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Member of Parliament for Amber Valley

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Derby Telegraph Column – 16th September 2016

It’s been a busy few weeks back in Parliament following the Summer Recess, with important debates on health, defence, bovine TB and finance.

I’ve continued my campaigns for greater tax transparency and for us to do more to tackle corruption. As a direct result, this Government is setting up a new international anti-corruption co-ordination centre and has accepted Caroline Flint MP’s ‘show me the money’ amendment to the finance bill. I supported this amendment, and I’m pleased that the Treasury will now be able to request that the biggest multinationals publish information about their profits and what taxes they’ve paid in each country they’re in.

In the constituency, many residents and businesses have recently contacted me about the desperate need for better broadband. I know how frustrating poor and unreliable broadband connections are, so I agree. The UK has the highest superfast broadband coverage amongst the top five European economies, but I know more needs to be done to ensure that everyone in Amber Valley can have access to the broadband they require.

Earlier this year, in January, I co-signed the ‘BroadBad’ report calling on the regulator Ofcom to take radical action over the ‘natural monopoly’ too long enjoyed by BT Openreach. I’m pleased that Ministers are supporting this and pushing for a more independent service so that the UK leads the world with its digital infrastructure.

As a result, Ofcom are now looking into changes to Openreach, and the second reading of the Digital Economy Bill has just passed through the House. This will tackle some of the issues with poor broadband by adding a universal service requirement (giving you the legal right to request a 10Mbps broadband connection), allowing you to access house-by-house internet speed checks, making switching easier and automatically compensating you if things go wrong with your broadband.  I will continue to campaign for the greater competition and ambition needed to create the broadband service that constituents and businesses so rightly demand and need.

There’s also now less than a month to go until my next Jobs Fair on the 7th October 2016. The event is free to attend, open to everyone and will take place at Ripley Leisure Centre from 10am to 3pm. I’m delighted that more than 40 employers and training providers are already signed up for the event. Fantastic local employers who’ll be there on the day include Bombardier, trentbarton, Manthorpe, Severn Trent, Thorntons, Blue Arrow, Talkstaff Recruitment, Deb, Filigree Holdings, NHS Supply Chain, BPI, Tesco, HL Plastics, Owen Taylor, Gowercroft, Futures Housing Group and Derby County Football Club. Apprenticeship and training providers such as Derby College, Acorn Training, Vision Apprentices and Webs Training are also attending.

trentbarton are kindly sponsoring the event by providing discounted bus travel to the Jobs Fair on the day and Amber Valley Borough Council are providing free parking at Ripley Leisure Centre during the event. You can download the bus voucher and find further information about the event on my website at www.nigelmillsmp.com. I hope to see you there!