A pot-pourri of topics

Written by David Heath MP and published in Western Gazette on Fri 8th Aug 2008

Well, I just about got through the two weeks of my village tour without it raining on me, or at least not too vigorously. One hundred and five villages visited, and the heavens opened to tumultuous effect only as I stood by the village notice-board outside the church in Witham Friary, the one hundred and fifth. And as Witham Friary is where I actually live, it didn't really matter that much.

I am actually planning to go away for a couple of weeks real holiday with my family at the end of this week, but before then there are a few loose ends to tie up and visits to do. For instance, on Monday I was delighted to go to Butler and Tanner's in Frome to see the factory closed with such acrimony three months ago re-opened. Butler, Tanner and Dennis, as I must now remember to call the re-launched company after investment from entrepreneur publisher Felix Dennis, is simply the best top-quality book printer in the country, indeed in Europe, and it was a tragedy to see it close because of the shenanigans of the previous owner. However, it is too good a company to close for good, and I'm delighted that its now in operation again, even if there were times over the last few weeks when it looked most unlikely. And there are still some unanswered questions about the old company which I for one want to explore.

Also on Monday I had the opportunity to go to Templecombe again, this time to receive the petition that has been got up over the last couple of weeks against the South West Trains proposals to cut station staff. The local parish council have been doing their best to highlight the issue, and did really well to collect hundreds of signatures from concerned people in the village. Templecombe must be one of the most lovely stations, not least because of the care lavished on it by locals to provide a welcoming floral display. I cannot understand why any rail company would wish to actively dissuade potential passengers by making it more difficult to use their stations, and particularly at Templecombe where the elderly or disabled need a member of staff to open the gate in order to cross the tracks to avoid the footbridge. I do hope the operators will think again.

On Tuesday I had to don all the protective clobber to visit a beekeeper in Lytes Cary. I am not exactly afraid of bees, more sensibly cautious, so I approached the visit with some trepidation. But if I am not afraid of bees, I certainly am afraid for them, as there is a wave of diseases and parasitical infestations which is putting the honeybee at great risk. I made a speech in the House of Commons a few weeks ago drawing attention to the threat, which is not just to the insect population, of course, but to all the crops which require their pollination.

The British Beekeepers Association got in touch with me after that and suggested that we work together on the issue, and I'm happy to do so. My visit to Lytes Cary was therefore for two reasons; firstly, because I'd never had the opportunity to look at a working hive close up, and secondly to raise the profile of a problem which I think should have a lot more publicity. It's not just a British problem, it's global, and if anyone is interested in the wider ramifications, they could do worse than read a book called "A world without bees" which I was sent recently. To quote Albert Einstein, "If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years of life left." A chilling thought.

Lastly, a councillor colleague of mine has uncovered a scam operating locally which may or may not be illegal but is certainly sharp practice. As is so often the case nowadays, the method relies on the internet, and mainly attracts investment from overseas. The proposition is simple. A swathe of agricultural land is bought. Preparatory work, without permission and therefore unlawful, is done, knowing that local authorities are slow to serve stop notices. The land is then broken down into development plots and sold as investment opportunities. The fact is that there is no possibility of housing being permitted under current planning policies, but the unsuspecting investor doesn't know that.

The land in my constituency where this is happening is actually in Mendip District Council's area. A company based overseas is selling two hundred and nine plots for housing, at a price between £10,000 and £18,000 a time. The main marketing is to people in South Africa and the Far East, particularly expatriates who perhaps intend to return to Britain to retire. The fact is that the land is unimproved agricultural land, worth a fraction of the price offered, with no possibility of development now or in the future.

As the site doesn't claim that planning permission has been granted, it may not be illegal, but I suspect it should be. It is certainly fraudulent in the broader sense, as it relies on people not knowing the fill facts before parting with their money. I wish it wasn't happening here in Somerset, and when parliament goes back in October I intend to raise the matter. Meanwhile, as always, caveat emptor - buyers beware!