Letter from Graham Watson MEP

Greetings

Parliament met in Strasbourg this week for our formal debates and votes. Since we are almost at the end of the Commission’s term of office and awaiting the formation of a new Commission there is relatively little legislation to vote on, but there are all kinds of other things to keep us occupied.

One novelty this week was the first ever ‘Question Time’ with the President of the Commission. I was the first to propose this at the EP’s governing body, the Conference of Presidents, two or three years ago. It encountered a surprising degree of resistance at the time. So I felt more than a little satisfaction at participating in the first such occasion and in being called; I asked Barroso how he intends to ensure that future economic growth is environmentally sustainable and he gave a reasonably good answer. I had planned a more combative question, attacking the Leader of the Socialists for his opposition to market liberalisation, but the mood of the occasion was consensual rather than conflictual and I decided to not to disturb it.

Parliament debated this week the impact of climate change on the world’s poorest countries and what the EU could and should be doing to help. MEPs from all the major parties called for the EU to compensate these countries for the damage the industrialised world has caused by assisting them with technology transfer and fighting deforestation. The Swedish environment minister, currently chairing the Council of Environment Ministers, assured us that the Council (in which the 27 national governments are represented) is aware of the scale of the funding required to meet the needs of developing countries, which the Commission estimates at EUR100 billion per year until 2020. But as we were debating in Strasbourg the EU’s 27 national finance ministers were meeting in Luxembourg and they failed to reach agreement on the EU contribution towards funding the global fight against climate change. This left the environment ministers, who met the following day, at pains to reach agreement: the matter of who pays what will have to await the heads of state and government at next week’s European Council (‘summit’) meeting. My fear is that money already earmarked for the millenium development goals will end up being re-packaged to help fight climate change, ie that little new money will be put on the table.

Parliament voted on Thursday the EU budget for next year. This was only a first reading vote; the final votes come in December. We voted to put money aside to help developing countries fight climate change, to be determined more precisely depending on agreements at the UN’s the Copenhagen conference. We also voted to increase spending on measures to help get the economy back into growth, telling the Council of Ministers that they need to spend EUR 7 billion more than they agreed at their first reading vote in July. Among other decisions were more aid for Palestine and more money for the European Fund for Refugees.

On Tuesday I saw Commissioner Spidla, the Social Affairs commissioner, to discuss the way in which 2000 employees were made redundant with only three days notice at Nortel in Berkshire. It is outwith my constituency, but a number of my constituents worked there. He shares my view that the company’s UK administrators, Ernst and Young, appear to have broken the law and has asked the UK government to provide information to the Commission.

The Liberal Group had it first row of the new Parliament this week, after a motion critical of Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi’s attacks on media freedom was defeated by just one vote. It was a resolution we had put forward; yet three of our Irish MEPs and one of our Finnish members voted against. It gave Berlusconi an unnecessary victory.

Among visitors I met this week were Finnish EU Affairs minister Astrid Thors, a former Liberal MEP; and Turkey’s chief EU accession negotiator Egemen Bagis. I also welcomed my constituency office team to Strasbourg, the first time any of them has visited.

Tonight I will attend a social event in Somerton and Frome constituency, where my wife is doing the cooking, and tomorrow morning a climate change awareness-raising event in Yeovil constituency. Tomorrow afternoon I speak to Bath’s Royal Literary and Scientific Institution about the changes that the Lisbon Treaty will bring.

Next week the EP is in recess for the Michaelmas holiday, so I’ll write again early in November.

Regards

Graham

Graham Watson MEP
Liberal Democrat Member of the European Parliament for South West England and Gibraltar

Vehicle damage in Moorfields Road

Between 10 and 11.30pm on Tuesday October the 20th, unknown person(s) have caused damage to a motor vehicle by scratching the bodywork and also spraying paint over it.
If you have any information regarding this incident, please contact the Police on 0845 456 7000. Alternatively you could contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

It is important that you ask for the call to be tagged ‘Neighbourhood Watch’ and quote Ringmaster message Bath 3555.

Youth democracy under threat

A Liberal Democrat Councillor has attacked a decision by Conservative-run B&NES Council to cancel the forthcoming UK Youth Parliament Elections, which are due to take place in the authority in January.

Cllr Nathan Hartley (Peasedown St John) was contacted by frustrated members of the young people’s campaign group DAFBY (Democratic Action for B&NES Youth) last week with the sad news that the Council has decided to cancel the annual elections – which are now approaching their tenth year.

Cllr Nathan Hartley, who nine years ago was one of the founding members of DAFBY and the UK Youth Parliament elections here in B&NES, said:

“This is an awful decision to make. Now approaching its tenth year of activity the UK Youth Parliament has been extremely successful in engaging young people in the democratic process and encouraging countless teenagers to take an active role in society.

This move by B&NES Council is a smack in the face to every young person who has been involved with DAFBY since myself and group of peers founded the group in the year 2000.”

B&NES has cited a lack of staff support behind their reason for cancelling the elections.

Last Sunday, Cllr Nathan Hartley held an emergency meeting with DAFBY members in an attempt to save the elections. At the meeting, the group laid out a set of proposals of how to address the situation, and to get the election process back on track.

At the time of going to press, no one from the Authority has accepted Cllr Hartley’s invitation for a meeting to explore a rescue package.

Cllr Hartley continued:

“I really do hope the Council decides to make a positive U-turn and re-instate the elections.
Imagine if B&NES decided to cancel the 2011 local elections – if they did there would be a public out-cry. These elections that promote and enable youth democracy should be no different.”

The Conservative-led Council also have plans to cut the number of DAFBY meetings down to two per month (from the current four) and cancel all Council-funded transport to the meetings from April 2010.

Bath to hunt for young Olympians

The Chair of ‘Team West of England’, Bath MP Don Foster, is calling on Bath’s youngsters to sign up and get themselves spotted as part of the programme to find Olympians for 2016.

Talent 2016 is the latest programme to find young athletes, and has achieved past success. Victoria Thornley, a 21-year-old from Wales, was identified through the Sporting Giants programme in 2007 and subsequently gained a place on British Rowing’s World Class Start programme. In July this year, just over two years after attending a talent assessment day and first setting foot in a rowing boat, Thornley was standing on the podium at the U23 World Championships, as a member of the winning British women’s eight crew.

A trial for young athletes is being held in Bath on 10th January 2010, and budding medallists can sign up now!

Don said,

“This programme is youngsters a wonderful opportunity to come along and show that they have the potential to become an Olympic athlete. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t got previous experience in the sports in question.

“I’m sure Bath has potential gold medallist among our ranks, and the trials taking place in January could be the first step on that journey.”

With almost all athletes likely to compete in London already identified and in the system, ‘Talent 2016’ will consist of a series of searches looking to unearth athletic youngsters with the potential to reach the podium in Rio in seven years time. The first search in the series, ‘Tall and Talented’, is looking for men and woman between the ages of 15 – 22 and over the heights of 180cm or 5’ 11” (for women) and 190cm or 6’ 3” (for men), who could find success in sports where height can give an athlete a real advantage, such as rowing and basketball.

Don added,

“This is one of the first of many try outs. Even if you don’t fit into the ‘Tall and Talented’ category you can sign up now and receive information on future events.”

It’s time for local MP to wear it pink and help beat breast cancer

Bath MP Don Foster is joining forces with Breast Cancer Campaign to raise awareness of for its award winning fundraising event, wear it pink, on Friday 30 October 2009.

It’s time to wear it pink, it’s time to beat breast cancer and Don is urging residents, young and old to get their pink outfits on. Schools, colleges and businesses throughout the country are encouraged to wear it pink in support of Campaign and donate £2 each to fund innovative world-class breast cancer research.

Last year over one and a half million people took part in wear it pink to help improve survival rates for the one in nine women who experience breast cancer during their lifetime. This recession busting fundraiser is affordable and easy to take part in, giving everyone the chance to help make a difference.

Don Foster MP says:

“Every year over 45,500 women and 300 men in the UK are diagnosed with breast cancer. Like many others, I know people who have lost friends and family members to breast cancer. I would like to encourage everyone in Bath and throughout the country to support wear it pink on October 30, to raise valuable funds for breast cancer research.”

To take part in the UK’s original and best pink day. Call freephone 0800 107 3104 or visit www.wearitpink.co.uk and register to receive your free fundraising pack now.

Homelessness Centre: Liberal Democrat Comment

Commenting on the debate over the proposed homelessness centre near Kingsmead Square, Cllr Will Sandry (Lib Dem shadow Cabinet member for healthier communities and older people and Councillor for Oldfield) said:

“Cllr Pritchard, through indifference and inaction, has lost £2.5M of central government funding for this project and now he is stuck with the James Street West site as it has become the only affordable site.

“The shameful thing about this project is that it is still not clearly defined what will be at the site, but it is accepted that the site is too small to provide the right facilities for the complex needs of homeless people in Bath.

“Cllr Pritchard knows that all he needs to do is pick up the phone to the Homes and Communities Agency to re-establish dialogue. But for some reason he is unwilling to do this.

“The one thing I agree with Cllr Pritchard about is that the facilities at the current Julian House desperately need to be upgraded.

“Unless he sorts this mess out soon, we will be left spending millions on a second rate facility.”

Schools Tour: Connecting in the Community

Liberal Democrat Councillor Nathan Hartley (Peasedown St John) is undertaking a tour of schools in the district as part of his role as Shadow Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, which includes education.

Councillor Hartley said:

“I’m planning to visit 15 schools in B&NES between now and Christmas, taking in the full spread of primary and secondary; denominational and non-denominational; single sex and co-educational; and city and rural.

“By going on this tour of schools I’m hoping to meet people and connect with them directly in their communities so as to better represent their views in the Council Chamber and at other Council meetings.

I think it’s really important that local Councillors take an active role in finding out in what is happening in our local schools.”

Councillor Hartley’s first visit was to Broadlands School in Keynsham on 13th October. He also visited Beechen Cliff and Chew Valley School last week.

This week he will be touring St Gregory’s Catholic College on Tuesday 20th October at 1.30pm.

Local students could face £7,000 tuition fees

There is now less than eight months to save a new generation of young people from huge increases in university tuition fees, according to Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, Don Foster

Don was speaking after the Conservatives suggested they will increase tuition fees to £7,000 if they take power at the next general election, which has to be held by next June.

That will see tuition fees for undergraduates more than double. Currently there is a cap of £3,300 in England and Wales.

Peter Mandelson has already suggested that Labour will allow universities to charge more than at present if re-elected – though the party is too scared to push through the changes it wants before June.

Only the Liberal Democrats will scrap tuition fees. The party believes university education should be free and everyone who has the ability should be able to go – and not be put off by the cost.

Bath MP Don said:

“I look around Bath and I see people return from university with no job and a bank balance tens of thousands of pounds in the red. What sort of message is that?

“Labour and now the Tories are showing their true colours. They don’t care about young people – they just want to saddle them with staggering amounts of debt.

“The choice is clear: the people of Bath can vote for a politician who will condemn a generation of youngsters or for the Liberal Democrats who will make education free again, giving young people the best possible start.”

Intruder at Poplar Close

At approximately twenty to one on the morning of Thursday October the 15th unknown person(s) have gained entry to a multi-occupancy residence, causing a disturbance and damage to a telephone cable.

If you have any information regarding this incident, please contact the Police on 0845 456 7000. Alternatively you could contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.