Latest news from Mark Lazarowicz
Posted by Mark Lazarowicz, MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, at 21:27, Wed 3 March 2010:
Banks, Reforming the Electoral system, Energy Bill, visit by Ed Miliband, and more
I am writing to you with a brief update on some of the issues I have been involved in the House of Commons and locally here in Edinburgh North & Leith.
Financial matters and the banks are of course still a big issue. I’ve supported the campaign for a cap on big bankers’ bonuses – not least because I know how many of the lower-paid bank workers working in Edinburgh are facing cuts in their (modest) bonuses while some of the highly paid are getting big pay outs. If you live in my constituency, and have an issue about banks and financial services which you would like me to take up in Parliament, or with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, do not hesitate to let me know.
A different issue involving a bank http://www.marklazarowicz.org.uk/mark-calls-on-chancellor-to-intervene-in-lloyds---tsb-foundationhasbeen the decision of Lloyds TSB to end its ‘covenant’ with the Lloyds TSB Foundation which has funded many local community organisations. This has been a long-running dispute, and I have once again urged the Chancellor of the Exchequer to intervene as the government still owns almost half the shares in Lloyds TSB. You can see here a link to the press release I put out on the issue. http://www.marklazarowicz.org.uk/mark-calls-on-chancellor-to-intervene-in-lloyds---tsb-foundation
As the UK General Election is at most three months away, a lot of the time in the House of Commons has been spent on ensuring that a number of important items of legislation get through before the House of Commons winds up for the election. Amongst this business has been the “Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill” which includes amongst other things the proposal for a referendum on the change to the ‘alternative vote’ system for the House of Commons. I spoke in that debate, and if you would like to see what I said, please have a look at this link (my speech starts at the bottom of the page): http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmhansrd/cm100209/debtext/100209-0017.htm
Another important Bill has been the Energy Bill, covering a wide range of issues, including fuel poverty, feed-in tariffs for renewable, rules for “carbon capture and storage” stations, and new duties for the energy regulator, Ofgem. If you are interested in this issue, and/or climate change, you will be interested to know that UK Energy & Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband will be speaking at a Question & Answer session in Leith, on Friday 5th March. If you would like more details, and how to book a place, please look at my ‘blog’ – see this link: http://marklazarowicz.blogspot.com/2010/02/ed-miliband-speaks-in-edinburgh-north.html
Locally, I am still actively involved in working with many local groups, parents and schools, who are very concerned about the effects of cuts in spending imposed by Edinburgh City Council. The fact is that although clearly public spending is under pressure, the funding from the UK government to the Scottish government has gone up in real terms in 2009-2010 and will go up again in real terms in 2010-2011. Ultimately, it is a question of priorities – for me, support for front-line services is the top priority.
Finally, I should mention that although the UK general election is only a short while away, I do of course continue to hold my regular MP advice surgeries, and my Edinburgh constituency office on Leith Walk operates as normal until the election is called. After that date, the office is allowed only to offer a limited service dealing with existing constituency case work only. Please look at my website for details of my surgeries and office opening hours etc.
Mark Lazarowicz
Labour MP for Edinburgh North & Leith
www.marklazarowicz.org.uk
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Posted by Paul O'Hanlon, 23:37, Wed 3 March 2010: (Is this post abusive?) #
I am gravely concerned by events in Iraq and Afghanistan. The people of Baghdad are only getting 4 hours electricity a day and the security situation is dreadful ahead of the 'demonstration elections' to be held on March 7th.
In Afghanistan the so called 'Operation Moshtarak' has seen dozens of civilians die and at present some 5 million Afghans are refugees.
The combined total of Iraqi refugees (4.7 million) and Afghan refugees totals nearly 10 million - the entire population of Greater London.
What is Britain and the United States doing to help the refugees who they have created in the first place?