The Rt Hon Malcolm Bruce MP

January Column (1)

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Weather - why are we surprised by it?

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The weather has clearly been the dominant feature of the news at the start of the year - not least, of course, because it has affected the whole of the UK not just the North East.

For me the main challenge was getting to Huntly Rotary Club for their meeting on Monday 4 January through serious snow. It has been a tradition since the war for the Member of Parliament to speak to the club on the first meeting of the New Year.

The meeting has never been cancelled and I have never missed it so it was a matter of honour to get there. Discretion being the better part of valour however, my wife and I were pleased to accept the kind offer of overnight hospitality rather than drive back into the weather. So may I offer our sincere thanks to the welcome hospitality of our generous hostess?

Returning the next day we were pleased to follow ploughs clearing the road to Rhynie and astonished at criticism being levelled at the driver by one vehicle who failed to appreciate the dedication from early hours or have the patience to follow the plough which saw us through to Rhynie a few minutes later.

I had time to call into the shops and learn first hand about the poor post office service these communities were experiencing and the frustration at the lack of fresh milk delivery. The roads were, after all, open.

Of course, the weather had other effects in travel disruption and school closures which led to a chorus of complaints from many quarters - not all of them fair or thought through.

We had several bursts of heavy snow over a few days which adds to the challenge of keeping the main roads open and, although many local pavements were ploughed it clearly was a matter of prioritising.

Similarly, the decision to close schools obviously caused disruption especially to those families with working parents. However, the roads were treacherous for school transport and had the schools been kept open and there been accidents involving school buses or teachers travelling to or from their work, there would have inevitably been complains about that too.

The City was particularly badly hit as it experienced more snow than usual and lower temperatures. There may be a debate as to how much the city should invest in snow clearing equipment that would be rarely used - but I have been reminded in recent days that in other counties - Canada and France have been mentioned - it is a legal requirement for property owners to clear their own frontage.

This raised another issue in the national debate as some shop keepers claimed that if the cleared their frontage and someone fell and was injured they would be held liable. If this is true then it is nonsense provided the clearing is done with reasonable diligence.

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Cadbury - might be a better bet independent

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I am currently engaged in a fellowship programme with Cadbury and the Industry and Parliament Trust. The aim is to give MPs insight into corporate business and in return give them a feel for how MPs and Parliament operate.

I have worked in the past for corporate business (as a buyer of cosmetics and toiletries for Boots). However I was interested in getting an up to date exposure.

I chose Cadbury because of its Quaker background that made it a model employer in the past and which still gives the company a culture that is more in tune with my idea of business.

This was a feature of other chocolate companies such as Fry's (now part of Cadbury), Rowntree's (sadly now part of Nestle) and Terry's. The characteristic was also shared with soap-makers Lever Brothers. Where Levers built Port Sunlight model village for its employees, Cadbury build Bournville.

When I started the fellowship the bid to take over the company had not been launched by Kraft.

As Cadbury had just disinvested itself of Schweppes to concentrate on becoming an even better chocolate, candy and gum company it would be ironic if it found itself sucked into an American conglomerate.

The company argues that it's strategy as an independent will increase its margins and enable it to grow its market share - and that this is already in evidence.

I would hope that our city slickers who determine the outcome of these bids will consider this case and reflect on how overbidding has brought down RBS and cash now may be no substitute for better profits in the future.

Money talks of course but just grabbing the cash without considering the longer term is what has helped get us into our current economic mess. It is not the best way out of it.

There is also talk of Italian chocolate maker Ferrero Rocher entering the fray possible with US company Herschey. That would be a better fit for Cadbury's strategy as a chocolate maker bit I can't help hoping that Cadbury is given the time to prove that its strategy can deliver.

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Royal Mail - total failure to deliver

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My visit to local post offices reinforced my dissatisfaction with the service Royal Mail is providing to our rural communities. We had a well attended public meeting in Rhynie in which the local community spelled out clearly their disbelief that Royal Mail could deliver an adequate service on the basis of the proposed out reach service.

I put in a detailed submission on the basis of this evidence and other feedback from the local communities.

The experience of the past year has proved us right. The portable equipment does not like being moved and has failed at least four times. Due to technical problems or weather the service has been cancelled at short or no notice more than once.

This is not a criticism of the local staff but of the lack of adequate support by Royal Mail.

Both the shops at Rhynie and Lumsden could offer a better service more reliably but were never given the chance to do so.

Similarly in Udny Station a good service was provided from the village hall until the postmistress retired. Now elderly claimants are expected to wait in the snow outside a van in the car park of the pub. This is no service.

Royal Mail say they are hoping to find a new postmaster to take over the service for Newburgh and Collieston following the current one's resignation. I hope that is so but I expect this kind of disruption will become the norm rather than the exception if this is the way Royal mail are offering the service.

I have demanded that they carry out a full review in the light of this catalogue of failure across Gordon.

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Devolution - institutions before personalities

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The turmoil surrounding Northern Ireland first minister Peter Robinson and his wife Iris shows the importance of institutions above personalities. The couple have made their politics around an uncompromising brand of Presbyterianism that has now turned round to bite them at a crucial time for the Province.

There are those on both wings of the debate who oppose power sharing and will use this situation to try and end it - bringing the risk of a return to the troubles that many worked so hard to end.

That must not be allowed to happen. Peter Robinson has stood aside temporarily but if he cannot answer his critics and rally his party quickly he will have to make way for someone who can and soon.

11 January 2010