March 2005 Archives

If you've been wondering why Martin Linton has been asking all those written questions in Parliament recently, we can now reveal the answer.

The Battersea Labour Party has launched a new web site called Proud of Battersea. It includes a number of short films about how life has improved in Battersea (and Balham and Wandsworth) since Labour have been in power. Many of the answers to Martin Linton's recent questions appear as statistics at the end of the films.

I found out about the web site as my wife was sent a copy of a DVD which contains copies of the films. It also includes a message from Tony Blair and a film warning of the dire consequences of letting the Tories get back into power.

I think the web site and the DVD both form part of a co-ordinated national campaign of smaller local campaigns all called "Proud of [Local Area]".

This story about fundraising for the Trinity Hospice mentions that Martin Linton raised £4176 for the hospice by running in last year's London Marathon.

Read the full story in the Wandsworth Guardian

Hunting activists have joined forces to try to unseat anti-hunt MPs in key marginal constituencies.

Martin Linton is included in their list of London targets.

Read the full story in the Times Online

Martin Linton asked the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the role of community hospitals in urban constituencies under the NHS five-year strategy.

John Hutton replied.

Read the full report at TheyWorkForYou.com

Martin Linton asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many dispersal orders have been made in the Metropolitan police area; and what assessment he has made of their effects on reducing (a) antisocial behaviour and (b) criminal offences in each zone.

Hazel Blears replied with data.

Read the full report at TheyWorkForYou.com

Martin Linton asked the Deputy Prime Minister how many affordable homes have been built in (a) London, (b) Wandsworth and (c) Battersea through the (i) Housing Corporation and (ii) Government-funded schemes since 2000.

Keith Hill answered with data.

Read the full report at TheyWorkForYou.com

There's a little "human interest" story in this week's Wandsworth Guardian about Gideon Attar who does casework for Martin Linton during the day and is a DJ at night.

Read the full story at the Wandsworth Guardian

Martin Linton asked the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she has taken to increase the number of teachers in state schools in Battersea.

Stephen Twigg replied.

Read the full report on TheyWorkForYou

Martin Linton asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people with disabilities in Battersea have returned to work in each of the last seven years.

Jane Kennedy replied with data.

Read the full report on TheyWorkForYou

Martin Linton asked Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many mothers have received the Sure Start maternity grant in the Jobcentre Plus district which includes Battersea.

Chris Pond replied with data.

Read the full report at TheyWorkForYou

Martin Linton asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many community support officers are working in Wandsworth; and how many there will be in April 2005.

Hazel Blears replied sayin gthat there are currently 32 CSOs in Wandsworth and the intention is for there to be 44 by the end of this month.

Read the full report at TheyWorkForYou

Martin Linton asked Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drivers have been stopped by police for driving while using a mobile phone in (a) London and (b) England since the ban came into force.

Hazel Blears replied basically saying that data isn't available yet.

Read the full report at TheyWorkForYou

Martin Linton asked Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) teachers and (b) learning assistants there were in Battersea secondary schools on the latest date for which figures are available.

Stephen Twigg replied with data.

Read the full report at TheyWorkForYou

Martin Linton asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of Somali asylum seekers have claimed asylum (a) at an airport and (b) having travelled first through other countries in the past 24 months.

Des Browne replied with figures.

Read the full account at TheyWorkForYou

Martin Linton asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in each ward of Battersea constituency received the winter fuel allowance in 2003-04.

Malcolm Wicks replied with full figures.

Read the full account on TheyWorkForYou

Martin Linton asked the Deputy Prime Minister how many council homes have been sold under the right to buy in Wandsworth since 1990.

Keith Hill replied that the local authority has reported 4,276 sales of council dwellings under the right to buy and rent to mortgage schemes in Wandsworth between 1990-91 and 2003-04.

Read the full account at TheyWorkForYou

Martin Linton asked the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made in the reconstruction of (a) hospitals and (b) civic and judicial buildings in Iraq since the end of the war in 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Read the full account at TheyWorkForYou

Martin Linton asked the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he is taking to increase the supply of affordable housing in London over the next five years.

Read the full account at TheyWorkForYou