Jeremy Browne MP’s Monthly Update - February
Posted by Jeremy Browne, MP for Taunton, at 17:23, Mon 3 March 2008:
In February, Jeremy met with the England Cricket Board to support Taunton’s bid to be the main host town for the 2009 Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup. He said;
"Taunton is already the home of women's cricket in England. The women's game is rapidly growing in popularity and this would be an ideal opportunity to watch the best female players in the world. It would also be a great chance to showcase Somerset to the visiting players and supporters.”
PENSIONER'S BUS TRAVEL
Taunton Deane is facing a serious funding shortfall to pay for free bus travel for pensioners, Jeremy has revealed.
"Free bus travel is a benefit that is enjoyed by thousands of local pensioners and the scheme is being expanded nationwide. I am delighted that pensioners will have greater opportunities to travel.
"My concern is the serious funding shortfall which will impact on all Taunton Deane Council Tax payers. The scheme is a national initiative and the Government should fund the policy and make the money available to Taunton Deane Borough Council to cover the cost of the scheme."
Read Jeremy’s Early Day Motion at; http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=35103&SESSION=891
SAVE TAUNTON DEANE'S POST OFFICES
The government’s announcement that seven Taunton Deane post offices are to close will hit vulnerable residents the hardest, Jeremy warned this month. After presenting a petition against the closures to the House of Commons, Jeremy said;
"The initial announcement of five closures in Taunton Deane is misleading because Churchinford and Lydeard St Lawrence will only be left with an infrequent mobile post office service. In reality Taunton Deane is being hit with seven post office closures.
"Each closure will bring a variety of problems. Lydeard St Lawrence has a small post office which is a vital social amenity in the village. Churchinford and West Buckland post offices also support sizeable village shops. Bradford-on-Tone's post office and shop only survives due to the commitment of volunteers.
“There is a really sad story for the local community behind every one of these proposed closures. I will continue to campaign against the government’s decision both in Parliament and in Taunton Deane.”
Read Jeremy’s Petition at; http://pubs1.tso.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080206/debtext/80206-0024.htm#column_1088
Read the Early Day Motion Jeremy is supporting at; http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=35233&SESSION=891
IN THE COMMUNITY
Jeremy’s activities in Taunton this month included;
- Speaking at the Somerset Centre for Enterprise launch, the 10 Radio 2008 launch in Wiveliscombe, the reopening of the Rockwell Green Christian Fellowship Centre, and the Blackthorn British Skittles Championship event at the Kings Arms.
- Meeting with Albert Goodman Accountants, Devon & Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, Somerset Primary Care Trust, Telemedic Systems Ltd, and Somerset Local Medical Committee.
- Visiting Wellington Junior School, Ivy House Park, North Curry Post Office, Hamilton Park Nursing Home, and St Augustine of Canterbury School.
- Attending the swimathon at St James’ Pool, the marathon bible reading at the United Reform Church in Wellington, and the Wellington Sports Federation Awards Dinner.
- Supporting tinnitus awareness at Musgrove Park Hospital, the relaunch of the White Hart pub in Wiveliscombe, and the Plastic Bag Free initiative at Monkton Elm Garden Centre.
SPOKESPERSON'S NEWS
Jeremy is the Liberal Democrat Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, focusing on issues such as accountability in public spending, personal debt and taxation.
NATIONALISING NORTHERN ROCK
In February, the Chancellor of the Exchequer finally succumbed to pressure to nationalise Northern Rock. Jeremy led the debate for the Liberal Democrats and called for an independent audit of the bank, and for the bank to be subject to freedom of information requests. He commented;
“An independent audit is appropriate, and it is strengthened by the arguments that we have heard about Granite in this House…there still is no feasible alternative to nationalisation, but that does not mean that the Government can sweep the Granite issue under the carpet. Some £8 billion of unsecured loans are on Northern Rock's balance sheet, but none is on Granite's, so there is an imbalance that is potentially highly damaging to the taxpayer. We need a new valuation that gives taxpayers confidence that when we undertake to buy this company, we are buying a proposition that offers us a reasonable deal.
“Northern Rock would also have benefited from more rather than less scrutiny over the past few years…so it seems only reasonable that we are in a position to know the scale of the undertaking being made by its management.”
Read the Lords Amendments debate at; http://pubs1.tso.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080221/debtext/80221-0020.htm#080221137000001
SKILLED JOBS FOR TAUNTON DEANE
Jeremy has met with the Managing Director of Premier Employment in Taunton to discuss the area’s future labour needs. Afterwards, he commented;
"Unemployment in Taunton Deane remains very low by any historical standards. Some sectors of the local economy continue to even suffer labour shortages and struggle to fill vacancies with suitable staff.
“The prevalence of lower paid employment remains an issue. Most people in Taunton Deane are able to find a job but it is harder to establish a career. That means many full-time employees struggle to save money and are certainly not able to afford to buy a house.
"The real challenge is to produce an increasingly skilled and motivated local workforce. That is why it is essential to continuously raise education standards. The type of links being forged between Somerset College and local companies are also important.”
SOCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Government simplification of the tax system is designed to raise revenue, Jeremy argued during a legislative committee this month.
“If the Government were simplifying the [personal tax] system in a revenue-neutral way, we would feel that that was a practical and sensible.
“However, the fact that the simplification is being made while raising some £1.5 billion of extra revenue leaves people feeling that there has been a slight of hand.”
Read the debate at; http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmgeneral/deleg8/080220/80220s01.htm
INCOME SHIFTING
Jeremy has spoken out against government plans to increase the regulatory burden on small businesses. He said;
"The Government is trying to prevent the practice of income shifting, when money is transferred from one person to another within a company. I am particularly worried about the impact on family run businesses such as farmers.
"Small businesses already face a huge regulatory burden. The excess of red-tape is overwhelmingly the biggest complaint that I hear from small businesses in my constituency and elsewhere.”
Contact Jeremy at office@tauntonlibdems.org.uk , or write to him at: Masons House, Magdalene Street, Taunton, TA1 1SG
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