Probe into alleged price-fixing by oil companies welcomed

May 15, 2013 / Dale / No comments
  • ‘A move that could benefit Teesside’s key industries and hard pressed motorists’

Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland Labour MP, Tom Blenkinsop and Anna Turley, Labour & Co-operative candidate for Redcar, today (May 15th 2013) welcomed the news that  European Commission fraud investigators have raided the offices of leading oil companies over possible price manipulation as a move that could be a boost for Teesside’s core industries and for local motorists.

Anna said:
“We learned today that the European Commission has carried out surprise inspections at several major oil companies including Shell, BP and Statoil over possible price manipulation in breach of EU anti-trust rules

“There were concerns raised earlier this year by the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) about an 8p increase in wholesale prices between December and February that ‘could not be explained by new geo-political issues or other economic factors’.

“I also hear that along with the PRA, big fuel users like airline easyJet have said they will provide evidence to Europe to back up their investigation. I would hope that local Teesside chemical companies can do the same.

“Obviously we have to wait for the outcome of this probe, but Labour previously warned that opaque over-the-counter deals and relying on price reporting agencies left the market vulnerable to abuse. If there has been price fixing, then this will have had a huge impact on core chemical companies on Teesside who have to use bought-in oil and gas as the core feedstock for their finished products.”

Tom said:
“The steel industry is also a big energy user, and given the cost pressures that both Tata Steel and SSI have to face, any move that could bring down high prices that may be fixed by a cartel is doubly welcome. It could also help the motorist, like many of my East Cleveland constituents; who have to make long journeys to and from work or even to the shops. Understandably, they often feel they have been ripped off at the petrol pumps.

“This move also highlights the idleness of the present government in this matter.  In the past the government have been asked to step in to see that UK bodies like the Competition Commission intervene, but these calls were ignored. Labour tabled amendments in Parliament last year calling for commodities like oil to be part of the Financial Conduct Authority’s regulatory net, but Ministers refused to act. They must explain why they complacently failed to do so.

“The fact that Europe has been the agency to seek fairness for Teesside industry is also ironic given the hostility of many Conservative Government Ministers towards Europe. Any move to stop collusion and drive down prices can only be good for these companies who have previously been at the mercy of the energy companies.”

Category: Energy /

‘Stealthy’ Cleveland Fire proposals debated in Parliament

May 13, 2013 / Dale / No comments

Labour MP Tom Blenkinsop this evening (13th May 2013) used an Adjournment Debate to highlight his concerns that proposals to turn Cleveland Fire Brigade into a ‘public service’ mutual were a “mutilation of mutualisation” that could lead to privatisation, whilst also attacking the lack of transparency over the handling of the proposals.

The Tory-led Government has spent over £100,000 funding proposals that would see Cleveland Fire Brigade ‘spun out’ from Cleveland Fire Authority, with Tory Ministers trying to push through legislative changes “that would enable fire and rescue authorities in England to contract out their full range of services to a suitable provider”.

Under European law, if the Fire Brigade were to be ‘spun out’, after the initial contract expires, it is very likely the Fire Authority would have to put fire services out to potential competitive tender. This would allow private companies to bid to replace the Fire Brigade as the provider of frontline, emergency fire services.

These proposals are being opposed by the Labour Party’s Shadow Fire Minister (Chris Williamson MP), Cleveland’s Labour MPs (Alex Cunningham, Andy McDonald and Iain Wright), Redcar’s Labour and Co-operative Parliamentary candidate (Anna Turley), the Chief Fire Officers’ Association, the Fire Officers’ Association, the Fire Brigades Union, and the Co-operative Party.

Tom said:
“I was pleased that I was able to secure this debate, as I am deeply concerned about these proposals.

“There is a certain stealth about how the Government are handling these proposals. Not only are they refusing to disclose information requested through Freedom of Information requests and Parliamentary questions, but Fire Minister Brandon Lewis attempted to sneak legislative changes that would permit privatisation under the radar, through the House of Commons’ Regulatory Reform Committee.

“If the Government and Chief Fire Officer continue to push these proposals, there is a real risk that our Fire Brigade could be privatised, due to European law. Yet, despite the significance of this, there is a total lack of transparency, ensuring that Cleveland’s residents and media are kept in the dark about this threat.

“Whilst I appreciate that the Government is squeezing the Brigade’s finances, these proposals will not mitigate the cuts the Brigade faces, and, ultimately, we should not even consider exposing the fire brigade to the risk of privatisation. In addition to this, the Minister failed to outline any route that would permit competitive tendering to be avoided.

“Fire and rescue services are a life-and-death service; public safety must always come first, not private profit. It is time for Cleveland Fire Authority to let the public know what’s going on.”

Anna Turley, Labour and Co-operative candidate for Redcar, said:
“I do not believe this is the right model for our fire service. A mutual requires the support of its employees, yet fire-fighters do not want these changes. The language of mutuality and co-operation is simply being used as political cover by the Coalition Government to open up public services to potential competitive tender. I believe this poses a major risk to the service delivery of one of our most vital emergency services, particularly in our area of high industrial risk.

“Residents, fire-fighters, their elected representatives and the media have a right to know what is going on. Such important decisions that affect us all should not be discussed behind closed doors.”

Category: Teesside /

Tom welcomes progress on local schools rebuild

May 13, 2013 / Dale / No comments

Labour MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, Tom Blenkinsop, today (13th May 2013) welcomed the news that Department for Education will within the next twelve months begin the process to ensure new schools for Laurence Jackson School and Handale Primary School.

The news comes following a meeting at the end of April between Tom, Tony Gavin (head teacher for Laurence Jackson School) and the Minister for Schools, David Laws. At the meeting they raised their concerns over the delays to the rebuild of Laurence Jackson School under the Government’s ‘Priority School Building Programme’ (PSBP).

Laurence Jackson School in Guisborough and Handale Primary School in Loftus will within the next twelve months be open to bids for the construction and maintenance of the new schools.

Laurence Jackson was previously scheduled to be rebuilt under the Labour government’s ‘Building Schools for the Future’ programme but this was scrapped in 2010 by the Coalition leaving schools in desperate need of repair with an uncertain over future. Laurence Jackson was then placed on ‘Priority School Building Programme’ but like a number of North East schools they have yet to receive funding from the programme.

Tom said:
“This looks like good news and I’m sure it will come as a relief to both staff and pupils at the schools. There were reports that the rebuild of Laurence Jackson School wouldn’t be going ahead until 2016 – at the time this wasn’t refuted by Education Minister Michael Gove – and this was extremely disappointing for everyone involved. Under Labour’s BSF scheme the rebuild would be well underway by now. The staff, students and parents have waited long enough and the delay was, quite frankly, unacceptable.

“There are significant costs in keeping open the existing buildings, which currently have allocated resources to remain open until September 2015. That puts a huge burden on the schools finances and is completely intolerable.

“My primary concern has always been the education of the pupils at the schools. Both are excellent schools and I feared the delays could cause irreparable damage. Whilst there is still some way to go before the schools are complete at least there does now appear to be an end in sight. Things could not carry on the way they have been.”

Category: East Cleveland, Education /

‘A car crash childcare policy’

May 9, 2013 / Dale / No comments

Labour MP Tom Blenkinsop has today (9th May 2013) slammed the Coalition’s childcare policy branding it a ‘car crash’ amid warnings from professionals and parent groups that the changes to the number of children that nursery workers can look after will threaten the quality and safety of care.

Tom said:
“Childcare is an extremely important issue and is one that Labour have been campaigning on for months. These changes seriously risk not only the quality of care but potentially child safety, yet all David Cameron and Nick Clegg are doing is creating chaos and confusion.

“Nobody supports the plans to weaken childcare standards and even expert academics have warned the Government that these changes would risk child safety and will not reduce costs to parents. Young children can often be demanding and require lots of attention, so while a child-minder can have the very best qualifications; they still only have one pair of hands.”

Labour’s Childcare Commission has rejected plans to change ratios as happened in France, and is instead looking to countries in Scandinavia, which have a higher quality childcare that is more affordable to parents.

Tom added:
“David Cameron is presiding over a crisis in childcare; cutting tax credits by £1560 and there are 401 fewer SureStart centres than in 2010. The Government is doing nothing to help helping hard working families with the cost of childcare.”

Labour will table an amendment to the Children and Families Bill at Report Stage, which is due to commence in the coming weeks.

Category: Uncategorized /

‘A silly Bill that will harm Teessiders and its economy’

May 9, 2013 / Dale / No comments

Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland Labour MP Tom Blenkinsop, today (9th May 2013) described one new bill introduced in the Queens Speech yesterday as “a silly bill that will harm Teessiders and Teesside’s economy”.

Tom said:
“One bill that was announced was a measure to exempt the self-employed from health and safety regulations in carrying out their trade. This is a profoundly silly and dangerous measure. It is silly because it was said this will only apply ‘where their activities do not harm the public’ and I defy anyone to say how this definition can be framed.

“But it is also dangerous to both the local economy and to the self-employed themselves. Take a self-employed builder or electrician who carries out work in large local factories or offices. These firms are covered by statutory health and safety rules and it is highly likely that these firms, or at the very least their insurers, will not allow these people on site. This means that local self-employed people will lose work which brings earnings that are fed back into the local economy.

“There is also physical danger. I can see a scenario where a self-employed person can say that he or she does not come into contact with the public, and be exempted, but then gets offered a contract in a public place, takes a risk in accepting it, and then exposes themselves and others to dangers and also to possible legal action from people affected by their possible negligence if an accident happens. This is just a silly and dangerous bill, and if there was any sense on the Coalition benches they should withdraw it at its first reading.”

Category: Uncategorized /

Tom calls on local schools to take part in ‘My Money Week’

May 8, 2013 / Dale / No comments

Tom Blenkinsop, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, has called 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 Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland 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 Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland 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 Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland can also take part in the ‘A-Z of Money’, a national competition challenging them to learn more about money through creative writing.

Tom said:
“My Money Week is a good opportunity for local schools to highlight the importance of financial education. The ability to manage your own financial affairs is an important skill that will prove invaluable in the future.

“A study last year revealed that the lack of financial education cost taxpayers approximately £3.4bn per year. That is a huge price to pay for not preparing our young people for something that everybody has to deal with. Someone who is more financially savvy knows where and how to get financial help if they need it and they will be in a much better position to plan for their future, such as going to university or having their own family.”

Tracey Bleakley, chief executive of pfeg (Personal Finance Education Group), said:
“We are absolutely delighted to have the support of Tom Blenkinsop MP in promoting My Money Week this year, and I hope all schools in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland will seize the opportunity to take part through our free activity pack, advice and support.”

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% of teachers reporting an increase in skills and knowledge and 91% of teachers reporting a shift in students’ attitudes towards money.

Teachers in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland can pre-order their free My Money Week Activity Packs at www.pfeg.org/mymoneyweek

Category: Education /

Government needs to get tough on crime urges Tom

April 30, 2013 / Dale / No comments

Local Labour MP Tom Blenkinsop has today (30th April 2013) urged the Government to ‘get tough on crime’ as new figures revealed that in over 10,000 serious violence cases “community resolutions” have been used instead of prosecutions and cautions.

A series of FOIs show a steep increase in serious offences including domestic violence and knife crime being dealt with by community resolutions, originally intended for low level crimes, since cuts started in 2010.

Tom said:
“It is extremely concerning that offenders who admit to serious and violent crimes such as knife crime, domestic violence, and serious assault, are increasingly being let off with no criminal record, no justice for victims, and not even a caution.

“Ministers promised stronger action against serious and violent crime, especially knife crime, yet these shocking figures prove they have done the opposite. And the idea that perpetrators of domestic violence are being let off for merely saying ‘sorry’ to the victim I find very disturbing and I fear it risks perpetuating any abuse.

“We know police forces are under pressure from the scale of cuts and demands to dispose of crimes so it is no coincidence that this big increase in community resolutions for serious crime comes at the same time as 15,000 officers are being lost.

“The Home Secretary needs to deal with this urgently by ensuring community resolutions are only used for low level crime and for the government to recognise the real threat to justice from the scale of police cuts and to get tough on serious crime.”

Category: Law and order /

Economic growth proposals for Teesside quashed by Vince Cable

April 30, 2013 / Dale / No comments

Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland Labour MP, Tom Blenkinsop, today (April 30th 2013) slammed comments made by Business Secretary Vince Cable that Teesside – and the rest of the North East will have to, in Tom’s words, “whistle in the wind” for previously promised extra cash to boost regeneration and economic growth.

In a speech made in front of journalists, Mr Cable said that organisations like the Tees Valley  ‘Local Enterprise Partnership’ (LEP) was simply not capable of handling huge sums of public money, arguing that big decisions must be administered from Whitehall.

Mr Cable also said “There is a genuine concern about local enterprise partnerships. Hardly any of them come up to me and say ‘we would like billions more money to spend’…They are quite small groups… [and only had] five, six, or seven business people on the board” adding: “You can’t hand over large chunks of public money, with limited controls, into that kind of structure.”

Tom said:
“Vince Cable has unilaterally and brutally torn up a report drawn up by Lord Heseltine and endorsed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, that proposed that the LEP’s would get a share of the £70 billion proposed by Lord Heseltine and Chancellor George Osborne.

“It is an utter insult to the businesspeople who sit on the local LEPs, people who, in their day-to-day life make multi-million pound decisions in areas like the chemical, logistics and the engineering industries.

“In effect Mr Cable has told Teesside to ‘drop dead’ over pleas for real cash to invest in local industry and the creation of much needed jobs for Teesside’s unemployed. Put simply this is a mess and it is becoming increasingly difficult to know who is calling the shots here – is it the Chancellor or Vince Cable?

“The LEP’s were touted as the Government’s big idea to replace regional development agencies that existed under the previous Labour Government and helped direct spending in the regions. Now we see them downgraded at the whim of one Liberal Democrat Minister. Worse, in his comments he lashed into what he saw as differences between Teesside and the rest of the North East – fuelling and stoking up inter-regional squabbles, diversions which we all need like a hole in the head.
“What is needed is simple common sense from the Government, an endorsement of the spending plans of both the Tees Valley and North East LEP’s and a steer for both to work together more closely – and not the exact opposite.”

“In the final analysis the voters will know who to blame – but that won’t be until 2015.This issue has to be settled now – and settled properly in the interests of jobs and growth for our area.”

Category: Economy, Employment, Teesside /

‘Standing up for rural communities as Government attacks standards for farm workers’

April 24, 2013 / Dale / No comments

Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland Labour MP, Tom Blenkinsop, today (24th April 2013) argued that the abolishment of the Agricultural Wages Board (AWB) is ‘part of a race to the bottom over pay and fair treatment when the Government should be raising standards for farm workers’.

The AWB protects pay and conditions for 152,000 farm workers in England and Wales and it used as a benchmark for others employed in the food industry. 170 of those workers are in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland.

Tom said:
“Last week the Government denied the House of Commons the chance to even debate this decision and it is only through the use of Labours Opposition Day debate that MPs are getting the chance to voice their concerns.

“The abolition of the AWB will save virtually nothing but simply demonstrates the Tory-led Government’s failure to protect people who work in the countryside. The Government should be helping rural families deal with rising living costs, not engaging in a race to the bottom in pay and conditions.

“Food production is Britain’s biggest manufacturing industry. This cut will affect a lot of hard working agricultural workers across my constituency, and will undoubtedly have a knock on impact for the high streets of our rural villages and towns. Labour believes that the people who grow our food should also be able to afford to buy it in the shops.”

Category: East Cleveland /

Latest jobs figures shows the Government is ‘letting down our area’

April 17, 2013 / Dale / No comments

Responding to today’s (17th April 2013) employment figures, local Labour MP, Tom Blenkinsop, claimed that the Governement is ‘letting down our area’.

Tom said:
“Here in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland long term unemployment is up 25% on the year, and long-term youth unemployment is up 43%.  It is getting clearer by the day that this government is letting down our area.

“Before they condemn a whole generation to joblessness Ministers must take the decisive action we need to get our communities working again starting with Labour’s compulsory jobs guarantee to get anyone out of work for more than two years back into a job; a job people must take or lose their benefits.

“The message to ‘change course’ with their economic plan is coming in from all directions. Even with unemployment getting worse George Osborne still won’t listen.”

Category: Employment /
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