The Lib Dem MP for Yeovil missed yet another key debate in Parliament when the future of Westlands was being discussed. This follows on from a report from the Public Whip website that the MP has a “below average” attendance record for voting - 68% as at 7th November 2008.

His absence was so serious that it was reported in Hansard that he was not there. Hansard quotes at column 1129 on the 30th October 2008:

Mr. Howarth: Moreover, for the benefit of those in Yeovil, to whom I spoke when I visited Westland 10 days ago, we feel that the Future Lynx is the only game in town. I hope that the Secretary of State will make decision on that quickly.

Dr. Fox: Where's the Yeovil MP?

Mr. Howarth: My hon. Friend asks where the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) is. He waxes lyrical in his constituency about this matter, but he never turns up to take part in these debates, which is a great shame. I visited Yeovil; perhaps he would like to visit the House and participate in these debates.

It has been discovered that he is rarely in Parliament when this important issue is discussed – research shows that he has only attended two defence procurement debates in his entire time in Parliament.

The Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Yeovil, Kevin Davis said,

“It is all very well going around telling workers at Westland that you are on their side, but if when you go to Westminster you are not prepared to stand up for Yeovil, and the vital Future Lynx project, then you are failing the people of Yeovil. If nothing else this demonstrates that with the Conservative Party supporting the Future Lynx project we need a Conservative Member of Parliament for Yeovil who can get things done for Westland and make things happen for Yeovil people.”

Further evidence points to a continuing lack of commitment to Westland and defence matters.

• out of almost 6,000 Parliamentary questions asked by the Lib Dem MP for Yeovil only 3 were about Westlands - source www.theyworkforyou.com.

• rumours that Lib Dems want to axe the Westland Future Lynx contract to pay for their tax cutting agenda - The BBC website reported that the Lib Dems were looking for defence cuts to pay for tax cuts. "The best hints we had were a possible reduction in the number of government departments, and the curtailing of big defence projects.." http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7511615.stm

10:10am Tuesday 28th October 2008

CONSERVATIVES in the Yeovil constituency held their annual dinner in Ilminster where members heard positive news about one of the district's key employers.

Guest speaker Gerald Howarth MP, the Tories' Shadow Minister for Defence Procurement, said that Yeovil-based AgustaWestland's Future Lynx helicopter was the 'only game in town.'

Anxiety is growing over the £1-billion contract and Yeovil MP David Laws has said he wants to get things moving on the Future Lynx project - which has been left in the pipeline in recent months and caused uncertainty for AgustaWestland whose workforce includes many people from the Chard, Ilminster and Crewkerne area.Earlier this year Mr Laws was left angry with comments made by one Conservative MP and claimed the party was trying to scupper the deal.But Mr Howarth, who had earlier in the day visited the AgustaWestland factory, reassured local Tory members that the party was right behind the Future Lynx project.

“The shortage of helicopter airlift in theatre is clearly impacting on the effectiveness of military operations on the ground in Afghanistan and Iraq,” he said.

“It is vital we improve our battlefield helicopter capability, and currently the only game in town is the Future Lynx. In addition, the Royal Navy desperately needs to replace its ageing Lynx fleet.

“Our Armed Forces are paying the price for Labour's catastrophic £1.4 billion cut in the helicopter budget in 2004.”

Mr Howarth also told the guests that the Conservatives want to ensure that the UK has a strong defence industrial base to support our Armed Forces whom he praised for their courage and commitment.

Yeovil's Conservative parliamentary candidate, Kevin Davis, said how delighted he was to have Mr Howarth's support for the Future Lynx.

”This gives the lie to suggestions that the Conservatives do not support this project which is vital to Westland and which plays such an important part in the economy of the Yeovil constituency,” he said.