Liberal Democrats press Government over funding of free bus travel
The Liberal Democrats force a parliamentary debate on the concessionary bus fares scheme.
27 Mar 2008
National News
Tackling anti-social behaviour in Walkergate
The FOCUS team are helping to reduce anti-social behaviour in the Walkergate ward. Over the past few months we have worked with the police, wardens and council workers to tackle problems at the Trojan Avenue playing fields, near Walkerville Library, parts of Daisy Hill and parts of Eastfield Estate. Councillor Dave Besag said "The FOCUS team are actively working with the police, council officers and Your Homes Newcastle to solve problems across the ward."
26 Mar 2008
PMQs - Clegg warns on repossession levels and housing crash preparations
Nick Clegg focused on the economy at Prime Minister's Questions today, calling on Gordon Brown to take action to prevent banks repossessing homes "at will". He said the situation was as bad as under the Tories in the first two years of the 1990s. Speaking after PMQs he accused the Prime Minister of being "both complacent and disingenuous in his response to the very real concerns that the housing market is now facing".
26 Mar 2008
Farron urges bluetongue import clamp-down
Local MP and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Hill Farming Tim Farron has today called on the Government to tighten up regulations on the importing of meat from EU countries, which has proved a major source of bluetongue outbreaks. Mr Farron is also repeating calls for the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to press ahead in ordering more doses of the BTV8 vaccine.
26 Mar 2008
Closure of 'Food from Britain' will hit British farm exports says Farron
Liberal Democrat MP and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Hill Farming Tim Farron today registered his outrage at the closure of 'Food from Britain.' Food from Britain is the government body responsible for promoting British food abroad. The decision to 'wind up' the body came after DEFRA announced that the public funding for the body of around £4.7m each year was to be phased out by 2010/11. DEFRA is currently in the midst of a funding crisis, with one of the Government ministers responsible for DEFRA recently admitting to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee that the animal welfare arm of DEFRA was to lose a third of its resources. Mr Farron has now launched an Early Day Motion in Parliament praising the work of Food from Britain and calling on the Government to act to safeguard the body in order to enhance British farm exports.
26 Mar 2008
Dog fouling fight goes to every door
Local MP Tim Farron and Liberal Democrat Councillors have responded positively to growing concerns from constituents about the problem of dog fouling. As part of an initiative to raise awareness on this issue they have delivered specially designed biodegradable dog litter bags to every door in the constituency, along with the March edition of local Focus newsletters. Local Lib Dems have aimed to draw attention to the issue, and provide practical ways to deal with it. Those who received a bag who don't own a dog are asked to give theirs to a dog owner.
26 Mar 2008