News Andy Burnham MP for Leigh

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04/12/2008 - British 2012 medal hopes protected

A new funding deal to guarantee 2012 Olympic and Paralympic medal success was set out today by Culture Secretary and Leigh MP, Andy Burnham.

A total of £550 million of public funds - £50 million more than previously announced - has been allocated to UK Sport to fund its elite programme.

In return, UK Sport has agreed to lead a new, wide-ranging private fundraising initiative to aim to secure a further £50 million, keeping the overall funding ambition of £600 million in place.

UK Sport will work with other sports partners and draw on the advice and expertise of the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG).

Governing bodies of Olympic and Paralympic sports will be expected to play a full part in this national campaign.

The funding announced puts in place an unprecedented package of support for elite sport as it prepares for the unique opportunity of a home Olympic Games.

It builds on the £265 million invested in elite sport for Beijing, where British athletes finished fourth in the Olympic medal table and second in the Paralympic medal table.

It will ensure that over £300 million of funding will support elite athletes in the run-up to 2012, with intensive investment guaranteed for our most likely medal successes.

Andy Burnham MP said, “This is a good result for British Olympic and Paralympic sport, but one that is realistic in a tough economic climate."

“It represents a record investment in elite sport – more than the Beijing cycle - and keeps our medal ambitions for London 2012 in place."

“But I have made it clear that we have reached the very limit of public investment in Olympic sport. The challenge now is for all sports to pull together behind our Medal Hopes scheme to achieve our overall funding ambition. Today’s announcement puts that within our reach."

“I accept that raising private funds is challenging in the current economic conditions. But British business has a great track record of investing in sport. I urge them to rally round the British athletes as we prepare for this historic moment of our first home Olympics in generations.”

Allocations to individual sports will be made by UK Sport, but Ministers have asked that no sport be left adrift without funds. Development sports will be in line for additional funding as private investment comes on board.

The Government and the lottery has invested over £4 billion in sport in England since 1997.

26/11/2008 - Credit Card lenders must stop unfair interest rate hikes

The Government has called in the credit card companies to call on them to stop unfair massive interest hikes that we are seeing from some lenders.

Whilst most credit card companies act responsibly, there is recent evidence of pockets of bad practice where some lenders are hiking up people’s rates massively without adequate notice or any justifiable explanation claiming that they now pose a higher risk.

The Government wants to stop these unfair practices. And if we do not see evidence of credit card companies stopping these practices the Government will refer them to the Office of Fair Trading – the consumer watchdog who has recently been given tough new enforcement powers to outlaw unfair lending practices.

Andy Burnham MP said, “At a time when families are really struggling through this downturn the last thing they need is unfair massive interest rate hikes on their existing debt and with next to no notice. There can be no justification for some of the evidence we are seeing of people having their interest rate doubled overnight and without any justified explanation."

“Any credit card lenders indulging in this practice to boost their own balance sheets need to stop it and stop it now. If they don’t they should know these practices will face investigation and action."

“It is an issue of fairness that if credit card companies impose large rate increases they should be giving people alternative options and giving them proper notice of any changes so they have time to shop around for another deal or bring down their balance. They should also treat people in difficulty at this tough time sympathetically and fairly in giving them breathing space to get back on their feet.”

“If you have any evidence of credit card companies hiking up interest rates in a completely unfair and unjustified way I want people to get in touch with me and I will immediately pass this on to the Financial Ombudsman Service. And I will also pass on your evidence to the Government so that ministers really know what is happening on the ground.”

25/11/2008 - Andy Burnham MP welcomes real help through tough times for Leigh

Andy Burnham MP today welcomed the Pre-Budget Report as real help for people and business through tough times.

The 2008 PBR set out action to help families and businesses through the tough times caused by the global credit crunch;

- by helping people, and putting money into the economy now so we come
out of this sooner and stronger and;
- once the economy is growing again, tackling the public finance
problems caused by the credit crunch, in a way that is fair to all.

Andy said, “Given the worldwide forces hitting the UK economy nationally and locally, I welcome the Chancellor’s budget proposals today – which means real help homeowners, to protect jobs and businesses."

“I especially welcome the special payment to all pensioners in the Leigh constituency of £60 on top of the Christmas bonus of £10. Families of disabled children will also receive this extra cash boost."

“All families in Leigh will benefit from the increase in Child Benefit which will start straight after Christmas."

“And the huge cut in VAT will provide a welcome boost to the economy locally. In the 80’s and 90’s the Tory answer to a downturn was to turn their backs on families and businesses. It is the Labour government that is taking action and offering real help through the tough times.”

Here in Leigh this means:

- 5,280 pensioners in the Leigh constituency benefit from a rise in the Pension Credit – up to £130, over and above the rise you would normally see (and rising to £198.45 for couples).

- 11,300 families will benefit from a rise in the Child Tax Credit – the £25 increase in the Child Element is being brought forward from (total of £75 above indexation April to April)

- 21,120 children in over 12,000 families will gain from the rise in Child Benefit (now rising to £20 a week for the 1st child, and to £13.20 a week for other children) – an increase the Government is bringing forward from April to January 2009.

- The annual Christmas Bonus of £10 will be increased to £60 – a one-off seasonal payment going to 15 million people including 12.5m pensioners and recipients of Incapacity Benefit, Disability Living Allowance, Carer’s Allowance and Bereavement Benefit.

- And 18,330 local people in the Leigh constituency will be receiving their Winter Fuel Payments at the moment – as announced at Budget 2008, an extra £100 on top of the regular £300 payment for over-80s households, and an extra £50 on top of the regular £200 payment for over-60s households.