Food Poverty - We are sleep walking back to Dickensian times says Roger

Roger has tabled an Early Day Motion 223 today which draws attention to the growing pressure on the nations already over stretched food banks. Early day motion 223 FOOD BANKS AND FOOD POVERTY Primary sponsor: Godsiff, Roger Sponsors: Durkan, Mark That this House views with the gravest concern the recent report by the Trussell Trust, the biggest provider of food banks in the UK, that more than 350,000 people turned to their food banks for help in 2012-13, almost triple the number who received food aid in the previous year and 100,000 more than anticipated; believes that estimates put the true figure of those receiving food aid in 2012 at nearer 500,000 when other independent food banks, churches, charities and community groups are taken into account; understands that to meet the sustained demand for emergency food supplies, the Trust itself launched almost 150 new food banks in the last year and is currently approving three new food banks a week; notes that the Trust's own research suggests that, nationally, 45 per cent of all referrals are as a result of benefits problems which include benefit delay (30 per cent) and benefit changes (15 per cent); further notes that a significant causal factor is most likely to be the rising tide of the draconian regime of benefit sanctions leading to destitution, hardship and hunger on a large scale; further believes that this level of food poverty, which shows every sign of growing as further changes to the benefits system take effect, is wholly detrimental to the social fabric of the UK, further marginalising, as it does, the poor, the unemployed and already socially disadvantaged and is incompatible with the functioning of a modern, compassionate society; and calls on both the Government and the House of Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee to conduct an urgent inquiry into the relationship between benefit delay, error or sanctions, welfare reform changes and the growth of food poverty. Roger believes that a significant causal factor is likely to be the rising tide of draconian benefit sanctions although at the present time there is only anecdotal evidence to support this and rising levels of complaints from constituents. He commented: “There is every indication that levels of food poverty show every sign of growing as further changes to the benefits system take effect. Such developments, I believe, are wholly detrimental to the social fabric of the UK, further marginalising the poor, the unemployed and already socially disadvantaged and are incompatible with the functioning of a modern, compassionate society. I have called on the government to launch an urgent enquiry into causes of food poverty, particularly in respect of the administrative failure of the Dept of Work & Pensions (DWP) to deliver benefits effectively and its widespread use of punitive benefit sanctions. The DWP is never backward in reminding us all repeatedly how much money it is managing to save the UK taxpayer but wouldn’t it be nice if it actually got the money that people are entitled to distributed before they had to visit their local food bank.

Roger Godsiff Condemns HMRC Rip-Off on Premium Rate Phone Lines

Birmingham MP, Roger Godsiff, has written to the new CEO of HMRC, Lin Homer, complaining about the use of premium rate phone times and length of wait times for calls to be answered. Roger Godsiff said: “I am receiving an increasing number of complaints from constituents who have tax problems and who either have to wait ages on vastly expensive phone lines or who don’t get through at all. With pressure on family budgets from all directions it is unacceptable that individuals should be hit by large phone bills when all they are trying to do is sort out their tax problems. I would also add that many of the problems that people face are caused by HMRC themselves and massive reductions in staffing levels. He continued: “I have asked Lin Homer a number of questions but principally I would like to know how much money HMRC are making out of their current phone tariff and how long people are kept waiting. HMRC are not backward in coming forward to trumpet their success in increasing tax revenues, I am not alone in believing that this shouldn’t be on the back of a lousy and expensive phone service, people deserve better.”

St. George’s Day Greetings.

I extend greetings Christians in my constituency on St. George’s Day on the 23rd April. St. George is the Patron Saint of England and among the most famous of Christian figures. The banner of St. George – the red cross of a martyr on a white background – was adopted for the uniform of English soldiers as far back as the reign of Richard I and later became the flag of England and White Ensign of the Royal Navy. Little is known about St. George himself but he is venerated in many countries of the world and I send my best wishes to all of my constituents who celebrate St. George’s Day.

Football's Minute of Silence for Lady Thatcher

In justification of football having a minutes silence in memory of Lady Thatcher Dave Whelan, the Chairman of Wigan Athletic is quoted as saying in today's Guardian: “Football was in a bad way when she was Prime Minister, we saw all the changes in her time and they should pay tribute to that”. Putting aside her destruction of the post war consensus; the closure of large swathes of manufacturing industry; the squandering of North Sea Oil wealth on 3 million unemployed; the selling off at knock-down prices of gas, electricity and water; and the deregulation of financial services which sowed the seeds of the 2008 financial crisis, what did Mrs. Thatcher do to address the problems of football in the 1980s? She forced football clubs to erect fences around pitches to pen in fans. In April 1989, 96 people were crushed to death at Hillsborough because these fences prevented people in the Leppings Lane end from escaping onto the pitch. Some legacy!!

Council’s should 'fight back' rising energy bills by negotiating on behalf of residents

Council’s should 'fight back' rising energy bills by negotiating on behalf of residents Following an initiative taken by a number of councils in London who have joined together to try and collectively force energy companies to offer lower tariffs to customers, Birmingham MP Roger Godsiff, has written to all of the local councillors in his Hall Green constituency suggesting that Birmingham City Council should consider a similar scheme. Roger said: "Birmingham City Council is the second largest council in the country with 1 million people and it could operate a similar scheme for the residents of Birmingham. All that Birmingham residents have to do is register their interest and then the council could then negotiate on their behalf to get the best deal." Roger went on to say: "Councils are having to make massive cutbacks right across the board and I would have thought that anything that they can do to' fightback' the seemingly endless rises in energy prices makes a lot of sense".

Roger's Postcard from Parliament January 2013

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B_9TwqUlwHK6TVhnSGk2N1hCRUk/edit

Roger is urging travellers to book an ATOL-protected trip

Roger is urging Birmingham Hall Green residents to pack peace of mind when purchasing their holidays this year, by making sure they book an ATOL-protected trip.

The ATOL scheme is there to protect people against the risk of their travel company going bust: ensuring they can continue their holiday and return home safely if the company collapses whilst they are away; or providing refunds if they’re yet to travel. And with over two million ATOL-protected air holidays expected to be sold in the UK during January - the scheme will give holidaymakers in Birmingham Hall Green and across the country peace of mind that their hard earned holiday will not be lost.

During 2012, Parliament agreed two key changes to the scheme to widen protection and help people understand when they are protected. Holidays known by the industry as ‘Flight-Plus’ are now included in the scheme, as well as traditional package holidays. A ‘Flight-Plus’ booking is one that includes a flight plus accommodation and/or car hire, so long as these separate parts of the holiday are booked with the same company and within a day of each other.

The second change agreed by Parliament in 2012 saw the introduction of the ATOL certificate; offering consumers greater clarity on how their holiday is protected. Anyone who books an ATOL-protected trip will now receive an ATOL certificate from their travel company as soon as they make any payment. The certificate tells them what is protected, who is protecting it and what to do if something goes wrong.

The importance of booking with a travel agent who is covered by the ATOL scheme is particularly important for pilgrims travelling to the Hajj and Umbra celebrations in Saudi Arabia since there have been a number of cases where rouge travel agents not covered by the scheme have reneged on promises and left travellers high and dry and very much out of pocket.

Roger Godsiff said: “I would urge all Hajj & Umrah travellers in particular to book only with companies which are ATOL protected. It was only last year that Saleem Akhtar was prosecuted after trading standards officers received complaints from a couple who booked a Hajj trip to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. The court heard a trading standards probe into Akhtar’s Alum Rock-based travel firm, Embassy Express Ltd, revealed he was flouting consumer protection rules by pretending he was covered by Air Travel Organisers Licensing, which protects travellers on package holidays.

He was found guilty of two counts of fraud, two of breaching package tour regulations, and seven of using the ATOL logo contrary to consumer protection from unfair trading regulations.

Anyone wishing to book an ATOL-protected air holiday can check if a company provides protection by looking for the ATOL logo on their promotional material, or searching the company’s name at www.packpeaceofmind.co.uk. More information about what’s covered by the scheme and how the ATOL certificate works is also available from this site."

Roger is also advising people booking trips not covered by the ATOL scheme such as those without flights or holidays booked directly with airlines, to seek alternative methods of protection such as insurance or paying with their credit card.