As the debate on Heathrow expansion has renewed calls for a new airport in the Thames Estuary, the Thurrock MP has set out her continued opposition to the proposal.  She said, “The Thames is the Port hub of the UK.  The airport hub should go somewhere else.”

The Public Accounts committee have issued a report on a Home Office programme to spend £71m on the application of mobile technology in policing.  The programme was intended to fund the purchase of 41,000 BlackBerrys and other mobile devices so that officers were able to spend more time on the beat and to increase efficiency and reduce paper work.

 The House of Commons Public Accounts committee has today published a damning report on how HMRC handles Tax disputes.

The enquiry was intended to focus on the demands sent to ordinary taxpayers after supposed underpayment, but the committee uncovered information relating to negotiations with individual companies which raised serious concerns about how HMRC is managing tax disputes with major corporations Jackie Doyle-Price, a member of the committee said, “Our report has highlighted poor performance by HMRC in handling tax disputes by major corporations.  We estimate that there is more than £25billion outstanding in unpaid tax bills.

I have witnessed many people being chased aggressively for small sums whilst millions have been negotiated away.  It is not right for HMRC to treat large corporations more generously than ordinary taxpayers.  I hope that under new leadership HMRC will deliver fairer treatment to all taxpayers.”

The Committee looked into this following a tip-off from a whistleblower and concerns expressed over settlements made with large Corporations including Vodafone and Goldman Sachs. 

In compiling this report the committee had number of heated evidence sessions with witnesses from HMRC including the Permanent Secretary Dave Hartnett.   Since the hearing Hartnett has announced he is to step down.
 

Responding to speculation regarding proposals for a new airport in the Thames Estuary, Thurrock MP Jackie Doyle-Price issued the following statement:

“The support for a new airport in the Thames Estuary is being overspun.  The Government is committed to reviewing aviation capacity in the south east and a consultation paper is due in March.  There is a need for more capacity and the options will be considered.  I am quite confident that this proposal will be rejected again when it is looked at closely.

So far, proponents have been more concerned about shifting the debate away from expanding Heathrow than making a real case for a new hub in the Thames.   Not much has been said in answer to the serious questions - where would the employees live? What about the increased risk of birdstrikes? What do they think will happen to Heathrow and the people who work there? And, most importantly, where exactly will the private capital come from to build it? Until they have answer to these questions, the idea is no more than pie in the sky. “

Thurrock MP Jackie Doyle-Price has backed a proposal that the UK Government should consider replacing the European Convention on Human Rights with a British Bill of Rights.  Jackie and a number of Conservative MPs have sponsored the publication of a book making the case for change. 

Three quarters of cases referred to the European Court of Human Rights go against the British Government, including , most notoriously the decision to award prisoners the right to vote. 

Jackie said, “I want to see powers repatriated from European institutions and back to Britain.  Top of  the list has to be the European Court of Human Rights.

 Jackie Doyle-Price has joined with 105 other MPs from the four largest political parties represented in the House of Commons and written to the Prime Minister urging a reduction in the amount of subsidy given to onshore wind power.

The joint letter also asks for amendments to be made to the National Planning Policy Framework to help protect the rural landscape and heritage sites across the country.

 The programme was designed to integrate all patient records at a cost of £12billion. 

Jackie said, “This programme was ill-conceived and over-ambitious.  Ministers were warned it wouldn’t deliver but went ahead anyway.  It is one of the worst examples of the grand vanity projects launches by the last Labour Government.

During a debate in the House of Commons in June earlier this year, the Thurrock MP called on the Government to cancel the project after reports by the National Audit office and the Public Accounts Committee were critical of the lack of progress in delivering the project, despite over £6billion having been spent.  She said, “Is it time for an emperor’s new clothes moment, or are we going to continue throwing good money after bad on a project that is clearly not going to deliver?”  She urged the Minister to reconsider so that money could be spent on patient care instead of delivering on this programme.

 Jackie Doyle-Price has challenged Government Departments to bring in fairer funding mechanisms for local authorities at a meeting of the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee this week.

Most local government funding comes from grants from central government, which are allocated between local authorities on the basis of need.  However, to avoid massive swings in budgets the figures are adjusted so that local authorities can manage their finances sustainably.  The result is that some authorities get more than they should according to need, and some get less. 

 Mark Francois, MP for Rayleigh and Wickford, Jackie Doyle Price, MP for Thurrock, John Baron, MP for Basildon and Billericay and Stephen Metcalfe, MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock are joining forces with Breast Cancer Campaign to raise awareness of its biggest fundraising event, “wear it pink” day.

On Friday 28 October 2011 supporters in schools, colleges and businesses throughout the country are encouraged to don an item of pink in support of Campaign and each donate £2 to fund innovative world-class breast cancer research.