Standing up for residents in the Normandy area of the Woking constituency, Jonathan has questioned the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, about plans to make sure local residents voices are heard in regard to the unauthorised traveller sites in the area. 

In the House of Commons on 25th November, Jonathan said, "Residents of the village of Normandy in my constituency are fed up with the never-ending cycle of encampments on green-belt fields, retrospective planning applications and seemingly unenforceable planning refusals. Does my right hon. Friend really believe that the measures he has described will provide a proper and permanent solution for my concerned constituents?"

The coalition Government has said that planning rules should be the same for everyone and they will therefore revoke flawed Whitehall planning circulars on travellers. Circulars will be replaced with a short policy statement and light-touch guidance.  Councils will also be able to avail of the New Homes Bonus scheme and there will be new enforcement action against speculative, unscrupulous private developers who ignore the planning system.

Afterwards Jonathan said, "Clearly local authorites have a duty to make sure that the traveller community has a safe place to live on authorised sites. But they must be given the tools to stand up for local residents when anyone moves on to unauthorised sites. Everyone should have to abide by the same planning rules and we have to find a fair balance."

You can see the Secretary of State's response to Jonathan here:  http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm101125/debtext/101125-0001.htm#10112521000667

Whilst welcoming the Government's plans for education reform, which includes greater autonomy for schools and more powers for teachers to discipline unruly students, Jonathan highlighted the fall in standards in our education system.

He questioned fellow Surrey MP Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Education, about whether he was aware of the shocking fact that pupils can pass a GCSE in English without reading a single novel.

Jonathan is pictured listening to the Minister's reply of, "We are working with the exams regulator, Ofqual, to make sure our exams are as rigorous as those in the world's most demanding education jurisdictions. It is vital that we encourage more people in this country to read fiction"

You can see the full extract from Hansard here: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm101124/debtext/101124-0002.htm#10112451001580

During the election campaign, Jonathan said that he would like to hold some MP surgeries outside of Woking town centre and in the surrounding villages and other areas of the constituency. 

This is a picture of him meeting a group made up of members of the local Friends of the Earth group, Christ Church and St. Mary of Bethany Church in Byfleet Library on 6th November. All of them were passionate about seeing environmental issues addressed at both a national and local level.

Chris Gramstadt, who was part of the delegation and a regular member of Christ Church and supporter of TEAR Fund, said it was a positive exchange. He reported that Mr Lord was enthusiastic about local successes and the pro-active attitude of Woking Borough Council in promoting home energy efficiency measures. On a national level, Jonathan supports the Energy Security & Green Economy Bill; a legislative framework for energy efficiency measures, currently before parliament, which will help to reduce fuel poverty, create jobs in the renewable energy sector and reduce dependence on gas imports. Jonathan also endorsed the UK's prominent role in taking a lead on climate change in the international arena, and pushing for consensus and progress at the UN Climate Change talks in Mexico.

Speaking after the event Jonathan said, "It was great to see such enthusiastic campaigners and I'm delighted that the coalition government is taking an active and innovative approach to tackling the big issues facing our society, one of which is certainly Climate Change." 

You can see further information about his regular MP surgeries in the 'Contact' section of the website.