Debate: Budget Resolutions and Economic Situation
Sarah Wollaston (Totnes, Conservative)
I am extremely grateful to my right hon. Friend for giving way. My constituency is home to Transition Town Totnes, of which he may have heard. It leads the way in looking at climate change and peak oil, and I am sure that the people involved will be very interested to know the size and scale of the projects that will be funded by the green banks. What will be the time scale? When might they be able to start looking forward to making applications?
Christopher Huhne (Secretary of State, Energy and Climate Change; Eastleigh, Liberal Democrat)
I thank my hon. Friend for that intervention. [Hon. Members: "Answer!"] Opposition Members know perfectly well that there are certain processes in Government that we have to go through. We have to consult. We have to make sure not only that we produce decisions at the moment that both Opposition and Government Members would like, but that those decisions are right and have gone through all the normal processes.
Dr Sarah Wollaston MP
In August 2009 I was selected by voters of all political affiliations as the Conservative candidate for Totnes, in Britain's first ever fully open postal primary. This has given me a special mandate to represent all views and not just those of the Conservative Party, which I intend to carry forward now that I have been elected as your MP.
After 16 years of working as a GP in rural Devon, I felt it was time for me to stand up for many of the things we all care about, such as strong communities, local healthcare and employment.
As a doctor and a former police surgeon, I have seen the devastating effects of alcohol-related crime and binge drinking, and would take the opportunity to bring my professional expertise to these and other related topics.
In the current atmosphere of cynicism and mistrust of politicians, with my real life experience I can fully appreciate the difficulties that many people are facing in their lives.
Healthcare and science are seriously under-represented in Parliament. I intend to fight for the NHS and for healthcare that is tailored to our needs rather than those of big cities.
I am committed to taking the views of the whole constituency into account and promise to listen and be open to arguments.
