Thursday, January 17, 2008
I would like to wish all readers of this website and local residents a very Happy New Year. I was very fortunate during the Christmas break to be able to take my mum with me to perform a pilgrimage (the Hajj) in Mecca, Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat in Saudi Arabia. It was an amazing experience joining almost 3 million people from across the globe (including 25,000 British Muslims) to perform the Hajj. Whilst there, I also managed to be filmed by the BBC for two separate news pieces as well as a piece for a British satellite channel, The Islam Channel! Before going to Hajj, I wrote a short piece about the British Hajj Delegation for the monthly paper, The Muslim News. You can read the article by clicking HERE.
Last week was the first week back at Parliament, after the Christmas recess. On Saturday I held my usual advice session at Tooting Library and on Monday I held my open surgery at Earlsfield Library.
A number of constituents have been in touch about a nasty newsletter they have received entitled “Vigilante”. The leaflet asks people to ‘declare war on paedophiles’ by donating £1 per month to a PO Box address registered in Balham. I alerted the police when I found out it was being distributed in our community as it seems like a sinister money making scam and has highly inflammatory content. The police have now branded it as ‘malicious communication’ and started a criminal investigation into the matter. If you receive any material of this kind, please take it to you nearest police station.
You can see a photo of me with the leaflet by clicking HERE and find out more about this by clicking HERE.
During the week I attended my normal meetings with the Justice Department and Whips office and undertook a variety of tasks involving my Ministerial responsibilities.
On Monday, I also attended a meeting hosted by the Foreign Secretary, David Miliband MP at the Foreign Office with the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for International Development, Douglas Alexander MP to discuss developments in Pakistan over the last few weeks with the killing of Benazir Bhutto, troubles in Pakistan and cancelled elections. The British Government is actively involved in ensuring that the situation does not deteriorate whilst trying to help move things forward. The Foreign Secretary also made a statement in the House of Commons about Pakistan and Kenya in the afternoon.
On Tuesday I met again with the Chief Executive and Chair of St Georges Hospital NHS Trust to discuss the future of the League of Friends at St Georges. I am quietly confident that there will be a positive outcome to the challenge of finding suitable alternative accommodation for the Friends.
I also met with the Charity Commission to discuss the position of 2 separate charities in Tooting.
In the evening I hosted a meeting in the House of Commons with “The Muslim News” where David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, answered questions from more than 120 participants about our Government’s foreign policy. The participants I spoke to after the meeting were really impressed with David’s grasp of a multiple of issues and also his honesty and candour in articulating the challenges facing us over the coming period.
I am always happy to organise tours of the Palace of Westminster and tickets for debates in the Chamber of the House of Commons for my constituents. I sometimes get tickets for Prime Minister’s Questions, which I am always happy to pass onto constituents. On Wednesday Jonathan Roseweir and Kate Jackson came to PMQ’s. You can see a photo of Jonathan and me by clicking HERE.
If you wish to attend a tour or to see PMQ’s please email David in my office on parrydg@parliament.uk.
On Wednesday the Remaining Stages and Third Reading of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill passed the House of Commons. The Bill is very wide-ranging and contains several provisions related to the criminal justice system. Among these are measures on youth justice, sentencing, the release and recalls of prisoners, criminal appeals, trials in the absence of defendants, allowing non-legal staff to prosecute in magistrates’ courts, and restricting the compensation payable for miscarriages of justice.
The Bill also covers aspects of pornography and prostitution, offences relating to nuclear material and facilities, data protection penalties, international cooperation in criminal matters, a new ‘violent offender order’, more measures against anti-social behaviour, and changes to police disciplinary procedures.
The Government also agreed to come back with proposals in the House of Lords to amend the Bill to include provision to abolish the common law offences of blasphemy and blasphemous libel. Consultation has now started with the Anglican Church, which would be most affected by the repeal of this law, but I am confident that the amendment will be passed in the House of Lords.
I also visited the RSPCA shop in Southside Shopping Centre in Wandsworth. The Shop has been given notice to leave the premises due to a refurbishment of the centre. Local RSPCA organisers contacted me as they have received no help from either Southside or Wandsworth Council in finding a new site for their shop. I collected a petition from them, signed by more than 500 people, which has been handed into the council for their consideration. I have contacted and will be working with the Tooting Town Centre Manager to try and find alternative premises for the shop. Read more about this by clicking HERE.
Last week was the first week back at Parliament, after the Christmas recess. On Saturday I held my usual advice session at Tooting Library and on Monday I held my open surgery at Earlsfield Library.
A number of constituents have been in touch about a nasty newsletter they have received entitled “Vigilante”. The leaflet asks people to ‘declare war on paedophiles’ by donating £1 per month to a PO Box address registered in Balham. I alerted the police when I found out it was being distributed in our community as it seems like a sinister money making scam and has highly inflammatory content. The police have now branded it as ‘malicious communication’ and started a criminal investigation into the matter. If you receive any material of this kind, please take it to you nearest police station.
You can see a photo of me with the leaflet by clicking HERE and find out more about this by clicking HERE.
During the week I attended my normal meetings with the Justice Department and Whips office and undertook a variety of tasks involving my Ministerial responsibilities.
On Monday, I also attended a meeting hosted by the Foreign Secretary, David Miliband MP at the Foreign Office with the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for International Development, Douglas Alexander MP to discuss developments in Pakistan over the last few weeks with the killing of Benazir Bhutto, troubles in Pakistan and cancelled elections. The British Government is actively involved in ensuring that the situation does not deteriorate whilst trying to help move things forward. The Foreign Secretary also made a statement in the House of Commons about Pakistan and Kenya in the afternoon.
On Tuesday I met again with the Chief Executive and Chair of St Georges Hospital NHS Trust to discuss the future of the League of Friends at St Georges. I am quietly confident that there will be a positive outcome to the challenge of finding suitable alternative accommodation for the Friends.
I also met with the Charity Commission to discuss the position of 2 separate charities in Tooting.
In the evening I hosted a meeting in the House of Commons with “The Muslim News” where David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, answered questions from more than 120 participants about our Government’s foreign policy. The participants I spoke to after the meeting were really impressed with David’s grasp of a multiple of issues and also his honesty and candour in articulating the challenges facing us over the coming period.
I am always happy to organise tours of the Palace of Westminster and tickets for debates in the Chamber of the House of Commons for my constituents. I sometimes get tickets for Prime Minister’s Questions, which I am always happy to pass onto constituents. On Wednesday Jonathan Roseweir and Kate Jackson came to PMQ’s. You can see a photo of Jonathan and me by clicking HERE.
If you wish to attend a tour or to see PMQ’s please email David in my office on parrydg@parliament.uk.
On Wednesday the Remaining Stages and Third Reading of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill passed the House of Commons. The Bill is very wide-ranging and contains several provisions related to the criminal justice system. Among these are measures on youth justice, sentencing, the release and recalls of prisoners, criminal appeals, trials in the absence of defendants, allowing non-legal staff to prosecute in magistrates’ courts, and restricting the compensation payable for miscarriages of justice.
The Bill also covers aspects of pornography and prostitution, offences relating to nuclear material and facilities, data protection penalties, international cooperation in criminal matters, a new ‘violent offender order’, more measures against anti-social behaviour, and changes to police disciplinary procedures.
The Government also agreed to come back with proposals in the House of Lords to amend the Bill to include provision to abolish the common law offences of blasphemy and blasphemous libel. Consultation has now started with the Anglican Church, which would be most affected by the repeal of this law, but I am confident that the amendment will be passed in the House of Lords.
I also visited the RSPCA shop in Southside Shopping Centre in Wandsworth. The Shop has been given notice to leave the premises due to a refurbishment of the centre. Local RSPCA organisers contacted me as they have received no help from either Southside or Wandsworth Council in finding a new site for their shop. I collected a petition from them, signed by more than 500 people, which has been handed into the council for their consideration. I have contacted and will be working with the Tooting Town Centre Manager to try and find alternative premises for the shop. Read more about this by clicking HERE.
# posted by Sadiq @ 10:27 AM 
