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UPDATE FROM ROGER GODSIFF MP

Roger welcomes Gaza ceasefire

Roger has welcomed the ceasefire negotiated by the Egyptian Government between the Hamas led Government in Gaza and Israel. Said Roger: The carnage has left over 100 Palestinians and 5 Israelis dead and there have been no winners in this latest conflict. It was obvious that the continuing blockade of Gaza by the Israeli Government was going to result in renewed conflict and I am pleased that the ceasefire agreement specifically refers to the need to end the blockade. He went on The Palestinians living in Gaza want to be able to run their lives and businesses but this was never going to be possible while Israel strangled them through the brutality of the blockade from land and sea. I very much hope that the blockade will be lifted which is what Western Governments, including the UK, have been calling for.

Post Office Ltd Wins DVLA Contract

Roger has welcomed the news that DVLAs Front Office Counter Services contract had been awarded to the Post Office. He said: This announcement goes a long way to securing the future of the network and I am sure it is particularly welcome in rural areas which depend heavily on the services that a post office can provide. Roger went on to say: The contract award means that motorists will continue to be able to access DVLA services locally to tax their cars and apply for driving licences. The scope of the contract is for all existing DVLArelated post office services, such as applying for tax discs and driving licences, as well as some new services currently offered DVLA local offices, such as the provision of duplicate licenses and the licensing of Heavy Goods Vehicles. These additional services will shortly be available at the Post Offices network, giving better access ability to DVLAs services to motorists.

Citizen Kahn BBCs D-G Response

Following a letter from Roger to George Entwistle, the then Director-General of the BBC, regarding complaints from members of the Muslim community about the comedy series Citizen Kahn, the D-Gs response can be viewed by following the link below: https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B_9TwqUlwHK6R1 V4cmYxVW9WUXM

Roger calls for suspension of Atos assessments. Its just a benefits grab that destroys lives he says.
Roger has added his voice to those calling for a suspension of Atos assessments following the death of

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Brian McArdle who died from a heart attack the day after his benefits were stopped. Mr McArdle who, having suffered a blood clot on his brain, was left paralysed on one side, unable to speak properly and blind in one eye and yet was summoned to an Atos work capacity assessment, was eventually informed he was to lose his disability benefits. Speaking from Westminster Roger said: This wasnt an accident waiting to happen, it was inevitable. I have never had any faith in the objectivity of the Atos medical procedure, its just a benefits grab. Mr McArdles 13 year old son Kieran wrote to Atos to tell the company that their assessments `are killing genuine people like my dad. Roger has signed Early Day Motion 687 and has joined other campaigners calling for 3rd December to be a day of remembrance for all Atos victims. He has also acted as primary sponsor for EDM 714 which calls for an immediate cessation and reassessment of Atos work capability assessments and for the Department for Work and Pensions to publish Atos statistics that includes data relating to how many people appealed their fit for work decision and how many of these appeals have been successful which to date it has refused to do. http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2012-13/714 http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2012-13/687 More than 40 doctors and nurses working for Atos have been reported to medical regulators for professional misconduct.

How to appeal the decision of an Atos medical in Birmingham:http://bit.ly/RdsEqy To complain about the way your Atos medical was conducted:Write to or email: Atos Healthcare, Customer Relations, Wing G, Government Buildings, Lawnswood, Leeds LS16 5PU or email customer-relations@atoshealthcare.com quoting your name, NI number and date of your medical examination.

Roger Opposes Changes in Public Pensions

Speaking from his Birmingham Hall Green constituency Roger said: I have consistently opposed Coalition proposals to change pension arrangements for public servants and shall be voting against the Pensions Bill. Many people who chose to work in the public sector did so because they knew they were receiving less favourable pay but could look forward to decent pensions when they retired. There was, therefore, a trade-off between lower pay for enhanced pensions. Roger went on to say: For the Government to now come and change the goal posts on pensions is a breach of this unwritten contract and I have opposed these proposals. There is a genuine problem over funding of public sector pensions but this should be addressed by changing terms and conditions for new entrants into public service and not by devaluing existing contracts of staff who have worked in the public service for many years and are looking forward, quite understandably, to receiving the pension they were promised at the retirement age which they were also promised. Roger has also signed an HM Government e-petition on protecting police pensions: We call on Government to recognise the absolute uniqueness of the role of Police Officer and to Protect Police Pensions from an unfair attack by retaining the current level of contributions, not extending the time needed to work before claiming and to retain the current conditions of the Police Pension Scheme. 2|Page

One in five recommendations to find someone fully fit for work made by Atos is inaccurate according to new DWP statistics. Employment and support allowance (ESA) appeals were up by 40% on the same quarter of last year, according to new Ministry of Justice statistics.
Source: Disability Rights UK Updates Oct 2012

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https://submissions.epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/ 22321

what has been the benefit to Birmingham and the United Kingdom economy of the acquisition of Cadburys by Kraft?

Starbucks doing you a favour by not making any money out of UK!!
Speaking from Westminster recently, Roger said: The astonishingly pathetic assertion by Starbucks Finance Chief to MPs that the company makes no profit in Britain must rank as the joke of the year. Despite having 31% of the British market he asserted that Starbucks had only once turned a profit in 15 years despite the company telling it American investors that it was very satisfied with the way its British operation was working! So, lucky Starbucks coffee drinkers, just be thankful that when you pay for your next cup of coffee at Starbucks remember you are being subsidised by the company - and not taken for a ride!

Vandalism on buses in Birmingham

See Something Say Something text on 83010 Roger is supporting the See Something Say Something initiative launched by National Express in an attempt to cut down on the vandalism of buses and bus shelters in Birmingham which it is estimated is costing local business, council tax payers and police over a million pounds a year. Roger said: A small minority of mindless vandals are damaging the vehicles that hundreds of thousands of local residents rely on. Like the vast majority of people in Birmingham I want these vandals to pay for the damage they have caused and I want repeat offenders to face the toughest possible sentences. He continued: In addition to the cost, this crime has given a bad image of our city to our millions of visitors. The campaign calls on bus users to join in the fight against this small minority of vandals by texting the completely anonymous See Something Say Something initiative on 83010. Just text the details including time, date, location and route number when you see an incident of vandalism on the citys buses.

Kraft or just krafty?

Commenting on the furore swilling around regarding the revelations that companies like Starbucks, Amazon, Google and Facebook have paid just 30 million in Corporation Tax in the UK on sales of 3.1 billion over the last four years Roger said recently: I wrote to Kraft, who took over Cadburys, to ask how much Corporation Tax they had paid. As you can imagine they were extremely guarded over their figures and said that they paid Corporation Tax based on the laws of the countries in which we operate including the UK. They also said like most global businesses we pay most of our Corporation Tax in the countries where we have headquarters. Kraft is not headquartered in the UK and, neither for that matter, was Cadburys who were headquartered in Switzerland and operated through numerous different companies based in all parts of the world. Of course Kraft trumpet that they employ 5,500 people in the UK and allegedly contribute 272 million to the local economy in Birmingham but the fact remains that Kraft pays far less in Corporation Tax on the profits it makes in the UK and the number of people it employs in this country is less than Cadburys employed so

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Stop the 3p Petrol Tax

Roger has signed the e-petition for cheaper petrol and diesel, at Stop the 3p Petrol Tax - http://www.rightangle.org/campaigns/stop-the-3p-petrol-tax.

He said: I am opposed to the proposal to increase Fuel Duty on petrol and diesel from the 1st January which will push up the price of petrol and diesel by approximately 16p a gallon and I have signed the Amendment to the Finance Act which would stop this rise going ahead because I believe, particularly at this moment in time, the placing of yet another burden on hard-pressed families and small businesses cannot be justified. The Coalition Government is seeking to raise extra revenue to reduce the financial deficit but an increase in Fuel Duty is going to impact severely on many businesses and will lead to less economic activity while also taking more money out of the pockets of consumers. This will depress even more the desperate need for growth in the economy and will merely increase Government borrowing because there will be more people out of work and therefore less tax being paid while unemployment expenditure will increase.

He concluded: I am sure that many families who have suffered the loss of a loved one in this way feel that justice is not being done. I thought that changes in legislation had overcome the problems with sentencing which have existed for a number of years but this would appear not to be the case and I hope that the Lord Chancellor will take this opportunity to look at how the law is actually working and give Judges the flexibility they need.

Freeze Business Rates

Roger is lending his support to the campaign to freeze business rates in 2013. He said: I am supporting the campaign calling on the Government to freeze business rates next year. Rates have already risen by over ten per cent in the last two years, and allowing another steep increase in April 2013 would pose a serious threat to investment and job creation. He went on to say: Business rates went up by 4.6 per cent in 2011 and 5.6 per cent in 2012, and they are set to rise by a further 2.6 per cent next April. Imposing a substantial rates hike for the third year running can only lead to more empty shops on high streets and fewer chances of work, especially for young people.

Professional Begging
Commenting on the number of people who are going house to house and collecting for good causes Roger Godsiff said: In these tough economic times, with a great deal of pressure particularly on charitable organisations, you would not wish to discourage people from giving to worthy causes. However, a number of constituents have complained about the increased persistence of door to door collectors and some are worried as to the authenticity of the people who are actually doing the collecting. He went on to say: Collecting for worthy causes falls under the definition of a collection for charitable purposes. The promoter of such a collection would require a licence, issued by the local authority, under the provisions of the House to House Collections Act 1939. My advice to residents would be that they should ask any caller for evidence of a licence and if such an authorisation is not produced then the resident should 4|Page

Stop Dangerous Drivers

Roger has signed up for the Stop Dangerous Drivers campaign-StopDangerousDrivers.com - and has written to the Lord Chancellor asking him to submit a proposal to the Sentencing Council to review the guidelines for Causing Death by Dangerous Driving and abolish the lesser offence of Causing Death by Careless Driving leaving Causing Death by Dangerous Driving as the appropriate charge for drivers that kill. He said: The maximum sentence available was increased to 14 years in 2004 but Judges still say they are constrained by "sentencing guidelines", which make it difficult for them to hand out the tough sentences which are appropriate for drivers who kill. In addition, many offenders are only charged of the lesser offence of "Causing Death by Careless Driving", even when the more serious charge would be more appropriate. Of those convicted in 2011, one in three killer drivers did not go to jail at all; only one in ten received more than 5 years.

DECEMBER 2012

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UPDATE FROM ROGER GODSIFF MP

contact their local police, the City Councils Licensing Enforcement Section on 0121 303 9611 or the Director of Regulatory Services, Birmingham City Council on 0121 303 6121 or email: jacqui_kennedy@birmigham.gov.uk.

Children and Families Bill - Provide Local Principle. Roger has written to Edward Timpson
MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (children and families) asking him to give very serious thought, particularly in light of the changes that are going to take place in the administration of disability support, to incorporate where possible, the principle of locally provided and accessible services. Roger said: As I am sure that the Minster can appreciate what the families of disabled children need most from the new Children and Families Bill is better support close to home. The recent and continuing furore over the abuse in care homes only serves to strenghen this argument. This will significantly reduce the toll of anxiety and stress that almost all parents of disabled children continually feel and make a great contribution to many of the families who miss out on basic family activities like celebrating birthdays or going swimming. Many parents struggle financially and are not able to hold down jobs because support services are only available miles from home. He concluded: I think that we owe it to disabled children and their families to provide this support so that they have a basic quality of care available to them and that these services are not further eroded by current plans to reduce benefits expenditure.

Buying on the Doorstep Consumer Advice

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B_9TwqUlwHK6W TBtU1VzTDQtd0E

http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/scams/oft1429 .pdf http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/scams/oft1430 .pdf

Save on your energy and water bills

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/

Citizens Advice Consumer Service

The Citizens Advice consumer service took over responsibility for providing consumer advice and information from Consumer Direct on 1 April 2012. The Citizens Advice consumer service provides free, confidential and impartial advice on consumer issues. www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/consumer_e.htm or call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 08454 04 05 06. Information collected by the consumer service is shared with the OFT and other enforcement partners, including Local Authority Trading Standards Services.

Settler Destruction of Palestinian Olive Groves FCO response

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B_9TwqUlwHK6LT hQRDVIbVFoQUU

Problems with faulty goods:

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/wales/consumer_w/co nsumer_common_problems_with_products_e/faulty_ goods_e.htm

At least 50 trees were cut down night in an olive grove belonging to residents of the Palestinian village of As-Sawiya,

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which is located in eastern Samaria, near the settlement of th Rehelim in a suspected settler attack on 6 November 2012.

Roger calls for a: little less judgement and a bit more humanity in the cases of extradited Britains, Babar Ahmad and Talha Ahsan.
Roger has written to Foreign Secretary, William Hague, concerning the conditions under which Babar Ahmad and Talha Ahsan are being detained in advance of their trial in October 2013. Roger said: I have heard from constituents that these two British citizens are being held in extremely harsh conditions solitary confinement - with no communication allowed with their families. Letters have been sent by family members but have not been passed onto the two men. Mr Ahsan has been clinically diagnosed as suffering from Aspergers and assessed as being at risk of committing suicide. He continued: Personally, I can see no reason why at the very least Babar Ahmad and Talha Ahsan should not be allowed contact and communication with their families. I have asked William Hague to ascertain what conditions they are being held under and if they have been offered consular services which is the basic right of any British citizen. With the soaring rhetoric of President Obamas acceptance speech not yet a distant echo and the resonance of a nation born in freedom and tolerance still fresh, I am reminded what one of the worlds most notorious prisoners said: . no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones. Nelson Mandela

Its an all too familiar story he said recently, you slash one budget and then announce new money at a significantly lower level with all sorts of strings attached. The Big Lottery Fund (BIG) has launched the Advice to Services Transition Fund which will provide grants of between 50,000 and 350,000 to partnerships of local advice providers that can come together in an area and produce plans to improve services and make them viable. The Big Lottery Fund is operating the programme and has contributed half the value of the fund. Partnerships should reflect the needs of the people and communities in their local areas and include providers of welfare benefits, debt, housing and employment advice said Nick Hurd, Minister for Civil Society. Roger said: Whilst news of this support package is welcome I cannot help feeling that it is a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul. Budgets for many not- for- profit advice providers have been slashed and half of the money available in this new fund will be coming from the lottery and not the public purse. How does this money help those organizations who have already had to lay off experienced welfare or debt advisers, for example? How does any of this help the person on the street who has just lost their benefits after an Atos medical and needs representation at an appeal tribunal? As always, the devil will be in the detail and the requirement for providers to come together and demonstrate new ways of working that will improve local services places the onus on local providers to fight for and justify the money that has already been taken away from them. He went on to say: The introduction of Universal Credit next year is one of the most fundamental reorganizations of benefits delivery since the inception of the welfare state and I cant help feeling that Ministers are feeling increasingly uneasy that all this is happening at a time when budgets to long established advice providers such as Citizens Advice are being slashed. This could be the Perfect Storm and its heading in their direction!! 6|Page

65m to Support Free Advice as Budgets are Slashed. This could be a Perfect Storm and its heading in the Governments direction says Roger.
Whilst welcoming the recent Government announcement that vital frontline advice services across England will receive a multi million pounds support package Roger does not believe that this will compensate for money already lost to these services.

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UPDATE FROM ROGER GODSIFF MP

www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/astf

are already receiving. It is a confidential service and nothing you ask or say will go on your file.

HELP LINE LIBRARY

FINANCIAL ADVICE Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 08454 04 05 06 Consumer Credit Counselling Service
Our

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/how_we_can _help/housing_advice_helpline Shelter provides a free, national telephone advice line staffed by trained housing advisers. We have helped thousands of people, from finding them a place to sleep to suggesting how to handle mortgage arrears.

FREEPHONE helpline is open from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 3pm on Saturday.

0800 138 1111 http://www.cccs.co.uk/Contact.aspx

National Debt Line 0808 808 4000

Office of Fair Trading - Enquiries and Reporting Centre on 0845 7 22 44 99 enquiries@oft.gsi.gov.uk

Ring 0808 800 4444

8am-8pm 8am-5pm Monday-Friday Saturday-Sunday

FREE LEGAL ADVICE

http://www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk/Legaladvice/Free-legal-advice.htm

Helpline: 0845 608 4455 Email: helpline@patients-association.com The Patients Association, PO Box 935, Harrow, Middlesex HA1 3YJ T: 020 8423 9111 F: 020 8423 9119 E: helpline@patients-association.com

http://www.lawworksclinics.org.uk/bflag/index.phph ttp://www.lawworks.org.uk/list-of-lawworksmember-clinics

CHILDREN FAMILIES AND DISABILITIES

Get in touch with the helpline of Contact a Family who work with young children. They may be able to refer you to a local network of refer you to a local network of trained advocates. Free helpline on 0808 808 3555 Other organisations that may be able to help are:

Benefit Enquiry Line (BEL)

0800 882200
Lines are open 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM Monday to Friday. From a landline your call is free. This is a confidential telephone advice and information line for peole with disabilities, carers and representatives. It covers England, Scotland and Wales. BEL can provide general benefits advice and information, but staff do not have access to any claimant records and are therefore unable to give information on the progress of a claim or benefits you

Every Disabled Child Matters Norfolk Coalition Of Disabled People Norfolk Disabled Persons Alliance The Council for Disabled Children 7|Page

DECEMBER 2012

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UPDATE FROM ROGER GODSIFF MP

Independent Living Advice Line Provides advice to disabled people and their carers: Tel: 0845 026 4748 or email: independentliving@disabilityrightsuk.org

Disabled Students Helpline

Our advice service can provide advice on education, training and employment: Telephone 0800 328 5050 (freephone) Tuesday 11.30am-1.30pm and Thursday 1.30pm-3.30pm Or mail:skill4disabledstudents@disabilityrightsuk.org

As this will be the last Postcard of the year Roger and his staff extend their best wishes to all his constituents and Postcard readers for an enjoyable and restful Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

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