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Issued
by: Keith Reed
Embargo:
Immediate, 14/01/00
"Borough’s post offices to
be shut by new Government plans."
- warns Edward Davey MP
Kingston &
Surbiton’s MP, Edward Davey, has warned that local
post offices will close if new Government plans go ahead.
Mr Davey believes Government’s plans to move from
paying pensions and benefits by giros and order books to
paying direct into bank accounts will force several local
post offices to shut. Figures just released by the
Department of Trade and Industry estimate that one in ten
of the Borough’s post offices is unlikely to survive
with out the income generated by processing benefit
claims.
Commenting on this latest threat to local post offices,
Edward Davey said,
"Nationally,
post offices are already closing at a rate of 200 a year.
Instead of reversing this trend, these proposals mean
that as soon as they are implemented, 2 of the
Borough’s smaller offices will be lost. This is
worrying because it’s impossible to say how many
others, in the long run, will be forced to follow suit.
"Unfortunately, this is just the latest in a series
of Government announcements which undermines the long
term viability of local post offices. To many in the
industry, this change appears to be a precursor to the
sell-off of a privatised Post Office
‘plc’."
As a result of this threat, I will be visiting post
offices in my constituency over the next couple of weeks
to launch my ‘Save our Post Offices’ Petition.
We must force the Government to think again about these
damaging proposals."
Ends
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Issued
by: Edward Davey
Embargo:
Immediate, 14/01/00
"Government should abandon
income tax cut and fund hospitals and schools" -
Edward Davey
The Government should abandon their
plan to cut a penny off income tax in April in order to
release funds to be spent on health and education.
That’s the latest policy statement presented by
Liberal Democrat treasury spokesman and economics expert,
Edward Davey MP, to Charles Kennedy ahead of the party
leader’s campaigning visit to North Norfolk today.
This theme will also be echoed by the whole of the
Liberal Democrat Treasury team in the House of Commons
over the forthcoming months.
Edward Davey said:
"Labour was
elected to sort out the problems of the health service
and improve education, not to make tax cuts.
"This winter’s crisis in the health service
proves that the NHS is underfunded, whilst record class
sizes for over eight’s shows the same problem is
hitting schools.
"Gordon Brown must abandon the planned one pence
income tax cut in April and make the necessary funds
available for hospitals and schools.
"Gordon Brown says he has big plans to improve
health and education in the future, but the fact is he is
putting a tax cut first even as yet another crisis hits
our hospitals."
ENDS
Notes to Editors
1. Survey results produced for the Times
Education Supplement published on 07/01/00 which states
that 7 in 10 parents are prepared to see income tax
increased to fund improvements in schools.
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Issued
by: Keith Reed
Embargo:
Immediate, 17/1/00
Local
MP & Kingston Churches Action on Homelessness welcome
Ombudsman’s decision on housing benefit case.
Edward Davey and KCAH, are
celebrating today after winning a landmark case lodged
with the local government ombudsman. The case involved a
mature student from Kingston University, Oli Pope who,
due to EDS mal-administration was left frantically
searching for alternate accommodation just weeks before
her final exams and saddled with enormous debts.
Oli and Edward Davey met Peter Scott, the vice-chancellor
of Kingston University, to ensure that she was given time
to find alternate accommodation. Because of the
exceptional circumstances of the case, the sympathetic
vice-chancellor also agreed to allow her to be awarded
with her degree, even with an outstanding debt to the
university.
Commenting on her victory, Edward Davey said,
"One of the
main reasons why I pushed for EDS to have their contract
removed was because of this case. This mature student was
treated appallingly.
She made a real leap of faith to go to university and
should have been given assistance and encouragement for
her brave choice. Instead, EDS lumbered her with £1000s
worth of debt and the possibility of homelessness.
Thankfully she is a real fighter and she also contacted
Kingston Churches Action on homelessness, who provided
her with their caring support throughout this ordeal.
They must be congratulated, not just for this case, but
for the many other residents they have helped who have
been in similar circumstances.
I would also like to pay tribute to Kingston University
and Peter Scott, the vice-chancellor. His help was
invaluable at a critical time for Oli."
Ends
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