Fiona Hall MEP News Stories (Stockton Liberal Democrats)

Feb 9, 2012:
- 112 can help save lives - Hall
  A local Euro MP is using Saturday's date (11/2) to raise awareness of the 112 emergency number that works across Europe. Despite being in use for 20 years, most travellers are unaware of the number. This weekend marks European 112 Day, dedicated to the promotion of the service. Fiona said: "This is the perfect opportunity to remind people that anytime they need an emergency service anywhere in the EU, they can call 112 for free. "The last thing you want to have to do when you find yourself in an emergency is scramble around for the correct telephone number. Having a single number for all of Europe is a great idea, but unfortunately most people are oblivious to the existence of 112. "112 works in every EU country - including here in the UK. For anyone who gets into an emergency situation away from home it really can make the difference between life and death." Published and promoted by the Liberal Democrats, 8-10 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AE Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
Feb 8, 2012:
- Be Bothered urges MEP
  North East MEP Fiona Hall has signed a pledge in Parliament to protect the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people. She has put her name to the ten-point 'Be Bothered!' campaign, which aims to combat prejudice and discrimination. Fiona said: "Huge progress has been made in the UK to tackle homophobia, but there is still more that can be done. And sadly, in many other European countries, the situation is much worse and the need for action to bolster the rights of LGBT people is even more urgent. "Fighting inequality and protecting people's right has always been a priority of mine so I am delighted to give my support to the campaign in an effort to raise awareness and help mobilise support for human rights across Europe and beyond. "I want to see ambitious legislation to secure equal treatment regardless of sexuality. A key part of that is ensuring the validity of UK civil partnerships is recognised in all Member States, so couples can travel or emigrate without the fear of having their legal rights disregarded when something goes wrong." Published and promoted by the Liberal Democrats, 8-10 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AE Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
Feb 7, 2012:
- MEP urges businesses to reach for the stars
  North East businesses should reach for the stars and grab a piece of the £1.3bn SKA project to build the world's largest telescope, according to local Euro MP Fiona Hall. A leading engineer from the project will be in the region this week for the Spacetec conference and is encouraging companies to set their sights on the lucrative space industry. Fiona Hall, meanwhile, has tabled a Written Declaration in the European Parliament calling for greater co-operation on space research in a move that could bolster the SKA project. Fiona said: "A giant telescope being built on another continent may seem light years away from the issue of jobs in the North East, but space technology is a £7.5bn industry in the UK alone and our region should be grabbing a sizeable piece of that. "We have great expertise in manufacturing as well as leading research institutions. The fact we have one of SKA's key engineers in the region courting local firms is proof of the high esteem in which the North East workforce is held. "Obviously, on a project of this scale, international co-operation is key. That's why I'm working in the European Parliament for greater collaboration between the EU and Africa, where the SKA telescope will hopefully be located. This will help open up opportunities for areas like ours. "Space research may not be the first thing people think of when looking for ways to boost the regional economy but there is the real potential for many, highly-skilled jobs to be created." Published and promoted by the Liberal Democrats, 8-10 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AE Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
Jan 19, 2012:
- Pensioner cops bill after false alarm
  A Newcastle pensioner has been left with a £600 bill after a neighbourly mistake led to police smashing down his door. When neighbours raised concerns about Nicolas Hunter's whereabouts, police forcibly entered his property, only to discover he was away on holiday. Upon his return Mr Hunter faced the double shock of having to replace his front door and being told the police would not help with the cost. Mr Hunter said, "You can imagine the upset this has caused. I get back from holiday and find chipboard where my front door should be. And now the police are refusing to pay for the damage, leaving me with a £600 bill to pay. "I know the police had good intentions but it's completely unreasonable to leave people like me high and dry. I'm hundreds of pounds out of pocket through no fault of my own." Mr Hunter has now enlisted the help of Euro MP Fiona Hall who is challenging Home Office rules on his behalf after extensive discussions with Northumbria Police. Fiona said, "I have no doubt the police acted within the rules, but I am afraid that the rules are too rigid. When people report concerns about a neighbour's welfare, it is often an elderly or vulnerable individual they are worried about - the very people who can least afford £600 plus to get a door replaced. "There needs to be funding available to help people like Mr Hunter. I have written to the Police Minister Nick Herbert expressing my concern and calling for the Code of Practice to be made more flexible so there is leeway to pay for repairs even where the police have acted correctly." Published and promoted by the Liberal Democrats, 8-10 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AE Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
Jan 18, 2012:
- Tough action promised to protect UK egg farmers
  Local MEP Fiona Hall has secured an assurance from the European Commission that it is prepared to take legal action against Members States that do not comply with the ban on battery hens. While UK farmers have invested in ensuring their facilities meet new standards which came into force this month, they fear their business being undermined by cheap imports from countries flouting the rules. Lib Dem Fiona Hall said: "UK egg producers who invested heavily in new enriched cages to replace battery cages must not suffer from illegal competitors who can undercut their prices through animal cruelty. "I welcome the Commission's determination to hold non-compliant Member States to account. "The Commission must also support countries such as the UK that are using every means at their disposal to try and ban illegally produced eggs from entering their markets." According to EU Health and Consumer Commissioner John Dalli, inspection teams will start their investigations in targeted Member States as of January 2012 to collect evidence of non-compliance to back up the prosecution when it goes to court. Published and promoted by the Liberal Democrats, 8-10 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AE Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
Jan 10, 2012:
- MEP fights to save seafood jobs
  North East MEP Fiona Hall has called on the new owners of a seafood factory in Seaham to give the 360-strong staff a fair chance to save their jobs. When Cumbrian Seafoods went into administration last month it was immediately bought by Young's. Initial optimism over the takeover has been dampened by the new owner's decision to conduct a 90 day consultation on the factory's closure. Fiona today spoke to Pete Ward, the boss of Young's, and impressed on him the importance of keeping the Seaham plant open. Speaking afterwards, Lib Dem Fiona said: "With 360 jobs at stake, it is vital that we do everything possible to keep the factory open. Responsibility for the collapse of Cumbrian Seafoods seems to lie with the previous owners. It would be grossly unfair if the shop floor workers paid the price for that. "I made the case to Young's that they should give Seaham the opportunity to prove its worth. "The plant has received considerable investment in recent times, including public money, and I would like to see moves to get it running at full capacity rather than shut it down. "I have been assured that no decisions have yet been made and that workers will be given a fair chance to save their jobs. I will continue to monitor the situation to ensure that happens and have been promised a further update before any action is taken." Published and promoted by the Liberal Democrats, 8-10 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AE Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
Dec 14, 2011:
- Euro MPs free small firms from EU accounting rules
  Small businesses in the North East will be exempt from complex EU accounting rule following a vote in the European Parliament this week. Qualifying businesses must now only comply with national reporting rules which usually demand very basic information. North East MEP Fiona Hall, who voted in favour of freeing small businesses from drawing up heavy annual accounts, said: "It is pure common sense to exempt small businesses that rarely operate across borders from complicated accounting rules. "Of course it is important for small businesses to provide basic information to comply with national laws on transparency and tax regulation. But we must not make this process more complicated than necessary." The vote comes after a two year struggle between the European Parliament and EU Member States in the Council over the definition of 'micro entity'. Euro MPs wanted to include as many small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) as possible under the relaxed accounting rules whereas Member States pushed for a tighter definition. Following a compromise between Member States, Commission and Parliament, Euro-MPs managed to include a generous definition of 'micro entities' into the deal adopted this week. Micro businesses are now defined as firms with a total balance sheet of less than €350,000 (around £300,000), a net turnover of less than €700,000 (around £590,000) and no more than 10 employees on average a year. Lib Dem Fiona Hall continued: "It is now up to the Coalition Government to implement this exemption. I will be pushing our ministers to introduce the new rules as quickly as possible." Published and promoted by the Liberal Democrats, 8-10 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AE Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
- Juicy vote in the European Parliament
  How healthy is the fruit drink you're buying? Would you buy a strawberry juice or smoothie if you knew it consisted mainly of apples? Do you want to know which 'juice' contains additional sugar or sweeteners? Euro MPs today decided to put in place stricter rules on the composition of fruit juices and better labelling guidelines which will substantially improve the quality of fruit juices available across the EU. Local Euro MP Fiona Hall commented after the vote in the European Parliament today: "For many consumers with health issues such as diabetes and allergies it is vitally important to clearly state what has been put in their drinks. "I am delighted that in the future it will be prohibited to put extra sugar in drinks labelled as fruit juice. And it will no longer be possible to market a product on the basis of only a minor ingredient if the juice is actually made up of a completely different fruit. No more apples disguised as strawberries!" The new rules will come into force after a transition period of 18 months and will apply to all juice products regardless of whether they are produced in the EU or imported from elsewhere. Published and promoted by the Liberal Democrats, 8-10 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AE Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
Dec 13, 2011:
- MEPs agree financing for EU nuclear fusion programme ITER
  The European Parliament today backed a deal to cover a shortfall of €1,300 million in the financing of the EU's flagship nuclear fusion programme, ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor). The leader of the Liberal Democrats in the European Parliament and energy spokesperson, Fiona Hall MEP, who contributed towards finding a compromise between EU Member States, MEPs and the Commission on the deal, commented: "Finding the necessary funds for the construction of ITER has been an up-hill battle with real threats to other, very successful EU research programmes. "I am very pleased that it was possible to shift funds from unspent areas of the current 2007-2013 EU spending programme without taking money away from other important research projects. In particular, this is good news for the UK Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, which will now be able to carry on its work until at least 2014, safeguarding almost 200 jobs. "However, today's deal is only an unsatisfactory short-term solution. Member States and Commission must finally get their act together and come up with a long-term funding plan for ITER after 2014." The deal includes a total of €840m in commitments to be reallocated in 2012-13 which requires the amendment of the 2007-2013 EU multi-annual financial framework. The rest of the money is supposed to come from an increase of €360m in commitments in the EU's 2013 budget, although it has yet to be agreed from where this amount is to be taken. Published and promoted by the Liberal Democrats, 8-10 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AE Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
Dec 12, 2011:
- Extra cash will ensure fair chance for North East pupils - Hall
  Next year, more than 31,000 additional children in the North East will qualify for the Pupil Premium, meaning millions more for the region's schools. The Pupil Premium - aimed at supporting the area's most disadvantaged children - amounts to £600 extra for every child eligible for free school meals. From next year, the Pupil Premium will be extending its reach to cover any child that has been registered for Free School Meals (FSM) in the past six years. The new rules mean more than 106,000 North East pupils will qualify, increasing local school budgets by £31 million. North East MEP Fiona Hall said: "It is a scandal that children on Free School Meals have consistently worse school results than those that have never been eligible. Only one in 200 pupils on free school meals get three As at A-Level, compared with one in three privately educated pupils. We are consigning too many young people from poor backgrounds to a life of underachievement, without the equality of opportunity available to better-off families. "That's why the Government is giving schools an extra £600 for extra child eligible for free school meals. That amounts to an additional £31m in our region next year. "The Pupil Premium ensures money is directed towards those who need it most and helps ensure every child is given a fair chance to fulfil their potential." Published and promoted by the Liberal Democrats, 8-10 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AE Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
Dec 9, 2011:
- Summit outcome deeply worrying for UK prosperity - Hall
  Following the conclusion of the EU summit, Fiona Hall, Leader of the Liberal Democrat MEPs in the European Parliament, said: "This outcome is deeply worrying for the future prosperity of the UK, which now faces the prospect of being in a minority of one in European decision making.   "I am particularly concerned that the UK may become sidelined within the single market, which the Government has always recognised as being absolutely crucial for the UK economy. Thousands of jobs are at stake. "A declaration on the integrity of the single market, which had been drafted by the Commission and agreed by the European Council, was left on the table. "Hopefully this summit will mark the turning point for the eurozone. But it may also mark the damaging marginalisation of the UK." Published and promoted by the Liberal Democrats, 8-10 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AE Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
Dec 5, 2011:
- MEP welcomes sale to secure 450 seafood jobs
  Cumbrian Seafood, which employs 457 people in the North East, has entered administration and been bought by Young's Seafood. The move is expected to safeguard the jobs, which are split between the Seaham HQ and subsidiary site in Amble. Responding to the news, North East Euro MP Fiona Hall said, "This has clearly been a difficult time for the company and it is a real shame that it has been forced into administration. However, I welcome the swift transition to new ownership. This prevents weeks or months of further uncertainty for the staff. "More than 450 local jobs depend on the success of this deal. If it safeguards the long term future of the sites at Amble and Seaham, it will prove to be very good news." Published and promoted by the Liberal Democrats, 8-10 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AE Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
- Euro MP demands action to protect North East farmers
  Poultry farmers in the North East will lose out unless the EU takes strong action to enforce its ban on battery farming says North East Euro MP Fiona Hall. The Europe-wide ban comes into effect on January 1 but some countries have failed to adopt the improved welfare standards. This has led to fears that the UK market will be flooded by cheap imports, hurting North East farmers who have complied with the new rules. Fiona Hall has signed a Written Declaration in Parliament calling for action. She said, "Everyone has had more than enough time to meet the new standards which bring an end to the cruelty of battery farming of hens. "Every farmer in the North East, and across the UK, has managed it, at no small cost to their business. It would be grossly unfair if they ended up being punished for doing so. "To ensure that doesn't happen, I am calling for strong action from day one of the ban. Heavy fines must be levied against those farmers in other countries who have failed to improve welfare standards as required. "There needs to be a rigorous clamp-down on the import of battery-farmed fresh and processed eggs once the January 1st deadline passes. Without such action there is a real risk that North East poultry farmers will lose out to cheap imports from countries where the rules are being flouted." Published and promoted by the Liberal Democrats, 8-10 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AE Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
Nov 18, 2011:
- Euro cash can help Alcan staff - Hall
  A North East MEP has urged the Government to use European funds to support Alcan staff and help tackle the region's jobs crisis. In a letter sent to Vince Cable, Fiona Hall has highlighted a €500m fund set up to help workers who are made redundant. Commenting, Fiona said, "A share of €500m is available where more than 500 people have lost their jobs. Sadly, that is the situation we face at Alcan. "This money can help people set up their own business, look for a new job or get re-training. I know the Government have committed to provide support for the workers but we can do even more if we can secure additional funding. "Closures on this scale are traumatic at the best of times, but in the middle of a jobs crisis such as we find ourselves in now, they are disastrous. People must know that every possible avenue of support is being investigated, every penny of potential help is being sought." Published and promoted by the Liberal Democrats, 8-10 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AE Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
Nov 16, 2011:
- Alcan closure a 'body blow' - Hall
  Commenting on the closure of the Alcan smelter announced today, Lib Dem MEP Fiona Hall said, "This is a real body blow for the staff, their families and Northumberland as a whole. "With many others, I have been involved in the efforts to help safeguard the plant in recent years and it is bitterly disappointing that those efforts seem to have failed. "The focus now has to be on ensuring there are jobs to go to for those that will find themselves out of work. I will be urging the Government to apply for EU recovery funds which can help limit the damage caused by the closure. "This is going to be a very tough time for the community and we need to ensure all possible support is made available to those affected." Published and promoted by the Liberal Democrats, 8-10 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AE Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
Nov 15, 2011:
- Euro MP welcomes VAT victory for North East businesses
  Euro MP Fiona Hall is celebrating the closure of a tax loophole that has threatened small businesses in the region. From April 1st, companies will no longer be able to avoid VAT by shipping goods from the Channel Islands. Fiona, who has campaigned for years for the law to be changed, said: "This is great news for North East businesses. It is an issue I have repeatedly raised with Government ministers over the years and I am pleased to see them now taking decisive action. "Sending goods to the Channel Islands to then ship them back to the UK to avoid VAT is a clear abuse of the rules and it costs jobs by squeezing small businesses. "Only big companies have the infrastructure to take advantage of the loophole so it adds to their huge advantage over smaller firms. "How can independent record shops or bookshops - vital to the diversity and character of our high streets - compete with major retailers that are avoiding VAT? "This announcement is a victory for fairness." Published and promoted by the Liberal Democrats, 8-10 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AE Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
Nov 8, 2011:
- Residents could be left to pick up flooding bill
  The Environment Agency has waded into the controversy surrounding building plans at Hurworth Place which residents fear could lead to their homes being flooded. In a written response to North East Euro MP Fiona Hall, the Agency says it is unclear who would be liable if existing properties were to flood, raising fears that residents could be left to pick up the bills. Fiona commented, "Local residents are being sold down the river. The latest study shows that pushing ahead with this development will result in a serious risk of flooding, and now local people are being told they may be liable for any damage suffered. "That cannot be right. "I am calling on the builders to do the right thing: go back to the drawing board and come up with a plan based on the latest flood model. It is crazy for them to press on when the resulting risk to existing properties is so high." In the letter to Fiona, David Dangerfield, North East Director of the Environment Agency, said, "With reference to your question about responsibility for any damage to existing properties if flooding were to occur, we agree with Darlington Borough Council's opinion that it is not clear which, if any, party would be held responsible. "We think it is for this reason that the Council have suggested that the residents take their own legal advice and we agree with this approach." Published and promoted by the Liberal Democrats, 8-10 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AE Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
Nov 7, 2011:
- Station staff safe, say rail company
  There are no plans to close the ticket office at Morpeth train station, according to written assurances secured from Northern Rail. Liberal Democrat Euro MP Fiona Hall contacted the company after Morpeth was named in the McNulty Report on the future of rail as a station which could be operated without staff to save money. Welcoming the news that there are no plans to close the ticket office, Fiona said "I'm sure people will breathe a sigh of relief at this news. If we want to provide a good service for commuters as well as tourists, a staffed ticket office is vital. I was very concerned that the station could lose its dedicated and hard-working staff who provide such a fantastic service. "I contacted Northern Rail immediately and am very pleased to have been given this reassurance and to hear that they plan to further enhance facilities at the station. "Of course, this is also very welcome news for the staff at the station who can get on with their job without the threat of closure hanging over them." In a letter to Fiona, Ian Bevan, the Managing Director of Northern Rail, said "I would like to reassure you that we have no plans to close the ticket office. On the contrary, we want to offer more choice to our customers, expanding our retail options through additional ticket vending machines and the introduction of online retailing." Published and promoted by the Liberal Democrats, 8-10 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AE Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
Oct 31, 2011:
- Hall welcomes 'shot in the arm' for North East economy
  Hall welcomes 'shot in the arm' for North East economy Commenting on today's announcement of successful bids to the Regional Growth Fund, Lib Dem Euro MP Fiona Hall said, "This is vital investment - a real shot in the arm for the North East economy. More than 25,000 jobs, at companies right across the region, will be created or protected by today's announcement. "Businesses should be congratulated for submitting high quality bids that have helped ensure the North East is one of the big winners from this round as it was for the last. "Crucially, there is a snowball effect to this money. For every £1 the Government puts in, the private sector ends up investing £5. That's the smart way to invest when we're having to make savings to reduce the deficit. "As Nick Clegg said on Friday, more needs to be done to help the North East and more will be done. Today's news is a very welcome step on that difficult road to recovery." Published and promoted by the Liberal Democrats, 8-10 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AE Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
Oct 26, 2011:
- 'Cut red tape to unlock North East potential' - Hall
  North East Euro MP Fiona Hall helped trigger a Parliamentary debate aimed at unlocking billions of pounds of potential in North East businesses. Fiona co-signed the question which triggered the debate, secured by the Liberal and Democrat Group (ALDE), as part of its campaign to boost small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as the main driving force for economic growth and employment. The debate focused on how to help SMEs by tearing down bureaucratic red tape, improving access to financing and strengthening cheaper systems to enforce rights across borders and settle disagreements outside court. Speaking after the debate, Fiona said, "Just this week the CBI reported that medium-sized business in the North East have the potential to add £1.7bn to the local economy. We must do all we can to ensure these firms fulfil that potential to help spur economic growth and deliver jobs for the region. "And we can do that by reducing red tape, improving access to financing and promoting out of court dispute resolutions. "SMEs are the backbone of our economy and it is high time their needs were put on top of the political agenda. "I will be working closely with 'SME task force' that has been set up by the Liberal Group in the European Parliament to make sure that voice of North East businesses is heard at a European level. I also welcome the determination of the UK Government to take action and cut back on unnecessary red tape." Small and medium-sized enterprises make up around 99% of all businesses in the North East and provide two-thirds of all private sector jobs. Published and promoted by the Liberal Democrats, 8-10 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AE Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY

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