Tom Brake MP Reports Back

May 2008

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Constituency news

In this 'Report Back' I would have liked to have announced success in our Post Office campaign. Unfortunately I cannot. The Post Office having 'consulted' on the possible closure of four post offices in Carshalton and St Helier are proceeding with the closure of all four offices. What was the consultation for? This will undoubtedly make it much more difficult for people with mobility problems to get to their now not so local post office.

There is good news in another area however, the re-development of the Shotfield Health Centre, which I have backed, is going ahead. This means not only will thousands of Wallington residents see their doctor's surgery improved but also there will be space for a local care hospital to be located on the first floor of the new Health Centre.

Parliamentary news

My new brief as Home Affairs spokesman and member of the Home Affairs Select Committee is very challenging; the scope runs from immigration, through policing to counter-terrorism.

With my colleague David Heath MP, I took the lead for our party during the committee stage of the Counter-Terrorism Bill. Our main point of disagreement with the Government remains their intention to increase the number of days that someone can be detained without charge from 28 to 42 days. We will oppose this change particularly since the Government have acknowledged that there have been no cases where 42 days pre-charge detention would have been necessary.

With the Home Affairs Select Committee which I have joined recently, I am following inquiries into Domestic Violence and Policing. During one of the evidence sessions on policing, a senior officer revealed that the police are required to complete a seventeen page form when they want to change the direction a CCTV camera is pointing in! This is something I have since taken up with a Minister.