Frank’s Blog

I was not called to speak until late on during Monday’s debate in Parliament on Hillsborough. This gave me the opportunity to listen to most other Members speak before I did. It was wonderful be part of a debate that praised the Hillsborough families. Without their determination nothing would have been achieved. There was however a big downside. Many MPs commented on how wonderful the House of Commons was behaving. It was good that we were not enforcing…

Springboard, a unique service to help young people become the good parents practically all of them wish to become, was given the go-ahead by Wirral Council this week. Some weeks ago Wirral’s cabinet approved a significant seedcorn fund so that work can begin. The decision has support from all of the local parties. I willingly declare an interest. Springboard will attempt to implement the main proposals of a report I submitted the Prime Minister a year ago…

Winter is fast approaching and fuel bills are already high. Around 4 million households in the UK currently suffer from fuel poverty.  During winter 2010-11 over 25,000 more people died in the UK compared with non-winter periods. Many of these deaths can be directly attributed to fuel poverty. In recent years, energy companies have responded by advertising social tariffs.  I thought that the social tariff offer, which is meant to be for the most…

I have found in life that those who have least are often the most generous towards others in need, and those in Birkenhead are of course no exception.   On Friday I paid a visit to the Tesco Metro store in Rock Ferry. I had the pleasure to see three local schools being awarded brand new equipment under the company’s excellent school voucher scheme.   Talking with Heather Roberts, Tesco’s local community champion, I learned of Rock Ferry’s response to our local…