About MPs
John Healey is the Member of Parliament for Wentworth in Rotherham. He is one of 659 MPs across the country who are elected to represent their constituents' interests in Parliament. MPs are restricted by parliamentary rules to helping only people who live within their constituencies.
To find out who your MP is click here.
"I see part of my job as an MP as helping out with specific problems that people living in the constituency may be having".
John Healey MP
When to contact John
You can contact John with problems or concerns connected with Parliamentary matters or central government. These could be issues linked to:
- Government departments (e.g. Department of Health).
- Tax problems.
- Benefits or pensions – dealt with by the Department for Work and Pensions.
- Immigration and asylum.
Some MPs, like John, are also ministers and have responsibilities within a government department. This means that they have to follow some other rules - for example, they cannot sign Early Day Motions or present petitions to the House of Commons. However, John may be able to help in other ways, such as making representations to the appropriate Government minister on your behalf.
To find out more about how John can help you click here.
When to contact your local Councillor
It is best to contact your local Councillor in connection with issues or concerns about services provided by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (RMBC). These could be day to day problems with local schools, waste collections or housing.
To find out how to contact your local Councillor - click here
Parliament
When MPs meet in Parliament, they scrutinise the government and are responsible for making and repealing laws. They also debate issues. For more information about Parliament you may wish to visit: An Introduction to Parliament. Young people may wish to visit Explore Parliament.
Voting and General Elections
Almost everyone in Britain aged 18 and over is qualified to vote. However, before you can vote, you must first register. Click here to register to vote in Rotherham.
People choose their MPs by voting in General Elections. These elections are crucial because they decide who will be in government, and give everyone a say in how the country will be run in the future. The party with the most MPs forms the Government.
Elections work best when everyone takes part and votes. If you don't vote, you are having no say in issues as important as the NHS, schools, how much tax your pay and how we look after the environment.