The Minister confirmed that the MoD has signed the £127m contract to take the project into the assessment phase

John Robertson said: “This shows a Labour government’s commitment to long term planning for defence, retaining capability and skills and protecting Scottish jobs.”

John Robertson MP added: “The choice for the electorate in the coming election is now very clear; vote Tory or SNP and you’re voting for unemployment on the Clyde”.

John Robertson MP ended: “The truth is that successive Tory governments have cut defence spending; I remember Sir Francis Pym falling out with Margaret Thatcher over her plans to axe defence spending, and John Major cutting the defence budget by over half a billion a year.”

Only last month the future of the aircraft carriers and the shipbuilding on the Clyde was put into doubt by comments by Liam Fox MP, the Shadow Defence Minister, who told union representatives that he planned, on day one of a Conservative government, to seek details about break clauses in the carrier contracts. Such actions could jeopardise the future of the entire industry, which risks up to14, 000 jobs.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

1. Liam Fox has refused to match Labour’s commitment to ring-fence the Defence budget in 2010/11
2. The Tories refuse to give assurances on the future of ship building on the Clyde.
3. On 24/02/10 the Shadow Defence Spokesman Liam Fox told a meeting of trade union officials that he will look into open up the defence contracts.

The Hon. John Robertson MP is the Labour Member of Parliament for Glasgow North West.

The Hon. Ian Davidson MP is the Labour Member of Parliament for Glasgow South West.

At a meeting later this afternoon, SPT will confirm that it will seek committee approval next Friday (26th) to grant Argyll-based Silvers Marine (UK) Ltd the use of the slipways, pontoons, etc at Yoker and Renfrew so that Silvers Marine can commence a commercial ferry service across the Clyde in place of the SPT-run ferry service that operates there at the moment.

The SPT operation will cease on 31 March and it is highly likely that there will be no break in service, with Silvers Marine starting their operation on 1 April – at the latest.

John Robertson MP said: “I would just like to thank Jon Findlay and the SPT as well as Silvers Marine for listening to the local community on this issue.”

John Robertson MP added: “I am glad that this 500 year old service will still be running into a new decade”.

Mr. Robertson ended; “Me and Jon know how important this is to the local community and by working with the SPT we have managed to find a way to prevent the axe falling on this service.”

The Renfrew -Yoker Ferry which links the north and south bank of the River Clyde is 500 years old and is one of Scotland’s oldest passenger ferries. The ferries can carry up to 50 passengers and carries 150,000 passengers a year, at and cost £1.20 for a single adult journey.

John Robertson hope to have meetings with SPT Jon Findlay to clarify finer points of the service.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

• The Hon. John Robertson MP is the Labour Member of Parliament for Glasgow North West, which comprises the community of Yoker.
• The hon. Jim Sheridan MP is the Labour Member of Parliament for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, which comprises the community of Renfrew.

Mr Robertson asked the Prime Minister to do something which the leader of the opposition and his defence spokesman have so far refused to do; give an assurance that on day one of the next parliament he will not re-examine the break clauses of the £4 billion contract to build two aircraft carriers on the Clyde.

The Prime Minister responded: “We are committed to the aircraft carriers and the programme that is necessary for the navy and the defence of our country”.

The Prime Minister added: “Their [the Tories] silence on this issue today suggests they cannot commit themselves to the aircraft carrier programme and as the Shadow Chancellor has hinted, it maybe one of the first cuts under a Conservative government”.

Afterwards John Robertson MP said; “The Prime Minister was right, the Tories and David Cameron had been very vocal throughout PMQs until this issue was raised, then they all seemed to be taking a vow of silence.”

Mr. Robertson added: “David Cameron had just said that the Tories had won the Cold War, and got very animated, but when this question was raised he went as silent as a church mouse”.

John Robertson MP said: “The truth is that successive Tory governments have cut defence spending; I remember Sir Francis Pym fell out with Margaret Thatcher over her plans to axe defence spending, and John Major made cuts to the British Army of 3% a year between 1992-1997 and cut the defence budget by over half a billion a year”.

John Robertson MP ended: “They have made the choice for the electorate in the coming elections clear; vote Tory and you’re voting for unemployment on the Clyde”.

Only last month the future of the aircraft carriers and the shipbuilding on the Clyde was put into doubt by comments by Liam Fox the Shadow Defence Minister who told union representatives that he planned on day one of a conservative Government would be to seek details about break clauses in the carrier contracts. Jeopardising the future of the entire industry, which risks up to14, 000 jobs?

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

1. Liam Fox has refused to match Labour’s commitment to ring-fence the Defence budget in 2010/11
2. The Tories refuse to give assurances on the future of ship building on the Clyde.
3. On 24/02/10 the Shadow Defence Spokesman Liam Fox told a meeting of trade union officials that he will look into open up the defence contracts.

The Hon. John Robertson MP is the Labour Member of Parliament for Glasgow North West, which comprises the Clyde shipyards.

At the event the Minister responsible for EMAs in England Rt. Hon Iain Wright MP, Minister in the Department for Children Schools and Families, gave a commitment that his Department will fund EMA in England up to 2011. But the most impressive commitment was that the Government will not cut or lower the threshold of EMAs up to 2015 when the national school leaving age is raised to 18. This commitment makes the Labour Party the only party to give such a commitment to the electorate at the coming elections.

John Robertson MP has come to this campaign to draw attention to the effects that cutting EMA, like the SNP have done in Scotland, is having on Scottish Further Education students.

John Robertson MP said: “For those who believe in axing or cutting the funding for EMAs, they just have to look to Scotland, where the SNP administration has cut the EMA budget by 20 %, and NUS Scotland predicts this will lead to almost 8,000 students from low income families dropping out of further education.”

He added; “When cuts to services come they will effect the poorest in our society worst of all, we should never cut a service which adds to the betterment of those in our society to gain a better education.”

Shane Chowen, Vice Chair of the NUS said: “We welcome the statement by the Minister and we are glad that he agrees with the results of our recent EMA Satisfaction survey that found EMAs to be overwhelmingly popular amongst those on them”.

Shane Chowen added; “If there is a Tory government in May we don’t want to follow the SNP in Scotland and cut EMA through the back door like they have done up in Scotland”.

The Minister said that he recognised the importance EMAs played in the lives of students from low income families adding: “I deplore what’s happening in Scotland”

The Minister, Iain Wright MP, commented: “I give my Honourable Friend a commitment on EMAs, with no ifs, and no buts, to maintain EMA up to and beyond 2011.”

Mr Robertson today has written to all opposition party leaders for their commitments on Education Maintenance Allowances (EMAs), following the commitment given to him from Minister Rt. Hon Iain Wright MP.

Mr. Robertson MP ended: “I have written to the leaders of all opposition parties and will post their responses on my website when I receive them.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

1. Previously there had been concerns from student groups that it would be phased out when there school leaving age is raised to 18 as it would have no longer be seen as an incentive to stay on in Education.
2. John Robertson MP is the Labour Member of Parliament for Glasgow North West and also PPS at the DWP to Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP, Secretary of State for the DWP.
3. Shane Chowen is the Vice President (FE) National Union of Students.
4. The Rt. Hon Iain Wright MP is the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for 14-19 Reform and Apprenticeships
5. To see the cuts and effects in Scotland in EMA:

Tables 12 and 13 can be found on page 11 of the following link:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/258051/0076538.pdf

Changes to EMAs in Scotland:

The following table shows what you might be entitled to, depending on your household income.

2009/10

Table 1 – Current Applicants (Continuing from 2008-09)

Table 2 -New applicants (applying and qualifying for the first time in 2009-10)

Source http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/Funding-Support-Grants/FFL/EMA

Mr Robertson looked for answers from Iain Wright MP, Minister in the Department for Children Schools and Families, after his Department last week announced their plans to fund EMA up to 2011.

Mr Robertson in the debate managed to secure a commitment from the minister “up to and beyond 2011” for EMAs.

Making the Government the only party to do so.

John Robertson MP said: “For those who believe in axing or cutting the funding for EMAs, they just have to look to Scotland, where the SNP administration has cut the EMA budget by 20 %, and NUS Scotland predict this will lead to almost 8,000 students from low income families dropping out of further education.”

He added; “When cuts to services come they will effect the poorest in our society worst of all, we should never cut a service which adds to the betterment of those in our society to gain a better education.”

The Minister, Iain Wright MP, responded; “I deplore what’s happening in Scotland”

The Minister Added: “I give my Honourable Friend a commitment on EMAs, with no ifs, and no buts, to maintain EMA up to and beyond 2011.”

Mr Robertson today has written to all opposition party leaders for their commitments on Education Maintenance Allowances (EMAs), following the commitment given to him from Minister Iain Wright MP.

Mr. Robertson MP ended: “I have written to the leaders of all opposition parties and will post their responses on my website.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

1.) The debate on EMAs took place, Tuesday 2^nd February, at 1 pm in Westminster Hall.

2.) John Robertson MP is the Labour Member of Parliament for Glasgow North West and also PPS at the DWP to Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP, Secretary of State for the DWP.

3.) Tables 12 and 13 can be found on page 11 of the following link:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/258051/0076538.pdf

Changes to EMAs in Scotland:

The following table shows what you might be entitled to, depending on your household income.

2009/10

Table 1 – Current Applicants (Continuing from 2008-09)

Table 2 -New applicants (applying and qualifying for the first time in 2009-10)

Source http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/Funding-Support-Grants/FFL/EMA

John Robertson MP has responded to the SNP claims that Attainment Allowance (AA) is to be axed by the Government by saying; “The SNP is being mischievous and in fact has come very late to this discussion and I regret that these comments may have raised unnecessary alarm amongst people in Glasgow receiving disability benefits.”

“I realised at the beginning of the consultation period that there were some concerns over the potential impact for Scotland of any reforms. I therefore contacted the Minister directly”

John added: “The Minister has reassured me that if any changes were to be made in England to the social care system, people currently receiving disability benefits would continue to be supported.”

John Robertson further commented “Finally, if any proposal to reform the social care system in England was to be taken forward, the UK Government would work closely with all the devolved administrations to reach the best outcome for people throughout the UK.”

The UK Government’s Green Paper, ‘Shaping the Future of Care Together’, sets out the Government’s vision for a National Care Service in England.  As social care is a devolved matter this was not a UK wide consultation exercise.  The Green Paper contained a number of consultation questions and the idea of bringing some disability benefits and the adult social care system together, to form a single system in England, was included. These proposals were not about plugging funding gaps in social care in England but about producing a better system of overall support. This has been a consultation exercise only, targeted at the reform of social care in England.

John Robertson MP ended; “I object strongly to the frightening of the elderly and infirm by SNP stories, which are blatant scaremongering”.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

The Hon. John Robertson MP is the Labour Member of Parliament for Glasgow North West, which comprises the communities of; Anniesland, Blairdardie, Claythorn, Drumchapel, Garscadden, Jordanhill, Knightswood, Old Drumchapel, Partick (Meadowside & Thornwood), Peterson Park, Scotstoun, Temple, Whiteinch and Yoker.

John Robertson MP is also PPS at the Department of Work and Pensions to Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP, Secretary of State for the DWP.

Mr. Robertson said; “Having had discussions with the SPT, I am left with no doubt that this decision to cut this ferry route is down to a lack of funding from the Scottish Executive”.

John Robertson MP added; “It’s yet another example of the SNP led Scottish Executive being anti-Glasgow and not funding transport – there is clearly no place for Glasgow in the SNP’s Scotland”.

The Renfrew -Yoker Ferry which links the north and south bank of the River Clyde. It is 500 years old and is one of Scotland’s oldest passenger ferries. The ferries can carry up to 50 passengers and carries 150,000 passengers a year, at and cost £1.20 for a single adult journey.

This is not the first cut the SNP administration in Holyrood has inflicted on the people of Glasgow. The recent decision last year by the SNP administration to cancel a £170 million rail project to link the city centre with Glasgow Airport has had a cost of a thousand jobs that could have gone to local people. Removing £300million of investment to the Glasgow area, and the project would actually have provided substantial improvements in public transport in the West of Scotland.

John added; “Alex Salmond has double the budget, which Donald Dewar, my predecessor had just ten years ago, but not even half the commitment that Donald had to the people of Glasgow.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

1. This is the second successive cut to transport infrastructure in Glasgow from the SNP administration following the Glasgow Airport link.
2. In October 2008 the SPT decided against replacing the ferry service with a bridge due to the feasibility study finding that a foot bridge could cost between £11m and £15m.

The Hon. John Robertson MP is the Labour Member of Parliament for Glasgow North West, which comprises the community of Yoker.

John Robertson MP has called on the Scottish government to stop dithering over Scotland’s energy needs and instead fulfil its commitments over a power line upgrade through Scotland.

John Robertson said:

“The SNP have to stop dithering on this issue and make a decision, vital for homes up down our country, otherwise its lights out come 2015.”

He added; “Being a ‘government’ is more than changing the name above the door, it’s about making decisions.”

Since the Scottish government have turned their backs on a balanced energy plan and have instead chosen to go down a path that excludes nuclear power, Scotland is more than ever reliant on renewable energy and the infrastructure used to transport it.

Speaking in the HoC on Wednesday, John Robertson MP expressed concern about; “finding the £1.4 billion needed to upgrade the transmission system in order to meet the demands created by growing levels of new renewable energy and technology coming on line.”  John also added; “This is put in greater jeopardy given that the Beauly-Denny transmission link is still outstanding from 2000 and has been held up by the current Scottish government”

Further improvements on the mainland system are required to make maximum use of the existing infrastructure and overhead line routes to join up renewable generation developments on the Scottish mainland and the islands.

The proposed Beauly–Denny rebuild is an important step in developing a transmission system in the North of Scotland of sufficient capacity to accommodate renewable development proposals. With this upgrade in place, further reinforcement of the North of Scotland transmission system can be achieved by the strengthening of other elements of the existing system.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

The Hon. John Robertson MP is the Labour Member of Parliament for Glasgow North West, which comprises the communities of; Anniesland, Blairdardie, Claythorn, Drumchapel, Garscadden, Jordanhill, Knightswood, Old Drumchapel, Partick (Meadowside & Thornwood), Peterson Park, Scotstoun, Temple, Whiteinch and Yoker.

John Robertson MP is also Member of the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee and the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Nuclear Energy Group.

John Robertson, MP for Glasgow North West, welcomed the increases in Winter Fuel Allowance in the Chancellor’s first Budget today to mitigate the effects of fuel price rises on pensioners.

John wrote to Alastair Darling calling for an increase in the basic rate in February and repeated this call in Treasury questions in the House of Commons last week.

John said “I am very pleased that the Chancellor has taken this step that I have been calling for to increase support for pensioners who are struggling with rising energy prices. It was vital for the Government to take action with double digit price rises from the major energy providers and more than 15,000 people in my constituency will be better off as a result.”

“Without this Government there would be no winter fuel allowance at all. It would be easy to rest on this and past achievements so I am pleased to see the Chancellor building on the good work and also taking account of the changes we have seen in circumstances with energy price increases.

“Keeping warm is a basic human right so the increase in £50 for pensioners over 60, meaning a payment of £250, and of £100 for those over 80, providing a payment of £400 and it was crucial for the Government to safeguard this.”

John added, “I did call for a £100 increase for over 60’s and whilst I was disappointed not to see this met in full I am pleased the Chancellor has moved in the right direction. I will be pushing the Treasury on this to make sure that the over 60s in my constituency are able to afford to heat their homes and I have been granted a debate on this in the House of Commons next Monday.”

John Robertson MP
Member of Parliament for Glasgow North West
0207 219 6964

John said “with prices spiralling out of control and increases of up to 25% we need to act now to make sure people in my constituency will still be able to heat their homes without breaking the bank – or even more worryingly, to make sure they don’t go without.”

“The Chancellor needs to make sure that the poorest in society can afford energy prices and make this a priority in his Budget next week. Without the input of this Government many people in Glasgow would be worse off by hundreds of pounds, but it is not enough for us to rest on past achievements. We need to make sure that the Winter Fuel Allowance meets the conditions we see today – the most important of these being the rapidly increasing prices.”

“It is estimated that around 4 million households in the UK are in fuel poverty where 10 per cent of more of their income is spent on heating their home and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform estimates that a 1 per cent increase in energy prices pushes an extra 40,000 homes into fuel poverty. It should be a priority to help these people and I hope the Government will hear my call for a £100 increase in the basic rate of the Winter Fuel Allowance.”

John Robertson MP
Member of Parliament for Glasgow North West