Local MP Tim Farron used a Parliamentary Debate on the Hill Farming Allowance yesterday to ask the Government to extend the current scheme for a further two years.
Local MP Tim Farron today used Health Questions in the House of Commons to highlight the threat to the Westmorland General's Coronary Care Unit. He pointed out the unit could close due to the local hospital trust's deficit, which pales into insignificance when compared to the over spend on the new NHS IT system 'Connecting for Health'.
Local MP Tim Farron officially opened Kendal Nursery School's new full day care provision on Friday. 'Brantfield Quality Care' is a new service, enabling children to stay at Brantfield all day (from 8am to 6pm), combining education and care sessions.
Local MP, Tim Farron, highlighted the need on Wednesday for hill farmers to be given a fair deal by the Government. The Hill Farm Allowance, which rewards hill farmers for their stewardship of the land, is due to be replaced by a new reward structure in 2007. DEFRA is currently carrying out a consultation process on the new system.
Local MP Tim Farron raised the threat to the Westmorland General Hospital's heart unit in a debate on the floor of the House of Commons this afternoon. Tim used the debate on health to point out that while up to £30 billion is being wasted on the excessive and unfinished 'Connecting for Health' computer system, the Coronary Care Unit at the Westmorland General is under threat because the Hospitals Trust is being forced to seek cuts.
Local MP and chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Hill Farming, Tim Farron, has welcomed today's announcement by new DEFRA minister David Miliband that 85% of Single Farm Payments will be made by the end of the week. However, Mr Farron remains critical of the length of time it has taken to make these payments, and is concerned that many local farmers have had to shoulder the cost of commercial loans as a stop gap while waiting for their Single Farm Payments.
