Councilbust

 This week it was revealed that Southend West Conservative MP David Amess voted against reforms of the second homes allowance.

 Reforms such as a ban on home improvement claims, reduction of the threshold for receipts to zero and external auditing were put forward last July, and Mr Amess, along with 20 other Conservative MPs, voted against them.

 146 Labour MPs also voted against the reforms.

 Mr Amess now reportedly faces increasing pressure as independent candidates look likely to challenge him for the Southend West seat in the next General Election.

 Independent councillor for Westborough Martin Terry told the Southend Standard today that he has been urged to stand as an independent prospective Parliamentary candidate against Mr Amess.

 He said: “Martin Bell (Independent MP) has been calling for more independent MPs to stand, and it would be difficult to say no if there’s support for me.

 “Politics is not about money, it’s a passion, and as an independent my first loyalty is to the electorate, as we are not controlled by whips.”

 MP for Rochford and Southend East James Duddridge has asked for information on the mental health problems experienced by service men and women.

 Tory MP Mr Duddridge wrote to the Secretary of State for Defence, asking: “what recent estimate he has made of the number of service personnel who are likely to experience long-term mental health problems.”

 Mr Duddridge received a written answer from Kevan Jones, Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Ministry of Defence, which read:

 “Less than 0.1 per cent. of regular service personnel are discharged annually for mental health reasons, whatever the cause.

 “The King’s Centre for Mental Health Research is undertaking an MOD-funded study looking at the prevalence of mental health disorders in both serving and veteran personnel.

 “This study will inform our mental health care policies when the results are available towards the beginning of next year.

 “A copy will be placed in the Library of the House.”

 Between 2003 and 2007, 10,000 British soldiers went absent without leave from the army.

 In 2007, Panorama revealed soldiers who claim that AWOL incidents are caused by the British Army’s refusal to give compassionate leave to soldiers suffering from stress, shock or trauma.