Whiteford Leads Bedroom Tax Debate in Commons

BEDROOM TAX CONFUSION CAUSING ANXIETY FOR THOUSANDS

Ahead of a Westminster debate on the Bedroom tax today (Tuesday) Banff & Buchan MP Dr Eilidh Whiteford has called on the UK Government to rethink its plans after comments from the Work and Pensions Secretary betrayed his deep unease with the devastating impact of the policy.

Last Thursday, Iain Duncan Smith said that he had instructed his officials to “look again” at how the benefit cut would affect disabled people, after the Chief Executives of seven charities wrote an open letter to Mr Duncan Smith and George Osborne outlining their concerns. However, within hours IDS’s own department had ruled out any changes.

Figures released over the weekend by the Scottish Government estimated that eight out of ten households set to be affected by this benefit cut in Scotland are occupied by a person with a disability.

The SNP have now demanded that Iain Duncan Smith get a grip on his department and order them to review the policy as he had wanted.

Commenting ahead of the debate – led jointly by the SNP, Plaid Cymru and the Green Party - SNP Work and Pensions spokesperson and local MP Dr Eilidh Whiteford said:

"We know that over 80% of Scotland’s MPs at Westminster are totally opposed to this iniquitous measure. On Wednesday we have an opportunity to reflect the deep and genuine worry about the Bedroom tax. We know that about 100,000 households are going to be hit by this policy and we know from our mailbags and surgeries that there is huge concern about how this new tax is going to hit the most vulnerable in our communities.

"Now we see the confusion and panic at the Department for Work and Pensions. Last week the Secretary of State Iain Duncan Smith ordered his officials to 'look again' at how this measure will affect the disabled following an approach by the Chief Executives of seven charities concerned about it. Now we are told there will be 'no u-turns' and it is full steam ahead for implementation in full.

“We know that many elderly people are also worried about what this benefit cut really means for them. There is widespread alarm about the way this Government’s incompetence now extends to communicating how this new measure is actually going to work.

“Iain Duncan Smith is clearly concerned about the impact of this policy – yet he appears to have been silenced by his own department. It’s time for Mr Duncan Smith to get a grip of his own department – and look again at this policy as he wanted. When they do, the devastating impact on some of the most vulnerable people in our society will become quite clear.

"We are listening. We are listening to the charities and civic bodies. We are listening to individuals who are shocked at the confusion and shambles and we are listening to those who understand that the new Bedroom Tax will hit the vulnerable, the disabled and those in greatest need of support. Iain Duncan smith is not listening. He needs to come to the House of Commons urgently and tell us all what he is doing to take account of all of these concerns.”

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North Sea Oil and Gas Has Highest Levels of Investment in 30 Years

The SNP has welcomed the North Sea Oil and Gas UK report that shows the highest investment in the industry for more than three decades.

Commenting, Banff & Buchan MP Eilidh Whiteford said:

"For the North Sea Oil and Gas industry to record the highest level of investment in 30 years is a clear demonstration of the continued strength of the sector.

"It makes abundantly clear that George Osborne got it badly wrong in 2011 with his surprise tax raid on the industry and that he was right to heed our calls to undo his damage at the earliest opportunity.

"The oil and gas sector clearly has a bright future ahead of it and with the powers of an independent Scotland we can ensure that these fantastic resources are put to the best possible use on behalf of people in Scotland."

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Local MP Witnesses Fraserburgh Academy Rock Challenge Success

Banff & Buchan MP Eilidh Whiteford has congratulated Fraserburgh Academy for gaining first place in the North-east heats of the 2012 Global Rock Challenge.

The event was held on Saturday night at Aberdeen Exhibition & Conference Centre and the local MP was there to witness the Broch’s success.

Commenting on the event, Eilidh said:

“I was delighted to be able to attend the Aberdeen heat this year and I was even more pleased that Fraserburgh Academy emerged triumphant at the end of the night and brought first place home to Banff & Buchan.

“The performance by the Fraserburgh pupils was truly spectacular, highly professional and deserving of their first place, in addition to the other awards they picked up on the night for drama skills, video performance and performing skills.

“In addition, Peterhead Academy is a 'Premier School' in the Global Rock Challenge competition. This means they will be once again travelling to Grimsby to compete in the Northern Premier Finals of the dance/drama competition in June, representing not only the school, but the local area and Scotland.”

The Global Rock Challenge is for the students and their teachers to create and be involved in their own production from conceptualisation through to the live performance. The challenge is also to be the best that they can without the use of nicotine, alcohol or other drugs, and there are severe penalties for anyone who fails that challenge on any event day and for their team too.

Feedback / research indicates that the concept works, with young people clamouring to return year after year to take part, with improved relationships with teachers at school, with a reduction - or even cessation - of substance abuse by team members and with a lower incidence of substance abuse generally within participating schools.

Attendance rates are also boosted, as are staying-on rates into sixth year.

The Rock Challenge® communicates health and social education messages in a positive and supportive environment.

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Mundell Under Pressure Following 'Misrepresentation' Claim

Pressure is rising on the Tories’ sole MP in Scotland after accusations he misrepresented the views of COSLA on the bedroom tax at Westminster.

Reports in today’s Herald (Friday 22) make clear that COSLA president David O’Neill has written to the Westminster Government minister demanding a retraction of claims David Mundell previously made in the House of Commons that the concerns of local authorities had been satisfied following a meeting between COSLA and Lord Freud.

Figures highlighted by the SNP recently demonstrated the significant mismatch between the number of people assessed by the DWP as needing one-bedroom social homes and the number of people who currently have them. With 60% of social housing tenants in Scotland ‘needing’ such properties but 26% currently living in one-bedroom social homes, the lack of availability means that the bedroom tax will be unavoidable for many people.

Commenting, SNP MP Eilidh Whiteford said:

“These are extremely serious accusations and if David Mundell has misrepresented COSLA’s views at Westminster, then he must set the record straight as a matter of urgency.

“Like everyone else, Scotland’s local authorities have huge concerns over the utterly unfair bedroom tax that Westminster is preparing to implement, and to suggest otherwise is simply unacceptable.

“The fact is that the bedroom tax will leave tens of thousands of people in Scotland facing bills they can’t afford - and will only be able to avoid by leaving the communities they have lived in for years and secure smaller accommodation elsewhere, with all the disruption to families and sources of support that involves.

“No amount of manufactured claims of support will change the fundamental unfairness of the bills people will soon face, or the devastating impact it will have for tens of thousands of people in Scotland.

“The determination to pursue this fundamentally flawed charge shows just how out of step Westminster is with the needs of people in Scotland. Decisions over housing benefits are the kinds of decisions we need to make for ourselves in Scotland - a position supported by 64 per cent of people in the Scottish Social Attitudes survey - and only a Yes vote in next year’s referendum will secure the right for us to do so.”

Details of COSLA’s letter to David Mundell can be viewed at http://www.heraldscotland.com/mobile/politics/

Figures below from the Scottish Government show the mismatch between the number of people assessed as ‘needing’ small social homes and those who currently have them.

Table 9: All tenants in social housing in Scotland
Estimated number of bedrooms needed using DWP standard v Number of bedrooms in the house
Number of bedrooms required using DWP standard			Number of bedrooms in the dwelling
			1	2	3	4	5 or more	Total	%
1			142,000	142,800	45,600	2,800	100	333,300	60.40%
2			2,900	92,700	36,900	3,000	300	135,800	24.61%
3			200	17,600	40,100	4,000	200	62,100	11.25%
4			0	1,400	11,600	2,900	100	16,000	2.90%
5 or more			0	300	2,500	1,400	400	4,600	0.83%
Total			145,100	254,800	136,700	14,100	1,100	551,800	100.00%
%			26.30%	46.18%	24.77%	2.56%	0.20%	100.00%

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