Step out for Stroke

Fiona Bruce MP and the Stroke Association call on Congleton to Step out for Stroke

Fiona Bruce MP has lent her support to the Stroke Association and is calling on Congleton residents to take part in the charity’s Step out for Stroke event.

The fundraising walk takes place at Congleton Park on 20 July at 11am. It follows Action on Stroke Month, when the Stroke Association aims to promote stroke awareness and prevention as well as raise vital funds for the charity.

Fiona said “I am very happy to support this event which is not only raising awareness of a potentially preventable cause of death and disability which affects many people in our country but is also fully inclusive of anyone who wishes to join in, whatever their age or ability. I hope that this event raises the much needed funds and awareness for this worthwhile cause and encourage anyone interested to take part. The starting pistol will be fired by our very own new Town Mayor, Denis Murphy!”

Ruth Peak, Step out for Stroke organiser said: “Step Out for Stroke walks are fully accessible whatever your walking ability, wheelchairs and pushchairs are more than welcome too.  People taking part in the walk set their own pace and distance they want to cover. Anyone can take part, and we are really keen to invite stroke survivors and people affected by stroke to join in with their family and friends.

“Being part of a Step Out for Stroke walk is an inspiring experience, but there’s a serious purpose behind it; stroke is the leading cause of complex adult disability in the UK. At the Stroke Association we want to be there for everyone affected by stroke, so please do join us and raise the funds that will help make that possible.”

For more information on Step out for Stroke visit www.stroke.org.uk/stepout. Action on Stroke Month 2014 is supported by Legal & General. To find out more, please visit www.stroke.org.uk/strokemonth

Fiona Bruce MP Opens Dane Meadow Project

Breaking Ground back in 2011

Opening the Dane Meadow Project, Fiona Bruce MP said

“When I first visited the Dane Meadow Project at an early stage in 2011, my heart was in my mouth as to how the vision to improve such a vast area of land – some of it very rough – could be fulfilled. Yet, standing here in the same place today – it has been transformed! This has been due to the effective partnership working, determination and community spirit of so many local people to whom congratulations and appreciation are due.”

North Korea - Conservative Human Rights Commission Inquiry

Bring North Korea to International Criminal Court,

Say Conservative Party Human Rights Commission

The Conservative Party Human Rights Commission today released a report calling on the British Government to lead a campaign to bring North Korea to account for crimes against humanity.

The report, Unspeakable and Unparalleled: North Korea’s Crimes Against Humanity, draws on evidence provided to the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission in public hearings chaired by Fiona Bruce MP, and addresses the human rights violations perpetrated by the regime in North Korea, the refugee crisis, steps to break the regime’s “information blockade”, and ending impunity. It follows the UN Commission of Inquiry report, published in February, and the Human Rights Council’s resolution on North Korea in March.

Released to coincide with of a debate in Parliament this afternoon on human rights in North Korea tabled by Andrew Selous MP, the report contains 13 recommendations, including that the BBC World Service should “establish a radio broadcast to the Korean Peninsula” and the United Kingdom should “increase pressure on China to end its policies of forcible repatriation” of North Korean refugees. The United Kingdom should, according to the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission, “ensure that in every discussion on North Korea at the UN, at every level, human rights concerns are placed on the agenda alongside security concerns”.

Witnesses who gave evidence to the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission’s inquiry include Lord Alton of Liverpool, Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on North Korea and author of a new book on the country, Building Bridges: Is there Hope for North Korea?; experts from Amnesty International, the European Alliance for Human Rights in North Korea (EAHRNK) and survivors of North Korea’s gulag.

Fiona Bruce MP, who chaired the inquiry, said: “North Korea is the world’s most closed nation, with the world’s worst human rights record. UN experts have compared it to the Holocaust and described it as sui generis – in a category of its own. It is also one of the world’s most neglected human rights tragedies. It is time for people of all political persuasions to stand up and speak out for North Korea. We welcome the steps the United Kingdom has taken, but there is even more we can do, and this report sets out the case for prioritising North Korea as a human rights crisis that requires our attention. Momentum is building, and we hope this report will further awaken the consciences of policy-makers and the public alike, in Britain and around the world. It is time to act.”

Writing within the report Fiona Bruce states “Encouragingly, within the British Parliament, an increasing number of voices are being raised, challenging both the UK Government and the International Community more widely to take action on behalf of the people of North Korea – the most persecuted on earth. May this Inquiry contribution serve to raise those voices even more loudly, and may we see that change occur.”

Speaking during today’s debate Fiona Bruce said  “This report aims to serve as a policy document for the Conservative Party, summarising the scale of the challenge and then focusing on possible ways forward for the United Kingdom in helping to lead the international community’s effort to end the climate of impunity in North Korea, enhance mechanisms for accountability and justice, break the regime’s information blockade, and bring an end to more than half a century of horrific suffering endured by the North Korean people. The Conservative Party Human Rights Commission believes that if the Conservative-led Coalition Government in the United Kingdom is to be true to its pledge to place human rights “at the very heart of foreign policy”, nowhere is such an approach more needed or more justified than North Korea.”

Micah Challenge - EXPOSED campaign

Fiona Bruce MP joins petition to Expose Corruption affecting the poorest people in the World.

Member of Parliament for Congleton joined other MPs from different parties to unite on standing against the corruption which affects the poorest people in the poorest countries.

Fiona and other MPs (photo attached) came together in Westminster Hall to hold a large Trillion Dollar Note; symbolising the amount of money that is lost every year because of corruption.

 

Fiona Bruce MP for Congleton said:

“Tax evasion, lack of transparency and bribery are all forms of corruption and a huge barricade against the wellbeing of the poorest people in the World.”

The petition is from the EXPOSED Campaign who are a global campaign of charities, churches and citizens seeking to shine a light on corruption which affects the poorest most. They are collecting signatures asking for leaders of the G20 to take action and recognise the seriousness of corruption through the world.

The EXPOSED Campaign is led by Micah Challenge and supported in the UK by Transparency International UK, Tax Justice Network, Salvation Army, Christian Aid, the Bible Society and Tearfund and the Archbishop of Canterbury among others.

So far over 175 countries are already represented. This is the first time a global community will make its voice heard at the highest level on corruption issues.

Fiona Bruce MP continued saying,

“This injustice needs to stop, and that is why I and other MP colleagues from different political parties are asking for action to be taken at the G20 summit this October in Brisbane.”

  

More information about the Exposed Campaign visit:

www.micahchallenge.org

www.exposedcampaign.com

Photo: MPs 8^th May 2013:

From left to right: Gary Streeter MP, Stephen Timms MP, Theresa Munt MP, Gavin Shuker MP, Cat Mckinnell MP, (Joel Edwards: Exposed Campaign Micah Challenge), Fiona Bruce MP, Mark Durkan MP, Simon Huges MP.

Three Parent Children

The ethical and practical implications of creating three-parent embryos – a scientific Rubicon too far.  By Fiona Bruce MP

On the face of it, curtailing mitochondrial disease through cell replacement sounds wonderful. Mitochondrial disorders give rise to very serious diseases, and the challenge of living with these conditions must not be downplayed or exploited by either side of the debate

But the possible benefits of these procedures must be weighted against the ethical consequences of permitting them. What these procedures entail – “Mitochondrial Transfer” involves removing some cells from one woman’s egg and transplanting them to another (akin to the procedure which would be used for ‘designer babies’). The more I learn, the more I am convinced that this is a line we should not cross.  Here are just some of the concerns put to me:

·         These techniques create children with at least 3 genetic parents in the case of Maternal Spindle Transfer or 4 in the case of Pro Nuclear Transfer. By using the core cellular material of three or four people, the resulting embryo therefore has three or four parents. Those wondering about the ethics of this need only ask themselves a few questions to make clear some attendant identity related issues. Will the child be able to ask questions about or contact their third or fourth parent? I cannot see any logical reason why they ought to be refused such a request. And what steps will be taken to afford the child the right to know who its parents are? Notwithstanding those queries, what is the precise relation of the child to its commissioning parents? The public deserve to know. Yet all these are unanswered questions.

·         Full scale human genetic modification could follow. Mitochondrial DNA only accounts for 0.1percent of our total DNA at this stage in life – a fact that is often cited by supporters of this research. But many argue that there is no reason in principle for objection to a greater percentage of DNA modification once this threshold is conceded. A Rubicon will have been crossed. The very significant ethical and technological barriers which have restricted these procedures to date are in place for very good reasons.

·         We don’t actually know if these techniques work. In fact, there is a growing body of speculative evidence which suggests the contrary; they may actually pose risks to the child.  Science Magazine ran a piece recently suggesting these treatments could cause sterility, and lead to reduced growth, impaired learning and exercise capacity and even a slowed metabolism on the basis that we don’t know if the donor mitochondria will be able to properly communicate with its host. The group Human Genetics Alert agrees: “These techniques go far beyond anything existing in both invasiveness to the embryo and complexity so it’s not surprising that they pose serious health risks to the child, risks that the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority refuses to properly address.”

·         We won’t be able to monitor the effects of these procedures. We will only know the long term effects of MST and PNT in the long-term if we monitor the people who began as PNT or MST embryos and their descendents. But there will be no way to force individuals to participate in such research – nor should there be. Equally, it is surely not the plan of the Government to require MST or PNT adults to disclose to their partners their genetic inheritance (assuming that they are even aware), so the fruits of these techniques – good or bad – may well be totally unknown.

·         These techniques involve irreversible changes to the human germ line, that is, the way genetic information is transmitted through generations. The Council of Europe’s Convention of Human Rights and Biomedicene explicitly condemns this as does the World Health Organisation which states fairly comprehensively that “ where there is an intention of possibility of altering genes passed on  to the next generation [this] should not be permitted in the foreseeable future”. It is truly alarming that Britain is the only country in the world on the cusp of permitting these procedures –and with so little scrutiny or awareness of debate. I understand that to undertake these procedures in France would mean committing an imprisonable criminal offence.

·         These techniques are not cures. The pro-research lobby is promoting these procedures as cures, but, they’re not cures at all. Rather than eliminate disease, they make sure that only certain kinds of persons come into existence. After one of the techniques – Pro Nuclear Transfer (PNT) – the child resulting is not the same human individual as the one originally. The other technique, Maternal Spindle Transfer (MST), uses genetic manipulation to create an individual purportedly free of known mitochondrial defects – but with what consequences?

These objections give a flavour of what we’re facing here: untested, unproven, ethically controversial, potentially dangerous techniques which we wouldn’t even be able to monitor. Yet the Government seems to be promoting these unsound proposals on the premise that they would establish Britain as a leader of scientific research in this area. Permitting these techniques would represent such a fundamental shift in our concept of family that Parliament should be given greater opportunity to debate – and resist –them.

Cheshire Crime Down 25%

The latest crime statistics bulletin for England and Wales was published recently by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) – Crime in England and Wales, year ending December 2013. The bulletin reports on two independent measures of crime: police recorded crime and the Crime Survey for England & Wales, which is based on victims’ experiences rather than police figures. Both measures show that crime has fallen by more than 10 per cent under this Government.

This ONS bulletin shows that:

• since 2010, overall police recorded crime has fallen by 16 per cent (year ending June 2010 cf. year ending December 2013) excluding fraud;
• since 2010, overall crime according to the independent Crime Survey for England and Wales has fallen by 21 per cent (year ending June 2010 cf. year ending December 2013);

• over the last year, the overall level of crime estimated by the Crime Survey is down 15 per cent – to the lowest level since the survey began in 1981;
• over the last year, the survey showed that there has been a 22 per cent fall in violence, 15 per cent fall in vandalism and criminal damage, and a 25 per cent fall in other household theft.
• Crime in Cheshire down 25%

Reinforcing the independence of crime statistics

Other indicators also show that crime is falling – for example, National Health Service data shows the number of people admitted to hospital for assault is falling. So the evidence is clear: crime is falling and our police reforms are working.

Fiona Bruce said “England and Wales are safer today than they have been for decades – and these figures demonstrates that police forces continue to rise to the challenge of making savings while continuing to cut crime and deliver a better service to the public - but there is always more to do. We need to keep pace with the way crime is changing and we are improving our ability to tackle emerging issues such as cyber crime and electronic fraud. The National Crime Agency is ensuring we can tackle the growing threat of serious and organised criminality. The agency also incorporates the new National Cyber Crime Unit, which is relentlessly pursuing cyber criminals.”

Check for early signs of children's heart conditions

Fiona Bruce MP makes heartfelt plea to check for early signs of children’s heart conditions

Fiona Bruce MP is calling on parents across the Congleton Constituency to check for warning signs of possible heart problems in babies and follow life-saving guidance from the UK’s leading children’s heart charity.

Fiona is supporting ‘Think HEART’, a campaign by the Children’s Heart Federation to increase the early diagnosis of children’s heart conditions.

Think HEART provides parents with five easy signs to help to spot a heart problem:

H – Heart Rate (Is their heart rate too fast or too slow. Normal rate is between 100 to 160 beats per minute)

E – Energy (Are they sleepy, quiet and too tired to feed)

A – Appearance (Is your baby a pale, waxy, dusky, blue or grey colour)

R – Respiration (Are they breathing too fast or too slow. Normal rate is between 40 to 60 breaths per minute)

T – Temperature (Are they cold to touch – particularly their hands and feet)

Fiona is also backing the Children’s Heart Federation’s campaign for all babies to be tested for heart conditions at birth to help save lives. Pulse Oximetry is a quick, painless and cheap test that measures oxygen levels in blood and detects over 90% of life threatening heart defects in newborns.

Fiona says: “Every year, around 5,000 babies are born with Congenital Heart Disease, however only a third are detected before birth, meaning babies with potentially lethal but treatable conditions leave hospital without being diagnosed. Delays in diagnosis cause distress, physical harm and can be life-risking.

“This is why I encourage parents across the country to look out for the charity’s five Think HEART signs.”

Anne Keatley-Clarke, Chief Executive of CHF says: “We are grateful for Fiona’s support for increasing the early detection of heart conditions in babies. Having all babies tested at birth will help save lives and we hope our Think HEART campaign will help more parents across Congleton spot the early signs of heart conditions so if needed, children can receive life-saving treatment early.”

To get involved with the Think HEART campaign visit www.chfed.org.uk/thinkheart

Apprenticeship and Employment Figures

Apprenticeships and Jobs up across the Constituency

Figures released recently show that in the year 2012/2013 there were no fewer than 480 places of work in Congleton employing apprentices. This is up by 100 from 2010/2011.

Reports suggest that many businesses have found that the Government reforms to the Apprenticeship Programme have made it simpler for businesses and better quality for apprentices, encouraging young people of those changing career and returning to work to learn and develop in work skills.

This news comes at the same time that employment figures show that the number of unemployment claimants in Congleton is down 491 since this time last year at 770, 62 lower than last month. This means that out of 650 constituencies (if 1 was the highest rate of unemployment and 650 the lowest), Congleton is 556^th in the Country.

Fiona Bruce MP said “These latest employment figures show that this Constituency is an increasingly positive place to live and work. Organisations like the Job Clubs in Alsager, Middlewich and Congleton are doing great work in helping people find employment and there is a real atmosphere of enterprise in the area with many active small and medium firms speaking of an upturn in business and excellent local Chambers of Trade. The way Congleton business, such as Siemens, Barclays, Bentley and Cheshire East Council, have approached apprenticeships has been phenomenal. Apprenticeships are so important. The stature of an apprentice has rocketed recently with an absolute sea change in the attitude of Parliament towards further education opportunities outside the usual university mould and they now provide a real alternative for our young people to both learn extremely valuable skills whilst still earning a wage.”

If you are a business interested in taking on an apprentice or interested in becoming an apprentice yourself visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk

Middlewich and District Food Bank opened at Pochin Head Office

Pochin Property has partnered with Middlewich and District Foodbank to provide space at its Head Office Estate in Middlewich, Cheshire.

The move was celebrated in an official opening ceremony on Friday 2^nd May, with Congleton MP Fiona Bruce and Middlewich Town Mayor, Councillor Bernice Walmsley in attendance as dignitaries. Pochin is providing secure warehouse storage facilities for the foodbank following a recent space shortage for the charity.

Middlewich and District Foodbank is run in partnership with Churches Together and is part of the Trussell Trust, which has opened almost 400 foodbanks nationwide after it announced its mission to open one in every town.

The Middlewich Foodbank will be run from a warehouse on the Pochin premises, with five local volunteers who will be packing and organising food parcels for those living in poverty across the UK and Bulgaria.

Brian Reay, property director at Pochin Property said: “It’s a pleasure to welcome the Middlewich and District Foodbank to Midpoint 18. Pochin will be supporting the foodbank and the inspirational work they do both locally and overseas. We’re looking forward to seeing the impact that our facilities will have on the continuation of their fantastic services.”

Foodbank manager Debi Williams said: “Recipients of our food parcels are referred by frontline care professionals in the area and will collect the parcels at Middlewich Community Church, promoting our strong community effeort for people within the local area.”