Dear Supporting Local Council
3rd Update
First as always thank you for the build-up of support (300 Local Councils now) – it is working, as I will explain shortly.
House of Commons Ballot for Bills.
This takes place this Thursday 25th July. 20 MPs names will be drawn and most will NOT have chosen a Bill – so they can be persuaded to adopt our Bill. They will be lobbied by dozens of organisations, including our national supporters (see logos). And here is where Local Councils are important: few MPs, if any, will be lobbied by Local Councils. So on Thursday morning I will write to those Councils that are in the 20 MPs’ constituencies asking them to do two things
1. Write/email your MP to asking him/her to adopt our Bill. If you do this it is important to put your postcode in the first line otherwise your letter will go to the bottom of the queue; and
2. If at all possible ask your individual councillors (and friends) to do the same. The more letters MPs get from constituents the more chance we have.
MPs have some weeks to make up their minds. But they may do so very quickly – so please do write as quickly as possible. Thank you.
House of Lords Ballot for Bills – success!
This took place on Friday 19th and Lord Foster entered our Bill as he had committed to doing. But he wasn’t drawn. However I had told Lord Redesdale of the support and he also entered the Ballot – and came 3rd. Under the rules he cannot promote a Bill identical to Lord Foster’s so his Bill will hopefully (after negotiations with the House authorities) include following: most of Lord Foster's Bill + a clause trying to lessen the dangers of large BESS (i.e. Battery Energy Storage Systems) installations. A number of Local Councils have written to me about this already.
Lord Redesdale’s Bill will receive a formal 1st Reading on 29th July – and then a full 2nd Reading in the autumn. So – good news.
You may be wondering – why a Bill in both Houses? The answer is that the Lords is persuasive but the Commons is where the real power lies. We need to get our Bill though there.
Mr Ron Bailey, researcher for the campaign to improve safety of lithium batteries.
