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Queen's Speech a huge disappointment-Farron
December 3, 2008 2:00 PM
Speaking after the Government set out its agenda for the forthcoming Parliament, local MP Tim Farron has described today's Queen Speech as a missed opportunity for Labour to inject some much needed some life into its legislative programme.
The speech referenced thirteen new Bills which included the introduction of a Health Bill to establish an NHS constitution, a Coroners and Justice Bill to place victims at the heart of the justice system and a Local Democracy and Construction Bill to increase local decision making.
Speaking after the speech Mr Farron said:
Today's Queen's Speech is a real missed opportunity to inject some life into a Labour Government, which after 12 years of being in power appears to have run out of ideas.
"Instead of trying to strengthen the NHS by giving it its own constitution, the Government should make NHS Trusts, such as ours in Morecambe Bay, accountable to the communities that they serve rather than allowing them to ride roughshod over local people's views.
"The Government seem to think that simply creating more legislation will help solve the problems of our criminal justice system. This is our twenty-sixth Justice Bill in twelve years. We don't need more legislation; we need more resources given to our local police here in Cumbria.
"But despite the Government's fondness for legislation, they have failed to make mention of the desperate shortage of affordable housing. Local Councils like South Lakeland that have an excellent record for providing more affordable housing should be allowed to borrow against the value of their housing stock in order to buy up empty homes and create more affordable dwellings for local families.
"Despite the very real concerns about house repossessions, there is nothing in the Queen's Speech to safeguard families at risk in South Lakeland.
"Today's speech is a huge disappointment and one that certainly provided no solace for rural communities struggling in the face of a recession."
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