Airbus Announcement

Earlier today it was announced that a £326m deal to sell 11 Airbus A330 aircraft to airline Garuda Indonesia has gone ahead.

Commenting Jack Lopresti MP said:

"I am delighted at today's news. Last year Airbus had a record year for orders and today's announcement confirms that Airbus continues to go from strength to strength – it's great news for the UK and great news for all those who work at the Airbus site in Filton.

This is the first time a UK Prime Minister has attended a signing ceremony for an Airbus aircraft deal and is a demonstration of the Government's commitment to UK manufactured exports and firms like Airbus. It's a very proud moment for Airbus and for our local area which contributes so much to the aviation industry."

Jack Lopresti MP visits DHL Express at Cribbs Causeway in Bristol

Jack visited the DHL Express Service Centre at Cribbs Causeway to hear about DHL's work, the challenges and opportunities they face and their plans for the future.

DHL opened the Bristol Service Centre over ten years ago, and have seen their operations grow to the point where they now employ 50 people and make over 1700 customer visits per day. The Centre's drivers cover an area from Yeovil in the South to Gloucestershire in the north.

Jack heard about the challenges that the business faces, in particular on local congestion and aviation. However, the DHL team are meeting such challenges head on and expressed support for some of the measures recently announced by the Government to improve transport infrastructure.

Across DHL's business units, the company is working hard to reduce vehicle miles and congestion. In Bristol this includes running the DHL Supply Chain Consolidation Centre which reduces the number of lorries entering the city centre by consolidating into a single vehicle the many lorry deliveries that are made by different retailers to sites across the city centre,. This operation has resulted in 300,000 fewer vehicle kilometres being travelled and over 30,000 tonnes of cardboard and plastic being collected and recycled since the site opened in 2004.

Jack said:

'I would like to thank DHL for inviting me to visit their Service Centre at Cribbs Causeway in Bristol. I found the visit very interesting, and I am pleased that DHL continues to innovate new ways to make deliveries into our city centres and help reduce urban congestion. I am pleased that the Government has also been able to find the money to make infrastructure improvements that will improve DHL's ability to do business, whilst also decreasing congestion for local residents and other road users.'

Committee threatens rapid transit

Decision-making fix risks council's reputation

A 'rushed and ill-thought out' change to decision-making at South Gloucestershire Council could risk funding for a major transport scheme, according to local MP Jack Lopresti who campaigned in Parliament for the investment to the local area.

South Gloucestershire Council's Labour Group has called a vote at next week's Council meeting (Wednesday 21st March) on changing the decision-making system from the current Cabinet system back to old-style Committee system without any public consultation.

At the moment, the Cabinet Member for Transport sits on the West of England Joint Transport Executive Committee (JTEC), which includes all four councils that make up the former Avon area – where major sub-regional decisions on transport are made.

The government has rewarded this close partnership working between the authorities by provisionally approving a series of major transport schemes, including the North Fringe to Hengrove Package (NFHP) rapid transit scheme.

But under the Committee System, no-one councillor would be in charge of transport and South Gloucestershire councillors could decide that they all wanted to attend the JTEC.

The NFHP was recently granted 'programme entry status' by the Department for Transport (DfT). This allows the council to complete the remaining legal and procurement processes (but not enter into contractual or other legal commitments for the construction of the scheme) following which a request for 'Full Approval' can be made.

And South Gloucestershire Council has been appointed by the DfT to be the accountable body for the NFHP.

Filton and Bradley Stoke MP Jack Lopresti said:

"There's a real danger that South Gloucestershire will look ridiculous in the eyes of not only our partner authorities in the West of England, but also the Department for Transport who is yet to grant full approval to the rapid transit scheme.

It's bad enough that the Labour Group are trying to force through this massive constitutional change without bothering to ask what the public think, but they have failed to understand the implications this has for rapid transit.

This unnecessary, rushed and ill-thought out shake-up of decision-making risks the council's reputation with the DfT for being a reliable and competent partner who can be trusted to deliver a multi-million pound major transport scheme.

I urge Labour to take a step back and take the time to consult widely because South Gloucestershire Council belongs to its residents, not the Labour Party."

Meeting Staple Hill Primary School Council

One of Jack's favourite parts of his role as Member of Parliament for Filton and Bradley Stoke is to visit local schools. On Friday, he visited Staple Hill Primary School to meet the School Council and answer questions from them about his work as an MP.

Jack was present at the opening ceremony for the new school in November, and agreed to visit again to meet pupils in a more informal setting. The School Council had worked hard to think up some questions for him, which he answered in a session that lasted nearly an hour. The subjects covered ranged from those about his role as an MP to his life outside politics and what jobs he had before he entered Parliament. He was also asked if he had any opinions on how to get the country out of debt, and if he had met any famous people, and whether he considered himself a celebrity!

'I really enjoyed my visit to Staple Hill Primary School. Visiting schools is probably the most enjoyable part of my job, and I thought the questions the School Council had come up with were very interesting and often tricky to answer. I hope they enjoyed hearing about my work, and lets hope it has inspired some of them to go into politics themselves.'

Jack is pictured with the School Council.

Young people share top money tips with Jack Lopresti MP

Jack Lopresti MP has met a group of inspiring young people to learn about an innovative new money management project in Filton, South Gloucestershire.

The young people from Independent People have agreed to train to become Barclays Money Skills 'champions' as part of a pioneering money management project for 16 to 25 year olds.

The Barclays Money Skills 'champions' project is designed to build the financial skills of 5,000 young people who are not in education, employment or training, and equip them with the tools to share this information with their peer group. The young people involved receive two days of comprehensive training, as well as resources and ongoing support to help them throughout the project. Through this model the network of 5,000 nationwide 'champions' will reach up to 100,000 of their friends and peers.

During his visit, Jack Lopresti MP, spoke to Michael Fautley one of the 'champions' and gained an insight into the informal education techniques champions will be using to pass on their knowledge to their peers to improve their financial capability.

Jack Lopresti MP, said: "It is fantastic to see these young people taking control of their money, and building the skills they need to ensure a secure financial future. It is even more impressive that they are committed to helping their peers by sharing this information with other young people in similar situations."

Barclays Money Skills 'champion', Michael Fautley, explained what it means to have this role:

"I never seemed to have any money left at the end of the month and I knew that I needed to make some changes with how I was managing – but I didn't know where to start! By becoming a 'champion' I have really begun to get myself sorted. I'm feeling in control for the first time, and happy to share what I have learnt with my peers."

The Barclays Money Skills 'champions' project is run by Barclays, the National Youth Agency and a number leading youth charities including 1625 Independent People, Rathbone, Citizens Advice Bureau, Youth Access, UK Youth and YouthNet.

MP welcomes Scout Community Week in Filton and Bradley Stoke

Taking place from 14-20 May 2012Week will see Scouts across the country volunteer in local area

13th March 2012: The well-known "Bob a Job" Week of old is to re-launch as Scout Community Week this year after a seventeen year break and scouts in Filton and Bradley Stoke will be taking part.

Scout Community Week will see Scouts from across the UK taking part in an array of tasks and projects to make a positive impact on the lives of local people. The Scout Association wants your help in bringing these benefits to our community.

Jack Lopresti MP said:

"Scout Community Week is taking place from 14-20 May this year across the UK and I am proud to support it, particularly as scout groups in the Filton and Bradley Stoke area are heavily involved. Organisations such as the Scouts play an important role in our communities and do wonderful work with so many young people. I was lucky enough to visit the Avon Scouts Annual General Meeting last year and saw firsthand the positive impact Scouts have on our local area. Anyone can get involved in the Scout Community Week and I encourage anyone so minded to have a look on the Scouts website."

The Scout Association wants your suggestions for projects you think Scouts in our area could do to make a difference. This could be creating a garden for a hospital or care home, litter picking in a local park or making useful individual items such bird boxes or bike racks.

To submit your ideas please email community.week@scouts.org.uk or visit www.scouts.org.uk/scoutcommunityweek for further information on this great initiative.

Local MP asks PM to Ensure Afghan Mission is a Success

Today in the House of Commons Jack Lopresti, the Member of Parliament for Filton and Bradley Stoke, spoke during Prime Ministers Questions to pay tribute to the six servicemen who, it was announced, are missing, presumed dead, following an attack earlier today.

Mr Lopresti, who has himself served in Afghanistan as part of 29 Commando RA on Operation Herrick 9, asked the Prime Minister to confirm that the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) would remain in place until the stability of Afghanistan could be ensured after any handover of power to Afghan Security Forces.

Mr Lopresti echoed the Prime Minister's tribute to the Armed Forces, who he said "are asked to make sacrifices, quite often on a daily basis, to keep our country safe".

He went on to ask:

"Will the Prime Minister confirm that despite these tragic events, ISAF will remain in Afghanistan, in one form or another, for as long as it takes to complete the mission, which is for a safe, secure, stable Afghanistan with the Afghan people taking responsibility for their own security?"

The Prime Minister responded:

"We now have a very clear timetable which is all about transitioning parts of Afghanistan over to Afghan Security control, which allows our troops to move into the background and eventually out of the country. We are already seeing in Helmand itself, where we have been for all these years, one of the toughest parts of Afghanistan, for instance in Lashkar Gah the effective Capital of Helmand, that it is now controlled by Afghan forces, so this process is ongoing.

"I believe it can be properly completed by the end of 2014 so that we will leave in a proper and orderly fashion, handing over to Afghan troops. But let me be clear, the relationship between Britain and other countries in Afghanistan will go on. It will be a relationship of military training, of diplomacy, of support, of aid, and of help for that country. We must learn the lessons of the past, which is what a mistake it was to turn away from Afghanistan."

MP speaks up for local Manufacturing

Yesterday in the House of Commons, local MP Jack Lopresti, the Member of Parliament for Filton and Bradley Stoke, took part in a debate on UK Manufacturing and Engineering. The debate was held as growth in manufacturing and engineering is put at the heart of the Governments wider growth agenda.

Mr Lopresti said:

"The Government remains committed to manufacturing and engineering, which is why we have placed these industries at the core of the Growth Programme. Equally so, showcasing manufacturing as a worthwhile career choice for young people in modern Britain is another goal. In our local area we have so many wonderful companies, many of which are the crown jewels in Britain's export businesses."

"These businesses have all told me that it is vitally important to maintain a highly skilled local work base and that local young people are the key to fulfilling this. That is why I made the points on apprenticeships and University Technical Colleges. Many local firms, especially Rolls Royce and Airbus, offer apprenticeships and we had the fantastic news last year that the South Gloucestershire University Technical College has the go-ahead and will be built near to the Abbeywood Community school. Both Apprenticeships and UTC's offer amazing opportunities to local young people and can create exciting and highly rewarding careers."

In the debate Jack asked Neil Carmichael MP for Stroud, who secured the debate:

Jack Lopresti (Filton and Bradley Stoke, Conservative)

I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this important debate. On apprenticeships, is he aware that 30% of the senior management at Rolls-Royce, which has a large facility in my constituency, started their professional lives as apprentices? That demonstrates what a fantastic career people can carve out in manufacturing. It also clearly demonstrates social mobility in action.

Neil Carmichael (Stroud, Conservative)

My hon. Friend is absolutely right, and I will talk about apprenticeships later. I notice that he has Airbus literally around his neck—its name is on his lanyard—and that is a signal that he understands the importance of large firms such as Airbus and Rolls-Royce in developing our manufacturing and engineering.

Later in the debate Mr Lopresti asked:

Jack Lopresti (Filton and Bradley Stoke, Conservative)

I wanted to ask whether my hon. Friend recognises the importance of university technical colleges in increasing the range of training and opportunity for young people, and providing the link between business, manufacturing and the education sector?

Neil Carmichael (Stroud, Conservative)

My hon. Friend is right. The UTCs are important. I fully support that initiative and I know that Lord Baker has been pivotal—as, indeed, has Lord Adonis—in supporting those projects. We want more of them. In my constituency, I have been vigorously promoting the engineering centre in Stroud college. Funnily enough, there is another link there with the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Filton and Bradley Stoke, because the college has merged with the one in Filton—and quite right too, because is a good strategic alliance. The point I want to make is that it is necessary for engineering to be promoted in organisations, including colleges.

At the end of the debate the Norman Lamb MP the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for employment relations and consumer and postal affairs at the Department for Business, Innovation, and Skills said:

"The UK is recovering from the biggest financial crisis for generations and the deepest recession of almost all the major economies. We are still feeling the shocks from the eurozone's sovereign debt crisis. The recent agreement with Greece, although welcome, is not a panacea. One of our first decisions in government was to place manufacturing at the heart of our economic strategy."

"The Minister of State lead on manufacturing: he devotes attention to it, and he is closely interested in doing everything he can to support growth in manufacturing.

In placing manufacturing at the heart of our economic strategy, we were under no illusion about the challenge that we faced in turning UK manufacturing around. In the UK, manufacturing as a percentage of the economy fell from just over 22% in 1990 to around 10% in 2010. The decline of manufacturing has been significant, in marked contrast with Germany, which has sustained that share of the economy much more successfully. We have learnt from the mistakes of previous Administrations."

"We are working hard to encourage and support British manufacturers and create an environment where they are free to thrive and compete in a global marketplace. Two weeks ago, we held a second manufacturing summit, which gave ministerial colleagues and me the opportunity to discuss and agree what more should be done to help us meet these challenging ambitions. We want UK industry to be our partner in achieving economic transformation and recovery. This strategy places world-class manufacturing at the heart of a healthy and balanced UK economy."

National Citizen Service is a great opportunity for 16-year-olds in Filton on Bradley Stoke

Jack Lopresti, MP for Filton and Bradley Stoke, has welcomed the launch of the second year of National Citizen Service.

National Citizen Service is a scheme for 16-year-olds first proposed by David Cameron in 2005 and now introduced by the Coalition government. It brings together 16-year-olds from different backgrounds in the summer after they have taken their GCSEs to work together and give something back to their communities. After three weeks of team-building and outdoors activities, participants spend 30 hours helping improve their communities.

There will be 30,000 places available on National Citizen Service this summer, including 90 in South Gloucestershire. By 2014 there will be 90,000 places available and it is our ambition that there will ultimately be places available for all 16-year-olds.

Jack said:

"National Citizen Service is a fantastic idea and a great thing for young people to do.

"It is all about giving young people the chance to come together from different backgrounds, have new experiences, learn new skills, understand how to work as a team, and give something back to the community. It's also great news for the rest of us, as all young people taking part spend 30 hours making their community a better place.

"I am very pleased that there are 90 places on National Citizen Service for young people in South Gloucestershire and I hope that eventually all children in Filton and Bradley Stoke will be able to benefit."

Jack Lopresti MP welcomes Welfare Reforms

The Government's victory in passing the Welfare Reform Bill, ensuring that no family can get more in benefits than the average working family earns, has been welcomed by Jack Lopresti, MP for Filton and Bradley Stoke.

Under the reforms, the benefit payments that a household on out of work benefits will be capped at £26,000 per year so that work always pays. Under Labour, households were able to receive up to £104,000 per year in Housing Benefit alone.

Labour have opposed this fair cap on benefits, voting to maintain a something for nothing culture whereby some families who don't work get thousands of pounds more in welfare handouts than the average working family earns.

Commenting, Prime Minister David Cameron said:

'Today marks an historic step in the biggest welfare revolution in over 60 years. This government has taken bold action to make work pay, while protecting the vulnerable. Past governments have talked about reform, while watching the benefits bill sky rocket and generations languish on the dole and dependency. This government is delivering it. Our new law will mark the end of the culture that said a life on benefits was an acceptable alternative to work.'

Jack said:

'In Filton and Bradley Stoke, the average person would have to pay tax for 23 years to pay for one household to receive £104,000 in benefits a year, which could happen if Labour had their way.

'This benefit cap shows that Conservatives are the party of fairness, standing up for hard working taxpayers. By voting against it, Labour have once again shown they are the party of something for nothing.'