Westminster News
Posted on Friday, June 8 2007
Concerns for Nimrod fleet get Panorama treatmentThis week saw the BBC's Panorama program investigating the safety concerns surrounding the ageing fleet of Nimrod aircraft that are based at RAF Kinloss.As the program was broadcast, the families of the victims the Nimrod crash in Afghanistan are still waiting for the answers they deserve on the cause of the crash.What has become abundantly clear is the major concerns that exist amongst serving personnel over the safety and viability of the aircraft. In the House of Commons I and other concerned MPs have tabled various questions on safety issues to the Minister and the information coming from the MoD is doing little to address these concerns.Everybody accepts that the Nimrod replacement work is going to take at least another three years but in the meantime we need a greater commitment from the MoD to provide the necessary funding to ensure that the remaining aircraft that are currently in use are as safe as they can possibly be. I have no doubt that those who saw Monday's documentary and who were not aware of the safety concerns will have been shocked by stories of regular fuel leaks and the sheer amount of cannabalising of aircraft for spares that has to happen.Needless to say, the most disturbing aspect of these problems, is the prospect that 14 lives may have been lost simply because the aircraft are not fit for purpose.I sincerely hope the investigation will be completed soon for the sake of the families and friends of the brave aircrew that were lost in this tragedy.Carers WeekThe work of unpaid carers throughout the UK is acknowledged and celebrated during Carers Week which begins on Monday. The work of voluntary carers all to often goes unrecognised and many involved in caring suffer significant hardship through loss of work, increased home costs and the stress that caring can often bring.Carers care because they love those that need their help in times when their health fails them or they have disabilities that prevent them from fully caring for themselves. At present the state provides a pittance of support to carers. This is particularly galling when you consider that if the state had to do the caring the cost would be many times greater.Carers are not asking for a kings ransom, merely enough support to allow them to cover their bills and let them have a reasonable quality of life with those that they care for.A review has been announced by the government into the support available for carers, something that my SNP colleagues and I have called for over many years. It is long overdue and I will be raising carers concerns as the debate on the future for carers progresses.In the meantime spare a thought for those who are caring because for most people there is a high likelihood that they will have to care or be cared for at some point in their lives.All Change at WestminsterWhile the Labour Party's new leader has been decided and their Deputy Leadership battle rages on the Scottish National Party has also made changes with the move of Alex Salmond from Westminster to Holyrood.Alex's election as MSP for Gordon and then as First Minister meant that the SNP in Westminster were without a group leader. The result of this is that I have been given the honour of leading the SNP in Westminster.Needless to say we will be working closely with Alex and the cabinet team in Scotland raising the issues that affect and concern people living in Scotland.
Moray MP comments on unfulfilled G8 promises
Posted on Friday, June 8 2007
Angus Robertson, Member of Parliament for Moray, has commented on the G8 meeting, which is drawing to a close in Germany. The Scottish National Party MP has expressed his deep concern at the failure of the world's most powerful nations to deliver on promises they made at Gleneagles.At the previous G8 in Gleneagles hundreds of thousands of Scots demonstrated issues of global poverty and addressing the AIDS crisis in Africa.The demonstrators included many hundreds from Moray who travelled both to Edinburgh and to Gleneagles to make their feelings knownThis year's meeting was also previewed with a raft of promises on climate change and Africa issues. Significant amounts of money have been pledged, which Mr Robertson has welcomed but many other promises remain just promises.Commenting the SNP MP for Moray said:"Whilst I welcome announcements made by the G8 this week, such as the $60bn pledged to fight Aids, malaria and tuberculosis in Africa and the recent statement made to seek substantial cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, these proposals fall far short of what is needed in Africa. Much of this money has been announced previously and falls short of UN targets." The people of Moray who gave their support to the campaign will be disappointed that many of these key issues are still not being properly taken forward by the countries that have the most money and influence and, therefore, the greatest opportunity to do some good."Last year the G8 came to Gleneagles in a whirlwind circus of commitment and promises made on Scottish soil. The member nations of the G8 have failed to meet their own commitments made at the 2005 summit. The sustained boost to aid, wiping debts of 18 African countries and steps towards a free trade arrangement to work towards removing tariffs on African exports, have still not materialised whilst the pledge to allow for universal access to HIV drugs in Africa by 2010 seems increasingly to be a promise that will be broken."The people of Moray and Scotland went to the streets in their hundreds of thousands last year to tell world leaders to Make Poverty History. The results of the meeting will mean that the people of Scotland and the rest of the world will not see poverty being made history nearly soon enough." Ends.
'I'm Backing Bingo' says Moray MP
Posted on Tuesday, June 5 2007
Moray MP Angus Robertson says he is 'Backing Bingo' in support of a campaign to have the double taxation of Bingo Clubs addressed by the government.It is widely acknowledged that Bingo Halls have been hit hard by smoking ban legislation and the firms, including Scotland based Carlton bingo who operate halls in Elgin & Buckie and independent clubs such as Quayside Bingo in Lossiemouth are campaigning for a fairer system of taxation to offset the problems they are facing.The Industry body, the Bingo Association, has already received the support of over 1,000 bingo players in Moray in the three clubs and their support has been added to a petition with nearly a quarter of a million signatures that was recently presented to 10 Downing Street.The Bingo industry has long argued for a fairer tax regime, as they are charged both Bingo Duty at 15% of gross profit and VAT at 17.5%. No other forms of gambling, including bookmakers and casinos, have this taxation burden.Commenting the SNP's Angus Robertson said:" Bingo is very popular in Moray and thousands of folk play in this area alone. Bingo clubs have an important social role and many constituents regularly meet up with their friends to play." It has always struck as quite unfair that bingo players should be worse off in tax terms than those betting in bookies and casinos." I have previously visited bingo halls in Moray and I know how many enjoy playing, not to mention the dozens of jobs supported in the area." In Westminster the SNP have pursued this issue with the Treasury and we will continue to do so to protect this important leisure activity and the jobs that it supports."Ends.
NIMROD MP ECHOES PANORAMA CONCERNS
Posted on Monday, June 4 2007
WESTMINSTER SNP LEADER CALLS FOR MOD ACTIONThe MP who represents the Nimrod home base of RAF Kinloss has expressed his concerns ahead of a Panorama broadcast about the safety of the aircraft.Westminster SNP leader Angus Robertson MP has been questioning the Ministry of Defence (MOD) about the ageing Nimrod fleet since the loss of 14 servicemen aboard a Nimrod in Afghanistan last September.According to a BBC Panorama investigation new concerns are being raised about the safety of the Nimrod planes and that there have been two serious mid-air incidents since the crash, both after refuelling.Speaking about the safety issues Angus Robertson MP said:"The concerns about Nimrod safety are now being widely seen by the public and hopefully the Ministry of Defence will recognise the challenge and act."Everyone is still waiting for the RAF Board of Inquiry to report on the causes of the Nimrod crash in Afghanistan, but the wider concerns about the whole fleet remain."There are serious worries about the regularity of fuel leaks from Nimrods. The overworking of the ageing fleet has been confirmed by recent MOD statistics on exceeded planned flying hours and aircraft parts regularly need to be swapped from one plane to another to keep them airborne."This corresponds with the widespread concerns by the service community at RAF Kinloss about the number of skilled staff who have recently taken early retirement compounding a shortage of ground crew."We need to remember that all of these issues have directly touched the families who lost their loved ones aboard the Nimrod that crashed in Afghanistan and also the whole service community at RAF Kinloss."The MOD has a huge challenge to restore confidence, moral and trust in their management of the Nimrod fleet as it approaches replacement."
NIMROD MP POSES MOD MORE SAFETY QUESTIONS
Posted on Monday, June 4 2007
ROBERTSON: “CONCERNS REMAIN ABOUT NIMROD FLEET”The Member of Parliament representing the home base of the Nimrod fleet at RAF Kinloss has posed a series of new safety questions in parliament. Westminster SNP leader Angus Robertson MP says that “Concerns remain about the ageing Nimrod fleet, including the safety standards of certain wiring systems”. The new parliamentary questions come as BBC Panorama reports on concerns about the safety of the Nimrod planes.14 servicemen died aboard a Nimrod which crashed in Afghanistan last September. According to Panorama there have been two serious mid-air incidents since the crash, both after refuelling.Moray MP Angus Robertson says that there is a huge demand for answers:“There are many unanswered questions relating to the Nimrod crash and the fleet in general. Everybody is waiting for the findings of the RAF Board of Inquiry into the crash in Afghanistan, but there are also questions which the Ministry of Defence can answer now.“One concern raised with me by Nimrod insiders relates to some of the wiring systems. Hopefully the MOD can clarify the use of Kapton wiring on Nimrod aircraft and explain why its use is acceptable on certain military aircraft when it has been phased out by many civilian carriers.Mr Robertson reiterated the range of recent concerns that have been highlighted about the Nimrod fleet: "There are serious worries about the regularity of fuel leaks from Nimrods. The overworking of the ageing fleet has been confirmed by recent MOD statistics on exceeded planned flying hours and aircraft parts regularly need to be swapped from one plane to another to keep them airborne."This corresponds with the widespread concerns by the service community at RAF Kinloss about the number of skilled staff who have recently taken early retirement compounding a shortage of ground crew."We need to remember that all of these issues have directly touched the families who lost their loved ones aboard the Nimrod that crashed in Afghanistan and also the whole service community at RAF Kinloss."The MOD has a huge challenge to restore confidence, moral and trust in their management of the Nimrod fleet as it approaches replacement."ENDS
NIMROD MP ECHOES PANORAMA CONCERNS
Posted on Sunday, June 3 2007
WESTMINSTER SNP LEADER CALLS FOR MOD ACTIONThe MP who represents the Nimrod home base of RAF Kinloss has expressed his concerns ahead of a Panorama broadcast about the safety of the aircraft.Westminster SNP leader Angus Robertson MP has been questioning the Ministry of Defence (MOD) about the ageing Nimrod fleet since the loss of 14 servicemen aboard a Nimrod in Afghanistan last September.According to a BBC Panorama investigation new concerns are being raised about the safety of the Nimrod planes and that there have been two serious mid-air incidents since the crash, both after refuelling.Speaking about the safety issues Angus Robertson MP said:"The concerns about Nimrod safety are now being widely seen by the public and hopefully the Ministry of Defence will recognise the challenge and act."Everyone is still waiting for the RAF Board of Inquiry to report on the causes of the Nimrod crash in Afghanistan, but the wider concerns about the whole fleet remain."There are serious worries about the regularity of fuel leaks from Nimrods. The overworking of the ageing fleet has been confirmed by recent MOD statistics on exceeded planned flying hours and aircraft parts regularly need to be swapped from one plane to another to keep them airborne."This corresponds with the widespread concerns by the service community at RAF Kinloss about the number of skilled staff who have recently taken early retirement compounding a shortage of ground crew."We need to remember that all of these issues have directly touched the families who lost their loved ones aboard the Nimrod that crashed in Afghanistan and also the whole service community at RAF Kinloss."The MOD has a huge challenge to restore confidence, moral and trust in their management of the Nimrod fleet as it approaches replacement."
MP SUPPORTS CAUSE OF GHURKA HERO
Posted on Sunday, June 3 2007
Moray MP Angus Robertson has given his backing to a campaign to allow a Victoria Cross hero entry to the UK to receive essential medical treatment.Mr Robertson has been contacted in the last week by several constituents, some of whom are ex-service personnel themselves, expressing their anger that the highly decorated Ghurka soldier Tul Bahadur Pun has been refused an application to settle in the UK. The refusal was on the grounds that the war hero has "failed to demonstrate strong ties with the UK".This is despite the fact that Mr Pun is one of only 12 living Victoria Cross holders.Tens of thousands of people from all over the UK have given their support to the campaign to give Mr Pun the right to live in the UK.Commenting Mr Robertson, also the SNP's Defence Spokesman, said:" There are many, many soldiers and civilians just in Moray who remember ghurka soldiers hard bravery and enormous enthusiasm with affection. I have received letters from ex-soldiers who have served with Ghurkas who recall their enormous effort in their duties and their inspiration to other soldiers." Other in Moray recall the Ghurkas who visited Moray in the 1980s to carry out essential work on Portgordon Harbour." I find it disgraceful that any government department could suggest that a Victoria Cross decorated soldier does not "demonstrate stong ties with the UK". I have yet to meet anyone who could reasonably suggest that was the case and this is clearly a failure of the immigration systemt to take proper account of an individual's circumstances." I have read the account of Mr Pun's actions which led to him receiving the Victoria Cross and I am humbled by his incredible bravery in the face of terrible odds." I am raising this issue with the Ministry of Defence and I sincerely hope that the decision will be changed."Notes for Editors:More details of the campaign can be found at www.vchero.co.uk including the account of his bravery.
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