Worrying numbers of home owners in H&F facing debt problems

Effect of credit crunch and rising mortgage interest rates

Local MP, Greg Hands, has expressed his concern at new figures which warn that 5 million families across Britain could be at risk of defaulting on mortgage payments and losing their home.

The analysis, conducted by The Spectator magazine using data from credit agencies, shows that 1,038 households in Hammersmith and Fulham have a ‘sub-prime loan exposure’, and may be now struggling with debt.

This comes as the latest official Government figures show that 13,942 homes across London were hit with repossession orders last year, with 226 orders being issued by West London County Court. The Bank of England has also warned that banks and building societies are planning to cut back their lending further in coming months.

The crisis in the credit market is reducing the availability of cheap loans and mortgages, hitting people on the housing ladder and those not yet on it. This year, 1.4 million mortgages will come to the end of their fixed rate periods. As interest rates are higher now than they were two years ago, this could add £200 to the average monthly mortgage bill, placing yet more pressure on severely stretched family budgets.

Conservatives are calling on mortgage lenders to do more to help these families by contacting home owners 3-6 months before the end of their fixed rate mortgage period, offering free financial advice, and not imposing sudden hikes in repayments.

First time buyers are suffering from the credit crunch too, as mortgage lenders are demanding larger deposits. In response, Conservatives are calling for stamp duty to be abolished by the Government for first time buyers, for homes up to £250,000.

Greg said: “This week has brought more worrying evidence that under Gordon Brown, our economy is built on debt. Labour’s record is one of economic incompetence.

“Thousands of families across Hammersmith and Fulham are now exposed to the possibility of losing their home. With many households facing soaring bills as their fixed rates come to an end, mortgage lenders should do more to help home owners with the soaring cost of living and help reduce the hardship under Gordon Brown’s Government.”

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Hands shock at figures showing 10 gun crimes reported every day in London

Hammersmith and Fulham MP, Greg Hands, expressed his shock this week at figures which show that almost ten gun crimes are reported every single day in London.

Based on the Mayor of London's official figures there were 3,459 gun enabled crimes in 2007. The Government's crime figures go further, showing that in 2006-07 there were over 200,000 violent crimes in London, a figure which has risen steadily since Livingstone became Mayor in 2000.

Greg said: "These figures are truly shocking. They reflect a growing problem of violent crime in our capital city that makes people feel unsafe. This was painfully highlighted on Tuesday when five teenagers were convicted of the cold-blooded murder of Kodjo Yenga in broad daylight on a street in Hammersmith.

"Such brutal attacks are the culmination and symptoms of something that is going badly wrong in our society. This Mayor has failed to tackle the problem of gun and knife crime during his eight years in office and should hang his head in shame.”

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Hands: New research exposes soaring cost of living across H&F

Effect of higher shopping bills and higher utility bills

Local MP, Greg Hands, this week warned that the cost of living in Hammersmith and Fulham is rising faster than many families’ incomes, and criticised the Government’s measure of ‘inflation’.

Although Gordon Brown claims that official inflation is running at 2.5%, new research reveals how anyone who does a weekly household shop, pays energy bills and receives a council tax bill is experiencing a far higher cost of living.

This comes as the Government has published details of new council tax bills from April. While Conservative-run Hammersmith & Fulham Council was the only authority to reduce council tax this year, across the rest of England council tax – including the levies charged by police and fire services – has doubled since 1997.

The new research shows that the prices of goods and services which are bought frequently have tended to increase far more rapidly than the ‘official’ consumer inflation rate.

The prices of many basic household items – bread, butter and eggs – have seen double digit rises in recent months. Petrol prices have been rising rapidly. Gas and electricity prices have jumped by 10 per cent in the last month alone. And tax changes in the Budget will push up families’ costs yet further.

Greg said: “In a modern economy, a government can’t control the cost of living directly. But it can avoid making it worse. Sadly, Labour now seem so out of touch with the lives of working people that they keep on piling on the misery, with an extra £110 of taxes a year in the Budget for the average family.

“A new Conservative Government will be on the side of working people, with a long-term plan to fix the country’s finances and make sure public money is spent properly. That way, over time, we can cut taxes and the cost of living.”

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Hands backs High Court action against Heathrow night flights

Hammersmith and Fulham MP, Greg Hands, has welcomed news that a High Court case in May could force transport secretary Ruth Kelly to slash the number of aircraft allowed to arrive at Heathrow before 6am. Greg has long been campaigning for the complete abolition of night flights at Heathrow because of the disturbance they cause to local residents.

A group of three local authorities in south west London are seeking a judicial review of the government's failure to tackle errors in its night flight quota system. On average there are around 16 early morning arrivals each day between 4.30 and 6am.

Wandsworth, Richmond and Windsor & Maidenhead challenged the arrangements in 2005 after a Wandsworth acoustician noticed that many of the aircraft had been placed in the wrong noise category. This time they are backed by Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, Hounslow, Hillingdon and the GLA.

This misclassification affected the Boeing 747-400 – the main type used by airlines during the night quota period at Heathrow. According to official figures, the total sound energy produced by these aircraft is 75 per cent higher than the government claims. The councils will argue that the transport secretary is failing in her duty to protect residents from excessive noise at night.

The court will also be told that the government ignored its own policy directive which requires it to 'bear down on noise'. The councils will say that by perpetuating the under-assessment of aircraft noise and neglecting to set targets for measuring changes in the noise area affected by early morning flights the government acted irrationally.

In addition, on 17th January, in response to a Parliamentary Question Greg had tabled on this subject, the Minister, Jim Fitzpatrick stated:

“The night restrictions regime has recognised for a number of years that there will be occasions when the airport can be affected by extra-ordinary circumstances which cannot be anticipated (for example aircraft delays caused by security, severe weather or ATC situations). Accordingly, in such circumstances, there is provision under the regime that flights may be dispensed i.e. will not count against the limits.”

If “severe weather” includes strong winds at altitude then the existing quota for night flights is totally ineffective. Many of the planes which land at Heathrow earlier than scheduled, and before 6.30am, do so as a result of excessive tail winds on transatlantic flights.

Greg is also asking the Department for Transport to properly monitor aircraft noise over Hammersmith & Fulham. There is currently no official monitoring of aircraft noise in the borough and this means that no realistic impact assessment can be made.

Greg said: "I fully support this legal challenge which seeks to protect our residents from the early morning night flights. The quality of life of people under the flight path has been deteriorating for too long and it is time for this to be reversed, in line with the government’s own policy directive."

“I shall continue to campaign on behalf of the people of Hammersmith and Fulham for the abolition of night flights so that we can all enjoy a decent night’s sleep without interruption from the skies.”

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Bad news Budget kicks families when they're down

David Cameron criticised Alistair Darling's Budget, saying, "The cost of living is going up, and Labour are making it worse."

Darling introduced stealth taxes on cars and alcohol, with the 6% alcohol tax rise being the biggest in a generation.

George Osborne accused Darling of "kicking Britain's families when they are down" with a "bad news Budget".

The new taxes announced by Darling include (over the next three years):

• £1.6bn extra on drivers
• £1.5bn extra on all alcoholic drinks
• £1.7bn on businesses

With new borrowing figures confirming that the UK has the worst deficit in the developed world, George attacked Mr. Brown for leaving Britain "badly prepared" for an economic slowdown.

David Cameron said: "High debt. High interest rates. High taxes. And now lower growth. Those are the facts that this Budget cannot hide. They tell the story of just how badly prepared we are for the downturn. And we all know why. In the years of plenty Labour put nothing aside. They didn't fix the roof when the sun was shining."

George Osborne added: "This is a bad news Budget which kicks Britain's families when they are down. The cost of living is already rising fast and the government has added to it with stealth taxes on cars and alcohol, when we believe that these kinds of taxes should be offset with tax reductions elsewhere."

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Hands: Action needed to stop criminals re-offending and cut crime

New proposals on prison reform to restore confidence and drive down re-offending

Local MP, Greg Hands, has this week welcomed a series of proposals by David Cameron to restore confidence in the criminal justice system, reform prisons and cut re-offending to break the cycle of crime.

Criminals serving community sentences in Hammersmith and Fulham will be made to wear high-visibility overalls, while those in jail will have to work to compensate their victims, under new policies unveiled by Conservatives.

This comes as the latest Government figures show that 416 criminals in HMP Wormwood Scrubs and 1605 criminals across London have been let out early by the Government, simply because there is not enough space in prisons to house them. Prison overcrowding also means that less attention is paid to reforming, educating and rehabilitating prisoners.

Under the new Conservative plans courts will set a minimum and a maximum period of time in jail. Prisoners would no longer have an automatic early release, and would have to serve a guaranteed minimum sentence. Those prisoners who prove the most unwilling to engage in rehabilitation programmes or stay off drugs will remain in custody the longest.

In addition, community sentences would be made tough, with prisoners being made to wear high-visibility overalls and new sanctions imposed – such as withdrawing benefits – for those who did not attend.

Prisoners will be made to work in prison to raise money to compensate victims through a Victims Fund. Greater resources will be provided for rehabilitation, and prison governors would be responsible for offenders after they are released – not just when they are in prison. Finally, more foreign national prisoners will be deported, and prison capacity will be increased.

Greg said: “Being sent to prison means someone has committed a serious offence. Yet Labour is giving criminals a break, by letting them loose on Hammersmith and Fulham’s streets. Serious crimes should be punished by a prison sentence, to protect the public and deter would-be criminals.

“But it is important that our prisons rehabilitate people, rather than simply warehousing them. Two out of three ex-prisoners are reconvicted within two years of release.

“I welcome these new policies to ensure proper punishments for criminals – and stop them from committing more crime when they are released.”

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Hands: The fight for an EU Treaty referendum will go on

Local MP, Greg Hands has vowed to fight on in the battle to force a referendum on the European Union's controversial Lisbon Treaty after Wednesday night’s defeat in the House of Commons. Greg, an advisor to the “I Want a Referendum” campaign, voted twice in favour of a national referendum.

The Labour Government beat a Conservative amendment for a referendum by 311 votes to 248 - a majority of 63 - as just 29 Labour rebels joined the Tories in the division lobbies. A similar rebel Labour amendment was defeated by a margin of 311 to 247. The legislation now goes before the House of Lords for further scrutiny.

Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has been criticised from all sides after he forced his MPs to abstain on the referendum votes. However, 15 of the Lib Dems 63 MPs - almost a quarter of the parliamentary party – defied his orders and voted for a referendum, revealing the huge divisions within the party.

The “I Want a Referendum” campaign announced last Sunday the results of the unofficial EU referendum held in Hammersmith and nine other constituencies across the country. Stunningly, 152,520 people voted across just ten parliamentary constituencies.  133,251 voted for a referendum – 88%. 5,685 people voted in Hammersmith, of whom 4,358 are in favour of a referendum – 77%.

The referendums have led to an unprecedented response from voters for an unofficial poll.  Postal ballots were sent to more than 26,000 people in the Hammersmith constituency and 22% of ballot papers distributed were returned. Voters in Hammersmith resoundingly rejected the EU's Lisbon Treaty. 4,485 people voted against it which was 79% of those responding. 

Greg said: “Local residents have made their feelings very clear but Labour and the Lib Dems have broken a clear promise to the British people by rejecting a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. It is no wonder that people question the integrity of our politicians when they behave like this.

“Now is not the time to give up on this hugely important issue – we must continue to make our case forcibly. The House of Lords has the chance to give us the referendum that we all promised at the last election.”

Local people across Hammersmith and Fulham could take advantage of tax breaks if they put their money in environmentally responsible companies and green technology, under plans being drawn up by Conservatives.

Local MP, Greg Hands, this week welcomed the proposals for new ‘Green Individual Savings Accounts’. These will allow the public to save money without paying tax on the interest, up to a certain limit.

Under the new Conservative plans, there would be a generous tax-free savings allowance for the new Green ISA, over and above the current £7,000 for stocks and shares ISAs. There would be clear criteria for firms to obtain a green ‘kitemark’, enabling them to qualify for investment under the Green ISA. This would create a major incentive for local and national businesses to curb their emissions and adopt greener technologies and practices.

This proposal follows Conservative plans to reward people for installing green energy, such as solar panels or mini-wind turbines. Energy companies would pay local firms and householders for the green electricity that they produce. Low-carbon energy is not only eco-friendly, but helps save people money – at a time of hikes in gas and electricity bills.

Greg said: “Instead of Labour’s approach of punishing families with ever higher taxes, we should be using incentives to encourage people to go green and invest in eco-friendly technology. Encouraging people to invest in green companies has a double benefit – helping the environment, and rewarding people for saving money responsibly.”

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Bailey and Hands slam Government as six more Post Offices are set for closure

Number of closures in H&F to hit a total of eighteen

Hammersmith and Fulham MP, Greg Hands, this week expressed his concern at official figures which have revealed not only a growing number of under-age drinkers being admitted to hospital, but also that the laws against under-age drinking are not being properly enforced.

This disturbing news coincides with the report from Crime Concern which has found that “drinking to get drunk is starting younger with serious consequences to health and crime”. Almost four in ten young people now start drinking at the age of 13, with half of their parents turning a blind eye.

Figures – unearthed by the Conservatives in Parliament – reveal that under-age children who break the law by buying alcohol illegally are not being held to account. Fewer than a hundred individuals a year are punished for trying to buy alcohol illegally.

What is more, a growing number of children are now being hospitalised after being admitted to A&E due to alcohol misuse, with 658 incidents in London last year. Across the country a whole, there has been an increase of 40 per cent since 2000.

Locally, Conservative run H&F Council and Greg are working with the Police to crack down on pubs, bars and off licenses that are selling to children – with several premises already having had their licenses reviewed.  Greg and the Council’s Cabinet Member for Crime & Anti-Social Behaviour, Cllr Greg Smith, recently held a summit with local residents and police on curbing licensed premises on Fulham Broadway.  There remains a great deal to do, but signs of progress are emerging.

Greg Hands MP said: “Under-age drinking harms young people and fuels youth crime and anti-social behaviour. Labour Ministers talk endlessly about cracking down on alcohol-related violence, but these new figures expose the Government’s complacency.

“There are already laws and sanctions in place. The Government’s failure to enforce the law sends totally the wrong message about under-age drinking and is adding to public concern about yob behaviour and crime.

“We also need greater social responsibility, and an end to some parents turning a blind eye to their children’s drinking. Increasing social responsibility is at the heart of David Cameron’s plans to make Britain safer and stronger.”

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Hammersmith and Fulham MP, Greg Hands, has slammed Gordon Brown and the Labour Government for their failure to tackle child poverty over the last ten years after shocking new figures showed that thousands of local children live in benefit households. 

Statistics revealed in Parliament by the Conservative Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Chris Grayling, show that 5,590 children in Hammersmith and Fulham live in households relying on workless benefits. This is equivalent to 29.1 per cent of all the children living in the borough.

Labour’s record on child poverty has come under increased scrutiny. These new figures revealed that, nationally, 20% of children are growing up in households claiming out of work benefits.

Despite the Government having pumped nearly £4bn into the New Deal since 1997, a total of over 2.2 million British children live in households dependent on out-of-work benefits. And in some constituencies, such as Manchester Central, half of all children are growing up in benefit households.

Greg said: “This is a shocking indictment of the Government’s failure to tackle child poverty. Gordon Brown and his ministers are always claiming how much they have done - but the reality on the ground tells a very different story.”

“Hammersmith and Fulham is often viewed as a borough of the rich and affluent but these new figures clearly show that there are significant areas of poverty. Labour have had more than ten years to act, but have completely failed to lift local families out of poverty.”

Commenting today on the news that the Mayor's chief advisor, Lee Jasper, has been suspended from City Hall, Conservative Candidate for Mayor, Boris Johnson said:

"This is an outrageous attempt to avoid scrutiny. It was only 12 hours ago that the Mayor informed us that he had full confidence in Mr Jasper. What has changed his mind?

"Mr Jasper has been suspended - presumably on full pay - until after the election, in the hope that the full facts will not come out. It is clear that the Mayor's handling of City Hall is descending into sleaze, chaos, and now cover-up.

"Millions of pounds of taxpayers' money has been wasted or trousered by cronies of the Mayor. And we now have the police called in to investigate the Mayor's chief police adviser.

"It is time to clean up City Hall, and time London had a change from this tired, stale, incompetent and increasingly decadent regime. How can the Mayor possibly focus on crime, housing and transport when he is mired in maladministration?"

Last month, Greg Hands MP put Gordon Brown on the spot at Prime Minister’s Questions when he called for an independent investigation into allegations of corruption at the London Development Agency. The police are currently carrying out investigations into four projects funded by the LDA and the Audit Commission has taken up the case following pressure from Greg and two fellow MPs, Labour’s Kate Hoey and the LibDems’ Lynne Featherstone.

Hammersmith residents to get a referendum on EU Treaty

Bailey & Hands team up to support our right to decide on new European powers

Photo (left to right): John-Paul Floru, Syed Kamall (London MEP), Derek Scott (IWR Chair), Greg Hands (MP, Hammersmith & Fulham), Shaun Bailey (Candidate, Hammersmith), Charles Tannock (London MEP), in Lyric Square, Hammersmith

This week Conservative Candidate for Hammersmith, Shaun Bailey, joined Derek Scott, Chairman of the I Want a Referendum campaign and former chief economics advisor to Tony Blair, local MP Greg Hands, and London MEPs Charles Tannock and Syed Kamall, to mark the fact that ballot papers for the EU Constitution will be hitting Hammersmith doormats on 7th February. The event took place in Lyric Square in Hammersmith.

The ‘I Want A Referendum’ campaign has carefully selected ten parliamentary constituencies across the UK to gauge the strength of public opinion. The new constituency of Hammersmith is among those chosen.

Before the last election the MP for Ealing Acton, Andrew Slaughter was elected on the manifesto promise that he would support a referendum on the European Union’s Constitutional Treaty. The Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives all agreed that it was right to give people a vote before handing over even more powers to the EU.

But now the Government and Andrew Slaughter, who wants to represent Hammersmith after the next election, have gone back on their election promise. Now they say that we will not be allowed a vote and Andrew Slaughter last week voted in the House of Commons to support the Treaty without a Referendum and betray the pledge made to his constituents in 2005.

Shaun Bailey said: “Both Greg Hands and Andrew Slaughter made a promise to local residents to decide if we wanted to hand more power to Brussels. Greg has my full support because he has kept to that promise. I urge everyone in Hammersmith to take part in this referendum.”

Greg Hands MP added: “In 2005 every major political party in Britain pledged to give people the chance to decide for themselves if they wanted further integration with Europe. But the Government has decided to arrogantly ignore the wishes of the electorate and push ahead with the Lisbon Treaty. The Prime Minister, and his foot soldiers like Andrew Slaughter, have betrayed everyone who voted at the last general election.”

People need to return their EU referendum ballot paper before 27 February. If they have opted out of allowing your electoral register details to be passed on to third parties, then they may not receive a ballot paper. This will be the case for many Hammersmith and Shepherds Bush residents. To ensure they do get the chance to have their say they must contact the Electoral Commission on 020 7271 0500 or at info@electoralcommission.org.uk.

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Local residents show strong support for new Shepherd’s Bush Central Line station

In a show of support for the much needed improvement works to Shepherd’s Bush Central Line station, local residents in Hammersmith and Fulham have hit out against the opportunist campaign to prevent its temporary closure to build the new station.  Local MP, Greg Hands, has this week received many messages of support for the station refurbishment, despite the short term inconvenience of the closure.

Transport for London will close the station on 2^nd February for eight months to demolish the old buildings above ground and completely refurbish the interior, including, crucially, new escalators.

Despite this, the MP for Ealing Acton, Andrew Slaughter, has been leafleting commuters with a false promise to keep the station open.  Mr Slaughter has not even bothered to get himself briefed by those in charge of the project.  During a meeting in person with TfL managers last week, Greg learnt that it would be impossible to build the new station without a temporary closure.

Commenting on the planned closure, one resident said: “Although inconvenient it seems to me that London Underground have made the right decision here.  To close the station twice would be nonsense, let's get all the work done at once and have a lovely new station when it opens.  It won't hurt to jump on a bus or walk for an extra 15 minutes or so.”

Another added: “For such a busy station, development is vital and necessary.  I have lived in She Bu (Shepherd’s Bush) for three years and seen it go from strength to strength, this is just another step in the right direction.”

A further commuter agreed: “I can't help but agree with TfL on this one... yes it will be a pain to have the station closed but better to do it at once than close it twice.“

Greg concluded: “The positive reaction of local people to the improvement work on the station exposes Andrew Slaughter’s shallow political opportunism.  It is a simple fact that everyone who uses the Shepherd’s Bush Central Line station will benefit from a redevelopment that can only go ahead if the site is closed for a period of time.  I don’t welcome the period of time being eight months – but it is ironically made much shorter by demolishing all of the station above ground.”

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Slaughter gets his facts wrong on Shepherds Bush tube closure

Greg Hands MP met with London Underground managers in person this week to discuss the closure, and the plans for a complete refurbishment of the station to be ready in the Autumn.  Local residents will be delighted to know that they will have almost an entirely new station, with a new ticket hall, new escalators, new CCTV and new fire systems and other essential safety features.  The entirety of the current station above ground is to be demolished, and it is clear that the new station cannot be built unless services are suspended at Shepherds Bush for some months.  A picture of the brand new station is shown above.

Currently, Shepherds Bush Central Line station is struggling to cope with passenger numbers, and would be overwhelmed once the new Westfield White City shopping centre opens in the Autumn.  There are only five gates to enter and exit the station, leading currently to congestion in peak hours.  The new station will see capacity doubled to ten gates.

“Andrew Slaughter MP’s campaign to “keep the station open” is a typical piece of political opportunism, which threatens to jeopardise the future of the new station. I am not entirely surprised that he is unaware of the facts. Given his huge claims from Parliament for car miles (£1,559 in 2006/07), it doesn’t look as if he uses the Tube very often.”

How short-sighted can you be? We have lived with the White City/Westfield development being built behind our house for the last 5 years but we didn’t complain to you or try to delay the work because of the noise, dirt and general nuisance caused to our lives. We want it and all the surrounding works finished as soon as possible. Then, not only will the inconvenience stop but we can enjoy the benefits of the whole thing being there. It seems to us only common sense, therefore, to close the station and thus complete the work quickly. Then we can all enjoy a greatly improved amenity…

“It seems to be a cheap political point now to press for the station to be kept open during construction, thus delaying completion of the work.”

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Hands: “The Conservative Council has saved you £350 in just two years…and there is more to come!”

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Hands - Help survivors of childhood cancer get their lives back

PHOTO: Greg Hands MP with cancer survivor Yewande Oli.

Local MP, Greg Hands, has marked this December’s Childhood Cancer Awareness Month by celebrating survivors alongside the UK ’s leading children’s cancer charity CLIC Sargent, which is based in Hammersmith.

Greg recently hosted an information reception for the charity in the House of Commons, welcoming child cancer sufferers and survivors from across the UK to Parliament. By signing an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons, Greg has pledged his support to the growing numbers of children and young people who survive cancer but can suffer physical and emotional effects of cancer or treatment throughout their lives.

Greg said: “Tragically, not all children and young people will survive cancer and I know that CLIC Sargent continues to offer support to families when they need it most. But increasing numbers of children and young people are surviving cancer, and can face huge challenges as a result. It is vital that we help them to get back their lives.”

Dr Carole Easton, Chief Executive of CLIC Sargent explains: “I am hugely grateful to Greg for his support. Thirty years ago only three in 10 children survived childhood cancer. Now more than seven in 10 children can expect to survive their illness. But survival often comes at a price. For example, survivors can face great challenges in education.

“Treatment for cancer can be highly toxic and involve long stays in hospitals, meaning children and young people miss out on vital schooling with many falling behind.  The medical effects of cancer and treatment can then impact on their learning capacity and educational attainment after treatment for cancer has finished.

“All children and young people with cancer should receive the educational support they need during treatment, as well as in transition back to school. This includes easy access to special educational needs support from schools.  I hope the National Cancer Survivorship Initiative, launched this month by the National Cancer Director, will address many of the issues that are faced by survivors of childhood cancer, and I look forward to working with him on this.”

Greg added: “I am delighted to be supporting CLIC Sargent in its work to help survivors of childhood cancer and I hope many more will now be able to get their lives back after cancer.”

For more information about the CLIC Sargent log on to www.clicsargent.org.uk or contact the CLIC Sargent Campaigns Team on 020 8752 2888 / campaigns@clicsargent.org.uk.

West London Bowel Cancer Screening Centre officially open

A centre dedicated to screening the local population for bowel cancer has been opened by TV personality Lynn Faulds Wood and Hammersmith and Fulham MP Greg Hands.

The unit, based at Charing Cross Hospital , was officially opened on Thursday after it became fully operational earlier this month serving the populations of five boroughs including Hammersmith and Fulham.

Under the programme all Hammersmith and Fulham residents aged 60 to 69 will be offered screening every two years. It is hoped that the programme will drastically cut mortality rates by detecting the cancer at early stages where it is highly treatable. And it hopes to pick up an estimated 112 new cases of bowel cancer in the borough every year based on national statistics for incidences of the disease.

Lynn Faulds Woods, of Watchdog fame, was diagnosed with bowel cancer 16 years ago. Speaking at the opening she said: “This is chronic cancer and the second biggest cancer killer in the UK .

“I spent a miserable five years waiting to see if I would see my son grow up.

“With this screening there is a chance to stop this happening and to save lives. People can’t think that it won’t happen to them because it could. I had no cancer in my family and I still developed it.

“I urge people to take the test as it could save your life. Don’t be like my husband (GMTV presenter John Stapleton) who ignored the test, developed symptoms and had to have two polyps removed.”

Greg Hands MP said: “I am delighted to open this new facility with Lynn Faulds Wood and to have a look around and see the unit doing its important work. A lot of lives – and money that could be used for other treatments – can be saved by early screening for cancers for groups known to be at particular risk. Bowel cancer is highly treatable if caught in the early stages.”

The screening will work by directly contacting eligible members of the local population. Both men and women first receive an invitation letter explaining the programme and how screening works followed a faecal occult blood (FOB) test kit and instructions for completing the test at home. Residents will be asked to send the test back and results will be sent out to patients and their GPs within two weeks.

Where necessary residents will be invited to attend Charing Cross Hospital , part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, which will support the screening by running nurse led assessment clinics, colonoscopy and follow-up clinics.

John Martin, director of the screening centre, added: “We are very proud of the service we offer here at Charing Cross . We have already picked up one cancer and we are thrilled to be involved in what I believe will be a very successful national programme.”

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Hands anger as District Line improvements are shelved

Hammersmith and Fulham MP, Greg Hands, has expressed his anger at plans by Ken Livingstone and Transport for London to postpone vital improvement works to the District Line following the collapse of tube maintenance firm Metronet.

In a meeting of the House of Commons Transport Select Committee, Managing Director of London Underground, Tim O’Toole, revealed that there would be ‘substantial delays’ to promised upgrades to the tube infrastructure. Transport for London , whose Chairman is Ken Livingstone, will not be able to clarify the severity of the delays until spring of next year.

Improvements to the Bakerloo, Central and Victoria lines will be prioritised, leaving the District Line work in limbo, with no set start date to much needed work, such as a new signalling system at Earls Court .

It was announced in November 2006 that the major upgrading of the District Line under PPP (the public-private partnership) would start in 2012, and was scheduled to finish in 2015. At that time, more and larger trains were to be introduced, and tunnels between Notting Hill Gate and Edgware Road expanded to allow the larger trains to also serve the Edgware Road branch.

Over recent years the service has become increasingly uncomfortable for commuters as more and more people try to get onto the trains. Transport for London ’s own figures show that at peak hours the Wimbledon Branch operates at 92% of total capacity but even an additional morning rush hour service, introduced in June last year after lobbying from Greg and other MPs, has not solved the problem.

Greg said: “This is an extremely frustrating development. Last year I was told by TfL that the necessary improvement works would be done – but not until the London Olympics year in 2012. I am now concerned that we may be closer to the 2018 World Cup before anything is done to relieve the daily misery of District Line commuters.

“I want to see action taken to reduce the serious problems experienced on the District Line as soon as feasibly possible and I will continue to lobby Livingstone and his TfL officials to encourage an overall improvement in performance.”

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Hands - Worrying new figures reveal cancer care unfairness

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Hands backs bid to toughen law on violent video games

Following a campaign from local MP Greg Hands in Parliament, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Hazel Blears, has been forced to apologise over comments she made in Parliament about Hammersmith and Fulham Council.

On 16^th October, Blears told the House of Commons that Labour-controlled Manchester Council is “a four-star local authority providing excellent services, with an excellent direction of travel”, before going on to criticise Conservative-controlled Hammersmith and Fulham Council for their performance, saying “the contrast is absolutely obvious.”

But she has now been forced into an embarrassing apology because the Audit Commission only gave Manchester a three-star rating, unlike H&F, who received the highest possible four stars for their services and value for money.

During the Queen’s Speech debate on Communities and Local Government on 8^th November Greg highlighted Blears’ inaccuracies, accusing her of political bias and double standards when it comes to her personal evaluation of local authorities.

Hands said to Blears: “…the facts are as follows: the Commission for Social Care Inspection ratings for adult social care gave Hammersmith and Fulham three stars and Manchester only two, while the Audit Commission’s comprehensive performance assessment gave Hammersmith and Fulham four stars and Manchester three.

“Moreover, Hammersmith and Fulham achieved £1,813 in spending per head on the elderly, while Manchester city council managed only £1,419. Will the right hon. Lady set the record straight because, if she wants people to have confidence in her role, she must be fair on all councils of all parties?”

In a letter this week to the editor of Hansard, the edited verbatim report of proceedings in both Houses of Parliament, the Secretary of State wrote: “It has been brought to my attention that a reference I made at my Department’s Oral Questions on 16 October was incorrect.” She went on to ask for the Official Record to be corrected accordingly.

Greg said: “I am pleased that Hazel Blears has decided to follow my advice and set the record straight. The independent Audit Commission could not have made it clearer that Hammersmith and Fulham offers excellent services and value for money for a lower cost. It is time for Government ministers to start congratulating councils like Hammersmith & Fulham.”

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Local MP, Greg Hands, has expressed dismay following the revelation that Fulham Post Office is under threat yet again as developers move in to demolish its new home at W.H. Smith.  Just days after the vital post office services moved into W.H. Smith, Council officers received an application from the building’s owners to knock the building down.

The Post Office branch in W. H. Smith’s shop in North End Road served its first customers on November 24^th following the controversial closure of Farm Lane Post Office.  The seven-year deal is part of a national drive to merge 70 post office outlets with the retail chain by next summer.  Greg and Hammersmith & Fulham Council opposed every step of the post office’s move from its historic location and expressed serious concerns about the future quality of service.

The Council tried to save the borough’s last remaining crown post office in the summer by offering to discuss sharing office space and costs but post office chiefs rejected the idea saying their plans were too far advanced with Smiths.

Fulham Properties Ltd, the owner of the Smiths site, has put in a planning application to knock down 314 - 320 North End Road , with the exception of the facade on North End Road , and redevelop the site.  No date has been set for the planning committee to hear the case.  If permission is given, it is not clear where Fulham Post Office will be located, if it survives at all.

Greg said: “I said in June at the public meeting about the Farm Lane Post Office that I would be amazed if the new Smith’s Post Office would last five years; now it looks like it might not last more than five months.  Hammersmith and Fulham has lost all three of its crown post offices in recent years and I will fight very hard to keep this branch open.”

Councillor Paul Bristow, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, said: “It beggars belief that the Post Office ignored what have proved to be very valid concerns of councillors and residents to move their operation from a popular, well used site into one that could now be bulldozed. Residents will be asking themselves why the Post Office is treating them with such contempt. I am pressing the Post Office for urgent answers.

“We have suffered a long series of post office closures in H&F but we’ve never had a situation where a proposal to knock down a new Post Office comes in within days of it opening.”

A W H Smith spokesperson said, “We first became aware of this last week and we understand that a planning application has been lodged for the redevelopment of 314 to 320 North End Road which includes W H Smith's current premises. The landlord had not made us aware that they had put in the planning application and we are seeking a meeting with them to discuss their proposal.  I can confirm that our lease on the premises runs for at least another three years and it is therefore highly unlikely that anything would happen before then.  In any event, we intend to maintain our presence in Fulham, including the Post Office.”

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Hands: “Government’s announcement on Heathrow needs full debate”

The bank balances of local schools are to be raided, local MP Greg Hands warned this week. Local authorities and schools across the country have expressed alarm at Government plans to raid school budgets, and deduct 5 per cent of any surplus every year for the next three years.

This would mean an estimated £228 million in cash will be grabbed back, or an average of £10,000 per school. Yet such a ‘clawback’ will penalise prudent schools across Hammersmith & Fulham who save money and punish schools saving up to fund a major capital project, such as a new building.

It will be retrospective, based on the balances in March 2007 onwards, hence hitting schools even if they have now spent that surplus, and create a perverse incentive for schools to spend their surpluses by the end of the financial year, undermining long-term planning and promoting waste.

Greg said: “Head teachers are used to money from Gordon Brown coming with strings attached, but now he is attaching an elastic band. Schools across Hammersmith and Fulham which have prudently put aside funds to invest in improving our children’s futures now face a smash and grab raid.

“It is unacceptable to force schools to give back money against their will. We should be giving local communities more opportunity and power over their lives, not less, and we need an end to constant state control and fiddling from bureaucrats in Whitehall .”

Hammersmith & Fulham MP, Greg Hands, has joined voices from across the political spectrum warning of inflation-busting hikes in council tax, following the publication of the Government’s new tax and spending plans for the next three years – the so-called “Comprehensive Spending Review”.

The cross-party Local Government Association has forecast that “the Chancellor's announcement will mean above inflation rises in bills for council taxpayers”. Insufficient resources have been given to local authorities to tackle the soaring costs of care for the elderly, waste collection and disposal, and other burdens imposed by central government.

Independent commentators have said that the Government’s claim that council tax bills will be kept down “do not look plausible”. The small print of the Government’s report reveals that council tax revenues are forecast to rise by 5 per cent this year. Assuming council tax rises of 5 per cent every year over the three years of the Spending Review, this would push the average council tax bill in Hammersmith and Fulham to £1,381 on Band D. Under the Labour Government, bills have soared across the country, and have increased bills by 51% across the borough.

Greg remarked: “Thanks to Labour’s fiddled funding and the mismanagement of the previous Council administration, council tax has gone through the roof. From 1997 to 2006, with the double whammy of a Labour Government and a Labour Council, council taxes in Hammersmith and Fulham rocketed by 51%. Now I fear that Gordon Brown is engineering three more years of inflation-busting hikes across Britain . These rises could hit the most vulnerable in our society the hardest - particularly pensioners on fixed incomes – but I have great confidence in our local Conservative Council to manage the Borough’s finances well and ensure that local people are protected.

“This is yet another tax con from a tired Government that has run out of ideas, coming at a time when the new Conservative-run Council is successfully reducing our council tax. Using council tax to raise more money is the most dishonest tax hike of them all – engineered by Whitehall but with local councillors taking the blame when bills hit the doormat.”

Greg Hands MP has congratulated the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham after they won the 12^th annual Local Government IT Excellence Awards earlier this week. Their Customer Access Strategy stood out for the judges because of its commitment to use technology to deliver beneficial and lasting change for the whole community.

The Customer Access Strategy uses existing data to build a sophisticated model of customers and their service access profiles within the borough. Based on this modelling the council is able to: prioritise its work on the basis of customer value and impact improve service quality, cut costs further and systematically tackle the root causes of customer dissatisfaction.

The awards, which are organised by Intellect, SOCITM and SOLACE and sponsored by Ericom, highlight the use of best practice in local government and how IT has been used both effectively and innovatively to deliver best-value public services.

Greg congratulated the winners, saying: “In choosing Hammersmith & Fulham as the winner, the judges have shown that the new Council’s understanding of its customers is second to none. These awards underline the key role new technology plays in the successful delivery of local government services.  And as a local resident myself, I truly appreciate the benefits that these improvements bring to all of us who live here.”

Presenting the award, Charles Ward, Chief Operating Officer of Intellect and chair of the judging panel commented: “The Customer Access Strategy is a fantastic example of how IT can be used to help local authorities better understand their customers’ needs and expectations. The solution has enabled the borough to develop a long-term strategy of personalising service provision, and is an excellent example of transformational government in action.”

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Hands: New Conservative tax proposals are great news for H&F residents

Conservatives will help first time buyers and save people from Inheritance Tax

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Hands attends H&F police awards to praise brave local officers

Hammersmith & Fulham MP, Greg Hands, warned this week that Labour Ministers were planning a new ‘tip tax’, in addition to soaring levels of council tax and a new regime of direct charges for the collection of household rubbish (‘bin taxes’). The small print of the Government’s proposals for new ‘financial incentives’ on rubbish tips were recently sneaked into an obscure Whitehall document.

The plans call for town halls to charge local residents for using their local rubbish tip (‘civic amenity sites’) to throw away household rubbish that cannot fit in their bins; currently, councils have a legal duty to provide sites for local residents to dispose of household waste, free of charge.

In a Government consultation paper, Labour Ministers call on councils to levy new bin taxes for the doorstep collection of household rubbish. Yet the detail also recommends new charges on local residents who dispose of household rubbish responsibly at an official council rubbish tip. There would be no reduction in council tax either for the ‘bin tax’ or the ‘tip tax’.

Independent research by the Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science has found that easy access to municipal rubbish sites is essential to prevent fly-tipping. It warns that reducing access or increasing the costs of using such sites will, in turn, increase fly-tipping. Illegal dumping is now at a record level, with 2.5 million incidents reported across England last year, but only 1 in 100 fly-tippers are ever prosecuted.

Greg said: “The Labour Government has an appalling record on fly-tipping. Yet their plans for a new ‘tip tax’, on top of bin taxes and existing council tax bills, will punish responsible behaviour. Whitehall has already advised town halls to shrink the size of wheelie bins. Now I fear that responsible citizens who want to depose of large household items at their local rubbish tip will be hit by new stealth taxes.

“This anti-green tax would reward fly-tipping – with more fridges, sofas and black bin bags littering our streets and parks in Hammersmith and Fulham. Rather than using every opportunity to tax people even more, the Government should be working with councils to improve the recycling facilities at local rubbish tips.”