Over the last 50 years, both in the UK and around the Globe, societies and communities have changed dramatically as attitudes have shifted and representative groups have demanded and won valuable rights for their supporters/members. Each of these groups have sought recognition and the ability to determine and be responsible for their own welfare on an equal footing with other members in society.

Society readily adapts to these changes and the laws of many countries have either been changed, are still changing or will change in the years to come as the rights and freedoms these groups have won become enshrined in law. The path taken by all those who have won new rights has a common denominator whether those rights were hard fought for over many years in spite of great adversity, or whether they were won quickly, peacefully and with mass public approval. The common denominator that binds all of these together is hard work, belief in a better society for all and personal responsibility coupled with a dedication to succeed.

There is currently much debate around welfare reform and the measures this Coalition Government intends to implement. For the millions who work extremely hard to ensure they keep a roof over their family’s head, there is a sense of disbelief when they hear those who wish to see these changes abandoned. In fact, according to a YouGov poll a massive 69% of British people (including two-thirds of Labour supporters) either support the Coalition Government’s benefits cap of £26,000, or feel that it could be even stricter.

I am acutely aware as the Member of Parliament for Lincoln, Bracebridge Heath, Skellingthorpe and Waddington East that the vast majority of my Constituents are extremely disappointed that during the tenure of the previous Labour Government many households became better off living on benefits than working. My ministerial colleagues such as Iain Duncan Smith, George Osborne & Grant Schapps have set about the complicated and difficult task of welfare reform with a proviso of ensuring that nobody is allowed to fall through the safety net or ends up without a suitable roof over their family’s head.

A challenge such as welfare reform is not undertaken lightly but through wide and exhaustive consultations which bring a deep understanding of the issues, the Coalition is now in a position to make changes that are for the benefit of all. These changes will help to ensure that future generations choose to work rather than live off State benefits. For certain individuals this will not prove easy but if they look around they will see shining examples of just what can be achieved through training, hard work and dedication to a cause. In the past few days we can look to Helen Skelton, the Blue Peter Presenter who has once again overcome huge challenges on behalf of Sport Relief. Even with poor health including dangerous dehydration along the route, Helen reached the South Pole having ridden a bike, kite skied and trudged on cross country skis for 500 miles. In the process she even set a new world record for the fastest 100km by kite ski in seven hours and 28 minutes despite temperatures as low as -48C. Her previous feats of kayaking down the Amazon alone and her tight-rope walk over Battersea Power Station are testament of what can be achieved when an individual puts their mind to something and commits to success.

Every constituent in this community is capable of achieving great things. It requires great effort and real “dedication” (as the late Roy Castle who held at least three World Records himself used to sing), but the personal rewards and sense of achievement are immense. I am very conscious of this as my route to Westminster began way back at University in the late 1980s, and perhaps earlier, and has frequently been all consuming. Even now as your elected representative in the House of Commons I am continually aware of the hourly, daily, weekly and monthly effort that is required by both myself and my staff to serve Constituents to the highest possible standards.

Do I ever relax and stop being an MP for an hour or two some of you may ask? Well, I do try to spend some time with my wife and two boys most weekends. I also have a passion for baking novelty themed birthday cakes (at the 11th hour and often through the night) before a family birthday party. We are extremely proud of recent joint efforts to accommodate the request for “Baby Stig” on a trampoline, and past requests for Thomas the Tank Engine with Troublesome Trucks, Hot Wheels cars, a chocolate steam engine and Club Penguin birthday cakes in recent years. Not only are these examples a priceless way to show our love for our sons and the importance of my family, but challenges like these cause us to push ourselves and continually better what we have done before, in this instance for me in the baking stakes.

Many people who believe in the need to ensure the impartiality of the BBC, particularly in respect of its news and current affairs coverage, will be shocked and concerned at the response I received earlier this week to a Parliamentary Question I recently tabled.  I simply asked whether the BBC received any grants or loans from the EU between 2005 and 2011.  Pipa Doubtfire, the Head of Revenue Management at the BBC, revealingly informed me that since 2007, our national Broadcasting Corporation has accepted grants approaching £3m from the EU; and, since 2003, has borrowed from the European Investment Bank (EIB) some £141m. The total currently drawn is £30m which is repayable in May 2012.

There has long been concern by many at what can only be described as Left-wing reporting, particularly, though not solely, in matters relating to Britain’s relationship with Europe.  I well remember in the run up to the 2010 General Election very senior BBC management, having invited 20 or so Conservative PPC’s to a briefing, strenuously denying to us all that they were in anyway inherently biased against Conservatives.  We did not believe it then and we do not believe it now. This inbred bias has been exposed most brilliantly by Mr Peter Oborne in his pamphlet Guilty Men. It is also why for some time I, and many others I know, have the BBC complaints line telephone number on speed dial on our mobiles.

Take, for example, Mr Jonathan Charles, the BBC’s former Brussels correspondent, who in 2010 admitted that he and the BBC became carried away by the launch of the Euro currency in 2002.  Mr Charles and his colleagues suspended their trusty journalistic scepticism and, instead, became caught up in the “great air of excitement” and “euphoria” that was another milestone in the march to European Economic and Monetary Union.  Mr Charles claims that the suspension of scepticism lasted ‘for a few brief days’, though I and many of my colleagues would argue that a not-always-very-subtle bias in favour of the Left runs through the very veins of some of those at the BBC.  Even Mark Thompson, the BBC’s Director General, has accepted the Corporation had previously been guilty of a “massive” Left-wing bias.  Mr Thompson has also admitted that the BBC’s coverage of Europe had been “weak and rather nervous”.

Genuine impartiality, however, is vital to the taxpayer funded BBC maintaining its reputation as the cornerstone of UK public service broadcasting. The BBC claims to be aware of people’s concerns and I gather that the organisation has recently implemented ‘annual impartiality reviews’, along with ‘impartiality seminars’ for staff.

However, in the light of these EU loans and grants, and the BBC’s often one-sided coverage of EU matters, it is now incumbent on the BBC to explain very clearly to the British people how it intends to ensure the organisation’s impartiality in respect of its left-leaning reporting in the future.  Until such time, I think people will quite rightly continue to question what influence the EU (whose own accounts after 17 years are still not audited nor signed off) exerts, financially or otherwise, over ‘our’ BBC.

As a traditionalist, it is Lincoln’s history that, for me, distinguishes our City from most other towns and cities in Britain.  We are truly lucky in Lincoln.  We have a magnificent Cathedral – one of the finest Gothic buildings in the world; the Lincoln Medieval Bishop’s Palace – once among the most important buildings in our Country; a beautiful and historic Castle - home to one of the four certified 1215 Magna Carta as well as the Charter of the Forest; and the Lincoln Roman Ruins - streets used for centuries by the Romans, Normans and Saxons. The Stonebow; Lincoln’s Guildhall; Lincoln Theatre Royal; Lincoln Drill Hall; The Usher Gallery; The Collection; Steep Hill; Mint Wall; The Lawn; The Aboretum; St Mary’s Guildhall; Ellis Mills; the Museum of Lincolnshire Life; Hartsholme Country Park; and around 90 bars, pubs and clubs – the list of attractions for visitors to our City is almost endless.   As the Member of Parliament for Lincoln attracting visitors to our City to maintain and expand our vital tourist industry is of course of paramount importance to me and I am certainly helped by what our City, and its residents, has to offer.

Tourism benefits everyone – visitors, residents and employees – and is England’s third largest industry generating £97 billion a year for the economy.  In the East Midlands alone there were around 7.69m trips in 2010 from visitors who spent £1,029m.  Around 9.0% of  my constituents are employed in the tourism and hospitality sectors and a larger number who perhaps live outside the City also work in local hotels, tourist attractions, restaurants and bars.

As I have set out before, both my colleagues at Lincolnshire County Council and I are delighted to have secured agreement from the Department for Transport for the erection of new brown tourist signs on and around the A1 and A46 at Newark and further North on the A1.  This is a hugely important achievement.  Brown ‘tourism’ signs are essential to the promotion of our national tourist industry, and in relation to Lincoln and Lincolnshire’s tourist industry, vital to promoting and signposting such truly national treasures as the Magna Carta, Lincoln Cathedral and Lincoln Castle.  But there is much more to do and I shall continue to lobby for park & ride, a resolution to the problems caused by the Lincoln High Street rail crossing and of course for more direct rail services to Lincoln.

I also recently met with representatives of Visit Lincoln Partnership – a private/public sector collaboration established to deliver co-ordinated destination management and marketing for the City of Lincoln – and shall continue to work closely with them in the future.  I ensure I keep in regular contact with Lincoln BIG who I know are keen as part of their role to ensure our City businesses are promoted to residents and visitors alike.  I will also show my support for our tourism industry during English Tourism Week 2012 (10-18 March) which will see a program of events take place across the country to raise awareness of the size, value and importance of tourism to our local, regional and national economy, and highlight the contribution made by businesses from every part of our country’s tourism industry.

Our Conservative-led Government has brought in a number of measures designed to boost local tourism businesses in Lincoln.  The Tourism Regulatory Task Force Report identified more than 60 out of the 102 Government regulations affecting the hospitality sector which will now be abolished, merged or simplified.  As an example, we are going to scrap rules on where you need to place no smoking signs, a change that will help many pubs, clubs and B&Bs.  We have announced plans to scrap much-hated bureaucracy that discourages people from organising concerts, plays and other live entertainment. The changes will mean more small gigs in pubs and clubs, which is where most new bands and talent are able to find their feet, and fewer pitfalls facing local community groups and organisations which want to lay on amateur concerts, plays or sporting events.  We have changed the rules affecting slot machines, which had been killing jobs and driving arcades out of business.  Many of the arcades in our City will now be able offer more attractive gaming machines to their customers, safeguarding local jobs.  We have supported the creation of a new Hospitality Guild, to improve skills and productivity across the whole sector.Echo readers can take advantage of this by contacting martin-christian.kent@people1st.co.uk.

So I hope you will agree that we have delivered a great deal for one of our most important sectors.  This year is a special year as it sees a once in a lifetime opportunity for the tourism industry in the UK, not just in Lincoln.  London 2012, the Cultural Olympiad and of course Her Majesty’s – our Queen Elizabeth II’s – Diamond Jubilee will put us in the spotlight of the world as never before.  I hope and expect, and will be doing my best, to ensure our City, County and Country is shown in the best light to ensure its attractiveness is plain for all to see.

“Upon the education of the people of this country, the fate of this country depends.”  So said that great social reformer and Conservative Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli, in a speech to the House of Commons on 15 June 1874.  After almost a century-and-a-half later, few would disagree that education still is – and will always be – of paramount importance to the future prosperity and success of our Country and its people.

To this end, it is absolutely vital that the Government’s school reforms continue to have a positive impact on the delivery of education to our children.  Freeing up unnecessary bureaucracy and placing powers in the hands of those with specialist knowledge can only support educational attainment and boost academic standards.  That is why I firmly support the Government’s Academy Programme.

Every school now has the opportunity to take complete control of its budget, curriculum and staffing by applying to be an academy.  Opponents of the idea said schools would not be interested in becoming academies.  They told us that there would be fierce opposition from teachers, heads and parents.  That we would not see the kind of numbers we were anticipating.

But now there are 1,529 academies open in England: 1,194 have taken up the invitation to convert; 335 are sponsored.  Indeed some 45 per cent of all maintained secondary schools are either academies or in the pipeline to convert.  I am particularly pleased that a number of schools in our City such as Lincoln Castle Academy (formerly Yarborough School), Ermine Primary, Lincoln Christ’s Hospital School, Mount Street Infant and Nursery, Westgate Junior School and the Priory Federation Academies of: LSST, Lincoln, Ruskin and Witham have successfully applied for and achieved academy status recently.

Becoming an academy is a liberation. It gives Headmasters and Headmistresses real freedom to make a difference.  Longer school days; better paid teachers; remedial classes; more personalised learning; improved discipline; innovative curricula – these are just a few of the things that Academy Heads are doing to give the children in their care the best possible education.

And what are the results of devolving power and responsibility to schools?  Firstly, academies see double the improvement of other state schools. In 2010/11, the percentage of pupils in academies achieving 5 or more A*-C grades including English and maths rose from 40.6 per cent to 45.9 per cent, an increase of 5.3 percentage points. In all maintained schools, the percentage of pupils achieving 5 or more A*-C grades including English and maths rose from 55.2 per cent to 57.8 per cent, an increase of 2.6 percentage points.  But that is not all.  Academies close the gap between rich and poor. Between 2009 and 2010, for example, the attainment rate for pupils on free school meals in academies improved by 8.3 percentage points, compared to an improvement of 4.6 percentage points for FSM pupils in all schools. Similarly, between 2009 and 2010, the attainment gap between FSM and non FSM pupils in academies narrowed by 0.2 points, compared to comparable maintained schools where the attainment gap widened by 2.1 points.

Thanks to the hard work of Heads, teachers, governors, students and parents alike, we have a great many quality schools in our County and City.  I have seen this for myself during my many visits to Lincoln’s (academy and maintained) schools:   for example, on 13 January, at Lincoln Minister School where I took part in a ‘Question Time’ session; and, most recently, on 20 January at Priory Witham Academy where as well as touring the schools, I talked to pupils about standing as a Parliamentary Candidate at the last General Election and advised the school’s Academy Council members and Youth Parliament Candidates on how they might instigate and maintain a winning campaign.

The success of Lincolnshire’s schools was demonstrated by Ofsted’s annual report for the school year 2010/11 which rated 4 of our schools – Hartsholme Primary School, Priory Academy LSST, St Francis Special School and Mount Street Infant and Nursery School (all based in Lincoln) – as ‘outstanding’.  I am very proud to be Member of Parliament for a constituency with such a range of fantastic schools, but I am not in the least complacent.  Our priority must be to continue to build on that success in the months and years ahead.

The question of Scottish independence is by no means a new topic on the agenda between London and Edinburgh.  However, the drive for independence via a referendum has been given fresh impetuous in recent years by Scottish nationalists who are determined to see the breakup of the Union.

Like a number of people in the City of Lincoln, our family has relatively recent links with Scotland.  But I have to say that I definitely share with the UK Government a strong belief in the United Kingdom, and recognise the benefits the Union brings to all its citizens.  Whilst the Scottish National Party (SNP) has in recent years gained an ever increasing number of seats in Holyrood, this trend is not matched by an increase in demands for independence which they would have us believe.  For example, a very recent poll by Mori showing that a considerable margin of people in Scotland, 57%, would vote against independence, compares to only at the very most 38% (and often nearer 25% in most polls) who favour a breakup of the Union.

There are also a number of important questions which the SNP have yet to fully address relating to the process of independence; which would have serious implications should they be successful in their ill-advised endeavour for independence from the rest of the UK.

First of all, there are significant issues surrounding the future of our national security, given that our armed forces would need to withdraw from Scotland.  Such a move would also have implications for our nuclear deterrent, which is currently based in Faslane, and would require the United Kingdom to transfer its Trident submarines to naval bases that currently lack the infrastructure to accommodate them.   Independence would also result, in all likelihood, in vast swathes of Scottish coastline being left completely undefended due to a lack of resources, which would have important security implications for this Country.

Secondly, ending the Union would have major financial repercussions for Scotland and the rest of the UK.  For instance, an independent Scotland would struggle to justify a triple A rating given the size of its economy.  At the same time, investors would worry at the possible instability that the breakup of the Union would create, and this could result in a downgrade of the UK.  Scotland would also need to take on its fair share of Britain’s national debts, and this could prove quite costly for a nation which has an economy worth just £140 billion, which at the same time continues to spend more than £11 billion more than it contributes to the Union.  Not only that, but a traditional source of revenue, North Sea oil – which the SNP has been keen to cite as being a source of financial redemption – will soon see a significant decline in production over the next decade.  A resource I should add, that has seen considerable investment over the years by English-based companies.

There is also the question of European Union (EU) membership, which would quite possibly be lost if Scotland became independent.  According to legal advice obtained by the UK Government, an independent Scotland would be considered a new state rather than a successor state, and would therefore need to reapply for membership of the EU.  Such an application under the current criteria would require Scotland to take up the Euro as its currency; a prospect which should be of significant concern given the recent financial turbulence we have witnessed on the continent.

Finally, we have the referendum itself, which the Scottish Secretary, Michael Moore MP, has said would be illegal under the current plans prepared by the Scottish Government, and would instead require legislation from the UK Parliament in order for the result to be valid.  Something which Mr Salmond should bear in mind next time he decides to rattle his sporran at people south of the border.

The question of Scottish independence and the future of the Union is not something which is going to go away any time soon.  It is a serious issue and I fear that as long as these questions I raise remain unanswered by the Scottish nationalists, the United Kingdom will be unable to have a full and frank debate on this topic, which has important implications not just for Scotland, but the United Kingdom as a whole.  I will campaign to retain the Union and I trust most of us in Lincoln feel that united we are stronger in so many ways and have been for some time, and sp to break up our United Kingdom for self indulgence by the SNP would be a serious folly.

High Streets are a very visible indicator of how well a local community and economy is thriving, and certainly this is true in the City of Lincoln.  They are recognised as important hubs of social interaction and providers of employment and local commerce.  The recent recession has had a significant negative impact on a number of High Streets throughout England, but I am supportive of our Government in its attempts to reverse this downward trend.  I also have made various representations to our City and County Councils on this issue and will continue to do so.

To this end, the Government announced in May 2011 that Marty Portas would undertake a review of the English High Street.  The report has now been published and is available for download on the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills’ website: http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/business-sectors/retail/high-street-review.  Both Matt Corrigan of Lincoln BIG and myself have also attended meetings of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on City and Town Centres that has similarly examined this issue.

Mary Portas’ review has provided a clear vision on how we can create vibrant and diverse city and town centres and breath life back into our high streets.  The Government will consider the recommendations carefully and will respond in detail in the Spring on how we can take forward measures to support our local high streets further.

The purpose of the Portas review – which is the culmination of seven months of diligent inquiry – was to identify what the Government, local authorities, businesses and others can do together to promote the development of new models of prosperous and diverse high streets.  In particular, the review examined: new business models for the high street that fit the needs of the modern shopper; preventing the proliferation of ‘clone towns’; steps to increase the number of small and independent retailers doing business in local town centres.  I am particularly pleased that the review will also look at the problem of vacant shops, particularly after reading the Local Data Company’s End of Year Report (2010).  I, like many involved in promoting our City, and those who own and run shops and smalls businesses, was concerned that these figures indicated a small increase in the number of vacant shops in Lincoln in 2010.

More broadly, building on its commitment to the ‘town centre first’ approach that prefers to site new retail developments on the high street, the Plan for Growth sets out a package of measures to support thriving town centres. The includes doubling small business rate relief for two years and making it easier for small firms to claim the relief; looking at giving councils new powers to levy local business rate discounts to support local shops, community pubs, new business parks or vital local facilities; providing new guidance to cut unnecessary street clutter that disfigures high streets; and removing the rules that forced up parking charges in town centres.

The Government’s ‘Healthy High Street Guide’ is also helping communities to recognise decline in their high streets and take appropriate action. It is a practical guide for local businesses and people, which they can use to evaluate their shopping areas, and draw up a plan of action to improve them.

As the Member of Parliament for the City of Lincoln, it is vital that I do all I can to ensure that our High Street thrives.  I often attend the Lincoln Business Club, which comprises many high street businesses and is often a good sounding board – an opportunity for businesses to speak to me directly regarding issues that affect them.  Regular readers of my column will know that I have been working with Lincolnshire County Council and the City of Lincoln Council to resolve the problems created by the railway level crossing that dissects our High Street, causing delays and misery to both road users, pedestrians and high street businesses alike.  Part of the solution might be found in a footbridge and I am hoping that some progress on this issue will be made in the near future with Network Rail’s assistance.  Similarly, the building of the Lincoln Eastern Bypass will help ease the congestion in and around Lincoln High Street and, in doing so, help our local businesses.  The ongoing issue of parking rates and facilities, as well as a potential Park and Ride system for the City, is another issue I am regularly in discussion with Officers and Councillors regarding.

For all the challenges we face, we are lucky in Lincoln that our High Street is still in the main thriving and at the very heart of our community, bringing people together, providing essential services and creating jobs and investment in our City.

As 2011 has now drawn to a close, I want to take the opportunity presented by this Echo article to reflect on the previous year.

Both globally and nationally, 2011 has been a turbulent and challenging year.  There were uprisings in the Middle East that came to be known as the ‘Arab Spring’, subsequent British military action that contributed to the overthrow of Colonel Gaddafi in Libya, as well as, of course, the ongoing Euro crisis and various financial bailouts for Eurozone countries.

At home, despicable summer riots took place in some towns and cities around our country, various, but not numerous, public sector workers went on strike in protest at the Government’s pension reforms while a Royal Wedding perhaps lightened the public mood.  The British economy struggled to grow and, much to everyone’s frustration, unemployment continued to rise and has sadly now hit a 17 year high.  Not all of the economic news in Britain was negative and I think it is worth reminding ourselves of this.  For instance, in the first nine months of this year, the UK economy grew at the same speed as the US economy – despite their massive fiscal stimulus. In the past year the private sector created over half a million extra jobs, our borrowing costs fell to record lows, showing that UK government debt is seen as a safe haven in the global debt storm.  In addition, businesses invested some £91.4 billion across the economy in 2011, up 9 per cent on the year before and Britain’s credit rating has been restored to its previous highest possible level.  This is, of course, small comfort to those who have suffered job losses and I know that our Government is doing – and shall continue to do – all it can to reverse this very worrying trend.

And despite the very real economic difficulties for our City, County and Country, we in Lincoln and Lincolnshire have achieved a great deal over the last 12 months.  In 2011, I, along with my colleagues at Lincolnshire County Council and the City of Lincoln Council, managed to persuade the Department for Transport to allow us to finally erect highway brown ‘tourist’ signs on the A1, directing travellers to attractions within our County.  I hope and believe that this further signage now being provided after decades of campaigning will, over the coming months and years, point many more visitors to our City and its attractions such as Lincoln Castle, the Cathedral, the Magna Carta and the numerous other museums and galleries in and around Lincoln.  Research has shown that on days out over 12% of people have no fixed-destination on departure, and so newly installed or improved and clear signage to our City can only help our tourist sector, the university and other businesses.

I am also pleased at the progress we have made in providing improved cross country train services for Lincoln.  For example, there will soon be an additional weekday service from Lincoln to Newark Northgate at 3.45pm with a return at 4.45pm.  Both will connect with London services at Newark.  The relatively slow and less frequent rail links to other Cities that Lincoln has endured for too long is an issue I will continue to pursue.

It was also in 2011 that we secured agreement from the Department for Transport that it will make a significant contribution to the building of the Lincoln Eastern Bypass.  I know from my postbag that there is much enthusiasm and support for the Bypass from individuals and the various businesses and organisations based within the City and County.  I am hopeful that work on the building of the road will commence in 2014 and be completed in 2016.  I have long been a passionate supporter of this scheme that will both ease congestion in the City and I believe will be a catalyst for further sustainable economic growth in Lincoln and Lincolnshire.

Although 2011 was a particularly testing year for many, I think we should be pleased with the progress our Country has made over the last year, which, I am sure, will prove to be for the betterment of our City and County in the years to come.

As I look back over the past year, the one thing that always resonates the most for me is how alive Lincoln is with people who want to look after and support other people through charitable work and support.

This includes those who work for charities, volunteer for charities and fundraise for charities, as well as those individuals and companies that provide support through sponsorships and donations.

All those who, throughout this, and previous years, have supported charities have done a great service not only to those they have helped but also to the City and our Country as a whole. Charitable work and the willingness to help others marks Britain out amongst others and is a sign of a civilised Country. The fact that so much of this happens in Lincoln is testimony to the people of this City and the warmth felt towards others less fortunate than themselves.

As a way of showing my thanks, I am holding an event on Tuesday 20 December at Lincoln Cathedral Centre for Trustees for about a third of Lincoln’s 271 registered charities. The event has kindly being sponsored by Lincoln accountants Wright Vigar and Lincolnshire construction company Lindum Group.

The role of being a Trustee of a charity is so important because they make sure the organisation is being run correctly and they are the ones who are legally responsible for the activities that the charity undertakes. Without Trustees and their commitment, energy and time, charities would not exist so I wanted to show both my, and the City I represent, appreciation to these unsung heroes.

With life becoming ever increasing hectic and busy, I know many people who would love to spend time on charitable activities or similar types of roles such as being a school governor. I know my Government is also trying to make it easier by encouraging volunteering, part of ‘The Big Society’ initiative, and also encouraging business and the public sector to allow their staff to take part in these activities.

With time at a premium though, making it more financially worthwhile to donate continues to be made easier by the Government. Coming soon the whole Gift Aid system will be made easier for both people making donations and also charities to collect it. It all helps.

At Christmas, the importance of giving to others must never be forgotten.

I know Lincoln’s Community Larder based at the YMCA Annex in Rosemary Lane and the Birchwood Community Larder in Birchwood Avenue would be grateful for support anyone can give them over Christmas. No matter how large or small, any help given will be gratefully received and will be guaranteed to bring a smile to those who have been helped.

If you know of other charities or similar organisations such as church groups, including Street Pastors, providing help to others, please take the time to find out how you can help them as well.

It is not just about giving though – companionship and family also make Christmas such an important part of the year. Abbeyfield, a national charity, that provides housing care to older people, have launched a Companionship at Christmas campaign. They are offering free overnight stays and Christmas Lunches including from Abbeyfield House at 2 Woburn Abbey so please point people in that direction if you think it maybe appropriate.

I am also aware of a whole host of other Lincoln based organisations doing all they can to make sure no one in our City is feeling alone at Christmas.  As individuals we all have a duty to be neighbourly and to look after those around us, not just family, but neighbours as well. If you know someone who may alone at Christmas please do not forget them, a kindly knock on the door to check they are well, even a friendly wave would I am sure be welcome.

Christmas in Lincoln is always special from the air of celebration, the time to rest our weary bones after another hectic year, through to the opportunity to spend valuable time with our friends and family. But please spare a thought for those who maybe are not in such a lucky position and in the remaining week or so before Christmas please spend a little time finding out how you can ensure they also have a better Christmas as well. The vibrancy and number of the charities we have in our great City offers something for everyone.  They do as much as they can I know, and any support you can offer will always be welcome.

Pubs are a part of the fabric of local life in Lincoln being an important source of enterprise, business and community action.  Pubs do not simply sell beer, but serve great food and drink at a reasonable price, raise money for charities and provide a space where local and national sports can be watched.  As a former barman and an ardent supporter of the Great British Pub, I am very concerned that since the 1950s, the number of public houses in our country has been in steady decline.  Indeed, some figures suggest that up to five pubs now close every day in England.

Since my election to Parliament I have taken up this issue having joined the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group and the Save Our Pubs campaign, as well as tabling a number of Written Parliamentary Questions regarding the prohibition of the sale of below cost alcohol.  Some weeks ago, I worked a shift serving food and drink in The Cloud Bar in Bailgate in support of British Pub Week.  Working at The Cloud Bar gave me the opportunity to talk to owner Michael Kheng, his staff and some customers about their concerns for the future of the industry.  It is clear to me from my conversations and correspondence with Michael and other representatives of the pub industry that tackling unnecessary and burdensome red tape, or bureaucracy, must be a priority for the Government.

I am pleased that a great deal of progress is being made in this respect.  For example, since coming to power the Coalition Government has taken a number of important measures to support the industry, especially individual local pubs.  Through the Localism Bill, the Government is introducing a community ‘right to buy’ that will enable local residents to save struggling pubs by taking them over rather than seeing them empty and derelict. The Government is also reviewing the rules on unfair restrictive covenants that have helped contribute to the disappearance of pubs from our towns and villages and is reforming licensing rules to make it easier to play live music in pubs and help pub owners attract new business.  I am sure that the doubling of small business rate relief for another year will help the industry too.

I have been pressing for a ban on the sale of alcohol below cost price as soon as possible for some time.  This measure is important in three respects:  Firstly, the excessive consumption of alcohol, caused in part, I believe, by the selling of below cost price alcohol by supermarket chains, all too frequently fuels criminal and anti-social behaviour.    Secondly, there are the obvious health implications associated with the sale of alcohol below cost price.  Indeed, figures released earlier this year by one Public Health Observatory show that there has been a 65 per cent increase in alcohol-related hospital admissions in the last 5 years.  Thirdly, I know from my various meeting with Michael and other pub landlords in the City of Lincoln that they are very concerned about the effect of below cost alcohol on their businesses.  Such a ban, therefore, will help protect Lincoln and Lincolnshire’s pubs from unfair ‘loss leading’ by some supermarkets.

For all these reasons, it is really important that a ban on the sale of below cost price alcohol is introduced and I have been assured by my ministerial colleagues in Government that this is precisely what they will do.

I want to do all I can to help the pubs in our City and County.  They are part of the bedrock of our communities and, I feel, are part of the solution to alcohol misuse, and not part of the problem.  As we enter the festive season I want all small businesses, including publicans, to feel they operate on a level playing field, and to look forward to a Merry Christmas.

Weathering the economic storm

Last week the Chancellor, the Rt Hon George Osborne MP, delivered his 2011 Autumn Statement to Parliament which outlined the Government’s economic plan for the difficult times ahead.  As the Chancellor made clear, it is important that we remain focused on restoring this country’s finances to a position of strength.  We had an emergency budget last summer on our own terms, not this summer on the market’s terms; and our commitment to tackling the national debt means that Britain remains a safe haven while much of Europe is engulfed in a debt crisis.

The UK has also seen borrowing costs for its securities reduced to a record low, which saves money for taxpayers, businesses and families.  At the same time, the country’s credit rating, which had been put on a negative outlook before the election last year, has now been restored to its previous highest possible level.  We need to stick to this plan and show that we can live within our means, protect confidence in our economy and keep interest rates low.

In his statement the Chancellor also set out plans to give Britain’s infrastructure a £30 billion boost of private and public investment over the next decade.  This funding will renew our antiquated infrastructure network – funding economic and social infrastructure projects, including extra classrooms, new roads, such as Lincoln’s Eastern Bypass, and railways, high speed broadband networks, and a more sustainable energy supply.

The Government is also looking to introduce a number of measures as part of the Growth Review to help businesses in these difficult times.  For instance, we are creating a £20 billion National Loan Guarantee Scheme to lower the cost of loans to small businesses, and at the same time, we are introducing a £1 billion Business Finance Partnership, which will lend to businesses in the UK through non-bank channels.  The Government is also launching a new Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) from April next year.  This will offer 50 percent income tax relief on investment, and a capital gains tax emption on gains realised in 2012-13 and then invested through SEIS.  Now more than ever we need to show that we are on the side of enterprising business and enterprising people, and weather this economic storm which is taking place in Europe.

We also need to create the right environment for businesses to start up, invest and grow and I recognise through my own business experience that it is these small businesses which can put the wind back into the sails of our Country’s economy.  With that in mind, my Government is looking to undertake a range of measures to help small businesses.  For instance, we are undertaking reforms to streamline employment law, so that employers will have greater freedom to make staffing changes.  At the same time we are also extending the small business rate relief holiday for a further six months, providing more breathing room for businesses.  The Government has also exempted “micro-businesses” employing fewer than 10 employees from all new domestic regulation for three years from April 2011.  All of these measures will help those businesses in Lincoln who are struggling to make ends meet at the moment.

The growing uncertainty in Europe means that times ahead will continue to be tough, but there are a number of measures which this Government is taking to support businesses to help weather the economic storm and build the foundation for future growth.