European Participation
Tuesday, February 26, 2002
Work in Westminster is much more than what goes on in the debating chamber and I spend quite a lot of time serving on the European Scrutiny Committee. The committee has the key job of making sure that the UK government represents our best interests when agreeing to new laws and acting on our behalf at an European Union level.
It is an important time in our relationship within the EU because a major exercise has been launched to make sure that the EU works better, delivers more benefits for everybody and is fit for an enlarged Europe when many countries from the former communist east join in a few years time. This is as important to somebody in Moray as Milan or Maribor.
In recent years, the need to reform the European Union and its Treaties has become more and more pressing for several reasons. First, it became clear that many bottlenecks exist in the EU's policy-making process, and that these could only be solved through the reform of the decision-making institutions. The realisation that enlargement would worsen the existing decision-making problems added to the urgency of these reforms. Secondly, it became evident that a gap was growing between the EU and its citizens, which needed to be addressed.
The EU leaders therefore decided that the time has come for a profound debate on the objectives and goals of the EU, its Treaties and its institutions. This debate will take the form of a Convention, which will take place in parallel to a Civil Society Forum. On the basis of the conclusions of these discussions, the EU leaders will decide on reforms and modernisation.
The Convention has started its work this week with representatives coming from across Europe to discuss the future. That is why I and other House of Commons committee members travelled to Brussels to meet the key people involved in the process.
Unfortunately the Scottish Executive will not be pushing Scotland’s priorities at the Convention, because they aren’t even going to be there. Luckily there are two elected Scottish politicians who are attending and both as it happens are from the Scottish National Party: Professor Sir Neil MacCormick MEP and Councillor Keith Brown. Professor MacCormick who represents Moray and the rest of Scotland in the European Parliament was one of the key witnesses who gave evidence to our inquiry. He put forward a series of excellent suggestions that would give our country the best conditions within Europe ahead of our gaining full member status.
The key message that emerged from our evidence was that the future of Europe should be most influenced by the views of ordinary citizens. That clearly means every person in Moray. If you have a particular view please let me know and I will make sure that it is forwarded to the Scottish representatives on the Convention.
Meanwhile the Westminster hothouse is dominated by the troubles of Transport Secretary Stephen Byers who has admitted to lying in public but has kept his job. I don’t know about you but I think that at a time when many people have lost faith in politicians things are made worse by the Labour government allowing ministers to get off with hoodwinking the public.
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MORAY MP LAUNCHES WEBSITE
Thursday, February 21, 2002
Scottish National Party MP for Moray, Mr Angus Robertson, has today [Thursday] launched his website, www.moraymp.org, the aim which is to keep Moray constituents informed of his work and campaigns and provide a further means by which they can contact him. The website will also provide up-to-date information on surgery dates and venues, profiles of Angus and the constituency, as well as links to other local and national sites of interest.
Commenting on the launch Mr Robertson said:
“ Since my election last year I have endeavoured to make myself as accessible as possible to my constituents. I feel that I have achieved this reasonably well through regular advertised surgeries and providing information leaflets and newsletters about my work.
“ The launch of my website today is another step in providing the people of Moray with a means of finding out what I am doing on their behalf and to give them a further means to contact me with feedback on these issues or to seek assistance in pursuing their cases with various government agencies and departments.
“ I would urge any constituents with access to the Internet to take a look at the site. I would also welcome any comments on content and style, as I am always seeking to make improvements.”
Contact: Graham Leadbitter, Parliamentary Assistant – Tel: 01343 551111
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Moray MP in Postal Meeting
Tuesday, February 19, 2002
Moray Scottish National Party (SNP) Member of the Westminster Parliament Angus Robertson has met with the representative of the areas postal workers to discuss the threat of privatisation facing the Post Office. Mr Robertson met with Stephen McLeod, the Area Delivery Representative of the Communications Workers Union (CWU) and discussed plans outlined by the UK post regulator Postcomm to end the Royal Mail's monopoly over letter deliveries should be ended within four years.
Speaking after the meeting Mr Robertson said:
“The Postal Services Commission, or Postcomm, has said the mail monopoly was no longer justified and called for the market to be opened up in three steps, with full liberalisation by 2006.
“I agree with the Trade Unions and Consignia which is the company running Royal Mail, that it will face "death by a thousand cuts" under the plan. Consignia has already revealed that it is already losing more than one million pounds a day on letter delivery - before losing business to any competition.
“The Scottish National Party (SNP) believes that the plan will be yet another blow to the countryside and areas such as Moray, with rival postal carriers likely to focus on lucrative metropolitan markets while ignoring rural areas. Nearly nine out of 10 letters are sent by companies or government agencies, and it is this part of the business that Postcomm wants to liberalise first.
“Ironically, Labour was elected to office saying they were against the privatisation of the Post Office. Now they have been in office for five years and this vital service is being privatised.
“Now Labour is presiding over a postal service where industrial relations are at rock bottom and there is a serious threat of strikes. Tony Blair needs top show leadership and sort the mess out.
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MORAY POLICE REJECTING BLUNKETT'S DEAL
Wednesday, February 13, 2002
Following last week’s announcement by the Northern and Grampian Branches of the Scottish Police Federation that their members have voted overwhelmingly to reject proposals to alter their pay and conditions the Scottish National Party MP for Moray, Mr Angus Robertson, has called on the government to rethink their proposals. SNP MP for Perth Annabelle Ewing, who has responsibility for Home Affairs matters, met with the Scottish Police Federation to discuss the Home Secretary’s proposals and to hear the views of the policemen and women who would be affected.
Commenting on the proposals and the Federation’s reaction to them Mr Robertson said:
" So far we only have official results in from two of Scotland's police forces, I have no doubt that the massive votes which have been recorded against the inadequate plans in both Grampian and Northern Constabulary areas will be replicated across the country.
" The Home Secretary is putting forward flawed proposals that have not been discussed properly with police representatives, which is plainly short-sighted and will be a recipe for unnecessary conflict.
“ If these proposals are forced through by New Labour the result will be difficulties in officer retention and recruitment problems for Scotland’s police with the Scots Parliament being left to pick up the pieces. This is a further example of power being wielded in London to the detriment of Scotland and the Home Secretary should learn to leave well alone. The best thing he could do is transfer police pay and conditions negotiations to the Scottish Parliament, where decisions on almost every other aspect of Scottish policing are made.
“ I have already had considerable contact from many of Moray’s police officers on the issue and I can assure them all that the SNP will be supporting their cause in both Westminster and the Scots Parliament.”
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WHISKY TAX STAMP
Tuesday, February 12, 2002
Scottish National Party MP for Moray Mr Angus Robertson MP has co-sponsored the following Motion in the House of Commons on the Government’s plans to impose a Tax Stamp on every bottle of whisky sold:
“That this House notes with concern the UK Government’s plans that a Tax Stamp be put on every bottle of whisky sold; believes that whilst effective measures must be taken against fraud, this scheme as a device to prevent it is fundamentally flawed; also notes that the DTI in 1997 wrote to the Norwegian Government when it was considering a similar scheme to warn that it was ‘likely to be inefficient and ineffective as a means of combating fraud and illicit trade’; also notes that it would apply to spirits only and not to wine and therefore would discriminate against home grown drinks and in favour of imported wines; further notes that if implemented, it may even cost a small distiller 6.5 million pounds a year in extra costs; further notes that the US, Greece and Ecuador have abolished strip stamps, whilst Germany, Belgium and Norway have abandoned plans to introduce them; and calls upon the UK Government to abandon its plans to introduce this discriminatory and hugely burdensome scheme on the Scotch Whisky industry.”
Commenting on the Motion – which coincides with a campaign launch on this issue by the Scotch Whisky Association, and reflects a similar initiative in the Scots Parliament by Fergus Ewing MSP – Mr Robertson, who is also Vice Chairman of the All-party Scotch Whisky Industry Group said:
“Scotland's whisky industry is already operating with one hand tied behind its back because of unfair high taxation levied by Westminster. This new imposition - which has been shown to be totally ineffective in other countries - would make matters even worse, particularly in Moray, which has over half
of Scotland's distilleries. The SNP will be campaigning extremely hard on this issue, and I would call on all MPs from across the parties to sign the Motion. The Government's proposed Tax Stamp would be damaging, inappropriate, ineffective, and Scotland must get behind the whisky industry to stop it.”
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Robertson Seeks Views on MOD Review
Saturday, February 9, 2002
Press Release from Angus Robertson MP
‘Logistics Shake-up Will Impact on Moray RAF Bases’
Moray Scottish National Party (SNP) MP Mr Angus Robertson is seeking feedback from constituents on a major Ministry of Defence (MOD) review that will impact on both RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Kinloss.
His appeal comes after being informed about planned reforms by the Minister of State for the Armed Forces Adam Ingram.
The review by the Defence Logistics Organisation is aimed at “considering how best to deliver coherent tri-Service logistical support to our armed services” and is set at impacting on a substantial number of DLO staff throughout the UK, including service personnel at RAF Kinloss and RAF Lossiemouth.
Speaking after receiving the letter from the Defence Minister Mr Robertson said:
“The Defence Logistics Organisation (DLO) was established on 1st April 2000 by merging the three logistic service organisations and is aimed at a more effective management of this vital service.
“It is absolutely clear that this process will mean major changes within the RAF and will impact on both RAF Kinloss and RAF Lossiemouth.
“The minister has written to me and assured me that the changes will involve formal consultations with the Trade Unions which I welcome. He has also stated that if there is to be any rationalisation on the bases “every effort will be made to find suitable local vacancies” and that other measures will be pursued to avoid the need for redundancies “where possible”.
“The review is set to continue until June 2002 so if there are any key local facts or issues it is important for me to be fully informed as the constituency member of the Westminster parliament.
“I am keen to hear from any constituents in Moray who have views on the subject to get in touch, so I can raise them directly with the Defence Ministry.”
Contact: Graham Leadbitter, Parliamentary Assistant – Tel: 01343 551111
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