Latest news from Parliament and the constituency
Posted by Mark Lazarowicz, MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, at 17:59, Fri 20 March 2009:
I am writing with news and information which I hope you will find of interest.
Help in Tough Times
I know that in the current situation more people are facing financial worries. There are now a lot of government initiatives aimed at providing help – for businesses, pensioners and families, people with housing difficulties, and many others. I have put on my website details of many of these, at this link: http://www.marklazarowicz.org.uk/support-from-the-government-in-difficult-times-?PublishKey=0bc59197-18a4.
I hope these will assist, but if you need more help or advice about any of these schemes, do get in touch and I will do my best to help.
Working in Parliament
A lot of my time in the House of Commons is taken up with the work of the Environmental Audit Committee, and we are currently involved in a number of enquiries into the work of government. You can find out more details at this link http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/environmental_audit_committee.cfm. We’ve just published reports looking at ‘Green Jobs’ and ‘Environmental Labelling’.
However, I have been able to raise other issues in Parliament as well. I’ve asked a number of questions about the banking sector, about renewable energy, rail services on the East Coast Main Line, and a number of constituency issues. I also spoke in a recent debate on “Local and Regional News”. If you are interested in finding out more about what I’ve been doing at Westminster on your behalf, do have a look on my website, at this link http://www.marklazarowicz.org.uk/30eac2bf-acad-2524-4d68-7cc6e6fe4cd6
Campaigns
I continue to be involved in a number of campaigns both in Parliament and locally. At Westminster, I was pleased at the success this week of the campaign to increase the Disability Living Allowance for blind people (details at this link http://www.marklazarowicz.org.uk/scottish-labour-mps-secure-government-backing-for-change-in-law- I’ve also been working both in the House of Commons to support the campaign by the North Edinburgh Fuel Poverty Action Group on pre-payment meters. You can find details of this campaign on the Leith & North community website, at http://www.leithandnorth.org.uk/. (Incidentally, this website contains a lot of other useful community news and information).
I have also agreed to support the survey currently being carried out by ‘see me’, Scotland’s national campaign on stigma and discrimination suffered by people with mental health problems. They are keen to get as many people as possible to complete the survey, and you can find details at the following link http://www.marklazarowicz.org.uk/new-survey-on-stigma-suffered-by-people-with-mental-health-probl.
Many local residents have raised with me the plans by two of the big supermarket chains to open new stores in existing shopping streets in our area – Sainsburys in Stockbridge, and Tesco in Picardy Place. The Stockbridge traders and community council have organised a public meeting about plan affecting their area on Thursday 26th March, at 7.00 pm in the hall at Edinburgh Academy on Henderson Row. I have been invited to speak along with the food writer Joanna Blythman and a representative from Sainsburys. It will be a good chance for local people to express their views.
For more information about the many other local and national campaigns in which I am involved, do have a look at my website at http://www.marklazarowicz.org.uk/971470f4-39bb-1ee4-b170-bf6575cbb7e9.
Community News
As a local representative, I get information about a lot of excellent local events and initiatives. I have set up a ‘Community News’ page on my website, which I regularly update with information. Have a look at what is happening – and if there is any information about what your group is doing, which you would like me to publicise, send me details so I can put it up there as well. The website link is: http://www.marklazarowicz.org.uk/4fefe1f8-65d5-cd74-f53c-23be5b8883be.
This report can only give a limited information about what I’ve been doing both at Parliament in Westminster and in our local community here in Edinburgh North & Leith. There’s a lot more information on my website at www.marklazarowicz.org.uk that also has details of how to contact me, as well as a lot of useful links.
I’m always interested, of course, in finding out the views of local people on the key issues of the day – local or national. You can join in the debate on my blog at http://marklazarowicz.blogspot.com/. (I’m also on Facebook).
I hope you find this newsletter informative. And please do pass on the information to anyone else you think might be interested.
Mark Lazarowicz, MP for Edinburgh North & Leith www.marklazarowicz.org.uk
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