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FOOT
& MOUTH DISEASE (FMD)
Mr. Blair's Labour Government rejected our proposal
to hold a public inquiry for FMD for fear of exposing the gross errors
made by Ministers, civil servants and scientific advisers to MAFF. What
were these errors? Diagnosis and authority to slaughter, imposition of
movement restrictions, management of slaughter and disposal, communication
with infected farms, management of disinfection and payment policy are
just some of them!
The European Parliament has established a Temporary
Committee that will:-
§
assess efficacy of meat imports from third world countries
§
analyse the implementation of EU law in managing the
outbreak of FMD
§
examine the relative merits of both vaccination and
slaughter policies for FMD
§
analyse the financial impact and the efficacy of EU funding
in helping farmers
§
propose measures for prevention and treatment of other
epidemics in future
The Committee Meetings, held in public, will seek
information from Government Ministers, scientists, civil servants and
affected farmers to give evidence.
I am sorry to report that Labour MEPs from Eastern
Region voted AGAINST having such a Committee. Conservative MEPs voted in
favour of the probe as we need to take every measure to protect our
farmers and rural businesses to preserve the quality of life for our
people living in the countryside.
SOCIETAS
EUROPEAE (SE)
If companies established in more than one Member
State want to merge and operate throughout the EU they would, at present,
need to set up a complex network of subsidiaries governed by different
national laws - an administratively time consuming procedure which incurs
significant legal costs. However, by 2004, it will be possible to create a
genuinely European Company, known in all countries by the Latin name Societas
Europeae (SE).
§
An SE must be registered in the Member State where it has
its administrative Head Office.
§
It must involve companies from at least two different Member
States.
§
Minimum capital requirement is Euros 120,000 (£75,000) to
help SMEs.
§
SEs will appear on National Companies Register as well as
the EC's Official Journal.
§
SEs will be treated like multinationals for tax purposes.
§
National laws will apply to employment contracts and
pensions although proposals are under discussion to allow a single company
pension fund.
Workers representation (workers councils) that
requires management to give
the worker full details of present and future business plans, production
and sales levels, management changes, mergers, potential closures and
layoffs is common on the continent. The UK has more flexible arrangements
and this problem needs to be addressed.
There are advantages in establishing SEs,
especially with EU enlargement, as a single European Company involved in
pan-European road building projects could attract private venture capital
more easily than a series of national companies all operating under
different national statutes.
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CONSERVATIVE
PARTY NEEDS WOMEN
Women
have run the Party for years! Women form the backbone of the Party for
social events, fund raising, election campaigns, managing Associations and
recruitment of new members. How dare The Times (17th Jan) publish a
headline "Conservatives 'prejudiced against women' "?
Mrs.Thatcher was Britain's first Prime Minister. Let nobody forget that
she was not only a Conservative, but a great Prime Minister!
Conservative
Associations enjoy the autonomy to choose the candidate that is best for
their constituency - a candidate who they think will win the election for
the Party. It is true that very few women have been short-listed and
selected in safe seats. Is this because very few apply or because those
who do so do not necessarily have the competence and experience to merit
selection?
I
think our Parliamentarians should have at least 10 years of experience of
work in the real world so that they appreciate the problems the population
at large faces. Such experience allows them to communicate more easily -
it will allow them to win back voters who have deserted our Party!
I
urge all Conservatives to persuade competent women to apply to be
candidates for Parliament. Our Associations need to interview all women
candidates. This will ensure that we shall not miss the good ones, and one
who could even turn out to be the second woman Prime Minister of Britain!
TRIP
TO EGYPT & SAUDI ARABIA
I
addressed a Conference in Cairo presided by the Speaker of the Egyptian
People's National Assembly (Parliament), the Chief Imam of Al-Azhar and
the Pope of the Coptic Church. The Conference focussed on Inter-Faith
issues and was attended by Members of the Catholic & Anglican
Churches, Members of the Egyptian Parliament & Senate (Upper House).
I
discussed the welfare of the Coptic Christians with Pope Schenouda at his
residence. He assured me that the situation has improved over the last two
years. Discrimination against Copts is illegal and permission to build
Churches is readily granted.
I
addressed the Saudi Consultative Council (Majlis Al-Shura), the Chamber of
Commerce in Riyadh and met the two brothers of the King - the Governor of
Riyadh and the Saudi Foreign Minister. I am arranging for one of the
largest Saudi Companies (El-Seif Group) to meet the Secretary of State for
Trade & Industry, the Director General of the CBI and the Chairman of
Lloyds bank as the El-Seif group would like to invest substantial sums in
collaboration with UK companies.
ACTIVITIES
1.
08 Jan Met Jack Straw MP at Foreign Office
2 12-17th Jan Visit to
Egypt & Saudi Arabia
3.
21 Jan House of Commons Select Cttee
4.
24 Jan Presented my Parliament Report on
EU: India co-operation to Industry Committee
5.
Meeting with 6 Indian MPs in Brussels
6.
25 Jan East of England Panel, Swaffham
7.
01 Feb CPF Group of Bury Cons.Assoc.
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