MP asks: Could You do something to help ex-soldiers in need?
A Dundee MP has been recruited to help to find a suitable volunteer who would be interested in helping to raise money for soldiers and ex-soldiers in need.
The Army Benevolent Fund has asked Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie to try to find a suitable individual or individuals from among the public who could help the ABF to raise at least £280,000 this year and more next year.
The Fund in Scotland is run by a self-confessed ‘one man fundraising army’ , Major Roy Robertson, who formerly served with the 51st Highland Volunteers, who will travel to meet any individuals identified who want to help and will support them in anything they want to do to raise money for the ABF.
Mr Robertson said: “In Scotland the plight of the veteran is one that the Scottish Government has put at the centre of its policy, but the rate of increase in cases of individuals asking for assistance last year was 47% higher than the year before.
“Since the average length of time between a soldier leaving service and applying for assistance from the Army Benevolent Fund is an almost unbelievable 13 years, we are bracing ourselves for large numbers of applications arising from the beginning of the second Gulf War in 2003.
“There has been a large increase in the need for funding support, and due to military operations in Iran and Afghanistan, we expect even more in future years.
“All I am asking is that you cast around and find just one person who would be willing to talk to me about doing something to raise money for soldiers and ex-soldiers.”
Stewart Hosie said: “This is a very worthy cause indeed and it might be that someone in our area who has served, is related to a serving soldier or former soldier – or perhaps someone with no connection to the forces whatsoever – could take on this role and make it their own.
“If so, I would be delighted to point them in the right direction. We have information leaflets from the Army Benevolent Fund here in our offices at 8 Old Glamis Road and I hope that among the public there is someone or some people who might be interested in taking this on. It could prove immensely rewarding and satisfying for the right individual.”
The leading soldiers’ charity has for 65 years provided assistance to soldiers, ex-soldiers and their dependents in time of need. It disburses about £2.5 million each year to individual soldiers and a similar amount to support other charities looking after the needs of veteran soldiers.
The MP has made a personal donation to the charity – the Army Benevolent Fund also welcomes donations – and the contact details for anyone who might be interested in contacting them directly are: Major Roy Robertson, telephone: 0131 310 5132 or email: scotland@armybenfund.org
MP Praises Centre Safe Initiative Success
The success of Centre Safe, the initiative designed to keep Dundee City Centre a safe place at night during the weekend, was today praised by Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie.
The MP’s comments came after the Chief Constable’s Annual Report revealed that from April 2008 to January 2009, over Friday and Saturday nights, 142 arrests were made, 45 litres of alcohol were confiscated and 228 fixed penalty notices were issued for offences such as breach of the peace and vandalism.
Stewart Hosie said: “I am delighted at the success of Centre Safe, where high profile patrols have helped to ensure that people enjoying a night out feel secure and confident in the city centre.
“It is a prime example of proactive police deployment. Greater police presence at these peak periods of activity in the city centre helps to deter crime and antis-social behaviour.
“It has been an outstanding year for Tayside Police. Overall recorded crime is down to its lowest level for at least a decade with crime detection rates also the highest for many years.
“Communities across Dundee East are experiencing the lowest levels of crimes such as housebreaking, vandalism and car crime than ahs been recorded for a generation.
“I am also pleased that through additional investment from the Scottish Government, which has allowed civilianisation of police officer roles, the number of front line police officers in Tayside have been increased and will rise still further over the next few years.”
MSP’s ‘Optimism’ on Funding for Rosendael
Shon Robison MSP, Joe FitzPatrick MSP and Stewart Hosie MP with Major Ian Ballantyne of Scottish Veterans' Housing Assoc and staff at Rosendael
“I attended a meeting today with the Leader of Dundee City Council, and the Chief Executive designate, which discussed the issue of funding for Rosendael. I was assured that no final decision had been reached.
“The issue had been under discussion for the past 18 months and I was made aware of the issue during a visit which I made to Rosendael, with fellow MSP Joe FitzPatrick and Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie in March this year [see picture of the politicians with Major Ian Ballantyne (of Scottish Veterans' Housing Association) and Rosendael staff].
“I am assured today that the Council is going to be meeting urgently with the Scottish Veterans’ Housing Association to identify a solution to the funding issue for Rosendael. I am optimistic that such a solution can be found.
“There is no doubt of the commitment of the Scottish Government to supporting veterans as demonstrated through the priority treatment given to veterans through the health service and through other such support. I am sure that commitment is one shared by Dundee City Council.”
MP Calls for Answers on Energy Companies Insulation Charges
Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie has expressed concern at large differences between energy companies on the prices they charge for energy saving insulation schemes. The MP believes that some companies are profiting by overcharging some categories of customer for work which they could have had done at up to half the price elsewhere.
Stewart Hosie said: “As a result of questions raised by constituents, I have been made aware of large differences in the charges which different companies make to their customers and to non-customers – and the large disparity between different companies for the same work.
“Using information supplied by the Energy Saving Trust and Energy Saving Scotland Advice Centre, which monitor the prices for services provided by energy companies, I was able to compare prices charged by nine different companies for similar work on home insulation schemes.
“For example, British Gas charges their customers £250 for top-up Loft insulation where N Power charge their customers £149 for the same work.
“There are even more marked differences in the charges which companies are asking for non-customers. For the same work which N Power charge their customers £149 for, they will charge non-customers £365; more than double.
“Not all the companies do this. Charges by Scottish & Southern Energy (which includes Scottish Hydro Electric) and Scottish Power are the same for customers and non-customers alike.
“Clearly some companies operate huge differences in prices and I feel this needs to be looked at. I also suspect that the work is actually being carried out by the same contractors irrespective of which company is charging the customer for it. This may lead to some constituents paying more than others for the same work.
“I will write to British Gas, N Power and Powergen, who appear to be the worst culprits and ask why their customers’ prices are more expensive than the average.
“I will also seek an explanation as to why they charge so much more for non-customers than they do for customers.
“I also intend to raise this with the Scottish Government and ask what action they might take on the issue.”
Labour fails the bingo industry again
REFUSAL TO HELP THE SECTOR WILL BRING JOB LOSSES AND CLUB CLOSURES
SNP Treasury spokesman Stewart Hosie MP has hit out at Labour MPs following their failure to stand up for the bingo industry in the House of Commons today (Wednesday).
Labour MPs voted down Mr Hosie’s amendment to the Finance Bill which would have ensured fairer taxation for the bingo industry and an end to the double standard currently lumbered on the sector.
Bingo clubs are currently hit with a 22 % levy while other gaming activities are taxed at 15%. The industry claim unfair taxation has put great stain on business and played a contributing role in the closure of 31 clubs in 2008/09.
Commenting, Mr Hosie said:
“Labour has hung the bingo industry out to dry. This amendment was a chance to do the right thing by the bingo industry and they have failed.
“This unfair taxation is incredibly damaging to this industry, forcing clubs to close and jobs to be lost across the country. These are difficult times for the entire sector and the UK Government should be supporting the sector rather than contributing to its hardship.
“Other gambling products are taxed at a 15 % but the UK Government insists on making licensed bingo an exception to the rule.
“Financial problems in the industry will not only mean job losses, but also the loss of important places to meet and socialise. Especially in small towns, closing the bingo club can rip a social hub out of an area.
“The SNP has kept up the pressure on the UK Government to play fair and end this unjust levy. Labour could have held out a helping hand to the bingo industry today but instead they walked by on the other side.”
LLOYDS MUST BE HONEST OVER FUTURE
CONCERN OVER “IF “ FUTURE
SNP Treasury Spokesman Stewart Hosie MP has called on Lloyds Banking Group to be honest over the European Commission’s instruction that the group needs to be broken up.
Mr Hosie’s comments follow a war of words between European Commissioner Neelie Kroes and Lloyds Banking Group with Lloyds reportedly refusing to accept Ms Kroes’s insistence that the group must either repay the aid it received from the UK Government or split itself up.
The row over a future sell off of parts of Lloyds Group comes as Livingston MSP Angela Constance continued to press Lloyds and Chancellor Alastair Darling to either commit to the future of Intelligent Finance or to put the bank up for sale as a profitable concern.
Commenting on the row between Lloyds and the European Commission Mr Hosie said:
“Lloyds must be honest with the Commission, customers and employees over the future of all parts of the banking group.
“Competition rules may have been broken once for the merger with HBOS – they will not be suspended forever.
“This is exactly the kind of situation those opposed to this botch job merger predicted and I will be seeking clarification from Lloyds, the Commission and the Treasury on the future position of Lloyds Banking Group and all its parts.”
Livingston MSP Angela Constance, who last week met with Lloyds Group to raise her concerns over their plans for the future of the Intelligent Finance online bank based in the constituency added:
“Instead of splitting up and selling parts of Lloyds Banking Group my fear is that Lloyds will simply shut more and more of it down.
“With the decision to end the sale of IF’s innovative offset mortgages Lloyds appear to be deliberately running down this Scottish success story.
“Lloyds have so far failed to give me any commitment to maintaining IF in the future.
“Intelligent Finance is a Scottish success story and there was a huge investment in a state of the art site in Livingston. If Lloyds plan cutbacks or closures then I would rather see the business sold as a successful going concern. There is a real opportunity to develop the business, build on success and protect local jobs.”
SNP CALL FOR FAIR PLAY IN BINGO TAXATION
SNP Treasury spokesman Stewart Hosie MP is calling for fairer taxation on the bingo industry and an end to the double standard currently inflicted on the sector.
Mr Hosie will today (Wednesday) join a bingo rally in the House of Commons to show his support for the sector.
Bingo clubs are currently hit with a 22% levy while other gaming activities are taxed at 15%. The industry claim unfair taxation has put great strain on business and played a contributing role in the closure of 31 clubs in 2008/09.
Commenting, Mr Hosie said:
“To burden bingo with this over taxation is both unjust and unwelcome. These are difficult times for the bingo industry and the UK Government needs to support the sector rather than adding to the challenges it faces.
“Other gambling products are taxed at a 15 per cent but the UK Government insists on making licensed bingo an exception to the rule. The SNP has kept up the pressure to redress this imbalance by tabling an amendment to the Finance Bill next week.
“The sheer number of people gathering in the House of Commons to stand up for the industry shows the important role bingo halls play in our communities. They are a safe and friendly environment for the whole community, especially older people, to gather together.
“The SNP have long campaigned for a change in this unfair tax policy. To preserve this important industry and to bring bingo into line with other gaming activities, it is time for the UK Government to ditch the double standard.”