Petition – in the House of Commons at 9:46 pm on 28 October 1998.
Mr David Lock
Labour, Wyre Forest
I wish to present a petition signed by 1,500 of my constituents who are concerned about the preservation of vital services provided to them by the social services department of Worcestershire county council, including the services provided to the many people in my Constituency with learning difficulties.
The petition states:
To the House of Commons.
This is a petition from the Wyre Forest Committee Against Cuts.
We do not think the amount of local government money settled upon for the Worcestershire County Council is a fair amount. It directly affects the quality of services we use.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions to re-examine provision for social services in Worcestershire.
And the petitioners remain etc.
The petition was organised by Mr. Chester O'Neil, of Kidderminster, whom I met earlier today in his wheelchair. I am sure that the House will wish to take very seriously his concerns and those of all users of those vital services.
The House of Commons is one of the houses of parliament. Here, elected MPs (elected by the "commons", i.e. the people) debate. In modern times, nearly all power resides in this house. In the commons are 650 MPs, as well as a speaker and three deputy speakers.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
In a general election, each Constituency chooses an MP to represent them. MPs have a responsibility to represnt the views of the Constituency in the House of Commons. There are 650 Constituencies, and thus 650 MPs. A citizen of a Constituency is known as a Constituent
