Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski outlines priorities for new term
A Shropshire MP has identified adult social care, modernising the county's hospitals and tackling climate change has his three priorities following his re-election.
Daniel Kawczynski said he would be looking to act on the issues which people had raised with him on the campaign trail after being re-elected as MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham last week.
Mr Kawczynski said one of the first things he would be doing on his return to parliament this week would be to ask speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle for a debate on social care funding in Shropshire.
A recent report ranked Shrewsbury as the second most popular town in the UK for people to retire to, and Mr Kawczynski said a knock-on effect of this was a growth in demand for care services.
"In Shrewsbury we have a disproportionate number of senior citizens compared to the national average," he said.
Mr Kawczynski said Shropshire Council was facing intolerable financial pressures when it came to funding care for older people, and said the Conservative Party should use its majority to find a fair solution to the problem.
"On my first day back I will be putting in a letter to the new speaker urging a debate on the funding of adult care costs in Shropshire," he said.
Mr Kawczynski said he would also be looking to meet with other MPs in the county to ensure that the £312 million Future Fit hospital shake-up goes ahead.
Value
The scheme, which would see Royal Shrewsbury Hospital become the county's main centre for A & E and maternity services, and Telford's Princess Royal Hospital redeveloped as a centre for planned care with a part-time 'A&E local', has led to protests from residents in the Telford area.
Lucy Allan, the town's Tory MP, is also fighting for a full-time A & E to be retained in Telford, and in October launched a crowdfunding campaign to pay for a legal challenge.
Mr Kawczynski said he had also joined the Conservative Environment Network, a caucus of Conservative MPs dedicated to conservation and reducing carbon emissions.
"I was impressed by the number of young people who raised concerns with me about climate change," he said. "I intend becoming much more involved with climate change issues."
Mr Kawczynski said he believed there were exciting opportunities for British businesses which led the way in green technology.
"We need to add value to our economy, and I think the UK is at the forefront of innovation and research into decarbonisation," he added.
But Mr Kawczynski added that Britain could not act alone.
"We have closed down the power station at Buildwas, but China is opening them at the rate of two a week," he said.
