Migration figures failure causes councils to flounder

A Treasury Committee last week criticised the existing methods for estimating international and internal migration. Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne commented:

"This report makes it painfully clear that ministers have totally lost track of something as fundamental as how many people actually live in Britain.

"The Government’s statistical incompetence has left councils floundering when they try to plan public services for local people.

"Not only do internal and international migration estimates need to be improved as a matter of urgency, but the Government must also reintroduce exit checks immediately so that we know when people overstay their visas."

Former Briton Ferry mayor receives unique memento

Friends of Ian Sherwood will be pleased to know that his ten years service in the LibDem leader's office in Cowley Street, Westminster, has been marked with a presentation.

The picture shows him after receiving a print of Westminster, signed by three of the leaders he has served. Left to right are Nick Clegg, Ian, Paddy Ashdown and Sir Menzies Campbell.

Labour election methods still rankle

Evening Post reader John Owen complains that MP Peter Hain and council leader Derek Vaughan gloat unjustifiably over Labour's victory in the May 1st elections.

We understand his feelings, and that of fellow Baglan residents. However, the way forward must be increased engagement with the political process, not more recriminations.

We call upon the people of Baglan to actively support democratic political parties which more closely represent their views. We hope we can persuade them that Liberal Democrats, the party of fairness, of community and of sound local government, should be their choice.

Government should give police full pay rise - Huhne

Commenting on Police Federation chairman Jan Berry’s attack on Jacqui Smith, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said:

"Ministers have completely failed to understand the full consequences for police morale of their failure to respect the independent arbitration panel’s pay award.

"It is understandable but regrettable that the police now want the right to strike, given the violation of the fair pay arrangements.

"Even at this late hour I hope that the Government can deal with police grievances by paying the settlement in full."

Government failing to tackle vulture funds - Moore

Vulture funds - as defined by the International Monetary Fund and UK Chancellor Gordon Brown among others - are companies which buy up the debt of poor nations cheaply when it is about to be written off, then sue for the full value of the debt plus interest.

Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for International Development, revealed in Parliament that the Government has provided just £1.8m of support for Nicaragua’s $1.3bn anti-vulture fund operation. Liberal Democrat Shadow International Development Secretary, Michael Moore, said:

"Providing 1% of the cost of Nicaragua’s billion dollar commercial debt buy-back does nothing to excuse the Government from its total failure to tackle the scourge of vulture funds operating through British courts.

"The £10m pledge to help prevent future activities by vulture funds pales in comparison with the hundreds of millions of pounds which British courts have awarded them so far.

"The Prime Minister is keen to promote his commitment to global development, but an agreement on the need for an agreement is just not good enough. Where are the measures that will protect the world’s poorest from falling prey to vulture funds?

"The least that this Government must do is to bring forward legislation to clean up Britain’s own financial regulations and ban vulture funds from using the UK as a base to exploit the developing world."

An Orwellian step too far

Commenting on the Government’s plans for a giant database of electronic information which would hold details of every phone call and email sent in the UK, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said:

"Ministers have taken leave of their senses if they think that this proposal is compatible with a free country and a free people.

"Given their appalling track record of data loss, this Government simply cannot to be trusted with such private information."

Speed up asylum processing rather than bang up claimants

Commenting on the Government’s plans to build new immigration detention centres, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said:

"Ministers should speed up processing rather than banging up claimants, and the obvious way is by setting up a Canadian-style independent agency to decide cases.

"At present, a fifth of asylum appeals are successful because politics hampers the decision-making.

"Another attempt to build a centre in Bicester that has already been mothballed once is unlikely to prove the magic bullet that this inhumane and ineffective policy needs."

Neath and Aberavon Liberal Democrats celebrate success, condemn undemocratic Labour

At their first monthly meeting after the May 1st elections, Neath and Port Talbot Liberal Democrats welcomed Joanne Foster, the new Chief Executive of Welsh Liberal Democrats. There were congratulations for John Warman (Cimla) and Keith Davies (Coedffranc North), who retained their seats, and for new councillors Des Sparkes (Cimla) and Frank Little (Cadoxton).

It was felt that the strengthened Liberal Democrat group (now third-largest on the council) would increase its effectiveness out of proportion to the increase in its numbers.

The meeting resolved to campaign on behalf of the people of Baglan, who had been denied a democratic choice at the election, after the last-minute defection of two Ratepayer candidates to the Labour party.

It was reported that the ruling Labour group on Neath Port Talbot council had voted against offering chairs of any scrutiny committee to opposition councillors. In view of the fact that LibDem-led Swansea had proposed that the Labour opposition should have the choice of Swansea's scrutiny chairs, and a similar move in Ceredigion, Neath Port Talbot's obduracy was condemned as undemocratic.

John Warman Launches Water Petition

Senior Liberal Democrat councillor for Cimla, John Warman, is one of the first to launch an online petition on the Assembly website, against adding fluoride to our water supply. John heads the Campaign Against Fluoridation (CAF) and he hopes that people will offer their support. He says “I want to get in early to make sure people get the message and do not let the water be tampered with and keep the water pure”

John can guarantee my support on this issue (writes Annette Sparkes of Tonmawr). I have done extensive research into the harm done by fluoride. The fluoride that is added to the water supply is a toxic waste of the fertiliser industry, and not the fluoride that’s found naturally in water.

There is no end of information regarding the dangers from this poison, and for ANY government calling for fluoride to be introduced into our water supply, needs to be voted out of office.

Here are some examples of the effects of fluoridation which are taken from a Canadian website:

“Fluoride is a toxic chemical. Read the government warnings regarding toothpaste and mouthwash:

“Keep out of reach of children under 6 yrs of age.”

“If you swallow more than used for brushing, get medical help immediately

“If more than used for brushing is accidentally swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Centre right away."

“Never give fluoridated mouthwash or mouth rinses to children under six years of age, as they may swallow it.”

“Use non-fluoridated toothpaste or no toothpaste for young children

A pea-size amount of fluoridated toothpaste contains about 0.25mg of fluoride. One glass of fluoridated water contains the same amount of fluoride

The fluoridation chemicals (hydrofluorosilicic acid, arsenic and lead) are all toxic substances from Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Agency list. Toxic substances are man-made and accumulate in our bodies over our lifetime

Environment Canada also states that; “Hydrofluorosilicic acid is identified as a dangerous good under the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations and has been classified as a Class 8 corrosive substance.” The disposal of these “hazardous waste” products is expensive. They may not be put into our lakes, rivers or streams

We are paying companies to put their hazardous waste into our drinking water, hence source water. Shouldn't these companies pay for the disposal of their own hazardous waste, in a manner that does not cause environmental or human health harm?

The National Research Council has identified fluoride as an "endocrine disruptor" while recent research from Harvard University has found a connection between fluoride and bone cancer that is “remarkably robust”.

Individuals with kidney disease and young children are unable to adequately filter toxins and individuals who drink large volumes of water such as lactating mothers, athletes and outdoor workers ingest more of these toxins on a daily basis, therefore are susceptible to overdose

According to the United Nations: “As a general guideline, prolonged total Fluoride intake exceeding 1.0 mg/day can produce clinical signs of Fluorosis in adults

Thyroid pathologies such as simple goiter and hyperthyroidism, and breast mastopathies such as fibrocystic breast disease and breast cancer are associated with iodine deficiency and seem to be preventable. Fluoride is a well-established enzyme disruptor. It interferes with the uptake of iodine in thyroid and extra-thyroid tissues like the breast, which require iodine for normal architecture and function. A growing number of researchers and clinicians hypothesize that breast changes due to iodine deficiency lead to breast cancer.”

And the list goes on. I hope (concludes Annette) that all those who read this will all give their full support to John, in his fight to keep our water pure.

Labour AM condemns unfair care charges

Gwenda Thomas, AM for Neath, in her capacity as Deputy Minister for Social Services, on Tuesday laid before the Assembly the LCO outlined last November.

One of the local authorities she criticised by implication was her home council of Neath Port Talbot, which, as one of the measures aimed at keeping down council tax increases, hiked care charges this year.

Government postponing bad news on tax credits?

HM Revenue and Customs were scheduled to release Tax Credits 'Finalised Awards' and 'Supplements of Payments' for 2006-07 yesterday [Tuesday 20th May]. They should have been available here.

LibDem analysts expect the statistics on tax credits overpayments to show that the Tax Credits system has wasted over £10bn in four years.

The figures are expected to reveal that 1.25m families received over £1bn in overpayments in 2006-7, meaning that in just four years the money lost through fraud, error and overpayments would amount to over £10bn.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Danny Alexander said:
"The expected loss of £10bn in four years lays bare the failings of this system that is clearly not delivering the financial stability low-income families need.

"Gordon Brown likes to boast about the tax credit system, but the reality is very different to the spin.

"The figures will serve to remind families of the huge problems Gordon Brown’s pet project has faced in the five years it has been running. Despite changes to the Tax Credits system which were announced by ministers with great fanfare, overpayments are still expected to be over £1bn for last year alone.

"Far too many low-income families are still being put on a financial rollercoaster by the enormous complexity of a system that too often gives with one hand and takes away with the other.

"The system must be stabilised by fixing awards on a six monthly basis to eradicate overpayments and win back the confidence of hard-working and overstretched families."

Is the government waiting for a day on which to bury bad news?

Conservatives dodging tough questions on the economy - Cable

Commenting on
David Cameron’s 'Living within our means' tax speech, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said:

"David Cameron’s vision for the UK economy is just an empty shell.

"The Conservatives’ attempts to make a virtue of having no policies will not convince anyone.

"You cannot simply claim you will make Government more efficient and improve public services without offering any concrete solutions for how you will do it.

"In reality, to reduce taxes and make government more efficient, tough choices about all areas of government spending must be made.

"David Cameron insists on talking about sharing the proceeds of growth, despite the fact that all experts expect growth to fall. What exactly is he planning to share?

"This hotchpotch of vacuous platitudes merely confirms how hopelessly ill-prepared the Conservative party is for power."

Government has no new ideas on empowerment - Goldsworthy

Last week, Hazel Blears made a nod towards localism, by outlining plans to give people the right to trigger action on local issues.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary, Julia Goldsworthy said:

"This is a real example of ‘do as I say not do as I do’ from the Government. There is nothing here to suggest that we will cease to be the most centralised state in Europe.

"Many councils are already forging ahead in empowering communities and today’s proposals are not new ideas.

"Liberal Democrat councils in Birmingham and Eastleigh already hand over budgets and decisions to local areas. Liberal Democrat councillors in Kingston introduced a right to petition some time ago.

"If ministers want to have any credibility in community empowerment they need to stop centralisation and hand control of decisions and finance back to local areas."

Bureaucrats’ mistakes cost taxpayers £560m

Commenting on benefit fraud and error statistics released last week, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Danny Alexander said:

"We now have a benefits system so complex that even Government officials can’t understand it. It is absolutely unacceptable that the amount wasted because of official error has risen in the past year to £560m.

"Ministers have spent £3.9m since 2001 on campaigns to tackle benefit fraud, but yet again we see that the system is being exploited at massive cost to taxpayers.

"The targets to reduce fraud and error have been missed by a mile, yet ministers still insist there is nothing wrong with the benefits system.

"The Government must take radical action to tackle this problem: we cannot continue to lose almost £2bn a year for all the same reasons. There can be no more excuses."

Lembit says that government must do more to help struggling homeowners

Commenting on new measures to help first time house buyers announced by Housing Minister Caroline Flint, Liberal Democrat Housing Spokesperson, Lembit Öpik said:

"Finally the Government has realised that their first time buyer schemes have helped too few families into homeownership. But where is the support for those facing repossession and homelessness?

"The Government must now consider how struggling homeowners could be helped into shared ownership schemes to prevent repossession.

"Unfortunately at the moment homelessness and hopelessness is where we seem to be heading."

LibDems force government U-turn on immigration

The Government has been forced to make a u-turn on new immigration rules because of pressure from the Liberal Democrats.

The original rules would have banned people who made even an honest mistake in their applications from reapplying for a visa for up to 10 years. Even families and those who were under 18 when making the application would have been affected.

However, after the Liberal Democrats forced a debate on the issue, Immigration Minister Liam Byrne conceded that the automatic penalty would be waived in the case of families and those under 18 when the error was made.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said:

"These changes were rushed through in haste and repented at leisure.

"The absurd rules would have meant penalties for children who had been kidnapped by child traffickers, and would have ignored family circumstances by depriving children of a parent.

"The minister has promised to reintroduce some aspects of discretion in key areas where automatic penalties would have been ridiculous."

Rules must be tightened to prevent repeat of Farepak collapse

Commenting on the announcement that the investigation into the collapse of hamper company Farepak has been completed, Liberal Democrat Small Business Spokesperson, Lorely Burt said:

“There is an obvious inequality between the protection given to people who save with high street banks and those who put their money into schemes such as Farepak.

“If any wrongdoing can be proved, ministers must ensure that those responsible are brought to book.

“In these harsh economic times, when food and fuel prices are skyrocketing, it is crucial that the rules are tightened to ensure small savers are never again left high and dry in this way.”

It is estimated that 12,000 people in Wales lost their savings in the Farepak failure.

Crewe a four-way marginal?

All right, it's just for fun, as Peter Snow would say, but cast an eye on the unofficial poll on the Crewe blog site.

There is hardly anything to choose between Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat and UKIP candidates.

There are indeed whispers coming back from Crewe that Labour could finish third behind the LibDem and Conservatives.

Government’s strategy on data protection a shambles - Alexander

Commenting on reports that staff at the Department for Work and Pensions have been sending out highly sensitive data in packages that include the passwords, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Danny Alexander said:

“The Government’s strategy for protecting citizens’ personal information is a shambles.

“We’ve had mislaid CDs, lost laptops and now passwords are being circulated with the information they are supposed to protect.

“Data protection is being undermined across Whitehall - the very idea that this Government could be responsible for an ID card database is a joke.”

Local LibDem AM claims victory as WAG pledge to boost youth opportunities

Peter Black has welcomed a government commitment to improve youth services - but warned that the new guidance may not be enough.

Peter's attempt to use the Assembly's legislative powers to improve youth services were voted down by the Labour/Plaid government. But children ' s Minister Jane Hutt has pledged to toughen up guidance to local authorities to achieve the same aim. She said the new guidance would be issued "as a result" of Peter Black's work.

Peter said: "I am delighted that the Minister has expressed her support for the principle of this Measure.

"From talking to her, I understand that the Government fully approves of what I am trying to achieve - greater opportunities for young people in their communities.

"I still believe that in order to secure the kind of services we have been talking about today, we need to pursue the matter through a Measure. I do not share the Minister's optimistic view that the same can be achieved through revising existing guidance.

"Guidance, by nature, is not enough. We have had guidance in place through the 'Extended Entitlement' document, and I believe it has not proved effective. The evidence for that is there for all to see in our local communities.

"The Minister has promised to bring this back within a year. I hope she is right that stronger guidance will make a difference. I am prepared to work with her to try to ensure that this is the case, if that is possible.

"But my fear is that it will not and by then we will have failed a generation of young people by the time we are able to bring this back."