mpebrieffebruary132012
2
1 April Tax Credit Bombshell Last week saw UK wide media pick up on the work I have been doing to highlight how thousands of part time workers will lose out on working tax credits from April. The story was covered by BBCNews, Daily Record, the Mirror and a number of other papers. I have been working with the Trade Union USDAW, using figures I obtained from the Government, to highlight how low paid parents in part time work could lose out by as much as £4000 a year. I will be pressing the Government to drop the plan, which could mean parents being better off on the dole than in work, which makes no sense whatsoever. Supporters Direct Football Governance Report As Chair of the Co-op group of MPs, I was pleased to welcome the Chief Executive of Supporters Direct to Parliament, to discuss the recent report which proposes licensing of football clubs. While the report was produced with recommendations for English football, the underlying principles have much wider relevance. The Co-op was ins trumental in pushing the previous Labour Government to set up Supporters Direct, and Supporters Direct Scotland has had a key role in helping establish Supporters Trusts, including our local Killie Trust. UCATT backs Health and Safety Bill My Labour/Co-op Colleague Luciana Berger MP introduced a 10 Minute Rule Bill last week on Health and Safety at Work. The Bill proposes an amendment to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1947, which would give the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) powers to apply for a court order to freeze part or all of a company’s assets, if a death or serious injury occurs in their work place. This measure is desperately needed following several instances of companies distributing huge dividends to shareholders before going into voluntary administration, in an attempt to avoid HSE fines. The Bill is being sponsored by construction union UCATT, and I have given my support. Cabinet Office Questions on Voluntary Sector Funding With charities and the voluntary sector feeling the squeeze, I raised concerns about funding at Cabinet Office Questions last week. All sectors are being hit, but organisations which provide advice and advocacy support are finding more people needing their help, at a time of cuts in budgets. Please let me know how cuts are affecting any organisation you are involved with, and the impact this has on services. Cathy Jamieson MP eBrief from 13 th February 2012
Transcript of mpebrieffebruary132012
832019 mpebrieffebruary132012
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullmpebrieffebruary132012 12
1
April Tax Credit Bombshell
Last weeksaw UKwidemediapick up onthe work Ihave beendoing tohighlighthow thousands of part time workers willlose out on working tax credits from April The story was covered by BBCNews DailyRecord the Mirror and a number of otherpapers I have been working with the TradeUnion USDAW using figures I obtained fromthe Government to highlight how low paidparents in part time work could lose out by asmuch as pound4000 a year I will be pressing the
Government to drop the plan which couldmean parents being better off on the dole thanin work which makes no sense whatsoever
Supporters Direct FootballGovernance Report
As Chair of the Co-op group ofMPs I was pleased to welcomethe Chief Executive ofSupporters Direct to
Parliament to discuss therecent report which proposeslicensing of football clubs
While the report was produced withrecommendations for English football theunderlying principles have much widerrelevance The Co-op was instrumental inpushing the previous Labour Government toset up Supporters Direct and SupportersDirect Scotland has had a key role in helping
establish Supporters Trusts including our localKillie Trust
UCATT backs Health and Safety Bill
My LabourCo-op Colleague Luciana BergerMP introduced a 10 Minute Rule Bill last weekon Health and Safety at Work The Billproposes an amendment to the Health andSafety at Work Act 1947 which would give theHealth and Safety Executive (HSE) powers toapply for a court order to freeze part or all of acompanyrsquos assets if a death or serious injury
occurs in their work place
This measure is desperately needed followingseveral instances ofcompanies distributinghuge dividends toshareholders beforegoing into voluntaryadministration in anattempt to avoid HSEfines The Bill is being
sponsored by construction union UCATT and Ihave given my support
Cabinet Office Questions onVoluntary Sector Funding
With charities and the voluntary sectorfeeling the squeeze I raised concerns about funding at Cabinet Office Questionslast week All sectors are being hit but
organisations which provide advice andadvocacy support are finding more people
needing their helpat a time of cuts inbudgets
Please let meknow how cutsare affecting anyorganisation youare involved
with and the impact this has on services
Cathy Jamieson MP
eBrief from
13th February 2012
832019 mpebrieffebruary132012
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullmpebrieffebruary132012 22
2
More action needed on FinancialInclusion for disabled
Disability charity Scope is among theorganisations calling for more to be doneon Financial Inclusion for disabled people Following on from some work I have done onthe issue I met with the organisation to hearhow we might bring forward amendments tolegislation and persuade banks and financialservices to offer products which meet theneeds of disabled customers Particularconcerns were raised that disabled people canfind it hard to get insurance and mortgageseven when they are working Those who are
unable to work find themselves on permanentlylow incomes which can make replacinghousehold items difficult leading to expensivecredit arrangements being used
If any constituents have experience ofthese issues I would like to hear from you
Financial Regulation Bill Committee
I have been appointed to the Committeewhich will scrutinise the Governmentrsquos
plans for regulation of the financial servicesindustry The Committee will meet for two fullsessions every Tuesday and a third sessionon a Thursday meaning that the next fewweeks will be busy This is an important Bill which will deal with some of the issuesconcerning banks and I am pleased that I willhave the chance to be part of the Committee
Shadow Treasury meetings
My responsibilities on theShadow Treasury teaminclude meeting withexternal organisations ontaxation
Last week I met with the British Association ofLeisure Parks Piers and Attractions to discusshow to boost tourism and hear their concernsabout how the industry is taxed
Taste Ayrshire
Taste Ayrshire is a newly formedconsortium of the largest food business inAyrshire working alongside public and
private partners to promote Ayrshire as aFood Tourism Destination
An Open Meeting is being held on the 29th ofFebruary and I have been asked to makeconstituents aware of the details Moreinformation can be found on the websitewwwtasteayrshireopenmeetingeventbritecouk
Taste Ayrshire aims to position Ayrshire as themost visited food tourism destination in
Scotland and at the Open Meeting an updatewill be provided on Taste Ayrshire progress sofar plans for 2012 and beyond and mostimportantly information on the benefits forAyrshire and how everyone can get involved
Parliament is in recess this week so I
will be out and about in the
constituency
Street Surgeries
Monday 13 Feb in Lugar
Tuesday 14 Feb in Gatehead
Wednesday 15 Feb in Galston
Friday 17 Feb in Bonnyton
Drop In Surgeries
Sat 18 Feb North West Area Centre 10am
Fri 24 Feb Bellfield Com Centre 10am
Sat 25 Feb Fulton Hall Fenwick 10am
Details of Surgeries for March and April are
now available on my website at httpwwwcathyjamiesoncomlocal-surgeries
or call 01563 522361 for information
832019 mpebrieffebruary132012
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullmpebrieffebruary132012 22
2
More action needed on FinancialInclusion for disabled
Disability charity Scope is among theorganisations calling for more to be doneon Financial Inclusion for disabled people Following on from some work I have done onthe issue I met with the organisation to hearhow we might bring forward amendments tolegislation and persuade banks and financialservices to offer products which meet theneeds of disabled customers Particularconcerns were raised that disabled people canfind it hard to get insurance and mortgageseven when they are working Those who are
unable to work find themselves on permanentlylow incomes which can make replacinghousehold items difficult leading to expensivecredit arrangements being used
If any constituents have experience ofthese issues I would like to hear from you
Financial Regulation Bill Committee
I have been appointed to the Committeewhich will scrutinise the Governmentrsquos
plans for regulation of the financial servicesindustry The Committee will meet for two fullsessions every Tuesday and a third sessionon a Thursday meaning that the next fewweeks will be busy This is an important Bill which will deal with some of the issuesconcerning banks and I am pleased that I willhave the chance to be part of the Committee
Shadow Treasury meetings
My responsibilities on theShadow Treasury teaminclude meeting withexternal organisations ontaxation
Last week I met with the British Association ofLeisure Parks Piers and Attractions to discusshow to boost tourism and hear their concernsabout how the industry is taxed
Taste Ayrshire
Taste Ayrshire is a newly formedconsortium of the largest food business inAyrshire working alongside public and
private partners to promote Ayrshire as aFood Tourism Destination
An Open Meeting is being held on the 29th ofFebruary and I have been asked to makeconstituents aware of the details Moreinformation can be found on the websitewwwtasteayrshireopenmeetingeventbritecouk
Taste Ayrshire aims to position Ayrshire as themost visited food tourism destination in
Scotland and at the Open Meeting an updatewill be provided on Taste Ayrshire progress sofar plans for 2012 and beyond and mostimportantly information on the benefits forAyrshire and how everyone can get involved
Parliament is in recess this week so I
will be out and about in the
constituency
Street Surgeries
Monday 13 Feb in Lugar
Tuesday 14 Feb in Gatehead
Wednesday 15 Feb in Galston
Friday 17 Feb in Bonnyton
Drop In Surgeries
Sat 18 Feb North West Area Centre 10am
Fri 24 Feb Bellfield Com Centre 10am
Sat 25 Feb Fulton Hall Fenwick 10am
Details of Surgeries for March and April are
now available on my website at httpwwwcathyjamiesoncomlocal-surgeries
or call 01563 522361 for information
