Families

I will stand up for the needs of children and young people, and I will actively support proposals that benefit older people.

Young people need to be given the education and experience needed to manage the transition to adulthood successfully. We need to keep them safe, while helping them become responsible and active in our community.

I want to remove unnecessary barriers that isolate some older people from the community around them, and make sure that all care and support for older people is of a high standard, with people given the personal attention and dignity that they deserve.

Children and Young People

The Labour government has made a huge investment into our children and young people. Labour has funded new school buildings, more teachers and teaching assistants, Surestart and new play areas across the country and in this constituency.

Children are our future, and Labour has pledged to protect schools’ funding in the years ahead. Labour introduced the Education Maintenance Allowance to help teenagers from poor backgrounds to stay in education and get the qualifications demanded by employers today. Labour is offering a guarantee of a school, college or work experience place for every 16 and 17 year old, and extending eligibility for free-school meals to all households with an income of less than £16,190 per year. Child Benefit is also increasing by 1.5% in April 2010. Labour is introducing school report cards to give parents all the information they need when choosing a school for their son or daughter, and paid internships so that young people can take the opportunities to get a foot on the career ladder whatever their parents’ income.

I’ll be campaigning to preserve these gains for young people against the cuts being suggested by the Liberal Democrats and Tories. I want to see more investment in Surestart and the roll out of free nursery care for 2 year olds. I want to see continued investment in books, buildings, computers and teaching staff for our schools and Newcastle College. I want to work with our city’s universities to encourage young people from all parts of Newcastle North to see these as institutions they can aspire to attend. I want to see the government giving more money to councils for youth work and facilities such as playgrounds, skate parks and computers in libraries. I want more community activities that bring young and older people together and more positive publicity for young people’s achievements.

Older People

Labour has made a real difference to older people’s lives by cutting crime, creating the minimum income guarantee for pensioners, investing in the National Health Service, introducing free bus passes and outlawing age – discrimination. Older people receiving social care have been given more control and choice over their care arrangements through personal budgets.

I support Labour’s commitments to doing more – spending on the NHS is to be protected, pensions are to rise by 2.5% in April 2010 despite the lower level of inflation, and in future we will restore the link between earnings growth and the state pension.
Labour has introduced the Personal Care at Home Bill. I support this measure that will help around 400,000 people nationwide with care needs, offering for the first time free personal care at home for those with the highest needs, regardless of means.
As your MP, I’ll fight for the proposed National Care Service, and make sure it can meet the needs of elderly people in Newcastle North. I’ll stand up for the importance of dignity and respect in health and social care, and make sure that there are high minimum standards for carers and health workers to meet. I’ll support a greater voice for older people and their families in identifying and eradicating substandard care.

I also want older people to live free from fear of crime and anti-social behaviour, and I’ll support moves to protect the strength of the police force, but also encourage communities to come together to promote inter-generational activities that bring young and older people together.

I’ll also push for over 50s to have access to retraining so that those who have been hit by early retirement in the recession have the opportunity to contribute again in the economic upturn.