Ebrief from
Cathy Jamieson MP
14th March 2011
Welfare Reform Bill
The main debate of the week was the second
reading of the Welfare Reform Bill. Labour
tabled an amendment which outlined why the
Bill should not be supported, but this was
defeated in a vote. The full text of the
amendment is reproduced here, as it is
important that constituents know what I voted
for. We will now try to make amendments at
Committee, but if the Bill is not radically
altered to ensure that those who need support
get it, then I will vote against it at Third
Reading. If anyone would like more
information please let me know, as I would
like to hear from constituents and local
groups. The most powerful arguments I can
make will be about how the Bill affects people
locally.
Airguns
I also took the opportunity during the debate
on the Scotland Bill to highlight the ongoing
problems of airgun misuse. This issue has
been in the media once again following the
recent incident in Auchinleck where school
pupils were injured. I have also called for
clarity on the position of BB Guns, to ensure
that these are covered in the review of
firearms legislation that is underway in the
Home Office. I remain concerned that people
may see these guns as toys, when in fact they
are capable of inflicting severe injury.
Following my speech, a number of
constituents contacted me to let me know that
BB guns are on sale locally. I will be following
this up with the retailers, in the hope that they
may agree to remove them from display.
1
Full text of Welfare Bill Amendment
That this House, whilst affirming its belief in
the principle of simplifying the benefits
system and good work incentives, declines to
give a Second Reading to the Welfare Reform
Bill because the proposal of the Universal
Credit as it stands creates uncertainty for
thousands of people in the United Kingdom;
because the Bill fails to clarify what level of
childcare support will be available for parents
following the abolition of the tax credit
system; because the Bill penalises savers who
will be barred from the Universal Credit;
because the Bill disadvantages people
suffering from cancer or mental illness due to
the withdrawal of contributory Employment
Support Allowance; because the Bill contains
no safeguards to mothers in receipt of
childcare support; because it proposes to
withdraw the mobility component of
Disability Living Allowance from people in
residential care and fails to provide sufficient
safeguards for future and necessary reform;
because it provides no safeguards for those
losing Housing Benefit or appropriate checks
on the Secretary of State’s powers; because it
fails to clarify how Council Tax Benefit will be
incorporated in the Universal Credit system;
because it fails to determine how recipients of
free school meals and beneficiaries of Social
Fund loans will be treated; and because the
proposals act as a disincentive for the self-
employed who wish to start up a business;
and is strongly of the opinion that the
publication of such a Bill should have been
preceded by both fuller consultation and pre-
legislative scrutiny of a draft Bill.
Parliamentary Pancake Race
Best fun of the week was the Annual
Also last week:
Parliamentary Pancake race organised
by the Rehab Group, which includes
Momentum who provide local services
in Kilmarnock. I was a member of the
MPs relay team, running against the
teams from the Lord and the Media.
Sadly we were trounced by both! But
we still think we had more people in
our team. If you want a laugh the event
was covered by BBC and CNN.
Ayrshire Chamber Awards
Good to see the Ayrshire Excellence
Awards for Service, Manufacturing and
Social Economy, this year being won
by Braehead Foods, McCallum
Bagpipes and The Lighthouse
Foundation respectively. A hat trick for
Killie based businesses!
Meeting with Scottish Water
I met with Richard Ackroyd, Chief
Executive of Scottish Water, to discuss
the problems which constituents faced
during the winter freeze. He provided
information on the lessons learned and
how procedures are being changed so
that customers will be better served if
similar severe weather occurs in
future.
International Women’s Day
To mark the 100th Anniversary of
International Women’s Day, I am
launching a competition for school
pupils, to help celebrate the
contribution made by women in all
walks of life.
 I followed up my visit to the Proven
Energy factory in Stewarton by
hosting a meeting for manufacturers
of small wind turbines to discuss
challenges they face
 Sustainable energy was also on the
agenda at the Climate Change
Leadership Programme, which I
attended along with Labour’s Shadow
Secretary for Environment and
Climate Change
 Fair Trade Fortnight was marked in
Parliament, with an event involving
Sir Steve Redgrave , particularly to
highlight the cotton industry
 I attended the regular meeting of the
Parliamentary CND Group. If you are
against Trident replacement sign the
petition here
 I was pleased to see a number of
local schools respond to my letter
letting them know about the Make it
Happy Parliamentary IT competition
and I look forward to hearing how
they get on.
 As a follow up to my visit to Rwanda I
met with Results UK, who support the
All Party Group on TB, to look at
ways in which we can progress
issues around World TB Day later
this month.
 I met with Shadow Chancellor Ed
Balls MP to discuss the next stage of
the Reverse the VAT on Fuel
Campaign. If you haven’t signed up
yet you can do so here