Postal charges
I think everyone can agree with the Early Day Motion in the House of Commons proposed by Danny Alexander (LibDem - Inverness):
That this House notes with deep concern the common industry practice of applying a surcharge on the delivery of parcels in the north of Scotland; believes that this is discriminatory and unfair to consumers and businesses in the North; notes with further concern the application by Royal Mail to charge different prices for business mail depending on where in the UK their mail is delivered; believes that, if granted by Postcomm, the move by Royal Mail could pave the way for future attempts to undermine the Universal Service Obligation; welcomes the extension of the Postcomm consultation on zonal charging to 1st June 2007; and believes that the Universal Service Obligation, providing equal access to the postal system regardless of location, is an essential part of the postal system and that any attempt to erode it must be rejected.
The attempt by Royal Mail to remove the USO is the most serious threat. This potentially will result in us paying excessive amounts to send and receive post. It is also the utterly wrong way about to deal with the threat from other mail operators. The answer - and I have said this before - is to ensure that every company authorised to deliver mail has a USO imposed, so that the costs are spread equally, and the burden spread.
About two years ago in the Comhairle Chamber, when this matter was raised by Mr D J MacSween, I said that the loss of the USO was what we had to look out for. This does not look good for the islands, and all who live and work here.
As you will see, Angus MacNeil was the 13th signature. Early Day Motions are the graffiti of the House of Commons, as they mean little but the local press headlines give the impression of doing something. Occassionally an EDM is picked up action is taken.
Having a look at the list of EDMs signed by our MP is fascinating, with his interests ranging from "Save the Koala" (188 - Sponsor), "Head Lice" (728) to the impact of a "British Tsunami" (996) on the Severn Estuary.
That this House notes with deep concern the common industry practice of applying a surcharge on the delivery of parcels in the north of Scotland; believes that this is discriminatory and unfair to consumers and businesses in the North; notes with further concern the application by Royal Mail to charge different prices for business mail depending on where in the UK their mail is delivered; believes that, if granted by Postcomm, the move by Royal Mail could pave the way for future attempts to undermine the Universal Service Obligation; welcomes the extension of the Postcomm consultation on zonal charging to 1st June 2007; and believes that the Universal Service Obligation, providing equal access to the postal system regardless of location, is an essential part of the postal system and that any attempt to erode it must be rejected.
The attempt by Royal Mail to remove the USO is the most serious threat. This potentially will result in us paying excessive amounts to send and receive post. It is also the utterly wrong way about to deal with the threat from other mail operators. The answer - and I have said this before - is to ensure that every company authorised to deliver mail has a USO imposed, so that the costs are spread equally, and the burden spread.
About two years ago in the Comhairle Chamber, when this matter was raised by Mr D J MacSween, I said that the loss of the USO was what we had to look out for. This does not look good for the islands, and all who live and work here.
As you will see, Angus MacNeil was the 13th signature. Early Day Motions are the graffiti of the House of Commons, as they mean little but the local press headlines give the impression of doing something. Occassionally an EDM is picked up action is taken.
Having a look at the list of EDMs signed by our MP is fascinating, with his interests ranging from "Save the Koala" (188 - Sponsor), "Head Lice" (728) to the impact of a "British Tsunami" (996) on the Severn Estuary.
27 comments:
There's two different subjects welded into one post.
Agree with everything in the first subject.
Bemused by the second subject. Wouldn't you have had a bigger go at ABM if he hadn't signed the EDM about excessive postal charges? Seems he's a bit "damned if he does, damned if he doesn't"...
John
My gripe is "Why hasn't the local media carried anything about this?" If it is A Bad Thing, then we should know that our MP has indicated his opposition, regardless of who put down the motion.
EDMs (and the Scottish Parliament equivalents) deserve a posting of their own, and will get one in due course. Being a serial EDM signer leads to some strange outcomes. I intend to ask why later.
I deal with this nonsense on a daily basis, You can get a pallet from Inverness by any of the local carriers for about £40.00, the same pallet charged by TNT, but carried by the same local carrier would cost £80.00- £90.00.
The uplift in prices by local shops to cover the cost of carriage is far to high, just check out the coop prices next time you are away, the % rise is plain profiteering.
John,
I think the point about Angus MacNeil is that he should be driving these issues through Parliament.
It goes back to the same old question that no-one seems to be able to or want to answer which is what has Angus MacNeil achieved for the Islands since his election over 2 years ago? I see our MSP going the same way, as he seems to be less than visible at all levels.
As I asked in the Stornoway Gazette as early as January of this year. "If someone could tell me five things our MP has done for the islands since elected". No one could answer one thing he had done for us. It is good to see that he is working well for the Australian Outback and the Severn Estuary. Perhaps you should check his voting record Angus. From 28/11/07 to 09/01/07 he did not vote and from 28/03/07 to 09/05/07 he also did note vote. Questions have to be asked where was he as he picked up his salary of £10,112 for these 2 months.
Welcome to Binnie. Good question to which there is no answer yet. Rae Mackenzie chocked on Isles FM when Callum Ian asked the sam question.
did your old committee discuss this last week? or were they as in the dark as you were?
reiver - did you know how often in the last decade our local Co-op has won the biggest profit of the year award (or what ever euphemism they use for it) for inside the co-op - this fact is what has stopped me being one of their best customers.
I believe they take £1/3m per week, virtually all of which goes off-island. And all the shops on the island are closing due to their attempts to grab all the market share they can.
Cllr Donald John MacSween has raised the issue according to the Gazette website.
MacSween's been reading your blog again...
madruadach, give Macneil his due credt. In April he was hiding from the media after the threesome/foursome in Orkney and couldn't vote. Of couse he is entited to his salary for that period - after all the events in Orkney were also paid by the taxpayer. Persoanlly, I think he should have his own personal piper paidfor by the taxpayer, in case he gets these urges again.
Mr MacSween, did you read it here first???
No 1136 is a hoot.
Now now anonymous EDM 1136. Poor Angus only took his jacket off and it was all a Labour Party smear according to some.
anon at 1:13 - I think that is what they call the finishing touch - isn't (or rather wasn't)the Co-op designed to help the poor and struggling?
In a touch of synchronicity, isn't/wasn't Cllr Donald John MacSween a director of the local Co-op Board???????
Cllr MacSween advises that he has never been a member of the Board of the Co-op. Rev Bennie is the Chair of the local Board. I can see the resemblance .....
Having followed this blog on and off for the last few months, I can only say that it is really becoming a bit of an embarrassment, partly due to the nature and intent of some of your posts, and partly due to the (very) small band of anonymous posters attacking the MP, MSP and one or two local councillors. It's frankly embarrassing.
eyoop is right. Angus should be lambasting Aladair Morrison for his appalling attendance record at the Scottish parliament since the elections and having a go at Angus Graham for the nonsense he has been talking in the Council Chamber since May.
Or perhaps realise that being elected means you are in the firing line.
Hello eyoop, I've missed your wisdom.
Frankly, I don't think that there is enough being said about the invisibility of our MP and MSP. They are less than useless but then you are obviously so blindly loyal that you can't see that.
If you find this blog so "embarrassing" then can I suggest that you don't follow it at all and go away to mull over the embarrassment that our MP caused the electorate of the Islands only a couple of months ago.
The funniest thing is that you cannot actually say that anything Angus posts here is untrue, embarrassing is the best you can do. Are you worried that the truth might put the Western Isles in a bad light? Ha, that's already been done by the SNP and will continue to be until the next Westminster elections hopefully.
EyoopUrOwnArse, as someone who has disagreed with Angus more than I have agreed, if he doesn't mention the sitting elected representatives who does he comment on?
He gives everyone a fair and equal doing, and lets you (or I) post to tell him he is wrong. Unlike the rest of the shower of politicians of every color.
You can actually search the Scottish Parliament's website for a complete record of Mr Allan's involvement there. He seems to have been pretty active in the chamber, rather than invisible as you claim.
Amongst others, he has supported motions which express concern at the proposed (London) government's plans to close rural post offices, and welcoming moves to make Scotland nuclear free. Surely these are things which us islanders care about? He also offered a motion congratulating the Nicolson Institute on winning the Scottish Cup. I guess he's also had some constituency business too.
I don't know whether Westminster offers a similar search facility, but it's amazing what a wee bit of homework can do. Go on, give it a try.
As for Angus Macneill, does removing Calum "a-rithist" Macdonald from office not count as doing something postive for the islands? (Only joking, New Labourites! Calum was a tremendous ambassador for the isles, and very few people have a bad word about him. I mean that sincerely.)
Last anonymous - what a joke. All Alasdair Allan is doing is voting how he is being told to by the elders in the SNP.
"I guess he's also had some constituency business too"
That sums it up, if you as an obvious supporter don't know what he is doing then how the hell are us humble beings supposed to know.
Oh he sung the praises of the Nicolson Institute winning the Scottish Cup. What will he do when there aren't any children left on the Island?
Q.E.D.
Given how inept the SNP MP and MSP would appear to be (according to this blog), it makes you wonder how useless the labour candidates they beat must be!
we deserve better than a sucsession of usless representatives.
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