“The Treasury put up a staggering £850 billion of taxpayers’ money to prevent the UK’s banks from collapsing.

“However, banks’ commitments to increase lending to businesses are not being met and it’s far from clear that the Treasury knows why. It does not bode well that the department of state responsible for the nation’s finances appears to be in the dark about the current condition of the lending market. This must change.

“The Treasury is confident that it can make a profit when it sells off the taxpayers’ interest in the banks. This will require sound judgement and careful risk management over a number of years but the Treasury was heavily reliant on external advice during the credit crunch, and risk management has not always been one of Whitehall’s strongest suits. The Treasury must be certain that lessons from past asset sales have been acted upon and also examine whether its own expertise and capacity is up to the job.

“The National Audit Office (NAO) is unable to scrutinise directly the actions of the Bank of England, and the Financial Services Authority has only very recently accepted the NAO as its auditor. It is only right that the NAO be allowed to scrutinise these bodies, especially when taxpayers put up hundreds of billions of pounds to keep the UK banking system alive and kicking”.

A&E failures causing 600 deaths a year, says MP

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:15:00 GMT

• Financial watchdog finds postcode lottery for trauma care
• Critically ill patients in English hospitals have 20 per cent less chance or surviving than patients in US hospitals.

Commenting on the publication of the National Audit Office’s report on major trauma care in England, South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, a member of the Commons public accounts committee, said:

“It is appalling that up to 600 people could be dying unnecessarily every year because of failures in the management of major trauma care. What is truly outrageous is that these failures are not new; they were first identified over 20 years ago.

“If you are critically injured in a road accident, your survival chances could very well depend on the hospital which you are taken to.

“As a result of the Department of Health’s institutionalised apathy, the chances of someone with a critical injury dying in an English hospital are now 20 per cent higher than in an American hospital.

“What on earth has the Department of Health been doing for the last two decades? This is precisely the sort of thing the government should have been focussing on, rather than spending billions on a pointless computer system which nobody really wants and which doesn’t work properly”.

Richard Bacon gets thumbs up from Legg inquiry

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:32:00 GMT

• No further action needed, says auditor
• Taxpayers have the right to know how their money is used, says MP

South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon’s second home expenses have been given the thumbs up by parliamentary auditor Sir Thomas Legg.

In his letter to the South Norfolk MP, Sir Thomas states that no payments made to Mr Bacon under the Second Home Allowance need to be repaid. Sir Thomas added: “My conclusion is that no action is required from you in this matter”.

Mr Bacon said: “I am grateful to Sir Thomas Legg for his work. MPs are servants of the public and their allowances are funded by the public. I think taxpayers have the right to know how their money is used.

“MPs do need a place to stay in London if their constituencies are outside commuting distance, otherwise they could not do their job. It is also quite right that MPs should be audited and accountable on how public money is used”.

Debt advice services struggling as consumer debt hits £1.5 Trillion, says MP

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:30:00 GMT

• UK consumer debt hits £1.5 trillion
• One in ten consumers cannot service their debts

Commenting on the publication of the National Audit Office’s report on the help provided to over-indebted consumers, South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, a member of the Commons public accounts committee, said:

“As of November 2009, UK consumer debt was an eye-watering £1.5 trillion, so it is unsurprising that around one in ten consumers struggle to keep up with their bills and credit payments.

“At present, the government is not always using the most cost-effective means of reaching people in need of help with their debts. This is despite the fact that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has spent £143 million on providing advice to people who can no longer afford to service their debts. The recession has caused demand for debt advice to rise much faster than capacity and some people in real need of help have been made to wait for over a month or have even been turned away.

“It costs an average of £265 to provide face-to-face debt advice, but telephone advice costs just £51 and internet advice is cheaper still.

“One in four people who saw a debt adviser face-to-face say they would actually have preferred debt advice over the telephone or on the internet.

“The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills needs to use the money it deploys more effectively in order to address the gap between the demand for debt advice and the department's current capacity to provide it”.

Stroke victims struggling to access treatment outside office hours, says MP

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:00:00 GMT

• Stroke victims struggle to access brain scans and clot-busting drugs outside office hours
• Post-hospital support failing to keep pace with improved hospital care

Commenting on the publication of the National Audit Office’s report on progress in improving stroke care, South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, a member of the Commons public accounts committee, said:

“Strokes are killers. They are one of the top three causes of death and the largest cause of adult disability in England.

“Although the National Stroke Strategy has improved access to hyper-acute stroke care, there is still more that can be done. For example, fewer patients receive urgent CT scans at night or at weekends, and only one in four sites provides access to clot-busting drugs at these times.

“Strokes do not observe office hours, so stroke victims should not have to wait until the next working day for treatment. Post-hospital support for stroke patients and carers is also failing to keep pace with improved hospital care, and the extent to which services have been reconfigured to improve emergency stroke care varies considerably across the country.

“Strokes are not an inevitable part of growing old. The Department of Health must address inequalities in access to emergency stroke care if the National Stroke Strategy is to be a success”.

Norfolk MPs call on Lord Adonis to improve county's rail services

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:00:00 GMT

• Norfolk MPs co-sign letter to Transport Secretary
• MPs call for improvements to county's rail infrastructure

SOUTH NORFOLK MP Richard Bacon has joined forces with other Norfolk MPs to call for improvements to the Greater Anglia rail franchise.

Norfolk’s eight Members of Parliament were co-signatories to a letter to Transport Secretary Lord Adonis, calling on him to secure vital service improvements for Norfolk's rail travellers as his department prepares to consult on the new franchise.

Mr Bacon said: “Lord Adonis should be in no doubt that Norfolk’s growing appetite for rail travel is currently being unfulfilled.

“Norfolk must not be treated as an after-thought at the end of the line. The new franchise for East Anglia must give our constituents a first-class rail service on clean, modern and efficient trains”

The shape of the South Norfolk Parliamentary Constituency is changing...

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:00:00 GMT

• Norfolk will get a ninth member of Parliament at the next General Election
• The size and shape of almost all Norfolk's Parliamentary constituencies are going to change

There will be a General Election this year, which must be held no later than Thursday 3 June 2010.

When Parliament dissolves, the boundaries of all Norfolk's Parliamentary Constituencies, including South Norfolk, will change. Find out more here.

If you live in South Norfolk, you can find out what will happen to your town or village here.

BOUNDARY CHANGE FAQs

Why are the boundaries of Norfolk’s Parliamentary constituencies changing?

Norfolk currently has eight MPs in the House of Commons.

But the size of Norfolk’s population means the county should have nine Members of Parliament.

The Boundary Commission for England has decided that Norfolk will get its ninth Parliamentary Constituency and an extra Member of Parliament with effect from the 2010 General Election.

In order to create an extra constituency and balance the population more evenly between each of the nine MPs, the boundaries of most of Norfolk’s current Parliamentary Constituencies have to change.

When will the boundaries change?

The new boundaries will come into effect once Parliament dissolves for the 2010 General Election, which must be held no later than Thursday 3 June 2010 and will be held on the new Parliamentary boundaries.

It is important to remember that your current Member of Parliament will continue to be your MP until Parliament is dissolved for the General Election later this year.

I am currently one of Richard Bacon MP’s constituents – what does the change mean for me?

If you live in:-

Barnham Broom
Deopham;
Hackford;
Hingham;
Kimberley;
Morley;
Runhall;
Spooner Row;
Suton;
Wicklewood; or
Wymondham

then you will stop being constituents of the Member of Parliament for South Norfolk the moment Parliament is dissolved for the General Election, which will be held later this year.

After the General Election, you will be represented by whoever is elected as the Member of Parliament for the new seat of Mid-Norfolk.

If you live anywhere else in South Norfolk, you will continue to be represented by the Member of Parliament for South Norfolk after the General Election.

I live in Cringleford. What happens to me?

If you live in Cringleford, you are currently represented by the Member of Parliament for Norwich South.

This will change once Parliament is dissolved and, after the General Election, you will be represented by the Member of Parliament for South Norfolk.

I live in Colney. What happens to me?

You are currently represented by the Member of Parliament for Norwich South. This will change once Parliament is dissolved and, after the General Election, you will be represented by the Member of Parliament for South Norfolk.

I live in New Costessey. What happens to me?

New Costessey will keep the same Parliamentary Boundaries, meaning that you will be in the same Parliamentary Constituency after the 2010 General Election.

Will my District Council ward or County Council division change?

No. You will continue to live in the same District Council ward and the same County Council division.

If I don’t live in the South Norfolk Parliamentary Constituency anymore, will my local services still be provided by South Norfolk District Council?

Yes. The Boundary change will only affect who represents you in Parliament.

Are the Boundary changes anything to do with the proposed reorganisation of local government in Norfolk?

No. The two are not related.

Heritage report highlights failure of target culture, says MP

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:00:00 GMT

• Targets aimed to boost visitor numbers from ‘priority’ groups to historic sites
• No one in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport knew how to engage with targetted groups

Commenting on the Commons public accounts committee’s report on promoting participation with the historic environment, South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, a member of the committee, said:

“This report underlines everything that is wrong with a target-driven culture.

“The Department for Culture, Media and Sport produced targets to boost visitor numbers to historic attractions from three ‘priority’ groups. However, nobody at the Department knew how to meet the targets or even if the targets could be met. No-one in the Department really understood how to engage with the groups that had been targeted and, to cap it all, there was no way to find out if the Department’s efforts had produced a result. Two of the three targets were then missed, but it’s hardly surprising that nobody at the Department can say why

“70 per cent of the population already visit historic sites. This is a commendable achievement. However, the Department risks wasting its time and our money by setting inane targets in order to produce statistics rather than achieving something tangible.”

MP gets on his bike for cycle path campaign

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 10:00:00 GMT

• Local MP joins cycle ride to highlight dangers to cyclists
• Cycle path needed for local school pupils and workers cycling to Norwich

South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon has urged planners and developers to ‘think bike’ after joining Hethersett pupils and parents on an early morning cycle ride.

Mr Bacon joined local campaigners to discover the difficulties and dangers faced by cyclists trying to bike between Hethersett, Little Melton, and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Norwich research park and the University of East Anglia.

At the moment, cyclists have to cross the busy A47 via a pedestrian crossing between Little Melton and Colney.

A local campaign, spearheaded by Little Melton Primary School pupils, is calling for a cycle path to make it easier and safe for cyclists to travel the route.

Mr Bacon said: “The plain fact is that when new developments are planned, not enough thought is given to the needs of cyclists from the outset.

“That area is going to face at least 1,000 new homes under the greater Norwich development plan. We just don't take cycling seriously enough, early enough in our planning.

“It really is a case of 'think bike' and if you are a planner or developer then put the needs of cyclists much higher in your order of priorities.”

Bonus for RPA chief is ‘incomprehensible’, says MP

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:00:00 GMT

• Agency boss paid bonus of some £11,000
• Agency struggling to hire skilled senior staff

Commenting on the Commons public accounts committee’s report on the second progress update on the Rural Payments Agency’s administration of the Single Farm Payment, South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, a member of the committee, said:

“The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) seems immune to any attempt to reverse its declining fortunes and Defra appears to be in denial over the scale of the problem.

“In the last two years, the Agency has spent £84 million on hiring consultants to prop up the Agency’s creaking £350 million computer system. To make matters worse, much of the RPA’s software will soon be out of warranty and the RPA is scrabbling around to find a cheaper way to keep it going until 2012. The RPA also struggles to hire senior staff because people with the right skills and experience do not want the Rural Payments Agency tainting their CV.

“Farmers will be furious that the Chief Executive of the RPA, one of the worst performing government bodies in living memory, was paid his performance bonus last year.

Bonus for RPA chief is ‘incomprehensible’, says MP

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:00:00 GMT

• Agency boss paid bonus of some £11,000
• Agency struggling to hire skilled senior staff

Commenting on the Commons public accounts committee’s report on the second progress update on the Rural Payments Agency’s administration of the Single Farm Payment, South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, a member of the committee, said:

“The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) seems immune to any attempt to reverse its declining fortunes and Defra appears to be in denial over the scale of the problem.

“In the last two years, the Agency has spent £84 million on hiring consultants to prop up the Agency’s creaking £350 million computer system. To make matters worse, much of the RPA’s software will soon be out of warranty and the RPA is scrabbling around to find a cheaper way to keep it going until 2012. The RPA also struggles to hire senior staff because people with the right skills and experience do not want the Rural Payments Agency tainting their CV.

“Farmers will be furious that the Chief Executive of the RPA, one of the worst performing government bodies in living memory, was paid his performance bonus last year.

Richard Bacon MP declares Hempnall decision a ‘victory for common sense’

Wed, 9 Dec 2009 13:00:00 GMT

• South Norfolk Council's original decision endorsed
• MP praises local campaign group.

Local MP Richard Bacon has welcomed the dismissal of an appeal to overturn South Norfolk Council’s rejection of a seven turbine windfarm at Hempnall.

Mr Bacon said today: “This decision is a victory for common sense. The Inspector has clearly listened to strongly expressed local views that Bussey's Loke was not the right site for a wind farm. I am particularly pleased that he has recognised the inherently attractive “human” scale and quality of the environment.

“South Norfolk Council came to the right conclusion when it rejected these plans and the Council’s reasoning has now been endorsed by the Planning Inspector. It is clear that the environmental and social damage to Hempnall and the surrounding area from seven 125 metre high turbines would outweigh any benefit from renewable energy.

“In order to take proper advantage of the benefits of wind power we should go off-shore, where it is much windier. It would then be possible to have large scale developments and big economies of scale, without the intrusion which this type of development on-shore will inevitably cause in a gentle rural landscape.

“The SHOWT campaign group have done magnificent work in coordinating local residents to see off these proposals. Their success will inspire other rural communities facing similarly ill-conceived plans”.

Mr Bacon was speaking after Planning Inspector Mr David Lavender MRTPI yesterday dismissed Enertrag UK’s appeal against South Norfolk District Council’s decision to refuse planning permission for seven 125 metre turbines near Hempnall.

Mr Bacon addressed the Hempnall Planning Inquiry at Long Stratton in October this year. His statement to the Inquiry can be found here.

Local MP tours site of proposed quarry at Marlingford

Thu, 3 Dec 2009 13:00:00 GMT

• Richard Bacon urges Marlingford residents to have their say on gravel quarry plans
• Consultation period ends at 5pm on Friday 11 December 2009.

South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon has toured the site of a proposed 50 acre gravel quarry near Marlingford.

Local residents Miss Jane Knights and Mr Peter Cherry took Mr Bacon to see where the proposed quarry would be located in relation to the village and their farm.

Miss Knights and Mr Cherry explained their concerns over whether the proposed site was geologically suitable, as well as the potential impacts of the proposals on livestock, historic local buildings, and flora and fauna.

Mr Bacon said: “I am pleased to have had the opportunity to see the site of the proposed gravel quarry at Marlingford for myself.

“The proposals to possibly site a quarry at Marlingford to extract 750,000 tonnes of gravel are part of the Norfolk County Council mineral extraction plan which has been published by the county and is now out for consultation.

“Local residents have until 5pm on Friday 11 December 2009 to make their views known to Norfolk County Council. I urge the residents of Marlingford and the surrounding area to contact the County and have their say on these proposals.

Local residents who are concerned should consult the Norfolk County Council website for more details and should make their views known by writing to:

Mr Nick Johnson
Planning Services Manager
Norfolk County Council
FREEPOST NC22093/8
Planning and Transportation Department
Planning Services
Norwich NR1 2BR

Or send their comments by email to:

ldf@norfolk.gov.uk

The County Council will also accept submissions by fax to:

01603 223219

All letters, emails and faxes should quote the County Council's reference number MIN 54.

National Express franchise axe ‘hardly a bolt from the blue’, says MP

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:30:00 GMT

• National Express's East Anglian franchise to end in 2011
• New franchise holder now being sought.

Commenting on the Department for Transport’s decision to terminate National Express East Anglia’s franchise in 2011, South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon said:

“The decision to end National Express’s East Anglian franchise in 2011 is hardly a bolt from the blue.

“The government must now ensure that whoever takes up the East Anglia rail franchise can afford to invest significantly in the route and is not saddled with multi-million pound payments to the Treasury.

“My constituents deserve to have a first-class rail service on clean, modern and efficient trains.

“I will be watching future developments closely”.

Post office closures worked out ‘on the back of an envelope’ says MP

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:30:00 GMT

• Government did no new research to support closure programme
• The research used by the government ignored social and economic impacts of closures.

Commenting on the Commons public accounts committee’s report on Post Office Ltd’s Network Change Programme, South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, a member of the committee, said:

“Across the country, the government’s plans to close 2,500 post offices were pushed through in the teeth of local opposition.

“ It seems very odd to base a post office closure programme on work that does not look at the social and economic impacts of closures. It is as if the post office closure programme was worked out on the back of an envelope.

“ Communities now lamenting the loss of their local post office will be angered that the government’s decision to swing the axe was not based on up-to-date research but on old data that did not examine the damage that closures would do. Because the number of closures had already been fixed, the few people who knew about the consultation period saw it as little more than a way of giving the closure programme a thin veneer of legitimacy”.

Mr Bacon was speaking as the Commons public accounts committee published its report on Post Office Ltd’s Network Change Programme. In 2007, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and Post Office Ltd agreed a £1.7 billion strategy to make the post office network financially sustainable, including a £150 million annual subsidy. One element of this plan was the Network Change Programme, whereby up to 2,500 post office branches were to be closed. The Network Change Programme was expected to initially cost £176 million, mainly in compensation to sub-postmasters. Annual savings of £45 million were forecast, but the report finds that the Programme was expected to generate a £17 million loss in the 2006–07 to 2010–11 period of the strategic plan.

The report finds that the Department’s assessment of the social and economic costs of the closure programme were inadequate. The Department did not undertake any specific economic and social research to support its decisions in 2006, and drew instead on older work, largely completed in 2003. This analysis simply assessed the economic benefits provided by the network as a whole and did not consider the impact of closures. The Department’s research on the social and economic benefit provided by post offices has to date been largely limited to the rural network.

The report also finds that there was criticism of the local consultation phase of the programme from some of those taking part. In the early stage of the consultation process only 18 per cent of people had been aware that a consultation was going on in their local area. Complaints included that too little time had been allowed for consultation, that the decisions had already been made and that the public were not being listened to properly. Postal watchdog Postwatch (now part of Consumer Focus) went on record to say that it considered the six week local consultation period to be too short.

Government ‘dragging its feet’ in superbug fight, says MP

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:30:00 GMT

• The Department of Health has little data on 80 per cent of hospital superbug infection rates
• 20 per cent of trusts only monitor MRSA and C. diff infection rates.

Commenting on the Commons public accounts committee’s report on the reducing healthcare associated infection in England’s hospitals, South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, a member of the committee, said:

“The Department of Health has taken one step forward, two steps back in the fight against hospital-acquired infections.

“Although there has been some progress in the fight against Meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and C. difficile infections in England’s hospitals, the Department of Health is still in the dark over 80 per cent of healthcare-associated bloodstream infections.

“This means the NHS is effectively fighting hospital superbugs with one hand tied behind its back. The Department also ‘cannot say’ why one in five hospital trusts are only monitoring MRSA and C. difficile, which risks letting other superbugs run rampant.”.

“ The Department of Health has been previously warned not to focus only on MRSA and C. difficile to the exclusion of other superbugs, but little appears to be changing. The Department must stop dragging its feet and boost infection monitoring and control measures in order to keep less well-known but equally dangerous infections out of our hospitals”.

Mr Bacon was speaking as the Commons public accounts committee published its report on the reducing healthcare associated infection in England’s hospitals today. Every year over 300,000 patients in England acquire a healthcare associated infection whilst in hospital costing the NHS more than £1 billion a year. These infections are caused by a variety of organisms and lead to a range of symptoms from minor discomfort to serious disability and even death. In 2007, there were 9,000 deaths recorded with Meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infections as the underlying cause or a contributory factor. The report finds that the Department’s approach to in reducing MRSA and C. difficile infections has been successful.

However, the Department has not achieved measurable reductions in other, avoidable, healthcare associated bloodstream infections. The public accounts committee recommended in 2005 that the Department expand mandatory surveillance to other healthcare associated infections, but this latest report finds that this recommendation has not been implemented and there is still no robust comparable data on the extent and risks of at least 80 per cent of healthcare associated infections. The report adds that, without surveillance information, the Department has no idea of the true scale of all healthcare associated infections and the risk they pose to patients. The Department also could not explain why 20 per cent of trusts had carried out no additional surveillance on infections other than MRSA and C. difficile.

Break the cycle of computer failure, MP urges

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:41:00 GMT

• Offender management system ‘out of control’
• Civil servant appointed to run C-NOMIS had little experience of IT projects

Commenting on the Commons public accounts committee’s report on the National Offender Management Information System (C-NOMIS), South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, a member of the committee, said:

“The scale of the government’s failure over C-NOMIS leaves one gasping for breath. What on earth possessed the Home Office and the National Offender Management Service to appoint someone whom they knew didn’t have sufficient experience or training to run this project properly? Such stupidity defies rational analysis.

“There is now a real danger that the failures of schemes like C-NOMIS are losing their power to shock. So many government computer schemes begin life by underestimating complexity and overestimating the chances for success.

“No-one seriously believes C-NOMIS will be the last great computer disaster made in Whitehall but the government must find a way to break the cycle of failure. Taxpayers cannot afford to put up with this any longer”.

MP joins Diss Mums & Toddlers to celebrate Bookstart Day

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:05:00 GMT

Recently I joined a group of mums, babies and toddlers at Diss Library to celebrate National Bookstart Day 2009.

Run by the Brooktrust charity, Bookstart aims to give a free pack of books to every baby in the UK to encourage parents and carers to read and enjoy books with their children from as early an age as possible. Once children love reading, they will have a flying start in life. Most of all, I know as a parent that reading books to children is huge fun for both parents and children.

Different book packs are available for older babies and for toddlers aged three to four years. The website www.bookstart.org.uk gives more information. The mother and baby group meets at Diss Library at 10.30 am during term time.

ECO HOMES

I am keen to see high quality affordable housing in South Norfolk so I was very pleased to visit one of the low energy homes built by Saffron Housing Trust at Skelton Road, Diss.

Lots of energy-saving features are included. High levels of insulation are coupled with a vapour barrier which “wraps” the building to keep out damp and ensure the house is warm in winter and cool in summer. A renewable energy air source heat pump keeps the energy bills low while providing underfloor heating and plenty of hot water.

The house looks like an ordinary semi-detached but, because it arrived on site as whole wall panels with doors and windows already installed, the main structure took only three days to put up.

I congratulate Saffron Housing on their forward thinking and hope that this house is the first of many such eco homes in the area.

FIRST RESPONDERS

Last week I met with Diss First Responders at their monthly training meeting, held at Bressingham Steam Museum.

First Responders are a group of volunteers who respond to emergency calls on behalf of the East of England ambulance service, in the community where they either live or work. Diss branch is one of 53 such groups in Norfolk.

The ambulance service gives volunteers first aid training covering basic life support, the use of a defibrillator and oxygen. Then, working on a rota basis, volunteers are notified of an emergency by ambulance control via a mobile phone. First Responders usually arrive before the ambulance and the prompt medical attention they offer can often saves lives.

If you would like to find out more about joining this dedicated group of volunteers, email your contact details to responderadmin@eastamb.nhs.uk.

Tax system for pensioners ‘too complex’, says MP

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:30:00 GMT

• 1.5 million older people each overpay an average of £171 in tax
• HM Revenue & Customs ‘struggling’ to handle tax affairs of pensioners

Commenting on the publication of the National Audit Office’s report on the way HMRC handles the tax obligations of older people, South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, a member of the Commons public accounts committee, said:

“Many older people are paying more tax than they should. On average, 1.5 million pensioners each overpay £171 in tax, equivalent to £250 million that the taxman should not be taking.

“HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is struggling to get the taxation of older people right, mainly because the tax system is poorly equipped to deal with an older person’s multiple sources of income. Many older people are also failing to claim any age-related tax allowances that they are entitled to. An estimated 2.4 million pensioners have overpaid the taxman by around £200 million because they did not have their savings income paid gross.

“The UK’s population is ageing, so it is only going to get harder for HMRC to deal with the taxes of older people. HMRC needs to work much harder to make the tax affairs of older people easier to understand. This will help to cut the number of errors and ensure that pensioners claim the allowances they are entitled to”.

MP wants help for community speed watch schemes

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:19:00 GMT

• Department for Transport often unaware of local road safety schemes
• Community Speed Watch initiative trains residents to use radar guns

Commenting on the Commons public accounts committee’s report into improving road safety for pedestrians and cyclists, South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, a member of the committee, said:

“It is surprising that the Department for Transport seems so out of touch with the steps which local communities are taking to keep their roads safe, such as the Community Speed Watch scheme.

“In my constituency and many others, the police are training local volunteers to use professional radar guns so that they can help to enforce speed limits outside their homes. With enough local witnesses, speeders are warned that their behaviour has been noted and persistent offenders can face prosecution. These schemes leave the local constabulary free to tackle more serious offences.

“I saw a Community Speed Watch team in action whilst walking through Morley St Botolph near Wymondham, and I was impressed by the determination of its members to keep their village safe.

“These schemes are very good news for local communities who are fed up with drivers refusing to treat rural speed limits with respect. The Department for Transport should look at the success of the Community Speed Watch programme and make it easier for communities and police forces to set up new schemes”.

Mr Bacon was speaking as the Commons public accounts committee published its report on improving road safety for pedestrians and cyclists in Great Britain. The report finds that, despite its leading role in the promotion of road safety the Department for Transport does not always know about successful schemes undertaken by local areas, such as the Community Speed Watch initiative, and does not engage sufficiently with practitioners.

The report recommends that the Department should actively seek examples of successful road safety schemes run by local highway authorities and issue guidance on how these can be used more widely in ways that practitioners find easy to accommodate.

MP wants better homes for heroes

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:19:00 GMT

• One third of service families are living in poor quality accommodation
• 9,000 properties do not have a proper shower and 2,000 houses have a broken lock

Commenting on the Commons public accounts committee’s report into service families’ accommodation, South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, a member of the committee, said:

“Whilst Britain’s soldiers, sailors and airmen are fighting overseas, one third of their families back home are living in poor quality accommodation.

“There are over 9,000 properties which do not have a decent shower and there are nearly 6,000 properties where the electrical wiring is more than 36 years old. Nearly 2,000 service properties have a broken lock, while double glazing, loft insulation and modern kitchens and bathrooms are described as nothing more than ‘an aspiration’ by the MoD. It is hardly surprising that the armed services have difficulty in retaining skilled personnel.

“The Ministry of Defence must do better than this if it is to win the confidence of service families”.

Highways Agency losing engineers while gaining admin staff, says MP

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:22:00 GMT

• Agency lost over 50 engineers since 2004…
• …but took on 190 extra administrative staff over the same period

Commenting on the publication of the National Audit Office’s report on contracting for highways maintenance, South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, a member of the Commons public accounts committee, said:

“It is worrying that the part of the Agency responsible for maintenance has lost over a quarter of its engineers since 2004 yet has managed to find room for nearly 200 new admin staff over the same period

“The Agency also uses very few quantity surveyors, but it is precisely the deep skills of staff such as engineers and quantity surveyors that are vital for effective contract management.

“The Agency must do more to make sure that the resources it has available are used in the most effective way for taxpayers ”.

Whitehall cash forecasts out by £63 million a day, says MP

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:22:00 GMT

• Departments keep an estimated £4bn in commercial bank accounts
• Leaving this money in the Exchequer could have saved £28m

Commenting on the publication of the National Audit Office’s report on central government’s cash management, South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, a member of the Commons public accounts committee, said:

“It is estimated that £4 billion of taxpayers’ money is currently sitting in commercial bank accounts when it could have been left in the Exchequer, where it could have helped to cut government borrowing. Simply keeping this cash in the Exchequer could potentially have saved taxpayers £28 million.

“The government also needs to improve its forecasting of cash requirements. The government as a whole under-forecast and over-forecast its cash requirements by an average of £63 million a day, which represents four per cent of the Government’s net spending.

“The aim of good cash management is to have the right amount of cash available at the right time, in a cost-effective way. However, Whitehall is not doing enough to improve the day-to-day management of its cash flow. Government departments need to keep as much money as possible in the Exchequer and improve their financial forecasting as a matter of urgency”.

Rural Payments Agency's toxic legacy continues to haunt us, says MP

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:06:00 GMT

• Watchdog finds there are still ‘significant issues’
• Agency’s software expensive, complicated and reliant on contractors

Commenting on the publication of the National Audit Office’s second progress update on the administration of the Single Payment Scheme by the Rural Payments Agency, South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, a member of the Commons public accounts committee, said:

“The toxic legacy of the government’s disastrous approach to the Single Payment Scheme continues to haunt us

“After all this time since the problems first emerged, Defra and the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) are still not properly addressing some of the most basic inadequacies. There continues to be poor record keeping and Defra and the RPA continue to underestimate the scale of the work required. There is scant regard to protecting public money and the administration cost per claim in England is now £1,743, which is more than six times higher than the cost in Scotland where it is £285 per claim.

“As an example of government failure, this sorry saga takes some beating. Farmers in Scotland and across mainland Europe should thank their lucky stars that their payments are not administrated by the Rural Payments Agency”.

MP calls for better understanding of autism

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:16:00 GMT

• Adults with autism falling through gaps in service provision
• Health and social care services need greater understanding of autism and autistic spectrum disorders, says MP

Commenting on the Commons public accounts committee’s report into the support given to adults with autism, South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, a member of the committee, said:

“When young people with autism reach adulthood, they often find themselves cut off from the support provided to autistic children. They then become almost invisible to adult health and social care services.

“ Not enough is known about the prevalence of autism and most NHS bodies and local authorities have little idea of the numbers of people with autism in their area. As a consequence, the needs of autistic people and their loved ones are rarely taken into account and these families are falling through the gaps in service provision.

“ This needs to change. Those providing health and social care services need a much better understanding of autism so that they can provide effective and joined-up support to autistic people and their families.

“This would make financial sense as well as being more compassionate than the present approach, since only 15 per cent of adults with autism are in full-time employment. There are hundreds of thousands of adults with autism whose talents and potential contribution are currently being wasted. It is wrong to write off people in this way”.

Richard Bacon gets thumbs up from Legg inquiry

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:01:00 GMT

• No further action needed, says auditor
• Taxpayers have the right to know how their money is used, says MP

South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon’s second home expenses have been given the thumbs up by parliamentary auditor Sir Thomas Legg.

In his letter to the South Norfolk MP, Sir Thomas states that no payments made to Mr Bacon under the Second Home Allowance need to be repaid. Sir Thomas added: “My conclusion is that no action is required from you in this matter”.

Mr Bacon said: “I am grateful to Sir Thomas Legg for his work. MPs are servants of the public and their allowances are funded by the public. I think taxpayers have the right to know how their money is used.

“MPs do need a place to stay in London if their constituencies are outside commuting distance, otherwise they could not do their job. It is also quite right that MPs should be audited and accountable on how public money is used”.

MP calls for action on troops' lost leave

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:01:00 GMT

• Half of all RAF flights from Afghanistan delayed
• The MoD says it is looking at compensating troops after their tour of duty ends

Commenting on the publication of the Commons public accounts committee's report on the Ministry of Defence’s support for high-intensity operations, South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, a member of the committee, said:

"In 2008-09 almost half of all flights out of Afghanistan were delayed. The government says it is trying to minimise delays to the airbridge and, of course, everyone understands that flying in and out of a hot, dusty war zone is a fraught business, but our troops deserve better than this.

"At present, the clock starts ticking for armed forces' leave the moment they are due to embark from the war zone. This is quite unfair to armed forces personnel, who see little enough of their families as it is without the precious time they are given being eroded because the MoD can’t get them home on time. Leave should begin for our troops when they arrive in the UK rather than starting when they are still in the war zone.

"The MoD says it is looking at other options to compensate soldiers who lose out on precious Rest and Recuperation (R&R), such as extending their time on leave after their tour is complete. By then, however, the heavy tempo of operations may have already taken its toll, especially if troops’ mid-tour R&R leave had previously been disrupted by delays and missed connections. Simply telling exhausted troops ‘we’ll make it up to you later’ is not good enough."

Mr Bacon was speaking as the Commons public accounts committee published its report on the Ministry of Defence’s support for high-intensity operations today. In answer to a Parliamentary Question in July 2009, the MoD confirmed that 48 per cent of all RAF flights from Afghanistan to the UK faced delays of over one hour, with 23 per cent of flights delayed for over three hours. In a memorandum to the committee, the MoD stated that it was looking at the alternative option of extending post operational tour leave by way of compensation for those who lose out on Rest and Recuperation as a result of travel delays.

MP calls for balance in address to Hempnall windfarm inquiry

Tue, 6 Oct 2009 09:50:00 GMT

• MP addresses Hempnall Planning Inquiry
• Read Richard’s speech here

SOUTH NORFOLK MP Richard Bacon has called for balance between the drive for renewable energy and the needs of local communities in his speech to the planning inquiry into the proposed seven-turbine Hempnall windfarm.

Mr Bacon told the inquiry: "The guiding principle for my approach to any development issue is one of balance. We need more alternative energy sources and I accept fully that we require a diverse energy mix to see us through the years ahead and to make sure that Britain’s lights stay on."

"However, I simply do not accept what appears to be Enertrag’s position: that the challenge of climate change means that we are always required to accept giant on-shore industrial wind turbines in sensitive rural landscapes."

"South Norfolk Council’s policy on renewable energy projects clearly states that they will be granted planning permission provided that the benefits of the project outweigh the harm they will do to the locality. In this case, I agree with both the council and the overwhelming majority of local residents that industrial wind turbines that are 125 metres tall, seven times taller than St Margaret’s Church in Hempnall, would indeed inflict harm on a very significant scale."

"The proposed development is totally inappropriate for the area in question and the council was absolutely right to refuse planning permission."

MP and local residents quiz Energy Minister over ‘substation sprawl’

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:10:00 GMT

• MP meets Energy Minister to discuss offshore energy transmission
• Meeting addressed concerns over compulsory purchase powers of developers

South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon quizzed Energy Minister Lord Hunt, along with two representatives from the village of Wramplingham, over the government’s strategy for building massive substations to connect offshore windfarms to the national grid.

Mr Bacon and representatives from the Campaign Against Barford And Wramplingham Substation (CAWABS) met with Lord Hunt to raise concerns that the government was allowing the ad hoc development of parallel point-to-point transmission cabling rather than developing a well-planned offshore grid.

The group also drew attention to fears about the lack of consultation with local people and that compulsory purchase powers given to energy companies might be misused. The government’s approach has also been criticised by various groups, including the National Grid and MPs on the former Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee, who have called for an organised offshore grid.

Mr Bacon said today: "I arranged this meeting because of local worries about the government’s approach to the development of offshore energy generation and transmission."

"I am concerned that we could end up with an inefficient and piecemeal approach which duplicates cabling and fails to optimise the use of available transmission capacity."

"However, I think the minister is aware of this risk and he did not rule out the development of a proper offshore-grid in the medium to long-term."

"I was also somewhat reassured by the minister that compulsory purchase powers relating to electricity generation are not as unbridled as electricity companies might have one believe. The minister said the government expects energy companies to proceed by agreement before even considering the use of compulsory purchase powers. Furthermore, any use of compulsory purchase powers must be confirmed by the Secretary of State and if there are objections the Secretary of State would be obliged to hold a public inquiry. It is much better for energy companies to proceed by consent."

"Lord Hunt also made it clear that although large-scale energy infrastructure projects will be decided nationally, local communities will not lose their voice and local planning authorities will still have an important role to play."

"I am glad that Lord Hunt understood where my constituents were coming from. Offshore energy generation must take account of the concerns of local people."

"We need more alternative energy generation, especially from offshore wind turbines, but this cannot be a green light for energy firms to tear up the countryside on an ad hoc basis."

Mr Bacon was accompanied by CAWABS representatives Mr Tony Bone and Mr Philip Millward, both residents of Wramplingham. CAWABS was formed to fight proposals from developer Warwick Energy to build a 30-acre substations at a site in either the Barford or Wramplingham area.

Whitehall needs more external benchmarks, says MP

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:50:00 GMT

• The Capability Reviews are a "useful tool" for transparency
• Senior civil servants "get away" with serious mistakes

COMMENTING ON publication of the Commons public accounts committee’s report on the Cabinet Office’s programme of bi-annual Capability Reviews, South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, a member of the committee, said:

"The Capability Reviews are a very useful tool in bringing transparency to Whitehall and showing whether government departments are fit for purpose. However, the reviews still need some work if they are to drive real improvement."

"Too many of the judgements in the review process are subjective and there are few external benchmarks, even though studying success elsewhere in the private and public sectors can only help drive forward improvements. Senior civil servants often seem able to get away with mistakes that would cost most people their jobs. Capability Reviews need to drive a much stronger culture of performance management, with sanctions for failure starting at retraining and ending in dismissal if necessary."

"Capability Reviews are not perfect but they must continue and the Cabinet Secretary, Sir Gus O’Donnell, is to be commended for driving this valuable process through. However, Sir Gus can only guarantee that the reviews will continue whilst he is at the helm. It would be unfortunate if they were to be quietly shelved once Sir Gus steps down."

Mr Bacon was speaking as the Commons public accounts committee published its report on the Cabinet Office’s programme of bi-annual Capability Reviews. In 2005, the Cabinet Secretary launched a programme of bi-annual Capability Reviews. They involve published external assessments of departments with the aim of achieving a major improvement in civil service capability. The programme is a significant step forward in how government departments are assessed and, to have publicly available commentary, potentially critical, of departments’ capability is a real driver for improvement.

The report finds that there need to be improvements to the metrics used to establish a clear link between departments’ capability and performance, as improving departments’ capability and performance requires a much wider range of objective quantitative measures than Capability Reviews currently use and publish. Benchmarking against the best private and public sector organisations is also a key driver of improvement and the report finds that there need to be quantitative external benchmarks against which departments’ capability and performance are assessed. The report also identifies that there needs to be a much stronger culture of individual performance management, clearly linked to departments’ overall delivery metrics. Incentives and sanctions to reflect success and tackle failure are weaker in the civil service than in the private sector and in senior levels of local government. Good performance needs to be recognised and suitably rewarded.

Norfolk MPs urge BT to hit broadband ‘not-spots’

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:50:00 GMT

• Local MPs meet with BT representatives
• 24mbps broadband to be rolled out across Norfolk by 2012.

SOUTH NORFOLK MP Richard Bacon met representatives of BT in Norwich recently to hear about the company’s plans to stamp out broadband ‘not-spots’ – areas where an effective and affordable internet connection is not easily available – and increase the speed of broadband across the county.

Quizzed by Mr Bacon, Mid-Norfolk MP Keith Simpson and Norwich North MP Chloe Smith, BT’s Regional Director Peter McCarthy-Ward admitted that BT needed to do better in communicating the causes of ‘not-spots’, as well as potential solutions, to its customers. However, Mr McCarthy-Ward also told the meeting that BT plans to upgrade the county’s 140 telephone exchanges over the next three years in order to accelerate Norfolk’s broadband from the current maximum of 8 megabits per second to a top speed of 24 megabits per second (Mbps) by 2012.

The three MPs were also shown BT’s broadband accelerator or ‘I-Plate’, which BT says will help around half of its customers to improve their broadband signal by screening out electrical interference.

Mr Bacon said today: "I am pleased that BT seems aware of the problems our constituents are facing and is keen to drive forward improvements to broadband access in Norfolk. Developments like the I-Plate are good news and the planned upgrade of Norfolk’s exchanges should deliver broadband at speeds of up to 24Mbps across the county within three years."

"Time will tell how effective these plans will be and we must keep up the pressure on BT to make sure they see these improvements through. Norfolk cannot be allowed to fall behind."

River Tas to be cleared as MP wades in

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 13:30:00 GMT

• River Tas to be cleared at Forncett following local MP’s intervention
• Environment Agency expected to act in the Autumn

Years of silt, vegetation and fallen trees are scheduled to be removed this autumn from the River Tas by the Environment Agency following a visit to Forncett in March from South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon.

Mr Bacon was invited by residents and the parish council to visit the river after fears for lives, properties and livestock were raised. Routine maintenance of the River Tas had been neglected causing increased flooding. Over the previous two years, four vehicles had become trapped in the ford at Wash Lane and residents had reported flood waters reaching their doorsteps due to lack of routine dredging.

Mr Bacon said: "Following my letter to the Environment Agency, I am delighted to learn that it now has a budget to clear the river from Wacton to Hapton during the current financial year”."

The Environment Agency is to contact landowners alongside the river about the proposals. It has also been in touch with the County’s Highways Department for improved signage at Wash Lane ford.

Mr Bacon said: "It’s good news that the Environment Agency plans to maintain the River Tas every four to five years. People’s lives should not be put at risk by neglect."

Norfolk MPs to quiz BT on rural broadband 'not-spots'

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:00:00 GMT

• Meeting organised by South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon
• MPs aim to persuade BT to tackle 'notspots'

Norfolk MPs will meet with BT bosses next month to ask why some areas of the county are struggling with broadband 'not-spots' areas where an effective, affordable broadband connection is not available.

The meeting has been organised by South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon to persuade BT, the county's largest broadband provider, to address gaps in rural broadband provision and to improve the quality and reliability of broadband connections to rural homes and businesses.

Mr Bacon said:" A fast, reliable broadband link is increasingly seen as an essential utility, like water or electricity. However, in many rural areas, broadband is either still not available or the speed and quality of the connection is just inadequate."

"Broadband is vital to the rural economy yet it is estimated that a quarter of rural areas are in 'not-spots', where homes and businesses cannot get access to fixed-line broadband because they are too far from the nearest exchange. It is true that BT is in a difficult position, because often the smallest and least economically viable exchanges are also the most expensive to upgrade. However, it is not good enough simply to provide a basic level of service for rural users. Everybody should be able to access the same quality of service nationwide."

"I hope BT will be able to tell us what they are doing to stamp out Norfolk's 'not-spots' and get rural homes and businesses out of the broadband slow lane."

Mr Bacon was speaking ahead of a meeting between Norfolk MPs and regional directors from BT's broadband division, BT Openreach. The meeting is being held in response to concerns that the quality of broadband coverage outside the urban areas of Norfolk is not good enough to support local businesses and makes it difficult for people to use on-line services.

A survey by the Communications Consumer Panel found that 84 per cent of people agreed that it should be possible for everyone in the UK to have broadband at home, regardless of where they live. 73 per cent of respondents considered broadband to be as important as electricity or water. However, according to the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), around 25 per cent of rural areas cannot gain access to fixed line broadband, usually because they are too far from the exchange. The CLA is concerned that these 'not spots' are crippling rural businesses and disadvantaging users.

Lord Carter's Digital Britain report recommends that everybody in the country should be able to access broadband at speeds of 2 Megabits per second (Mbps) or higher by 2012. However, the CLA has urged the government to consider a higher speed of at least 5Mbps. The speed available in Norfolk's towns and in Norwich can be as high as 6Mbps. In some villages, it can be lower than 0.5Mbps.

The meeting between Norfolk MPs and BT's regional directors was due to have been held in June, but was postponed because representatives from BT Openreach were not available.

'Grasp the nettle' of alcohol misuse, urges MP

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:35:12 GMT

• MP writes to Norfolk health bosses on alcohol treatment services
• Report finds three-quarters A&E admissions on Friday and Saturday nights are alcohol-related
SOUTH NORFOLK MP Richard Bacon has written to Norfolk’s health chiefs to ask what action NHS Norfolk is taking to tackle alcohol abuse, as a hard-hitting report finds that alcohol misuse is costing the NHS £2.7 billion a year.

Mr Bacon, a member of the Commons public accounts committee, said:

"On weekend nights between midnight and 5am, nearly three-quarters of attendances at hospital accident and emergency departments are alcohol-related. Alcohol is a factor in 38 per cent of domestic violence cases and, in 2006-07, there were over 800,000 alcohol-related hospital admissions, an increase of 71 per cent in the last four years alone. The evidence is clear: England has a drink problem."

"Despite the shocking scale of alcohol abuse, many Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) are failing to grasp the nettle and take action. The report finds that 22 per cent of PCTs had not assessed the local need for alcohol misuse services since January 2004 and only 58 per cent of PCTs were developing a local alcohol strategy. PCTs rightly decide on what their priorities should be locally but, for many Trusts, there is little correlation between need and expenditure."

"Earlier this week, the Greater Norfolk coroner expressed his concern over the increasing number of alcohol-related deaths and the latest figures show that 14,330 people were hospitalised last year in Norfolk due to alcohol-related harm. I have written to NHS Norfolk, asking them to examine this report closely and to let me know what steps they are taking to combat the rising tide of alcohol misuse."

Mr Bacon was speaking as the Commons public accounts committee published its report on England's health services for alcohol misuse. The report finds that alcohol misuse is a significant and growing problem in England, with more than 10 million people regularly drinking above the guidelines set by the government.

Alcohol misuse places a considerable burden on the National Health Service (NHS), costing an estimated £2.7 billion per year. In 2006–07, there were some 811,000 alcohol-related hospital admissions, representing a 71 per cent increase in four years. Between 12 and 5am on weekend nights, nearly three-quarters of all attendances at accident and emergency (A&E) departments are alcohol-related. According to the 2008-09 British Crime Survey, 38 per cent of cases of domestic violence occurred when the offender was under the influence of alcohol.

The report finds that Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) are responsible for determining local health priorities and have control over the majority of NHS spending. PCTs are free to decide for themselves how much to spend on services to address alcohol harm. Many PCTs, however, do not know what they spend on such services and across England there is little correlation between need and expenditure. Where services are commissioned there is frequently a lack of performance monitoring and examination of whether what is provided represents value for money.

Earlier this week, Greater Norfolk coroner Mr William Armstrong warned that an increasing number of deaths in the county were alcohol-related. According to the Association of Public Health Observatories, 14,300 people were admitted to hospital in Norfolk last year due to alcohol-related harm.