how can Daniel help you?

There are many ways in which Daniel can help his Constituents.

IS DANIEL YOUR MP?

There is a strict Parliamentary protocol that means that Daniel can only help people who live in the Shrewsbury & Atcham Constituency. If you live in another Constituency, then we must pass your enquiry on to the relevant MP for your constituency. If you are unsure whether you do live in this Constituency, please click here for further information.

HELPING WITH INDIVIDUAL PROBLEMS AND ISSUES

Daniel can write letters, make telephone calls and pay personal visits to officials, Ministers, Government Departments, agencies, public bodies and private corporations. These can be seeking answers to problems, explanations of policies or passing on your opinions and points of view.

Daniel and the Constituency staff also have access to special MPs' hotlines which can help deal with problems with various agencies and departments, including tax credits and immigration issues.

Obviously, most of this sort of 'case work' is highly confidential and is not reported on this website, in the press or in newsletters. Nonetheless, it takes up a large amount of time and is a very important part of the work of Daniel and the Constituency / Westminster staff.

If you live in the Shrewsbury and Atcham constituency, you can write or email Daniel about any matters that concern you. You can also contact the Constituency office to make an appointment to see Daniel at a surgery.

Here are some examples of issues that Daniel can try to help you with.

Daniel is generally able to help you with matters that are to do with Parliament and central government. Daniel does not deal with matters that are to do with local government - for this you should approach your Local Councillor. Daniel may also be able to highlight issues with private companies, but they may or may not choose to listen to what he has to say!

Daniel and his staff are likely to be able to help you with the following areas:

This is obviously not a complete list of topics that Daniel and his staff are able to help with, but it does represent the majority of the subjects that are dealt with in the Constituency Office.

For more information about these topics, please click here to go to the information section of the website. In particular, there are often steps that you will need to have taken in trying to resolve an issue before Daniel is able to help you effectively.

Daniel cannot help you with the following areas:

WHAT INFORMATION TO PROVIDE

When you are contacting Daniel for help with a problem or concern you have, there is certain information that is going to be useful, and in some cases essential, before he can help you.

Click here to see a list of information that you will need to provide.

CAMPAIGNS

In addition to private case work, Daniel may get involved in both local and national campaigns, including promoting issues in the local (and, on occasion, national) press and media.

LOBBYING

Daniel may be able to meet you in Parliament if you wish to lobby him about a particular cause. Please contact the Constituency Office if you wish to arrange an appointment to see Daniel in Westminster. If you are organising a 'mass lobby' to the House of Commons, you must contact the Serjeant at Arms Department in advance.

Click here for more information on lobbying and mass lobbies from the Parliamentary website.

CONSTITUENCY VISITS

When time allows, Daniel is always very pleased to visit local people and organisations in the Constituency - clubs, voluntary organisations, schools and businesses to name but a few.

PETITIONS

Daniel can receive petitions and can present petitions to the House of Commons. These must be set out in a particular format, so you are advised to obtain the correct information before organising a petition to the House of Commons.

Click here for more information about petitions to the House of Commons.

WORKING WITH DANIEL'S STAFF

Daniel employs experienced staff in the Constituency and Westminster Offices to help Constituents with a wide range of issues. In many situations, it will be quicker for you to deal with a member of the staff in the first instance. In particular, there is often a waiting list for appointments to see Daniel in person, but you may able to see a member of staff straight away.

Although Constituents are welcome to see Daniel in person, you may find that your problem can be addressed more quickly by a staff member. All staff are bound by confidentiality agreements to respect your privacy and to keep all information confidential, so you can speak with a staff member with as much confidence as you can speak with Daniel himself.

Please contact the office to find out whether your issue can be dealt with by one of the staff, or whether it will be better dealt with by Daniel in person or by telephone.

REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS

If you have a problem or concern that Daniel is able to try to help with, there may or may not be an easy solution - or indeed any solution at all.

If there has been a genuine error, maladministration, oversight, unnecessary delay or the omission of an essential procedure by a Government Department, then Daniel should be able to help. However, if a decision has been made in the right way according to current policies and regulations, then there is likely to be little that can be done about your specific case, although it may be possible to lobby for long term changes in policies and laws.

Daniel will do everything he can to help Constituents, but please bear in mind that he cannot support every cause, either because of time constraints, or because of conflicts with party policy or personal beliefs. Daniel is, however, committed to responding to all enquiries from Constituents, even if only to express his regrets that he is unable to act on a certain matter.