Burstow Article for Sutton Advertiser 23rd June

12.01.00am GMT Thu 26th Jun 2003

Paul Burstow writes for the Sutton Advertiser

An essential part of an MPs job is understanding the national significance of concerns raised with me by local people. By raising these in Parliament or in the press it is possible to improve services or change laws for the benefit of Sutton people. I've had a few cases recently.

The first concerns passport fraud. A constituent wrote to me expressing concern about the loss of their passport by the Post Office. As well as taking up the constituent's case, I asked a Parliamentary Question to find out how widespread the problem is.

I found that over the last four year nearly 12,000 passports have been lost by the Post Office! Since the passport scandal hit the news headlines I have received disturbing evidence that the 12,000 passports lost are just the tip of the iceberg. Passport fraud and the potential for identity theft for criminal or terrorist purposes is a real cause for concern. Coincidentally, after raising this, the Home Office now appears to want all new passports posted to us by recorded delivery.

Another constituency case sparked a four year parliamentary campaign for justice for the Suez Vets who served in the Canal Zone between 1951 and 1954. I have campaigned for those who served to be recognised with a General Service Medal. My campaign has included letters to Ministers, Commons Motions, Parliamentary questions and a debate, and culminated in a delegation to lobby the Cabinet Secretary.

The personnel, many of whom were conscripts stationed in Suez at that time had to contend with terrorist attacks and saw comrades die.

At long last the Prime Minister has agreed that the Suez Vets will be recognised and shall receive the General Service Medal. I hope it will be in time for them to march with their medal during Remembrance Day this year.

The final issue again has a constituency link. I recently had the opportunity to visit Glenthorne High School to see for myself the excellent work the school is doing. As part of the visit I met up with the School's Head Girl and Head Boy.

One of the issues on their mind was tuition fees. I explained that I as well as the Lib Dems are opposed to tuition and top up fees. Investment in higher education is an investment in our future as a country. Tuition fees are yet another stealth tax. We have generation of students leaving college saddled with debt, facing a lifetime of indebtedness.

What all this demonstrates is that it can be worth writing to your MP. Even if an MP cannot help directly they may be able to raise an issue nationally and eventually change the law for the better.