I have long had respect for Dr Hywel Francis, Labour MP for Aberavon. This was increased two years ago when he replied personally when I wrote as an ordinary citizen to seek his support for the non-party Sustainable Communities Bill then going through parliament, indicating his enthusiasm for the aims of the Bill (now enacted).

Today in the Commons he asked a question of the Prime Minister: “Many of our six million carers in this country have benefited significantly from the government’s new National Carers Strategy and we should welcome that. However, the carer’s allowance has not been improved. Would my right honourable friend the prime minister agree to meet carers’ organisations, and the all-party carers group, to discuss ways of improving carers’ benefits, as recommended by the work and pensions select committee report last year?”

There were warm words from Gordon Brown in reply. Let us hope that the meeting has a positive result.

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