“I have been informed that United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust have been experiencing a high demand for services this week at all its hospitals, including Lincoln County Hospital. It is my understanding that there is no single reason for this, but there has been an increase in numbers of patients attending with complex conditions, which may have been due to the prolonged period of cold weather.

“I gather that the situation has improved over the last 24 hours and A&E departments are not as busy as they were earlier this week.  However, I would like to urge both my Constituents and the people of Lincolnshire to please use A&E appropriately.”

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For further information, please contact Karl M^cCartney MP at karl.mccartney.mp@parliament.uk / 020 7219 7221

Responding to the sad passing of Baroness Thatcher, Lincoln’s Member of Parliament Karl M^cCartney said: “Lady Thatcher was a truly inspirational political figure who will be remembered for many generations to come, especially fondly in the County of her upbringing.  This Country has lost one of its greatest leaders of the 20^th century and my thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends during this difficult time.”

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For further information, please contact Karl M^cCartney MP at karl.mccartney.mp@parliament.uk / 020 7219 7221

Responding to today’s High Court Decision in Manchester to quash the suspension of Neil Rhodes, Lincoln’s Member of Parliament Karl McCartney said:

“After the decision by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) not to investigate this matter, this verdict by the High Court in Manchester should be seen as a reality check for Police & Crime Commissioners (PCCs) up and down our Country.  Commissioners need to think long and hard before taking the decision to suspend a Chief Constable and as my initial reservations have borne out; this case just goes to show there are always two sides to every story.”

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For further information, please contact Karl M^cCartney MP at karl.mccartney.mp@parliament.uk / 020 7219 7221

“I know many of my constituents in and visitors to Lincoln will be pleased to learn that planning permission for the footbridge at the Brayford Wharf Level Crossing has now been granted.  This is great news and will help to reduce risks at this crossing for pedestrians.  I also understand that Network Rail are progressing negotiations with owners of some buildings at the High Street location to allow them to proceed with planning permission applications and ultimately a footbridge at that location also.

“There is more to do – particularly as the current 20-23 minutes plus per hour the barriers are down during the day is to be increased by Network Rail to 40+ minutes per hour to allow long freight trains to pass slowly through our beautiful City.  Such an increase in barrier down time will not benefit anyone in Lincoln at all.

“However, I will be working closely with Network Rail and other elected representatives of the City and County, and their officers, to ensure that this constructive engagement on behalf of my constituents with regard to the level crossings continues and progresses towards a welcome positive conclusion in the near future.”

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For further information, please contact Karl M^cCartney MP at karl.mccartney.mp@parliament.uk / 020 7219 7221

“Whilst the release of three letters seems to fit a regrettable political agenda by the small number of ineffective independents at Lincolnshire County Council, their content is shocking and does not make pleasant reading for the senior management team at ULHT.

“It is notable that these letters were sent to the Trust prior to the General Election of May 2010, when my Labour predecessor was Lincoln’s MP and was then also a Health Minister in the much discredited Labour Government -whose management of our health service has recently been confirmed to have been severely lacking in competence, and woefully focussed on target driven outcomes.

“The former Chief Executive who was hounded out of his job was one of my General Election opponents in 2010, and I offered him my support on many occasions as it was plain to see who was in the right, and who was not, with regard to the Trust.

“I have in my time as the Member of Parliament for Lincoln, since May 2010, continually questioned the Senior Management Team at ULHT on a plethora of issues and will continue to do so on the behalf of my constituents and all patients. I continue to make visits to particular Wards and to discuss areas of concern with those responsible at the Trust and have most recently raised some particularly detailed clinical aspects of the Lincoln Hospital’s service with the new Chief Executive.

“I will continue to do the same and refer you to my earlier detailed statement issued to the media for further information.”

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“I welcome the investigation led by NHS Medical Director, Sir Bruce Keogh, into mortality indicators within the United Lincolnshire Health Trust.

“Concerns about ULHT were aired before the last General Election in 2010 when the former Chief Executive of the Trust, Mr Gary Walker, claimed he was asked to compromise the safety of patients in order to achieve Government targets.  This was of course towards the end of my predecessor as Member of Parliament for Lincoln, Gillian Merron’s time as a Labour Health Minister.

“There is still concern among my Constituents regarding a number of aspects of care at ULHT and I frequently write to the Chief Executive and others about the issues my Constituents raise.  In addition, I have met on numerous occasions with senior management and have visited specific wards at Lincoln County Hospital, most recently just before Christmas.

“I know that staff at ULHT are working very hard to improve mortality indicators and I hope that they will be able to demonstrate to Sir Bruce and his colleagues that real progress in this vital area has been, and will continue to be, made.”

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For further information, please contact Karl M^cCartney MP at karl.mccartney.mp@parliament.uk / 020 7219 7221

Karl M^cCartney, Lincoln’s Member of Parliament said: “The decision to install state-of-the-art packaging equipment at the Walkers crisps factory in Lincoln is the result of the continued success of the facility and the need for businesses such as PepsiCo to remain competitive.”

“At the same time, I can of course appreciate that the news of any potential redundancies is disappointing for those affected and, therefore, this development is clearly a double-edged sword.  However, I have been assured by senior representatives of PepsiCo that staff affected will receive full professional support and assistance to help them find a job elsewhere as part of their redundancy package.”

“I know this decision was taken to ensure the long-term viability of the site and I certainly hope it will enhance the level of economic activity here in Lincoln and also ensure and enhance the likelihood of a continued successful Walkers’ production facility based here in my constituency.”

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For further information, please contact Karl M^cCartney MP at karl.mccartney.mp@parliament.uk / 020 7219 7221

“For a number of weeks, I, together with Cllr Martin Hill OBE and others, as well as local media such as The Lincolnshire Echo, have been putting forward the case for HMP Lincoln to be retained in its existing form.  This Campaign culminated last week in my leading a delegation from Lincoln and Lincolnshire who met with the Minister for Prisons, Jeremy Wright MP, to put our case en masse.  I also had spoken on the ‘phone and face to face to both the Minister and the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor, Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP, so to leave them in doubt as to my position and the strength of feeling in our City and County on this crucial issue.”

“Lincoln Prison is critical to our ability to keep communities safe by reducing and preventing recidivism once detainees – a high level of whom are from Lincolnshire – are released in the County.   The Prison also employs over 500 people and generates nearly £11 million for the County’s economy.  It is vital that both those jobs and that income are kept here in Lincolnshire.

“For these reasons, I am absolutely delighted to let everyone know that late Thursday I welcomed a call from the Minister informing me that the Campaign to retain HMP Lincoln as a Category B Local Prison had been successful and that there would be no change in the status of Lincoln Prison.  The call was a surprise as I had not been expecting a decision until perhaps mid-December.

“I know from my postbag that very many people in my City of Lincoln Constituency and in the wider County are also delighted (and now will be greatly relieved!).

“This positive result shows the power of collaborative campaigning, and how Conservatives working together, help our City and County.”

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For further information, please contact Karl M^cCartney MP at karl.mccartney.mp@parliament.uk / 020 7219 7221

“Having met with and spoken to Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP, The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State, and his Prisons Minister, Jeremy Wright MP, on a number of occasions, putting forward the case for Lincoln’s prison to be retained, I very much look forward to attending the meeting I have secured for a delegation from Lincoln and Lincolnshire to meet Ministers and their civil servants early next week.

“Lincoln Prison is critical to our ability to keep communities safe by reducing and preventing recidivism once detainees – a high level of whom are from Lincolnshire – are released in the County.   The Prison also employs over 500 people and generates nearly £11 million for the County’s economy.  It is vital that both those jobs and that income are kept here in Lincolnshire.

“I will put our case in the strongest possible terms so to leave colleagues, both within the Civil Service and relevant Ministers, in doubt as to my position and the strength of feeling in our City and County on this crucial issue.”

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For further information, please contact Karl M^cCartney MP at karl.mccartney.mp@parliament.uk / 020 7219 7221