TORY CRISIS LOAN CUTS HIT 350,000 VULNERABLE SCOTS

SNP CONDEMN TORIES' CRUEL CRISIS CUTS

SNP Work and Pensions spokesperson Eilidh Whiteford MP has hit out at the Tories’ ‘cruel cuts’ after Parliamentary Questions revealed how UK Government cuts to the level and availability of Social Fund Crisis Loans would impact on hundreds of thousands of disabled, pensioner and loan parent households.

The Parliamentary Questions – detailed below – also revealed that 347,270 people in Scotland took out the crisis loan over the last year. The UK Government announced that it will no longer pay Crisis Loans for items such as cookers and beds and the rate paid for living expenses will be cut from 75 per cent down to 60 per cent of benefit rate.

Commenting Dr Whiteford said:

“Cutting crisis loans must be the Tories cruellest cut yet. It will impact on the most vulnerable households, removing safety net support from people just when they need a helping hand.

“The UK Government admit that, over the last year alone, these loans have gone to hundreds of thousands of disabled, pensioner and loan parent households. By their nature crisis loans are a last resort, and so cutting their availability will cause real hardship and drive people towards loan sharks and high interest lenders.

“The fact that so many people have had to take out these loans should underline the difficulties that households are facing, but instead of trying to help the Tory Government are making things much more painful.

“These are loans that people pay back, so these cuts are not about saving money.

"With further powers over the economy and over the welfare system that supports our most vulnerable people we could put a stop to the Tories dismal decade of cuts, invest in growing our economy and support our most vulnerable properly so that together we can make Scotland better.”

Notes:

1. Details of awards by client groups:

Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many social fund crisis loans were made to (a) individuals registered as disabled, (b) individuals over the pension age and (c) lone parent households in the last 12 months. [45527]

Steve Webb: The available information is provided as follows:

Client group -- Number of initial awards March 2010 to February 2011 in Great Britain

Disabled -- 443,410
Lone parents -- 287,580
Others -- 233,990
Pensioners -- 17,320
Unemployed -- 1,706,450

All initial awards -- 2,688,750

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm110316/text/110316w0003.htm#1103171003075

2. Details of the number of people to receive crisis loans, by region, can be found here: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm110316/text/110316w0003.htm#1103171003069

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LOCAL MP CONGRATULATES PETERHEAD SEA CADETS

Banff & Buchan MP Dr Eilidh Whiteford has congratulated Peterhead Sea Cadets on their recent success. The MP attended the recent awards ceremony where cadets were presented with their awards by a senior naval officer.

The Peterhead Sea Cadet Unit was presented with the Stephenson and Thomas Grey Memorial Trophies by the Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland and Flag Officer Reserves, Rear Admiral Martin Alabaster, in recognition of their outstanding work and performance at local, regional and national events during 2010.

Commenting, Dr Whiteford said:

“I’m delighted for the young people involved in Peterhead Sea Cadets and send them my congratulations on their achievement. This was a very big occasion for them to receive their awards from such a senior naval officer.

“I understand that the Peterhead Unit is one of the largest units in Scotland and this success is a testament not only to the cadets but to their Officer-in-Charge, John Bowman, and the rest of the team.”

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SCOTLAND OFFICE COMPLACENT AND UNCARING OVER CRISIS LOAN CUTS

SNP Work and Pension spokesperson Eilidh Whiteford MP has branded the Scotland Office as ‘complacent and uncaring’ over cuts to the level and availability of Social Fund Crisis Loans, warning that the decision would force people on low incomes towards high cost or illegal lending.

Dr Whiteford raised concerns at Scottish Questions over the announcement that the Tory Government will no longer pay Crisis Loans for items such as cookers and beds and the rate paid for living expenses will be cut from 75 per cent down to 60 per cent of benefit rate.

Commenting, Dr Whiteford said:

“It seems that the Tories have gone back to being the nasty party with this complacent and uncaring dismissal of the impact that cutting crisis loans will have on the poorest households.

“By their nature crisis loans are a last resort, and it is appalling that the Tory Government are cutting this safety net. The only winners from this will be loan sharks and high interest lenders.

“The fact that so many people have had to take out these loans should underline the difficulties that households are facing, but instead of trying to help the UK Government are making things much more painful.

“These are loans that people pay back, so these cuts are not about saving money. What they will do is force people who are in crisis to take out high interest loans or to go to loan sharks.

"With further powers over the economy and over the welfare system that supports our most vulnerable people we could put a stop to the Tories dismal decade of cuts, invest in growing our economy and support our most vulnerable properly so that together we can make Scotland better.”

Note:

A transcript of Dr Whiteford’s exchange with the Scotland Office Minister is detailed below:

Dr Whiteford: The Minister will be aware that proposals to reform the Social Fund Crisis Loan are going to cut the level and availability of loans available to people to buy essential items like beds and cookers. Does the Minister agree with me that this is going to push vulnerable people on low incomes towards high cost lending and into the arms of loan sharks, exacerbating problems that we already have in Scotland?

David Mundell (Minister of State): I certainly don’t agree Mr Speaker, with the Hon Lady’s analysis and once again from SNP benches I am extremely surprised to find elements of the Social Fund are being devolved to Scottish Parliament is not being welcomed.

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SAVE SEARCH AND RESCUE SERVICES URGES FISHING MP

Banff & Buchan MP Eilidh Whiteford has appealed to the UK Government to stop the closure of Search and Rescue (SAR) services from RAF Lossiemouth after a parliamentary question revealed the role played by the helicopter cover in operations involving fishing boats.

Dr Whiteford’s constituency, which neighbours Moray, is home to a large part of the UK’s pelagic fleet - with Peterhead being Europe's premier white fish port, and Fraserburgh, Europe's biggest shellfish port. A Parliamentary Question – detailed below – has revealed the number of times search and rescue helicopters have been called out to rescue troubled fishing vessels.

The SNP MP is now calling for the UK Government to consider the impact that the closure of the UK Air Rescue Coordination Centre and Search and Rescue Squadron 202 at RAF Lossiemouth would have on the fishing and offshore oil and gas industry, as well as mountain rescue.

A decision on SAR privatisation had been expected before Christmas, but has been indefinitely delayed after the preferred bidder said it had become aware of a possible issue with its bid. The UK Government has also announced plans to cut Coastguard stations from 18 to 8 with only one in Scotland.

Commenting Dr Whiteford said:

“The UK Government will put lives at risk on sea and land by closing the search and rescue services which currently serve the fishing and offshore oil and gas industry.

“The Search and Rescue helicopters and their military crews from Lossiemouth have played a key role is the rescue and location of fishing boats over many years, indeed they have been called out five time in the last year. The loss of this cover would be extremely troubling.

“The UK Government must consider the impact that the closure of the Rescue Coordination Centre and Search and Rescue Squadron 202 at RAF Lossiemouth would have on the fishing and offshore oil and gas industry. Lossiemouth is the obvious and best strategic location for this cover.

“It would be extreme stupidity to withdraw military aircrews and privatise search and rescue cover from Lossiemouth, given the massive capability gap already created by the decision to axe the Nimrod fleet at RAF Kinloss.

“The military training and excellence of our RAF and Royal Navy helicopter crews have helped to save so many lives and maintain the highest rescue standards, and these skills and services must not be lost.

“Given a decision on privatisation has already been delayed because of problems with the preferred bidder, the UK government must step back from making a reckless decision that will put lives at risk.”

Notes:

Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times search and rescue helicopters based at RAF Lossiemouth have been involved in operations involving fishing vessels in each of the last five years.

Nick Harvey: The information requested is shown in the following table:

RAF Lossiemouth call-outs to fishing vessels

2005 1
2006 12
2007 10
2008 1
2009 3
2010 5

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