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Pensions dominated the House of Commons the first week back after the Easter recess and the Tories showed themselves to be in total
disarray. On Tuesday the Chancellor gave the Tory front bench a drubbing in the opposition day debate and the following day during the Third
Reading of the Pensions Bill the Tories’ false pensions promise backfired. The support for the Pensions Bill will mean increased financial help
so all 125,000 people who lost their pensions when their schemes wound up under-funded between 1997 and 2005 will get support from the Financial Assistance Scheme.
Labour’s Financial Assistance Scheme will guarantee all 125,000 people who lost out can receive 80% of their core expected pension. And after listening to
the views of MPs and trade unions a review will be set up to establish whether alternative sources of funding can be found to get nearer to 90%.
I'm proud of the work that Labour is doing domestically and internationally, in central and Local Government to combat climate change. I hope you'll join with me in doing your bit to reduce
emissions at home and encourage your family and friends to do the same. Labour launched a new climate change pledge card this week which sets out
how households can take simple steps to cut energy bills and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. 
The pledge card also highlights five ways that the Labour Government will support individual action.
Five things you can do:
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Turn your thermostat down 1 C
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Turn appliances off when not in use
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Replace your light bulbs with energy saving ones
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Do your washing at a lower temperature
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Get a home energy check
I was pleased to see that tenants who pay a deposit to a landlord will have enhanced protection under the new Tenancy Deposit Protection
Scheme. I supported the Housing Act 2004 through its committee stage and celebrated implementation with Housing Minister Yvette Cooper  MP.
Where damage has been done to a rented property it is absolutely right that the cost of repairing that damage is taken from the deposit funds. But, where no damage has occurred,
keeping hold of this money is unfair.
That is why Labour has taken steps to ensure that deposit money is better protected and introduced new dispute resolution services that will limit the amount of disagreements that
end up in court.
The vast majority of landlords and agents act fairly and take their responsibilities seriously. However, there are a minority
pocketing deposits and profiteering from other people's money. This is completely unacceptable.
The new rules will inject greater fairness into the rental market and mean that when a tenant sticks to the rules, the landlord or agent must too. From 6 April Landlords and agents will, by law, have to sign up to one of three schemes that have been awarded contracts by the
government.
Back in the constituency and over recess I was pleased to speak at the launch of the Age Concern/Barclays – Your Money Matters a new money
management and debt advice service for the over 60s.
I also attended the launch of a mini My Juice bar at Copleston High
school. This innovative enterprise project, in partnership with a local business, has brought real entrepreneurial experience to many of the business studies pupils.
I met with the new MD of First Bus, Peter Iddon, to discuss their services and plans in Ipswich.
I visited the Doping Control labs of HFL at Newmarket at the invitation of one of their directors who lives
locally. HFL had submitted evidence to the Science and Technology Committee inquiry “Human Enhancement Technologies in Sport”
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April 2007
