1.3.2010 PRESS RELEASE
MEP CHICHESTER TO VISIT AIRBUS SITE, BRISTOL
FILTON – FRIDAY 5 MARCH
Giles Chichester, Conservative MEP for South West England and
Gibraltar, has been invited to visit the
Airbus Centre of Excellence site at Filton, Bristol on Friday 5
March at 11.00 am. He will be met by
Rachel Bloomer, the Government Affairs Assistant, and taken on a
tour of the site to meet with directors
and personnel involved in design, business support services and
research.
The Airbus sites at Filton, Bristol and Broughton, North Wales are
part of the Centre of Excellence –
Wings/Pylon – working together with Airbus sites in Bremen,
Germany and St Eloi, Toulouse.
Approximately 140,000 jobs are generated in the UK by Airbus wing
work directly, as well as indirectly,
through supplier contracts.
ENDS
Contact:- Rachel Bloomer, Government Affairs Assistant,
Airbus, New Filton House, Filton, Bristol BS99 7AR (Tel. 0117 936
2826)
Note for editor:
At Airbus Filton, over 4,500 people are employed in the design
office and in business support roles such
as procurement, finance and customer service. Core activities at
Filton include the design, engineering
and support for Airbus wings, fuel systems and landing gear
integration. Teams also work on systems,
structures, and aerodynamics research, development and test
facilities.
More than 2,000 engineers at Filton are involved in a range of
areas, including wing integration, flight
physics, structures and systems. Filton also is responsible for
wing assembly and equipping for the
A400M multi-role airlifter, and is home to a Composites Structures
Development Centre. |
24.02.10 PRESS RELEASE
MEP CHICHESTER TO VISIT TORR QUARRY IN
SOMERSET
SHEPTON MALLET – 26 FEBRUARY
Aggregate Industries has arranged for Giles Chichester,
Conservative MEP for South West England and Gibraltar,
to visit Torr Quarry, the largest of the three quarries it
operates in Somerset. The MEP will be meeting with John
Penny, South West Estate Manager, and Andy Shakeshaft, the Works
Manager at 2.30 pm on Friday 26 February.
Aggregate Industries is a subsidiary of the Swiss based Holcim
Group. Torr Quarry covers 200 hectares and
employs 200 people producing 6 million tonnes of limestone
annually. Currently it is seeking planning
permission to deepen the quarry in order to increase production.
ENDS
Contact:
John Perry, SW Estates Manager
Tel: 01372 451001, Mob: 07802 258144 Torr Quarry
East Cranmore
Shepton Mallet
Somerset BA4 4SQ
Note for Editors:
Aggregate Industries UK Ltd. operates in 300 locations in the UK
and employs 6,500 people. It produces and
supplies aggregates and building materials to the construction
industry in the United Kingdom, the Channel
Islands, and Norway. It provides primary, secondary, and recycled
construction aggregates; asphalt; ready-mixed
concrete; hard landscaping products; flooring; blocks; and
pre-cast concrete products. The company also offers
surfacing and civil contracting services, including construction
of environmental and drainage projects, structural
roads, and car parks; earthworks; runway construction and
maintenance; and roads laying and maintenance. |
24.01.10 PRESS RELEASE
MEP CHICHESTER TO ATTEND
CORNWALL COLLEGE GRADUATION CEREMONY
TRURO CATHEDRAL - 30 JANUARY
Giles Chichester, Conservative MEP for South West England and
Gibraltar, has been invited to attend Cornwall
College’s Graduation Ceremony on Saturday 30 January 2010. The
proceedings will commence at 11.00 a.m. in
Truro Cathedral.
The Ceremony will celebrate the success of Cornwall College
graduates from the Camborne, Saltash, Newquay
and St. Austell Campuses, as well as Duchy College, the School of
Education and the Falmouth Marine School.
ENDS
Contact:
Dave Linnell OBE
CEO and Principal, Cornwall College
Tel: 01726 226726
Email: info@st-austell.ac.uk
Note for Editor:
• The Cornwall College Group serves 45,000 students, of which
1,700 follow university courses on 7 main
campuses and a number of specialised colleges offering access to
3,000 different courses. It is a key
player in the devolved structure of the Combined Universities of
Cornwall.
• The College Group provides education and training in support of
many EU Objective I projects and
programmes, particularly in the fields of vocational and
professional education. It is a major contributor
to the economic development of the County and one of its largest
employers with over 2,800 staff. |
21.01.10 PRESS RELEASE
MEP CHICHESTER TO VISIT GLOUCESTERSHIRE AIRPORT
STAVERTON, CHELTENHAM – 25 JANUARY
Giles Chichester, Conservative MEP for South West England and
Gibraltar, has been invited to review the
development plans for Gloucestershire Airport. He will be briefed
by Gerry Gearing, Chairman of
Gloucestershire Airport Ltd and Mark Ryan, the Airport Director,
at 11.00 am on Monday 25 January.
Cheltenham Borough Council and Gloucester City Council are the
principal shareholders in Gloucestershire
Airport Ltd.
ENDS
Contacts:
Gerry Gearing, Chairman Gloucestershire Airport Ltd Tel.
0783351377
Mark Ryan, Airport Director Tel. 01452 857700
Email: mryan@gloucestershireairport.co.uk
Address: Terminal Building, Gloucestershire Airport, Staverton,
Cheltenham GL51 6SR
Note for Editor:
• Gloucestershire Airport are about to embark on a major runway
safety project which aligns the Airport with
current legislation and helps secure its future. The end result
will create a safe, fully compliant Code 2 runway
equipped with an industry standard precision approach landing aid.
The proposals would support increased
training, corporate and scheduled flying activities. It would also
further advance the County’s growing
reputation and attractiveness to major commercial investors. In
2008 the University of Gloucestershire, on
behalf of Gloucester City Council, were asked to revisit an
earlier report entitled ‘The Economic Impact of
Gloucestershire Airport’. The main findings of the updated report
were:
o 340 jobs, a large proportion of which are highly skilled, are
directly linked to aviation operations at the
airport;
o Employment in the vicinity of the airport accounts for a further
3600+ jobs which are not operationally
linked to the airport;
o The airport cluster (sectoral & locational) contributes an
estimated maximum of £212m. GVA p.a. to the
local economy. The airport itself generates £18m. The cluster
represents about 1.9% of the GVA of the
Gloucestershire economy, which is about the same as its percentage
of the workforce; |
14.01.10 Dear Editor,
BARBECUE SUMMER /MILD WINTER
The Met Office forecast that the “barbecue summer” in 2009 would
be followed by a “mild winter”.
Both predictions were disastrously wrong. We have experienced the
wettest summer and the coldest
winter spell for decades. What is the betting on their prediction
“that 2010 will be the warmest year”
since records began? My advice is to invest in a barometer.
Although we may laugh about the latest false predictions of the
Met Office, their difficulties in
predicting forthcoming bad weather has serious national, economic
and social implications. Business
depends upon effective road, rail and air transport and,
therefore, needs reliable information to calculate
how they will be affected by adverse weather conditions. If, for
example, local authorities are not
warned in advance about a prolonged period of freezing
temperatures then they may not have available
the salt and grit necessary to keep the roads free from ice. The
recent closure of roads and airport
runways, the breakdown of trains and multi car accidents all bear
witness to the failings of the Met
Office to give adequate warning of adverse weather conditions.
Their ineptitude has cost the country
millions.
Is it time for the Government to investigate the workings of the
Met Office? In recent years, it appears
to have concentrated its resources on trying to prove its global
warming computer predicted theory at the
expense of doing the job for which it was intended – predicting
local weather. Mind you, in the light of
its failure to predict the big freeze, one is tempted to query the
accuracy of its predictions of imminent
global warming. |
17.12.09 WASTE TO
ENERGY Dear Editor Next month, I shall be presiding over a
debate in the European Parliament on the subject of
energy from waste. The presentation by the European Waste to
Energy Association (EWEA)
should serve to remind us how sensible and useful it is to convert
our non-recyclable
domestic waste into energy.
The waste to energy process is an
important source of renewable energy. It kills two birds
with one stone by dealing with waste we are no longer allowed to
send to land fill by turning
this rubbish into energy, usually electricity or district heating.
A win-win situation.
Yet at the first hint of a planning application for a
waste-to-energy plant, people are up in
arms in opposition. They have an old-fashioned mental image,
prompted by the word
‘incineration’, of billowing clouds of black smoke and smut
everywhere.
We need to break
away from this negativism and embrace modern technology.
I have had the opportunity of seeing waste-to-energy or
energy-from-waste plants in
operation in Europe, in places as far apart as Vienna in Austria
and Linkoping in Sweden.
They are clean and virtually emission free. It is a pity that
those objecting to plans for waste-to-
energy plants in the South West cannot see for themselves the
effectiveness of this
renewable energy process. The sooner we can build a plant here in
the South West utilising
the latest technologies the better. Let’s get on with it and show
the world that we are at long
last beginning to develop a viable renewable energy programme.
|
14.12.09 MISS
GIBRALTAR Dear Editor, Midst all the messages of doom and
gloom about climate change, there was one piece of good news on
my desk this morning. Miss Gibraltar had won the Miss World title.
Judging from her press photographs, the victory of the very
beautiful Miss Kaiane Adorino was well
deserved. I offer her my congratulations and join with the people
of Gibraltar in celebration of this
historic victory.
The victory of Miss Adorino, who is a British National, is not
only celebrated by the people of Gibraltar
but also by the people of England.
At this time of economic
recession, her success is a reason for
celebration.
I send Miss Kaiane Adorino and her family all my best wishes for a
Happy Christmas and hope that as
Miss World she will enjoy an exciting New Year. Ends |
|
09.12.09 FLAT EARTH
FOLLOWERS Dear Editor, It appears that, as being something of
a climate change sceptic, I am one of the large majority of people
in Britain who Gordon Brown describes as ‘flat earth’ followers.
This is unsurprising, for over the past
decade we have been subject to so much government spin and
misinformation that it is impossible to
give credence to the integrity of government statements on any
significant issue, including climate
change.
Read on |
27.11.09 GET RICH
QUICK SCAM Dear Editor,
I have received a personal letter from a Mr Lin Ling, who claims
to be the Principal Assurance Manager
for the Nangang Commercial Bank in China. He tells me that he can
arrange for me to be the
beneficiary of the estate valued at 8 million US dollars of Alfred
Chichester who died several years ago.
As poor Alfred died intestate with no next of kin, it could be
arranged that I would receive this money
which is on deposit at the Guangdong Development Bank.
My scepticism increased as I read that Mr Ling insisted his
involvement in the process had to be kept
confidential. He would, however, arrange everything including
contacts for me with the Guangdong
Development Bank to verify my identity and home bank details. His
fee for acting as intermediary
would be half the money that I received.
My rule in life where money offers are concerned is “if it is too
good to be true, then it usually is”!
Under no circumstances will I give my identity or personal
financial details to anyone who appears to be
offering me a pot of gold. I have received variations on this scam
from Africa and India and all have
ended up in my waste paper basket. I urge your readers to do the
same. Be warned that these scams
are becoming very sophisticated. Before passing on any financial
details to those inviting you to get rich
quick, do take advice from your bank. |
25.11.09
EU PRESIDENCY Dear Editor,
News of the appointment of Belgian President HermanVan Rompuy as
the first ‘President of Europe’
and Trade Commissioner Baroness Ashton as his ‘Foreign Secretary’
seems to have been greeted with
widespread disbelief. The public reaction when their names were
announced was a mystified “Who?”
However, the reality behind these appointments is the reluctance
of the European Council to be seen to
be moving towards a European federal state. The appointment of
high profile politicians to these
positions would have confirmed to the ultra-eurosceptics that the
Lisbon Treaty was indeed the next step
towards creating a European federal superstate. The fact is that
Sarkozy, Merkle and the other EU heads
of government are not at the moment prepared to tolerate their
positions as European leaders being
challenged and usurped by a populist EU President with a
significant international reputation for
charisma.
As things stand, this latest EU stitch up should give comfort to
the eurosceptics that, for the time being,
the nation state still holds sway over the superstate. But we
should stay vigilant. |
|
25.10.09
MEP CHICHESTER OFFERS DIALOGUE ON CLIMATE CHANGE
Giles Chichester, Conservative MEP for South West England and
Gibraltar, has installed the latest interactive
technology on his website to provide constituents with a better
opportunity for dialogue with him on important
issues. He has introduced the Google Moderator interactive video
system, which allows visitors to the website to
be involved in question and answer sessions with him and also to
vote on the issues raised.
MEP Chichester has chosen Climate Change as the first of a series
of topics to be discussed via the Google
Moderator. It is a serious issue for in December the deliberations
of the International Climate Change Conference
to be held in Copenhagen will undoubtedly have a considerable
effect on our government’s future social and
economic policies.
The parliamentary constituency of the MEP covers a huge
geographical area, stretching from Swindon to the Isles
of Scillies and from Tewkesbury to Gibraltar. The great distances
involved make it quite a challenge for him to
meet and talk with his constituents. He hopes this new website
facility will help to improve the flow of
information about their views and his parliamentary work.
The Google Moderator interactive facility can be accessed on
www.gileschichestermep.org.uk .
ENDS |
|
23.10.09
MEP CHICHESTER TO BE BRIEFED ON SOUTH WEST ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
EXETER – FRIDAY 30 OCTOBER
A meeting has been arranged for Giles Chichester, Conservative MEP
for South West England and
Gibraltar, to be briefed on environmental issues affecting the
South West Region.
On Friday 30 October at 9.00 am, the MEP will meet for discussions
with Richard Cresswell, Regional
Director of the Environment Agency and Janette Ward, Regional
Director of Natural England at their
offices in Bonhay Road, Exeter.
ENDS
Contact:
Hilary Howell
PS to Janette Ward
Level 10
Renslade House
Bonhay Road
Exeter EX4 3AW
Tel 0300 060 2118
Or
01392 457400
Email:
hilary.howell@naturalengland.org.uk |
22.10.09
MEP CHICHESTER TO BE BRIEFED BY NFU ON
CURRENT AGRICULTURAL ISSUES
EXETER – 28 OCTOBER
A briefing meeting on current agricultural issues has been
arranged for Giles Chichester, Conservative MEP
for South West England and Gibraltar, by the National Farmers
Union South West at 12 noon on Wednesday
28 October at their regional office in Rydon Lane, Exeter. Julie
Edwards, who is the NFU Regional Policy Adviser for the South West
and the NFU Senior Food and
Farming Adviser, will lead the briefing by NFU specialists.
ENDS
Contact:
NFU South West
Agriculture House
Pynes Hill
Rydon Lane
Exeter
Tel 01392 440700
Email:
NFU.South.West@nfu.org.uk |
|
19.10.09 CONSERVATIVE
MEP GILES CHICHESTER TO SPEAK AT THE ENTERPRISE FORUM
LONDON – MONDAY 26 OCTOBER
Giles Chichester, MEP for South West England and Gibraltar, will
participate as a speaker in a panel
discussion on “Industry, the Internal Market and Environment”
organised by the Enterprise Forum. This will
take place at 1430 hours on Monday 26 October at the Church House
Conference Centre in Westminster.
MEP Chichester is Coordinator for the European Conservative and
Reformist Group on the Industry,
Research and Energy Committee of the European Parliament. He is
also Energy Spokesman for the
British Conservative Delegation in the Parliament.
The Enterprise Forum was set up to improve the flow of information
between the business community and
Conservative Parliamentarians in order to assist the Conservative
Party produce better informed policies and
legislation.
ENDS |
|
12.10.09 MEP
CHICHESTER TO ATTEND GIBRALTAR DAY CELEBRATIONS
LONDON – MONDAY 19 OCTOBER Giles Chichester, Conservative MEP for
South West England and Gibraltar, has been invited to attend the
Gibraltar Day celebrations on Monday 19 October in the City of
London.
An evening reception, hosted by Gibraltar Chief Minister Peter
Caruana, will take place in the Guildhall at
1800 hours.
The Royal Gibraltar Regiment will perform the sunset ceremony in
the Guildhall Courtyard at 1930 hours.
ENDS |
|
12.10.09 Press Release
MEP CHICHESTER TO MEET WITH SOUTH WEST FOOD & DRINK
EXETER – FRIDAY 16 OCTOBER
Christine Marshall, the Executive Director of South West Food &
Drink, has requested Giles Chichester,
MEP for South West England and Gibraltar, to meet her to discuss
SWFD involvement in a European Project.
The meeting will take place at Darts Farm, Topsham at 1300 hours
on Friday 16 October.
South West Food & Drink are applying to participate in the EU
FoodTURE-S Project, which will bring
together 9 European Cities and Regions that are committed to
developing innovative policies to protect and
promote traditional regional foods as part of their cultural
heritage. The South West Regional Development
Authority is providing the funding to enable SWFD to engage in the
project.
read
on |
|
07.10.09 Press Letter
Dear Editor
My discussions with constituents in the South West reveal a wide
divergence of views on the issue of
climate change. Many are not convinced about global warming and
argue that warnings of the melting
of Polar ice packs and future rises in sea levels are not borne
out by the scientific evidence. Others point
to our wet, humid summers and local flooding as a foretaste of the
increasing effects of climate change.
The majority are, like me, confused by messages of doom from
experts who issue statements based upon
the latest climate predictions of their computer programmes. These
are always prefaced by words such
as should, could or may, thus emphasising by the vagueness of the
language the inadequate foundations
of their research.
read
on |
|
06.10.09 Press Release
MEP CHICHESTER SUPPORTS SWIFT MEDIC ROADSHOW
SWINDON 10 OCTOBER
The SWIFT Medics and Safe Driving Stay Alive charities have
invited Giles Chichester, MEP for the South West
and Gibraltar, to their fundraising roadshow which will be held on
Friday 10 October at 7.30 pm in the Lexus
Showroom, Paddington Drive in Swindon.
read
on |
|
06.10.09 Press Release
SOUTH WEST MEP TO ATTEND BRITAIN-AUSTRALIA CIVIC EVENTS
BATH – 9 OCTOBER
The West Country Branch of the Britain-Australia Society will be
holding civic events at Bathampton and Bath to
celebrate on 9 October the birth of Admiral Arthur Phillip RN, the
first Governor General of New South Wales.
Giles Chichester, MEP for the South West and Gibraltar, will join
with dignitaries including Adam McCarthy,
Deputy High Commissioner for Australia, and David Medlock, Deputy
Lieutenant of Somerset at a civic
reception given by the Trustees of the City of Bath and hosted by
the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress, Colin and
Pamela Barrett, commencing at 12.15 pm in the Guildhall.
read
on |
|
01.10.09 Press Release MEP
CHICHESTER VISIT TO FALMOUTH IN SUPPORT OF
THE SAILADAY OK CHARITY
FRIDAY 2 OCTOBER Giles Chichester, MEP for the South West and
Gibraltar, is visiting Falmouth on Friday 2 October. He will be
meeting Richard Lannowe Hall, the founder and manager of the
Cornish charity Sailaday OK, at 4.00 pm outside the
Harbour Office in Arwenack Street.
The MEP wishes to show his support for the Sailaday OK charity
which helps those recovering from drug and
alcohol abuse. The therapeutic work of the charity takes place on
board a yacht which is crewed by recovering
addicts and cruises the coasts of South West Cornwall.
read
on |
|
30.9.09 Dear Editor
COPENHAGEN CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE In anticipation of the
Copenhagen Climate Change Conference in December, it seems that
every Tom,
Dick & John has set out to prove their green credentials. The
‘John’ to whom I refer is our former
Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, who has recently secured an
appointment as Special
Representative on Climate Change by the Council of Europe. Our
John has ambitions to take upon
himself the mantle of eco warrior Al Gore. He is advocating that
Britain reject EU policy for a 20% cut
in greenhouse gases by 2020 in favour of a 40% decrease. This is a
ridiculously unrealistic target which,
if it were to be implemented, could send Britain into an even
deeper economic recession.
read on |
|
23.9.09 Press Release.
MEP CHICHESTER VISIT TO ISLES OF SCILLY FRIDAY 25 SEPTEMBER Giles
Chichester, MEP for the South West and Gibraltar, will be visiting
St. Martin’s and St Mary’s
on the Isles of Scilly on Friday 25 September.
His programme, arranged by the Council of the Isles, will involve
briefings by Councillors and the
Chief Executive Phillip Hygate and his staff about the Islands’
current social and economic issues
and, in particular, tourism. MEP Chichester has been invited by Headmaster Bruce Wilby to meet
with him at Five Island
School. The Headmaster has arranged for Giles to talk to the
students about his responsibilities as
an MEP and to explain the working of the European Parliament.
ENDS Contact: Rhona Holland, PA to the Chief Executive, Council of the Isles of Scilly
Tel: 01720 424024;
Mobile: 077 8635 5048 |
|
15.9.09 Press Release
BACK LEAVE IF SICK WHILST ON HOLIDAY South West small businesses
will be hit by EU court ruling. Giles Chichester, MEP for the
South West and Gibraltar, has condemned a ruling by the European
Court
of Justice which says workers should be able to claim back leave
if they fall sick whilst on holiday. He
said the ruling will create a legal minefield for local businesses
and especially small businesses.
The court was passing judgment on the case of a Spanish employee
who was refused the right to alter his
holiday plans because he suffered injury before he was due to take
his leave. The court in Luxembourg
ruled he should have been able to alter his holiday dates.
read on |
28.8.09 Dear Editor
LIGHT BULB BAN
It is often difficult for me to control my anger at the
irresponsible way in which this Government has
rushed into adopting so-called eco-friendly legislation to prove
their green credentials. They pay little
regard to expert advice or the views of the British people and, in
consequence, have made a dog’s
breakfast of Government policies to reduce carbon emissions and
develop a green, sustainable energy
supply.
Their latest debacle involves the implementation of the EU
Directive to ban incandescent light bulbs by
2012 and replace them with energy efficient fluorescent bulbs.
When this legislation was introduced,
the European Parliament made clear that the implementation date
for the ban was a matter for the British
Government.
read on |
|
21.7.09 MEP SPANISH
VISIT TO GIBRALTAR MEP Chichester says Spanish visit to
Gibraltar must herald era of cooperation with Spain .Commenting on
today's first visit of a Spanish Minister to Gibraltar in over 300
years, Giles Chichester,
Conservative MEP for the South West and Gibraltar, said:
"Spain may never lift its claims over Gibraltar, but Britain must
remain resolute that it will never
hand over Gibraltar so long as Gibraltarians wish to remain
British.
"There may be a stalemate over sovereignty but that should not
stand in the way of amicable
cooperation with Spain. The 2006 tripartite agreement was
generally well-received in Gibraltar
and should be built upon.
"I trust that we can now agree to disagree and that Spain can end
some of the petty taunts against
Gibraltar such as incursions into her territorial waters or the
attempt to encompass Gibraltar's
waters into Spain's a maritime conservation area."
ENDS |
|
6.7.09 Dear
Editor MISSING CHILD ALERT SERVICE The abduction of Madeleine McCann in May 2007 spurred
Conservatives in the European Parliament to
promote new European procedures to deal with missing children. The
Council of Ministers have
adopted our proposal and are calling upon all EU Member State
Governments to introduce a missing
child alert service as soon as possible.
When the alert is activated, a missing child telephone hotline
will be set up and details about the child
will be forwarded to border and customs authorities and law
enforcement agencies, as well as all press
and media. It is proposed that the EU Member State governments
will also set up a common
organisation to co-ordinate these national efforts.
To date, the Greek, Portuguese, Dutch, Hungarian, Romanian and
Belgian governments have acted to
establish mechanisms for the child alert, including a common116000
hotline phone number. It is now
up to the UK Government to follow their example. I would suggest
your readers lobby their MPs to put
pressure on the UK Government to also take urgent action to
introduce this important service. ENDS. |
|
6.7.09 Dear Editor THE
DEVELOPMENT OF NEWQUAY AIRPORT I am relieved that the EU
Commission has decided to approve the revised plans and budget for
the
development of Newquay Airport and has confirmed it will provide
£22.5 million towards the cost of
this essential infrastructure project. We had every reason to be
concerned about the future of the Airport project because of the
gross
mismanagement by Cornwall’s former LibDem Council in regards its
transfer to civilian control. The
failure of the LibDem Council, who were aptly described by Ryan
Air as the Keystone Cops, to ensure
the safe transfer of MOD air traffic control services resulted in
the ignominious shut down of the airport
throughout last December. To overcome this disaster, it was not
only necessary to obtain increased
public funding for the project but also to restore EU confidence
in the integrity of the plans for the future
of air services in the County. This has been achieved through the
efforts of the new Conservative-led
Unitary Authority and I congratulate them.
The construction and expansion of Cornwall’s Newquay Airport will
greatly improve the County’s
transport infrastructure. This development will lead to an
increase in Cornwall’s regional and
international air links, benefitting commercial activities within
the County and providing opportunities
for increased employment. ENDS. |
3.7.09
EU'S SEED-CORN INVESTMENT IN ENTREPRENEURS WELCOMED
The new microfinance facility launched by the European Commission
today, which aims to help
the unemployed start their own business, has been welcomed by
Conservative industry spokesman
in the European Parliament, Giles Chichester MEP for the South
West and Gibraltar.
The fund of €100 million will be used to assist new start-ups and
to provide support and guidance
to small businesses and entrepreneurs. It is expected to lever
€500 million of support under a joint
initiative with the European Investment Bank and other financial
institutions. The fund should be
operational by 2010.
MEP Chichester said:
"Small businesses and entrepreneurs will pull our economies out of
this recession. This fund
is a small seed corn for people who want to help themselves and
provide employment for
others.
"British small businesses currently employ around 60 percent of
the private sector
workforce. Many people have tried to turn their ideas into a
business or expand, but without
support from the banks many have floundered. This fund will easily
pay for itself and will
create a strong foundation for economic growth in the future.
"We must do our best to pass this facility swiftly through the
parliament. Many small
businesses need the support as soon as possible."
ENDS
The Commission's announcement can be read at
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/1070&type=HTML&aged=0&language
=EN&guiLanguage=en Contact:
James Holtum, Conservative Press Office, tel:+32 (0) 473 861762;
james.holtum@europarl.europa.eu |
|
01.7.09 MEP CHICHESTER
CALLS ON LOCAL SCHOOLS TO PLANT THE SEEDS FOR A GREENER EUROPE
South West Conservative MEP, Giles Chichester, has called on the
youth of the South West to take part
in a campaign to protect the environment by planting tree
seedlings.
Under the "Click a Tree" campaign free seedlings will be sent to
the first 5,000 aged 14-29 years who
apply at the website:
www.clickatree.europa.eu.
Those who are too late for a free seedling can still take part by
purchasing their own seeds and
registering the tree on the website. Their tree will then be
entered into a competition judged by a public
vote.
MEP Chichester said that in the run up to the all-important United
Nations Climate Change Conference
in Copenhagen this December, it is more important than ever for
people to take direct action to improve
the environment.
South West Conservative MEP Chichester said:
"Around nine billion tonnes of CO2 is absorbed by trees every
year, but nearly two billion tonnes
are released through deforestation.
"We must all play our part in improving the environment and what
better way is there than
planting a tree?
"The youth of the South West will be able to join with thousands
across Europe who want to send
a clear message that politicians of today have a duty to protect
the environment and their future.
"I strongly urge all young people across the Region to take part
in the ‘Click-a-Tree’ initiative."
ENDS |
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30.6.09 EU AGREEMENT
REACHED ON STANDARDISING OF MOBILE PHONE CHARGERS
Giles Chichester, MEP for the South West and Gibraltar, welcomed
the decision by 10 major mobile phone
manufacturers to introduce a common standard charger for their
phones. The manufacturers Apple, Nokia,
Motorola, Sony Ericcson, NEC, Texas Instruments, LG, Samsung and
Research in Motion have agreed with the
European Commission to introduce the new standardised charger onto
the market next year. MEP Chichester said
“Common sense has prevailed. This simple agreement will not only
make users’ lives easier in that they
won’t have to worry about finding a compatible charger for their
phone, but it should help cut down
electronic waste. I have a drawer full of various non-compatible
chargers which I will soon b e able to
recycle.”
ENDS |
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8.6.09 SOUTH
WEST CONSERVATIVES SECURE ADDITIONAL SEAT at the
European Parliament.
Giles Chichester, Julie Girling and Ashley Fox to offer strong
voice for the region in Europe. The South West Conservatives secured a significant result in last
nights European Elections, gaining one seat to send three MEPs to Brussels. Giles Chichester, Julie Girling and Ashley Fox
have been elected to serve the region after the
Conservatives secured 30 per cent of the vote in the South West...
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21.5.09 MEP
CHICHESTER VISITS BRISTOL PORT COMPANY TO BE BRIEFED ON EXPANSION
PLANS Giles Chichester visited the Bristol Port Company which
owns the Avonmouth and Royal Portlebury Dock Estate. The MEP met
with Chairman Terence Morduant who,
together with partner David Ord, purchased a 150 year lease on the
Estate in 1991 from Bristol City Council...
read on
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21.5.09 SOUTH WEST MANUFACTURERS TELL MEP CHICHESTERTHEY NEED MORE EU SUPPORT
Manufacturers across the South West are hoping that South West
Conservative MEP, Giles Chichester, can enlist greater EU
support for industry across the Region.
South West business leaders were invited to meet MEP Chichester at
the Bristol Headquarters of the Engineers Employers
Federation (EEF), which represents manufacturers. They took the
opportunity to lobby the MEP about wage subsidies and
the need for business friendly regulations...
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20.5.09
MEP CHICHESTER SUPPORTS THE HORIZONS CHILDREN’S
SAILING CHARITY IN PLYMOUTH
At the end of his visit to the Horizons Children’s Sailing Charity
in Plymouth, South West Conservative MEP,
Giles Chichester, expressed great admiration for the work done by
its volunteers in giving deprived and disabled
young people a taste of life afloat...
read on
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14.5.09 MEP CHICHESTER VISITS ALBEMARLE CHEMICALS TO ASSESS EFFECT
OF NEW EU CHEMICALS REGULATIONS ON THE INDUSTRY Giles Chichester, visited Albemarle Chemicals UK at Avonmouth
and met with Site Manager Adrian Hayman...
read on
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13.5.09 SEARASER
Dear Editor
The Westcountry boasts a long history of notable inventors whose
creations have benefited mankind.
Those of Sir Humphrey Davy, Richard Trevithick and Charles Babbage are
but a few which spring to
mind. A recent addition could be Alvin Smith of Dartmouth whose Searaser
energy system may
contribute greatly to supporting not only UK energy needs but also those
of the developing world.
Read on
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8.5.09
MEP CHICHESTER CHALLENGES EU COMMISSION ON NEW
ENERGY EFFICIENCY LABELLING PROPOSAL
Proposals by the European Commission to revise the energy
labelling scheme for white goods have been
opposed by Giles Chichester, the MEP for the South West and
Gibraltar, who is Conservative Energy
Spokesman in the European Parliament.
Currently, most white goods such as televisions and refrigerators
have improved their energy efficiency
to the point where they qualify for an A category rating...
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2.5.09 SHADOW MINISTER FOR EUROPE VISITS PLYMOUTH FISH MARKET
Shadow Cabinet Minister for Europe, Mark Francois MP, accompanied
by Oliver Colville,
Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Devonport and Sutton, and
Giles Chichester, the
Conservative MEP for the South West and Gibraltar, yesterday
visited Plymouth Fish Market at
Sutton Harbour Fisheries.
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30.4.09 LABOUR MEPS PUT UK OPT OUT FROM WORKING TIME DIRECTIVE AT
RISK
Giles Chichester, the Conservative MEP for the South West and
Gibraltar, angrily denounced the actions
of British Labour MEPs who successfully campaigned for a majority
vote in the European Parliament
against the UK opt out from the EU Working Time Directive. He said
the vote to scrap the UK opt out
meant that British workers would only be permitted to work a
maximum of 48 hours per week...
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27.4.09
CONSERVATIVES LAUNCH CAMPAIGN FOR EU CONSTITUTION REFERENDUM This Government must grant the British people a referendum on the
EU Constitution said Giles Chichester,
Conservative MEP for the South West and Gibraltar, following David
Cameron’s call for Gordon Brown to
honour Labour’s manifesto commitment...
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25.4.09 EU
COUNCIL OF MINISTERS ADOPT A CONSERVATION ACTION PLAN TO PROTECT
THE SHARK Conservative MEPs have been leading a campaign for the adoption of
the long awaited Shark Action
Plan. The plan will enforce the protection and management of the
shark population, both in EU and
international waters. It will also provide a framework for further
scientific research and understanding of
sharks and their vital place in the ecosystem...
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25.4.09
MEPs APPROVE PLANS FOR CROSS BORDER HEALTHCARE DIRECTIVE South West Conservative MEP, Giles Chichester, said that
Conservative MEPs have successfully driven the
adoption by the European Parliament of a new EU Directive for
cross border healthcare. Now patients in the
South West will find it easier to seek medical care in Europe if
their needs are not being met by the NHS.25.4.09 ...
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22.4.09 MOBILE
PHONE ROAMING 'bill shock' brought to an end thanks to
Conservative MEPs MEP Giles Chichester, Conservative industry
spokesman in the European Parliament, said today that the days of
mobile phone 'bill shock' are almost over following a vote in the
European Parliament to bring down roaming charges for text
messages and data...
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18.4.09 CUTTING
RED TAPE FOR BUSINESS Business in Britain is groaning under the weight
of red tape and regulations. The Federation of Small Business estimates
that the average small business spends 7 hours each week dealing with
regulations and paperwork.
read on ....
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16.4.09 EASIER ACCESS TO EU HEALTHCARE
SERVICES
The European Parliament is expected to adopt recommendations by
its Environment and Public Health Committee
for an EU Directive which will clarify the rights of EU citizens
seeking healthcare throughout the European
Union...
read on
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9.4.09 MEP CHICHESTER CALLS FOR YOUNGEST MEP TO BECOME 'FATHER OF
THE HOUSE' A row in the European Parliament over the prospect of
Jean Marie Le Pen, leader of the far-right French
National Front, becoming the 'father' of the Parliament should be
seen as an opportunity to replace him
with the youngest member said Giles Chichester, Conservative MEP
for South West and Gibraltar...
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7.4.09 SMOKE AND MIRRORS
Dear Editor The Labour government was once master of the sound bite and
the art of ‘smoke and mirrors’. We have, however, grown weary and wise
to their tricks. No longer do we trust the dubious statistics which they
put forward to justify the success of their programme.
read on
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7.4.09 EU WORKING
TIME DIRECTIVE Dear Editor I sometimes doubt the sanity of British
Labour MEPs in the European Parliament. Whilst the Government
desperately strives to curb the rise in unemployment and closure of
businesses, their Labour MEPs have spent their time campaigning to end
...
read on |
3.4.09
UPGRADE THE A303 A petition
to upgrade the A303 through Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire to a
continuous dual
carriageway has been placed on the Prime Minister’s website. I urge all
your readers who have
experienced the frustrations of negotiating A303 bottlenecks and sitting
in long, fume-filled traffic
queues to sign the petition
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Upgrade-A303/
read on
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2.4.09 EU DEFENCE
& SECURITY
Dear Editor Here we go again! A few years ago, we successfully fought an
EU proposal that our merchant ships should fly a Red Ensign flag
emblazoned with the EU circle of stars. Now it is proposed the EU flag
should be flown over British military bases and naval vessels and our
soldiers and sailors should wear an EU circle of stars arm badge. It is
yet another attempt to force an EU Federal State identity on Member
States...
read
on |
2.4.09
Recreational
anglers wriggle out of EU quotas plans
Plans to bring recreational anglers into the Common Fisheries
Policy (CFP) have been watered down significantly
by the European Parliament's fisheries committee in a vote this
afternoon.
Article 47 of the proposed regulation would have required
recreational fishermen to register their boats and
whatever they catch would be counted against the fisheries quota
for that country. Each country will also be
required to allocate what share of its quota for each fish species
will be available for commercial and recreational
fisheries use.
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31.3.09 PLIGHT OF
BRITISH RESIDENTS IN SOUTHERN SPAIN The Press and television have
recorded the scandalous demolition in Southern Spain of homes
purchased legally by British citizens. Unscrupulous developers,
aided and abetted by corrupt local politicians, have misused the
law to confiscate and demolish the properties of thousands who
sought retirement to a place in the sun.
read on |
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18.3.09
VAT REDUCTION
Dear Editor There is no doubt that our Government’s decision to
reduce VAT by 2.5 percent did little to stimulate the UK economy.
It placed an expensive administrative burden on business for
little return. It was a failure. EU Finance Ministers have,
however, agreed plans to introduce a 5 percent band of VAT which
will be targeted towards those services which are labour
intensive.
read on |
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25.2.09
EU EXTENDS E-MONEY SERVICES
The European Parliament has adopted a new Directive on electronic
payments. It will make it easier
for small businesses to offer e-money services and also facilitate
use by individuals of online
payments accounts, pre-paid mobile phone accounts, top up travel
cards and the like. This new
Directive will enable new secure and faster electronic money
services to be developed which will
foster the growth of market competition...
read on |
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24.2.09
BRISTOL IS UNSUCCESSFUL IN ITS BID TO BE EUROPE’S FIRST GREEN
CAPITAL
South West Conservative MEP, Giles Chichester, expressed his
disappointment that Bristol was
unsuccessful in its bid to be Europe’s First Green Capital. The
European Commission awarded the title
for 2010 to Stockholm and for 2011 to Hamburg...
read on
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23.2.09 Dear Editor
The European Parliament’s Environment Committee has decided to
support an EU ban on the use of incandescent light bulbs. It now
falls to the British Government to decide when the ban should be
introduced. I feel it is too soon to make such a decision. I am
concerned that the technology used in the manufacture of
fluorescent energy saving light bulbs is still at an ..
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21.2.09 RUSSIAN THREAT TO OUR
GAS SUPPLY It seems uncanny how history is repeating itself in the
Ukraine. Three years ago we had a similar situation when Gazprom in
dispute with Naftagaz celebrated the New Year by cutting off Russian gas
supplies through the Ukraine. On the face of it each time it is a
business dispute about money but, of course, life isn't that simple.
read on |
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20.2.09
BRISTOL IN THE RUNNING TO BE THE FIRST EUROPEAN GREEN CAPITAL
The City of Bristol is one of 8 finalists for the title of
European Green Capital of 2010 and 2011. The
other finalists competing for this prestigious first award by the
European Commission are Amsterdam,
Freiberg, Hamburg, Munster, Oslo and Stockholm. The City of
Bristol remains the only UK finalist in
the running for the award. The competition attracted 35
applications from cities throughout the
European Union.
South West Conservative MEP, Giles Chichester, congratulated the
City of Bristol on its achievement
and wished it every success in its bid to be the First European
Green Capital. He was full of admiration
for its efforts in developing the Parks and Green Spaces Strategy
which had attracted the attention of the
competition judges. Bristol is blessed with 450 parks and green
spaces. Over 25 million visits are made
to them by 83% of the city’s population every year.
The award will be given to the City that
i. has a consistent record of achieving high environmental
standards
ii. is committed to ongoing environmental improvement and
sustainable development
iii. can act as a role model to promote best environmental
practice to other EU cities
Each applicant was primarily assessed on its desire and capability
to solve environmental problems so as
to improve the quality of life of its citizens.
ENDS |
17.2.09 MEP CHICHESTER OFFERS SUPPORT FOR
THE
ST. IVES PORTHMEOR STUDIOS RENOVATION PROJECT
During a recent visit to Porthmeor Studios and Cellars in St.
Ives, the South West Conservative MEP,
Giles Chichester, expressed considerable dismay at the fragile and
dilapidated condition of this Listed
Building which plays a vital role in the fishing and art
industries of Cornwall...
read on
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12.2.09 EU HELP FOR SMALL BUSINESS
Business Secretary Peter Mandelson has announced that the
Government will make available
£1 billion through a Small Business Finance Scheme to help
struggling firms. It seems that at last the
significant contribution of small business to the UK economy has
been recognised. Small and medium
sized businesses comprise 99% of all UK businesses, employ 60% of
our labour force and contribute 52%
of private sector GDP...
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MEP CHICHESTER IN ST. IVES TO CONTINUE PROTEST
AT PROPOSED EU CONTROLS OVER SEA ANGLING
FRIDAY 13 FEBRUARY – ST. IVES
South West Conservative MEP, Giles Chichester, will be visiting
St. Ives to meet with John Brooks,
who organises sea angling training courses for the Helston
Community College Sea Angling Group.
They will meet at 4.00 pm on Friday 13 February outside the St.
Ives School of Painting for discussions
and a photo opportunity.
MEP Chichester is meeting with John Brooks to discuss support for
the protests of the National
Federation of Sea Anglers (NFSA) and the Angling Trust against EU
proposals to control sea angling
through its inclusion in the Common Fisheries Policy. John Brooks
is an NFSA Member.
ENDS
Contact:
John Brooks Tel. 01209 314164 Mob. 07966 757322 |
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MEP CHICHESTER TO VISIT PORTHMEOR STUDIOS
FRIDAY 13 FEBRUARY – ST IVES
South West Conservative MEP, Giles Chichester, will be visiting
the Porthmeor Studios and Cellars in
St. Ives at 2.45 pm on Friday 13 February. He will be meeting with
Chris Hibbert, the Manager of the
Borlase Smart John Wells Trust, which owns and manages the
Porthmeor Studio and heads a project to
fund renovation of the building.
The Porthmeor Studios building was erected in the 19th Century
when it was originally used as a packing
and processing centre for the important local pilchard industry.
The Wells Trust project to renovate the
building is estimated to cost £3-7 million and they have so far
been allocated £1.2 million towards the
cost by the Arts Council’s Capital Building Programme. Currently,
the Trust is in discussions with the
EU Convergence and Fisheries Fund and other bodies to persuade
them to support this renovation
project.
The Porthmeor Studios and Cellars provide workspace for artists of
the St. Ives School of Painting and
local fishermen. The building is in a very fragile condition and
in desperate need of repairs.
ENDS
Contact:
Chris Hibbert, Manager Porthmeor Studios Tel. 01326 252203 Mob.
07922067281 |
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3 Feb 09
EU CONSUMERS HAVE A RIGHT TO FAIR ENERGY BILLS
Commission to investigate poor service in the energy supply sector
British consumers' energy bills could be lowered by a European
Commission investigation into potential
failures of market forces, said Conservative Energy Spokesman,
Giles Chichester MEP. The European Commission has published its
Consumer Markets scoreboard report ...
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21.1.09 SOUTH WEST MEP CHICHESTER WILL MEET WITH SEA ANGLING ASSOCIATION
OFFICIALS TO SUPPORT THEIR FIGHT AGAINST PROPOSED EU LEGISLATION
ON
RECREATIONAL FISHING QUOTAS
BUCKFAST, SOUTH DEVON ON 23 JANUARY
A proposed EU regulation that would bring recreational fishermen
under the direct control of the
Common Fisheries Policy will be fought tooth and nail by
Conservative MEPs.
Giles Chichester, South West Conservative MEP, will be meeting
with Richard Ferré, the
Director for Sea Angling of the newly formed Angling Trust and
Chairman of the National
Federation of Sea Anglers, to discuss the effects of this proposed
EU legislation on the South West
economy. The meeting will be held on Friday 23 January at 11.00 am
in the Abbey Inn
overlooking the River Dart at Buckfast, South Devon.
read on |
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13.1.09 100 WATT LIGHT
BULBS A friend on mine on a visit to his local shop was told to
stock up on 100 watt light bulbs because the EU had banned them.
This is not true.
read on |
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12 January 2009
UK CONTRIBUTION TO THE EU SET TO RISE thanks to Labour's 'buy now,
pay later' tactics
Labour's weak negotiating stance in 2005 over the 7-year EU budget
deal means South West taxpayers
are now going to face increased contributions to the EU budget
just as the recession begins to bite, South
West Conservative MEP Giles Chichester warned today.
read on |
11.1.09 EU REBATE
When Labour ministers gave away £7 billion of Britain's EU rebate
in 2005 they said it was a necessary price to pay for a commitment
to reform the Common Agricultural Policy in 2008.
read on |
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8 January 2009
THE EUROPEAN SMALL BUSINESS ACT
This Labour Government seems unable to grasp the significant
contribution small business makes
to our economy. Perhaps it’s because even Peter Mandelson, the new
Labour spin doctor, can’t overcome the fact that so few of them
have any practical experience of the sector.
read on ... |
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8th January 2009
UK SMALL BUSINESS TO BENEFIT FROM £650m LOANS
BY THE EUROPEAN INVESTMENT BANK The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed three new generation
EIB loans for small and medium
sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK for a total of GBP 650 million
(EUR 720 million).
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