David Kidney MP for Stafford

Welcome to my Website

As we move into 2010 we are all asking questions. What is the year going to bring?

I am glad that Britain is just beginning to come out of recession, but I think we all know that this is still very fragile, and that more people could have difficult times ahead. I am glad that the action taken to protect jobs and keep people in their homes has helped.

When I am talking to you, on your doorsteps or in my surgeries I know you are thinking carefully about the election that will take place this year.

The one thing we can be certain of is that there will be big changes.
Hundreds of MPs will be leaving parliament and hundreds of new inexperienced and nervous MPs will be replacing them.

For me the big question is what is the best way to help us make Stafford greener, cleaner, fairer and kinder.

In the 12 years I have now spent as Stafford's MP, I have met many thousands of my constituents. I have felt very priviledged that so many of you have chosen to share with me your ideas and your concerns. For those of you who have not met me here is a little more information about me and about my values. You might also like to follow my podcasts.

 If you look below you will find hundreds of articles about things that I have commented on in recent years. This will give you a very clear idea of what is important to me.   Use the key issues page or  search options to help you find out more.

If you cannot find the information you are looking for please contact me so that I can help you.   

David in the News

• More funding to help small businesses

  15 March 2010 Today John Denham announced an extra £50 million for councils to help them make strides toward economic recovery in their local area. This government funding is from the Local Authority Business Growth Incentive (LABGI) scheme, given to all councils for promoting economic growth. The scheme is designed to give English local authorities an incentive to encourage local business growth. It does this by paying a grant to local authorities to reflect business growth. Stafford’s Labour MP David Kidney says the scheme has been very successful and Staffordshire Councils have benefited...

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• Stafford Cares - Community event

  

  A community response to our ageing population Stafford’s Labour MP David Kidney is joining with churches and community groups to invite people with an interest in how we can care better for our growing elderly population to an event at Church Lane Evangelical Church on Saturday 27th March. A number of organisations, both statutory and voluntary, all involved in the care of the elderly, will have stalls in the morning 10-12.30. There will be talks and workshops from 12.30-3.00 The afternoon session will look at the demographic challenge of an ageing community, the changing needs of individuals and...

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• MP on line and at your service

  

  MP ON-LINE AND AT YOUR SERVICE David Kidney, Stafford's labour MP, now regularly records short audio messages for constituents. These "Audioboos" can be found on his website www.davidkidney.com and can also be picked up if you are following David on Twitter. David says: “There are many times when I would like to say more to constituents to explain the complexities of the work MPs do. It is difficult to get this across in “sound bites” and the traditional media like our newspapers have too much competition for space to give complex issues a...

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• the social care debate

  Channel 4 News held the following debate on social care 10/03/10 How do you think that social care should be funded?...

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• Dignity in Dying

  DIGNITY IN DYING 10 March 2010 Labour MP David Kidney has been asked his views on assisted death by the organisation Dignity in Dying. The organisation is seeking the views of candidates ahead of the forthcoming election. There are three questions: Do you support increased funding for good quality, patient centred care at the end of life? Do you support the right of mentally competent adults, in advance, to refuse life sustaining medical treatment? Will you support a change in the law to give terminally ill, mentally competent adults the...

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• The conference on Social Care

  

  Age UK hosted a conference on social care, at which all three political parties were present. Here are the Opening remarks by Andy Burnham. 10 March 2010 When I became Health Secretary last year, I put reforming care for older and disabled people at the top of my priority list. I have to admit there have been days since when I’ve had cause to question the wisdom of that decision. This issue, as we all know, is a political minefield and I’ve asked myself more than once whether I’d bitten off more than I could chew. But, as difficult...

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• More on Stafford Hospital Inquiry.

  9th March 2010 STAFFORD HOSPITAL REPORT BY ROBERT FRANCIS QC Last Friday evening, Julie Bailey and members of Cure the NHS picketed my surgery at Penkridge. I spoke to Julie and her supporters and they raised two issues with me. They asked for my support for a public inquiry. They asked me why no-one has been held to account for what went wrong at Stafford Hospital. They said, for example, why has no-one been prosecuted and they gave the example of a prosecution for corporate manslaughter....

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• We need to invest to get people back into work

  08 March 2010 Stafford’s Labour MP David Kidney says the Conservatives are wrong to be planning to abandon their plans to scrap extra jobs for young people: “Last week, I spoke to a father in Penkridge whose daughter had just got a job under Labour’s Future Jobs fund. He told me he had been sceptical when he heard about the scheme, but now that his daughter has a really good job locally he says he is impressed by the scheme. “We have got to keep investing in jobs through the recovery. That’s why I am backing the Future Jobs Fund...

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• The skills we need for the green economy

  As part of his work as a minister, David Kidney's job is to encourage the development of the skills we are going to need for developing a strong economy. Here are some thoughts after a conference held at Cheltenham Ladies conference, for young people from the college, pupils from the surrounding state schools and a number of local businesses....

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• stafford cares

  Stafford Cares A community response to our ageing society At Church Lane Church Hall, Stafford Saturday 27th March 10-3.00 How can we help to keep people well, happy and independent into their 80s and 90s? The idea for the day at Church Lane comes from contacts between: David Kidney MP, Churches Together, Stafford Hospital, the faculty of ageing at Staffordshire University, and many of the voluntary groups that are carrying out work with the elderly. Lots of organisations will have stalls to show how they are helping. If you think you should have a stall...

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David answering a series of questions on energy at the Dispatch box.

To get regular updates on David's speeches and questions get email updates from  theyworkfromyou.com

Site editors note. As an MP David asked many questions in Parliament. As a Minister, he still askes questions, but this is done in different ways. David now answers many ministerial questions. You will find some of his questions, answers and speeches listed here.

More video clips.