Margaret Moran MP
Labour MP for Luton South

Margaret Moran MP can today tell vulnerable families in Luton not to worry about turning up the heat as the Government pays out millions in Cold Weather Payments.

Around £200 million in payments has been racked up so far this winter, with just over £70 million of this over the cold New Year’s weekend.

Margaret said;

“As the cold weather continues, I don’t want vulnerable people to feel left in the cold. I especially want the elderly to know that extra help is on the way.

“There are two ways we are helping this winter – with Winter Fuel payments of £250 or £400 for the over 80s, and 88,000 people in Bedfordshire getting the increased Cold Weather Payments of £25.

“Cold weather payments were last year increased to £25 from £8.50 per week. These payments are automatic where there are sub-zero temperatures over the course of seven consecutive days. Everyone in Great Britain who is entitled will get them and should not worry about turning their heating up.”

Nine new weather stations were introduced this year in a bid to provide a more accurate assessment for those affected.

As well as the Cold Weather payments, over 12.3 million older people will benefit from Winter Fuel payments, totalling about £2.7bn.

TIPS THAT HELP YOU SPEND LESS

1. 1. Turn your thermostat down by just 1 degree – it can cut your fuel bills by 10%
2. 2. Don’t put hot or warm food in the fridge and try not to put the fridge next to a cooker or boiler
3. 3. Use the low temperature programme on your dishwasher and washing machine
4. 4. Don’t overfill the kettle
5. 5. Avoid leaving computers and TVs and other appliances on standby
6. 6. Fit energy-saving lightbulbs
7. 7. Close your curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping
8. 8. Fit a jacket on your hot water cylinder if it does not already have one
9. 9. Take a shower instead of a bath – it uses less water

USEFUL NUMBERS

Check inside for key numbers but you may also want to contact:
Low Carbon Buildings Programme 0800 915 0990
The Home Heat Helpline 0800 33 66 99

WEBSITES
www.energysavingtrust.org.uk
www.homeheathelpline.org.uk
www.warmfront.co.uk
www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk
The Energy Saving Trust also advises using a site such as www.uswitch.com (0800 404 7961) or www.energyhelpline.com (0800 074 0745) to see which company offers the best general tariffs for you, and then you check with that provider to see if they offer additional tariffs.

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In this week’s Pre Budget Report, the Chancellor Alistair Darling sets out the Government’s three-point plan for Britain’s future – securing the recovery and going for growth; taking tough choices necessary to half the deficit in four years – and protecting vital frontline public services. It’s the right plan for Britain and for Luton South.

The Government will continue support to keep people in work and in their homes by guaranteeing every young person out of work for more than six months the offer of a job, training or college place, and maintaining our support for people who lose their job to keep their homes.

They will continue support to businesses manage tough times by pressing the banks to start lending more to business and helping businesses to defer their tax payments until they can better afford to pay – a scheme which has helped 550 businesses in Luton to defer £12M. And they announced new measures that “go for growth”, making green growth a real priority for the nation’s future.

There is a proper plan to half the deficit, through a tax rise package that is tough but fair – with half of the burden falling the top 2% of people – and a spending cut package that has been carefully worked through, including tough action on public sector pay and new efficiency savings of £12bn per year. It will be the law to cut the deficit in half over four years.

Even in tough times, the Government will protect in real terms investment in the NHS frontline, Sure Start, frontline schools and police numbers over the next 3 years. This builds on our progress in Luton South over the last twelve years. Since 1997, the number of local teachers has gone up by 80 while police numbers in Bedfordshire have increased by 125.

Margaret Moran MP lends her whole-hearted support to a new government strategy where every school pupil in England will be taught that domestic violence against women and girls is unacceptable.

From 2011 children will be taught compulsory lessons from primary school age on how to prevent violent relationships. Younger children are to be taught how to prevent bullying as part of this initiative. These lessons on gender equality will fall within the personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education curriculum.

Margaret Moran has worked with senior government ministers and officials to secure legislation on domestic violence and over the past 5 years has persistently lobbied for primary school awareness on this issue.

“I welcome this new strategy and I know that it will do much to create awareness and change attitudes in order to prevent violence.
However, currently there is still a lack of training and coordination between the various services and more needs to be done to help identify vulnerable children suffering from and witnessing domestic violence. I’m encouraged that in the New Year there will be a high profile drive to tackle violence in teenagers’ relationships.”

Latest government research indicates that up to one million women experience at least one incident of domestic abuse every year and domestic attacks result in the death of at least one woman every week, on average, in England and Wales.

Harriet Harman, minister for women and equality, said tackling violence against women and girls was one of the government’s top priorities and prevention was critical to long-term change.

According to the British Crime Survey, domestic violence has fallen by almost two thirds since 1997.

Margaret sent the following letters to Unite and Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary, regarding redundancies at the Luton Vauxhall Plant.

Rt Hon. Lord Peter Mandelson
Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills
1 Victoria Street
London SW1H 0ET

2nd December 2009

Dear Peter

As you are no doubt aware 354 redundancies have been proposed at the Vauxhall Luton Plant.

Whilst I acknowledge that this figure is significantly less than the 600 that was proposed by Magna, I still believe that more can and should be done to reduce the number of job losses.

Within my constituency there is now over 9% male unemployment, the redundancies at Vauxhall, if there go ahead will make a significant difference, not just in numbers but the message that resonates from this large number of job losses. As many of my constituents are already clearly worried about their job security, this would heighten their fears in this time of economic difficulty.

As the constituency MP I urge you in your negotiations to fight these redundancies, and that all measures are taken to stop these job losses. It is my primary concern that these jobs are saved and that no such losses will take place.

I look forward to your prompt response

Yours sincerely

Margaret Moran MP

Mr Andy Faughman
10, Cardiff Rd
Luton
Bedfordshire
LU1 1PP

2nd December 2009

Dear Andy Faughman

I am very concerned about the proposed 354 redundancies at Vauxhall Luton Plant.
Whilst the figure is significantly less than the 600 that was proposed by Magna, I still believe that more can be done to reduce the number of job losses. I am aware that there are critical ongoing negotiations in Luton and that you are working hard on behalf of the employees.

I am acutely aware that with the current economic climate your members would be very concerned about their future security, particularly at this time of year.

Please be assured that I am being active in influencing the outcome and I am personally writing to the business secretary Lord Mandelson to urge him to do all that he can to minimise these job losses.

Yours sincerely

Margaret Moran MP

This week on the 25th November, white ribbon day will be celebrated. This is an internationally recognised campaign to raise awareness of domestic violence and to state publicly that domestic violence, in all its forms, is not acceptable.

Margaret Moran is supporting White Ribbon Day as a long time campaigner on issues of domestic violence.
Over the course of 3 years she has been lobbying for new measures from the government to track perpetrators who move from one relationship to another serially abusing their partners. Police estimate that there are 25,300 domestic abusers in England and Wales who are serial attackers with two or more different victims.

Margaret is particularly pleased that the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) is pressing for a domestic violence register to track these men. Additionally police are pushing for this measure to be accompanied by a ‘course of conduct’ offence that would enable prosecutions to be brought against serial offenders even if the evidence is insufficient in each individual case

Margaret Moran says: “It is vital that this move is backed by the government so that the police can protect women from further violence. If they are given the power to disclose information of a person’s violent past to their new partners then this will enable women to protect themselves. I shall be calling on the government to act decisively on this matter.”

(The white ribbon is a symbol of hope for women who should be able to live free from the fear of violence and it is an opportunity for everyone to show that they do not accept or condone violence against women.)

Margaret Moran has welcomed the decision of the Housing Minister John Healey to step up Government efforts to help struggling homeowners in Luton get a grip on their finances and avoid the trauma of repossession.

Luton has been identified as a hotspot area considered at greater risk due to levels of unemployment and numbers of court orders for repossessions. As such the government is encouraging people in Luton to seek mortgage help and advice.

Margaret Moran says: “I’m encouraged that the government is bringing in new rules that insist that mortgage lenders must inform the council when repossession actions are started against residents in Luton. This will allow the council to step in and offer advice and help for those most in need. This includes help with mortgage interest payments, the Homeowner Mortgage Support Scheme and in particular the Mortgage Rescue Scheme which is now being offered by the council. This shows that the government is treating repossession as a last resort only. ”

The Government’s campaign will be extended into 2010, giving free and impartial advice both online and over the phone offering help for those families most in need.

Homeowners can go to www.direct.gov.uk/mortgagehelp or call the National Debtline free on 0808 808 4000.

To date, more than 300,000 families nationwide have benefited from a range of advice and support the Government has put in place during the recession.

“This seems to be good news for the workers at the Luton Plant and I hope ultimately the right decision.
I recently wrote to Lord Mandelson on the issue of Vauxhall job retention in Luton and received assurances that the Government will secure the best possible outcome. I welcome the intervention of the Business Secretary Lord Mandelson who told the GM Chief Executive that Britain would financially support a “long-term, commercially viable business plan”. This could be in the region of £270M although no figure has been officially quoted. I shall continue to press the government on this matter.”

Following concern raised in the local press that Margaret Moran’s illness has stopped her constituents from accessing the services of their MP, the Luton South Constituency Office has released figures that show that hundreds of local people are being helped by the office.

Over the course of the last few months from May to October Margaret Moran’s office has handled hundreds of cases, of which over 350 were larger or more complex pieces of casework.

Typical issues that Margaret Moran’s office has helped local people with include housing, social security, child support agency and policing matters.

A Spokesperson for Margaret Moran MP said:

“These figures show we have never stopped giving the people of Luton South a top-level service. We are there to take your calls and enquiries in a professional and friendly manner with a proven track record of a quality service.

“Any rumours to the contrary are untrue and simply cause agitation to local people who might be worried that they won’t be able to get the help they need. Additionally despite recent assertions, we refute the claims that the Conservative candidate has been working with this office. This is simply untrue and pure opportunism.

“We will continue to work hard to provide Luton residents the service they deserve.”

I am sorry that, due to ill health, I have not been able to carry out my parliamentary and constituency duties to the extent I would wish, and accordingly apologise to my constituents in Luton South.

I am very grateful to the people of Luton South for electing me three times and I will be returning to Westminster to represent you as soon as the doctors allow me to.

My Luton and Westminster offices are fully functional and continue to assist numerous constituents with their concerns and problems. We can be contacted as usual in any one of a number of ways;

By phone on 01582 731882 Luton office or 02072195049 Westminster

By post; 93 Castle Street, Luton LU1 3AJ or House of Commons, Westminster London SW1A OAA

By fax 01582731885 Luton or 02072195094