Thursday 26 September 2013

Roger finds that surveillance drones are not being used over Birmingham Hall Green

Roger took action to investigate whether unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as drones, have ever been used for surveillance in the skies over Birmingham Hall Green.

He tabled Parliamentary Questions asking the Government for more information about the regulatory framework for the civil use of drones, and about whether the surveillance camera code of practice applies to the use of drones by public authorities. He has also written to the Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, asking for clarification on whether the police force have used, or are using, drones for surveillance in Birmingham.

Roger says: “I believe that the people of Birmingham have the right to know whether surveillance drones are being used by police in their city. While no one objects to the police gathering the information they need to keep people safe, it is important that public authorities are accountable to the citizens they serve. If surveillance equipment such as drones is being used in Birmingham, people have the right to know about it. I therefore wrote to West Midlands Police to ask whether drones have been used over Birmingham.”

The Chief Inspector responded with the reassurance that the police force has never owned or deployed any drones or unmanned aerial vehicles. Roger says: “I am pleased to be able to reassure my constituents that there is no ‘eye in the sky’ watching over Birmingham Hall Green.”

The BBC Board of Governors is no longer fit for purpose, says Roger

Speaking to a group of trainee journalists and students hoping to have careers in the media industry at a gathering in his constituency of Birmingham Hall Green, Roger said that, “sadly”, the Trust which oversees the BBC had been found wanting and was no longer fit for purpose.

Roger said: “The BBC is one of the most important strands of the cultural life of our country, but the controversy which has erupted over massive pay-offs to senior BBC executives, including over £1 million to the former Director General Mark Byford, could not be justified under any circumstances. This is particularly the case as these people were only doing their jobs, for which they were already extremely well paid compared with the majority of workers in other jobs.

“The sickening and unedifying squabble and buck-passing which occurred when Lord Patten, Sir Michael Lyons, Mark Thompson and other senior executives appeared before the recent Public Accounts Committee was shameful. Anybody watching the proceedings was given the very clear impression of a bunch of privileged people helping themselves to whatever they could get out of the licence-fee pot, in much the same way that those at the top of the banking industry behaved in the run-up to the financial crash in 2008.”

Roger continued: “The BBC has an outstanding worldwide reputation. These people, through their greedy, money-grabbing behaviour, have devalued the reputation of the institution, while the BBC Trust seemed incapable of providing the overall control, on behalf of the public, which their Charter obligations place on them. There have to be changes, and the sooner they happen the better.”

Wednesday 25 September 2013

Roger supports decision by Co-operative stores to remove lads’ mags from sale

Roger has welcomed the decision by the Co-operative chain of supermarkets to remove “lads’ mags” from sale in their stores after publishers refused to put them on sale in sealed bags. Roger feels that it is inappropriate for such sexualised images to be on the shelves in high-street stores where they can be seen by children. Roger says: “I support the Co-operative’s removal of magazines and newspapers which contain graphic images which objectify women, and I hope that other retailers will take a similar stand. Such content has no place being on display in supermarkets.” The decision by the Co-op will see the removal of magazines Front, Zoo and Nuts, as well as the removal of newspapers Midweek and Sunday Sport. Loaded will remain on sale, after its publishers agreed for it to go on sale in a bag.

Roger calls for Government action to protect workers on zero-hours contracts

Roger has signed two Early Day Motions calling on the Government to take action to prevent the exploitation of workers on zero-hours contracts. The motions call on the Government to protect workers’ rights and avoid a race to the bottom on pay and conditions, and encourage employers to invest in a stable, long-term workforce. Roger says: “I am concerned that the increase in zero-hours contracts is having a detrimental effect on working conditions, pushing pay downwards and increasing employment instability. I believe that employees are an asset which businesses should invest in, not just another expense to be cut to the bone to increase shareholder profit.” Roger is worried that long-term, stable jobs are being replaced by zero-hours contracts, with pressure on employees to do the same work in return for poorer pay and less security. Early Day Motion 461 expresses support for workers at Hovis (Premier Foods) in Wigan, who rejected the employment of agency labour on zero-hours contracts after permanent employees were made redundant. Roger believes that this decision by Hovis sets a damaging precedent for the treatment of employees, undermines hard-won pay and conditions, and could lead to the creation of a two-tier workforce. Roger says: “At times when the economy is running below capacity and unemployment is high, it is particularly important to protect workers’ rights and prevent exploitation. My constituents who are on zero-hours contracts have contacted me to tell me that they feel that they have no rights. One told me that he has never been treated as badly as he was on a zero-hours contract, but felt that he had no choice but to accept this treatment as otherwise he would not be offered any more work. This is an exploitative and unacceptable situation for hard-working people to be forced into, and I urge the Government to take action to prevent future abuses.”