Adrian Sanders

Adrian Sanders attends parliamentary reception for diabetes research in South Asian people

Adrian Sanders, MP for Torbay, showed his support at the launch of leading health charity Diabetes UK and the South Asian Health Foundation (SAFH)’s new report¹ highlighting 16 diabetes research topics relating to the South Asian community.

The two charities, supported by Keith Vaz, MP for Leicester East, launched “Diabetes UK and South Asian Health Foundation recommendations on diabetes research priorities for British South Asians” at the House of Commons on Wednesday 17 June. The report lays the groundwork to find out more about diabetes in South Asian people in the UK and discover why Type 2 diabetes is up to six times more common in South Asian people than the general population².

Adrian Sanders, who attended the parliamentary reception, said: “It is vital that diabetes research in South Asian people in the UK is carried out if we are to combat this growing health epidemic. I was delighted to attend the launch of this important report and hope that researchers around the country will take note of these guidelines and find them a useful tool when determining which issues to examine.”

The report underlines important areas of research in people of Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin in the UK. Priority topics, which are aimed at researchers and funding bodies, include lack of appropriate participation in diabetes research of South Asian people, genetics, cultural factors concerning diet and exercise, screening, prevention of Type 2 diabetes, psychological consequences of diabetes and treatment and care.

The report is the culmination of an eight-month review by Diabetes UK and SAHF, which was carried out because of the high prevalence of diabetes in those communities. South Asian people make up four per cent of the total UK population³ and an estimated eight per cent of people with diabetes. In England, there are 200,000 South Asian people with diabetes.

Dr Iain Frame, Director of Research at Diabetes UK, said: “Diabetes is one of the biggest health challenges facing the UK today with £1million an hour already being spent by the NHS on the condition. While considerable effort is invested in diabetes research we need to examine diabetes in South Asian people living in the UK in more detail.

“It is astonishing that South Asian people in the UK are up to six times more likely to have Type 2 diabetes compared to the general population and tend to have poorer diabetes management. They are also three times more likely to develop heart disease and four times more likely to have kidney disease.

“We don’t entirely know why this is yet but Diabetes UK and SAHF’s new report is a solid first step in the process of discovery and serves as an important guideline for researchers and funding bodies who are interested in this area.”

Professor Kamlesh Khunti from the University of Leicester, who was Co-Chair of the Review, said: “South Asians develop diabetes at an earlier age and have higher rates of diabetes-related complications and mortality. This comprehensive review has highlighted a number of major and important gaps in research that will act as a reference guide for those involved in delivering care to people of South Asian origin and inform researchers and funding bodies about research priorities to reduce these inequalities.”

The report prioritises 16 key areas of research for diabetes in the South Asian community:

• Lack of participation in diabetes research from South Asian people
• Epidemiology
• Genetics
• Cultural aspects
• Screening of diabetes and non-diabetic hyperglycaemia
• Prevention of Type 2 diabetes
• Self-management and education for people wit Type 2 diabetes
• Childhood and adolescent Type 2 diabetes
• Dyslipidaemia (elevation of lipids in the blood)
• Diabetic nephropathy (nerve damage)
• Diabetic retinopathy (eye disease)
• Gestational diabetes
• Psychological consequences of diabetes
• Treatment and care of people with diabetes
• Cardiovascular disease and peripheral vascular disease
• Bariatric surgery

For more information about diabetes visit www.diabetes.org.uk

Government is punishing single workers

Torbay MP Adrian Sanders has criticised the Government over its selective anti-poverty policies that are disadvantaging certain single workers, many of whom live and work in Torbay.

Mr Sanders has claimed that single people working between 16-30 hours per week are caught in a Government poverty trap where they cannot claim income support because they work too much and they cannot receive tax credits as they have no children and do not work enough hours.

For an economy such as Torbay, with a reliance on casual and seasonal low-paid work, hundreds, if not thousands, of people could be affected and the system could be putting many other people off seeking employment.

Mr Sanders challenged Treasury Minister Stephen Timms MP to outline what support the Government gives to single people, the Minister stated that: “The national minimum wage will increase in October 2009…and will provide over £92 a week for a single person working 16 hours a week.”

Mr Sanders commented: “The way the Government has set up the benefit system is something of a shambles and it is single people on low incomes who are suffering. All too frustratingly the end message of this policy to people is to become unemployed or to have children, it is wholly irresponsible.”

“Most of these single workers will not be able to gain housing benefit, council tax benefit or any other help. Many would love to work full time and get the financial reward they deserve but in an economy such as Torbay, this is not always possible.”

“The Government should be rewarding those who do make responsible decisions and do make an attempt to work.”

One constituent approached Mr Sanders on this issue, highlighting the injustice of the current system. Despite getting more than the minimum wage in their part time job, the constituent could not afford a decent standard of living, saying: “If you work over 16 or under 30 hours per week, you are hung out to dry by this Government.”

Mr Sanders is now calling on the Government to boost support for single people through a more generous tax free allowance and a fairer benefit system.

Government Gets More Than Half of Tax Benefit Claims Wrong

Figures revealed in Parliament by Torbay MP Adrian Sanders have showed that more than half of the 0.5 million families in the South West receiving tax credits have been given the wrong amount of money since the scheme was set up in 2003.

Treasury Minister Stephen Timms confirmed that 150,100 awards were underpaid and 143,100 were overpaid.  Worryingly 40,000 families received the wrong amount on three or more occasions.

Tax credit overpayments, which may not be easily apparent, can lead to court action and low credit ratings, with people owing the Government thousands of pounds.

Other figures showed that the tax credit system costs almost £90million to administer, despite the majority of families experiencing difficulties.

Adrian has been calling for the Government to sort out the system or think of a simpler and fairer way to structure the tax system.

Adrian said: “Yet again the Government has failed dismally with a sprawling computer system, bringing misery and anxiety to millions of families nationwide.  Thousands of families across the South West will not have received the right amount of money, which sometimes leads to overbearing court and bailiff action by the Treasury.”

“The waste and inefficiency of the system is inexcusable and it would be far better if the Government raised the tax free allowance to a suitable level, saving millions on bureaucracy and saving families from the unnecessary stress and worry the system causes.”

“The Government says that it is doing more for hard pressed working families but for every tax credit claim that goes right, there is one that goes wrong.  Add to this the removal of the 10p tax rate and high rises in bills in recent years and it becomes clear how bad a deal people are getting from this Labour Government.”

“I still see so many cases coming to my surgeries and through my office and for individual cases I can appeal to the Government to sort out problems.  I would urge any Torbay constituents who are having problems with their tax credits to call my office on 01803 200036.”

Abolish Council Tax and Save £200million

Torbay MP Adrian Sanders is calling on the Government to end the unfair and inefficient council tax and help hard pressed families in Torbay.

Figures revealed by the Government show that council tax is approximately 70% more expensive to collect and administer than income tax and is almost four times as costly in bureaucracy than business rates.  In 2007-08, £484million was spent on the administration of council tax, over 2% of the money collected.

Bay MP Mr Sanders has claimed that changing to a local income tax would save the nation at least £200million.  Such a move would also remove the need for council tax benefit, reducing costly bureaucracy further.

Adrian said: “The Government should have a duty to reduce public spending where it can and provide the fairest and most efficient tax system.  It is clear that the public finances are overstretched and the Government should be embracing all opportunities to save money where they won’t have an effect on front line services.”

Government Encourages Dangerous Approach to Road Safety

Bay MP Adrian Sanders is calling on the Government to sort out its  approach to road safety in the face of apparent mixed signals given to local councils.

Mr Sanders is concerned that councils are not encouraged to identify or tackle potential accident black-spots until a number of injuries have occurred.  There are further concerns that councils such as Torbay will not consider placing pedestrian crossings or traffic calming measures unless a fatality has occurred.

The case of 11 year old Jed Dorean-Mitchell, who was seriously injured crossing the road outside Cuthbert Mayne school in February 2008 highlighted the need for a pedestrian crossing but over a year later no progress has been made by the council in addressing the problems of the road layout in the area.

In the Government’s recent assessment of transport in the Bay, it was revealed that all 3 road safety targets were being missed, although the appointment of a road safety officer would, it was expected, go some way to solving problems.

Adrian commented: “The Government encourages councils to measure casualties and take steps to tackle black spots but this is often too late when a common sense look at certain junctions and crossings will show that accidents are likely.  A more preventive approach could save hundreds of lives across the country.”

“All too often I have constituents highlighting problem areas and near misses but the council often says that as no one has died, they won’t do anything.  Like so many other things a more pro-active approach is needed by our public services.”

The bypassing skills of Ronaldo

Adrian Sanders MP puts into perspective the world record bid for Manchester United player Cristiano Ronaldo.

Government ‘Clueless’ on Business Closures

Adrian Sanders, MP for Torbay has reacted with dismay after the Government admitted it had not looked at the effect of business rents on the economy.  Mr Sanders has expressed concern as many businesses in Torbay and across the country have highlighted high rents for business premises as one of the core problems in the current recession.

Hundreds of premises are empty across the bay and over 22% of retail space in Torquay is not currently being used.  High business rates, low footfall and competition from online and out-of-town retailers have been cited as other factors causing a decline in Torbay’s town centres.

Adrian commented: “To tackle the problems faced by small and medium businesses, the Government should at least make an effort to understand them.  We have seen so many shops and businesses close in Torbay and while Ministers have talked about helping industries, nothing seems to materialise in the real world.”

“The Government has the power and resources to make a difference on business rents but at the moment it is clueless and without direction.”

Adrian will be pressing the Government to look at practical measures to help businesses directly and via local authorities.

Shipping Industry Must Cut Emissions

Torbay MP Adrian Sanders has been raising with Ministers concerns  over the high levels of pollution created by large ships, many of which are now moored off the Devon coast due to the credit crunch.

Claims have recently been made that European Governments had underestimated the health impacts of pollution, with a recent study showing that hundreds of premature deaths in Denmark resulted from high levels of shipping pollution.

With the English Channel as one of the World’s busiest shipping lanes, there are fears that there may be serious health impacts for coastal communities that have not been fully explored and that the Government is not looking at preventing.

Ships produce on average more than 50,000 times more pollution than a medium sized car. 

Transport Minister Jim Fitzpatrick has offered reassurances that emissions standards will be implemented but these are still some way off.  Caps on sulphur emissions will not fully be in place until 2020 and only ship engines built after 2016 will be subject to more rigorous technological standards.

The House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee has recently published a report condemning the Government’s lack of action.

It stated that ‘the Government’s position on the use of emissions trading to tackle greenhouse gas emissions from ships is too vague’ and that ‘the current methodology for calculating international shipping emissions underestimates actual emissions.’

Adrian commented: “This level of pollution, generated by the shipping industry, could pose a serious threat to people in Torbay and other coastal areas.  We have had a limited exclusion zone in the English Channel since late 2007 but there are so many more things the Government could be doing to reduce pollution.”

“Moreover we don’t know the extent of the problem.  Current research is too vague and the Government needs to look into this more and take steps now to reduce emissions.”

Carers Week 2009

Torbay MP Adrian Sanders is supporting Carers Week 2009 which is to  take place from 8 to 14 June, recognising carers as the UK’s Secret Service.

There are over six million people nationally who act as an unpaid carer for a relative or friend who has an illness or disability. An increasing percentage of carers are young people who often do not receive the support they need.

At £53.10 per week for a minimum of 35 hours work (at most £1.50 per hour), the current Carers Allowance provides insufficient compensation for the vital work that carers undertake and fails to acknowledge the billons of pounds that carers save the NHS every year.

A new website and helpline for carers has been launched by the Government (www.nhs.uk/carersdirect, 0808 802 0202). Although welcoming the development, Adrian has also argued that it failed to get to the heart of problem which is the lack of funding within the social care system.

Adrian commented: “Carers play an absolutely vital role within our society but their work is chronically under-recognised and under-funded. Carers Week rightly celebrates the hidden work of carers and highlights the advice and support that are available.

It is essential that the burden placed upon carers is not an overwhelming one and that the sense of isolation which can be experienced is reduced. I am proud to be supporting Carer’s Week and believe that the indispensable work of carers needs to be given the recognition that they so richly deserve.”

Government Should Consider Radical Solution to Bus Pass Funding Problem

Adrian Sanders, MP for Torbay has unearthed figures that show the Government could save money by funding the bus pass centrally.

In an answer to Mr Sanders in the Commons, Minister Paul Clark claimed that centralising the administration would save £2.6million a year.  At the moment Torbay Council is losing out on up to £2million as Government reimbursement does not cover the whole cost to the local authority.

There are also problems with each local authority having to negotiate separately with bus companies on how much to pay for each concession journey.  Some councils will inevitably be better at negotiating with local companies.  A central negotiation system or a legally defined reimbursement level for bus companies would iron out some of the inequalities across the UK which are seeing Torbay council tax payers losing out.

Adrian said: “The scheme is a very good idea, but as is so often with this Government, it has been poorly implemented.  There is confusion over how the system works, with councils paying for journeys made by people from outside the area, which creates resentment.  The ridiculous bureaucracy of the funding formula leaves some councils out of pocket while some profit.  The Isles of Scilly for example receive money for the concession but have no bus services.”

“All of these problems could be solved by centralising the reimbursement to bus companies.  That this would save the tax payer £2.6million a year is an extra bonus.”