|
Like all MPs, when Parliament was sitting, Martin attended the House of Commons every week from Monday to Thursday (or Friday when Private Members Bills were debated).
He was a member of the 'Speakers Panel of Chairs', which meant that he took responsibility for overseeing of Delegated Legislation and 'Westminster Hall debates' (back-bencher initiated debates on a wide-range of subjects). He also chaired the Welsh Grand Committee.
Until 2005, Martin was a member of the Welsh Affairs Committee, which has responsibility for holding the Executive to account on all government activities in Wales.
After the 2005 General Election he moved over to the Environmental Audit Select Committee, which is a cross-party body that monitors all aspects of government policy and practice that impact on the environment.
The Committee, at the beginning of the last Parliament resolved to make combating climate change the foundation of all its work during the life of that Parliament.
Since Martin was been a member of the committee it conducted inquiries and published reports on :-
Greening Government
Sustainable Timber
Sustainable Procurement
Sustainable Housing
Energy
Sustainable Development reporting by Government
Draft Marine Bill
Carbon Emissions and Transport
Trade, Development and Environment
The World Trade Organisation
UN Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
EU Emissions Trading Scheme
Regulatory Impact Assessments
The Stern Review and Beyond
Voluntary Carbon Offset Markets
Structure of Government and Climate Change
and
The Sustainability of Biofuels
In addition, every year the committee conducts an inquiry into the Government Pre Budget Report
http://mirror.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/environmental_audit_committee.cfm
Link to Environmental Audit Committee Websit
The Gower peninsula was the first designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Britain. As the local MP, Martin was always keen to see it properly defended and improved.
In 2000, he played a leading role in Parliament in securing measures in the Countryside and Rights of Way Act that required higher levels of management for AONBs across England and Wales.
The cross-party co-operation that achieved this improvement led to the formation of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which includes members from both sides of the Commons and Lords. Martin chaired this group since its inception. The All Party Group's job was to press government to adopt policies that benefited these recognised, high quality protected landscapes and also to make sure that their management was adequately resourced. Working alongside the National Association of AONBs, we were also a conduit for sharing best practice from across the country."
http://www.aonb.org.uk/”>Link to AONB Website
Martin was also Vice Chair of the All Party Group on Earth Sciences and Treasurer of the All Party Group on Haemophilia. He is a past Chair of the Welsh Group of Labour MPs.
| 
Working in Westminster
