Brigg and Goole MP Ian Cawsey refused to vote in the House of Commons this week to scrap the infamous John Lewis list and to introduce a more rigorous audit of expenses. The following recommendations were rejected by MPs -

Recommendation 1 was for a "robust new system of practice assurance involving regular financial health checks on records kept and processes used in Members' offices with outside professional teams covering about 25% of Members each year". This was substituted by a "rigorous internal system of audit".

Recommendation 2 would have extended "the scope of the audit engagement so that it is the same as for other public bodies."

Recommendation 3 would have reduced the receipt threshold from £25 to zero so that all claims, however small, would have had to be backed by receipts.

Recommendation 4 was for the Green Book (setting out the rules on allowances for Members) to be revised to specify more detailed rules.

Recommendation 6 was for MPs to no longer be able to claim reimbursement for furniture and household goods or for capital improvements.

Recommendation 13 was for the Additional Costs Allowance to comprise of a £19,600 maximum budget for accommodation (excluding furniture, household goods and capital improvements) but operating on the basis of itemised reimbursement and a flat rate of £30 for daily subsistence.

Andrew Percy comments, "Last year our Labour MP claimed over £144,000 in expenses, including £19,000 from the 'additional costs allowance' which pays for MP's second homes. Clearly, he did not think the recommendations above were important enough to turn up and vote for. As a result MPs can carry on billing you and I for their furniture!

We are out on the doorstep pretty much everyday in Brigg and Goole and the one thing residents say time and time again is that they are sick of MPs using our money to feather their own nests. I have no truck with any MP of any party who plays the system, as some clearly have.

It's a shame that our local Labour MPs decided to ignore what local residents are saying and carry on letting taxpayers pick up their bills!"

Prospective Brigg and Goole MP Andrew Percy has been out and about informing local residents about proposals to close several village phone boxes across North Lincolnshire.

Andrew explains, "There are currently proposals to shut down phone boxes in the following villages -  South Ferriby, Horkstow (see picture), Bonby, Elsham, Melton Ross, Belton, Gunness, Dragonby, Wressle, Roxby, Coleby, Whitton, West Halton & Low Burnham.

We have been out and informed residents in many of the affected areas about how they can take part in the consultation process on these proposed closures. Whilst I know many of us now rely on our mobiles, there are good reasons for saving village phone boxes. Indeed, they are an important part of the village street scene.

It is important that anyone with a strong opinion on the proposals makes their views known by July 9th. Please get in contact if you would like to know how you can make your views known."

Prospective Brigg MP Andrew Percy and Brigg Councillor Nigel Sherwood met with representatives of the East Midlands Ambulance Trust to discuss local residents’ concerns over the recent changes to the Brigg Ambulance and to present their petition which has attracted over 1000 signatures locally.

Prospective MP Andrew Percy says, “Nigel and I were very pleased to be able to meet with the Trust and to hold what we felt was a very constructive meeting. We explained to the Trust that the concern of local people was not so much the introduction of the fast response vehicles, but rather the replacement of the Ambulance at Health Place which has resulted from those changes. In particular, we explained that local residents were concerned that they could now be waiting much longer for an ambulance to attend.

"The Trust assured us that the changes were happening as a result of national changes and that they very much wanted to work with local residents in bringing forward these changes. They were therefore able to assure us that the changes will be monitored closely for the next year and then reviewed next April.

"I explained to the Trust that one of the biggest concerns locally was that patients needing an ambulance may have to wait for one of the fast response vehicles to attend before an ambulance was dispatched. The Trust explained that the likelihood of that happening was very slim as in specific cases an ambulance will automatically be dispatched along with one of the fast response vehicles.

"Nigel and I are grateful to the Trust for allowing us to meet with them to explain the concerns of local residents. We found them very open to our concerns and we welcome their pledge to monitor the impact these changes have locally.

"Our ambulance crews do a first class job and deserve our support. The decision has now been taken and so all we can do is monitor the changes. That is certainly what we shall be doing and if we feel that local people are receiving a substandard service we shall be the first to speak out."

Figures revealed today show that since Labour came to power in 1997, car-related taxes have risen 50% with the average driver now paying about £1,800 a year in taxes related to driving. In addition to this, the British Chambers of Commerce estimate that Treasury has received a £505 million windfall from fuel alone. Rising fuel prices mean that the Government has received £115 million pound EXTRA in VAT due to the rising price of fuel at the pump.

Commenting, Andrew Percy said, "Instead of acting to deal with the rising cost of living, Gordon Brown and this Labour Government has actually been able to take an extra £115 million from drivers by way of fuel duty. Once again, the Government is taking more in tax whilst hard working local people are taking a hit.

Labour don't understand rural communities such as ours here in Brigg and Goole where hikes in the price of fuel are felt especially hard. Add into this the rise in the cost of car tax, it is clear to see that drivers are being used to fund this Government's economic black hole.

No doubt our local Labour MPs wont feel this increase as they will continue to charge local taxpayers for their petrol bills!"

 Andrew Percy is demanding action from Gordon Brown and the Government to deal with the rising cost of living locally. Official figures released today show that inflation has jumped from 2.5% to 3%. Another report today shows that food prices are rising at the fastest pace ever. A survey by independent price comparison site mySupermarket.co.uk shows that -

• Butter has risen by 60%.
• Pasta has risen by between 81% and 113%.
• The cost of a pound of beef mince has risen by about 15%.
• A loaf of bread is now about 20% more expensive than it was a year ago.

Andrew Percy says, "Anyone who says that the rising cost of living is nothing to do with the Government only has to look at the inflation figures for this month. Those figures show that many of the price rises are as a result of tax rises introduced by Gordon Brown in the budget.

Local people are being hurt by rises food and fuel prices and the only answer coming from Labour is to raises taxes on hard-working people yet further. It doesn't matter where you look, Council Tax, Car Tax or the doubling of the 10p tax rate this Government is making life harder and more expensive for local people.

The news on inflation today coincided with a report by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveys which found that the fall in house prices is the 'worst in 30 years'.

In the modern global economy I accept that the Government can't address every problem but it can at the very least try. Sadly, under Gordon Brown and Labour we have no leadership and instead of showing people that the Government is on their side, our Labour masters have instead decided to cream more money off us all by increasing our taxes!

If ever we needed a change of Government it is now."

In their tax-raising Council budget, Labour run North Lincolnshire Council have decided to increase the cost of a student bus pass for post-16 students in North Lincolnshire by a massive 500%.

Andrew Percy and the local Conservatives have launched a campaign against the price hike and have succeeded in gaining the support of many local young people who are outraged by the rise.

Andrew Percy explains, "As you would expect, the local Conservatives have been out on the streets campaigning against Labour's massive increase. We have received very strong support from local sixth form students who share our anger.

Labour are once again punishing our rural communities as it is students from those areas who rely on public transport to access post-16 education. We should be supporting our young people, not making it more expensive to continue their education.

This Labour government has already introduced tuition fees on University students, it now looks as though the Labour Council think that students are a cash cow too. We will continue to fight this unfair charge."

Prospective Conservative MP for Brigg and local Councillors Carl Sherwood and Nigel Sherwood have slammed proposals by the East Midlands Ambulance Trust to axe the Ambulance in Brigg and replace it with fast response cars instead. The proposals are also being opposed by Brigg Town Council and have been criticised by local doctors.

Councillor Nigel Sherwood explains, “We became aware of rumours regarding the future of the ambulance recently and immediately wrote to the Ambulance Trust seeking assurances about the future of the ambulance.

We are therefore totally shocked to discover that those rumours have turned out to be correct and that Brigg will now lose its only ambulance. Residents will recall that up until a few years Brigg had its own Ambulance Station, and we are now seeing a further reduction in the cover offered to local residents.

If these changes go ahead there will be no vehicle based in Brigg with a stretcher on board and my concern, which is shared by local doctors, is that this change is being driven more by Government targets on response times that it is patient care.”

Prospective Brigg MP Andrew Percy adds, “The Ambulance Trust have explained that these changes are being proposed as a result of Government reviews. Residents quite rightly want to know that when they ring for an ambulance, there will be one available locally.

"I also agree very strongly with the comments of Brigg Town Council who have criticised the lack of consultation over these proposals. The East Midlands Ambulance Trust do not even mention the changes on their own website.”

Cllr Carl Sherwood adds, “Nobody would object to the use of the fast response vehicles so long as the local Ambulance was retained too. Sadly, this is not the case and that is why it is important we do all we can to fight to keep our local Ambulance here in Brigg.”

Click here to sign Andrew's petition against the cuts.

Prospective Brigg & Goole MP Andrew Percy this week expressed concern about official figures which have revealed not only a growing number of under-age drinkers are being admitted to hospital, but also that the laws against under-age drinking are not being properly enforced. This disturbing news coincides with the report from Crime Concern which has found that “drinking to get drunk is starting younger with serious consequences to health and crime”. Almost four in ten young people now start drinking at the age of 13, and half of their parents turning a blind eye.

• Figures – unearthed by the Conservatives in Parliament – reveal that under-age children who break the law by buying alcohol illegally are not being held to account. Fewer than a hundred individuals a year are punished for trying to buy alcohol illegally.

• In the Humberside Polce area just two under 18s were proceeded against in the magistrates courts for purchasing alcohol illegally between 2004-06 (most recent figures available). Worse still not a single teenager under 18 was cautioned for buying alcohol illegally during that time. In 2006 just 2 penalty notices for disorder were issued to young people in Humberside for the illegal purchasing of alcohol. 
   
• What is more, a growing number of children are now being hospitalised after being admitted to A&E due to alcohol misuse, with 860 incidents across the Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority last year. Across the country a whole, there has been an increase of 40 per cent since 2000.

Prospective MP Andrew Percy says: “Far from making it more difficult for young people to get hold of alcohol, this Government has made it easier by introducing 24 hour off-licences. Labour’s new legislation, which was introduced in 2003 and supported by our current Labour MP, makes it possible for off-licences to apply to sell alcohol round the clock and actually excludes all but a handful of residents who live within a couple of hundred yards of a premise from objecting to the licence for a late bar or off-licence.

Young people getting hold of alcohol is a really serous issue and one which as a school teacher I know is getting worse. Most of our young people are responsible individuals but we need to accept that we have a growing minority of teenagers for whom getting drunk on the street is all part of a normal Friday or Saturday night. I find that incredibly sad as it not only causes problems for local residents it also means that we have a number of young people who are condemned to failure well before their lives have really started.”

Neighbouring Howden MP David Davis met with Andrew Percy at Goole Fire Station last week to add his support to the campaign against proposals by the Humberside Fire Authority to remove one of the full-time pumps at Goole Fire Station and replace it with a retained pump instead.

Prospective MP Andrew Percy says, "I was delighted that David has joined the campaign against these cuts, which directly affect his constituency. David and I met with local Councillors and Ashley Oldfield of the Fire Brigades Union to discuss these cuts and the effect they would have on the rural areas surrounding Goole as well as Goole itself. These cuts will also impact on the Crowle area of the Isle of Axholme in North Lincolnshire, demonstrating just how many local people rely on the hard working crews at Goole.

"We have received a massive response to the surveys we have been delivering locally regarding these cuts and it is clear that local people are very concerned about these proposals. We all need to work together to ensure that the Humberside Fire Authority sees sense and comes up proposals that do not reduce cover at Goole Fire Station."

David Davis MP added, "These cuts will directly impact on Howden and Howdenshire in my constituency which rely on cover from Goole Fire Station. That is why I am happy to join the campaign against these proposals. I would urge as many local people as possible to make their voices heard on this important issue."

Please complete our on-line survey and add your voice to the campaign against the cuts.

This week saw the publication of the Prime Minister's response to an 8,000 name petition calling for action to deal with bridge tolls on the Humber Bridge. Instead of a pledge of action, the Prime Minister instead stated that the bridge tolls were a matter for the Humber Bridge Board and thus the Government would not be doing anything.

Andrew Percy responded angrily saying, "Last week we had Government Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber Caroline Flint saying the government wont scrap the tolls and now we have the Prime Minister saying the issue is none of their business. What an insult to the thousands of local people who signed the petition. North Lincolnshire has four Labour MPs who claim to want action on the tolls and we now know from this response that this issue for them is more about photo opportunities than it is about real action.

"Everyone knows the issue of the bridge tolls is not an easy one to solve. However, for Labour to simply say it is nothing to do with them is clearly unacceptable. We want leadership from the Government to help us find alternative ways of managing the bridge debt and most importantly of all we need them to be actively engaged and open minded on the issue.

"Funny how the Government claims it can't act on the bridge debt of about £300-400 million but yet two nights ago our local Labour MP felt able to vote to increase our payments to the EU by an average of £2.7 billion per year from now until 2013."