Reporting Back - June 2011
Annette Brook MP, Mid Dorset and North Poole Constituency
Yesterday, 7th June, was the 10th Anniversary of my election to Parliament. Looking back it has been an incredible time in my life - a huge privilege, exciting, hard work, successes and disappointments, happiness and sadness - to list just a few points. The sadness still comes from the death of my close friend, Patsy Calton MP, who died from secondary breast cancer in 2005. However, I took on a number of roles in her memory and I am pleased that there have been so many developments in breast cancer care and research supported by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Breast Cancer of which I am a co- chair - there is still much to be done of course.
Today, the All Party Parliamentary Group on Microfinance is publishing a Report - 'Helping or Hurting' - what role for microfinance in the fight against poverty? The report can be accessed via the Group’s website. I set up this group in 2002 and I am really proud of its achievements and delighted with this piece of work which I hope will influence and contribute to the debate and future of microfinance.
The part of my work which gives me the greatest pleasure is solving individual problems for people and also pursuing a constituency issue and taking it forward in Parliament- the latter includes a diverse range of topics - access to textbooks for visually impaired children, the treatment of endometriosis, and justice for park home owners to list but a few. Current issues which I am tackling, include the need for research into the causes of ME and the treatment of a particular group of women with the raising of the state pension age. I plan to ask a question of the Prime Minister today on women and pensions.
The highlight of my parliamentary career was of course winning the award of female parliamentarian of the year for 2010 for my work on children's issues.
However, I have to confess, I am happiest back in the constituency with my family and working on local issues. I must pay to tribute to all of my staff in the constituency office, particularly Janise, who has overseen the efficient and effective working of the constituency office over the 10 years.
The articles of Annette Brooke are archived below:
2011 - January, February, February (updated), April, May, June
2010 - February, July, September, October, November, December
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