At the National Farmers’ Union annual conference today, Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary, Tim Farron set out plans to reform the farm payments system and use the savings to support farm apprenticeships.

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Nick Clegg addresses voter apathy by answering your questions

The Leader of the Liberal Democrats this week responded to questions posted to Facebook and Twitter in his latest online Q & A session with voters.
Watch his video response here >

“The Government has implemented these new regulations without making sure that they will actually work on the ground,” said the Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb.

Commenting on today’s report by the Royal College of Surgeons, which reveals that the chaotic introduction of new child safeguarding regulations is leading to cancelled operations for children, Norman Lamb said:
 
“This is a disgrace. The Government has implemented these new regulations without making sure that they will actually work on the ground.
 
“When top surgeons have already been CRB checked, it’s madness to restrict them to one hospital when they are needed all around the country.
 
“Protecting children must always be a top priority, but the situation has descended into complete farce with potentially dire consequences for patients and NHS staff.
 
“Ministers have buried their heads in the sand despite mounting evidence of how badly flawed this system is.
 
“We need a simple but effective system to protect our children. Once you’re CRB checked for one Trust, that should be enough to mean you can work in any hospital.”

“Banks are failing to meet their lending commitments, starving businesses of capital needed for investment,” said the Liberal Democrat Shadow Business Secretary, John Thurso.

Commenting on today’s figures from the ONS showing that investment by British businesses was 24.1% lower at the end of 2009 than at the start, the worst decline since records began, John Thurso said:

“This dramatic slump in business investment bodes ill for economic recovery.

“Banks are failing to meet their lending commitments, starving businesses of capital needed for investment.

“The Government needs to get a grip and make sure the banks’ lending agreements are more concrete and better policed so that recovery doesn’t peter out.”

The Leader of the Liberal Democrats today responded to questions posted to Facebook and Twitter in his latest online Q & A session with voters.

You can view a short video of Nick Clegg answering some of the questions at :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCofgfwUm5A

Questions covered: Support for carers, voter apathy, voting Lib Dem, military pay, the ‘Robin Hood Tax’, democratic accountability, Scottish independence; the hunger strikers and rights of children at Yarl’s Wood detention centre and whether he prefers tea or coffee.

Keep your questions flowing for Nick as he is keen to answer them as often as possible in sessions just like this.

Ask your questions on: Facebook and Twitter.

“The abolition of exit checks by Conservative and Labour Governments means that we can only guess at the numbers coming in and out,” said the Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne.

Commenting on today’s Office for National Statistics migration figures, Chris Huhne said:

“Public confidence and trust in the migration system has been shattered by decades of mismanagement.

“The abolition of exit checks by Conservative and Labour Governments means that we can only guess at the numbers coming in and out.

“People over-staying on short-term visas are probably the biggest source of illegal immigration and we still cannot say whether they are leaving when they are meant to do so.

“Exit checks must be reintroduced immediately.”

The rate of teenage conceptions in North East Lincolnshire are reducing faster than in many other areas of the country. 

Statistics released today for data relating to March 2008 indicate that conception rates in young girls aged 15 – 17 have dropped in the borough by a significant 17.6% since 1998.  This compares to a 10.9% reduction in the Yorkshire and Humber region and a 13.3% reduction nationally. 

The figures since 2007 are equally impressive with a 13% drop in teenage conceptions locally.  This compares to a 2% reduction in the Yorkshire and Humber region and a 4% reduction nationally. 

North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus is committed to reducing the teenage conception rate in the borough further and has established a number of programmes jointly with North East Lincolnshire Council including:
MASH & MASH+ (Multi Agency Sexual Health) programmes of Sexual Health & Relationships Education and Aspirations Building
Access to quality contraception and sexual health advice and support, including a Condom Card Scheme
Targeted work with Vulnerable Young People 

Teenage mothers are more likely to suffer from post-natal depression, experience unemployment and live in poverty.  Children born to teenage mothers are more likely to have a higher infant mortality rate, are to have accidents or behavioural problems and become teenage parents themselves. 

Councillor Tony McCabe, portfolio holder for children and family services said, “I am delighted that these figures reflect the ongoing work that agencies across the borough are doing with young people.  It is tough to raise a child at any age, but it can be particularly challenging to raise a child when you are a teenager.  It is important too that parents spend time talking to their teenagers about the choices that are available to them.”

The Government has set every force a target to raise public confidence that the police and local council are dealing with the anti-social behaviour and crime issues that matter locally.

The proportion of people surveyed in each of the following areas agree that the police and local council are dealing with the anti-social behaviour and crime issues that matter in their area.

Area Proportion

Safer and Stronger Communities Partnership(This covers the North East Lincolnshire area) 65.3%

Safer Neighbourhoods(This covers the NorthLincolnshire area) 65.0%

Safe Communities Partnership (This covers the East Riding of Yorkshire area) 65.9%

Hull Citysafe(This covers theKingston upon Hullarea) 64.6%

Humberside Police Force area 65.2%

These are the results of a telephone survey that was conducted in these areas which asked local people whether they agree that:

“The police and local council are dealing with the anti-social behaviour and crime issues that matter in this area”.

Care should be taken in making comparisons in local indicators that have used different survey techniques.

The survey is based on a quota sample of people in the local area. The use of a quota sample seeks to ensure the results are broadly representative of the local population. Quota samples may inadvertently introduce unknown sources of statistical bias.

For answers to someof the frequently asked questions about why the Home Office is requiringforces to measure public confidence please click here.

“RBS rewarding individual bankers is like a football team paying their striker for scoring when they’ve just been relegated,” said the Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable.

Commenting on the announcement of RBS’ losses and bonus pool, Vince Cable said:

“It’s hard to understand why £1.3bn is being paid out in bonuses when RBS continues to make losses.

“RBS rewarding individual bankers is like a football team paying their striker for scoring when they’ve just been relegated.  

“While it is good news that RBS is meeting its mortgage lending target, its lending to business has fallen.
 
“The Government has to get a grip and explain how it will exercise its 84% shareholding in RBS to benefit the taxpayer. At present we are seeing very little. Part nationalised banks are for lending, not bonuses.

“Stephen Hester seems to think that his only goal is to push up the share price. But RBS has made a commitment to support recovery by ensuring that viable businesses are not starved of capital.  If RBS doesn’t lend to businesses they will go bust and people will lose their jobs.

“The lending agreements for 2011 need to be more concrete, long term and better policed.”

“Liberal Democrats will change the rules so that fuel bills reflect fuel costs and consumers are not ripped off again and again,” said the Liberal Democrat Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Simon Hughes.

Commenting on the huge increase in profits announced by British Gas, Simon Hughes said:

“These massive profits show that the energy companies are out of control and their regulator is out of action.
 
“The six big beasts of the energy jungle must be tamed immediately – to stop their predatory activities which are so dangerous to the public.
 
“Liberal Democrats will change the rules so that fuel bills reflect fuel costs and consumers are not ripped off again and again.”