Adrian Sanders

Government Refuses to Reveal Level of Dissatisfaction Over Pub Tax

Adrian Sanders, Lib Dem MP for Torbay has been tackling the Government over its lack of support for local pubs.

With increasing competition from supermarkets selling alcohol at below cost-price, problems for pubs increased with a 2% above inflation duty rise in the Budget.  Pubs are now closing at a rate of 6 a day nationally and there are 75,000 jobs under threat.

Treasury Minister Angela Eagle refused to tell Mr Sanders how many people had been in favour of the above inflation duty rise, which will push more sales to supermarkets.  While it was acknowledged that a ‘wide range’ of representations had been received, the Minister cited the precedent of previous administrations that the numbers in favour and against the duty rise would not be revealed.

The Minister also admitted that no research had been carried out to identify the impact of the duty rise on pub closures and job losses.

Adrian said: “Pubs across Torbay and South Devon have been closing in recent months.  All closures will cost jobs and damage the economy and many will have a seriously negative effect upon local communities by removing a vital social hub.”

“The British Beer and Pub Association ran a high profile campaign to get as many people to contact Ministers as possible and the Minister is just trying to hide the level of unpopularity of her policy.  The Government is, in theory, here to represent the interests of the British people but yet again views have been ignored.  There is so much the Government can do to help stabilise the pub industry and prevent future closures and job losses but it simply refuses to take an intelligent approach.”

Adrian is pressing the Government to take a better approach on the issue.  There is currently no evidence that duty rises reduce binge drinking; the problem lies in under-pricing by large supermarket chains.  Large pub companies are also charging inflated wholesale prices to tied pubs, which is having some impact.  Adrian is also calling for fewer burdens for pubs wishing to host live music.

Government Hindering Business Sales

Adrian Sanders MP has called on the Government to change its policy on Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), which he claims is hurting businesses and stifling investment.

All buildings must have an EPC before they can be sold or let.  EPCs must be assessed by a certified professional and the Government has not put a limit on the price commercial assessors can charge.  Constituents in Torbay have reported being given quotes of over £1500 for their businesses.

The Government offers no financial help for struggling businesses that want to sell up to cover the costs of the EPC, adding a significant burden.  Adrian is pressing the Government to offer leeway on this issue, to ensure businesses that need to sell or rent premises can do so without any penalty, which in the current economic climate would be prohibitive.

Adrian said: “Energy Performance Certificates are generally positive in that they encourage better energy efficiency and provide good information for buyers and tenants.  The way the Government has introduced the scheme unfortunately does not match the aims; they have not thought through the effect on businesses.”

“The EPC is also based on something of a simple computer program and in many cases, particularly in old buildings, will not reflect the true environmental impact.  With the downturn, the Government needs to think more carefully about this scheme; with property sales plummeting, EPCs can often just add another disincentive.”

In response to Adrian’s concerns, Housing Minister Margaret Beckett said: “Climate Change is real and happening.  Nearly half of all carbon dioxide emissions in this country come from buildings.  EPCs mean that for the first time those buying a property will know how energy efficient those buildings are, and how to make them perform better.  Consumers can save money on their energy bills, and we all gain if carbon dioxide emissions are cut.  So, the policy is normally a win for everyone.”

Government Letting Young People Down over Apprenticeships

Torbay MP Adrian Sanders has criticised the Government for not doing enough to promote apprenticeships.

Following the high profile launch of the National Apprenticeship Service in December, there has been a slow uptake by employers. Although over 50,000 potential employees have signed up nationwide, there are jobs for fewer than 1 in 8 of them.

In Torbay there are currently only 2 vacancies and in Exeter only 5.

South Devon College currently offers high quality career and apprenticeship advice but the Government has introduced a new scheme that has so far not incorporated apprenticeships already offered.

Adrian has called for the Government to take a more realistic approach rather than just create a top-down national database that serves little purpose. He will be pressing Ministers to support the creation of more posts and ensure that school-leavers are aware of the opportunities available to them.

Adrian said: "High profile campaigns and massive investments are all very well, but the Government needs to deliver on the ground, focusing resources in places like Torbay that desperately need investment. There is a lack of joined up thinking that needs to be addressed so that young people know exactly where to look and also so that resources aren’t needlessly wasted."

"What really needs to happen is for someone to take a clear lead in each area. In Torbay the College clearly has the skills to do this. What the Government needs to do is enable more young people to become apprentices. This means ensuring all aspects of the public sector provide entry level apprenticeships as a matter of course and that small businesses have the support and resources they need to take on trainees."

In response to Adrian’s concerns, Minister Lord Young of Norwood Green stated: "The Government aims to deliver over 250,000 apprenticeship starts and 190,000 successful completions by 2020 and apprenticeship funding to meet this challenge is planned to increase by almost a quarter between 2008-08 and 2009-10 to over £1billion."

Government Ignores Tourism and Transport for Coastal Resorts

Torbay MP Adrian Sanders has condemned comments from Transport Minister Paul Clark as ignoring the problems facing Torbay and many other seaside tourist destinations.

Mr Sanders is campaigning for better rail links to Torbay to encourage domestic tourist visits. The Government's refusal to consider improving services not only damages business but shows the Government's commitment to environmental sustainability as all talk and no action.

With over 6,000 journeys every day between Torbay and London, only 4% are taken by train and this is likely to fall when South West Trains withdraw the Paignton to Waterloo service later this year. The few direct services between Paddington and Torbay are unreliable and take up to four hours compared to the two and a half hours other services take from Paddington to Newton Abbot.

Mr Clark stated in responses to Adrian in Parliament that there were no plans to provide more or better services and that it would be up to community groups and local authorities to improve their rail links.

Adrian said: "The poor intercity rail services to and from Torbay have piled pressure on local roads and stifled both the tourist sector and other industries that we desperately need to diversify into. The Government is simply ignoring the terrible effects of its policies on areas like Torbay. The admission by the Conservatives that they may not fund the bypass if they form the next Government makes the rail link all the more important."

"For tourists especially, having a direct rail link to your destination is a big selling point. When you compare the links we have to somewhere like Scarborough, Torbay is light years behind. One of the Minister's responses showed he just did not care about the impact of transport policy on key industries. To have a Government mismanaging such an important part of the economy as this is ridiculous."

Adrian is now pressing South West Minister Ben Bradshaw MP to support the campaign for better rail services.

Torbay MP Goes to Downing Street to Call for Improved Support for Pupils with Health Conditions

Adrian Sanders MP for Torbay, yesterday accompanied five children with a range of health conditions as they delivered boxes of letters to 10 Downing Street asking Gordon Brown to improve support for them at school.

To tackle this issue, Jim Cunningham MP is putting forward the Schools (Health Support) Bill which is due to have its second reading in Parliament this Friday (8 May).

Adrian said: "It is appalling that some children with health conditions are not receiving the support they need to manage their condition at school. This can have a devastating impact on them for the rest of their lives. All children must have equal access to a full education."

Douglas Smallwood, Chief Executive of leading health charity Diabetes UK, added: "A lack of training and support for school staff means that pupils’ medical needs are not always met and they miss out academically and socially. We are calling for as many MPs as possible to support the Schools (Health Support) Bill and make a real difference to these pupils’ quality of life."

Background

The health and education of many of the estimated one million children and young people with health conditions in England could be at risk because pupils do not always receive adequate support to manage their condition at school and are not being fully included in lessons and activities.

A lack of training and support for school staff means that children and young people’s medical needs are not always met and they miss out academically and socially. To address the issue, schools, primary care trusts and local authorities must work together.

The Schools (Health Support) Bill aims to ensure:

· Schools are required to produce and implement medical conditions policies – in line with current guidance and best practice

· School staff receive appropriate support and training to support children with health conditions

· NHS bodies, local authorities and primary care trusts help schools fulfil their responsibilities

· School inspections also look at how a school supports children with health conditions

· Every child with a health condition has an individual healthcare plan

Charities supporting the Bill include The Anaphylaxis Campaign, Asthma UK, British Heart Foundation, Children and Young People's HIV Network, CLIC Sargent, Coeliac UK, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, Diabetes UK, Epilepsy Action, INPUT, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, MS Society, National Centre for Young People with Epilepsy (NCYPE), National Voices, Royal College of Nursing, TreeHouse, Scope, Sickle Cell and Young Stroke Survivors (SCYSS), Stroke Association, UK Children with Diabetes Advocacy Group, Vision 2020 UK, Young Minds.

Government Pledges More Jobseeker Help

Help from the Government is finally starting to arrive for those made unemployed by the recession.

Torbay MP Adrian Sanders has been pressing Ministers to provide better advice and support to ensure those made unemployed receive the benefits they are entitled to and that they have easy access to training and job application support. Support work will now be returning to Paignton as operations in the Bay are expanded.

Roland Ginn, the national Job Centre Plus director of finance said that the DWP: "are in negotiations with one of our provider organisations, Action for Employment, for us to locate some of our Advisory work and Group Information sessions in their premises in both Torquay and Paignton."

Adrian added: "It is essential that jobseekers are provided with all the support they need. It is very good news that the Government is finally responding to the need for better help and hopefully this will be part of a wider strategy to develop a more diverse and skilled workforce that employers can benefit from."

Adrian celebrates a victory for the Gurkhas

Torbay MP Adrian Sanders on the 267 to 246 passage of a Lib Dem motion offering all Gurkhas equal rights of residence.

Swine Flu leaflet

Download Swine flu leaflet

Please click the link above to download the Swine Flu advice leaflet in PDF format

Torbay MP questions Health Minister on Swine Flu

Following the news of the outbreak of Swine Flu in Paignton, Torbay MP raised the matter with the Secretary of State, Alan Johnson, after his statement in the House of Commons.

With the situation firmly under control by the health and education authorities, Adrian has sought further clarification in writing on a few matters to provide additional reassurance to the residents and visitors of Torbay.

Below is a copy of the letter to Alan Johnson

Dear Alan

Thank you for your statement yesterday evening.

Just to clarify, as Anthony seemed a little confused last night, Paignton college is a split site school. The upper school in Borough Road is in the Totnes constituency. The lower school, in Waterleat Road, that the infected pupil attends, is in the Torbay constituency.

I did have some further questions that constituents have raised with me that I hope you will be able to answer.

I would be very grateful if you could offer reassurances that treatment will be available in Torbay to all who need it and that stockpiles of antiviral drugs are now readily available in the locality.

Secondly, could you clarify the positions of vulnerable people? Torbay has a high number of elderly residents, and together with many other constituents, they are recommended to take the annual flu jab. What is the medical advice for these groups?

Finally, I understand that the information leaflet for each household will be distributed next week. Obviously this will be slightly late for the people of Torbay and I would be grateful if anything could be distributed to residents as soon as possible.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

Adrian Sanders MP

Statement on swine flu in Torbay

You will have heard reports in the media concerning a confirmed case of swine flu in Torbay.

I have been reassured that the Government are monitoring the situation very closely and are following the regularly updated advice being issued by the Health Protection Agency (HPA).

The Health Protection Agency is advising that while we should all be alert for symptoms of infection and that everyone should take reasonable steps to protect themselves and prevent the spread of infection, at the moment there is no cause for alarm, and business should carry on as usual.

I encourage you to take the following simple precautionary measures which have been shown to be effective in reducing the transmission of all viruses - this information is also being made widely available in the national press, on health agency websites and elsewhere:

• Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue when possible.

• Dispose of dirty tissues promptly and carefully.

• Maintain good basic hygiene, for example washing hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to face or to other people.

If you have any health concerns, you should seek advice from NHS Direct on 0845 4647.

The symptoms of swine influenza in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal influenza infection, a feverish illness accompanied by one or more of the following: headache, fatigue, muscle ache, lack of appetite, coughing and sore throat. Some people with swine flu have also reported vomiting and diarrhoea. For most people, this illness at present appears to be mild and infection is treatable with anti-viral drugs.

The HPA has issued specific advice for people returning to the UK from a country affected by swine influenza. See the HPA website - http://www.hpa.org.uk/