Frank's Westminster Blog

In recent weeks Tranmere Rovers’ bid to build up to 90 houses on the historic Ingleborough Road memorial field has not been out of the headlines. The plans were given the go ahead at the end of October, but opponents of the bid promised to fight on. It’s clearly a very emotive proposal. I can relate to both sides. Supporters of the bid claim it deliver significant benefits to the local community, including housing provision, modern sports...

I was walking towards Balls Road on Saturday when approached by a resident coming out of one of the coffee shops towards the top end of Slatey Road. She asked what I was going to do to reverse the decline that is sadly so apparent around the Balls Road area.It was a very effective exchange. My constituent cared passionately about an area of Birkenhead in which she had lived practically the whole of her life. There was no hiding her raw emotion. I did not have an immediate answer. But her...

I was not called to speak until late on during Monday's debate in Parliament on Hillsborough. This gave me the opportunity to listen to most other Members speak before I did. It was wonderful be part of a debate that praised the Hillsborough families. Without their determination nothing would have been achieved. There was however a big downside. Many MPs commented on how wonderful the House of Commons was behaving. It was good that we were not enforcing...

Springboard, a unique service to help young people become the good parents practically all of them wish to become, was given the go-ahead by Wirral Council this week. Some weeks ago Wirral's cabinet approved a significant seedcorn fund so that work can begin. The decision has support from all of the local parties. I willingly declare an interest. Springboard will attempt to implement the main proposals of a report I submitted the Prime Minister a year ago...

Winter is fast approaching and fuel bills are already high. Around 4 million households in the UK currently suffer from fuel poverty.  During winter 2010-11 over 25,000 more people died in the UK compared with non-winter periods. Many of these deaths can be directly attributed to fuel poverty. In recent years, energy companies have responded by advertising social tariffs.  I thought that the social tariff offer, which is meant to be for the most...