ONCE THE LIGHTS GO OUT?

Imagine a world now without electricity. It is not just our lights and televisions that we would miss, but every computer-driven device we now own to make our lives more comfortable would just become a lump of useless plastic.

We had a power cut one Christmas and it was lovely to live for a while by candlelight, but we were glad when the power came back on.

Reports this week from the operators of the National Grid that our capacity to generate electricity is at a worrying low, might send shivers down our spine. Literally. And just imagine the political consequences if you press the switch on your wall and nothing happens.

I am just old enough to remember when we had several hours a week without electricity in the 1970's. That was bad enough, but 40 years on, we are much more dependent on this invisible force.

Coal fired power stations are rightly considered too damaging to the environment and are being phased out. North Sea oil and gas is running out. Most of our imported fossil fuels come from unstable parts of the world like Nigeria or Russia and you would not want to stake your future on it. Renewable energy has a significant future but right now, with all of our wind turbines and solar panel farms, only 16.8% of electricity consumed was provided by renewables as at spring 2014. Hopefully this will grow, especially as we exploit wave and tidal technology, for which Plymouth may become the hub.

The existing generation of nuclear power stations are getting tired. We have given the go-ahead for a new one at Hinckley Point in Somerset, but it will be some years before this comes on stream.

In the meantime, in many parts of the country, we are walking over the obvious solution, every day. Shale Gas.

These are enormous pockets of gas (and oil) which can be accessed by using a system known as fracking. This is the process of drilling down into the earth before a high-pressure water and sand mixture is directed at the rock to release the gas inside.

Some people consider this environmentally hazardous, but the government has carefully considered the scientific research and have concluded that it is safe. I agree with this. Not only should be start exploiting the shale gas underneath our land, realistically, we do not have an alternative if we want to keep our lights and iPads on.

ONCE THE LIGHTS GO OUT?

Imagine a world now without electricity. It is not just our lights and televisions that we would miss, but every computer-driven device we now own to make our lives more comfortable would just become a lump of useless plastic.

We had a power cut one Christmas and it was lovely to live for a while by candlelight, but we were glad when the power came back on.

Reports this week from the operators of the National Grid that our capacity to generate electricity is at a worrying low, might send shivers down our spine. Literally. And just imagine the political consequences if you press the switch on your wall and nothing happens.

I am just old enough to remember when we had several hours a week without electricity in the 1970's. That was bad enough, but 40 years on, we are much more dependent on this invisible force.

Coal fired power stations are rightly considered too damaging to the environment and are being phased out. North Sea oil and gas is running out. Most of our imported fossil fuels come from unstable parts of the world like Nigeria or Russia and you would not want to stake your future on it. Renewable energy has a significant future but right now, with all of our wind turbines and solar panel farms, only 16.8% of electricity consumed was provided by renewables as at spring 2014. Hopefully this will grow, especially as we exploit wave and tidal technology, for which Plymouth may become the hub.

The existing generation of nuclear power stations are getting tired. We have given the go-ahead for a new one at Hinckley Point in Somerset, but it will be some years before this comes on stream.

In the meantime, in many parts of the country, we are walking over the obvious solution, every day. Shale Gas.

These are enormous pockets of gas (and oil) which can be accessed by using a system known as fracking. This is the process of drilling down into the earth before a high-pressure water and sand mixture is directed at the rock to release the gas inside.

Some people consider this environmentally hazardous, but the government has carefully considered the scientific research and have concluded that it is safe. I agree with this. Not only should be start exploiting the shale gas underneath our land, realistically, we do not have an alternative if we want to keep our lights and iPads on.

LOCAL CHARITIES WORTHY OF SUPPORT

There are two charities locally which consistently feature on our radar whenever any of us consider giving to good causes. I refer of course to St. Luke's Hospice and Dame Hannah Rogers School. The former provides respite care for the terminally ill and does so with a remarkable professionalism. The latter provides education, housing, training and support for profoundly disabled young people and has been a beacon of excellence for many years.

Both of these organisations have long been worthy of our support.

It has therefore been a frustrating experience to witness Dame Hannahs (DH) being put under the cosh by Ofsted. The trigger for this, as we all saw in the press, was a self-referral by the DH management to the police of 2 or 3 suspicious incidents that required investigation. Their first thought as ever was the wellbeing of their clients.

What a shock it was that on the back of this Ofsted decided to put on their hobnail boots and stamp all over the professionalism of the DH staff and suspend its licence to operate (in part) while further investigation and discussions took place. It was never the view of the police, to whom I spoke, that closure was necessary.  Police investigations have now been concluded with no further action being taken.

Ofsted appear to have over-reacted and I think I know why. Recent national scandals involving the wicked abuse of vulnerable people in care have seared themselves deeply into the mind-set of those charged with oversight of our care institutions. Understandable. But it is surely not acceptable for professional people to make decisions to first of all protect themselves from future criticism, rather than put the welfare of the vulnerable person first.

I am convinced that this is what happened this summer with Ofsted and DH.

There were undoubtedly issues in the processes of DH which could have been improved upon, there always will be following any detailed scrutiny. But, there was never any reason to close the place down. The pain and turbulence this decision caused to many disabled young people and their families cannot be over-estimated. Needless to say, I will be taking this matter further.

But it is important as DH now slowly gets back up- to speed, that its place in the local community is firmly re-established. This is a great place full of brilliant people who do wonderful work and we should all be proud of it.

FINDING A WAY FORWARD WITH LIFE HOUSE

Some of the most effective organisations in our midst are the ones which have been around a long time but have managed to adapt themselves to the ever changing landscape. I had an example of that last Friday when I visited the work of the Salvation Army in Life House Devonport.

At this former hotel the Army provide accommodation and support to many people who are struggling to cope, either because of mental illness, addiction to drugs or alcohol or due to some kind or some unexpected life shock. It was very inspiring work. They have over 60 units of accommodation in which people stay on average for 6 months while they get themselves back on track. All kinds of support is available for them in the meantime, from the deeply practical to the spiritual. There is also a safe room where people they find sleeping rough on the streets can come and doss down for the night, at least not exposed to the elements.

On offer to residents and other service-users who drop in for the day are a range of real-world lessons, from cookery to managing finances. There is also a fully equipped carpentry workshop where people can learn new skills.

I met a gentleman there who had been enjoying a successful life and then, possibly as a result of a poor decision or two, the whole edifice crashed and burned and within a short space of time he found himself living rough on the streets with nothing. I have met people before with similar stories and it is very sobering to realise how fragile life can be for all of us. With expert and compassionate help, he is learning to put the pieces back together again.

The workers are highly professional and dedicated to their mission: to make life better for people. Some of the staff and volunteers have overcome their own challenges in earlier years and thus are well equipped to help those who are still going through the darkness.

I came away feeling both impressed and humbled by the visit. My hosts are making a very real difference to some of the most challenged people in our midst. As we approach Christmas we will probably see Salvation Army bands playing carols on various street corners. We can pop some money in the collection box confident that it is being put to good use. General William Booth must be purring in his grave.

WHERE AND WHERE NOT TO BUILD

I recognise the need for more housing to meet the demands of a population that is living longer, growing in size and accommodating families splitting up more frequently. But it is crucial that new development goes in the right place, provides the right level of infrastructure and does not swamp existing communities.

These were the reason that persuaded me to support the new town at Sherford, namely to remove much of the pressure from Plympton and Plymstock and the rest of the South Hams. After so many years of delay, the new town is about to break cover with the official commencement of development taking place this November. New houses will start appearing next summer/autumn. The build-out phase will take over 15 years and ultimately provide well over 1,000 affordable new homes for local people, meaning that many of our children and grandchildren will be able to afford to buy for the first time.

It is now crucial that we fight to preserve existing green spaces within Plympton and Plymstock. Government policy currently allows a presumption in favour of sustainable development, but developers must still comply with the terms of a valid development framework.
That framework must provide for a five year supply of housing land with a clear view of where development must take place.
Independent inspectors have recently decided that neither Plymouth nor South Hams councils have in place a valid 5 year plan, a decision challenged by both authorities. This is vital because of there is no valid plan, developers will be deciding where new housing takes place, not planners in consultation with local communities. The council may turn down an application, but if there is no plan, developers will often win on appeal.

We need to see both local authorities put a valid plan in place as soon as possible, failing which we are vulnerable to builder-led development of our area, something we have seen too much of in the past.

In accepting the new town at Sherford, we should not have to accept too many other developments in this vicinity and I shall be doing my best, along with local councillors, to make sure this does not happen. We are not helped in this exercise by Plymouth council seeking to sell off almost every parcel of green land they still own for development in the next 12 months.

The time critical battle to preserve our communities from over-development is well and truly joined.

AIR STRIKES AGAINST ISIS

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." So said philosopher Edmund Burke in the eighteenth century.

It was with this principle in mind that I voted for us to participate in the air strikes in Iraq against the Islamist jihadists currently wreaking death and destruction in that troubled region. Air strikes form only part of an overall strategy which includes support for Kurdish and Iraqi ground forces as well as humanitarian assistance.

I expect Parliament to be asked to support air strikes against ISIS in next door Syria in the not too distant future. I shall support that also, because one of the key principles of counter-insurgency is to deprive your enemies of a base. There is little benefit in driving these maniacs out of Iraq if they can quickly hop over a now non-existent border into Syria.

What has all of this got to do with us? This group of people are looking to set up their own Islamic state, which they call a Caliphate, stretching from the Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf. They plan it to be a state ruled by their perverted understanding of Islam with barbaric rules - at war with all of those around them. I have not a shred of doubt that it would become a base for planning and launching all kinds of attacks upon the west, just as the Taleban in Afghanistan allowed Al-Qaeda to co-ordinate the 2001 attack on the twin towers in which more than 3,000 people died.

We have not always intervened in the Middle East successfully. I have long believed that the 2003 intervention into Iraq was a mistake, a decision taken upon the premise that they had weapons of mass destruction and clearly they did not. But making a mistake then should not prevent us from doing the right thing now. If we do not prevent ISIS from setting up their barbaric state, we will only have to go against them in a few years time on our own streets, after they have committed some terrible attacks against our people.

Not all constituents agree with this decision and I have had some colourful e-mails. But many of you have been kind enough to communicate your support for the step we have taken. 

There is nothing more serious than voting for war. I know that our highly professional servicemen and women of the RAF will do us proud.