September 2007

Published on Fri 28th Sep 2007

Usually, when I write, I try to report on pretty well everything that has happened during the previous month. This time, though, I want to concentrate on three of the things we have been talking about in Strasbourg this past week.

One is the safety of toys made in or imported into the EU, particularly from China. There has been an alarming number of recalls recently and the Parliament is pushing for the rules to be tightened up. This means much tougher inspections and better customs controls. But we also want stricter safety standards, too, and are looking at the idea of a Europe wide consumer safety label for all products, not just toys.

Another is renewable energy, especially the role of bio fuels. The issues here are difficult ones. At the moment we have a target of 10% for use in transport. But there is increasing concern about the effects that growing sufficient by way of bio fuels to do that will have on the environment and on food production, both at home and in the developing world. Just now we are sticking to the target but we have warned the Commission that they have to prove to us that it is a sustainable one.

Finally, we are introducing better rights for passengers on trains. One of our main concerns has been to improve the situation for disabled people in access to stations and on board. But the new rules, operating from 2009, should also make life easier for those coping with prams and pushchairs and mean more by way of cycle racks too.

Another part of the package is to improve compensation for delays. At the start this will only cover cross-border trains but will eventually cover all long distance ones. Of course, there are some compensation schemes in place already but the new rules should make them equivalent to one another no matter where in Europe you travel.

On these or any other issues please contact me at info@elspethattwoollmep.org.uk or at my Constituency Office, Olympic House, 2nd Floor, 142 Queen Street, Glasgow, G1 3BU, telephone number 0141 243 2421."