MP & MSP WELCOME NEWS OF FORRES HEALTH FACILITY
Posted on Thursday, March 27 2008
Moray's MP, Angus Robertson, and MSP, Richard Lochhead, have welcomed the news that a new multi-purpose health facility for Forres has been agreed and will be complete by 2011.Commenting local SNP MP Angus Robertson said: " I am delighted that Forres is to benefit from a new facility that will provide a wide range of health and community care facilities. " With a state of the art facility the health benefits to the area will be fantastic and will also provide a good working environment for medical and social care professionals." Moray MSP Richard Lochhead said: " This investment in Forres is great news and will be of enormous benefit to residents in Forres and the wider community. " Healthcare throughout Moray is really seeing significant improvements with investment in new health centres and dental facilities across the region and I am really pleased that Forres residents will share in the benefits this investment brings." Ends.
MP FOR NIMROD BASE RESPONDS TO DEFENCE COMMITTEE REPORT
Posted on Thursday, March 27 2008
Westminster SNP leader, Angus Robertson MP, who represents the home base of the Nimrod fleet at RAF Kinloss, Moray, has responded to the House of Commons Defence Committee proposal to cancel the Nimrod replacement program. Mr Robertson said: “There are many legitimate questions about the increasing cost and growing delays in the Nimrod replacement program. “We cannot, however, lose sight of the safety dimension and the need to replace the ageing current Nimrod fleet. The tragic loss of the Nimrod in Afghanistan underlines the need for a replacement system as a priority. “If the MRA4 is no longer the appropriate platform then which should it be, how long will it take to introduce and at what cost? “The safety of the Nimrod crew must come first. I am concerned that if the MRA4 program is cancelled, then the current ageing aircraft would need to keep on working for an extended period despite concerns about their safety. That would not be acceptable.” ENDS Contact SNP Westminster Press: 0207 219 0074 Background: The MoD “needs to take the difficult decisions which will lead to a realistic and affordable Equipment Programme”, according to a report published today (Thursday) by the House of Commons Defence Committee (Tenth Report of Session 2007-08, Defence Equipment 2008, HC 295). The Committee commends the MoD’s Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) organisation for the speed at which it is getting urgently needed equipment to UK Armed Forces on operations, but highlights a number of concerns about the acquisition of defence equipment, stating: “The Nimrod MRA4 aircraft programme goes from bad to worse - almost £800 million over budget and forecast to be nearly 8 years late. The MoD must carefully examine whether it should cut its losses and withdraw from this sorry saga”.
MORAY MP SAYS NUCLEAR POLICY IS MADNESS
Posted on Wednesday, March 26 2008
Following an announcment by the UK Government's Business and Enterprise Secretary today (Wednesday) calling for a massive expansion of nuclear energy in the UK, Moray's MP Angus Robertson has said that the Secretary of State appeared to have succumbed to a bout of “March Madness”. The local Scottish National Party MP has regularly expressed his opposition to nuclear power, which has been shown to leave an indefinite legacy of difficult to deal with nuclear waste and massive decommissioning costs. The Moray MP is concerned that a new nuclear programme will leave a terrible legacy of both nuclear waste and cost for future generations and the escalating costs of nuclear could be far better spent on other energy solutions. Commenting on the Seretary of State's comments Mr Robertson said: “ John Hutton seems to have succumbed to a severe bout of March madness in proposing a massive expansion of nuclear power in the UK. “ The UK government are becoming increasingly obsessed with the illusion that nuclear power is the “silver bullet” to tackle climate change. This is completely crazy given that there is no solution to the huge problems associated with nuclear power, particularly the disposal of nuclear waste. “ The cost of disposing of historic waste is escalating alarmingly with the Nuclear Decommissioning Agency now swallowing almost half of DBERR’s annual budget. There is no realistic plan or timescale for the proposed national depository nor is it clear how the energy companies are to meet their “full share”, to use the government’s rather evasive words, of the cost. " This proposal will cost Moray tax payers dear when we could be looking at a wide range of renewable energy, carbon capture technology and household renewables that would not only tackle future energy needs but also provide local employment in high skill industries. “ Thankfully Scotland has an SNP government that will prevent this nuclear madness spreading north of the border.” Ends.
MORAY MP JOINS CAB TO DELIVER PENSIONER MESSAGE
Posted on Tuesday, March 25 2008
Moray's Westminster Member of Parliament Angus Robertson will today [Friday] team up with Moray's Citizens Advice Bureau to deliver the message to pensioners that:"If you are entitled, then it is money that is rightfully yours and we’re here to help you get it."The message is being promoted by organisations including Citizens Advice, Help the Aged & Age Concern to encourage pensioners to claim the benefits they are entitled, benefits that many pensioners will have worked all their lives paying taxes for.In many cases pensioners have been reluctant to claim benefits with some feeling that there are others more deserving but the money, whether it is for pensions, pension credit, Housing Benefit or any other benefit is in fact set aside waiting to be claimed by those entitled.In recent months the campaign to encourage pensioners to claim their entitlement has gathered pace and later this year changes will be implemented that will allow pensioners to claim their State Pension, Pension Credit, Council Tax Benefit and Housing Benefit in one phone call to the Pension Service.It is hoped that by simplifying the process more pensioners will claim what is rightfully theirs.Through one phone call to the Pension Service, people can check their entitlement and claim the following benefits: State Pension; Pension Credit; Housing Benefit; Council Tax Benefit and Carers Allowance. The Pension Service helpline is available Monday to Friday from 8.00am to 8.00pm on 0800 99 1234. For those with speech or hearing difficulties, a textphone service is available on 0800 169 0133. The Pension Service website www.thepensionservice.gov.uk contains comprehensive information for current and future pensioners. The Pension Service online calculator that enables people to calculate whether they are entitled to pension credit and other benefits: www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/pensioncredit/calculator/Useful information about retirement can be found at:www.directgov.gov.uk/en/Over50sCommenting on the campaign local MP Angus Robertson said:" It is important for pensioners to understand that this is money to which they are entitled and if it is not claimed it will simply sit there." Given the high cost of heating and electricity and road fuel just now, it is especially important that all of the money set aside for pensioners is claimed." No-one should feel that they are being a burden or that others are more entitled. as this is money that their taxes and National Insurance Contributions have paid for over the years." Another misconception is that pensioners who own a house or have modest savings are excluded from claiming and that is not the case.Moray Citizens Advice Bureau Deputy Manager Alistair Gordon said:" Moray CAB supports any initiative that will encourage pensioners to claim the benefits to which they are entitled. The Bureau offers wide ranging advice and assistance on all benefit related issues and can undertake benefit checks to establish whether clients are entitled to or are receiving their full entitlement.`" Anyone wishing to establish their entitlement to benefits can contact the Bureau at its offices at 30/32 Batchen Street, Elgin or by telephone on 01343 550088."Ends.
WESTMINSTER ECONOMICS FAIL MORAY
Posted on Tuesday, March 25 2008
"London's economic grip is holding enterprise back" - Angus Robertson MP"Scotland is well-placed to boost Economic Development if given the powers" - Richard Lochhead MSPMoray's MP Angus Robertson has expressed his ongoing concerns over the UK's economic policy which he says is failing Moray. Mr Robertson's views are supported by local MSP Richard Lochhead who says that the Scottish Government and Parliament has expertise to develop much better Economic Policy but that London still holds the purse strings.The SNP MP & MSP have consistently called for greater economic control to be shifted to the Scottish Parliament, allowing economic policies to be developed that are much more locally tailored.In the latest economic statistics the figures once again show that while Moray has low unemployment, those who are employed have the lowest average wage in Scotland and the 8th lowest out of more than 200 local authorities in the UK.Mr Robertson believes that as long UK economic policy is aimed at a London and South East England economy then Moray and other more peripheral areas of the UK will suffer an economic imbalance that disadvantages people's quality of life.Commenting on the latest statistics local MP Mr Robertson said:" A large proportion of the UK' workforce is within 100 miles of London and it is obvious that the economic drivers are completely different from the economic needs of Moray and Scotland as a whole." While the economic policy is good for London and the surrounding area it is far from helpful to business in Scotland which clearly has entirely different priorities as a result of geography and population spread amongst many other factors." That situation is backed up by these recent figures which put Moray at the lowest position in Scotland in terms of average wage and only just off the bottom of the UK table." We need to have control of the economic levers that will allow us to develop Moray's full potential and provide a sustainable, skilled and well-paid employment base.Moray MSP Richard Lochhead said:" We have a great range of skills in Moray and we have seen developments such as the Horizon Scotland at Forres, unique expertise in renewable technologies and hugely innovative food technology companies." It is impossible to maximise the potential of these companies without having a full range of economic controls." As an example it is not possible to put in place corporation tax incentives to encourage investment, as Ireland has done so successfully and without control over basic Treasury functions it is not possible to improve the export climate to allow our companies to compete effectively with other economies."Both MP & MSP have pledged to continue arguing the case for greater economic control to be devolved to Scotland.Ends.
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