February 2010 Update

Thursday, 18th February 2010

Tackling the Credit Card Cowboys

Time and again in my regular advice surgeries, I hear about sky-high charges on credit card bills, credit repayments or the high cost of credit on store cards.

It is not acceptable for card companies to impose complicated and confusing terms that leave many of us baffled or increase interest rates without proper explanation.

While, of course, card users have a real responsibility to manage their finances properly, they also need the right information to enable them to do that.

So I welcome plans – arguably long overdue – by the UK Government to tackle the credit card cowboys.

It will mean:

 

Debt Support

Paisley Citizens Advice Bureau has my full support in their recent campaign to raise awareness of the debt crisis gripping the country.  With Buddies approaching our local CAB having on average £20,000 of debt each – we need to act to stop people drowning in debt. I am campaigning for the CAB to get their credit crunch funding package from the Scottish Government continued throughout 2010.

Matrons and Tougher Inspections to Beat Superbugs

In 2007 and 2008 there were 35 deaths at the Royal Alexandra Hospital where C-diff was mentioned on the death certificate.

I believe matrons should in future, be in charge of hospital cleanliness.  Lessons have not been sufficiently learned from the c-diff outbreak at Vale of Leven where 18 people died.

Thankfully a full public inquiry is now underway to learn the lessons.

I would like to see Senior Charge Nurses given direct responsibility for the cleanliness of their wards. I also want a tougher inspection regime to beat hospital superbugs.

I am calling for a series of specific measures to toughen the inspection regime and ensure greater transparency in the NHS:

Every family should have the right to know that when someone they love goes into hospital they are treated in clean and safe conditions.  That’s why I want to see a series of measures to toughen the inspection regime and improve patient safety.

All Workers Should Know Their Rights

The economic downturn has meant many people have lost their jobs and other have to take on temporary or new jobs.

Too many people are not fully aware of their workplace rights and this makes them open to exploitation by employers trying to evade their responsibilities.

I want to encourage any employees – whether permanent or temporary – who are concerned about their employment rights to get in touch with the UK Government’s new pay and work rights helpline on 0800-917-2368 or text phone on 0800-121-4042.

Anyone who is concerned about their working practices can call the Government helpline, it offers information on their rights and a way to report abuses and ensure they are not being exploited.

University Success

I recently met Seamus McDaid the Principal of the University of the West of Scotland.  At the time of the University’s merger with Bell College many of us were sorry to see the name “Paisley” go from the University’s title.  But we were delighted to hear how the new “University of the West of Scotland” is flourishing.

UWS, as the “local” University for a third of Scotland, has a vital economic role.  Over £18m has been invested in the last 5 years on renovating and rebuilding properties on the Paisley campus.  New planned student residences will help boost the town centre.

I am also keen to see the University get more involved in the wider regeneration of the West End.  I would like to see a new West End Development Trust, bringing together the University, Council, Housing Associations and local businesses to drive the West End forward.  I welcome the recent commitment by the Housing Department to install new high specification secure door entry systems in Clavering Street – but other nearby streets need the same measures.  This is one small, but important, step forward.

Campaign for Disabled Bus Passengers

Disabled people from Renfrewshire on low rate Disability Living Allowance (DLA) deserve access to the Concessionary Fare Travel Scheme.  I believe it is deeply unfair to exclude this group from the free bus travel scheme.

People with a local concessionary pass are no longer entitled to the national scheme so I am campaigning for the Government to sort this out. The Scottish Government are not yet convinced but we will keep on campaigning.

Healthy Seas in all our Interest

Scottish Labour achieved tougher conservation measures for Scottish seas during the passage of the first ever Marine (Scotland) Bill.

The Bill will put a duty on ministers and public bodies to have regard to the ‘health’ of the marine area. There will be new Marine Protected Areas and better protection for seals.

What a Load of Rubbish?

My mailbag has many complaints about the recently introduced fortnightly bin collections. In Renfrewshire it was unfortunate that the Leadership in the Council drove fortnightly collections through with no public consultation.  Even those who support the introduction of fortnightly bin collections say that good practice would include a weekly food waste collection scheme to avoid the risk of rats.  So far this is not being introduced in Renfrewshire.  Good practice advice also says councils considering fortnightly collections should assess if they are suitable for every household.

We should all want to see an increase in recycling.  The Council say fortnightly collections will help achieve better recycling rates but where is the evidence?  I believe – as has been demonstrated in other local authorities such as East Dunbartonshire – that we can improve our recycling rates by encouraging residents to recycle rather than by cutting important council services, like a weekly collection service.

GARL Still Cancelled, But Borders Railway Gets Go Ahead

GARL has been cancelled mid-way through its construction but the Borders Railway – a new £230m project has been given the green light.  The cancellation of GARL will mean a loss of 1300 potential jobs to the West of Scotland.  I have received no good explanation of why new railways are getting the go ahead when Renfrewshire’s airport rail link has been scrapped.  Many local jobs rely on the airport and with tougher economic times and collapse of local airlines like Globespan we cannot afford to be complacent about our infrastructure.

The Scottish Government did not even try and find an alternative funding mechanism for the Glasgow Airport Rail Link.  Even though Scotland’s ‘big six’ business organisations have pointed out, his decision means the loss of over 1,300 jobs and a setback for our companies against their European competitors. They are united in their call in opposition to its scrapping.  Even in tough economic times it is important to take a long term view.  In the case of GARL the opportunity could be lost for decades.

It would have cost just 1.25% of Scottish Government annual capital budget over next four years required to complete GARL. Over 52,500 additional UK and overseas visitors were expected if GARL was built.

Charities Penalised by Greedy Bankers

The fundraising challenges facing our charities are real.  A huge step backwards was the decision of Lloyds Banking Group – a beneficiary of hundreds of millions of pounds worth of taxpayer’s guarantees over the last 15 month – to threaten to end its current funding relationship with its own charitable foundation.

When they appeared at the Parliament’s Economy Committee recently I left Lloyds top bankers in no doubt about how local charities feel about their plans to halve funds to their own Foundation.  Vital projects like Renfrewshire Carers Centre are currently benefiting from Lloyds TSB Foundation support.

Leading banks were quick enough to demand taxpayer support to stop them going under so it is a disgrace they now seem loath to show a little charity themselves.  The public have every right to be outraged.

Action Not Words on Co-op Closure

I have been urging “Action Not Words” following the closure of the Co-op Supermarket in the West End of Paisley. The store in Wellmeadow Street which served the town for 30 years, closed at the end of November.

The Council needs to step up the pace on the West End. The loss of the Co-op should have meant quick action by the Council. The Economic Development team should have met with all national supermarket chains to try and identify a new operator. The Council and its economic team must do more than simply offer sympathy.  They must act.

Watered Down Knife Scheme

Cigarettes Treated More Seriously Than Knives!

I had the privilege recently to meet Kelly McGee in the Scottish Parliament.  Her brother, an ex-veteran of the Iraq war, was stabbed to death in his home village of Lochwinnoch.  The case has yet to come to court so everyone is limited on what they say at this time.  But we need to listen to those with real and direct experience of knife crime and then act.

So I have tackled the Scottish Government on watering down the licensing scheme for knives. Originally the law agreed in 2007 by the last Labour administration at Holyrood meant that knives were not allowed to be displayed, CCTV would have to be installed in shops selling knives and knives would have to be kept in locked cabinets.  I know this is what law abiding buddies want.

Yet, this has been watered down by this Scottish Government so that now local authorities can decide on licensing conditions instead of a national blanket ban.  And locally Renfrewshire Council are not requiring knife sellers meet all the original conditions.  So we are now in the silly position that cigarettes are deemed too dangerous to be put on display but knives will not be dealt with in exactly the same way.  There needs to a blanket ban on the display of knives and CCTV and locked cabinets should be compulsory.

I am not saying that there isn’t merit in a Tobacco display ban.  I want to make children are protected. But if it is right for a packet of fags to be hidden away then surely it should be the same for a Rambo-knife?

Fixed Penalty Notices

The Scottish Government wants to hand out fixed penalty notices for crimes such as drug possession, theft and assault.  But too few of these fines are actually being paid.  We need to avoid ‘soft touch’ plans where theft and assault are involved. Where violence is involved we either need punishment or payback in community service time rather than a small fine.

New Southern General Hospital – DELAY

The completion date for the new hospital in Glasgow has slipped back. The new children’s and adult hospital are now due to open in 2015 with the site not finished until 2016.  It is time to get the new building built – and the current chaotic parking arrangements especially for staff sorted out as soon as possible!