Siemens Junior Factory Apprentices invited to speak at meeting in Parliament by Fiona Bruce MP

Fiona Bruce MP hosts Siemens Junior Factory in Parliament

Young people from Siemens, Congleton, were invited to Parliament this week to speak of their experiences as Apprentices in the Siemens Junior Factory.

Fiona Bruce said “As Chair of the All Party Group on Skills I have met a wide range of apprentices, and when I visited Siemens recently, here in Congleton, I recognised immediately that the quality of apprenticeships being offered at Siemens is very high. These young people, who are offered a range of commercial and technical apprenticeships work together to run a “small factory within a factory in Congleton” aged 16 to 21, they take on key leadership roles and are responsible for the full breadth of a products progress. What is impressive is that the initiative is part of Siemens plan to train young people, not just in the critical field of engineering but also in real business management.

The apprentices who came to speak to a number of Parliamentarians on their programme were impressive and articulate Ambassadors for Siemens Congleton and did the town proud!”

Finbarr Dowling, Siemens Congleton MD said “we were thrilled for our young talent when Fiona Bruce invited them to speak at Parliament recently.  For all of them, their families and all of us at Siemens Congleton this was a very proud moment.  Siemens has been committed to the town of Congleton for 43 years now, and during that time we have used our apprentice and graduate schemes to nurture talent.  As a result there are many hundreds of Congleton Alumni who have forged strong careers in Siemens, in the UK and further afield also.  Producing talented engineers and leaders is not only essential for Siemens, but equally for the future of UK Manufacturing & Engineering.  So at a time when Siemens Congleton is promoting skills development as never before, there is a degree of serendipity that the MP for Congleton should hold such an influential role in Parliament.  By inviting our young talent to address the All Party Group on Skills, she has skilfully ‘killed two birds with one stone’ i.e. promoting skills development and promoting Congleton!

ENDS

NOTE TO EDITOR

Photograph 1 shows the Skills APPG in session with Siemens apprentices presenting to the meeting

Photograph 2 shows Fiona Bruce MP and the Siemens Apprentices with Julie Pegg, HR Business Partner at Siemens Congleton in Westminster Hall

Photograph 3 shows Fiona Bruce MP with the presenters at the APPG.

-The meeting was part of a series of seminars and presentations in 2014 on “Skills for the Real Economy” which feature panel discussions from leading figures across industry, academia and the skills system on the economic makeup of the UK and the changing shape and character of the labour market. The aim is to deepen knowledge of what skills are needed, particularly by young people, in order for the UK  to be competitive within today’s and tomorrow’s global economy, and with a greater understanding of employment trends, how these are likely to change as the economy grows and new technologies come into play. The All Party Group challenges the Government, employers and training providers to adopt strategies which will meet future skills demand and address skill shortages to safeguard economic growth

- Fiona Bruce MP put down an Early Day Motion in the House following the meeting which reads as follows:

“That this House celebrates the value and significance of young people in the workforce, and notes the need for stronger connections between schools, colleges and businesses, to provide greater and more streamlined opportunities for young people to enter the world of work, as recommended by the British Chambers of Commerce Skills and Employment Manifesto; further notes the importance that employers place on skills and attributes such as effective communication, literacy, self-management, a positive attitude, people skills, team working, problem solving, and commercial awareness and urges schools, businesses, Chambers, LEPs and local and national Government to work collaboratively to help promote and develop such employability skills and job opportunities for young people.”

Congleton Praised in Parliament

Congleton Praised in Parliament

Congleton was praised in Parliament last week for their community work within their town at a Towns Alive event in Parliament to which representatives from the Town Council and Partnership were invited to showcase their work. Congleton’s approach to the digital age, success in becoming hosts for both the Olympic and Commonwealth Baton relays and winning North West in Bloom were highlighted. Congleton currently has a shop occupancy rate of 89% - which has actually increased over the past four years – from 2010 when at 80% and a good mix of independent, small regional chains and nationals

The event was held in the Houses of Parliament by Towns Alive to honour their award winners and was hosted by Fiona Bruce MP.

Fiona said “I was very proud that the achievements, awards and community innovation in Congleton were highlighted in Parliament this week to an audience of community leaders and MPs from across the country. This shows that Congleton is punching above its weight and making a mark, not only regionally with its Awards such as North West in Bloom but also nationally and I pay tribute to all involved.”

A number of representatives from the constituency were in attendance, George Hayes (Congleton Town Mayor), Jackie MacArthur (Congleton Town Centre Manager), Sue Trow, Jackie Potts, Andrea Morris-Wild,  David Watson (East Cheshire Chamber of Commerce) and Mike Smith (Congleton Partnership).

Jackie MacArthur said “It was an honour to attend the House of Commons and to hear some of the measures that the Government is putting in place to help town centres. It was also great opportunity to catch up with the inspirational winners of the Towns Alive Awards, many of which picked up their awards in Congleton at the Action for Market Towns Annual Conference held in November 2012. “

International Women's Day 2014

Fiona Bruce MP hosted an International Women’s Day event in Westminster

Fiona Bruce MP hosted an International Women’s Day event in Westminster last week to which dozens of representatives from Embassies and Consulates from around the world were invited to share knowledge, information and experience of supporting omen to help them make the most of their lives, particularly in countries where women remain oppressed.

Speaking in Westminster, Fiona Bruce spoke of the work of the UK Government in supporting women and girls:

“It is now well recognised that if women and girls, in developing countries, are supported within their communities, for example, to have an education or to set up a small business, the whole community benefits.

In many countries women and girls suffer severe oppression; in Ethiopia I saw, when there with the International Development Select Committee of which I am a member, girls married off well before their teens, and losing their childhood, education, and in many cases, health, as a result – particularly due to early childbirth. The UK Government is doing profound work on the ground in that country, educating communities to recognise that early marriage – whilst perceived as “securing the family line” – actually does the opposite.

I have also been pleased to see women in Africa helped to set up small businesses through the UK Government’s support of the “Farm Africa Credit Union” whereby many women from one village will pay monthly into a savings pot, which is then used to help one woman set up a business who then, with their profits, repays the loan so that another woman can be helped and in turn help their communities. In this way I have seen businesses such as a chicken farm and a sewing business set up.

The UK Government is also tackling the scourge of female genital mutilation (FGM) both in this country, and across the globe. This terrible practice is nothing less than torture of young girls and the psychological and physical harm to them as a result is major. At least 120 million women worldwide have been subject to this – in countries like Egypt and Somalia 90% of girls have been affected – as well as thousands here in the UK.

Despite FGM being supposedly illegal in the UK since 1985 not one prosecution has taken place – that must change. Thankfully the UK Government has listened to campaigners and through a flagship programme in 17 countries is now working card to end FGM both at home and abroad.”

Fiona Bruce hosts packed meeting in Parliament to highlight plight of North Koreans

Fiona Bruce MP hosts packed meeting in Parliament to highlight the plight of North Koreans

There was standing room only as over 30 MPs gathered at a meeting hosted by Congleton Constituency’s MP, Fiona Bruce, in conjunction with charity Open Doors, to hear moving testimony about the plight in North Korea.

Fiona Bruce is Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on North Korea and has been a strong advocate for the plights of North Koreans who experience persecution, imprisonment and torture under the dictatorial regime. She said following the meeting:

“I was so pleased that such a large number of MPs attended the meeting. The suffering of many North Koreans is truly horrific and we need to address, as a Government and a country, what we can do to help those in what is clearly a desperate need. The voice in Parliament on behalf of the persecuted North Korean people is getting louder and I am tremendously encouraged that there is a groundswell of support building for a BBC Korean World Service for which I have been campaigning. I shall continue to press both the BBC and the Government for this. We need to let the people of North Korea know that they are far from forgotten.”

"We cannot stay silent, North Korea is in breach of virtually every single element of the 1948 Declaration of Human Rights."

Hea Woo, a North Korean refugee, gave a graphic and powerful account at the meeting of her time inside a North Korean labour camp - where torture and beatings are routine and arbitrary executions frequent. She said:

"Sometimes we had soup with nothing in it, just full of dirt...In some places whole families were put into camps. They separated the men from the women...the guards told us that we are not human beings, we are just prisoners, so we don't have any right to love...Even if people died there, they didn't let the family members outside know. "

MPs were given the opportunity to ask questions and discussed how the international community should address the issue.

After the meeting Fiona Bruce filed an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons which reads as below and refers to the UN Commission of Inquiry which the All Party Group pressed for and which has just reported. In it Mr Justice Kirby, Convenor of the Commission of Inquiry reports on evidence from North Korean refuges from around the world, that the human rights atrocities in North Korea are without parallel.

Fiona Bruce MP said, “Now that we have this Report, the whole world knows of the human rights atrocities in concentrations camps containing hundreds of thousands of North Koreans, even as we speak, being treated worse than we would treat animals, the world must not stay silent. The leadership in North Korea must be called to account.”

The EDM reads:-

That this House welcomes and fully endorses the findings and recommendations of the United Nations Commission of Inquiry into human rights violations in North Korea; calls on the Government to lead the international community in implementing the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry, including seeking a referral of a case to the International Criminal Court (ICC); urges the Government to work within the UN to renew, strengthen and expand the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, including increasing resources in support of the Special Rapporteur's work, in order to strengthen a continuing mechanism for monitoring, investigation and reporting; further calls on the Government to work with others in the UN to establish a database for evidence with a view to future justice and accountability; and further urges the Government to actively consider every possible mechanism for accountability, including the establishment of an ad hoc tribunal, if a referral to the ICC is not achieved.

Unemployment Continues to Fall in Congleton

Unemployment continues to fall in Congleton Constituency

Fiona Bruce MP was pleased this week when latest figures released showed that the total number of unemployed claimants in Congleton Constituency has fallen by 402 people since February last year from 1047 claimants to 875 in January of this year. 1.9% of those economically active aged 16-64 are unemployed claimants, compared to 4.0% nationally, putting the Congleton Constituency as one of the constituencies with the lowest rate of unemployment in the country.

Speaking on Beartown Radio this week, Fiona Bruce MP commended the work of the Job Club, run by Will Spendilow, at New Life Church, which has been so successful in helping people prepare for job interviews and find work.

Fiona said “It is remarkable that in less than a year this job club has found work for almost 20 people.”

Will Spendilow said “I am pleased to report that this week a further 2 people from the job club have found permanent work – both on the same day – which is really great news for them and the Job Club.”

Fiona Bruce added “Under Labour youth unemployment rose by 45% nationally but the country is now turning a corner showing that the Government’s long term economic plan is helping get young people off benefits and into work, youth unemployment is now down 24,000 on the general election in 2010 and the number of young people Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) is at the lowest for a decade.

Furthermore over 1.5 million apprenticeships have been started since the election encouraging young people into training and work where they develop a real skill which is not only beneficial to them but to our recovering economy as a whole.

There are now more people in work than ever before with a record level of employment , 30.1m people, announced in January."

Premature and Sick Babies

Fiona Bruce MP raises concerns about crippling financial costs for parents of premature and sick babies at parliamentary event

Fiona Bruce MP attended a reception last week to support the launch of the report by Bliss, the special care baby charity called ‘It’s not a game: the very real costs of having a premature or sick baby’, which is based on a survey of over 1300 parents and 178 hospitals in England, Scotland and Wales. The report found that:

• Parents of a baby admitted to neonatal care face extra costs amounting to £2,256 during their baby’s stay in hospital, averaging £282 per week.
• Costs such as paying for food and drinks averaged £53 a week, while parents faced travel costs including petrol and parking averaging over £100 per week.
• Three quarters of parents reported that their household finances were worsened, while one in five couldn’t afford to pay bills such as their rent or mortgage.
• Alongside the financial burden is the cost to parent’s health, with almost two thirds of parents reporting that their mental health had worsened as a result of the extra pressure.

The charity wants more to be done to help families who face these issues and wants parents travelling more than 20 miles to see their baby in hospital to have their costs reimbursed and believes that they should also have access to free parking and accommodation so they can be near their baby, as well as meals provided and access to childcare at the hospital.

Fiona Bruce MP commented: “One in nine babies in Congleton is admitted to specialist hospital care each year and more than one local family has contacted me concerned about the additional pressures of having a premature baby. I am,  therefore, delighted to support Bliss to ensure all babies born premature and sick and their families get the vital support they need and to help families concentrate on their baby instead of worrying about their finances.”

Bliss Campaigns and Policy Manager Rebecca Rennison said, ‘We are really grateful to Fiona Bruce MP for supporting our campaign launch. Bliss is urging the Government to provide more help to families in what is an extremely difficult time. At Bliss we know that families have more than enough things to worry about when their baby is in hospital. Whether they can afford to be there shouldn’t be one of them.’

Funding for Primary School Sport

Fiona Bruce MP: £277,935 already spent on primary school sport in Congleton with more to follow

Local MP, Fiona Bruce, has welcomed the news that the Prime Minister David Cameron has committed to keeping the £150m a year Primary PE and Sport Premium until 2020. This means that between 2014 and 2020 primary schools in Congleton will receive around £1,667,610. This is part of the Government’s long-term economic plan, will secure the Olympic and Paralympic legacy, and will help to deliver the best schools for young people.

Primary schools around England are already using the premium to get children doing more sport. Schools are using the money for a wide range of activities including hiring extra professional coaches and PE specialist teachers, purchasing new equipment, offering more after-school clubs and delivering holiday and weekend activities.

Fiona Bruce MP commented:

‘I was delighted to see the impact this funding is having on Local Schools when I visited Smallwood C of E Primary School recently and spent some time watching the sporting activities which the children are involved in there. Speaking to some of them it was clear how much they enjoyed this and I was particularly pleased to hear from Boo Edleston that there is not one obese child in the school – well done Smallwood!

Under the last Labour government there were thousands of schools where no pupils at all took part in competitive sport.

It is great news for young people in Congleton that this Government has committed £150 million a year to securing the Olympic and Paralympic legacy in our Primary Schools.

This is part of our long-term plan to create an education system that gives young people who want to work hard the skills they need to get on in life and have a more secure and better future.’

Prime Minister David Cameron said:

‘Sport is so important because it encourages children to be active, lead a healthy lifestyle, make friends and, of course, have fun. But quality school sport has benefits that spread right across the curriculum and beyond – it develops confidence and a sense of achievement, it teaches young people how to rise to a challenge, and nurtures the character and skills that will help them get on and succeed in life.

 ‘It’s an important part of our long-term plan to deliver the best schools and skills for young people. That is why I am committing to guarantee the primary school sports funding until 2020.’

Fairtrade Fortnight 2014

Fiona Bruce MP supports Fairtrade Fortnight in Parliament

Fiona Bruce MP joined Colombian Banana producer, Albeiro Ruiz, at the Houses of Parliament to celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight 24^th February to 9^th March

Fiona Bruce MP said:

“I commend all those involved in supporting the Fairtrade Movement within my constituency; it is particularly encouraging to see how many schools, businesses and school groups are supportive of Fairtrade and to know of the many Fairtrade events taking place locally, during Fairtrade Fortnight such as the building of a model town in Alsager, Congleton school children learning about what Fairtrade products are available locally and many other events across the constituency. I have long supported the Fairtrade movement and hearing about the impact of Fairtrade and the need to make banana trading fair first hand from Albeiro was very powerful. I was happy to sign the ‘Make Banana Pricing Fair’ pledge and support the campaign.”

The UK eats over five billion bananas a year; 80% of which are bought from major supermarkets that are continually battling with each other in a very competitive price war. In the past 10 years, the UK supermarket sector has almost halved the shelf price of loose bananas while the cost of producing them has doubled. We now typically pay 11p for a loose banana compared with 18p a decade ago, while a loose apple grown in the UK now costs 20p. The resulting drop in export prices for bananas in producing countries means an ever-tightening squeeze on what producers earn for their bananas. This, combined with escalating production and living costs, means many farmers and workers’ standards of living have progressively worsened in the past decade.

Columbian banana farmer Albeiro Alfonso ‘Foncho’ Cantillo Ruiz is in the UK throughout Fairtrade Fortnight and joined MP’s and supporters in Parliament to convince the government to take action to help end unfair pricing by supermarkets.

Fiona praises Eaton Bank Academy in Parliament

Eaton Bank Academy praised in Parliament

Fiona Bruce MP praised the work of Eaton Bank on apprenticeships in Parliament this week saying:

Fiona Bruce (Congleton) (Con): I welcome the Minister’s statement. Will he join me in congratulating Ann Webb, head of Eaton Bank academy in my constituency, on holding an apprenticeship event last Friday, which I was pleased to attend, that directly promoted to students opportunities for, and the importance of, apprenticeships? Will he encourage other schools to follow that innovative lead?
Matthew Hancock: I certainly commend such action to promote apprenticeships as an option, alongside higher education, for young people. It is undoubtedly true that, while university is right for some people, it is not right for everybody. Giving people options that can also lead them to further higher study is valuable. In the law, for example, someone can become a fully qualified solicitor through an apprenticeship that is equivalent to post-degree level study. It is very important that such options are made available to young people.

Having opened the above event at Eaton Bank last week and having championed apprenticeships since becoming an MP Fiona added from the Constituency today regarding the Government policy on Apprenticeships:

“The Government has overseen the biggest ever boost to apprenticeships. Nearly 860,000 people were on an apprenticeship in 2012/13 with the gold standard of higher and advanced levels attracting record level of apprentices. There have been over one and a half million apprenticeship starts since 2010.

From 2014/15 all intermediate apprentices will be required to work towards achieving a Level 2 in English and maths, ensuring they have the basic skills employers need.

I firmly support the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers (AGE 16 to 24) year olds which supports those businesses who would not otherwise be in a position to do so, to take on an apprentice. Provisional data shows that between February 2012 and July 2013 there were 38,000 apprenticeship starts for which a payment was made through the AGE 16 to 24 scheme and a further 6,900 in the pipeline.

It is now quicker and easier for employers to take on an apprentice. The National Apprenticeship Service and training providers will be required to ensure that every employer is able to advertise a vacancy within one month of deciding to take on an apprentice.

The Government is targeting apprenticeships where they are needed. It is renewing focus on younger adults, new employees, higher level qualifications and particularly sectors where apprenticeships can make the greatest impact. It is encouraging that growth has been particularly strong growth in the engineering sector, with starts up 21.5 per cent to 59,480. In 2011/12.^[1]

I am pleased that the Government has cut red tape for employers taking on apprentices by piloting a ‘payment by outcomes’ system to eliminate a number of data returns and audit requirements; providing an online plain-English toolkit for employers; streamlining contracting arrangements; committing to no ‘in year’ changes to contracting arrangements, introducing a more proportionate approach to audit and inspection, reducing preparation time for employers; greater use of electronic information to reduce paperwork; and a more streamlined certification process.”

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[1] BIS, Apprenticeships starts almost double in two years, 31.1.13