The Local elections in Ipswich were another credit to the organisation of Ipswich Labour Party. These were always going to be tough mid-term elections, with uncertainty surrounding the national leadership transition. However we held off the local Conservative Party in the seats they targeted. Some of these were seats we had lost in recent years. Whilst the Liberal Democrats scraped home in Westgate, this was at the expense of Whitehouse which was a Labour gain. Congratulations to all candidates.

The budget continued the Labour Government’s commitment to helping lowest income families most. For example the budget delivered further support for families, by increasing the child element of the Child Tax Credit by £150 a year, over and above the commitment to increase it in line with earnings to the end of this Parliament. This raises the child element to £2,080 a year.Help for the poorest was £28 a week in 1997 and is £61 today.  It will now rise in three successive stages by more than 25 per cent to £75 a week, a rise from £1,200 per year 1997 to £3,900 per child per year.  The largest gainers from the tax measures announced in the Budget are the poorest in the bottom three deciles of the income scale. The Institute of Fiscal Studies’ own analysis shows the Change in net income from reforms in Budget 2007, and all reforms since 1997 (see table).

In Parliament, I have been appointed to the Joint Committee on the Draft Human Tissue and Embryos Bill. This is a government bill plans to update the law and regulation relating to human reproductive technologies.  There are fundamental social, legal and ethical issues relating to the medical and scientific uses of these technologies and the overarching aim is to find an updated system that pursues the common good, and is broadly acceptable to society. The special status of the embryo will remain as will a ban on cloning and donor anonymity. I will be able to build on the knowledge I have acquired on the Science and Technology Select Committee whilst considering Hybrid and Chimera stem cell research.

The Science and Technology Committee will be visiting the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Massachusetts in May to see evidence of best practice and international collaboration in Marine Science. Woods Hole is the home of the mini-subs that filmed the Titanic on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. The inquiry Investigating the Oceans has already taken the committee to UK marine science centres of excellence in Plymouth.  It is clear from the evidence the committee has already heard that acidification of the oceans from carbon dioxide absorption is damaging the biodiversity of the seas and is reducing the plankton biomass. The impact on coastal communities and fishing is a matter of direct concern; however it is the importance of the sea/sky interface in climate change where we will want to understand what needs to be done.

The NHS Appointments Commission is advertising two important non-executive director posts. The first is for the Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust and the second is for the NHS East of England Strategic Health Authority. Details can be found at www.appointments.org.uk/vacancies . You will need to quote references E7608 and E7284 respectively.