Latest News Releases from Andrew Gwynne MP
Posted by Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, at 21:00, Tue 5 September 2006:
Hello,
Here are two press releases sent out today and, as users of HearFromYourMP, I thought you might be interested in these issues.
You can also visit my website at www.andrewgwynne.labour.co.uk to view more information includding the new dates for my forthcoming Advice Bureaux.
Yours sincerely
ANDREW GWYNNE MP Labour - Denton & Reddish Constituency
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Andrew Gwynne MP calls for adult minimum wage for 18 year olds.
(5.9.06)
Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish has backed retail union Usdaw in their campaign for 18 year old workers to receive the adult rate of the National Minimum Wage.
Andrew Gwynne MP said:
“The National Minimum Wage is a tremendous achievement by this Government. It has made a real difference to thousands of low paid workers and hundreds of shop staff across Stockport and Tameside.”
“The Government rightly introduced this measure at a relatively low level in 1999 and has built it up over the years allowing employers to more easily absorb the increased costs. The minimum wage has boosted our economic success and has not led to the millions of job losses predicted by the Tories who opposed the minimum wage.”
“In 2004 the Government moved to protect vulnerable young workers, following a successful campaign by Usdaw.”
“This is an issue of fairness. A worker doing an adult job should be paid a adult rate for an honest day’s work at 18 rather than at 22, which is why I’m supporting Usdaw’s campaign in Parliament.”
John Hannett, Usdaw General Secretary said:
“We very much welcome the support of Andrew Gwynne MP for this campaign as it doesn’t seem right that a young worker can vote in a General Election but not be paid an adult rate for their work.”
“The National Minimum Wage has made a real difference to the retail sector in particular and we were delighted when the Government listened to our campaign about protecting 16 and 17 year old workers by introducing a legally enforceable minimum wage for them.”
“We believe that the time is right to look at the minimum wage for 18-21 year old workers. They currently get £4.25 per hour which is 80p less than the adult rate despite doing, in most cases, exactly the same job as their ‘adult’ colleagues.”
“Usdaw is currently surveying our members under 22 years old across the UK asking for their experiences of the National Minimum Wage as part of a strong case we will be putting to the Low Pay Commission in support of this campaign.”
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. Usdaw represents over 340,000 workers and is the UK’s biggest union in the retail industry. For further information on Usdaw’s campaigns please visit www.usdaw.org.uk
. The Low Pay Commission reviews the National Minimum Wage annually and makes recommendations to Government. Further details at www.lowpay.gov.uk.
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Denton and Reddish celebrates 60 years of support for children.
(5.9.06)
Andrew Gwynne, the Labour MP for Denton and Reddish has joined a leading charity in celebrating 60 years of support for children. Andrew Gwynne, alongside the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), is marking the anniversary of child benefit, and its predecessor family allowances, which were first paid in August 1946.
11,740 families across Andrew Gwynne’s constituency of Denton and Reddish currently receive child benefit, to help meet the costs of 20,060 children.
Andrew Gwynne is also backing the charity’s Make Child Benefit Count campaign which calls for an increase in child benefit so that all children are paid the same amount.
At the moment, child benefit is worth £17.45 per week for the first child, but just £11.70 per week for second and subsequent children, so the move would help the 6125 families across Denton and Reddish who have more than one child. Andrew Gwynne is urging the people of Denton and Reddish to support this important campaign by logging on to www.makechildbenefitcount.org.
Andrew Gwynne said: “Family allowances were introduced 60 years ago to help parents meet the costs of bringing up their children, and thousands of families across Denton and Reddish continue to value the support that child benefit brings to them.”
"Although child benefit was increased a few years ago, it has only gone up in line with prices since then. On this sixtieth anniversary of universal benefits for children, it would be a fitting time to increase child benefit and ensure that all children are paid at the same rate. That’s why I’m pleased to be backing the Child Poverty Action Group’s ‘Make Child Benefit Count’ campaign.”
Kate Green, Chief Executive of CPAG, said:
“I’m delighted that Andrew Gwynne is supporting our campaign. An increase in child benefit to ensure that younger children get the same rate as the oldest child would help support larger families, which is vital if child poverty is to be ended once and for all.”
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