The Rt Hon Malcolm Bruce MP

September Column 1

• Another tour completed - school rolls monitored

Last week I completed another summer tour of the constituency. Although living in the area and regularly visiting different parts of the constituency throughout the year this is a good opportunity to get to smaller places and observe changes and catch up on new developments.

Generally, it appears it is appreciated. At the end of the week I have a number of new issues to take up as well as visiting maybe a score of schools. Apart from hand delivering my invitation to take part in my annual Christmas Card competition I also find out where the rolls are up or down.

It is always a concern with smaller rural schools where a few houses changing hands can make a drastic difference to the roll and parents and staff are always anxious when any threshold that could lose a teacher or even threaten the survival of the school is approached.

I am glad to report that most are in good heart and their new primary ones seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves. There are one or two that are vulnerable but from past experience I know this can be temporary. I hope so.

• Broadband, digital TV and policing issues raised

A number of people took the chance to raise personal cases, which I am now taking up but more general matters were also raised. One related to the availability of broadband. While this has reached many parts of the constituency on the last few years following strenuous campaigns by many of us, there are still areas that have not been reached and these are likely to prove the more difficult ones.

This is where we have to be chary of national (Scottish or UK) statistics that talk about 95 or 98 per cent coverage. For rural areas like ours that could conceal 75 per cent coverage, which is clearly unacceptable. The same issue arises with Freeview television and will become even more of an issue when the analogue signal is switched off in three years time.

I will be taking this up and urging the authorities to come up with solutions that enable rural communities to gain full access to new technology. It is essential to allow rural business to compete and thrive and a right for the whole community.

A number of people expressed concerns about vandalism, litter, drunkenness and disorder in some of our towns and larger villages.

It would be wrong to presume that we have a serious crime problem but it was disappointing to learn that Tesco in Inverurie feel they can no longer stay open on Friday and Saturday nights because of drunkenness and disorder.

In other communities people have complained about noise through the night, litter and chewing gum. In Huntly a concerted drive has been made to remove gum but already it is reappearing.

I am therefore getting in touch with the chief constable and the council to suggest a concerted drive at community relations to interact between those causing the nuisance and those on the receiving end.

I don't pretend that this will instantly solve the problems but past experience suggest it can produce a positive response. Nor should we assume that it is just our youngsters who need to hear the message. Too often I see older people discarding litter without thought. So perhaps the whole community needs to get in on the act to reduce nuisance and make our streets cleaner and quieter - without spoiling people's fun.

• Post Offices deserve a clear future

My colleagues and I have been campaigning for some time to secure the future of our rural post offices. The Government has dithered around and offered only uncertainty and diminishing income.

The loss of payment for TV licences is a current talking point; but the announcement that the only recently introduced Post Office Card Account will be phased out in 2009 by which time the rural subsidy may have been discontinued.

The less services are put through Post Offices the less use people will make of them, making a mockery of the "use it or lose it" campaign.

The reality is that Post Offices provide a public service, which most people value. Its unique selling point is the relationship with Royal Mail and cash handling. Quite often these are low value transactions in terms of the income provided to the branch but high value in terms of service to the public.

The Government must end this uncertainty and come up with a formula that gives a secure future to our post offices.

As it stands it is difficult for existing businesses to be sold on or for sub-postmasters and mistresses to retire. When they do, the insecure future makes it difficult to attract a successor and often leads to closure.

Finding a long-term income for Post Offices is essential. Some of it can come from a range of private services but the public service character of post offices requires a public contribution. It is deliverable at moderate cost and it is the duty of Government to provide a clear future.

• Shock and sadness at Afghan loss

Many people in the North East will have been shocked and saddened by the death of fourteen servicemen in the crash of a Kinloss-based Nimrod in Afghanistan.

This was the biggest loss since the Falklands War and, although service communities are always well aware that forces' personnel deployed in foreign theatres are at risk, the scale and nature of this disaster was particularly disturbing.

It appears the cause was most likely technical failure and questions have been raised as to the age and condition of the aircraft. I find it hard to believe that the plane was deemed anything other than fully airworthy but if it experienced a catastrophic failure there must be a full enquiry.

While there is controversy over our engagement in Afghanistan and Iraq our service men and women must be given wholehearted support. They join our forces to serve their country and it is politicians who must take responsibility.

I take a different view of Afghanistan compared with Iraq. The mission to provide security for Afghanistan after the Taliban has wide international support and was sanctioned by the United Nations. The question is whether the forces deployed are sufficient to the task in terms of numbers as well as equipment and length of deployment.

At the moment we are asking a lot of our forces and they deserve decisions and ongoing support that enable them to do the job with maximum effect and minimum risk.