MP Visits Royal Mail Offices in Christmas run up
Posted on Wednesday, November 29 2006
Moray MP Angus Robertson this week visited the Royal Mail Sorting Office at Buckie where postal workers were getting stuck into the Christmas mail mountain.Every year Royal Mail deliver hundreds of millions of Christmas cards as well as millions of Christmas parcels in addition to the regular mail.The Christmas rush has already begun in earnest and posties the length and breadth of the country will be putting in many long hours between now and 25 December.Commenting Mr Robertson said:" I was delighted to visit the Buckie Royal Mail office and I am also looking forward to visiting the Lossiemouth Delivery Office next week. It is great to meet the Royal Mail staff and see the scale of the operation. I have visited Royal Mail Delivery Offices in Moray since I was elected in 2001 and this has turned into something of an annual engagement for me." I never fail to be impressed by the commitment of the staff to moving the absolute mountain of mail they deal with at this time of year." Christmas is an exceptionally busy time for our posties and they really do pull out all the stops throughout the year to ensure mail is delivered quickly but even more so over the busy festive period."Notes for Editors:ESSENTIAL CHRISTMAS INFORMATIONIn Scotland, Royal Mail delivers to all 2.5 million addresses, with an estimated 250 million cards, letters and parcels throughout the festive season.Throughout the whole of the UK – Royal Mail delivers to 27 million UK addresses, with an estimated mailbag of 2.1 billion cards, letters and parcels.Royal Mail has more than 350 years experience and a dedicated workforce; it is committed to delivering the massive mailbag expected for Christmas 2004.* The people who make Christmas happen* Throughout Scotland more than 11,500 people deliver the mail* Postal workers walk up to 10 miles a day delivering the mail* Planning for Christmas is vital to ensure everything runs smoothly. Almost as soon as the decorations come down Royal Mail looks forward to the next year* Royal Mail delivers 8 million items every working day and 45 million items every week throughout the rest of the year* There are over 10,000 posting boxes in Scotland* 180 delivery offices, 3 mail centres: Edinburgh , Glasgow, Aberdeen* There are over 1700 Post Office branches across Scotland and just under 16,000 throughout the UKEnds.
SNP WELCOMES EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RENDITION REPORT
Posted on Wednesday, November 29 2006
UK GOVERNMENT SLAMMED IN CONCLUSIONSThe Scottish National Party has welcomed a European Parliament report into rendition flights which concludes that many EU nations were aware that the CIA used their territory for the transfer or detention of terror suspects. It follows the publication of a dossier by the SNP detailing intelligence flights through Scottish airports.The European Parliament report draws attention to 170 US intelligence flights through UK airports and is highly critical of UK Government cooperation with the inquiry.SNP Foreign Affairs and Defence Spokesman Angus Robertson MP said:"This is the second international investigation which puts the UK government in a difficult light about rendition flights."We need an end to the 'hear no evil, see no evil' approach by New Labour ministers."It is ironic that in the week that the EP inquiry has made these damning findings the Crown Office in Scotland has concluded against pursuing this issue. This is despite the credible evidence about intelligence flights through Scottish airports provided to the Council of Europe inquiry."SNP Europe Spokesman Alyn Smith MEP added:"The European Parliament inquiry was wide ranging and detailed and is damning about the UK government."The wall of silence still remains from the Lib Dems who are responsible for transport policy in the Scottish Executive. "How long will it take for Labour at Westminster and the Lib Dems in Holyrood to recognise the need for an ethical foreign policy?"ENDSNotes:Background on SNP report to Council of Europe:The report lists 10 firms which allegedly operate as CIA shell companies and details the plane types, registration numbers and dates which they landed at Prestwick, Glasgow and Edinburgh airports. Among the planes was a Gulfstream jet (Registration number N379P/N8068V) nicknamed the "Guantanamo Bay Express" and was reportedly used to transport suspects to the US prison on Cuba. That plane is listed in the report as having landed five times at Glasgow and Prestwick airports between 2002 and the end of 2004.The report also lists details about a DC 9 airliner (Registration number N822US) which has been the subject of diplomatic inquiries by the Norwegian government and debate in the Canadian Parliament. The plane is listed in the report as having landed at both Glasgow and Prestwick airports in 2002 and 2003
MORAY MP BACKS CALL FOR GOVERNMENT FAREPACK INITIATIVE
Posted on Tuesday, November 28 2006
SNP SUBMITS MOTION FOR GOVERNMENT TO MATCH-FUND FAREPAK APPEALMoray SNP MP Angus Robertson has joined SNP parliamentarians in lodging a Commons motion asking the government to match-fund the total of the Farepak Relief Fund.The Farepak Relief Fund is set to close shortly and while it has secured many generous contributions, it remains a good deal short of the £40 million lost by the Farepak families.The collapse of Farepak is an exceptional case affecting thousands of some of the most hard pressed constituents whose Christmas has effectively been ruined. So far the Government has given nothing to the Response Fund. Speaking today Angus Robertson MP said:"The Farepak emergency relief fund is set to close shortly and while there have been some generous contributions it is a good way short of the £40 million lost by Farepak families."It is now time for the government to play its part and put its hands in its pockets and show the same degree of generosity and big heartedness."The government must now do their bit to help out those hundreds of thousands of hard pressed people who have lost out so badly."The least the Government can do is to match the amount raised in this appeal. This could also act as a good example to larger businesses and financial institutions and encourage them to contribute too.Farepack Parliamentary Motion reads:This House notes the many generous contributions to the Farepak Response fund from individuals, communities and some financial institutions who have recognised that Christmas has been ruined for hundreds of thousands of people throughout the UK; believes that there is still time for further contributions to be made, hopes that this fund continues to grow but recognises it is a good way short of the total lost by families caught up in the Farepak collapse: believes it is now time for the Government to do its bit and show the same type of generosity and big heartedness; and further believes that the Government should match-fund the total secured in the relief fund and hopes that this would act as an incentive to businesses and other financial institutions.ENDS
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