From: Aidan Burley MP news@aidanburleymp.

org
Subject: News Bulletin from Aidan Burley MP #83
Date: 6 June 2014 09:49
To: news@aidanburleymp.org



In this edition:


Aidan Burley MPs Diary

Website of the week:
Lloyds Bank 2014
Enterprise Awards

MP welcomes Queen's
Speech

Burley welcomes new rules
to help secure a fair deal
for pubs in Cannock Chase

Photo news:
London Midland Drop In

Aidan welcomes latest jobs
figures

Aidan in the papers:
Opticians raise a glass to
25 years

Aidan in the papers:
More seats on trains after
30 million Chase Line
work

How to contact
Aidan Burley MP



Issue 83 - Friday 6th June 2014


Since the last edition, Aidan has:

Welcomed news that the Cannock Chase CCG has listened to
public concern about the future of Cannock Hospital Minor
Injuries Unit and dropped plans for its full closure.
Joined in the spectacular celebrations at Specsavers opticians
in Cannock which marked its 25th birthday.
Welcomed news of a further drop in unemployment in
Cannock Chase.
Attended a public drop in session with London Midland
Managing Director, Patrick Verwer at Tesco Hednesford to
discuss issues with the Chase Line.
Held a help and advice surgery in the MP Help Zone.
Welcomed news that Amazon has announced plans to expand
its fulfilment centre in Rugeley. If their planning application is
successful, 350 new permanent jobs will be created at the
Towers Business Park centre. This further investment by
Amazon is welcome news for Rugeley and a big boost to local
people looking to find work.
Met with Staffordshire County Council Leader Philip Atkins to
get an update on the work of the County Council.
Met with a local business owner in Westminster to discuss
Government plans to require accelerated payment of tax in
avoidance cases.
Paid tribute to the work of teenage cancer fundraiser Stephen
Sutton who sadly passed away on 14 May 2014. RIP.


Website of the week:
www.lloydsbank.com/enterpriseawards

The search for Britains best student and graduate entrepreneurial
talent kicked off on Sunday 11
th
May as Lloyds Bank launched their
2014 Enterprise Awards to celebrate and recognise the top businesses
of tomorrow.

The Awards, now in their third year, are open to entrepreneurs
currently studying at universities across Britain or those who have
graduated within the past five years and have been trading for more
than one year.

Entrants can apply via www.lloydsbank.com/enterpriseawards and
applications close on 23
rd
July 2014.


MP welcomes Queen's Speech

Following the State Opening of Parliament and the Queen's Speech,
Chase MP Aidan Burley said:

I welcome todays Queens Speech which marks the next big step in
this Governments long-term economic plan to secure a better and
brighter future for Britain.

The proposed changes to our pensions system will give people local
people here in Cannock Chase who work hard and do the right thing
more security in their retirement. The current tax rules stifle innovation
in the retirement income market, leaving pension savers with very little
choice over how to spend or invest their defined contribution savings.
The changes proposed in the Pensions Tax Bill will create a much
more competitive and dynamic retirement income market.

Businesses across Cannock Chase will also benefit from the
introduction of the new Small Business, Enterprise and Employment
Bill which is specifically designed to address many of the key concerns
they have around prompt payment, access to finance and
procurement.

The Childcare Payments Bill will help thousands of hard-pressed
families in Cannock Chase with their childcare costs and provide them
with financial security for the future.

Today builds on what this Governments long-term economic plan has
delivered so far: the deficit down by over a third; income tax cut for 25
million people by an average 705; 1.5 million more jobs; a welfare
system that ensures work pays; 1.7 million more apprentices and
better schools for young people. Of course, there is still a long way to
go, but only by sticking to this plan will we secure a better and brighter
future for Britain.

More information about the Queens Speech and the full list of the Bills
announced can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/topical-
events/queens-speech-2014.


Burley welcomes new rules to help secure
a fair deal for pubs in Cannock Chase



Chase MP Aidan Burley has welcomed the announcement of new
rules to ensure that tied pubs are given a fair deal by pub companies.

A new statutory code will give pub landlords running tied pubs new
rights to help them get a fair deal from pub companies. The rules will
be enforced by an independent adjudicator with the power to punish
pub companies that break them.

Tied tenants usually have to pay a higher price for beer from the beer
company they rent from. This should be balanced out by reduced rents
or other benefits but this has not always been the case, putting some
tied pubs at a disadvantage.

The new rules will address that, meaning that:

Landlords will be able to request a rent review from pub
companies if it has been five years or more since the last one.

Landlords will be given the right to review the information used
by pub companies to justify any rent increase.

Landlords tied to pub companies with 500 or more tied pubs will
be able to request an additional rent assessment to show if they
are worse off than pubs with no tie.

Pubs will have the right to decide if they are tied for gaming
machines as well.

Commenting Aidan said: Pubs are an important part of local life in
Cannock Chase, sitting at the very heart of our community and
creating jobs for hardworking people. But, for too long, landlords who
are tied to larger pub companies have struggled to make ends meet.

"The self-regulatory approach hasn't worked, and so I am delighted
that action is now being taken to support these landlords by giving
them the peace of mind theyll be able to get a fair deal on their rent.


Photo news:
London Midland Drop In


Aidan at the drop in event he organised with London Midland at
Tesco Hednesford.


Aidan welcomes latest jobs figures

Aidan has welcomed today's
unemployment figures, which show the
claimant count in Cannock Chase and
across the UK continuing to fall.

Figures published by the Office of
National Statistics (ONS) show that the
number of unemployed claimants in
Cannock Chase constituency in April
2014 was 1,393. This represents a rate of 2.8% of the economically
active population aged 16 to 64. The number of claimants is 766 lower
than in April 2013 and 34 lower than in March 2014.

Nationally, the number of people out of work in the UK has fallen by
133,000 to a fresh five-year low of 2.2 million in the three months to
March 2014 with the unemployment rate at 6.8%. The number of
people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance is at its lowest level since the
beginning of the financial crisis in November 2008.

Employment is also up 283,000 in the last quarter, the biggest such
increase since records began in 1971, and the number of vacancies in
the economy is at its highest level since the spring of 2008.

Responding to these figures Aidan said: "While there is still more to
do, these latest set of figures are very welcome and show that we are
heading in the right direction. More people in jobs means more people
bringing home a regular pay packet, giving themselves and their family
a more secure future.

"Going forward I will continue to do all I can locally to bring more
businesses and jobs to Cannock Chase and to offer better training
opportunities. However, these figures clearly show that we need to
stick to this Government's long-term plan to fix the economy. That plan
is getting people off benefits and into work, and delivering a more
secure future for people in Cannock Chase who want to work hard and
get on in life."


Aidan in the papers:
Opticians raise a glass to 25 years

The Chronicle
Thursday 22nd May 2014


Winifred Archer with Cannock Chase MP Aidan Burley and Martin
Shaw as Specsavers marks 25 years.

Chase MP Aidan Burley joined in the spectacular celebrations as a
Cannock opticians marked its 25th birthday.

Specsavers in Cannock Shopping Centre, was also joined by one of its
first customers, 98-year-old Winifred Archer.

The store first opened in Peel Court, then called The Forum, in 1998.
Store director Martin Shaw said: "We opened with just four members
of staff and now have a team of 23.


Aidan in the papers:
More seats on trains after 30 million
Chase Line work

Express & Star
Saturday 17th May 2014


London Midland managing director Patrick Verwer with Aidan
Burley MP, who organised the event.

Longer trains could run on the Chase Line when the electrification of
the route is completed in 2017, it has emerged.

It would mean dozens of extra passengers would be able to fit onto
services.

London Midland's chief executive Patrick Verwer revealed the plans
during a public drop-in session at the Tesco store in Hednesford.

He said: "We are looking at having longer trains with more carriages.

"By increasing the number of seats, we will be increasing demand and
attracting more passengers."

He was not able to say exactly how many extra seats would be on
trains if extra carriages are added but said the move would mean
station platforms would need to be extended.

It is hoped the speed on the Chase Line, which runs between Walsall
and Rugeley, will increase to 75mph from 45mph when the
electrification project is complete.

Centro's rail partnership manager Steve Fisher said increasing the
speed will 'shave minutes' off journeys and allow for extra services to
be introduced.

He also said a direct service from Cannock to London could be
introduced in the future.

He added: "Services from Walsall to Rugeley are currently every hour.
One thing we would like to see is increasing that service to every half
hour.

"The speed on the line is currently 45mph. We want to increase it to
75mph. It will shave minutes off journey times."

The overall 30 million electrification scheme is due to be completed in
three years.

It will see the installation of 15 miles of overhead cables. Diesel trains
will also be replaced by electric ones. A number of bridges along the
route will be rebuilt or modified as part of the project.

The bridge in Station Road, Hednesford reopened on Thursday.
Around 1.1m was spent rebuilding the structure.

Rail bosses have promised long-term benefits of electrification such as
boosting capacity, reducing carbon emissions and cutting the cost of
running the railway. They hope it will also encourage more passengers
onto trains.

As well as increasing the speed of the trains, the improvements will
also see the introduction of automatic ticket machines at stations and
the upgrade of sleepers, rails and platforms.

The event at Tesco was organised by Cannock Chase MP Aidan
Burley. He said it was useful meeting members of the public and
answering questions and concerns.

The Chase Line runs through Hednesford, Cannock, Landywood and
Bloxwich.

Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, has campaigned to limit
the speed of trains through Great Wyrley and Cheslyn Hay when the
line is complete.

He has written to transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin, requesting
confirmation that trains travelling through these areas will not exceed a
speed of 45mph.

He has also requested that environmental mitigation measures be put
in place to reduce the potential impact of the electrification on
residents in South Staffordshire.


5 ways to contact Aidan Burley MP:

By Phone: 01543 502 447
By email: aidan.burley.mp@parliament.uk
By post: Aidan Burley MP
6 High Green Court,
Newhall Street
Cannock, WS11 1GR
In person: Click here for details of how to
book an appointment at Aidan
Burley MPs regular help and
advice surgeries.

www.aidanburleymp.org

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