MP’s to Vote on Pension Increase

Tomorrow, MPs will vote on a Parliamentary motion from the Government to up-rate the state pension.

Therese said, "I am proud it is my Government that has reinstated the link to earnings for pensions with the extra security of a triple lock, ensuring that annual rises are the greatest of the average earnings increase, inflation or 2.5%.

As a result of the triple lock commitment the Basic State Pension will increase by £5.30, the largest ever increase in cash terms, and will see pensioners entitled to a Basic State Pension worth £107.45 a week from April 2012.

"Constituents will also welcome the changes to simplify the pension and the relaxation of rules on annuities."

On the change of indexation for annual rises, Therese added, "It is important that we have sustainable pensions that are sufficiently generous to pensioners and affordable for the working population."

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Therese has her say on Plans for Simplifying the Energy Market

Therese has had her say on plans to make it easier for consumers to seek out the best energy deal at an event organised by the regulator Ofgem.

Under proposals from Ofgem, each energy supplier will have to offer a no frills tariff with a simple unit price and a fixed standing charge.

Approximately 75 per cent of consumers are on these standard tariffs and will have the opportunity to benefit from these changes.

Therese said "I welcome the simplification of tariffs, standardised price information would allow people to compare standard tariffs with other more innovative tariffs. This will help them to get the best deal for them."

The energy companies would also be required to make their bills, annual statements and other communications to their customers clearer and easier to understand.

They would also be bound by new enforceable standards of conduct.

After hearing more about the plans which could be introduced later this year, Therese signed a poster in support of the reforms.

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Fair Funding for Rural Schools

This week in Parliament, Therese spoke up for fair funding of Suffolk education in a debate on the future of rural schools.

Speaking in Westminster Hall, Therese outlined how she was impressed at the amount of small rural schools that are able to survive in Suffolk and praised the County Council for trying to keep as many schools open as possible.

She said that it was important to support schools with low roll numbers and one way schools have been able to remain viable is by sharing head teachers, which Peasenhall and Middleton schools have done so well.

Therese pressed the Minister for a fair funding formula and the implication rural transport has on this.

She said "I hope that the Minister recognizes the challenges of sparse population, which include the costs of school transport. There definitely seems to be a bias towards urban schools, which is perhaps tradition given the more conventional aspects of social deprivation and the indices."

She added "People in urban places are often surprised at how many of our small rural schools have upwards of 40% of pupils receiving free school meals, which reflects the fact that poverty is spread throughout the country and not concentrated in urban areas. Rural schools should get a fair share of the funding."

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