Margaret Moran MP
Labour MP for Luton South

Margaret Moran MP for Luton South is to Chair the event on Growth Area, Regeneration and Housing, organised by eQuality Networks.

The Conference will discuss the impact of major investment within the area. The Government is pump priming and bringing forward investment, where possible, to stimulate the economy. Prominent Speakers include; The Rt Hon. Andy Burnham MP, Secretary of State, Culture, Media & Sport; Iain Wright MP, Under Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government; Richard Howitt, Member of European Parliament, Lynne Franks, PR Guru & Author; and Adam Sampson, Chief Executive – SHELTER. Plus many other eminent speakers and sponsors, who will be addressing the challenges which lie in the time ahead.

There will be an audience of around 120 delegates from the Regeneration and Growth Area arena with many involved in the MKSM (Milton Keynes South Midlands) delivery vehicles. The challenge for this particular eQuality Networks Conference 2009 is to work together to discuss how we will create employment, training and skills and better homes and of course to maximise all these opportunities for the benefit of all our citizens. This is the challenge which we face and this is challenge that will be addressed at this year at this conference.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown sent out a message for Holocaust Memorial Day.

The Prime Minister says:

“This Holocaust Memorial Day I hope that people all across Britain will join me in renewing a personal commitment to resisting hatred wherever it is found today.”

Read The Prime Minister’s full message (pdf).

Margaret welcomes the Government’s package to help the ailing car manufacturing sector, but warns that assistance must be first and foremost for British based industry to stave off job losses.

Lord Mandelson, Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform today announced a package aimed at allowing car manufacturers to apply for credit to pass on to new car buyers, provide further training, help for the suppliers of car parts and grants for “green” research and development to guarantee the future of the UK’s motor industry.

Ahead of tomorrow’s industry meeting, MP and Lords heard the Government’s plans to provide short and long term measures to help the car manufacturing plants such as GMM/IBC in Luton.

Ms Moran said:

‘We must to have assurances from GMM that any support pledged by the Government will ensure the retention and training of its Luton work force and not used for other purposes. The industry, which employs around 2000 people in the local area, has suffered a dramatic drop in demand amid the economic downturn, but we must continue to ensure that those who are employed in the sector are not left to sink or swim.’

Ms Moran has written to the Department insisting that the measures outlined in the package must ensure a long term development of the industry

Margaret is urging the government to give the green light to a £20 billion pound scheme to help small businesses during the current economic down turn.

The scheme would provide loan guarantees to banks in the form of “insurance” to protect them against small businesses defaulting on loans. The exact detail of the package are still be worked on but are broadly based on the size of the business and help for day to day work, as well as longer term investment and needs. It is designed to boost both business and banking confidence.

In October last year Ms Moran MP raised the issue of help for small businesses during the recession in an Adjournment Debate. Ms Moran, who is Chair, of the all-party group on social enterprise said then:

“I am determined that the government takes every action it can to help out small businesses in Luton hit by the recent credit crunch. I want the Government to give more support to Social Enterprises and to help big businesses maintain their social corporate responsibility agenda.”

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Margaret praised the Prime Minister’s new economic policy to tackle unemployment by giving £500 million to help people who have been out of work for more than six months.

The scheme, which Ms Moran MP has pushed government to implement, would give £2,500 to employer’s for every person they retrain who is unemployed for more than six months.

It would impact on 500,000 people, who lose their jobs and give them an opportunity to gain new skills in new sectors of work.

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Margaret says that the government’s “can-do” attitude on the economy will help families in Luton weather the worst of the economic problems in the New Year.

Wishing all of her constituents a Happy New Year Ms Moran said:

“The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, and the government have adopted a can-do attitude to the economy and although the New Year will signal tough times ahead, they will provide the economic solutions that will prepare the economy for a future recovery.

“I want to wish my constituents a Happy New Year and reassure them that the government is listening and working to provide solutions to their economic problems. There will be investment into key industries, and more investment for small businesses. We will prepare the economy for the new digital age and equip it for new environmental challenges and initiatives too.

“I have made special representation to the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, and ministers about the specific challenges facing Luton and the car industry during this global down turn. I know Gordon is listening and talking and working with European allies and countries like America to see what can be done to prepare the car industry for a new environmental age.

”I will work my socks off to ensure that everything that can be done is done to cushion people from the worst of the downturn and we are working hard to prepare the jobs and infrastructure for the future. I know the people of Luton are resourceful and can respond to these challenges too.”

Luton families struggling to pay their mortgages will benefit from new plans to speed up the payment of state benefits.

The Support for Mortgage Interest benefit has been extended to double the previous limit and include mortgages up to £200,000.

Struggling home owners will also have to wait less time to qualify, just 13 weeks now, a reduction of two-thirds.

In addition eight UK lenders have joined a separate scheme allowing mortgage holders to defer part of their interest payments.

Ms Moran said:

”I have been speaking to ministers and the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, non stop about the need to ensure a speedy response to the current economic problems. This package of measures to help struggling home owners shows the government is listening and that Gordon is on the case.

“The Government is determined to cushion Luton families from the worst of the global economic down turn, we have changed the rules to ensure even more people can get help with their mortgage payments if they lose their jobs.

“Every time someone losses their job it is a huge personal set back, but the Government has brought in the changes as quickly as possible to ensure people don’t have to wait too long for support.

“These new benefit rules will make a big difference to Luton families in the New Year. As the local Labour MP for Luton I will work tirelessly to ensure the government delivers for those most in need during the economic downturn.“

The scheme provides mortgage relief to those who are already receiving a means tested benefit, such as income support, pension credit or income-based jobseekers allowance.