Below are my views on some key subjects which I will update regularly.
THE EUROPEAN UNION (January 2008)
People often contact me about the European Union with concerns about the impact it will have on the British way of life. Recently, leaders of the EU's 27 member states met in Portugal in December
to sign the Lisbon Treaty. Originally called the Reform Treaty, it was drawn up to replace the draft European constitution after that was thrown out by voters in France and the Netherlands in 2005.
A number of countries had already passed the constitution as it stood either by referendum or parliamentary vote. Controversy has centred on the differences between the treaty and the
constitution. I find that views directly reflect whether the country passed the constitution or did not . Those which passed it of course of have an interest in claiming it is identical to
the treaty. Those which did not have the opposite motivation.
I believe that the treaty is of far less substance than those signed off in the 1990s. It merely reflects an attempt to make decision-making more efficient. For example, a politician chosen to
be president of the European Council stays for two-and-a-half years, replacing the current system where countries take turns at being president for six months, plus there will be a
smaller European Commission, with fewer commissioners than there are member states, from 2014
If it weren't agreed, then the EU would trundle a little slower. On that basis, I can see no reason for a costly referendum. That is not, of course, to say that it does not deserve thorough
parliamentary debate. The treaty was an opportunity to establish a new, more liberal and less interventionist EU. That it does not do.
NHS DENTISTRY (January 2008)
Many people have complained about the lack of access in this area and it is one of my priorities for this year to push for more NHS dentistry. On January 16, a Citizens Advice poll
claimed that lack of access has prevented one in six people from seeing an NHS dentist for almost two years.
A new contract aimed at giving dentists more time with patients to get away from the so-called "drill and fill" culture was introduced as part of a reform of NHS dentistry in 2006.
Local health chiefs, working for Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), are now responsible for ensuring dental services are in place under the new arrangements.
Before the contract came in, if a dentist left the NHS to do private work they would not automatically be replaced. Now the money that dentist would have got goes back to the PCT which can
then pay for more services. Many dentists dislike the new arrangement because it does reduce their freedom to opt in and out of NHS care for particular categories of patient at will. Dentists
say that they are too restricted in what they can provide under the NHS but I think eventually we will start to see improvements. Additional dentists are being recruited for the Swadlincote
area and there are already extra dentists in the new Health Centre.
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