Payday Lending Industry referred to Competition Commission

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has asked for a review into competition among payday lenders, after finding evidence a lack of choice means firms are profiting from loans that can't be paid back on time.

The OFT said it was difficult for customers to identify and compare the cost of loans, that not all firms complied with relevant laws and that a significant proportion of borrowers had poor credit histories and limited access to other forms of credit. It said lenders were competing primarily on the availability and speed of loans rather than on the price of paying them back.

In March, the OFT gave Britain's biggest 50 payday lenders 12 weeks to change their business practices or risk losing their licenses after finding evidence of widespread irresponsible lending. It said it had so far received responses from only 20 of the lenders, five of which have stopped offering the loans.

Payday lenders are dangerously quick to hand out loans in minutes without proper affordability checks being made. The industry is full of predatory firms who have no moral compass and think only of the bottom line regardless of the detriment they cause to many people.

Voluntary Regulation and industry wide codes of practice have failed spectacularly and Government must now act to ensure that statutory regulation is introduced as soon as possible.

Euro Hustings put candidates under the spotlight

Pic with Ian McCartney, our Euro candidates
 and students from Winstanley College

Labour Party members from across Makerfield and Leigh gathered at Hindley Labour Club on Thursday, 20th June to quiz Labour’s shortlisted candidates to contest the European Elections in 2014.

They were joined by Councillors and Politics students from Winstanley College who were invited by the local Labour Party to experience a live political hustings.

The candidates have attended hustings all over the North West during June and are set to attend further events ahead of the closing date on 31st July. Labour Party members are currently being balloted to choose the order in which the shortlisted candidates will appear on the ballot paper.

Chair of the meeting, Sir Ian McCartney said, “We were fortunate to have some great candidates with us tonight and the hustings provided the ideal opportunity for members to scrutunise the abilities of and question the candidates on a range of the political issues of the day.”

I'm backing 'Don't fail on Heart failure' Campaign

I have pledged my support for the “Don’t Fail on Heart Failure” campaign, which was launched in Parliament on 18th June.

During the reception, I met patients and clinicians, before signing the Don’t Fail on Heart Failure pledge, committing to support patient access to treatments and technology that save lives. The full text of the pledge is below.

Immediately after the reception, the Heart Failure pledge was delivered to the Department of Health.

Untreated, heart failure has a survival rate similar to cancer - and over a third die within
1 year of diagnosis.

NICE is appraising availability of ICD and CRT-D devices in January.

I am determined to help heart failure patients in Makerfield get the treatment they need to live their lives. The implantable devices I saw today take people from constant fatigue back into work. The NHS needs to make sure these life-enhancing technologies are available for those who need them.

A person has heart failure if their heart is unable to pump sufficient blood to meet their body’s needs. Causes range from hypertension to a heart attack to a virus. Patients suffering heart failure develop increasing breathlessness and fatigue when carrying out daily activities – and ultimately at rest. Consequently, ability to work is greatly impaired along with health and quality of life. Heart failure eventually affects 3 in every hundred women, and 4 in every hundred men. Heart failure imposes huge costs on the NHS. It accounts for 5% of all emergency hospital admissions and 2% of all NHS hospital bed days.

Patients who received CRT-Ds and ICD implants had a death rate 25% to 45% lower than those who instead took the best available drugs. For patients with mild to moderate heart failure, ICDs and CRT reduced monthly admission rates to hospital by 20% to 35%.

Well done Billy!

I was delighted to see the new Mayor of Wigan, Cllr Billy Rotherham and Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) launch Heartbeat 2, a fundraising appeal to secure further development of cardiac facilities at Royal Albert Edward Infirmary, with a magnificent £10,000 donation from The Mayor.

Heartbeat 2 is aiming to raise £250,000 to build a new recovery room within the Coronary Care Unit at Royal Albert Edward Infirmary (RAEI) to improve the patient experience.

Joining The Mayor and Mayoress of Wigan to hand over the £10,000 cheque at the RAEI Coronary Care Unit were WWL Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Nayyar Naqvi OBE.

Dr Naqvi is an inspiration and passionate advocate of health services in the Borough

Launched in 2009, the original Heartbeat appeal exceeded expectations raising £250,000 to ensure the Coronary Care unit at Royal Albert Edward Infirmary now benefits from the best equipment money can buy and delivers a first class service for patients.

Everyone interested in organising their own fundraising for Heartbeat 2 are asked to contact Fundraising Officer Elizabeth Titley on 01942 773879 or by email

Walk to Work Week

I joined Living Streets Manager of Policy and Public Affairs, Dr Kevin Golding-Williams and Wigan Council employees taking part in Walk to Work Week.

Council staff formed teams to see who could log the most walks during National Walking Month and win prizes donated by local businesses.

I was delighted to support National Walking Month and the fantastic work that Living Streets does championing pedestrians. We’re probably all guilty of not being as physically active as we should and Walk to Work Week is a great way to see how you can build some exercise into your day.

I hope other people in the area will be inspired by the walking teams at Wigan Council.  Sometimes a little bit of competition can be just the motivation you need.

Congratulations to Hindley Green Primary on achieving Eco-School Award

Hindley Green Primary is the latest school to achieve the Green Flag Eco-Schools Award.

To celebrate their achievement, the school opened a memorial garden and pupils buried a time capsule containing memories of the school, and planted a Malus Royalty Tree to mark the occasion.

The school worked closely with Wigan Council’s environmental education officers to come up with eco-friendly ideas to achieve the green flag. Pupils and teachers have since transformed the school – creating vegetable patches, stepping up their recycling routine by using compost bins, a water butt and making sure all their rubbish is separated properly. They’ve also been busy building wildlife habitats such as nest boxes, bug hotels and hedgehog houses to attract wildlife.

Katie Laithwaite, Eco Co-ordinator at Hindley Green Primary, said: “Everyone at our school has been working hard to become a Green Flag Eco-School and we are very proud of our achievements.

“We began our Eco-Schools journey just one year ago and the ethos around school has really improved. The children and staff have a greater awareness of the need to take care of our precious planet now to have a positive impact upon its future.

“The official opening of our memorial garden was held to celebrate all our school has achieved. It’s our opportunity to reflect upon our schools history and remember past pupils and staff who have supported us along our journey to make our school a success to build a better future together.”

Obtaining the Green Flag award is something that the whole school and its surrounding community can be very proud of. The lessons we learn as children influence our behaviour throughout our lives and I was very impressed by the knowledge pupils exhibited about the environment.

Walk to School Week

This week, I've been encouraging children and parents to swap cars, buses and trains for a ticket to stride during Walk to School Week.

Walk to School Week (20-24 May) is an opportunity for parents and children across the UK to try walking to school. Along with Walk to Work Week (13-17 May), Walk to School Week forms a part of National Walking Month, a month dedicated to celebrating the benefits of walking.

I visited Hindley Green J&I School to help promote the week. Living Streets runs the national Walk to School campaign, and the national charity says parents find the journey to school less stressful, their petrol bill goes down, their children perform better at school and that they, and their children, feel healthier and fitter.

The walk to school is not only a good way to build some exercise into your child’s day, it’s also helps them to learn valuable road skills, get to know their neighbourhood and build confidence and independence.  We all often feel under pressure and short of time, but Walk to School Week is a great opportunity to give walking a go and the Living Streets website has lots of ideas and ‘feats for your feet’ that will make it fun and challenging.  Getting children into the habit of seeing walking as the natural choice for short trips, will reap health benefits in the future.

Teachers even report that those pupils who walk to school are more attentive once they reach their desks.

Over the past couple of decades, the number of children walking to school has fallen sharply. In 2011, 49 per cent of primary school aged children and 38 per cent of secondary school aged children walked to school, down from 62 per cent of primary and 48 per cent of secondary school aged children in 1991.

However Living Streets’ Walk once a Week (WoW) scheme bucks the trend. It helped nearly 6,800 schools and over 1.9 million children and young people get walking across the UK last year – with a recent project seeing a rise of 32% in children walking.

My Money Week

I am calling on local schools to take part in My Money Week (3 to 9 June), giving pupils the chance to learn more about money and personal finance.  Every primary and secondary school in Makerfield is being given the chance to take part for free in My Money Week, which has returned for its fifth year thanks to a new partnership between national charity pfeg (Personal Finance Education Group) and Barclays.

My Money Week will improve young people’s financial skills, knowledge and confidence through special lessons, activities and debates in schools and other settings across the UK.  Teachers in Makerfield can order a free Activity Pack, developed by pfeg, full of creative and engaging financial resources and ideas for how to deliver financial education to young people, from the age of four up to 19.  Young people in Makerfield can also take part in the ‘A-Z of Money’, a national competition challenging them to learn more about money through creative writing.

A decade ago, few schools were actively teaching pupils about money. Now there is growing interest with schools fitting personal finance education into several curriculum areas and pfeg has played a key role in leading this transformation.

In the current economic climate we hear shocking stories of people suffering at the hands of payday lenders and in my view it is such an important area for our young people to be equipped with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to manage their money well.

My Money Week 2013 will also raise awareness of Barclays’ flagship UK community programme, Barclays Money Skills, and provide opportunities for Barclays employees to share their financial expertise and skills with young people in teacher-led My Money Week activities in local schools.  In addition, this year will see extra resources targeted towards disadvantaged young people in both the school environment and the wider community.

Since the first My Money Week in 2009, more than three million young people have been helped to understand more about money and personal finance through focused activities in schools.  In 2012 around 500,000 young people took part in My Money Week activities, with 99 percent of teachers reporting an increase in skills and knowledge and 91 percent of teachers reporting a shift in students’ attitudes towards money.

Teachers in Makerfield can pre-order their free My Money Week Activity Packs here. 

Winstanley Green Belt - One last push in campaign to protect green belt

The campaign to retain green belt status at Winstanley has received a major boost today with news that the independent inspector examining Wigan Council’s planning blueprint to 2026 is minded to refuse the development of land at M6 Junction 25 for commercial/warehousing and retain the site as designated green belt.

I have given a cautious welcome to the schedule modifications document issued by Wigan Council and I am encouraging campaigners to support the modification which would retain green belt status on the land and put a halt to future development of the site during the lifetime of the Core Strategy.

This latest announcement follows the victory to successfully resist development of the site and land at Hawkley Hall from meeting the housing shortfall identified by the Inspector.

This is encouraging news that the Inspector is minded to retain green belt status and is an acknowledgement of the key arguments that campaigners and myself have made.

We now need one last push to support the Inspector’s thinking and ask him to confirm his decision as soon as practicable.

Winstanley Ward Councillor Clive Morgan said, “We can now see the light at the end of the tunnel and I know that residents will be delighted to note that the Inspector is backing our community which has been subject to housing development over the past decade. We have taken our fair share and it is time now for the Inspector to kick this proposal into the long grass!”

Consultation on the schedule of modifications 

Following the previous hearing sessions and submission of statements the Inspector has detailed changes that are required to make the submitted Core Strategy sound. These changes are included in the schedule of modifications document that can be found on the Core Strategy Examination website.

Comments on the modifications can be submitted by email. The deadline for these to be received is 5pm on Friday 14th June 2013.

Comments should only be made on the modifications themselves. It is therefore not necessary to repeat comments or information submitted through previous representations. The Inspector will take account of all comments received before finalising his report to the Council.

PT Studio on mission to transform your health and wellbeing

With Cllr Paul Kenny and Ste Barlow of the PT Studio

Seven day working weeks coupled with long hours provide little time in my diary for keeping fit yet for both my and myself a diary appointment we never miss is a weekly personal fitness training session with Ste Barlow at one of Wigan’s leading personal training outfits –  The PT Studio based on Queen Street.

On Friday, I was on hand to help launch The PT Studio’s latest challenge to the town ahead of the summer holiday season – The 90 day Beach Transformation Challenge.

Owner and fully qualified Personal Fitness Trainer Ste Barlow has been putting us both through our paces for the last 6 months with welcome results. Having lost over 2 stone each we are encouraging people to get on board and lead healthier lifestyles.

Ste Barlow said, “At the PT studio we like to go that step further with our clients and set them goals and targets and monitor their progression with our transformation challenges. The latest 90 day beach body transformation is designed to get you in great shape for the summer. With the challenge you get a 7 day eating plan, measurements and full support.”

“This is results based training and both Yvonne and Paul have done really well.”

The great thing about the PT Studio is that it’s fun. It’s hard work and Ste really challenges us both but the end result is we have both lost weight, feel healthier and have more energy.

The Winstanley Councillor says it is unlikely that he will be wearing ‘budgie smugglers’ on the beach this summer but with the holiday season not too far away the latest Beach Transformation Challenge is the perfect opportunity to get in shape. Cllr Paul Kenny said, “I was looking for something different and was pretty fed up with the same old routine at the gym.”

“They say that variety is the spice of life and whether it’s donning a pair of boxing gloves or flipping a tractor tyre, no two sessions are the same at the PT Studio and you leave with a real sense of achievement.”

For more information then check out the PT Studio website  or call Ste Barlow on 07506673955.

We must get Wigan working again

These are desperate times for our area. And they are desperate times for the government as well. By any measure they are failing because underneath all the bluster they don’t have any answers for their catastrophic failure to get Britain working again. Their Work Programme is failing and there are now more than 2,500 people out of work in the Makerfield constituency.

This government has simply ran out of ideas and their supposed reforms are not only heartless, but also hopeless. Housing benefit changes cost more than they save, tax credit changes are making families better off on benefits than in work, and universal credit is descending into universal chaos.

We need welfare reform that is tough, fair, and that works. That’s why Labour is calling for a Compulsory Jobs Guarantee for the long-term unemployed that would get 240 people and 120 young people into work.

When I hear people on the doorstep or in my surgeries tell me welfare needs to be reformed I agree with them. That’s why Labour is calling for welfare reform that is tough, fair and that is founded on three principles.

First, people must be better off in work than living on benefits. We would make work pay by reintroducing a 10p tax rate and supporting employers who pay the living wage.

Second, we would match rights with responsibilities. Labour would ensure that no adult will be able to be live on the dole for over two years and no young person for over a year. They will be offered a real job with real training, real prospects and real responsibility. This would be paid for by taxing bankers' bonuses and restricting pension tax relief for the wealthiest. People would have to take this opportunity or lose their benefits.

Third, we must do more to strengthen the old principle of contribution: there are lots of people right now who feel they pay an awful lot more in than they ever get back. That should change.

I believe Britain can only overcome the enormous challenges we face if all of us – from top to bottom – play our part.

Because behind all their rhetoric about making work pay and supporting strivers, it is actually working families and those in real need who are footing the bill for this government's catastrophic economic failure.
The truth is the Tories have failed on jobs, failed on growth and they are failing to make the real changes we need. After three years of incompetence it’s time this government finally started to put things right for Makerfield and they should start with Labour’s Compulsory Jobs Guarantee that is tough, fair and will work.

Bedroom Tax Debate in Parliament

This week I secured a debate on the impact of the Bedroom Tax on Wigan. You can read the transcript of the debate here.

Official Opening for New-Look Ashton in Makerfield Post Office

Pic with Branch Manager - Janet Woodcock

To celebrate launch of the new style open-plan branch, I ‘cut the ribbon’ at Ashton-in-Makerfield Post Office this morning.

I was more than happy to  officially open the Post Office.  They are to be congratulated on their work to develop this busy branch. The longer opening on Saturday afternoons will make a real difference for local residents and small business customers and I wish them continued success with the business.

Julia Harrison from the Post Office told me that the refurbisment is part of a three-year investment programme that will see around 6000 branches converting to new-style branches.

I was joined by local ward Councillor, Nigel Ash who is a regular user of the local Post Office and wants to encourage local people to make use of the services offered. 

The Post Office, now independent of Royal Mail, is the largest retail network in the UK, with over 11,500 branches. It is also one of the fastest growing financial services companies and is developing its online and telephony services.

Made by the Many

Constituency Office Relocation

I am pleased to have obtained a central location in Wigan for my constituency office and The Investment Centre is a modern, fully accessible office with good transport links, free parking and within walking distance of the town centre.

I place a great deal of pride in the the constituency office and I firmly believe that Wigan Investment Centre will enhance the service provided to constituents.

My new office details are as follows:

Yvonne Fovargue MP
Wigan Investment Centre
Waterside Drive
Wigan WN3 5BA

T. 01942 824029
E. yvonne.fovargue.mp@parliament.uk

Same Old Tories!

Families are paying the price for George Osborne’s failure. Unemployment is rising as figures out this week demonstrate, prices are rising faster than wages and we have official confirmation from the independent Office for Budget Responsibility that by 2015 people will be worse off than they were in 2010.

In the face of all of that we’ve just had a more of the same Budget – no change on anything important and the Chancellor’s going ahead with a tax cut for millionaires in two weeks time.

What we needed from the budget was a change of direction and bold action to kickstart our flat lining economy and give real help to families on middle and low incomes - not more of the same failing policies and a huge tax cut for millionaires.

David Cameron and George Osborne's economic plan has completely failed. Families, pensioners and businesses are paying the price.

Wigan deserves better than this.

Time to stop squeezing family incomes

pic with Usdaw member Janette Parker 

I have joined forces with Usdaw, the shop workers union, to call on the Coalition Government to stop squeezing family incomes by continuing to cut the help they get through tax credits and other benefits.

Just days before the Budget, at a time when many hard working families are already concerned about how difficult it is to manage their finances, Usdaw arranged to take some of their members, who are being hit the hardest by the Government’s shake up of the welfare state to Parliament, to meet MPs.

John Hannett, General Secretary of Usdaw said, “Since coming to power the Coalition Government’s austerity measures have already taken hundreds of pounds out of the pockets of hard working families."

”Our members tell us, that despite working hard, it is getting more and more difficult to pay the bills, put food on the table and clothe their children”

“We are concerned that things are only going to get worse - as the Government’s flawed bedroom tax comes into force and further changes to tax credits later this year, hit almost 3 million families who will lose on average - £137 each month.”

“Next week's Budget is the Government’s chance to prove that it cares about children and families. It is time for this Government to do a U turn – stop cutting family incomes and start to support hard working families.”

I was pleased to join members of Usdaw at their recent event. Trade unions like Usdaw have an important job to do - speaking up for their members. More than one in every four children are already growing up in poverty and of those children 62%, has at least one person in their home who is employed.

Families in Wigan and around the country are getting squeezed tighter and tighter – it’s time for the Coalition Government to stop cutting and start listening to hard pressed families.

I met with Usdaw member Janette Parker who lives with her husband.  Janette works part time in a local supermarket.  Her husband was the family’s main income earner until two years ago when a long term debilitating illness forced him to give up work.  Janette is his main carer.  They live in a three bedroom house which they rent from their local housing association.  Their home has been especially adapted to assist with her husband’s declining mobility.  The couple’s son recently left home and because there are no smaller properties for rent in their local area they will be hit by the bedroom tax and forced to find an extra £1144 each year, in rent to cover the loss of housing benefit.

Janette said, "For the first time in our lives, due to my husband’s ill health we have asked for help with our rent.  But rather than helping us this Government wants to punish us by forcing us to find over £1000 in rent each year because they have determined our home has too many bedrooms. Rather than help they would rather we move away from the community in which we have always lived and worked, away from our friends and family who help me to care for my husband which saves the Government tens of thousands of pounds each year in care costs.”

Out in force for peaceful demo against Bedroom Tax

With Cllr Peter Smith, Sam Murphy and Lisa Nandy MP
 in Wigan Town Centre

Labour Party councillors, MPs and trade unionists in Wigan took to the streets of the town centre on Saturday, 16th March to protest about the introduction of the ‘bedroom tax’.

It was one of over 50 demonstrations taking place as part of a national ‘day of action’ with similar events in nearby Ashton in Makerfield, Bolton, Manchester and Warrington.

The bedroom tax will hit over 4,700 households in the Wigan Borough who are set to lose between £14 and £25 per week. The scale of the impact of the bedroom tax across the UK which will be introduced next month is staggering;

• Two thirds of the households hit are home to someone who is disabled
• 220,000 families with children will be hit by the tax - one third of the households hit are families with children
• 140,000 working households on the lowest incomes will lose out
• Divorced parents whose kids come to stay are being affected. Grandparents will pay more.
• The DWP admit that there are not enough smaller properties for families to move to, yet the bedroom tax will still hit households that don’t have the option to move

Outside the Gerard Centre, Ashton in Makerfield

David Cameron’s Bedroom Tax tells you all you need to know about him and his government. The government is hitting households with the bedroom tax despite admitting there aren’t enough smaller properties for tenants to move to.

Instead, the government expects families to pay extra rather than move house. This won’t solve under occupancy, but it will hit working people and some of the most vulnerable in our society. And at exactly the same time as the bedroom tax comes into effect he is giving thousands of millionaires a tax cut of £100,000 a year.

This isn’t about tough choices, it’s about the wrong choices.

Leader of Wigan Council, Cllr Peter Smith said, “The Bedroom Tax is a grossly unfair burden placed on over 4,700 Council tenants and many more in the private sector. It is designed for London’s needs so it is totally irrelevant to Wigan’s housing problems. The craziest part is that by forcing people into the more expensive private sector, it won’t save the government any money. It could only have been designed by a cabinet of millionaires living in mansions and totally out of touch with ordinary people.”

The Government have maintained that the policy will save money but cutting housing benefit to under-occupying tenants when there is no alternative accommodation will burden social landlords like Wigan & Leigh Housing with rising rent arrears and risks making people homeless. I maintain that this is wrong and risks costing the council taxpayer more. It also risks pushing people into expensive private rented accommodation, causing the housing benefit bill to rise.

Cllr Nigel Ash in Ashton in Makerfield

A leaked letter from Eric Pickles’ Private Secretary to David Cameron’s office at No 10 revealed that the government’s housing benefit reforms could see 40,000 people homeless.

Lisa Nandy MP said, “The fact that thousands of people joined peaceful demonstrations in Wigan and across the country this weekend shows just how wrong this Government has got it."

"Their announcement on armed forces and foster families unravelled within minutes as it was revealed that they aren’t bringing forward one extra penny for the victims.

“The government announced they would exempt foster carers and some armed forces families, but there will be no extra money for councils to cover the costs.

“David Cameron’s Bedroom Tax has descended into total chaos and we will not rest until Ministers think again, admit they have got this wrong and drop this hated tax for good.”

Debtbusters Campaign launched across Borough

A new campaign backed by the Borough’s MPs, Unify Credit Union Ltd, Citizens Advice and Wigan and Leigh Cooperative Party was launched on Saturday, 2nd March in Leigh, Ashton and Wigan town centres.

Over 500 people signed the Debtbusters petition at the event launches attended by Andy Burnham MP, Lisa Nandy MP and myself. The Ashton launch was supported by Busker, John Davies.

Wigan and Leigh Debtbusters is set to raise awareness of the detriment caused by payday lenders and others and that affordable loans, free help and advice is available through the Borough’s Credit Unions and Citizens Advice Bureau.

The campaign launch comes against a background of growing statistics that demonstrate the impact of debt on UK households. The Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) sets out how Household debt is set to rise by 36.3% and by 2015 UK households will have amassed over two trillion pounds worth of debt.

39% of people are concerned about the amount of debt they owe and 43% think their personal financial situation will worsen in the next six months. A staggering 45% of people now say they frequently struggle to make it to payday, up by 8% since Christmas 2010.

In November 2011, 16% of individuals had become ‘zombie debtors’ – only able to service the interest of their debt and not reduce it, whilst 27% had no savings at all.

One in three (32%) of those who took out a ‘payday loan’ couldn’t pay it off, so had to get another one (so called ‘rollovers’).

The high-cost credit sector, made up of payday lenders, home credit providers and hire purchase agreements, is growing rapidly and increasingly causing many of its customers to get into severe
debt problems.

Campaigners have welcomed the news that a cap on the cost of credit is set to be introduced but they warn that this is only the ‘tip of the iceberg’ and that regulation of the industry is required.

Labour and Cooperative Councillor for Astley-Mosley Common Jo Platt is set to raise the issue at this week’s full council. Cllr Jo Platt said, “Residents of the Borough are calling for action against legal loan sharks. Over the past couple of years they have proliferated in our area and the tough financial times means more and more people are turning to them and the extortionate loans which they offer."

“This motion sends a message that Wigan Council is serious about supporting our residents who are facing financial hardship. We support the introduction of a limit to cap the amount these companies can charge for loans, and we are committing to doing what we can locally to support responsible lending and discourage the loan sharks.”

Andy Burnham MP said, “A toxic mix of the rising cost of living, unemployment and wage freezes mean many Leigh households are struggling and a lack of regulation of this market by the Government means these legal loan sharks are exploiting this to push many families further into debt."

“With one in three payday loans taken out to pay off other payday loans it is clear these high cost credit products are problematic.”

I have spent my working life fighting the impact of irresponsible lending and was pleased that my campaigning in Parliament led to the announcement by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) that they will introduce a ‘power to suspend’ payday lenders who are causing harm to borrowers.

For many people payday loans can be a sensible option and with proper financial planning can offer a product that meets their needs. However, there are far too many cases of payday lenders acting in a manner which is wholly inappropriate and loads debt onto people with no consideration of the customer’s needs – rollovers being the obvious example of this reckless behaviour.

There is an alternative and our local credit unions, like Unify and Welcome offer low cost affordable loans. Likewise my advice to anybody worried about debt is don’t suffer in silence. Wigan & Leigh Citizens Advice offer free and impartial advice to people in debt.

You can download the Debtbusters petition here.

Apply for Bomber Command Clasp & Arctic Convoy Medal

I have today called on former aircrew of Bomber Command and the Arctic Convoys to contact my office now that the application process has opened to veterans of both campaigns.

This week, the Government announced that all the details have been confirmed for the Arctic Star and the Bomber Command Clasp and the application process has now opened. This follows Sir John Holmes’ independent medal review and the announcement by the Prime Minister, on 19 December 2012.

Her Majesty the Queen has approved designs for the new awards. The design for the Arctic Star is based on the other World War Two Stars and the Bomber Command Clasp, to be worn on the ribbon of the 1939 to 1945 Star, follows the design of the Battle of Britain Clasp.

Production of the new Arctic Star and Bomber Command clasp has now commenced and could result in up to a quarter of a million veterans, and the families of those who have sadly died, applying to receive the new awards in recognition of their unique contribution protecting Britain during World War II. Priority in issuing the awards will be given to veterans and widows who could receive their awards in a few weeks. Other next of kin may also apply now but will have to wait slightly longer to receive their award.

All those who served our country in Bomber Command and on the Arctic Convoys deserve our thanks and respect. That’s why I am today inviting applications through my office from veterans of these two campaigns.

I am also pleased to support the very welcome announcement that the families of those no longer alive will also be able to apply for these awards.

The eligibility criteria can be viewed here. Applications forms are available by calling the constituency office on 01942 824029 or by email.

Fraud in Wigan low but continue to be vigilant

Wigan consumers have experienced relatively low levels of fraud during 2012 according to figures unveiled today by CIFAS and myself.

Adjusted for population, the figures reveal that the Borough was ranked 239th for fraud (where #1 is the worst) in 2012, improved from 215th in 2011. Wigan is ranked 212th for the level of victims of identity fraud (220th in 2011) and is ranked 316th for the level of victims of facility takeover fraud (225th in 2011).

CIFAS is the UK’s fraud prevention service and not-for-profit membership association. Its members work in the banking, credit, asset finance, retail credit and insurance sectors as well as the public sector including the UK Border Agency. It has 25 years experience of identifying and preventing fraud. Their National Fraud Database is the single largest repository of confirmed data fraud in the UK.

In 2011, the National Fraud Authority's Annual Fraud Indicator put the loss to the UK economy from fraud at £73 billion. This level of loss impacts on every part of society, including the most vulnerable. It represents money that individuals, businesses and Government can ill afford to lose ending up in fraudsters’ pockets.

In the North West, Greater Manchester recorded the highest level of fraud with 24.9 frauds identified per thousand people. Of these, 50% were misuse of facility fraud. This type of fraud is common in cities, university towns and commonly involves bank accounts, such as paying in an altered cheque.

In welcoming the relative low levels of fraud committed in the Wigan Borough, I am warning the public to be vigilant and to ensure they protect their personal data. It is a sad fact that anyone can be a victim of fraud and with the advent of the internet and the changes it has brought often means that victimisation is more random.
You can reduce the risk of your details falling into criminal hands by keeping your personal details to yourself. They are a valuable item to a fraudster. CIFAS provide some really useful tips to help people avoid being the next victim of fraudsters.

Simon Fell from CIFAS said, "Your personal details are incredibly valuable and you should treat them as such. You wouldn't leave a laptop lying around, or jewellery out in the open, and you should treat your identity the same way."

"Fraudsters will painstakingly piece together your identity from documents you throw away but don't shred, information you put up on social networking sites, and data which is already in the public domain about you. They'll go to that effort because once they have enough information they can pretend to be you and start applying for credit or buying items in your name."

"The Wigan Borough may have a relatively low level of fraud compared to the rest of the UK, but anyone can be a victim. Stay safe and look after your identity."

More Than Words

A pioneering Community Interest Company (CIC) welcomed me to its Platt Bridge home this week.

More than Words Advocacy CIC gives people with learning disabilities a means of expressing themselves through the Self Advocacy Board Project and have their say about life in our borough. The project is supported by Wigan Council and the findings are reported back to the Learning Disability Partnership Board to influence future planning. The group uses art, drama, dance, games and poetry to explain and express the views of others –  particularly those with more complex needs.

According to Mencap less than 1 in 5 people with a learning disability work compared with 1 in 2 disabled people generally, but at least 65% of people with a learning disability want to work.


Of those people with a learning disability that do work, most only work part time and are low paid. More than Words provides an environment where people can express themselves and build confidence and judging by today’s visit they are succeeding and I wish them well for the future.

More than Words, Sue Seager said, “We were delighted our local MP Yvonne, took time out to visit the project and has committed to raising people’s issues in the course of her work. More Than Words offers a range of Services for children, young people and Adults with Learning Disabilities. Our dramatherapy ethos is to use whatever works best to support people to communicate and take control in their lives. ”

To find out more about More Than Words call Sue on 01942 735426 or email.

Huge Victory for Financial Education Campaign

I have welcomed a “huge victory” for the campaign for compulsory financial education in schools, following the publication of the new draft National Curriculum for England.  The new curriculum will see personal finance taught in both mathematics and in citizenship education for 11 to 16 year olds, making financial capability a statutory part of the curriculum for the first time.

In December 2011 a cross party group of MPs published a report calling for financial education to be included in the national curriculum, to equip young people with the knowledge and skills needed to manage their money and make informed financial decisions. 

The campaign has also been supported by national charity pfeg (Personal Finance Education Group), MoneySavingExpert.com’s Martin Lewis and tens of thousands of teachers and parents across the country.

In an ever increasingly complex financial world it is important that young people are fully equipped to make informed financial decisions. I welcome this huge victory in the provision of personal finance in schools.

But this welcome decision should be part of a wider package of reforms, to include ensuring that people do not get into debt with payday lenders, do not go to fee-charging debt management agencies when free advice is available but do have access to early advice to help them when they realise that they are getting into debt.

The new programme of study for citizenship education specifically includes:

• Key Stage 3 (age 11-14) – the functions and uses of money, the importance of personal budgeting, money management and a range of financial products and services
• Key Stage 4 (ages 14-16) – wages, taxes, credit, debt, financial risk and a range of more sophisticated financial products and services

In addition, the new curriculum places a ‘renewed emphasis’ on mathematics, including financial mathematics.

Wigan & Leigh Stroke Support Group

I joined Andy Burnham MP on Friday, 1st February in visiting a vibrant local support group to meet people who have suffered from Stroke.

At the invitation of the Chair of Wigan & Leigh Stroke Support Group, Sue Lewis, Andy and Yvonne met with group members to talk about the work of the group.

The visit coincided with a donation of £150.00 from ASDA’s Windermere Rd branch and the Atherleigh Way superstore in Leigh. ASDA’s Kathleen Fallon and Cathy Jones presented the cheque on behalf of ASDA after it was nominated by customers for the ‘Chosen by You’ Charity.

The Wigan and Leigh Stroke Support Group was originally started by the Stroke Association. Since July 2011 it has become a Stroke Association Voluntary Group, receiving support from Wigan Council and the Manchester Community Fund as well as the group’s own fundraising initiatives.

Sue Lewis, Chair of Wigan & Leigh Stroke Support Group said, “The majority of the group’s volunteers are stroke survivors themselves. We aim to provide a friendly, sociable and supportive atmosphere at meetings which are held at the Abram Community Centre every other Friday from 12.30pm until 2.30pm.

“If you or a family member has been affected by Stroke we will be more than happy to welcome you at our meetings.”

Wigan & Leigh Stroke Support Group is a wonderful example of how local people come together to support those most in need and I am very proud of the hard work that Sue and her volunteers have put in to support stroke victims through their recovery.

The Group receive continued support from Stroke Association Information Advice and Support Coordinators Elaine Pye and Jim Brown on 01942 862429 and Communication Support  Coordinator Rachel Cheetham on 01942 775826.

In Ashton, Leigh and Wigan 600 people have a stroke every year and more than 5,500 people in the area are living with a disability after a stroke. High blood pressure is the single biggest cause of strokes and affects almost a quarter of the population in Ashton, Leigh and Wigan.

A stroke is a brain attack which occurs because of a clot or a bleed in the brain, causing brain cells to die. Although it is one of the UK’s biggest killers and leading causes of disability, far too many people don’t understand it or ever think it will happen to them. We rely on your support to change lives and help us to change how people think about stroke.

The Stroke Association is a charity that believes in life after stroke, and is leading a community of people to change the world for those affected by stroke. It works directly with stroke survivors and their families and carers, as well as with health and social care professionals. It campaigns to improve stroke care and support people to make the best recovery they can and also funds research to develop new treatments and ways of preventing stroke.

Andy Burnham said, “Stroke changes lives. It can and does have a huge effect on the person and their family. That’s why I am always moved by the bravery and enthusiasm of Stroke victims and the dedication shown by volunteers.

"I know that the group are currently looking for volunteer drivers to bring some of their members to the group and I hope that local people with a few hours to spare can assist the group in this way, by contacting Sue Lewis on 01942 514647 for more information about volunteering or joining the group."

For more information about stroke, ring the Helpline on 0303 30 33 100 or visit the website.

Be Loud Be Clear and let's beat Bowel Cancer

I committed to working with patients and the local NHS to ensure high quality and safe care is secured for all bowel cancer patients in the Makerfield constituency.

At the recent Be Loud Be Clear Parliamentary Reception, Yvonne Fovargue MP heard from both bowel cancer patients and the charity Beating Bowel Cancer about the importance of a good experience for all patients.

I’m happy to sign this pledge and support the principles in any way I can. I shall be working with the local NHS to ensure they are providing the ‘gold standard’ when it comes to treating bowel cancer patients.

Mark Flannagan, Chief Executive of Beating Bowel Cancer told me that they strongly believe that patient experience should be an integral part of the NHS and it is vital that better care is secured for all bowel cancer patients.

Beating Bowel Cancer know of many cases where patients simply aren’t getting the level of care they need. The launch of the Service Pledge will be a measure of how hospitals should be providing a good experience to the bowel cancer patients they treat.

To find out more about bowel cancer and to read the full Service Pledge, please visit the charity’s website 

About bowel cancer 

• Bowel Cancer is the UK’s second biggest cancer killer claiming a life every 30 minutes
• Over 41,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year in the UK
• The majority of people diagnosed with the disease are over the age of 50
• Bowel cancer is more treatable if spotted and diagnosed early
• Over 93 per cent of people diagnosed with bowel cancer at an early stage survive for at least five years compared with less than 7% of those diagnosed at a late stage.

The Truth beneath the Hood

I was delighted to meet with young members of Ashton Youth Action on their recent trip to visit Parliament. They told me about a video they had produced and I wanted to share this with people.

Young people are far too often painted in a negative way, but as this video demonstrates young people make an invaluable contribution to the local community in Ashton.

Women set to lose out in Pension Reform

House of Commons Library research released by Labour reveals the true cost of last week’s pensions reforms to over 2,100 women in the Wigan Borough who are set to lose out.

Women born in 1952 and 1953 will not be eligible for the single tier pension since they are due to retire in 2017, before the state pension reforms come into effect. Men born during the same period, however, will qualify.

The news comes after the Government claimed that "we have to be absolutely transparent [about who will lose]” yet they failed to make clear the full consequences of the planned reforms.

The unravelling of this latest Pensions announcement is the second time this government has been caught trying to hide the full impact of its changes for pensioners following the Granny Tax.

Ministers have been caught red-handed hiding the truth on pension reforms. This government’s pension changes have hit hardworking women in our Borough time and again and these reforms are no different. Over 2,100 women will be nearly £2,000 worse off compared to men, but instead of being honest with the women that will lose out this government tried to bury the truth.

Once again Ministers have been caught with their hands in pensioners’ pockets – it’s about time this government had the decency to be honest about who will lose out under their plans.

Women born between April 1952 and July 1953 will retire before 2017 and will not be eligible for the single tier pension. For example, a woman born in October 1952 will retire at age 63 in 2015. This means that she will draw the basic weekly pension of £107.45 (in today’s prices) when she retires.

However, men born in the same period are due to retire in 2017, and so will be eligible for the new single-tier rate.

House of Commons Library research shows that 430,000 women born between April 1952 and July 1953 could lose out in this way. This could mean that women draw a state pension income of around £1,900 a year (£36.55 a week) less than a man of the same age. The exact difference will depend on the number of contributions each woman has made, and whether she receives means-tested benefits or not.

Fix It UK Ltd

I joined Lisa Nandy MP today at a ground breaking vocational training scheme operating in Wigan.

Fix It UK Ltd is a Charitable Trust operating from Spring View. Now in its 10th year, it has developed a holistic and practical approach to learning, by offering a specialist training facility in the repair and maintenance of motor vehicles.

During this period, over 1000 young people have been through its doors and have been helped into employment or further training.

We called in at the invitation of the Chair, Cllr Keith Cunliffe to see for ourselves the work being undertaken at the Rosebridge Industrial Estate site; to talk to some of the young people about their progress and also pick up tips on the importance of car maintenance, particularly during the cold winter weather snap!

We were given a tour of the facility by Fix It UK Ltd’s, Ian Tomlinson and Chair, Cllr Keith Cunliffe.

Fix It recognise that all young people have skills and qualities and that not all wish to pursue an academic route. The courses provided are designed to enable students to learn in a safe and secure environment, in small class sizes, thereby providing a high quality learning experience.

Fix-it  works closely with 14-19 year olds to deliver vocational motor vehicle studies. All programmes are designed for students who may have faced difficulties in traditional pathways to work such as;

• Have shown a negative behaviour pattern such as poor attainment, attendance and/or behaviour.
• Have a flair for vocational or practical subjects.
• Are academically gifted but have become de-motivated.
• Require positive role models.
• Have difficulty mixing or working with others.
• Respond to a less formal approach to teaching
• Looked after children
• Have been identified as having learning needs (including emotional and behavioural difficulties)

Fix It UK Ltd are also celebrating and putting to good use the proceeds of a £84,000 grant from the BBC Children In Need Appeal. At a time of uncertainty for many charities as a result of the economic downturn the grant secures the future of the charity for the next 3 years.

This is fantastic project working with our young people. It is vital that we continue to support the opportunities provided by Fix It Uk Ltd and the grant from Children in Need secures the immediate future and will help yet more youngsters to develop their skills and receive quality vocational training.

Equipping youngsters with practical skills and knowledge is not just an investment for today but provides a pathway into work and the benefits that this brings to individuals and wider society in the future.

Welfare Benefit Uprating Bill

The text of my speech in Parliament this week on this shameful Tory Bill follows below.

'The proposal is to limit the increase in working-age benefits to 1% for the next three years, which is an effective cut. Let us make no mistake: for anyone who relies on benefits for all or part of their income, this will be a “poverty-producing policy”. Those are not my words, but the words of the Child Poverty Action Group. Working families are finding it hard to get by financially after two years of freezes in child benefit and working tax credit, and cuts to child care tax credit, housing benefit and support for new parents. It is no wonder that the CPAG is warning that the number of children living in absolute poverty will rise.

Let us look at what the proposal means for a full-time worker on the minimum wage. In a response to my hon. Friend the Member for Stockport (Ann Coffey), the Treasury confirmed that the working tax credit lost in 2013-14 by people who are working full time on the minimum wage, due to the Government’s freezes and the increase in the earnings taper, will be £475 for a single person with no children and £660 for a couple with one child. Contrary to the assertions made in Parliament, the amount of working tax credit lost by families with one earner on the minimum wage will be greater than their saving of £420 in 2013-14 from the increase in the personal tax allowance.

Many of my constituents work in low-paid retail work. I am grateful to the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers for the survey of its members, who all report how difficult it is to manage with the rising cost of food, fuel and other everyday items. Many report that they have turned off the heating at certain times in the month. Tracey said that although both she and her partner work, after paying for the rent, gas and electric, they often find it so hard to manage that they go without food so that their children can eat.

That situation is confirmed by the Oasis food bank in my constituency, which has recently begun to operate. Although I support its good work and pay tribute to it, I deplore the fact that such organisations are needed in the 21st century. The food bank tells me that many working people come to it as they simply cannot make their money stretch to the end of the month, and we know that more people are turning to payday lenders simply to get money to spend on essentials, not on luxuries any more. It is no wonder those payday lenders are circling the estates.

The people affected have not made a lifestyle choice. They are working people such as the one who came to my surgery who gets up at 5 o’clock to do two cleaning jobs. It is not a lifestyle choice for those who are out of work, either. It is a situation that they find themselves in, like the young man who worked at Comet and lost his job, and is now competing with seven others for every job in my constituency. He was almost in tears at having to claim benefits, and I can relate to that: I claimed benefits myself for a few months in the mid-’80s when I was left with a young daughter, and it has left an indelible mark on me. I know what it feels like to go and sign on—it hurts, it really does.

Those in work who are struggling to make ends meet and those out of work who are desperate to find it are the people who are bearing the brunt of the Government’s failed economic policies, not the high earners and millionaires who are getting a tax cut of £107,000 this April. It is not fair, and it is not right, and I am proud to vote against the Bill and defend the 8,100 people in my constituency who are claiming working tax credits.'

I won't support a Strivers Tax while Millionaires pocket £3 Billion tax cut

George Osborne has claimed to be cracking down on the benefits culture that rewards skivers and shirkers but it is hard-working families in Wigan who are amongst those being hit hardest.

Despite the Chancellor’s bold claim, the truth is that 60% of the people affected by the government’s changes to tax credits and benefits are actually working people. 

And statistics show that one-earner working families could lose out by as much as £534 per year. The people that are losing out here aren’t skivers; they’re strivers. It’s hard-working people, trying to do the right thing, who are paying the price for the Tories’ economic failures. I think working families in Wigan who are feeling the pinch will be angry to see their tax credits and benefits cut by up to £534 a year.

When the Welfare Uprating Bill is published, I will look at it carefully but if the government intends to go ahead with an unfair hit on middle and lower income working families whilst giving millionaires a £3 billion top rate tax cut I will oppose it.

Striving working families shouldn’t have to pay the price for his economic failure. However they try to spin it they can’t hide the truth - they're cutting taxes for millionaires whilst millions are struggling to make ends meet.

We need a proper plan for jobs and a plan to get welfare spending down that’s fair to working people in Wigan.

Rock the House 2013

I am calling on local musicians and small venues in Makerfield to enter Rock the House 2013, Parliament’s biggest competition which celebrates up-and-coming British artists and the live music venues that support them.

Applications opened on November 30th 2012, and will close on March 1st 2013.

The competition is open to all music lovers who fall into the following categories: solo artist, band, under 19 solo artist, under 19 band, and best small live music venue.

Rock the House is a great opportunity for aspiring artists of any age looking to find a way into the industry. I am excited to listen to the tracks that local musicians can come up with, and hope to receive as many submissions as possible.

Mike Weatherley MP, founder of Rock the House said, “This competition is the perfect opportunity for talented artists to promote their music, and win some life-changing prizes in the process - from guitars and amps, to slots at gigs and festivals. It will also put MPs in touch with musicians and small venues in their constituencies. We’ve discovered some great talent in the past, and can’t wait to see who we find this year!”

Brian May, Queen guitarist said, “It is a great honour to back Rock the House. The UK is a hotbed of musical talent from all genres, and if the British music industry is going to grow and thrive then musicians need to be able to make a living from selling their product."

“This competition gives all musicians, from all backgrounds the chance to get out there and make live music – one of the things Brits do best.”

I will nominate my favourite from each category, after which a judging panel made of international music industry experts will chose the finalists. The finalists will compete in a live battle of the bands, and the winner of each category will then perform live on the balcony of the House of Commons on the evening of the 26th of June 2013.

Rock the House was founded by Mike Weatherley MP to raise awareness of intellectual property theft and live music issues in Parliament.  In 2011, the competition was part of a campaign which successfully persuaded the Government that venues with a capacity of 200 people will no longer need a license for live music.

The launch party on Monday 26th November saw the first ever amplified gig in the State Speaker’s Room with British rock band the Young Guns, Rob Damiani from Don Brocoand Bernie Marsden from Whitesnake attending the launch.