Wiltshire MP delighted with Beer Duty Cut

"I strongly welcome the Chancellor's announcement to not only scrap Labour's planned rise in beer duty, but to turn it on its head by instead cutting it by a penny," said North Wiltshire MP James Gray after today's Budget Statement. "Two weeks ago, I called on the Chancellor to freeze beer duty and help protect our struggling rural brewing and pub industry. Today, I am delighted that has listened to my concerns and even went one s... [Read more]

2013-03-20 15:45:08

Gleeson decision at Malmesbury to be ‘called in’ by the Planning Minister

"A few moments ago, the Planning Minister, Nick Boles, rang me to say that the planning permission granted for the Gleeson development in Malmesbury had in fact been issued in error," said North Wiltshire MP James Gray. "He tells me that he gave written instructions last week for this planning application to be 'called in', in other words to be decided by the ministers personally. Through some mistake, that instruction apparently ... [Read more]

2013-03-19 18:49:43

Wiltshire MP deeply disappointed by Gleeson decision

"I am deeply disappointed by yesterday's decision by the Planning Inspectorate to allow the building of 180 houses in Malmesbury by Gleeson" said North Wiltshire MP James Gray, "and I have written to the Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government, the Rt Hon Eric Pickles MP to ask for his intervention". "I am particularly disappointed by paragraph 88 of the Inspector's decision which seems to indicate ... [Read more]

2013-03-19 15:11:58

James Gray pledges to back Prostate Cancer UK’s Quality Checklist

"Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, yet the quality of care in Wiltshire is falling behind in key areas. It is incredibly important that we do all we can to ensure all men with prostate cancer get the care and support they need. I am therefore delighted to endorse Prostate Cancer UK's Quality Checklist, and call on Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group to ensure it is adopted as soon as possible to help all men who are diagno... [Read more]

2013-03-15 15:55:56

Wiltshire MP welcomes the new Army Basing Plan

"I very much welcome the extra stability that the announcement will make in the lives of service personnel and their families. The people of Wiltshire will very much welcome the extra 4,000 soldiers to come there and the resulting investment in the infrastructure," said North Wiltshire MP James Gray during Tuesday's statement by Philip Hammond MP on the future basing of the British Army. Mr Gray also asked the Secretary of State to &qu... [Read more]

2013-03-07 10:53:54

MP calls for freeze on beer tax

“I strongly support calls for a freeze in beer duty, and I very much hope the Chancellor will listen,” said North Wiltshire MP James Gray after sending a special ‘message in a barrel’ to the Chancellor at an event in Parliament on Wednesday. The barrel, with its calls for a freeze in beer duty, was subsequently delivered to the Treasury by MPs and representatives of the British Beer & Pub Association, the Campaign for Real Ale an... [Read more]

2013-03-04 11:03:59

North Wiltshire MP calls on Japan to end its cruel commercial whaling

"I oppose the cruelty of commercial whaling which has no place in the 21st Century. I stand beside the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) in supporting whale watching as the sustainable alternative which can benefit coastal communities," said North Wiltshire MP James Gray at the launch of a new report revealing the whaling industry is dying in the water. Japan's whaling is being propped up by millions of pounds a year in publ... [Read more]

2013-02-18 15:20:40

Honda

Today’s announcement by Honda Motor Europe to cut 800 jobs at its Swindon plant is extremely sad and disappointing news for all affected employees, and I very much regret that Honda has had to take this decision. I will work with local Job Centres to make sure that everyone affected is given the necessary advice and support through this incredibly difficult time.... [Read more]

2013-01-11 20:14:14

MP discusses beer duty escalator on BBC Radio Wiltshire

{qtube vid:=IXMX5_fKwm4 w:=340 h:=242 b:=0 ap:=0 rel:=0} North Wiltshire MP James Gray talks to Ben Prater about beer duty escalator and today's CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) campaign to scrap it. Source: BBC Radio Wiltshire - Ben Prater... [Read more]

2012-12-12 20:10:00

Wiltshire MP calls for more emphasis on science, engineering and design

During Monday’s Questions to the Secretary of State for Education, North Wiltshire MP James Gray pressed the Minister for Skills to take steps to improve science, engineering and design in schools and universities. Mr Gray asked: “Sir James Dyson – Dyson engineering is based in my constituency – said last week that he needs 200 new designers and engineers in Malmesbury alone but cannot find them and that across the nation we are despera... [Read more]

2012-12-04 14:17:43

North Wiltshire MP pledges funds bid help

North Wiltshire MP James Gray said he will support Wiltshire Council if it chooses to bid for funding from the Government towards the cost of clearing up the flooding. Mr Gray visited flooding victims in Malmesbury, Sherston, Luckington and Castle Combe on Monday. He said: "It's just devastating. The filth and squalor in the houses affected in Malmesbury, in particular, was appalling. It's awful and everyone's hearts go out to the residents... [Read more]

2012-11-29 16:10:35

Local MP bitterly disappointed by Ridgeway Farm decision

"The Planning Inspector's decision to allow up to 700 new houses on the Ridgeway Farm site near Purton is an unwelcome invasion of the countryside," said North Wiltshire MP James Gray speaking immediately after the Inspector’s decision was announced. "There is no proven need for more housing in this area on this scale, and this new piece of Swindon urban sprawl further invades the vital green lung between Swindon and the village... [Read more]

2012-11-27 10:11:11

Helping disabled people into work

“Under this Conservative-led Government, the number of disabled people in work has steadily increased. There are now 123,000 more disabled people in work than before the election,” said North Wiltshire MP James Gray welcoming the Government’s pledge of more support for small businesses and disabled entrepreneurs to pay for specialised equipment and to cover the other costs facing disabled people in work. Businesses with up to 49 employees ... [Read more]

2012-11-27 09:09:31

James Gray discusses e-petitions on The Week in Parliament

{qtube vid:=X3PW_qdsl8A w:=340 h:=242 b:=0 ap:=0 rel:=0} On Friday 26th October, North Wiltshire MP James Gray discussed the future of e-petitions with Chair of the Backbench Business Committee Natascha Engel MP on BBC Parliament's The Week in Parliament. Source: BBC Parliament - The Week in Parliament... [Read more]

2012-10-26 23:50:10

MP speaks out against relocation of the Wiltshire emergency operations centre

“Many ambulance trusts are indeed doing extremely well due to localism in the ambulance service,” said North Wiltshire MP James Gray during Tuesday’s Questions to the Secretary of State for Health. Mr Gray also argued that there was a risk that the local service for people in Wiltshire would suffer if the emergency call centre was moved from Devizes to Bristol. In a letter to the Interim Chief Executive of Great Western Ambulance Service ... [Read more]

2012-10-24 14:40:45

James Gray visits UK aid’s facilities at Kemble

“I was delighted to accompany Minister of State for International Development, Alan Duncan MP, to DFID warehouse and depot at Kemble Airfield to see the many vehicles and stores ready for immediate deployment to natural disasters around world,” said North Wiltshire MP James Gray after the visit. “The element of surprise in disasters such as flooding in Pakistan or earthquakes in Haiti and Japan means that essential lifesaving assistance ne... [Read more]

2012-10-23 21:29:19

Hercules stored in Cambridgeshire because there is no room at Brize Norton

MP James Gray has spoken of his disbelief that sections of the ex-RAF Lyneham Hercules fleet have been moved from Brize Norton because there is no space at the base. The fleet of Hercs was moved to Brize, in Oxfordshire, last year, as the base prepares for closure after more than 70 years in the north Wiltshire village. But a number of the aircraft have been moved to private firm Marshalls of Cambridge Airport because of a lack of hangar space ... [Read more]

2012-08-02 15:56:12

James Gray MP welcomes new Abuse Law

“It is appalling to think that a legal loophole meant that terrible crimes of abuse could go unpunished. The Crown Prosecution Service say cases where children were seriously harmed but no successful prosecution could be brought include a five-month-old baby who suffered a brain haemorrhage and fractured skull and a two-week-old with a broken collar bone, ribs and leg,” said North Wiltshire MP James Gray before welcoming the Government’s ne... [Read more]

2012-07-02 15:05:55

James Gray speaks out against abolishing the Queen’s Dragoon Guards

“Abolishing the Queen’s Dragoon Guards would be almost as bad as abolishing, for example, the Welsh Guards,” said North Wiltshire MP James Gray. He highlighted the importance of the Queen’s Dragoon Guards and the regimental system for the morale of the army during yesterday’s Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales. Mr Gray, who is also the Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Armed Forces then pleaded with Chery... [Read more]

2012-06-28 12:16:34

James Gray visits Acorns Pre-School in Christian Malford

On 15th June Acorns Pre-school, Christian Malford threw open its doors to children in the local community to kick off the Pre-School Learning Alliance’s Play Week by celebrating play and all things early years. Children from all over the local area attended the Play Morning at Acorns Pre-School, which was awarded OFSTED Outstanding in January 2012. The children made teddy bear masks and decorated plates for the teddy bear’s picnic and played... [Read more]

2012-06-25 17:38:09