In Parliament

What is an MP?

The House of Commons is made up of 646 Members of Parliament (MPs), each representing one constituency.

The MP representing Braintree is Brooks Newmark.

How big is a constituency?

The average number of electors in an English constituency is 67,000.

What is the role of an MP?

Brooks’ role as an MP is to represent his constituents at Westminster, regardless of whether or not they voted for him.

Members of Parliament can only deal with issues raised by their own constituents.

What can my MP do to help me?

Brooks can help you with all matters for which Parliament or central government is responsible, such as:

• Tax problems involving the HM Revenue and Customs Department.
• Problems dealt with by the Department for Work and Pensions such as benefits, pensions and National Insurance.
• Problems dealt with by the Home Office, such as immigration.
• Problems dealt with by the Department of Health, such as hospitals and the National Health Service (NHS).
• Problems dealt with by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, such as school closures and grants.

Brooks is unable to settle private disputes with neighbours or employers, nor can he help in family arguments or consumer matters. He cannot interfere with decisions made in court.

If your problem concerns the Local Authority (for example it is connected with services such as refuse collection, housing repairs or public lavatories), you should contact your local Council or Councillor.

Local government can be either unitary or two-tier. Unitary Councils manage all local authority services in their area. Essex is two-tier therefore the delivery of services is split between Essex County Council and
Braintree District Council.

The County Council manages services including schools, social services, strategic planning matters, highways, refuse and waste disposal sites, museums and libraries.

The District Council manages services including town planning, environmental health, housing, benefits, council tax collection, refuse collection and leisure facilities.

There are also parish and town councils. They are the most local level of government. They are independent but work closely with both us and district councils.

If you are unsure of who to go to or you have a problem of a more general nature then your nearest Citizens' Advice Bureau will be able to guide you.

How does my MP deal with my problem?

Ways Brooks could deal with problems of his constituents would be:

• A letter to the relevant department or official.
• A letter to the Minister involved.
• Making an appointment to see the Minister personally.

Many problems (but not all) can be solved in this way. The Minister may not be able to give the answer you want to hear but if the decision has been made in the correct way there may be little that he can do. If you feel there has been unnecessary delay or maladministration Brooks may be able to take your case to the Parliamentary Ombudsman. The Ombudsman can only be approached through Brooks; you cannot approach that office directly. The Health Service Ombudsman can provide similar help where the problem involves the NHS.

What else can my MP do?

All the methods covered so far allow your problems to be kept confidential. If Brooks is not satisfied with the answers he receives he may raise the issue in the House of Commons in front of the public and press. This can be done through:

• Oral/written questions
  Ministers answer questions from MPs at the Dispatch Box during Departmental Question Time but there is a limit to the number of questions that can be asked. Brooks may also table a written question to the relevant Government department, the answers to which are published in Hansard.
• Adjournment Debates
  Brooks may be able to raise your problem in a half-hour Adjournment Debate which is usually the last business of the day, although to raise a matter, he must be successful in a ballot or have the subject chosen by the Speaker.




• Westminster Hall Debates
  A Westminster Hall debate is similar to an adjournment debate but does not take place in the main chamber but in a large committee room. The seating plan is a horseshoe arrangement and therefore less confrontational than the main chamber. A Deputy Speaker presides over proceedings and no votes take place.
• Early Day Motions
  At other times Brooks may prefer to draw attention to the matter in what is called an Early Day Motion, which is a written record of Brooks’s opinion on the subject. This can then be used to gauge the support of his fellow MPs.
• Private Member’s Bill
  If Brooks becomes aware that your problem is a common one he may try to introduce a Private Member’s Bill which is a Bill put forward by an individual MP, as opposed to a Government Minister. Only a small number of Private Member's Bills are successful but publicity is drawn to the issue and the Minister may be persuaded to make changes in the future.
• Petition
  If you and other people feel very strongly about a certain issue you may decide to organise a petition to the House of Commons. Your petition can only be presented by Brooks as your MP and must be arranged in a particular format. You can obtain advice on petitions by writing to:

  Clerk of Public Petitions
  Journal Office
  House of Commons
  London
  SW1A 0AA