BANFFSHIRE and BUCHAN COAST Liberal Democrats

January 2012 column

Welcome for new Inverurie maternity unit

Having heard the proposals of NHS Grampian to review maternity services across Grampian I am impressed that it has been conducted on the basis of how to improve the service at the same cost.

This has been a contentious issue all the years I have been an MP and even when I was a candidate in the 1970s.

Systematically, smaller maternity units have been closed and more and more women have been directed to Aberdeen in spite of the very positive experiences of mothers who have delivered or spend post natal recovery in small units.

I declare an interest in that my eldest child was born in Torphins and my youngest in Aboyne. During that time we have lost units at Huntly, Keith and Insch. But the first to go was Torphins even though more babies were delivered there.

I really welcome the fact that the Board propose a new midwife-led unit in Inverurie and believe it is likely to have the level of deliveries required to make it viable clinically - in other words giving midwives regular experience.

This means that expectant mothers from the whole of West Gordon will have a choice of whether they should travel to Aberdeen or Inverurie and I expect many will opt for Inverurie.

It is not yet determined whether the unit will be a new build or adaptation of existing building but it will be located at Inverurie Hospital as part of the review of medical services for the area.

On a personal basis I will be sorry to see the loss of the unit at Aboyne but hope that the fact that all the other services associated with pregnancy leading up to and after delivery will be more local than those currently provided.

It appears that home births will be better supported under this arrangement than is the case with a birthing unit which is not available 24/7 and can only accommodate one woman in labour at a time.

I hope those most affected by these proposals will respond to the consultation.

Focus on speeding up rural broadband

The expansion of broadband and the speeding up of services across rural areas is under active consideration. Aberdeenshire Council are in the process of providing a broadband service through schools to communities across the area.

Understandably the council wants to fill in the blackspots and improve the service in other areas. The UK Government has allocated funds to the Scottish Government and hoped that this will be matched by them.

Pressure needs to be brought to bear on BT so that all the available sources of funding come together to deliver the service.

The council believes that broadband will help schools access a wider curriculum, but increased home working and the expansion of rural businesses all require that good quality broadband is widely available.

Biggest reform since Beveridge will bring changes

The coalition Government is engaged in the most comprehensive reform of the welfare system since Beveridge and it would be surprising if there were no issues arising.

The overall objective is to produce a welfare system that is sustainable and gives the support required to those most in need.

One of the objectives is to simplify a highly complicated system by merging a whole range of different benefits into one universal benefit. This should mean that the poverty traps that litter the system will disappear.

People will be assessed for their ability to work and given support to get employment compatible with their ability which may be full or part time and will see benefits adjusted evenly rather than in steps that currently make it not worth moving off benefits into work.

I have made it clear I will work with any constituent who feels the change is working to their disadvantage but I hope there will be a limited number of such cases.

Currently, however, many people on housing benefit have their rent paid direct to the landlord, which means the landlord is sure of receiving the rent and the tenant is less likely to fall into arrears.

This is set to change as people are encouraged to take responsibility for their own finances. It is crucial that this process is carefully managed so that individuals do not get into difficulties and landlords such as councils and housing associations don't face substantial losses.

The next 18 months, as these changes are introduced, will prove how well they have been tested. I am sure there will be some changes before the process is finished.

One question with independent oversight is the 'mandate'

The big political story of the New Year was, of course, developments over the referendum on independence for Scotland. The Coalition Government had clear legal advice that the Scottish Parliament does not have the power to hold a referendum.

Nevertheless, the Government recognises that the SNP has a mandate to hold an independence referendum and wants to transfer the power for it to do so. The Secretary of State for Scotland, Michael Moore, has launched a consultation on how best to do it but has suggested that to avoid confusion or the risk of challenge there should be one question and that the process should be overseen by the independent Electoral Commission.

The SNP accused the Government of dictating to Scotland and made references to a Thatcherite conspiracy. However, the British Prime Minister, any British Prime Minister is entitled to have a view over the future of the UK.

Why would the SNP Government not want a legal referendum overseen by an independent body? Why would they give the want to confuse their fundamental ambition to give the people of Scotland the chance to choose independence?

I have campaigned all my life for a Scottish Parliament with substantial powers and will continue to do so. I took an active role in the Scottish Constitutional Convention which delivered the Scottish Parliament. I have also taken part in the Calman process that is set to deliver further powers to Scotland.

I would not expect those "cybernats" who hurl their obsessive humourless abuse over the net on Twitter to know or care about that. Nor will I treat with any seriousness anyone who accuses those of us who respect those who campaign for independence, but do not agree with them, as anti-Scottish.

I have a vision for Scotland as a self confident nation with control over its domestic powers but playing a full and constructive role in Britain, Europe and the wider world. I do not want to shrink the stage on which the people of Scotland can walk freely. Rather I want to use it to raise our game as I believe we can, But we need to resolve whether we are in or out of the UK before we can move forward.

Post conflict governments mustn't provoke new conflict

The International Development Select Committee report on Working Effectively in Fragile and Conflict-Affected States: DRC and Rwanda published last week received a great deal of attention.

The committee, which I chair, supports the UK Government commitment of a growing proportion of our aid and development budget to states emerging from conflict.

We visited Rwanda, DRC and Burundi as some of the poorest most vulnerable states. We believe that we should help people in these countries out of poverty but believe our engagement with the governments should not be unconditional.

The evidence is that countries emerging from conflict have a real chance of sliding back into conflict. If the Governments of such countries flout human rights, defraud elections, lock up opposition politicians, suppress a free media or sell off state assets in secret they are potentially creating the climate in which conflict can flare up again.

If that happens all the benefits of aid and development assistance would be wiped out. The committee does not, at present, think, that there are any countries with which we should revise our aid programme but, as the Government acknowledges, this is risky territory and we should be alive to keeping the policy under review.

ENDS