Hi, the webchat with Jamie Reed will start at 2pm. We're just testing links at the moment.
Hi Jamie, hope all's ok at that end?
Everything seems to be fine here.
We've got a little bit of a connection hiccup. Hopefully resolved very soon...
Jane - NHS needs more resource and we've said we would give that - principally we need more staff locally as every investigation has stated. But I've also asked the NHS Chief Executive to produce a 'recovery plan' for the NHS in Cumbria. I think the only MP to have done so. I've also worked with UCLan to help develop a programme where we can 'grow our own' medics. We can't simply treat our local NHS like a metropolitan health service, we need to acknowledge the specific difficulties and challenges - but if we get it right (and I think we can) then we can become a national leader in establishing a new model of clinical care for areas such as ours (though none match us precisely).
It was timed out by Milbank, Hannah. Sadly I couldn't see and could hardly hear in the BBC Cumbria studio. There'll be plenty of other times, don't worry.
Jim - thanks for that. Yes you can, the job of an MP is to represent all constituents and I've always tried to do that. This doesn't mean advocating or voting for issues I don't believe in though - I couldn't do that but I'd always explain my actions and why I voted in certain ways.
Marko - I wouldn't. It's always for others to judge. Constituents are the landlord, I'm the tenant;it's up to the electorate to mark as they see fit. If I'm being judged on delivering the programme I've put before the Copeland electorate then there have been some remarkable successes- new WCH, town centre investments, new nuclear, new school investments - but nothing in politics is perfect.
Brenda, I appreciate that they divide opinion but I'd be lying to you if I told you I could stop them. Local councils make these planning decisions and if they make them outside of the advice given or the legal framework provided for refusal then they end up having decisions overturned at appeal and this costs council tax payers a fortune. What I will always do is make sure that opposing views are listened to and acted upon, though.
Ben, we will always give the NHS the resources it needs, without question.We took the NHS from a circa £30b budget p.a. in 1997 to a circa £110b budget in 2010, making the NHS the best health service in the world. So the track record is there.
Mrs G, I wouldn't like to be Prime Minister - my kids would probably destroy No.10 - and it's a privilege to work alongside Andy Burnham in Health. I've always considered being the Copeland MP as the most important thing - turning Copeland into the place I know it can and should be is what motivates me more than anything. That and achieving a new settlement for England that empowers areas like ours.
Kenny - there's no doubt that Russell Brand speaks to millions of people about politics in ways that politicians either can't or won't so I was very pleased to see Ed talking with him; it was a brave thing to do in my opinion. I found David Cameron's jealousy quite interesting. On the irony - I understand the point - but Ed has brought forward proposals for a mansion tax so that the wealthiest contribute more to society (the NHS in particular). He's put his own money where his mouth is and that deserves credit.
Jenn - try again - I admire Ken Clarke because he's never afraid to point out the increasingly spiteful agenda of David Cameron and George Osborne or their crazy approach to the EU. I also admire Charles Walker, he's a very perceptive, able MP who has spoken about mental health issues and more and Andrew George from the Liberal Democrats for voting against Health & Social Care Act which is causing so much distress to the NHS locally and nationally.
G Johnson, the mansion tax will only apply to homes rated at £2m and above. This threshold will rise as property prices rise. This means that if you are below the threshold now, you will never, ever pay it.
Howard, the mansion tax is a progressive tax so the more expensive your property above £2m, the more you will pay. Homes between £2m-£3m in value will pay an additional £250 a month. The tax will raise £1.2billion per year according to HMRC figures. We'll be using this money for the NHS.
JK - really? It was a great canvass and it was good to catch up with friends and family. If you'd like to e-mail your address I'll pop round in a top hat.
Undecided, I can't say this often enough - no deals whatsoever with the SNP, no coalitions, nothing. I would not welcome it in any way, shape or form. It's pretty desperate of David Cameron to keep going on about this. It seems to me like he would happily put the interests of the Conservative Party over the continuation of the United Kingdom, I would never do that.
Nick, not every vote matters (sadly) and as a front-bencher living in the most inaccessible English constituency from Westminster and as a front-bencher who has to go around the country, it's impossible to attend every vote. I wish voting frequency was a measure of how MPs perform, but I'm afraid it isn't.
Karl, Dale lived in Keswick and the constituency then was much smaller than it is now. I'm proud to represent Keswick and whether it's flood defences, affordable housing for local people, the Mary Hewetson hospital, public transport or more I have always given Keswick a lot of attention. The Copeland constituency is huge - stretching from Millom in the south to Keswick in the north.
Karl, e-mail me please but please don't think EDMs achieve anything - they don't. I get asked to sign lots of them and they've been described to me by a Clerk in the House of Commons as 'parliamentary graffiti'...I'm very happy help you with your issue in any way possible.
Marko, I've been pushing for this for years, bringing funding partners to the table and seeking every funding avenue available. In short, I'll be doing everything ensure this happens. We need a local crusade for secondary education and even after this project - which will be absolutely transformational - we will still need more investment. It's the key to the success of the town and one of my chief priorities alongside the WCH. I believe our young people can be the best and brightest in the country.
Andrew, I don't think we are guinea pigs but I appreciate that this is an issue that concerns some people. Happy to talk with you about it.
Just about five minutes of this session left....
On the fence, I'd like to listen to those concerns and understand them but the NuGen investment is the biggest private sector investment we've ever seen, will help us to become one of the fastest growing local economies anywhere in the UK and will be transformational in so many other ways: transport, housing, public services, retail environment and more. Fundamentally, it also helps us to meet our climate change goals and rebalance the UK economy.
Mister Bus, as you can tell from my name, I'm from an Anglo-Scottish family (we used to call it 'British') but it wouldn't be beneficial. What will be hugely beneficial is Labour's plans for English Devolution, retained business rates, and my plan for local growth.
Apathetic, no vote, no voice. Politicians don't achieve change, people achieve change through politicians. Go to jamiereed.net to find out more, or please e-mail me directly.
And that is 3pm and the end of the hour-long webchat.
Thank you to everyone who submitted questions. Sorry we couldn't get through them all - we were swamped!
Thanks as well to Jamie for taking part!