Liberal Democrats : Commerce and Industry News Feed

]> Liberal Democrats : Commerce and Industry News Feed http://www.libdems.org.uk/commerce RSS News provided by Liberal Democrats en-gb Sun, 7 Sep 2008 08:05:12 +0100 Copyright Liberal Democrats Liberal Democrats In house Breaking up BAA monopoly long overdue - Baker http://www.libdems.org.uk/commerce/story.html?id=14959 Commenting on today’s Competition Commission report, which recommends that BAA sell two of its three London airports, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker said: "Today’s decision is a victory for UK air passengers who have put up with a second class service at what should be London’s first class airports. "The Liberal Democrats were the only party to call for the sale of two of the London airports. "Breaking up the BAA monopoly is a long overdue move to make aviation fairer to passengers. The next step is to end the hidden public subsidy to the aviation industry to make air travel fair to the environment as well." Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Help must be given to people in negative equity - Cable http://www.libdems.org.uk/commerce/story.html?id=14870 Commenting on today’s Credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s estimates, which estimates that up to 1.7 million people could find themselves in negative equity if prices continue to fall, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: "When I warned of this degree of negative equity a few months ago I was accused of excessive scaremongering. "But the idea of nearly two million homeowners facing negative equity is now regarded as mainstream by many experts. "However, if, as some are predicting, house prices fall by up to 35%, up to 3.5 million people could end up in negative equity. "Most people experience negative equity in a purely theoretical sense because they don’t have to move and can sustain their mortgage payments. But we must make sure help is given to the growing numbers of households in mortgage distress. "The Council for Mortgage Lenders’ code of conduct should become law so that rogues in the industry cannot ignore it." Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Government management of Tote sale farcical - Foster http://www.libdems.org.uk/commerce/story.html?id=14786 Commenting on today’s Government announcement on the sale of the Tote on the open market, Liberal Democrat Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, Don Foster said: "The Government’s management of the sale of the Tote is rapidly turning into a complete farce. They seem to have no intention of meeting their manifesto commitment anytime soon. "We were promised that the delay in the sale was to protect the interests of racing, but if current reports about the Tote’s decline in value are true, the Government’s indecision will cost the industry dear. "It is all very well for the Government to pay tribute to the Tote’s staff, but it increasingly looks unlikely that they will return the compliment when this is all over." Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Google ruling very worrying for UK consumers - Foster http://www.libdems.org.uk/commerce/story.html?id=14626 Commenting on the US court ruling that Google must hand over all its YouTube user data to Viacom, Liberal Democrat Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, Don Foster said: "This ruling sets a very worrying precedent for the future of the internet, with internet users’ personal details being passed around different corporations without consent. "Action needs to be taken against piracy but this cannot be at the expense of internet users’ security. "I am also deeply concerned about the implications this ruling has on UK consumers. "If Google hands over information about its UK customers, it could contravene our data protection laws." Fri, 4 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Equalities Bill lets private sector off lightly - Featherstone http://www.libdems.org.uk/commerce/story.html?id=14565 Commenting on today’s publication of the Equalities Bill, Liberal Democrat Youth and Equality Spokesperson, Lynne Featherstone said: "Efforts to tackle entrenched inequality are welcome, but serious questions must be asked about why the private sector is getting off so lightly. "A voluntary audit system for private industry is hardly worth the paper it’s printed on. We need to know when the Government actually plans to step in if progress isn’t made. "The Government’s failure to grasp the nettle of private sector pay will provide little comfort to the enormous numbers of people who are still being discriminated against in the workplace." Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Action needed over energy crisis - Clegg http://www.libdems.org.uk/commerce/story.html?id=14512 Britain’s energy crisis has left the Government and the Conservatives on the ‘wrong side of the argument’, Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg said today. Speaking at the launch of a Greenpeace commissioned report examining the potential for new Combined Heat and Power generation, Nick Clegg called for greater incentives for businesses to make environmental improvements. The independent report launched today shows that Britain’s key industrial sites have the potential to provide enough electricity to power two-thirds of UK, halving gas imports. Nick Clegg said: "The record high prices of oil and gas have recently brought Britain’s energy crisis into sharp focus. "The political debate to address this crisis is at a crossroads. Do we stick with old centralised technologies like nuclear power or should we instead be investing in efficient localised energy production and usage? "This report highlights the integral role Combined Heat and Power can play in efficiently providing for our nation’s energy needs. "Rather than pursuing an expensive and misguided policy to build new nuclear, the Government should be moving to rapidly expand CHP. "There can be no excuses not to act: CHP makes environmental and economic sense." Attacking the records of the other parties, he said: "The Government is on the wrong side of this argument; plugging away at nuclear, gas and giving a green light to unabated coal, refusing to do anywhere near enough on energy efficiency. "David Cameron is on the wrong side of this argument, too. "He made a speech earlier this week about the environment, where he made some welcome noises about opposing a third runway at Heathrow and imposing a California-style emissions standard on power stations - to rule out unabated coal. "They were welcome noises, but they were only noises. "The Liberal Democrats tabled amendments recently to the Energy Bill, proposing just such an emissions standard and the Conservatives opposed it. "Their spokesman said Governor Schwarzenegger’s approach wasn’t right for Britain - the direct opposite of what Mr Cameron said on Monday. "What kind of a commitment to the environment is this? Warm words in public for the newspapers, but as soon as the committee room door in Parliament is closed behind them the commitments evaporate. And the old Conservatives return." Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Time to get tough with energy companies - Clegg http://www.libdems.org.uk/commerce/story.html?id=14508 Commenting on the news that household energy bills could increase by as much as 40% this winter, Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg said: "The Government’s response to this issue is wholly inadequate. Ordinary families will see their bills rise by hundreds of pounds over the course of the year and yet all that Gordon Brown can offer is a £50 increase in the winter fuel payment. "Its time to get tough with the energy companies who, thanks to the Government, have enjoyed a huge windfall. Energy companies should be forced to pay for a massive home energy efficiency programme and we should also work hard to ensure that they offer their best deals to their hardest hit customers." Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Fatal work accidents report deeply worrying - Willott http://www.libdems.org.uk/commerce/story.html?id=14490 Commenting on today’s report from the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, which suggests that at least twice as many people die from fatal injuries at work than are victims of homicide, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Jenny Willott said: "It is deeply worrying that fatal accidents at work are being brushed under the carpet. "This report suggests that health and safety inspections and investigations simply aren’t carried out often enough, which has had devastating consequences. "Previous reports have highlighted that Health and Safety Executive is underfunded and overworked but the Government hasn’t acted on these findings. Ministers must take steps immediately to ensure that people are safe at work. "Deregulation is not a licence for employers to abandon their responsibility to protect their employees." Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Government bungled Qinetiq privatisation - Cable http://www.libdems.org.uk/commerce/story.html?id=14445 Commenting on the Public Accounts Ccommittee’s report on the privatisation of Qinetiq, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: "This is a classic example of a Government which simply doesn’t have the necessary skills to successfully negotiate with the private sector. "The upshot of the Government’s bungled privatisation of Qinetiq was a bonanza for the Carlyle group and the senior civil servants involved but a loss of millions for the taxpayer. "The Government ought to be ashamed that because of the duplicity of some senior public servants and its own rank incompetence, a valuable national asset was given away for a pittance." Mon, 9 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Heathrow criticism underlines need to break up BAA monopoly - Baker http://www.libdems.org.uk/commerce/story.html?id=14389 Commenting after the head of the International Air Transport Association's criticism of Heathrow airport as a 'national embarrassment', Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker said: "BAA should be ashamed of the passenger experience at Heathrow. It has become complacent due to its near-monopoly on British airports. "The Terminal 5 chaos at Heathrow simply underlined the need to break up BAA's monopoly. "This is the only solution for the current situation, in which passengers' needs are put at the back of the queue." Tue, 3 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Rules must be tightened to prevent repeat of Farepak Collapse - Burt http://www.libdems.org.uk/commerce/story.html?id=14329 Commenting on the announcement that the investigation into the collapse of hamper company Farepak has been completed, Liberal Democrat Small Business Spokesperson, Lorely Burt said: "There is an obvious inequality between the protection given to people who save with high street banks and those who put their money into schemes such as Farepak. "If any wrongdoing can be proved, ministers must ensure that those responsible are brought to book. "In these harsh economic times, when food and fuel prices are skyrocketing, it is crucial that the rules are tightened to ensure small savers are never again left high and dry in this way."   Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Liberal Democrats launch New Deal for the City http://www.libdems.org.uk/commerce/story.html?id=14328 The Liberal Democrats today launched their manifesto for the City of London entitled A New Deal for the City: Liberal Democrat Proposals. <A class="" href="http://www.libdems.org.uk/media/documents/parliament/Lib_Dem_City_Manifesto_May08.pdf" target=_blank>Click here for the full paper (PDF)</A> The document sets out the party's plans to create a new relationship between the Government and the City by reforming the regulatory structure and simplifying the tax system. Commenting, Liberal Democrat Leader, Nick Clegg said: "The City of London is one of the most dynamic and creative parts of the British economy, but as the credit crunch has shown it is by no means perfect. "For too long the Government has refused to stand up to or consult with the City when there are problems. "The success of the financial sector and the wider UK economy is dependent on the Government creating a stable environment which encourages innovation but protects against abuse of the system. "It is critical that the Government creates a more intelligent system of regulation which prevents the boom and bust excesses which threaten the economy as a whole. "Ministers must recognise that slapdash tax changes have already damaged the City and that knee-jerk reform can only do more harm. "I want the Liberal Democrats to be the party that the City can trust, but also the party that will take on injustices and bad practice, for the benefit of the country and the economy as a whole." <A class="" href="http://www.libdems.org.uk/media/documents/parliament/Lib_Dem_City_Manifesto_May08.pdf" target=_blank>Click here for the full paper (PDF)</A> Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Royal Mail left to fall apart at the seams - Teather http://www.libdems.org.uk/commerce/story.html?id=14321 Commenting on the announcement that Royal Mail's profits have fallen by almost a third, Liberal Democrat Shadow Business Secretary, Sarah Teather said: "It's no coincidence that news of Royal Mails plummeting profits comes just a day after the Government's own review body said that liberalisation of the market has produced no benefit. "The Government has allowed this great British business to fall apart at the seams. Royal Mail can be turned around, but only if it is given the freedom to innovate and attract new customers. "Unlike its private sector competitors, Royal Mail has been starved of investment. Selling off 49% of Royal Mail's shares would release the cash needed to modernise the business, without having to ask taxpayers to pick up the bill." Thu, 8 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Broadcasters and regulators failed to protect the public - Foster http://www.libdems.org.uk/commerce/story.html?id=14307 Commenting on the £5.67m fine for ITV over a spate of premium rate phone-in scandals announced today by Ofcom, Liberal Democrat Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, Don Foster said:   "ITV should count itself lucky, as this fine could have been a lot bigger. Broadcasters and regulators both clearly failed to ensure that proper procedures were in place to regulate these phone lines and protect the public.   "Questions must be asked about why someone in the BBC loses their job for misrepresenting the Queen, but no one at ITV goes for conning the public.   "Restoring public confidence must be the priority. ITV is clearly seeking to do this and make amends through its donations to charity."   Thu, 8 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Ken doesn't care about London's post offices - Paddick http://www.libdems.org.uk/commerce/story.html?id=14012 Today Liberal Democrat Mayoral Candidate <A class="" href="http://www.brianpaddick.org">Brian Paddick</A> will present a petition to Downing Street protesting against the closure of London’s post offices. He will be joined by Liberal Democrat MPs Tom Brake and Sarah Teather. Brian Paddick slammed Ken Livingstone for failing to meet with the relevant Government minister to discuss saving 169 of London’s post office, despite having the powers to do so. Commenting on the revelations, Brian Paddick said: "I think it’s a disgrace that for the last six months, Ken Livingstone couldn’t be bothered to meet with Government ministers and find a way to save London’s post offices. "It is only the Liberal Democrats who are campaigning to save Post Offices from closure. Both Conservatives and Labour have closed thousands of post office branches. "For a Labour Mayor to neglect the most vulnerable members of society, who rely heavily on the vital services provided by their local post office, shows gross disregard for his responsibilities as Mayor." Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000