Since 1997 pensioners in Brentford and Isleworth, and across the UK, have done well out of our growing economy, low inflation and high employment. The government has facilitated real increases in the basic state pension and introduced special help for the poorest pensioners. The last seven years have seen our pensioners’ average net incomes rise by 25%. Labour has been able to lift over two million of the poorest pensioners out of absolute poverty and a million out of relative poverty, Something that I am very proud of.

I wanted to write this week about how older people in Brentford and Isleworth can get additional help, as many people do not know about money that is available and miss out on useful extra cash as well as help with heating, housing or council tax costs.

Take Pensions Credit, this is an initiative for people aged 60 or over and could provide extra money for you every week. Pension Credit guarantees everyone aged 60 and over an income of at least: £119.05 a week if you are single and £181.70 a week if you have a partner. Also, if you or your partner are 65 or over you may be rewarded for saving for your retirement. Pension Credit shows the real commitment of this Government to tackle pensioner poverty, I urge you if your aged 60 or over to contact Pensions Credit for free on 0800 99 1234 to see how we can give you a bit of extra help each week.

I know the that keeping warm is important for pensioners across Hounslow. This years Budget announced extra one-off payments of £50 for households with someone over 60 (meaning a payment this year of £250) and £100 extra households with someone over 80 (meaning a payment of £400). Locally, this means extra help with fuel bills for 16,710 pensioners that receive this payment in the Brentford and Isleworth constituency.

This is all on top of the measures already announced to support pensioners in Brentford & Isleworth including free central heating for Pension Credit recipients and discounts of £300 for all pensioners who not currently have it; free prescription and free eyesight tests for over 60s; and free TV licences for over 75s. And from this April, the free off-peak local bus travel in England for people aged 60+ and disabled people is being extended to off-peak national bus travel, in our are alone, that benefits nearly 17,000 residents.

Labour has also introduced the Warm Front programme which so far given energy efficient heat to over 1.4 million vulnerable households.

As MP for Brentford and Isleworth I will continue to work hard for pensioners in the constituency, although none of these new programmes would be possible without the stability and resilience of the economy, thanks to tough decisions taken by this Government over the last ten years.

I now urge you, if your over 60, or know some who is, to get your free guide on financial help in retirement, all you need to do is call the free-phone information line on 0800 00 99 66 and request a copy, These programmes are there to help you improve your quality of life, so call and start using these services today.

I have received numerous letters over the last few weeks regarding a referendum on the Lisbon treaty and the much publicised European Union (Amendment) Bill. When discussing a Referendum, I think it’s important to remember that historically, referendums have only been held where new constitutional arrangements have been proposed - most notably when Britain renegotiated its accession to the EEC in 1975.

Out of the 27 European Union Member states only Ireland is holding a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty because it is constitutionally obliged to do so. None of the other nine countries that held or were planning to hold referendums on the abandoned Constitutional Treaty are holding one on the Lisbon Treaty. The reason for this is that it is an amending Treaty that modifies and adds to the existing Treaties like the Single European Act, Maastricht, Amsterdam and Nice, rather than replacing them as the Constitution would have done.

The new Lisbon Treaty does not involve significant new constitutional arrangements, nor does it involve a significant shift in the balance of power. For these reasons the government is following the standard established scrutiny procedures for such amending Treaties.

If this Treaty was a Constitution, I would stand up and call for a referendum. But as I have already established, The Lisbon Treaty is not a constitution it is a treaty that will improve the effectiveness of the European Union and this is very much in Britain’s interests.

The Lisbon Treaty will mean:

• A bigger role for national parliaments
• Greater transparency of what the EU can or cannot do
• A greater focus on global challenges
• More streamlined EU institutions
• A full-time President of the European Council
• A High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
• More majority voting

The Lisbon Treaty will not:

• Create a European super-state.
• Lead the UK to lose it's seat on the UN Security Council.
• Take away control over our foreign policy.
• Take away control of UK borders.

The EU affects practically every aspect of our lives today. It has brought real benefits in jobs, peace and security. Through it, we belong to the world’s biggest trading bloc which allows us to work more effectively with the other member countries in tackling issues like illegal immigration, organised crime and climate change which don’t stop at national borders. Making this system work better can only be good for us.

Hello.

Every week I receive hundreds of letters and emails from constituents on a wide variety of subjects. These range from co-ordinated campaigns organised by national organisations like Friends of the Earth on climate change or local campaigns on the third runway.

Many of the letters I receive relate to specific problems constituents may be having, or a specialised area of government policy. However, when there is a particular topic or issue many of you are writing on, I will post a brief response on this part of my website for everyone to see.

I will still write back to those of you who write directly, but i think often the issue may be of interest to visitors here.