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Oxford Rugby League visit Parliament

PostDateIcon Tue, 11/06/2013 - 14:35 | PostAuthorIcon Andrew Smith

Today Oxford Rugby League joined the three other southern-based Championship One sides Gloucester All-Golds, Hemel Stags and London Skolars in a visit the Houses of Parliament to discuss the development of professional rugby league in the south of England.

The four clubs have formed what is informally known as the Southern Group and work together off the field to share best practice and collaborate wherever possible.   They were invited by the Parliamentary Rugby League Group to one of its monthly meetings to speak to Members of Parliament about how this works in practice, what lessons have been learned, and how the game is developing through their efforts.
 
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Andrew regrets Energy Bill missed opportunity

PostDateIcon Mon, 10/06/2013 - 17:17 | PostAuthorIcon Andrew Smith

“A sadly missed opportunity” was how Andrew Smith MP described the outcome of the Commons vote on clean power target.  “Lots of constituents made strong arguments for this, and I very much agree with them.”

The campaign to force the Coalition Government to drop its opposition to a deadline of 2030 for decarbonising the UK’s electricity generation was unfortunately narrowly defeated last week. Winning by a majority of 23, the Government showed that it was unable to convince a large number of the House of Commons that its energy policy can give businesses the certainty to invest large sums of their money in green projects that can take as long as six years to complete. 
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Andrew speaks out in debate on Student Visas

PostDateIcon Fri, 07/06/2013 - 16:45 | PostAuthorIcon Andrew Smith

Yesterday, Andrew Smith MP took part in a key debate in parliament to discuss growing concerns about restrictions to student visas.

Andrew described the current government’s policies on student visa restrictions as amounting to “to a perverse and stupid act of economic self-sabotage,” hitting a part of our economy where the country – and Oxford in particular - has a “strong global strategic competitive advantage.”  
 
He backed Select Committee calls for the removal of overseas students from net migration targets.
 
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Andrew supports Oxford Community Emergency Foodbank

PostDateIcon Fri, 07/06/2013 - 16:28 | PostAuthorIcon Andrew Smith

Andrew Smith MP today handed over the fruits of Oxford Labour’s food drive in support of the Oxford Community Emergency Foodbank (CEF).

Andrew, together with his constituency office staff, local councillors, and with the support of the Oxford Labour Party, has led a donation drive for items such as tinned food, cereals, pasta, rice, sauces and biscuits, to help vulnerable people who have fallen upon hard times.
 
Andrew, pictured with Jane Benyon, Head of Oxford Community Emergency Foodbank, said: “It is disgraceful that people in the UK today should have to rely on food banks. 
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Andrew condemns increase in A&E waiting terms

PostDateIcon Tue, 21/05/2013 - 11:59 | PostAuthorIcon Andrew Smith
Andrew Smith MP has expressed strong concerns about the increases in patient waiting times for emergency services – both at the JR Hospital in Oxford and across the country.
 
Recently published statistics show a worrying increase in the number of patients who are waiting over four hours to be seen.  The statistics for the JR Hospital in Oxford show a decline from an average of 98 per cent in October last year to 83 per cent in March, and 81 per cent for the first three weeks of April.  The national target is 95 per cent or above.
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Andrew welcomes funding boost for Pond Conservation

PostDateIcon Mon, 20/05/2013 - 16:12 | PostAuthorIcon Andrew Smith

On Friday, Andrew Smith MP met with local charity Pond Conservation to celebrate a welcome funding boost for the preservation of the county’s ponds and wildlife.

The charity have been awarded an initial £64,000 in funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).  The charity ultimately hopes to receive up to £965,000 in overall funding to extend the programme further.
 
Andrew met with representatives from the charity at Pinkhill Meadow at the Farmoor Reservoir in Oxfordshire, where he visited ponds that will be included in the project and learned about the range of species and pond vegetation that the site is conserving.
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Andrew's statement on Operation Bullfinch convictions

PostDateIcon Wed, 15/05/2013 - 10:42 | PostAuthorIcon Andrew Smith

I am shocked and horrified at these awful crimes. The guilty must be punished and feel the full force of the law.  The victims, children who should have been protected and cared for, have been very brave in giving their evidence.  We owe it to them and all who might be at risk to make a mighty effort to prevent such abuse in future.

It is terrible to think that this went on for so long before the hideous reality was uncovered thanks to police and social services’ action.  The authorities must get to the bottom of how children in care were left so vulnerable, and what can be done to take good care of those at risk in future. 
 
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Andrew supports the Bee Cause campaign

PostDateIcon Fri, 10/05/2013 - 12:04 | PostAuthorIcon Andrew Smith

On Saturday, Andrew Smith MP joined environmental campaigners in Oxford to promote the Bee Cause campaign.

Andrew joined activists at The Kidneys Nature Reserve off Iffley Road to scatter thousands of seeds to give the county’s bee population a pollination boost.
 
The event, which was organised by Fiona Tavner, Campaign Leader of Oxford Friends of the Earth, aimed to promote the need for a national plan to help all bee species.  This followed on from a United Nations report which evidenced a dramatic decline in the planet’s bee population.  
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Andrew signs up to be a 'Postgraduate Champion'

PostDateIcon Wed, 08/05/2013 - 09:46 | PostAuthorIcon Andrew Smith
Andrew Smith MP has signed up as a 'Postgraduate Champion' by joining the National Union of Students' (NUS) campaign to improve postgraduate funding.
 
The 'Postgraduate Champion' campaign follows an NUS report last year called 'Steps toward a fairer system of postgraduate taught funding', which proposed a government-backed loan scheme for postgraduate students. 
 
Andrew recently met with Chris Gray, Oxford University Students Union VP for Graduates, to discuss this.
 
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Andrew opens new Oxford Bus Company travel centre

PostDateIcon Thu, 02/05/2013 - 09:43 | PostAuthorIcon Andrew Smith
On Friday, Andrew Smith MP launched the opening of Oxford Bus Company’s new travel centre on the High Street.
 
The new centre was introduced to meet the rising demand for its new smart travelcard (‘the key’).  The new facility will make it easier for commuters and city centre workers to renew their travelcard.
 
The launch coincided with the national ‘catch the bus to work week,’ a national initiative aiming to encourage more people to switch to bus travel.
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