09 December 2008

Labour’s parliamentary spokesman for Meriden has welcomed an announcement today that over 300 businesses in the Midlands have been given extra time to pay their business tax.

The Business Payment Support Service was announced and opened on November 24th as a result of the Chancellor’s Pre Budget Speech. So far about £5.1m of business tax has been rescheduled by businesses in the Midlands.

Ed Williams said:

“It is really important during these difficult economic times that the Government does everything it can to keep businesses afloat. The fact that so many businesses in the Midlands have called the help line and taken up the offer of support shows that the Government’s call on this issue was spot on.

09 December 2008

Families in Solihull and Meriden have received a big boost with the news that a new right to request flexible working will come into force.

The right to request flexible working will be extended to working parents who have children up to the age of 16 helping many families balance their work and family life much more easily.

Ed Williams, Labour’s parliamentary spokesman for Meriden, encouraged parents in Solihull and Meriden to be fully aware of their new rights:

“Extending the right to request flexible working to the parents of older children will give a big boost to busy parents in Solihull and Meriden who need more help balancing work and family life.

6 December 2008

Labour's Legislative Programme will build on the Pre-Budget Report and will help equip people to meet the economic challenges facing our country as a result of global downturn.

Labour’s parliamentary spokesman for Meriden Ed Williams said:

"This Queen's Speech sets out measures that will enable Britain to build a fairer future for all. Our test is to meet the needs of hard working people fairly, while making the right long term decisions to prepare and equip our country for the future.

30 November 2008

Ed, together with Sarah Merrill, Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Solihull, joined representatives from the Kingfisher Primary Parents' Support Group, at a meeting with Schools Minister Jim Knight recently. The pictures are below.

04 November 2008

Labour campaigners have attacked Solihull Council’s plans for the future of education in Smiths Wood and called for the community to have two top class primary schools.

Ed Williams and Labour Councillor Graham Craig are calling for Kingfisher Primary School to remain open and not be merged with Bosworth Wood Primary School.

17 October 2008

Local Labour campaigner Ed Williams has welcomed a Government drive against rogue employers who refuse to pay their workers the minimum wage.

The Government campaign will be aided by measures included in the Employment Bill which is being discussed in parliament this week. If the bill is successful tough new penalties for rogue employers will be introduced including an automatic £5000 fine for those underpaying their workers. The most serious cases will be tried in a Crown Court, which will have the power to impose limited penalties.

2 October 2008

Local Labour parliamentary campaigner for Meriden Ed Williams has welcomed the recent rise in the minimum wage by the Labour Government. The rate has risen to £5.73 per hour for workers aged 22 and over, £4.77 for 18-21 year olds and £3.53 for those aged 16 and 17 from the 1st October.

Ed Williams said:

"The minimum wage is one of Labour's proudest achievements in Government.

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09 July 2008

Ed Williams, the prospective Labour Party candidate for Meriden, has today written to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards to urge him to interview Sally Hammond, the former Parliamentary Secretary to Caroline Spelman, amidst fresh allegations from the BBC’s Newsnight.