Petitions

Debate between Ian Murray and Mary Creagh

Wednesday 25th March 2015 Commons Chamber

[Ian Murray (Edinburgh South) (Lab)]

I wish to present a petition on behalf of my constituents to prevent housing development on Midmar Paddock in Edinburgh.

The petitioners declare that Midmar Paddock in Edinburgh is used by hundreds of people every week for open-air exercise with children, families and dogs, as a green lung in the city; further that it is green-belt land, a special landscape area, designated open space and a local nature reserve, where planning developments have been resisted for decades; further that it is under imminent threat following its sale with development potential for housing development, and a planning application is expected shortly; and further that a local petition on this matter was signed by 330 individuals in the local area, supported by the wonderful Friends of the Hermitage of Braid, and the Morningside community council, especially Mr Goff Cantley.

The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Secretary of State for Scotland to encourage the Scottish Government and the City of Edinburgh council to intervene to stop housing development on Midmar Paddock.

Following is the full text of the petition:

[The Petition of residents of the UK,

Declares that Midmar Paddock in Edinburgh is used by hundreds of people every week for open air exercise with children and dogs; further that it is green belt land, a special landscape area, designated open space and a local nature conservation site; further that it is under imminent threat of housing development and a planning application is expected shortly; and further that a local Petition on this matter was signed by 330 individuals.

The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Secretary of State for Scotland to encourage the Scottish Government to intervene to stop housing development on Midmar Paddock.

And the Petitioners remain, etc.]

[P001487]

[Mary Creagh (Wakefield) (Lab)]

I should like to present a petition on behalf of my constituents about the Government’s proposed changes to GP budgets in Wakefield. It is supported by many of our local GPs, local councillors such as Councillor Rory Bickerton, and Ryan Case, who is a local resident.

The petition states:

The Petition of residents of the Wakefield constituency,

Declares that the Petitioners are concerned about the proposed £3.8 million cuts from budgets for GPs; further that these cuts could result in small practices closing, 38 full time doctors or 95 full time nurses being lost and patients waiting longer to be seen by a GP; and further that a local petition on this matter has been signed by 850 individuals.

The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to reconsider the proposal to make cuts to budgets for GPs in the Wakefield area.

And the Petitioners remain, etc.

[P001489]

Public Forest Estate (England)

Debate between Ian Murray and Mary Creagh

Wednesday 2nd February 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mary Creagh]

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker.

My hon. Friend’s point goes to the heart of the matter. The only legally enforceable rights are public access rights guaranteed under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. The introduction of further “higher rights” would require changes to primary legislation. [Interruption.] Who will enforce the leases in 150 years’ time? It is certain that none of us will be around to remember this debate at that time.

Who will benefit from the sales? The Confederation of Forest Industries’ website says that the price of commercial forests rose

“138% since 2002, which equates to a 17% average annual growth over the period”.

So the forests that the Tories sold off in the 1980s and ’90s have trebled or quadrupled in value. Where is the public benefit from those increased land values? There is none. Forestry land is exempt from inheritance tax after two years, and timber sales have no income tax or capital gains tax. When we sell our forests, the taxpayer loses many times over.

“Private companies buying 75-year rights to woodland would naturally seek to maximise returns from timber extraction”—

[Interruption.] The Minister should allow me to finish my quote before chuntering; I think that he is going to like it:

“There is no sign that the consequences for conservation, recreation and tourism have been properly weighed up in these plans. The Government is using ‘slash and burn’ tactics”.

Those are not my words; that was a press release from the current Chief Secretary to the Treasury in January 2009, when a similar plan was proposed by the Scottish Government. I do not see the right hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (Danny Alexander) in the Chamber today.

[Ian Murray (Edinburgh South) (Lab)]

I should like to draw my hon. Friend’s attention to a quote:

“Liberal Democrats believe that the SNP are in a real way threatening to destroy rural Scotland through this hugely flawed proposal and are prepared to sell off the family silver for what amounts to a very small, one off sum of money.”

Will she join me and the Liberal Democrats in their “Save our Forests!” campaign?

[Mary Creagh]

My hon. Friend makes an excellent point. For some reason, the photograph of the Chief Secretary to the Treasury with a “Save our Forests!” sign has disappeared from the Liberal Democrats’ website. If anyone can find it, please will they e-mail it to me?