Productivity

Oliver Dowden Excerpts

Wednesday 17th June 2015 Commons Chamber

[Oliver Dowden (Hertsmere) (Con)]

I have the tremendous privilege of representing the constituency of Hertsmere. Hertsmere was created in 1983, incorporating much of the then constituency of Enfield West, which was for many years represented by the late Iain Macleod. He is well known in this House as a proponent of the one nation tradition of conservatism, and I am proud to see that it is so well represented in the Government’s legislative programme. Perhaps a little less well known is the fact that as Minister for Health in the 1950s, he was the first person to announce that the link between smoking and lung cancer had been proven. He did so at a press conference, through which he chain-smoked continuously. Iain Macleod was a tremendous politician and parliamentarian, and his death in 1970 cut short his service to the House.

Macleod’s immediate successor was Cecil Parkinson, who is now Lord Parkinson. It is almost 25 years since he stood down as our Member of Parliament, and to this day he is fondly remembered in the constituency, not only for the central role that he played in the transformative Thatcher Governments of the 1980s, but for his tremendous personal warmth and charm, which he has kindly demonstrated towards me on many occasions.

My most recent predecessor was James Clappison. James is a true gentleman who was absolutely devoted to his duties in the House, both as a Minister in the 1990s and as a diligent constituency Member of Parliament. He remains fiercely committed to defending the Jewish community in this country. In his first intervention in the House, he attacked the scourge of anti-Semitism. That is of particular importance in Hertsmere, where we have one of the fastest-growing Jewish communities in the country. I assure the House that I will do my utmost to continue his excellent work.

Many other faiths also thrive in Hertsmere. In particular, our Christian community remains strong, as I saw this weekend when I joined the congregation at St Mary’s in Potters Bar for a joyful celebration of their centenary. Hon. Members may also be interested to know that we are home to the United Kingdom Hare Krishna community. Their temple is a delightful place, where one can always be sure of a very warm welcome—although perhaps not as warm as that accorded to their cows, which are hand-milked and treated to massages with scented candles and soothing music in a spacious cowshed made of the finest French oak. Their luxurious residence is known locally as the Ritz of the cow world.

I assure hon. Members that the cowshed is not the only place of beauty in Hertsmere, however. They will find no finer spots on this island than villages such as Shenley, Aldenham and neighbouring Letchmore Heath. Such beauty is given greater poignancy by its sheer fragility, because Hertsmere is 80% green belt. It lies at the very southern edge of Hertfordshire. When I stand in the delightful churchyard at Ridge, where the Earl Alexander of Tunis rests, I see ahead of me the last unspoiled rolling hills of England before the home counties give way to London. It was during childhood walks through those fields that my love of the English countryside was fostered. They give us the space to roam and enjoy nature, and they enhance the charm and character of our towns and villages. I am absolutely determined to preserve them from soulless urban sprawl so that my children and grandchildren may enjoy them as I have done.

Hertsmere has the distinction of being at the heart of the British film industry. Many films, from “Star Wars” to, most recently, “Paddington”, have been shot at Elstree film studios in Borehamwood. We also play host to the BBC Elstree centre, which is home to the permanent set of “EastEnders”, so hon. Members may be surprised to hear that I can make a legitimate claim to be the Member of Parliament for Albert Square.

What characterises Hertsmere, far more than its landscape or its industry, is the character of its people. They get up very early every morning and from Bushey, Potters Bar, Radlett and Borehamwood they cram on to commuter trains or set off along the M25 and the A1. They are hard-working men and women who make sacrifices to provide for themselves, their families and their community. They know that in this life, we do not get something for nothing; we have to work in order to get something out.

Growing up locally, I was very much imbued with those values. My dad worked in a factory in Watford, my mum at a chemist’s in St Albans. They worked hard and were determined to give me the very best start in life. That started with the excellent education that I received at my local comprehensive school. These are the values that have built the prosperity of this country, and the values that lie at the heart of this debate on productivity. For only if, as with this Government, we take tough choices to reform welfare and control our deficit can we continue to invest in our infrastructure, invest in our schools, and cut taxes so that hard-working people keep more of what they earn. That is how we boost productivity—by pursuing this Government’s aspirational agenda that will deliver for the hard-working people of Hertsmere.