THE week has, quite rightly, been overshadowed by the aftermath of the Paris attacks. The victims were innocent people spending time with friends and family, doing no one any harm and the shock and sadness we all feel is understandably allied with anger and disgust at the cruelty and cowardice of these acts.

Some constituents have emailed me calling for immediate reprisals or for complete lockdown of our borders. While these emotions are to some extent understandable, we also have a duty not to play into the terrorists’ hands by misidentifying the enemy and allowing knee-jerk reactions to take us down a road of intolerance, which is contrary to the values of freedom and the rule of law that we want to uphold.

I know that people are also looking for assurances that their security is the government’s top priority. New funding will be invested in intelligence agencies to provide for an additional 1,900 officers, an increase of 15 per cent, at MI5, MI6 and GCHQ. There will also be a step change in the Government’s approach to aviation security following the Sinai disaster, with the Prime Minister ordering a review of security at airports around the world. In the meantime, this shameful act of terrorism will only achieve the opposite of its purpose, which was to divide and sow hatred.

Locally, these are worrying times for the relatives of residents of Shapland Close, the homes for severely handicapped adults run by Scope. I was notified of Scope’s decision to close the bungalows a short time after the families were told and it came as much out of the blue to me as to them.

I immediately telephoned the project manager and stressed that, given the complex needs of the individuals involved, it was vital that proper consultation with families took place as a matter of urgency.

Change is difficult, especially when it comes with little warning. It is especially emotive when very vulnerable people are involved. As I have told the many family members and friends with whom I am now in contact, I am doing all I can to encourage rapid evaluation of the options so that the moves happen as smoothly as possible. It is important to remember that the Shapland facility has been regarded as below-par for a long time and has not been delivering the quality of care the residents deserve.

While the lack of notice of the closure is a concern, the priority has to be doing all I can to ensure that the ultimate outcome is a positive one. This will include keeping up the pressure on Scope to work constructively with partners to find a local solution that keeps the residents close to their families and support networks.