I wanted to share this little poem that I received from a constituent...
Dear Mr Rennie
Please make an appeal
Go go to Gordon
Secure the best deal
For all of the people
Who you represent
We cannae hae less
than 30 percent.
On Copenhagen
The Future depends
All eyes are all watching
The World is agog
Turn back the tide
We're fed up with smog
Cut the emissions
We all can breathe Free!
Today is the Future
Our World's destiny
I joined Derek O'Rourke and his team at the Co-op in the Kingsgate Shopping Centre, Dunfermline to help promote their fundraising effort for the St. Dunstan's charity..JPG)
Energy Secretary Ed Milliband refused to back the critical 2014 carbon capture pilot deadline today in the House of Commons. This could have signficant consequences for Longannet Power Station and the battle with climate change. To explain, 2014 is the date which the government set for the establishment of the carbon capture demonstration project. That date was set so that the technology could be rolled out across all coal fired power stations by 2020 which is a crucial date for meeting the government's objectives on cutting carbon emissions and for the battle against climate change.
So if the pilots are not set up by 2014 we won't meet the 2020 deadline - it's that tight according to experts. That's why today's refusal to back the 2014 deadline is so concerning. It wasn't as if Ed Milliband did not understand what he was being asked as he was asked twice - once by the Tory front bench and once by me.
Why did he refuse to back the date, I hear you say. Well it's because E.on, who owns Kingsnorth in Kent, have said they don't plan to build their new coal fired power station there until 2016 - well after the carbon capture deadline. The Government have been bizarrely wedded to Kingsnorth for some time and they seem determined to push it through at any cost, even if it means missing their climate change targets.
As the MP for Longannet Power Station, Kingsnorth's only rival in the competition, you'd expect me to back Longannet but it's more than pork barrel politics that interests me here. My fear is that the Government may allow Kingsnorth to derail the whole project and set back the UK's efforts on climate change.
I’m also worried that any further delays to the competition, which has already been delayed several times, could delay investment at Longannet. Carbon capture and storage has huge potential locally, particularly as the Forth Valley is one of the biggest contributors to carbon emissions in the UK, with Grangemouth, Mossmorran, Cockenzie, and in particular Longannet.
I've written to the Energy Secretary to appeal to him to stick to the deadlines his Government set itself.
I had a very productive meeting to explore the establishment of an all party parliamentary group on miscarriages of justice. A government adviser has resigned in protest at the sacking of a colleague from the MOD advisory group which is deciding how to dispose of the UK's decommissioned nuclear submarines. Peter Lanyon says his position is no longer tenable as his views and those of his sacked colleague were not being considered. Dr Jane Hunt, a specialist in Environmental Projects at Lancaster University was sacked from the advisory group of the Submarine Dismantling Project and has now resigned from its steering group. In a letter to the project Dr Hunt said that the MoD is adopting a "decide, announce, defend" approach and feels she must resign as a member of the Steering Group as her membership implicity condones the actions of the MoD.
The UK has 27 nuclear submarines, of which 8 decommissioned subs are being stored at Devonport in the South West and 7 at Rosyth in Scotland waiting to be dismantled. The project has to decide how to deal with the radioactive and non-radioactive hazardous wastes in the short and long term.
Below is the text of her resignation letter.
3rd November, 2009
To: All Members of the SDP Steering Group
I have been saddened and disappointed by the path that is being trodden by the SDP. During the ISOLUS consultations there appeared to be a genuine attempt by the MoD to engage with public concerns and to manage the project with a degree of openness and transparency. Since that period, the MoD has increasingly abandoned this approach, has failed to implement its commitments both in relation to its responses to earlier consultation and to the Advisory Group, and has exhibited a growing reversion to ‘decide, announce, defend’.
Some examples of this are:
· The Advisory Group has been repeatedly presented with MoD decisions with little or any opportunity for comment. When the Advisory Group has given advice, this has often been ignored, or when apparently accepted, not implemented. Information on the MoD progress and project developments has not been provided to the Advisory Group in a timely fashion which would enable scrutiny, comment and advice.
· Most recently, the MoD announced at the July Advisory Group meeting that they were starting the process of selecting potential sites. I reminded the MoD they had previously agreed to involve the Advisory Group in the process of site selection, most particularly in determining the criteria to be used. This, I believe, would have led to a more robust and defensible list of potential sites, as well as being good practice. The MoD said they would take account of this agreement. At the next meeting, without any further communication with the Advisory Group, the MoD announced two possible dismantling sites and made clear there was a list of potential storage sites. They did not provide a rationale or explanation for their decision.
· Commitments given to the Advisory Group – such as the adoption of peer preview – have not been implemented.
· Commitments in response to previous consultation recommendations are similarly not being implemented; it is also clear that strong public preferences are also being ignored. For example, the influence of industry on the selection of sites is apparent: there are other viable sites for dismantling, despite strong public rejection of industry influence on decision making. There are numerous commitments contained in the MoD’s responses to consultation which the MoD have not implemented.
· A Ministerial statement confirmed that the Advisory Group’s remit included scrutiny of the project. It has been impossible for the Advisory Group to properly fulfil this role, as we have not been provided with sufficient information or involvement.
The apparent lack of respect that the MoD has for the Advisory Group and its advice seems to be manifested in the poor management and servicing of the Group, which range from lack of consideration of facilities for the disabled to late and inadequate paperwork to poor and inaccurate note-taking.
The role of the Advisory Group, despite its Terms of Reference, appears to be to add credibility to the Project rather than being any genuine attempt to seek and consider advice. The Project can make no claim to good governance, and the legitimacy of its decision making is seriously undermined , when its Advisory Group is continuously sidelined in the way that it has been.
It seems my own advice is uncomfortable for the MoD and therefore ignored and seen as trouble making rather that what it is: a genuine attempt to improve the governance of the project through fair and honest consultation and open and transparent decision making. The MoD seems to have no proper understanding of what these terms mean in practice and it appears they are unwilling to learn. The current trajectory of the SDP is, in my opinion, leading it towards increasing problems in this domain.
The MoD have made it impossible for me to advise the Steering Group appropriately as I have been excluded from membership of the Advisory Group and its consultation sub group.
Given that the MoD is reneging on previous commitments taken in response to consultation, is failing to properly elicit and consider expert advice, and is adopting a ‘decide, announce, defend’ approach , I do not feel I can continue as a member of the Advisory Group, as my membership implicitly condones the actions of the MoD. I therefore submit my resignation to the Steering Group.
Yours sincerely
Jane Hunt (Dr)
I had a great time with the pupils from North Queensferry Primary School who visited London this week.This is the text of a letter from Donna Manson to parents, carers and other interested parties regarding the catchment review for Duloch and Carnegie Primary Schools:
"Public Consultation on the rezoning of the catchment area for Carnegie Primary School and Duloch Primary School
The result of the public consultation regarding the three options for rezoning the catchment area for
A copy of the full committee paper and appendices can be found at www.fifedirect.org.uk/committtees
Once you have accessed this site, you should scroll down the calendar to the 12th November and click on Education & Children’s Services Committee. At the bottom of this page you will find the committee report and appendices.
The recommendations, to be discussed by the committee, are as follows:
1. In the light of the results of the public consultation, to approve Catchment Option A (catchment split at
2. To agree to dual catchment arrangements continuing at
I will write to you again on Friday 13th November informing you of the outcome of the committee’s discussion and provide you with further information regarding P1 enrolment procedures for August 2010 intake.
Yours sincerely
Donna Manson
Area Education Officer"
On Saturday I made a plea for more funds to be provided for the construction of more rented homes in Fife. At the Scottish Federation of Housing Association's Meeting at the Lib Dem Conference I cited my regular advice surgeries and office calls as evidence that there is a great need. 
For the first time ever, I had the Defence Secretary on his knees. Before his speech, he was begging for forgiveness, but unfortunately it was only for the fact that he has to leave early for an appointment at 5 o'clock. I forgive him if he leaves, but I am sorry that he will miss the brilliant speech that I am about to give...
Even though crime levels were not very high before most North Queensferry residents appear to feel safer thanks to the PM. I'm glad there is at least one benefit to having Gordon Brown as Prime Minister! So many people can't wait to see the back of him.
There are clearly some concerns about the vehicle stop points and the carrying of guns which the police are conscious of. It's helpful that the police undertook this listening initiative. It shows they are sensitive to local opinion.
investigations at the Land Registry revealed no clues as to ownership. Now I'm appealing to you to help with the hunt.Families throughout West Fife are desperate for a home so to leave this one empty is a calamity. The eighteenth century two storey stone built terraced house is an integral part of the historic village. It’s a lively community and to add another family to that life would be fitting.
Do you know who owns this house?
I'm not impressed with the response from the Government and the Financial Services Authority to the Dunfermline Building Society Inquiry. Neither addressed the fundamental question:
As a child I was fascinated by treasure and discovery, frequently undertaking quests in the countryside.
out some treasure to nursery children in the form of book chests. Fife Council's Bookstart scheme aims to entice young children into the habit of reading. 
A bustling, vibrant playgroup at Pitreavie Playing Fields was my visit this morning. Led by parents this chairity received a glowing report from the inspectors.
Today I joined the South Fife puppy walkers for a Coffee Morning in Crossford Scout Hall. There were lots of puppies and working guide dogs...waiting to meet me!
I was delighted to be asked to open the new Talk Matters premises at Dickson House in Elgin Street, Dunfermline a couple of weeks ago. Talk Matters is a confidential counselling service available for people in Fife with a wide range of problems including anxiety, anger, stress, depression or bereavement.
Following news that the RNID criticised the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for their lack of facilities for deaf customers, I was invited to meet CLAUDE Clear Audio Systems. The company made contact with me after I kicked off a campaign to improve the service offered by call centres to their deaf customers.
I'll now be contacting the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to get the two together.
Yesterday I had the pleasure of discussing politics and the challenges of the world with a vibrant and intelligent group of young people. Primary Six and Seven at North Queensferry Primary School refreshingly engaged. 
Scotash is a vibrant and growing company in West Fife that takes ash from Longannet Power Station and turns it into cements and grouts saving on quarrying, cement energy costs and landfill for the ash. It's won so many awards for innovation and the environment that I can't keep count. They are such a hit that the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office has decided to promote Scotash on all its 167 websites throughout the world. The only others to receive this special treatment are Bodyshop, Unilever , BAe Systems and the Co-op.
By way of example, the Botswana link attached
For twenty five years we've had redundant nuclear submarines in Rosyth Dockyard. Yet despite endless promises about future disposal they are still with us and look set to remain there for many years to come if the latest news is of significance.
Planning to save rather than slash and burn cuts is what Nick Clegg has set out at the Lib Dem conference in Bournemouth. And today it's the turn of the central bureaucracy which is far too top heavy. His proposals include cutting the number of MPs to 500 from 638.
I can understand why the National Trust for Almost from when I was first elected I have been urging the Trust to make available for rent the empty homes they own in the small village of Culross on the banks of the River Forth.
Four properties have been left empty for years whilst many people languish on the housing list. They promised two years ago that it was being dealt with and said they were considering refurbishing them for holiday lets. Yet nothing, absolutely nothing, has been done and now the natives are getting restless - I'm with them.
Every week I get a string of people seeking my assistance to secure a home of their own to rent and as the weeks go by I feel increasingly frustrated that not only has the Scottish Government cut Fife's house building budget by £4.6million but now one of Scotland's biggest charities has homes that are already built but refuse to release them.
I think it's now time the Trust handed over the properties to a housing association. They are desperate for homes to let out and am sure would bite their hand off for these properties.
The mediation needs to be quick so that the cleaners get paid next week.
*BIG DAY OUT LTD*
PO Box 25341
Glasgow
G2 5XS
18th September 2009
Mr Willie Rennie MP
Dunfermline and West Fife Constituency Office
2nd Floor
1 High Street
Dunfermline
KY12 7DL
Dear Mr Rennie
Thank you for your letter of 16th September.
As you are probably aware we are in dispute with Easywaste, who were the waste management contractor for this year's T in the Park.
There were major failings in Easywaste's delivery at the event which resulted in both ourselves and Perth and Kinross Council having to take significant remedial action in terms of additional resource all at the expense of Big Day Out Ltd.
Without exaggeration, the problems caused by Easywaste's poor delivery could well have brought about cancellation of the event which would have had catastrophic consequences.
Fortunately Tayside Fire Brigade, Perth & Kinross Council and other contractors worked co-operatively with us and we were able to continue with the event.
As you would expect, we were not prepared to pay the full contract price to Easywaste, however, they feel that this should still be paid. We have made an offer to them which goes beyond what we think a legal settlement would result in as we want to ensure that those individuals that did work are paid in full, however, it seems that Easywaste still wish to make their projected profit in addition to that.
Through our legal team we suggested mediation which was rejected, however, Easywaste's recent actions, including blaming the nonpayment of their staff on ourselves through public meetings and talking to the Daily Record, seem to have backfired on them, not least because it is their legal responsibility to pay the individuals regardless of any dispute with us.
After the recent coverage in the newspapers it would appear that they are now prepared to consider mediation and our lawyers hope to progress this as soon as possible.
It is of serious concern to us that individuals working at T in the Park have not been paid, however, we need Easywaste to come to the table to make this happen.
Best regards.
Geoff Ellis
*Festival Director*
Many of my constituents have not received their pay for the hours spent cleaning up after T in the Park. This is the letter they have received from their employers Easywaste Solutions which informs them that because they haven't been paid then the employees won't be paid.
So the workers lose out because the bosses of Easywaste and Big Day Out can't reach an agreement.
Below is the story from the Daily Record today.
I've been onto the company to ask for the immediate payment of the wages.
Sep 17 2009 By John Ferguson
HUNDREDS of workers who cleaned up after T in the Park demanded their wages at an angry meeting last night.
Easywaste Solutions employees lived in tents for up to five weeks while tidying up after the music festival.
But boss Lloyd Gailey is refusing to pay them because he is in a dispute with festival organisers Big Day Out.
One worker, Robert Simmons, 33, said: "I feel completely humiliated.
"We spent weeks up there grafting to make sure the festival site was returned to its original state.
"We were sleeping in tents in the pouring rain for weeks to get the job done. Now we are left with nothing.
"It is a disgrace. My family are going to suffer because of this. I am a bricklayer by trade but I was made redundant a few months ago and I took this job on because I was desperate for cash."
Dad-of-two Robert was one of dozens of workers who met Easywaste boss Gailey yesterday to demand payment.
He said: "Quite a few were unemployed and signed off getting benefits for the period of the job, so they are now being left with absolutely nothing.
"I understand that Easywaste have an issue with Big Day Out but I don't see why that should affect us. I made an agreement to work for Easywaste and I would expect them to honour that.
"They are a big company and they can afford to pay my wages."
Some workers on a rate of £6 an hour are due more than £1500 after working at the site in Balado, Kinross, for five weeks.
But Gailey, 48, said: "We have not been paid what we are owed by Big Day Out and so we cannot pay the workers.
"Lots of these guys were unemployed anyway so this was just a wee extra for them."
A spokeswoman for Big Day Out insisted: "Easywaste did not fulfil the terms of their contract and a significant resource was diverted to other suppliers by Big Day Out to rectify this situation.
"We hope the contracts that these individuals have with Easywaste Solutions will be honoured."
My 12 year old son was delighted to see the special offer in the Mail for a FREE Star Wars toy emblazoned on the front page. Yet when he tried to redeem the voucher and collect his FREE toy he was told he was three hours too late.
In fact there we only sufficient toys to last 30 minutes - one box. Apparently the shop assistant has faced lots of angry children - and parents - today. It was hardly her fault but she was on the front line.
If the Sunday Mail values its brand it should immediately ensure that all stores have sufficient FREE toys to meet demand. And because today's vouchers are only valid for today they should accept these vouchers throughout this week.
Come on Sunday Mail - don't rip off our kids.
Come and hear
Chris Huhne MP
Shadow Home Secretary and Lib Dem Leadership contender at the
Friday 11th September
Pitfirrane Arms Hotel, Crossford
Tickets at £25 are available from the Lib Dem office on 01383 841700 or email info@dunfermlinelibdems.org.uk
“A former financial journalist, who went on to make a fortune in the City, Chris Huhne has made much of the experience he gained before becoming an MP in 2005. He has certainly never lacked ambition.”
BBC website
One of the first groups of Ukrainian children from Chernobyl to visit the UK in years was hosted in Dunfermline over the summer.
I've paid a visit to the car scrapyard in Inverkeithing - UPULLIT which is owned by Copart
In the last budget the government sneaked out a proposal to increase landfill tax on PFA (power station ash) from £2.50 a tonne to £40 a tonne (up to £72 by 2012/13). The industry is very concerned that this may have an impact on the financial viability of coal power generation at a time when another arm of government is seeking to make the sums add up on carbon capture technology. It is estimated that the proposal alone could increase electricity generation from coal by 5-10%.
The Treasury say that there are now alternative/commercial uses for PFA but the market has been extensively exploited (see Scotash) and it is doubtful there is more capacity.
The consultation is available at
See document page 19 and 20 and paragraph 3.8 in particular.
In addition indigenous coal is higher ash than imported thereby incentivising power generators to import more coal to save on landfill.
Therefore, the UK coal industry will be disadvantaged by
Rather than helping the environment this tax could damage if it.
It seems to be a simple case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing.
The Ministry of Defence is seriously considering turning its back on Rosyth dockyard and awarding the contract for the refit of our new super carriers to yards in 
A letter I received from the Armed Forces Minister Bill Rammell confirms other confidential reports I have received. It reads as follows:“As part of the development work, a range of options to establish the best value for money solution are being examined; these naturally include undertaking the work in 
Only “include”!
To even consider foreign yards when we have top notch facilities and a highly skilled workforce that is perfectly capable of doing the work on our doorstep only confirms that the MOD has lost its marbles.
We’ve already invested £50million in Rosyth Dockyard so that it can take the carriers, which will be the biggest ships in the Royal Navy.
The MOD number crunchers seem to think that by no longer supporting a yard they will cut their costs but whilst this may look good on a balance sheet it will not be good value for money.
This is the MOD that thought it was good value for money to spend an extra £1billion on the carriers without creating one extra job or any additional capability just to stay within the treasury’s annual spending limits.
Rosyth is the logical place, in fact the only place in the
(Pics: Top is Nazaire in France; 2nd is Rosyth; 3rd is Navantia Ferrol in Spain and 4th is Cherbourg in France. The letter is below.)
I'm puzzled as to the ASDA definition of 24 hour opening.
One of the highlights of our successful Stockton on Tees holiday was the ASDA which was a stone's throw away from our camp site (the one with the top notch showers). It proclaimed 24 hour opening but as we battled our way with the kids through the bucketing rain we couldn't work out why the masses of Stockton we not taking advantage of this fantastic opportunity. The car park was empty - not a sole to be seen.
The answer? 24 hours didn't really mean 24 but only 14 and on a Sunday only 6. Or did it only apply to the cash machines? Do ASDA work on constantly switching time zones?
I can tell you we are only just recovering from the unfulfilled expectations. ASDA - we need answers.
After a week camping in beautiful Northumberland I dragged my young
family to Stockton on Tees to a camp site that received an enthusiastic
review from Dom Jolly. For a couple of days we planned to use this site
as a central location for day trips to North Yorks, Hartlepool Maritime
Museum, the cinema and bowling.
The Caravan Club camp site was pristine with first class showers. The
cooling towers, sewage works, overhead flight path and motorway didn't
put us off too much (!) although it was quite a contrast with Hadrian's
Wall country.
What was truly disappointing was how millions of pounds of investment in
the development of the Tees barrage and riverfront had been wasted.
There were new bridges, walkways and the creation of a permanent high
tide for the full gamut of water sports.
This was a real opportunity to turn a depressed town into a bright
attraction. Yet when we visited there few boats and canoes in the water,
walkers on the bridges and walkways or foodies in the few pubs and
restaurants.
Instead the river was full of rubbish, the walkways were full of weeds
and the only wildlife I saw was a rat.
The investment had been a fine one but come on Stockton get your act
together.
If admitting mistakes is a crucial step in the healing and learning process then the Financial Services Authority will never heal nor learn. They are supposed to be the guardians of our financial sector but have failed to admit their part in the demise of Scotland oldest and biggest building society - the Dunfermline.There are strongly competing claims about whether the Society could have been saved earlier this year.
The advocates for survival claimed that the over stringent capital adequacy requirements combined with the short sited Treasury which didn't recognise the society's importance to confidence in the 'safe' mutual sector meant it was sacrificed. They point to the recent West Bromwich solution as the model that could have been adopted for the Dunfermline.
The Treasury believed that the society would not have been able to service any injection of capital and was not sufficiently important to the financial sector to warrant an investment of public funds to keep it an independent Scottish mutual. They also point to the partially failed IT system which cost the society dear with millions being written off.
To me it's quite clear that the damage was done between 2005 and 2007 when the society diversified into more risky ventures including commercial lending, buy to let mortgages and second hand mortgages. Yet all this was done with the knowledge and acceptance of the Financial Services Authority.
In fact the FSA recommended the services of an independent expert to review their commercial lending portfolio. I assume, because it is not said, that the FSA were satisfied with outcome of that experts report because no action/recommendations were made following the report. That's when the damage was done - and yet the FSA was just a blind observer and mute commentator.
The society's management admitted their mistakes, not just as some means to deflect any further criticism but because they truly cared for the institution that they devoted many years of their lives to and wanted to explain what went wrong.
The Scottish Affairs Select Committee report into the break up of the society is a good report. It would have been even better if it had also taken evidence from members and staff from the society and senior executives like Peter Weanie who was a driving force behind the more risky strategy. But it was a good report none the less and should help members, staff and the wider community understand what happened so we can learn and move on with the Nationwide.
