A special celebration for Unify Credit Union

Congrats to all the team at Unify CU

Unify Credit Union today celebrated its 10th anniversary of providing low cost, ethical financial services to the Wigan Borough.

Unify was established in 2002 by the formation of three small community credit unions. In 2009 the last remaining community credit union, Worsley Mesnes Credit Union, joined forces with Unify – making it the largest credit union in the Borough.
Credit Unions are community savings and loans co-operatives, owned and run by its members. Membership is available to anyone who lives or works within the Wigan Borough.

Members save with Unify and those savings are then used to give low cost loans to members. Any profits at the end of the financial year are given back to the members in the form of an annual dividend.

Today, Unify has grown to more than 6000 members and over £2.6million in assets. Unify has two local branch locations in Higher Ince and Leigh and 14 local collection points across the Borough.

Unify’s growth is echoed in figures released recently by the Financial Services Authority which show that the British credit union sector, offering its ethical and inclusive brand of financial services, goes from strength to strength with a 12% increase in deposits, 14% increase in lending and 15% increase in assets in 2011.

As a member of Unify I was welcomed to the Higher Ince HQ today by General Manager, Angela Fishwick as the celebrations were well underway.

For Angela today marks a special milestone in the history of the credit union movement in the Borough.
She said, “So many local people have given their time freely to developing the credit union in Wigan, and to see us reach this milestone and be so strong is great news for everyone involved.

“Unify is continuing to grow and develop services with the aim of becoming the main financial service provider for members; providing instant access savings, loans and bill payments.”

Access to affordable credit is a major issue for many people, especially where they need small sums to make an emergency purchase or to tide them over for a short period.

The collapse of the UK banking system and the proliferation of legal loan sharks has led many to conclude that credit unions are a viable alternative. Unify is run by its members for its members demonstrating the power of co-operation and concern for the community in which it operates.

I congratulate Angela and all who have worked to make Unify the success story that it is today and I will continue to promote the credit union movement as a safe and ethical alternative.

Summer Reading Challenge

I am supporting a campaign run by The Reading Agency to encourage all primary school children to join their local library and take part in this year’s Summer Reading Challenge - the UK’s biggest reading promotion for primary school children.
The Challenge which begins on 14 July is for every child aged 4-11 years to read six books of their choice from their local library during the summer holidays. Children earn stickers along the way and will be given a certificate or “Olympic style” medal when they complete the Challenge. This is the 14th year of the Challenge and this year the theme is “Story Lab” which is set in a city hosting the Olympic Games.

Over 20 popular children’s authors are supporting the campaign including children’s laureate Julia Donaldson and fellow award-winning writers  Malorie Blackman, Charlie Higson,  Anthony Horowitz, Michael Morpurgo, Michael Rosen and Jacqueline Wilson.

I hope parents and carers in Makerfield will take their children to their local library this summer and if they aren’t already members sign up and do the Summer Reading Challenge.  It’s free and makes reading fun, a vital ingredient in building literacy. Last year 2500 children in the Borough took part in the Challenge. I hope we will beat that figure this year and show local libraries how much we value them.

Let's get behind our Armed Forces community

I attended an event at the House of Commons to promote the creation of Community Covenants across the country, organised by The Royal British Legion, the event highlighted the importance of local communities getting behind the Armed Forces community in their own area and honouring the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant in practice on the ground.

Launched last year following a successful campaign by the Legion, the Community Covenant scheme is helping to transform the relationship between local communities and serving and reservist Armed Forces personnel, veterans and their families, for the benefit of both communities.

The Legion is encouraging local authorities to sign a Community Covenant as their own unique commitment to develop mutual understanding, meet the needs of the Armed Forces community and identify opportunities for closer working in their area. More than 50 Community Covenants have been signed so far, and another 50 are in the pipeline.

Signing a Community Covenant is an excellent way for local authorities to demonstrate that they are doing their bit to support the Armed Forces Covenant locally. It also offers access to a £30M Government funding stream, the “Community Covenant Grant Scheme”, for local projects that strengthen ties or mutual understanding between the Armed Forces Community and the wider community.

The Legion campaigned successfully for the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant to be written into law. The principles recognise the unique nature of Service and state that no disadvantage should arise from it, such as in accessing public services, and that special treatment should be allowed where justified.

Community Covenants are a fantastic way for local authorities and the wider community to show their support for our Armed Forces and their families. These Covenants are about securing real improvements in the welfare of Armed Forces personnel, veterans and their families in constituencies across the UK. I am pleased that so many local authorities are signing up. Now all of us need to ensure the commitments made really make a difference where it matters – on the ground.

Armed Forces Day 2012

Working Poor will suffer from localised Council Tax benefit scheme

This week I secured a debate in Parliament on Government plans to change the council tax benefit regime in England.

A damning assessment by the Institute for Fiscal Studies of the proposed council tax benefit changes, which starts next April, says that although the reform's £480m-a-year savings equate to an average £19 per household, the working poor would be hit hardest.

The government proposes to allow councils to design a local benefit system but in return says it will cut funding for it by 10%. With 5.9 million recipients, it is more widely claimed than any other means-tested benefit or tax credit.

The cut in funding will be larger, says Yvonne Fovargue MP, in areas where council tax benefit spending is highest – the more deprived areas of Britain. The requirement to protect pensioners in England means that the cut in funding of a tenth translates into a 20% cut in support for working-age claimants in Wigan.
Shocking statistics underline the impact that the changes will have in the Wigan Borough;

• Funding will be reduced by £2.6million (10% cut)
• As existing and future pensioners are protected from the changes the effect of this is to shift the 10% (£2.6m) reduction in funding solely to working age households – 18,000 in Wigan creating a reduction of approx 20% for this group.

I look at the cumulative effect of the Welfare Benefit changes disproportionately impacting upon people in low paid work and frankly I despair at the options the Government are forcing our local council to consider.
If anybody believed that David Cameron was a compassionate Conservative, then this issue confirms that the ‘nasty party’ is back – indeed it never went away.

I understand that Wigan Council is now working towards developing a scheme for implementation to meet the legal requirements of the Local Government Finance Bill as it makes its parliamentary passage. At the same time other changes in the welfare system, including the introduction of Universal Credit and the ‘Bedroom tax’ will also hit the working poor.

Singly, any one of these changes will affect people on a low wage extremely hard, cumulatively they could well deliver a fatal blow.  It is well reported that only a small decrease in income will push a struggling family from the position of just about managing to that of not coping and sinking into unmanageable debt and the advice agencies who have hitherto been there to help and rescue these individuals are also struggling with the legal aid cuts removing support on Welfare Benefits and most debt cases.

These hard working families are already squeezed, councils are squeezed and it is inevitable that, yet again, the poor and vulnerable will suffer.

Armed Forces Day 2012

The men and women who serve in Britain’s armed forces continue to make enormous sacrifices to protect our country and Armed Forces Day this Saturday provides us all with the opportunity to demonstrate our support for everyone in the serving community.

Those involved with military operations in Afghanistan deserve our utmost respect – their sustained bravery in an extremely challenging environment is a source of enormous pride for us all.

But the defence community stretches beyond those serving in Afghanistan. Armed Forces Day is also an opportunity to support veterans, cadets and service families.

Those in the armed forces play a unique role in our public life and they rightly deserve unique recognition through the military covenant which ensures that those who make sacrifices and serve our country shall face no disadvantage as a result of their service.

Following a campaign led by the Royal British Legion and supported by Labour, the principles of the Military Covenant were enshrined in to the Armed Forces Act 2011. But whilst the military covenant was an important step, there is still much work to be done. The Government needs to do more to ensure that the principles of the covenant are backed up with hard policies that really help members of the Armed Forces.

Hopefully this year’s Armed Forces Day can act as a catalyst to encourage the Government to provide better support for those who have already served our country, and those who continue to serve.
I’m proud that so many of my constituents choose to serve their community and their country so bravely, which is why I’ll be attending on Saturday in Wigan Town centre where everybody in the Borough can pay tribute to all those in the Armed Forces who continue to serve us so well.

Visit the Armed Forces Day website to find out more about this special day.

Is Wigan losing out on Lottery funding

I have today called on the Government to commission a fuller and more comprehensive analysis of the distribution of lottery grants following a report by the Industrial Communities Alliance (ICA).

The National Lottery is played by millions of people across the country and the report finds that the ‘good causes’ supported by lottery grants are not spread equitably across all parts of the country.

Entitled ‘The Postcode Lottery’ the report’s key findings include;

• Inequalities in the distribution of Lottery funding mean that industrial areas like Wigan receive only about 60% of the national average per head
• The cumulative loss of funding to these communities totals £3billion or £200million a year since the Lottery began

The ICA report includes Wigan as one of the 19 comparator local authorities.

At a time of spending cuts to local authorities, charities and the wider voluntary sector it is important that all communities are able to access their fare share of lottery funding. This report demonstrates that this is not the case.

The Government and the Lottery Boards must commission a comprehensive analysis of the distribution of lottery grants.

Learning Disability Week

I attended a disability hate crime event in the Houses of Parliament this week to launch the start of Learning Disability Week.

The event, organised by learning disability charity Mencap, aimed to raise awareness of the issue of disability hate crime and highlight the positive progress that has been made since the launch of Mencap’s Stand by me campaign last year.
Greater Manchester Police is one of the 34 forces which has signed up to Mencap’s Stand by me police promise and formally committed to supporting people with a learning disability and increasing hate crime convictions.

As many as 9 out of 10 people with a learning disability have been a victim of hate crime and bullying.
This year during Learning Disability Week (18th – 24th June 2012), police and crime commissioner candidates across England and Wales will face questions from disabled people and their families, who will demand that new police and crime plans include a commitment to tackling disability hate crime, ahead of public elections in November.

Attendees at the event heard from Minister of State for Policing and Criminal Justice, Nick Herbert; Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Simon Byrne; Mencap chief executive Mark Goldring; and disability hate crime victim Kate Green.

Mencap receives reports from around the country of people who are verbally abused and physically attacked. They might be seen as easy targets or valued less because of their disability. With the help of our local communities and police, Mencap wants to change this. Disability hate crime is a serious offence, and if the courts recognise that a person was targeted because of their disability they can impose a heavier sentence.

To find out more about Mencap’s Stand by me campaign, visit the website.   

Not a single affordable home built in Wigan in 2011

The Government’s policies came under fire today as official figures revealed that affordable house building had collapsed in Wigan. The figures from the Government’s Homes and Communities Agency show that affordable housing starts fell from 97 to zero in 2011/2012 compared with the previous year.

These figures demonstrate the disastrous impact of Government housing and economic policies and the need for urgent action to build much needed homes and get the economy going again.

This Government is failing families in Wigan who are in desperate need of a home. We have a growing housing crisis and the Government’s policies are making it worse. Across the North West there has been a 57% fall in affordable home starts and in Wigan not a single affordable new home start in 2011.

Labour has called on the Government to take action by repeating the bankers’ bonus tax to fund 25,000 new affordable homes while proposing a one year cut in VAT on home improvements, repairs and maintenance to help homeowners, small businesses and create much needed jobs and apprenticeships.

Jubilee Time Capsule

I have recorded my personal Jubilee Time Capsule memory and am encouraging local people to take part.

I chose my first memory of a photograph with my favourite Teddy called ‘Teddy 1’ taken in 1960.

The Royal Commonwealth Society’s Jubilee Time Capsule project is collating memories from the last 60 years across the Commonwealth. Memories that are uploaded do not have to be about Her Majesty the Queen or Royal Family.

I can remember the photographer encouraging me to smile only for me to say I didn’t want my photo taking. At this point my Mum steps forward telling me that Teddy 1 wanted his picture taken and would I hold him!

It holds happy memories of my childhood years.

The Jubilee Time Capsule is a great opportunity for local people to get involved in not only the Diamond Jubilee but also take part in the world’s largest online history project by uploading a memory and record a piece of their own personal history - a snapshot in time.

You can upload your memory here.

Regulation of payday lending required to end 'wild west' scenario

This week, I have called for the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to introduce the ‘power to suspend’ unscrupulous companies operating in the lucrative payday lending industry.

I have made a submission to the OFT’s Review of the Payday Lending sector including case studies from Wigan based Citizens Advice Bureau and the borough’s credits unions Unify and Welcome.

I have witnessed first hand the the rapid growth of the payday lending industry and over the same period the similar increase in the number of people seeking debt advice as a result of having not just one, but numerous payday loans, easily taken out and with limited affordability checks by the lending company.

I accept that there is a role for payday lenders to play in the finance industry, but I am calling for a much tougher approach to applying existing regulation as well as introducing measures to take account of the methods employed by the industry, such as instant online decisions and loans by text message.

My call for action includes:

• The OFT to be given the power to suspend companies from trading, which they are confident, have been in breach of current guidance.
• Raising the bar for entry into the industry, as it is currently too easy for these companies to obtain licenses to trade.
• The creation of a database of real time credit information to combat ‘spiralling debt’ faced by many consumers when multiple loans are provided to customers, by different companies and in a short space
of time.

The next two years will be an extremely difficult period as the transfer of powers from the OFT to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) takes place. This has the potential to create a ‘wild west’ style scenario of payday loans companies benefitting from the inevitable confusion and uncertainty in the cross-over period.

I do believe that the way the industry is currently operating penalises vulnerable consumers. Voluntary regulation has failed miserably and now is the time for the OFT to be given the power to crack down on the irresponsible actions of an industry making huge profits on the back of vulnerable and low income borrowers.

Victim Support right to call for rethink of Government proposals for victims and witnesses

I am backing a campaign to ensure victims and witnesses of crime are not made to suffer twice.

At least £21m of help for victims could be wasted if controversial government plans to hand control of budgets to police and crime commissioners go ahead, according to the charity Victim Support.

Even by the Government’s own estimate the costs of this form-filling would mean the loss of:

• intensive support for 25,000 victims of domestic violence
• support for 20,000 victims of antisocial behaviour
• installation of 15,000 home alarm kits for victims of burglary and
• 100,000 personal alarms given to victims of personal or street crime.

Victim Support is therefore calling on the Government to rethink plans which it believes are unworkable, damaging and dangerous and could abandon people when they are at their most vulnerable.
If implemented, the Government’s plans will also:

• Break up the existing network of nearly 7,000 highly trained Victim Support volunteers, which currently saves the taxpayer over £20m a year. Without this network, victims of large scale criminal incidents, the police and local authorities will all be less able to rely on consistent local support.
• Create patchy services for victims and witnesses. This –  and the Government’s desire to focus support on far fewer types of crime – means that some victims may miss out on any support.
• Reduce the money available to spend on victims and witnesses by £3m per year, by reducing Victim Support’s ability to fundraise.
• Divert millions of pounds to private sector firms – money which would be better spent on helping victims.
• Put the security of victims’ personal information at risk – with significant implications for the police who currently routinely share victims’ data with Victim Support.

Victim Support volunteers do an amazing job in Wigan. We need to ensure that those who are affected by crime get the support they deserve. That’s why I’m backing Victim Support’s calls on Government to rethink its plans.

Javed Khan, Chief Executive of Victim Support, said:, "It makes no sense to reinvent the wheel by asking police and crime commissioners to purchase services for victims. Victim Support has been successfully giving help to victims and witnesses for nearly 40 years. It is simply unacceptable that they could lose out on support to the value of £21m because of additional red tape and paper pushing."

“Getting it right for victims and witnesses should be about putting their needs at the heart of changes, not making proposals which have the potential to abandon them when they are at their most vulnerable.”

Cameron's betrayal of hard working families

Government forces through suspension of Sunday trading laws

The Tory-led coalition has forced through emergency legislation that will suspend the Sunday trading
laws in England and Wales for eight weeks this summer starting from 22 July.

Coalition MPs voted through The Sunday Trading (London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games) Bill last night, after just nine hours consideration and debate in both the House of Commons and House of
Lords.

In a break with the convention that MPs have a free vote on the issue of Sunday trading, Coalition
MPs were subject to a three-line whip, meaning all Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs were
compelled to back the Bill. The shopworkers’ union Usdaw said the government’s decision to deny its
MPs a free vote reflected the shambolic way the issue had been handled and the failure of the
government to make a convincing case for the suspension.

I voted aginst the Bill and believe that the Government have failed to listen to shop workers and interested bodies like the voice of small retailers - The Association of Convenience Stores. Instead they chose to back a handful of large commercial interests who would prefer a permanent deregulation of Sunday trading.

VQ Day

I am lending my support to the fifth annual VQ Day –  a celebration of the millions of people gaining vocational qualifications across the country every year –  and encouraging local colleges, schools, businesses and learning providers to get involved. 

VQ Day 2012 will be held on Wednesday 20th June to recognise the value of vocational qualifications and celebrate vocational achievement. The day will be marked by events held at colleges, schools, businesses and learning providers across the UK, including award ceremonies and open days.

With a tough economic climate, it has never been more important to provide young people with access to high quality technical, practical and vocational courses which offer genuine job prospects. Vocational qualifications are valuable not only to individuals but to the economy, providing work ready skills, experience and the opportunity for career progression, higher pay and further education.

Vocational qualifications provide huge benefits to the UK from improving the skills and careers of individuals to helping boost our economy. Running for the fifth year, VQ Day 2012 will highlight their increasing importance while celebrating the millions of people achieving vocational qualifications every year.  I encourage colleges, schools, learners and employers throughout the Borough to join the celebrations on Wednesday 20th June.

Anyone in a loving relationship should be able to get married

This week I have pledged my support for the Labour Campaign for equal marriage.

Introduced by Labour, Civil Partnerships were introduced through the 2004 Civil Partnership Act which enabled same-sex couples to have the same rights as married couples on a wide range of legal matters including property and financial arrangements, social security, children, housing and tenancies, employment and pension benefits, and tax treatment.

On 15th March 2012 the Government also launched a 12-week public consultation on their proposal to equalise civil marriage for same-sex couples. The Government had announced their intention to hold this consultation in September 2011 and intend to equalise same-sex marriages by the end of this Parliament.

Civil Partnerships were a significant step towards equality but I would like Parliament to go further and extend marriage equality to same-sex couples who want it. I fully support same-sex marriage and I believe this is the right way for the state and society to recognise and respect commitment.

I know there is some opposition to this proposal - particularly from some religious groups - and I think it is important to emphasise that the proposals included in the Government's consultation do not in any way compel or require religious groups to carry out same-sex marriages, rather it permits same-sex couples who want to make a long-term commitment to have their relationship recognised as marriage in a civil ceremony and by the state.

The campaign's Facebook page is now online.

I will vote against relaxation of Sunday Trading laws

I will vote against Government proposals to relax Sunday Trading laws across the country during the Olympic & Paralympic Games this summer.

MPs will be debating the Sunday Trading (Olympic & Paralympic Games) Bill in parliament on Monday, 30th April.

The Bill was announced in the March Budget without prior consultation with the public, trade unions and with retailers.

Usdaw, the Manchester-based shopworkers’ union, has called on the government to drop plans to suspend Sunday trading laws during the Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer, warning it was an attempt to deregulate opening hours ‘by the back door’.

Usdaw members say it would have a detrimental impact on the family life of its members. The government has offered assurances that the proposed suspension was not a prelude to total deregulation. However, Usdaw contends that any suspension of Sunday trading hours is the thin end of the wedge and an attempt by the coalition to deregulate Sunday trading by the back door.

The government plans to suspend Sunday trading laws for eight Sundays during the Games this summer, but a poll by the union found 77% of its members oppose the move.

Usdaw is not alone in opposing the Government’s plans, the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) which represents some 33,000 local shops across the country including local retailers like the Co-op, Spar and Nisa are opposed to the proposals and many large retailers are also against them because they understand that, for the vast majority of them, takings would remain the same but overheads would be pushed up, at a time when margins are already being severely squeezed.

In a letter to me, ACS state that, ‘proposals to liberalise Sunday Trading laws for the Olympics have not been consulted on and no impact assessment has been undertaken. Changing Sunday Trading laws for the Olympics will set a dangerous precedent for introducing long term reform’.

A recent poll (2010 gfk/NOP) for ACS showed that 89% of the public were opposed to the further liberalisation of Sunday Trading laws.

Despite the fact that shopworkers, the public and many businesses are opposed to the proposals, the Government is ploughing on regardless with this rushed legislation. Ministers are rushing through a Bill that has significant implications for workers and businesses across Wigan.

A survey of over 20,000 Usdaw members conducted after the Chancellor's Budget in March found that:

• 77% opposed the suspension of Sunday trading laws for eight Sundays during the Olympic Games this summer. Just 12% said they were in favour of suspension.
• 48% said they come under pressure from their employer to work Sundays.
• 71% said they would come under more pressure to work Sundays if shops were allowed to open for longer.

Cameron's NHS Betrayal

Government will look again at 'super complaint' powers

You may be forgiven for not being aware of the Financial Services Bill (FSB) which is currently making its passage through Parliament but a significant victory for consumers was won last week after I spoke to an amendment to the Bill.

The government has agreed to rewrite a section of the FSB to stop ‘super complaints’ from being brought by trade bodies.

Under the Enterprise Act 2002, super complaints can be made by designated consumer groups and are an excellent tool for raising issues of mass consumer detriment. Most recently Which? secured a ban on excessive debit and card charges after a super complaint highlighted the lack of transparency and high price of the charges which cost consumers millions of pounds a year.

I argued that the FSB would have undermined the Enterprise Act 2002. The wording of the Bill could be interpreted as allowing trade bodies (which represent firms) to bring super complaints. I maintained that super complaints were not designed as a tool for industry and that they already have a clear avenue of complaint to the regulator and therefore, should not be allowed to hijack this aspect of consumer protection.

The minister accepted my argument and will now bring forward a revision to the Bill to reflect the amendment.

Currently super complaints can only be used by bodies that genuinely represent consumers and have been used by bodies like Which? The Bill could have widened the groups who have this power to include trade bodies hijacking the system from consumers to firms.

I am pleased that the minister agreed that these powers should not be available to bodies representing professional businesses and investors but should remain as a powerful tool for true consumer representatives like Which? and Citizens Advice.

Budget 2012

This is a budget by millionaires for millionaires! A budget that gives to millionaires and takes from millions.

What we needed to see today was a Budget for jobs and growth and one which focuses every penny available on helping hard-pressed families in Wigan.

At a time when people on middle and low incomes are being squeezed by rising fuel prices, seeing their tax credits and child benefit cut, when one million young people are out of work and there’s a big deficit to clear, it is completely the wrong priority to cut taxes for those who can afford to pay. It shows just how out of touch George Osborne is with ordinary people.

Report backs action on 'opaque and poorly regulated' Payday lending Industry

I have welcomed a report of an influential group of MPs who have backed my calls for regulation of the Debt Management and Payday Lending industry.

As a record number of people turn to controversial payday loans as a financial crutch, they are being stung by cripplingly high interest rates. Payday loans are fast becoming a credit method of choice for consumers who need a quick fix for their money woes.

Figures from Consumer Focus found that the payday loan market has rapidly expanded from 0.3 million borrowers in 2006 to 1.2 million in 2009. In 2010 this figure jumped to 1.9 million and continues to grow. As the dire state of the economy has a huge impact on personal finances, millions of low income Brits are turning to payday loans to cover costs. Some are even using the short-term loans to cover mortgage and rental payments.

Only last month, The Office of Fair Trading announced that it is carrying out spot checks on 50 major payday lenders amid concerns that people are being given loans without proper checks being carried out.
The abuse of customers who are "over-indebted, vulnerable and desperate for help" has caused people to lose their home in some of the worst cases, the report from the Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) Committee says.

It called for greater transparency from companies turned to by consumers to help them "make ends meet" after seeing their household budgets squeezed by high living costs and deteriorating employment conditions.
The Debt Management report urged the Government to limit the rolling over of payday loans and ensure lenders record all transactions on a database after taking evidence that some consumers have more than 20 such loans.

A fast-track procedure should be put in place to suspend lenders' credit licenses and the regulator should have more powers to ban products which are "harmful" to customers, the committee said.

The report also recommended that the standard annual percentage rate (APR) measurement should no longer be used to compare short-term payday loan costs, with typical APRs of 2,500% often meaning little to consumers.

Instead, the total cost of the loan including interest charged and fees should be made clear, including late payment penalties.

I have led a campaign for action against the industry and am now calling for Government to act in the interests of consumers and regulate the marketplace. My Bill to require fee charging debt management companies to advertise free alternatives received a 1st reading in October 2011. As Chair of the All Party Group on Debt & Personal Advice, I am calling on David Cameron to honour his promise to meet with me.

The industry has failed to crack down on irresponsible lenders, so this report is yet a further reminder, if one be needed, that the Government must act now to protect borrowers, the majority being from low income groups.

At present we have irresponsible lending, front loaded charges and astronomical interest rates applied. No wonder the industry sees the UK as a cash cow to return big profits at the expense of people.

Gillian Guy, Chief Executive of the national charity Citizens Advice said, "We’re pleased to see that the Select Committee has listened to us.

“More and more people are being offered payday loans that they simply can’t afford, and being sucked into further debt. Rollovers and up-front fees should be restricted as soon as possible.”

“The Committee is also right about a stronger code for fee-charging debt management companies. It should be easier for people to compare paid-for advice providers and get more free debt advice. Citizens Advice helps over two million people every year with their problems - many of which concern money and debt. And our advice remains free."

The report can be accessed at the following link.

St Aidan's Fairtrade Big Brew!

St Aidan’s Church, Winstanley invited people to take a step for Fairtrade today and join them at their Big Brew event.  The Fairtrade tea party was attended by local residents and members of St Aidan’s Church congregation.

The Big Brew was part of a national initiative by Traidcraft, the UK’s leading fair trade organisation, which encourages schools, churches, workplaces and other groups to host a Fairtrade tea party during Fairtrade Fortnight.

In addition to their monthly Traidcraft sale at the church, by hosting a Traidcraft Big Brew and raising awareness within the local community, St Aidan’s is helping families in the developing world to flourish.

Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the market price), Fairtrade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.

Margaret Wanjiku and family

For tea farmer Margaret Wanjiku growing tea is now just one of many activities she carries out on her farm in Kenya, which help her to provide for her family. With training from Traidcraft she has learned how to keep bees, to harvest water, change the plants she grows –  and even keep rabbits.

Event organiser Patricia Boyle said, “I first became aware of Fairtrade through my cousin, a priest in Swaziland who helped establish Eswatini Kitchen, a Fairtrade Company that provides a fair and sustainable income for over 300 people."

“We have been selling Fairtrade products in St Aidans for about 9 years. Most of our stock is purchased from Traidcraft and our profit goes to CAFOD both of whom helped in the setting up of the Fairtrade Foundation."

“I'm very grateful to people in Winstanley for their support for the Big Brew and to the CO-OP for supplying goods for a Fairtrade raffle.”

To tackle poverty you need to increase trade as well as give aid. Fairtrade helps 7 and a half million people in the developing world. When we choose to eat, drink or wear fair trade products we help change the lives of millions of farmers, workers and their families in developing countries, like Margaret Wanjiku.

I back the Big Brew because it encourages people in Wigan to consider the power they have as consumers which does play an important part in changing lives for the better.

Kellogg's gives local school a helping hand at breakfast time!

Winstanley Community Primary Care Club received a boost today after cereal company Kellogg’s awarded a grant worth £450 to help fund its breakfast club.

Winstanley Community Primary School is one of 500 schools from across the country to receive a grant after research by Kellogg’s revealed that one in eight breakfast clubs have been forced to close because of budget cuts.

Kellogg’s launched the ‘Help give a child a breakfast’ campaign last October to help bridge the funding gap for schools as research showed the detrimental impact the closure of breakfast clubs could have according to teaching professionals across the UK.

I lent my support to the campaign by writing to local primary schools encouraging them to submit an application.

Eileen Sweeney, Winstanley Community Care Club Coordinator said, “Breakfast clubs are a lifeline for many children but with budgets being tight they could sadly become an unaffordable luxury in future."

“The grant will really help our club and we’ll look forward to spending the money on some new equipment and games for the children as well as a selection of the children’s favourite cereals.” 

I’m really pleased the school successfully applied for the grant to help it improve its breakfast club. Evidence demonstrates that getting kids to start the day with breakfast is so important in increasing attendance, punctuality and concentration levels as well as improved social skills.

Bruce Learner - Head of Corporate Responsibility and Partnerships Kellogg Europe said, “I’m really pleased we were able to help out. Breakfast clubs like the one at Winstanley Primary School are such lively and energetic places: a brilliant way to start the school day.”

Kellogg’s is donating £230,000 in total through the campaign which will provide one million breakfasts by the end of 2012.

Tax Credits Bombshell for families in Wigan

Over 650 couples with children in part-time work in the Wigan Borough could lose around £4,000 a year from this April, following a change to tax credit rules being introduced by the government.

I am urging the Conservative-led government to reconsider a little-noticed change to tax credit rules which means thousands of families will lose all of their working tax credits unless they can significantly increase their working hours.

The change means that couples with children earning less than around £17,700 will need to increase the number of hours they work from a minimum of 16 to 24 hours per week or they will lose all their working tax credit of £3,870 per year.

Government figures revealed in parliamentary answers show 655 households in the Borough and 212,000 households across the country households could lose out. The cut will hit over 1550 children in the Borough.
A recent survey by the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development found that one in five organisations have cut back on the number of hours that people work as a result of the economic downturn, with just 6 per cent increasing them.

This is a deeply unfair change from a government that is increasingly out of touch with parents feeling the squeeze and struggling to juggle work and family life.

Raising taxes and cutting spending too far and too fast has seen unemployment rise and the economy go into reverse, and many employers are cutting people’s hours. In this climate, very few people in part-time work will find be able to increase their hours by up to 50 per cent at the moment. And for a couple with children losing around £4,000 a year, or £75 a week, from this change could mean going out to work makes no sense. 

It tells you everything you need to know about David Cameron and George Osborne that while the banks are getting a tax cut this year they are making life harder for parents in the squeezed middle who are working and trying to do the right thing.

This tax credits bombshell is now just a few weeks away. For many families here in Wigan it means going out to work won’t pay and they’ll be better off on benefits. That makes no economic sense at all. The government urgently needs to think again.

At the moment, if you're responsible for at least one child and working at least 16 hours a week, you can get Working Tax Credit. From 6 April 2012, the rules for couples with at least one child are changing. In most cases, to qualify for Working Tax Credit your joint working hours will need to be at least 24 a week.

This will mean:
• if you both work your joint weekly hours must be at least 24, with one of you working at least 16 hours a week
• if only one of you works, that person must be working at least 24 hours a week

If neither of these applies, your Working Tax Credit will stop from 6 April 2012.

FASawareUK Twilight Workshop

Alcohol in pregnancy can cause a lifetime of problems for mums and their child. No matter how small the amount of alcohol consumed, there is a great risk of harming the unborn baby. Stay aware. Stay away from alcohol is the message of FASawareUK.

FASawareUK will be holding a Twilight Workshop on Thursday, 21st June at Platt Bridge Community Zone.

Founder and full time volunteer of FASawareUK, Gloria Armistead will facilitate the workshop which will provide awareness, information and education strategies. Download the flyer here.

Alternatively contact Gloria on 01942 223780 or by email.

'Drop the Bill Rally' Wigan Borough

Andy Burnham MP today commented on the Drop the Health Bill e-petition as it passed 100,000 signatures.

“Tens of thousands of people have today sent a very clear message to the Prime Minister. They want him to listen and stop putting his political pride before the best interests of the NHS."

"Mr Cameron wants to legislate to turn our NHS into a free market. He is being reminded in no uncertain terms that he does not have the public's permission to do this. Nobody voted for this re-organisation and Mr Cameron promised it would not happen."

“Even though the petition has passed the 100,000 mark, I urge people to keep on signing. The greater the number of people who add their names, the more strength they will give us to speak out against it in the final Parliamentary battle."

"The 'Drop the Bill' call is turning into a deafening cry supported by patients, professions and even Members of Mr Cameron's Cabinet. It is a fight we can and must win!"

I will be joining Andy at a Wigan Borough Drop the Bill Rally on Friday, 2nd March at Ince Town Hall. Doors open 6.15pm. You can download the 'Drop the Bill' Flyer and distribute to friends, family and co-workers.

Coronary Care Unit Officially Opened!

The Royal Albert Edward Infirmary's new state of the art Coronary Care Unit was officially opened today on Valentine’s Day, by Dr. Nayyar Naqvi, the man who has made his vision a reality. The £1.4m unit has been helped along by the public of Wigan and beyond, with donations to the Heart Beat Appeal being collected over the last two years. The new build has significantly improved patient facilities, with the ward being larger, roomier and much lighter than the old unit.

Guests included local MPs Lisa Nandy and Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Wigan Councillor Joy Birch, as well as members of the public who have all contributed to the Heart Beat Appeal.

The new Coronary Care Unit now provides much needed modernised facilities with increased bed capacity and the addition of a second Catheter Laboratory and associated Treatment Rooms, as well as support facilities for both staff and patients. The new reconfigured layout has significantly improved the work flow and overall environment previously experienced by patients and visitors to the unit. The financial investment into the refurbished and extended accommodation was completed in January 2011 at a cost of £1.4 million.

Hindley Veterans present 'The World Renowned'

I hope the local community turn out to support local Veterans and serving HM Armed Forces personnel on Friday, 20th April at St Peter's Pavilion, Hurst St, Hindley commencing at 7.30pm.

Entertainment is provided by Wingates Brass Band and a buffet will be served. Tickets are available, priced at £8 per person and can be obtained from Cllr Jim Churton (01942 522734) and Cllr Jim Talbot (01942 736256).

Apprentices – Hired!

It’s National Apprenticeship Week (6th-10th February) and Wigan is celebrating high levels of success helping young people boost their career prospects.

Local leaders met with apprentices past and present at the offices of Wigan and Leigh Housing this morning to review progress so far and ensure work can continue supporting the next generation.

They were told that Wigan Borough has one of the highest percentages of apprenticeships in the Greater Manchester area.

The breakfast meeting was attended by Deputy Leader of Wigan Council Cllr David Molyneux, and the chair of Wigan and Leigh Housing Neil Turner, as well as a number of business leaders.

It was great to meet with the young apprentices today showing firmly that apprenticeships are a real and viable option for young people today. Over one million young people are out of work so we must redouble our efforts as a nation to do more to help local firms create the apprenticeship opportunities young people across Wigan & Leigh need.

It is to our borough’s credit that Wigan & Leigh Housing and its partners, Tudor NW and Hughes Brothers recognise that building up our skills base has a major role to play in boosting growth and providing life changing opportunities for our young people.

Neil Turner, former MP and long-term supporter of the apprenticeship agenda, said, “Wigan and Leigh Housing are delighted to host an event as a local business alongside two other local businesses: Tudor North West Limited and Hughes Brothers. We’re using the occasion to highlights local businesses’ commitment to providing apprenticeships for local people.”

At the meeting, Arthur Naylor of Tudor North West said his firm would be looking for new people under the scheme.  Mr Turner reaffirmed his commitment to the scheme by announcing that further apprentices would be taken on. 

He added, “This compliments the work we are doing with Job Centre Plus in Wigan where their staff are now co-located with Wigan and Leigh Housing staff.  The housing company’s board and its staff remain strongly committed to providing the best housing service possible, and helping create a better borough”.

Deputy leader Cllr David Molyneux acknowledged the difficult economic climate but added, “I am delighted to see local businesses continuing to commit themselves to provide apprenticeships for local people.  These companies are clearly planning ahead to ensure that they have got a supply of new young talent to drive their businesses forward.  It is companies like these who are more likely to survive in these difficult times.”

A Hindley Green success story!



Pic Sean Moloney

Local constituency visits are one of the most useful ways to learn about the issues facing people and business. Last week, I visited Belmont Packaging Ltd to celebrate the continuing success of the company which was a finalist for the 2011 Wigan Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year Award.

Since its inception in 1978, Belmont have recognised that as the market place demands change then so must the company to meet and adapt to the needs of the market in which it trades.

Central to this understanding is the ethos that drives the company forward; It actively encourages the co-operation, involvement and participation of all staff, calling on everybody's abilities, skills and experience for the good of the company and for the wellbeing of all those involved and associated with the business.
Belmont draws on the strengths and knowledge of all its partners to ensure it is continually experimenting, innovating, evolving and developing to meet the increasing demands of the market place and expectations of its customers and the benefit of all stakeholders.

Operating to 'LEAN MANUFACTURING' principles and standards Belmont specialise in the printing and converting of corrugated fibreboard products with our ‘in house’ skill base and years of practical experience backed up by an extensive range of modern machines, technology, equipment and systems.

I spent time talking with Managing Director, Sean Moloney and was pleased to learn that Belmont has become the largest corrugated products producer on Ebay UK.  A true diversification success.
Belmont’s customer base derives from all sectors of industry given the omnipresent and crucial nature of the cardboard box in today’s supply chain, both as a transit devise and point of sale tool.

Supplying the whole of the UK and Ireland Belmont makes full use of its reputation as a highly invested, modern and efficient manufacturing Plant, nowhere better is this demonstrated than in the fact that over 20% of its Sales are made to customers within its own industry, due to abilities Belmont have that others do not.

Sean Moloney said, “We pride ourselves on continual high investment in equipment and skills in the interests of efficiency, competitiveness and diversification, within an increasingly competitive market. Continual downward price pressure from the Retail sector makes this a prerequisite to success in the modern supply chain if done correctly. Belmont’s ability to ensure this in recent years has been second to none”.

“Unfortunately, as many manufacturing and agriculture companies are finding in the UK at present, imbalance in the allocation of “wealth” within the supply chain can put pressure on suppliers retaining and employing staff.”

“Once full efficiency has been installed the only costs that remain are those of labour. This imbalance must be changed if the economy in the UK is to recover via true wealth creation rather than continuous high retail sector profits, subsequent rising high unemployment and public sector cost cutting. Tax burdens increase if more of the population are unemployed and social provision demands increase. The problem of rising unemployment as a direct consequence of too much Retail power must be remedied if our economy is to become truly self-sustaining without the misguided solution of “over borrowing”, as has been the case over the last 40 years in the UK. Adding value to create wealth via Manufacturing must be a key part of the UK’s future.”

Customer Satisfaction fuels expansion as Handelsbanken opens for business in Wigan



Pic with Alan Bowers and Miranda Barker

 A strong local presence due to a nationwide network of 118 branches and a long-term approach to customer relations place Handelsbanken in an enviable position.

Founded in 1871 in Sweden, Handelsbanken specialise in providing highly personalised and competitive banking services to both corporate and individual customers.

Handelsbanken’s branch in Wigan, based at Pemberton Business Park, is now open for business with a motivated team of private and corporate bankers wishing to assist strong local businesses and professionals.

At a difficult time for the global banking sector, Handelsbanken continues to grow and customers are satisfied with their service; a recent survey of British bank customers rated Handelsbanken top for the third year running. Handelsbanken’s financial strength has also been noted with the bank recently rated the second strongest in the world by financial information provider Bloomberg.

I visited the Wigan Branch last Friday to meet with Branch Manager, Alan Bowers and staff, along with Wigan Chamber of Commerce President, Miranda Barker.

Alan Bowers said, “We are delighted to welcome Yvonne and Miranda to our new Wigan branch to meet staff and to learn about our ethos and values."

“We hope to become the bank of choice for the Wigan business and professional community. Our approach to banking is a return to traditional values, seeking to serve the needs of the customer rather than product push and an environment where the relationship is key. Our business model is based on simplicity and high levels of service where the customer always comes first.”

“Whilst we do not have targets or bonuses, our appetite for good quality business is strong and we are keen to develop long-term relationships. One of our key strengths, we believe, is that we employ local people with good market knowledge. All key business decisions are taken on a local level at the branch, which leads to good outcomes, both for the customer and the bank. I believe banking is a people business, run by people, for people and we are committed to providing a truly bespoke solution to both corporate and private customers.”

Handelsbanken’s presence in Wigan is good news for the local economy given their unique approach to banking.Despite the global economic crisis, Handelsbanken has increased its market presence by adopting a financially sound and cautious approach. It chooses to develop personal relationships with customers and its policy of not paying bonuses to staff and chasing targets allows it to have developed a long-term approach to banking that existing customers’ value and which is attractive to potential new customers.

For further information visit the Handelsbanken website.