DESPATCH BOX
I recently participated in a Westminster Hall debate on the topic of scam mailing. Many of the people who are most affected by this abhorrent practice are the elderly and vulnerable. It is an issue that is serious and hugely distressing for both the victims and their families. I have been contacted by many constituents who have fallen victim to scam mailing, the consequences of which can be truly devastating. As well as scam mail by post, scammers
are now taking to new methods to target people – young and old – including ‘phishing’ emails and scam adverts on social networking sites. Once someone is drawn into a scam mail, they are often put on a ‘suckers list’. What started out with one letter, soon avalanches into dozens of letters a day from all over the world. The language is enticing – “Guaranteed Winner”, “Time Sensitive Document”, “Reply Immediately To Release Your Award” and various other slogans and logos which are plastered over the documents, making it appear to be a genuine document. It is really important that people are on
their guard and know that help is available as scams can bring real upset and misery to their victims. I would urge constituents to remember:
Stop, think and be sceptical. If something sounds too good to be true it probably is.
Do not be rushed into sending off money to someone you do not know, however plausible they might sound and even where an approach is personalised.
Ask yourself how likely it is that you have been especially chosen for this offer - thousands of other people will probably have received the same offer. Think about how much money you could lose from replying to a potential scam – it’s not a gamble worth taking.
I believe we should all continue to be determined to take the fight to these crooks. The lives that have been blighted have been too many. Whilst for lots of us, the scam envelopes and message are easy to spot as too good to be true, we have to remember those who are taken in by such scams and lose considerable amounts of money, money which is already in short supply for them.
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To view my contribution, please click the play button below
We know that 25 pubs are closing across the UK every week. We know that there will be many job losses particularly amongst the younger generation as well. Having run several pubs prior to my embarking on a political career, I employed many students who worked part-time to assist their studies. Sadly, their misery is a consequence of the serious breakdown in the relationship between the pubcos and lessees with a growing body of evidence showing that the ‘beer tie’ plays a significant part in explaining the decline of the pub trade. Pub companies – pubcos – are the branded
chains of pubs which account for the majority of pubs in the UK- and their tenants and licencees and for tenants to be allowed to choose between a tied and non tied option, to ensure fair and open business opportunities for tenants and small brewers alike. The beer tie is the practice whereby PubCos contractually oblige a licensee to purchase beers, wines and spirits through the PubCo rather than on the open market. This theoretically resulted in tenants paying a below market rent for the premises but making up the difference through increased unit prices In January, Labour forced a parliamentary Just 12
debate on it and I concluded the debate.
months previously, MPs had a robust debate on this issue and the House agreed unanimously for a review of self regulation and for a statutory code to be considered. The Government finally listened to those calls by announcing plans for an independent Adjudicator to address unfair practices in the industry. Click the play button to watch my speech.
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