Key issues and contributions

Yeadon Banks

I called for a debate in the House on the process for applying for Village Green status, raising in particular the case of Yeadon Banks, where, since the application for Village Green status by 'Keep Yeadon Banks Green', several attempts by Leeds Group Plc to block it have been over turned, including in the High Court. Leeds Group Plc are now taking the matter to the Supreme Court. I called for the process to be simplified so that areas like this get the protection they need and to prevent large companies, like Leeds plc, from abusing the legal system in the knowledge that money is no obstacle to them when local residents do not have the resources or the money to oppose them properly .

Barrister David Friesner

Having been informed by a constituent, I raised with the Secretary of State for Justice in the House of Commons the absurd situation of barrister, David Friesner, who pleaded guilty to stealing £81,000, but despite this was allowed to continue representing a client in court. (The client was later convicted of fraud himself) David Friesner defended Jack Henry just a fortnight after pleading guilty in Leeds Crown Court on 12^th January to stealing tens of thousands of pounds from his own Manchester Chambers during 2008 and 2009. Henry's trial had to be delayed to allow for Friesner to face charges. Friesner was told that he was likely to face jail upon being sentenced. Following my raising this matter in Parliament, Friesner was suspended by the Bar Standards Board.

Leeds Children's Heart Unit

I maintained the pressure on the Government to intervene in the review of children's congenital heart services. I asked whether the Government would agree to include children's services in the upcoming review of provisions for adult cardiac patients, given the delay in the review of children's provisions as a result of the result of the Royal Brompton Judicial Review. It seems wrong to run the two separately, given the inevitable impact the changes to the provisions of one would inevitably have on the other.

Pub Company reform

Following the Government's inadequate response to the Business Innovation and Skills Select Committee Report, I, along with Chair of the Select Committee, Adrian Bailey MP, successfully applied for a Backbench Debate, as well as drawing up a motion to be debated on the floor of the House. This provided a platform for MPs from both sides of the House to express their disappointment with the Government response. I was also able to raise the findings of the Save the Pub Group's Freedom of Information request, which uncovered serious questions about the way in which the Government response was put together and who was and wasn't involved in negotiations on their proposals for addressing the issues currently faced in the pub sector.

Reform of the care system

During Prime Minister's Questions I asked the Prime Minister to join me in welcoming the latest Age UK campaign, 'Care in Crisis', which calls on the Government to reform the care system to ensure people in later life receive high quality care and support. I also tabled an EDM in support of the campaign.

High Speed Rail

I welcomed the announcement by the Government that the first leg of High Speed 2 would go ahead. I asked the Minister, during the statement, whether she would ensure that, given the importance of the line to northern cities, the legislation would ensure not only that the line would be guaranteed to go to Sheffield Manchester and Leeds, but also that both legs of the 'Y' will be built no more than six years after phase one, as currently planned.

Meetings in Westminster

This month I was pleased to meet in Westminster with:

• The Financing and Leasing Association (FLA) to discuss the issue of number plate cloning, as part of the work I have been doing on behalf of constituent Mr Sadique
• Altaf Sadique to discuss the ongoing issue of number plate cloning, ahead of our meeting with the Home Office Minister Nick Herbert.
• Madeline Moon MP to discuss the fantastic State ofMindcampaign which aims to improve the mental health, wellbeing and working life of rugby league players and communities.
• The AGM of the APPG on Balanced and Sustainable Communities

Other Events

• Attended an All Party Parliamentary Light Rail Group fact finding visit toBudapest, to look at their integrated transport system and to consider the benefits of such a system inLeeds, in the form of the Leeds Trolleybus scheme.
• Hosted the All Party Parliamentary Rugby League Group annual dinner

Key issues and contributions

• Yeadon Banks, as above
• Pledged support to the Jamie Still campaign which seeks a change in the law so that driving licences are automatically suspended, as a bail condition, in any cases involving death by dangerous or careless driving or where the driver has been shown to have had twice or more the legal limit of alcohol in their blood. Jamie, the son of Otley resident, Karen Strong, was killed by a drunk driver on New Year's Day 2010.

Meetings in Leeds

This month I was pleased to meet in the constituency with:

• Neil Mclean, Chairman of the Leeds City Region Local Enteprise Partnership, to discuss the next steps for the Region's bid for the Green Investment Bank.
• Team Leeds, the project created to form a dialogue between the city's 8 MP's and the business community through the chamber.
• The Otley Town Partnership marketing meeting.
• Peter Ruickbie of the Alzheimer's society.
• Met with England Rugby Union coach Stuart Lancaster and the some of the England RU team during a training week based in Leeds North West.

Other events

• Held a mini-parliament at CookridgeHolyTrinityPrimary School
• Spoke at the Yorkshire gets ready for Fairtrade event at Leeds University, which was attended by a number of schools from across Leeds.
• The HEART 1^st Anniversary party
• Spoke about my role as an MP at a meeting of Churches Together, held atSouthParadeBaptistChurchin Headingley.
• Visited the Rehabilitation Unit atSeacroftHospitalto view the facilities and services that they offer patients
• Attended theLeedsChamber of Trade and Commerce Dinner
• Was honoured to give the eulogy at the funeral of Liberal Democrat and Otley stalwart Millie Stott.