May 2012

Trading Standards are warning people in South Derbyshire to be on their guard to mobility companies

Submitted by Heather on 29 May 2012 - 3:56pm

Trading Standards are asking that people in South Derbyshire be on their guard against traders claiming to be from social services or charities, such as ‘Arthritis Research,’ who then try and sell them mobility products.

 
So far, residents in the Matlock area have been receiving cold calls from businesses who give the impression that they are from social services or charities, such as ‘Arthritis Research’.
 
The businesses use this tactic to gain entry to people’s homes - they give people the impression they are making an appointment to make an assessment of their needs. It is only later that they reveal they are actually selling mobility products.

The salesmen may stay in the consumer’s home for several hours until they have been persuaded to buy a product. Trading Standards is concerned that vulnerable people may feel pressurised into parting with considerable amounts of money in these situations.  They advise that if people do want to buy mobility products such as wheelchairs or scooters they should take their time and compare lots of different products and prices from different retailers before making a decision.  It is not illegal for businesses to cold call but people are advised not to be put on the spot and be pressured into making a purchase.

 
They should always shop around before making any large purchases. Consumers who make contracts in their own homes must be given a cooling off period of seven days during which time they can cancel.
 
Any consumers who have been approached using any of the methods above, or who have entered into a contract, are advised to report the matter to Citizen’s Advice consumer helpline on 08454 04 0506.
 
If people want to purchase mobility products or any other goods or services they can use Derbyshire County Council’s Trusted Trader scheme. This includes details of hundreds of local traders who have been checked out by Derbyshire Trading Standards service and have agreed to abide by a code of conduct. For more information please visit their website on: http://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/community/trusted_trader/default.asp.
 
 
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JCB is looking for 300 new staff members in Derbyshire due to increased exports

Submitted by Heather on 28 May 2012 - 11:01am

I am delighted by the news that the digger manufacturer JCB needs to employ hundreds of extra skilled workers to cope with an increase in overseas demand for its equipment.

 
JCB will recruit more than 300 agency workers in Derbyshire and Staffordshire. They are particularly looking for welders, machinists, paint sprayers, fabricators, assemblers and forklift truck drivers.
 
This is in addition to the 100 engineers the firm is in the process of recruiting across the group.
 
I think this is fantastic news. JCB is a huge UK success story. I am delighted that they have seen an increase in demand for their products. These 300 new positions are available now and are a great opportunity for the people of South Derbyshire. JCB has also confirmed that in the past six month 180 workers at JCB who were employed through an agency have been offered permanent positions. I hope those with the right skills set take advantage and apply.
 
Workers are required at JCB's global headquarters in Rocester; its power systems factory in Foston; the earthmovers operation in Cheadle; the cab systems plant in Rugeley; the company's heavy products base in Uttoxeter and in Wrexham, where vehicle transmissions are built.
 
The news comes days after JCB announced a £36 million deal to supply 1,044 machines to plant hire firm Ashtead Group.
 
Overseas demand for the UK-built products is coming from Brazil, Russia and Turkey. Earlier this month, JCB finalised a deal with the Brazilian government to supply 1,000 machines to improve the nation's infrastructure in time for both the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games which Brazil will be hosting.
 

 

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Southern Electric is offering free insulation to people in South Derbyshire

Submitted by Heather on 25 May 2012 - 3:45pm

Although the weather has certainly got better over the last few days, I thought I would raise people awareness of Southern Electric’s, the UK's second largest energy supplier, offer of free loft and cavity wall insulation worth around £1,000, to all households.   

Insulation can save energy and reduce bills. By having the right level of insulation you can make a big difference, saving households up to £310 off their energy costs a year, based on average consumption figures from the Energy Saving Trust. 
 
To be eligible for free insulation you must have less than 60mm of loft insulation and / or no cavity wall insulation. You do not have to be a Southern Electric customer. 
 
If you think you could benefit from insulating your home, and think you meet the above criteria, please contact Southern Electric on: 
 
Call      0800 072 7201 
 
 
 
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I welcome the go-ahead for the Woodville Regeneration Route

Submitted by Heather on 24 May 2012 - 4:21pm

I am delighted by the news that a bypass linking the A511 Ashby Road with the A514 near Swadlincote will be built. The road will ease the pressure on the heavily congested ‘Clock Island’ in Woodville and also Woodville’s High Street, giving the area the relief it has needed.

 
This route has been a long held dream and this final piece of the jig-saw has taken a huge amount of behind the scenes negotiations and even though Constituents have been publicly calling for it any premature announcement from me could have put the scheme at risk.  I am delighted that I can now publicly thank everyone involved and look forward to seeing this much needed route built.
 
This project really highlights that businesses are seeing South Derbyshire as a solid investment and an area which is open for businesses. The bypass is a huge investment and one that will bring further economic opportunities to South Derbyshire.

 

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I Have Been Elected onto the Prestigious 1922 Committee

Submitted by Heather on 22 May 2012 - 10:22am

On Wednesday the 16th of May I was elected onto the Conservative Party’s prestigious 1922 Committee on a turnout of approximately 95% ofthe voting Members in the Party.

 
The 1922 Committee is made up of an Executive of 18 members and a Chairman and is seen as a barometer of party opinion. The committee meets weekly while Parliament is in session and allows Conservative backbenchers to determine their views independently of frontbenchers, while also playing a key role in choosing the party leader. The 1922 Committee is named after the year a group of Conservative backbench MPs voted to end the coalition formed by the Liberal Party with the Conservative Party.
 
I am really honoured to be elected, 26 Conservative MPs went up for only 12 spaces. It shows enough of my fellow MPs think I’m the right sort of person to give a bit of commons sense to where we are going as a party.
 
This new position will certainly open doors more regularly than they did in the past, especially with cabinet members. It will allow me to get the issues concerning the people in South Derbyshire to the top.
 
The reason why I put myself forward for the role is because I have been working for the party for a long time, so I’ve seen the party’s support go up and down. I think I can be a real voice for middle England. I am comfortable with my views on Europe and think I am well placed to encourage a more realistic position on what is going on, particularly the breakdown of the Eurozone and help the party to come to a settled view.
 
 
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My response to the 2012 Queen’s Speech

Submitted by Heather on 11 May 2012 - 5:24pm

I was delighted to join fellow members of the House of Commons in the House of Lords to hear the Queen announce the Government's legislative programme for 2012.

The Queen’s speech contained 19 Bills based on economic growth, justice, adoption and constitutional reform, which will be debated in the coming year by Parliament.
 
I felt that this year’s speech really takes forward the Coalition Government’s agenda. Bills such as the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill will help the Government to tackle the deficit and get the economy moving. For me the Groceries Code and Adjudicator Bill was a welcome announcement, it is absolutely vital that the Government ensures supermarkets deal fairly and lawfully with our local farmers and suppliers.
 
I also welcomed the speech’s focus on the family, in particular theChildren and Families Bill. This Bill proposes to reform the adoption process. It also aims to inject a new urgency and common sense approach for more childcare and flexible working for all parents. 
 
I am also really pleased that Electoral Registration and Administration Bill made it onto the agenda. This Bill will introduce individual electoral registration, which will tackle the problem of electoral fraud particularly by postal votes.
 
With the Queen’s speech over, I am really looking forward to working with the Government and on behalf of South Derbyshire on the matters that really affect us.
 
 
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You can take a Free Financial Health Check from the Money Advice Service

Submitted by Heather on 8 May 2012 - 4:20pm

The Money Advice Service is offering a free financial health check to local residents in South Derbyshire.

 
The Money Advice Service is a free, independent service, established by government and funded by a levy on the financial services industry.
 
The health check is a free service available to everyone online at: www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk.
 
I think this is a great tool to help people plan for the future, if you would like to have a financial health check and have a spare few minutes I would strongly recommend you visit the Money Advice Service Website. It involves no paper work and provides an action plan suited to the individuals circumstances. These action plans include quick ‘must do’s’ as well as clear financial priorities for the longer term – helping people both now and in the future.
 
Tony Hobman, Chief Executive of the Money Advice Service, said:  
 
“We are grateful to Heather Wheeler MP for raising awareness of the free services that the Money Advice Service offers. We can all enjoy life more if given the right money advice at the right time in the right way. We’re not here to sell people anything and we won’t charge anyone – we are here to help people take decisions about their money and plan for a better future for themselves and their families.”
 
In addition to the general financial health check, the service also provides a pensions calculator, a baby costs calculator and many other tools at the same web address: www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk.  
 
 
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My Latest Annual Review 2012

Submitted by Heather on 4 May 2012 - 4:57pm

As your Member of Parliament, I have been working hard to get our voice heard in Westminster. I have now completed my Annual Review for 2012 giving you information on the issues which I have been taking forward in Parliament and locally. I would like to invite you to have a look and to ask you to give me feedback on what matters to you by using the freepost survey. You can find the report attached below or in the 'about me ' section above. I hope that you find my report interesting and as always if you would like to contact me on an issue then please use the contact pages of the website to do so, or contact me by email on heather.wheeler.mp@parliament.uk.

Electrification of the Midland Mainline Has My Support

Submitted by Heather on 1 May 2012 - 11:59am
Heather talking in the electrification of the Midland Main Line on the 16.04.12

I am giving my full support to the electrification of the Midland Main Line. On the 16th of April I joined fellow local MPs to debate the issue and to show my support for what I think will be of great benefit to South Derbyshire.

 

Electrification and upgrade of the Midland Main line will reduce journey time to and from London, making it 9 minutes faster to travel from Derby to London and 5 minutes faster from Leicester. It will also reduce the cost of the railway by up to £60 million per annum, cut carbon emissions and provide construction jobs. The campaign to upgrade the Midland line has received significant support from the Derby and Derbyshire Rail Forum (DDRF), which represents over 100 rail related businesses in the East Midlands.
 
I think this is an excellent opportunity for us again think about investing in the area. We hope that the Rail/Transport Technology centre will come to Derby and there are other investments, such as innovative electrification arrangements for trains that Bombardier can build. These are of the moment and time is of the essence.
 
The Minister said the Government recognised the benefits that electrifying and upgrading the Midland Main line would bring and that it recognised the strength of the business case and support from the public.
 

The Government is currently considering how much funding will be available in total for rail investment in the five-year period up to 2019 and will be announcing their decision in July this year.

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