Read all about it – Scotland’s first easy read newspaper launched in Aberdeen

Dame Anne Begg MP was delighted to attend the Scottish launch of the UK’s first easy read newspaper designed for people with learning disabilities. Inspire kindly hosted the launch at Café Coast and it was attended by some of the people they support.

Dame Anne and Linda read through the most recent edition of Easy News

Easy News is produced by disability charity United Response, and is designed to tackle the “information gap” facing many people with learning disabilities. United Response’s own research revealed that only 11% of people with learning disabilities read newspapers, usually because they are deterred by the complexity of the language. Partly as a result, just 16% of people with learning disabilities said they were interested in politics, and over half didn’t feel that politics actually had an impact on their daily lives. Easy News is designed to change that, with 58% of respondents saying that they would be interested in reading an accessible newspaper with simple language and strong visual images to help people understand.

Jaime Gill from United Response introduces Easy News

Dame Anne said: “I was very impressed when I attended the launch of Easy News in the House of Commons so I was keen that it should be available in Scotland too.  I’m particularly delighted that the Scottish launch is happening in Aberdeen.

“Not having access to news in a format which you can understand can make you feel left out of what is happening in the world. I hope that as many people as possible in Aberdeen will benefit from this newspaper.”

Easy News will be produced every other month and will be available in paper, downloadable PDF and audio versions. The second edition covers the horsemeat scandal, the Oscar Pistorius court case, a new report into disability benefits, the long winter and the EU referendum, amongst other topics and you can read it here: http://www.unitedresponse.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Easy-News-Issue-2.pdf

Exhibition on Modern Day Slavery

Dame Anne Begg MP attended one of the most dramatic and distressing exhibitions ever promoted in the House of Commons highlighting the hidden nature of Modern Day Slavery.

The exhibition, built by students from the Central St Martin’s College of Art, depicts the four different kinds of slavery hidden away in our society.  Curtains, doors, drawers and tea chests concealed the stories and photographs of survivors.

The survivors who shared their stories with the Human Trafficking Foundation to create the exhibition attended the opening.  Among them was Cristina, a Romanian girl sold by her mother into prostitution in Birmingham when she was 16 and who narrowly escaped being snatched from her local authority care home by her traffickers.  There was also a man, duped by a job advertised in Hungary, and on arrival here forced to work without pay, compelled to open a credit card account operated by his slave master, forced to claim benefits for non-existent children.

No one knows the real numbers involved.  Yet, the Serious Organized Crime Agency knows that at least 2,000 victims are found each year.  However, they believe that is the tip of the iceberg and that for every victim found, another ten remain hidden.  The Human Trafficking Foundation concludes there must be up to 20,000 slaves in the cities, towns and villages of the UK.

Of these victims that have come to light, 6% are known to have come from Scotland.

Dame Anne visits House of Commons exhibition

MP for Aberdeen South, Dame Anne said “Due to recent local press coverage on this issue this week, we are all aware that there are deeply traumatised people who have been trafficked to the UK and abused living in Aberdeen.

“That’s why I recently held an event on International Women’s Day to raise awareness of human trafficking and I want to ensure that everyone in Aberdeen is more alert to the signs of modern day slavery.  I hope students in schools, public service workers, the police, as well as those in private business will join me in this task.

“In parliament, I have already tabled a question to the Minister asking that frontline staff are fully trained to recognise the signs of human trafficking. I want to see modern day slavery put at the top of the political agenda.”

Anthony Steen, Chairman of the Human Trafficking Foundation said: “What is amazing is that trafficked children, unlike adults, are offered no special care in spite of what they have been through.  They have no safe haven since in local authority care hundreds of trafficked children go missing each year.

Maggie Law Maritime Museum

Dame Anne Begg MP was delighted to officially open the Maggie Law Maritime Museum. Dame Anne, who is honorary president of the Maggie Law Maritime Museum Committee, also gave the keynote speech to an invited audience in the Gourdon Village Hall.

Dame Anne unveiled plaque

The project has encompassed many of Dame Anne’s interests by not only involving two local schools in developing the museum as an Education Centre but also by ensuring the museum is fully accessible by developing concepts such as the Armchair Tour. This means that anyone who has a loss or restriction of mobility can access the Heritage Trails by laptop through a video and commentary, from the comfort of the Museum, or from their own home.

Two mobility scooters have also been purchased by the Museum.

The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association have offered their advice and support to Museum to enhance the coastal and Heritage Trail for people with their guide dogs.

The new website was also launched and more information on the Museum can be accessed at www.maggielaw.co.uk.

Labour listens in Aberdeen

During her recent visit to Aberdeen, Johann Lamont took part in a Labour Listens event where she answered questions put forward by local people on issues ranging from funding higher education to the controversial welfare reform.

North East Young Labour with Anne and Johann

Johann Lamont visits Aberdeen City

Dame Anne joined Scottish Labour Party Leader, Johann Lamont on several site visits this week, alongside local MSPs Lewis McDonald and Richard Baker. They enjoyed a presentation by Dana Petroleum on the company and their project Western Isles for new oil wells East of Shetland.

Labour politicians visit Dana Petrolium

Role models video

Dame Anne recently took part in a campaign by Esther McVey, Minister for Disabled People, which aimed to raise the aspirations of young disabled people by highlighting some disabled role models in society.

You can watch Dame Anne’s interview below:

Dame Anne Urges Government Rethink

MP for Aberdeen South, Dame Anne Begg is calling for a review of funding criteria to prevent Aberdeen losing out on £6.5 million. Despite successfully bidding for funding from the Urban Broadband Fund 2 (UBF2), Aberdeen City and Shire could potentially lose out due to a lack of agreement over funding criteria.

Dame Anne has, therefore, written to the Rt Hon Maria Miller MP, Secretary of State at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport asking her to alter the criteria to allow both local authorities to access the £6.5 million and deliver a world class fibre optic broadband infrastructure for the region.

Dame Anne said: “Aberdeen is a dynamic and vibrant city, a world leader in innovative technology, and the UK powerhouse for oil and gas production. Yet, potential development is being threatened by poor broadband speed.

“As a strong supporter of the bid for UBF2 funding, I was thrilled when we were successful following the immense amount of hard work and effort that went into our campaign. I continue to receive a number of phone calls from constituents still complaining of poor broadband speeds and I am both disappointed and frustrated by the slow progress in developing super fast broadband for everyone in the region. Not only are big companies being held back by limited broadband speeds, SMEs, which are vital components of the oil and gas supply chain are also suffering.

“I am therefore calling on the government to alter the funding criteria to ensure that Aberdeen City and Shire have the opportunity to really benefit from this money.”

Aberdeen City and Shire Councils are proposing a joint venture which would see a fibre based broadband infrastructure built across the North East boosting the local economy and providing a long term income stream for both authorities. However, a lack of agreement between DCMS and the European Commission indicates that the joint digital strategy proposed by the two local authorities is unlikely to meet the current criteria.

Dame Anne stated: “It appears that any funds released would have to be spent on either demand stimulation or vouchers for SMEs, neither of which is required in this area as Aberdeen City and Shire have the highest and second highest rates of broadband uptake in the UK. However, it is clear that what is required here in the North East is a world class fibre based infrastructure in order for us to fully realise our potential.”

The UBF2, also known as the Super Connected Cities Fund, was announced by the UK government in early 2012. In December 2012, Aberdeen was announced as one of twelve cities across the UK to be awarded a share of £50 million in order to provide homes and businesses with fibre optic broadband and high speed wireless Internet access.

Anne Begg Welcomes Offshore Wind Deployment Centre Consent

Welcoming the announcement that the Scottish Government has given consent for the development of the European Offshore Wind Energy Deployment Centre (EOWDC) off Aberdeen Bay, Dame Anne Begg MP for Aberdeen South has said: “I’m delighted that the Offshore Wind Test Centre has been given the approval to proceed. This is an invaluable project as it places Aberdeen firmly at the heart of offshore wind research and development and will enhance our reputation as the Energy Capital of Europe. The Test Centre will be a vital link in increasing the scale of offshore wind by improving its efficiency and affordability.”

Tackling Human Trafficking in the North East

As part of International Women’s Day, Dame Anne joint hosted an event with Aberdeen Cyrenians’ Violence Against Women Project to raise awareness on human trafficking in the North East which was attended by over a hundred people.

Jenny Marra MSP spoke on human trafficking

Dame Anne invited Jenny Marra MSP, Co-Convenor of the Cross Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Human Trafficking and Bronagh Andrews, Assistant Operations Manager at the Trafficking Awareness Raising Alliance (TARA) Project to speak at the event on the prevalence of human trafficking and the need for a more co-ordinated response.

Dame Anne said: “Due to its nature, it can be difficult to ascertain the nature and extent of human trafficking. However, I am sure that this evening will show that everyone can help play their part by raising awareness on this issue.”

The event was held in the Town and County Hall in the Town House

Joining Jenny and Bronagh on a panel to address questions from the audience were Detective Chief Inspector David Hadden and Fiona Whitehouse, Depute Manager of Cyrenians’ Violence Against Women Project. Fiona said: “The aim of this evening’s event is to raise awareness of human trafficking in the North East of Scotland, with a particular focus on the harm caused to women who are trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation.”

I need you to vote!

Today I have launched a competition in conjunction with new music website 57 Degrees North to choose which band I should nominate for Rock the House 2013.

You can vote by clicking here: http://www.57north.org/news/rock-house-competition

Rock the House 2013 is Parliament’s biggest competition which celebrates up-and-coming British artists. This year, I have received entries from blues-based rock band The Afghan Hounds and metal band Matanuska.

But unfortunately I can only nominate one band so I need you to click here and vote before Friday 18^th March: http://www.57north.org/news/rock-house-competition

The finalists will compete in a live battle of the bands, and the winner of each category will then perform live on the balcony of the House of Commons on the evening of the 26^th of June 2013.

57 Degrees North is a new site launched last week which is a one-stop-shop for all musical activity in the North-East. It features the region’s only comprehensive gig guide, news, reviews, musician profiles plus a huge resource for all promoters, venues, schools, studios, music shops, tutors and much more.