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FORMER
NEWS from
EAST and The Rt Hon GREG KNIGHT MP
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Call for "Clearer labelling" gets local backing Clearer labelling is needed to help people to buy genuinely British food, Conservative leader David Cameron says. At present foreign produce processed in the UK can be labelled as British, he told the Oxford Farming Conference. He said "food patriotism" was on the rise and backed a "buy British" policy for the £1.8bn of food bought each year for schools, hospitals and the Army. Mr Cameron told the conference that consumers "can find it difficult to back British farmers, because of inadequate labelling". He called it "completely wrong" that food "can be imported to Britain, processed here, and subsequently labelled in a way that suggests it's genuinely British". He said more people were buying British, and said government policy should make it easier for people to set up farmers' markets and farm shops. His comments were backed by East Yorkshire MP Greg Knight who said it was a "scandal" that the government, which spends £1.8bn a year on food for the public sector, did not measure the level of success of attempts to encourage public bodies to buy food locally. * * * * *
MP BACKS CLUBS East Yorkshire MP Greg Knight voted to exclude private clubs from a ban on smoking, when the Commons debated the issue recently. Mr Knight criticised the Government's shambolic conduct after MPs approved an outright ban on smoking in all pubs, restaurants and private clubs throughout England by the summer of next year. Any businesses or authorities who fail to stop people smoking in prohibited places will face fines up to £2,500, a massive rise on the originally proposed £200 penalty. Individual smokers who flout the new law face spot fixed penalty fines of £50. Mr Knight said: "I take the view that this decision is a step too far and that private members clubs should have been able to make a decision for themselves. I also object to Government ministers who brought forward legislation three months ago which included a series of exemptions and argued for them to the House. Now, those same ministers have voted against each of the policies they had previously presented to the Commons. The Government's conduct of this Bill has been a shambles and the result is yet more over-the-top nanny-state legislation but with some incomprehensible omissions." Greg added: "We now have the ridiculous situation where the law will outlaw smoking in a club even if all the members want to smoke and yet it will still be lawful to smoke in care homes, hospitals and prisons, even when the majority don't want it!" * * * * * Conservative Democracy Task Force David Cameron's 'Democracy Task Force' is to review the traditional powers of the Prime Minister, and make proposals designed to enhance the power of Parliament, and restore public trust in democracy. East Yorkshire MP Greg Knight ,who has welcomed the news, has been asked to give evidence to the Task Force as Chairman of the House of Commons Procedure Committee. * * * * * Illegal Immigrant 'shambles'. Conservatives have accused the Labour-run Home Office of "deliberate negligence" after a senior official shocked MPs by admitting that he has no idea how many illegal immigrants live in Britain and that his department does not try and track individuals down. And East Yorkshire MP Greg Knight has condemned the worsening shambles which has seen hundreds of thousands of National Insurance numbers handed out to foreign nationals without any check on their status. Dave Roberts, Director of Enforcement and Removals at the Home Office Immigration and Nationality Directorate, caused astonishment when he confessed to the Commons Home Affairs Committee that he had "not the faintest idea" how many people were in the UK illegally, had no statistics on the extent to which people refused asylum were followed up for deportation, and dismissed checks on individuals as ineffective. Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said: "As for limiting their actions to those they consider a security risk, it is hard to believe that the Home Office is in a position to assess the threat to the public safety of every single one of 250,000 failed asylum seekers currently still at large in this country. It beggars belief that along with our porous borders, problems with foreign criminals and our inability to deport a quarter of a million failed asylum seekers we also manage to hand out National Insurance numbers without checking up on a person's immigration status." And Shadow Immigration Minister Damian Green said the Home Office should be doing its job properly, but when officials didn't know the basic information needed to do that job, it wasn't surprising they failed. "The Home Office should also stop setting silly targets. The Home Office has taken its eye off the ball and its main task of keeping an eye on those people who should not be here," he said. Calling on ministers to take responsibility, and for John Reid to get a grip following the sacking of Charles Clarke, Mr Green declared: "We need proper checks at our borders in terms of who is coming in but also in terms of who is going out - so we can have a better idea of numbers." * * * * *
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DAVID CAMERON visits East Yorkshire The Rt Hon David Cameron MP, The Rt Hon David Davis MP and The Rt Hon Greg Knight MP visited East Yorkshire this month on the occasion of the official opening of the new East Yorkshire Conservative Constituency office. Our so called 'regional paper' did not bother to cover the event. 'Don't "Hug a Hoodie" says Cameron David Cameron has said he has never urged people to "hug a hoodie". Speaking at the Police Federation conference, the Conservative leader said a 2006 speech he made on crime was the most misrepresented thing he had ever said. He told 1,000 officers at the Blackpool event that aggressive youngsters who threatened others should be punished. But he added society needed to take responsibility for crime, rather than relying on the police alone. Mr Cameron told officers he had been frequently attacked for "three words" he never said in his July 2006 speech on crime. That speech called on people to think before labelling teenagers in hooded tops "gangsters". "So let me try again," he said. "Aggressive hoodies who threaten the rest of us must be punished. They need to know the difference between right and wrong, and it's our job to tell them. "I'm a Conservative. I believe in punishment, I believe in deterrence, I believe in the difference between right and wrong. "But what do we really want, a society where more and more kids are out of control, a rising tide of crime and punishment? "Or do we want those kids to behave properly in the first place?" Mr Cameron said that mending a "broken society" was not the police's responsibility. "We ask a lot of the police," said Mr Cameron. "But increasingly, I think, we ask too much. You don't need me to tell you how urgent a political priority crime and anti-social behaviour have become. "But I believe that the entirely appropriate political prioritisation of crime and anti-social behaviour has, in recent years, given rise to a dangerous distortion. "The perception has grown that fighting crime is simply a question of law enforcement and policing. And that if crime goes up, the police are to blame. "The reality is different. Crime, anti-social behaviour, disorder and incivility on our streets: these are the consequences of a breakdown in society - of a collapse in social responsibility." "If we sit back and expect the police to do all the work, we will forever be managing the social problem of crime, rather than solving it." Mr Cameron said the government had burdened police officers with targets, which had taken away their individual discretion. Knight slams 'regulation-ridden Europe' for wanting warning signs on mountains
The East Yorkshire MP adds: 'This is yet another example of the way we are being swamped by new rules from the regulation-ridden EU. Greg adds, 'This is certainly not the first time we have seen an absurd rule or regulation from the EU'. Below are a selection of the best ( or more accurately, the worst) cases - and which show what is wrong with the approach of the European Union to lawmaking.... Bananas Must Not Be Excessively Curved The European Commission's own Web site confirmed the truth of this famous Sun headline, explaining that common standards for size and quality were adopted across the EU in 1994. EU Bans Skateboards as 'Air Risk' Anyone who has flown since the September 11 tragedy will be aware of the tough new security rules, but this is typical over-the-top EU regulation. The supposed justification is that skateboards are potential weapons because some have sharp edges. Hanging Baskets Banned Prize-winning flower enthusiasts in Bury St Edmunds were prevented by the council from hanging pots from many of the town's most scenic lampposts on the grounds that under EU rules they may be 'dangerous' is someone walked into them. Cucumbers Must Be Straight Supermarkets no longer sell curved cucumbers because 'grading rules' have been implemented to 'allow' traders to buy produce unseen from abroad. Trees Targeted Over Conkers Fear Labour-controlled Norwich City Council wants to cut down 20 horse chestnut trees in one road because of EU safety rules in order to protect people from being hit by falling conkers - and to 'save mess.' EU Rules Could Force Firms to Consult on Tea Bags Companies might have to ask workers what brand of tea bags and what colour of carpet they would like in future under new workplace proposals. Kids Banned From Helping on Milk Rounds More EU inspired nanny-state regulation apparently intended to 'protect young people in the workplace.' This rightly caused outrage from milkmen and was described by some as "an attack on the British way of life". Donkey Ride Hard Hats Ruling Arun District Council has ruled children must wear hard hats while taking donkey rides on the beach at Bognor Regis, in case they fall off, citing new EU standards. Truckers' Fry-Ups Under Threat This story stems from EU attempts to 'train professional drivers in safety and health.' The EU denies there are any moves to make it compulsory for truckers to have muesli and fruit for their breakfast, (well they would, wouldn't they...) but in future who knows….. * * * * * BILL AND GREG SUPPORT BRIDLINGTON DISABLED
Having a briefing on how new technology is being used to help the disabled
was a priority for East Yorkshire MP Greg Knight, on one of his many visits
to
Bridlington.
Greg was joined by popular TV and Film actor Bill Maynard, who plays lovable rogue Claude Greengrass in ITV shows Heartbeat and The Royal. Bill, who is recovering from a recent stroke, tested a portable electric bath and a motor scooter and was then assisted by Greg as he took to the streets of Bridlington. Watched by onlookers, both Greg and Bill spent several hours at the premises of Dewar Mobility, opposite the Town Hall. Afterwards, Bill met a number of his fans and signed autographs, before leaving for a tour of the town with Greg.Promising to return, Bill said: 'I like Bridlington. It has a lot going for it.' Judging by the reception the pair received, Bridlington likes Bill too! * * * * * KNIGHT attacks Government 'Broken Promises' on Dentistry
Greg Knight
has held talks concerning the future of NHS dentistry in East Yorkshire following
receipt of a 1000 name petition from concerned residents of Driffield. The
petition arose because of a local NHS dental shortage and follows
revelations that Tony Blair has broken his 1999 promise on the issue. Mr
Knight has raised the issue with Health Ministers and has also had an hour
long meeting with the Yorkshire Wolds and Coast Primary Care Trust. On September 28th 1999, at his speech to the Labour Party conference, the Prime Minister promised an NHS dentist 'for all who wanted one within two years'. BUT At present, Greg points out, 40% of dental practices do not accept children or adults for continuing NHS care. Only 44% of adults and 60% of children are currently registered with a dentist. 'The Government has claimed that they will solve problems in NHS dentistry with a new contract for dentists to be introduced from 1st October 2005 -but only 11% believe that the proposals will benefit dentists, and the vast majority (90%) believe that the proposals will lead to dentists increasing their private work. 'However, 60% of dentists say they will personally reduce their provision of NHS services or opt out of the NHS in entirety.' says Greg. Mr Knight added: 'According to a specialist report in January 2003, NHS spending on general dental care is still below its peak of 4.4% of overall NHS spending in 1992-3, under the last Conservative Government. The figures show that it now stands at 3.1%, and the British Dental Association claim that it is "still falling".
Following
Mr Knight's intervention, it was announced that further NHS dental provision
is now to be made available across East Yorkshire and especially for the
residents of Driffield .
* * * * * BROADBAND CAMPAIGN SUCCESS Greg Knight MP, supported by Local Conservative Councillors, has successfully campaigned for Broadband services to be made available across the East Riding. Mr Knight has been pressing BT for a roll-out of the service to rural areas and has been backed by a number of influential figures including Shadow Home Secretary David Davis MP. Following representations made by Mr Knight, the residents of the East Riding were connected a year sooner than was expected.
* * * * * POCKLINGTON VISIT East Yorkshire MP Greg Knight brought Conservative Spokesman Dr Liam Fox MP, who was formerly a Shadow Health Minister, on a fact-finding visit to Pocklington. Dr Fox and Mr Knight visited the Pocklington Health Centre to speak to Doctors and Nurses and listened to their concerns over health care in East Yorkshire. Dr Fox, who came at the invitation of Mr Knight, said afterwards that he had found the visit 'both useful and informative.'
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FORMER NEWSROUND
ITEMS
A
bizarre new law from Europe could see warning signs being placed on mountains
to let climbers know they are high up. The EU regulation is aimed at preventing
people falling on building sites, but professional mountain leaders believe
they will also have to conform as it is thought the regulation will also
apply to climbing guides who are working at altitude. Due to be implemented
shortly, the Working at Height Regulations will require building sites
to display a number of safety warnings and to introduce back-up systems.
MPs and MEPs believe that climbing teams could have to display signs warning
that mountains are high. "This is madness - surely everyone will know that
when they climb a mountain, they will be high up?" says Greg Knight.
