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Stephen McPartland MP for Stevenage recently launched a report in Westminster that shows how a government subsidy for biomass is increasing the price of wood used for furniture production.

Stephen commented, “I have been working with the furniture industry as Chair of the Furniture Industry APPG and one of the most pressing concerns is the problem of increasing wood prices and the impact this is having on competitiveness. This report shows how the current woody biomass subsidies are a significant cause of rising wood prices which are damaging British furniture businesses. I look forward to working with the industry and the Government over the coming months to find a way to resolve this ongoing concern.“

The Stevenage-based Furniture Industry Research Association (FIRA)’s Biomass Report suggests that the Renewables Obligation woody biomass subsidy should be reformed as it is damaging to the UK furniture industry. The introduction of biomass subsidies has encouraged power companies to burn wood, distorting the market for wood with prices rising by 55.1% over the past 5 years and so having a significant impact on furniture production costs.

Stephen launched the report in his capacity as Chair of the Furniture Industry All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) and also provided the foreword.The report was commissioned by the FIRA, based in Stevenage, with the support of the British Furniture Confederation (BFC).

FIRA’s Biomass Report is available at http://www.fira.co.uk/document/biomass-government-report.pdf

2011 has been a fantastic year for Stevenage and I am delighted we have secured over £250 million of infrastructure investment from the government for our local schools, hospital, housing and jobs. We have already begun to see the difference this money has had locally, with new facilities opening across the town.

The New Year will be incredibly exciting as the newly built Marriotts, Lonsdale and Nobel schools begin to open their doors in September, the new Biotechnology Park is set to open and new building continues at the Lister hospital.

I have more plans underway for even more infrastructure investment in our local health service, refurbishment and expansion of many of our schools and I will continue to focus on improving the quality of life for local people.

2011 was a great year for Stevenage and 2012 promises to be even better.

Happy New Year!

Stephen McPartland
Member of Parliament for Stevenage

Stephen McPartland, MP for Stevenage, visited Bedwell Supermarket on Bedwell Crescent in Stevenage, to see for himself how PayPoint, Hertfordshire’s Company of the Year, makes life easier for local people.

Stephen said:“PayPoint is a very worthy winner of this year’s Hertfordshire Company of the Year Award. This visionary business provides a hugely popular service for millions of people every week.Shops offering PayPoint also make it as easy and convenient as possible for their customers by being open seven days a week from early morning to late in the evening. Many of them will even be open on Christmas Day, so anyone whose energy meters run out knows they will be able to rely on PayPoint to get the lights back on again."

Bedwell Supermarket was the first shop in Stevenage to install a PayPoint terminal back in 1997. Now, customers can pay for their TV licence, gas, electricity, water and phone bills and top up their mobile phones at the shop, as well as send and receive parcels. PayPoint is widely recognised for its prepayment systems, smart technology and consumer service.

Stevenage MP Stephen McPartland was celebrating with local partners after the announcement by Michael Gove, MP, Secretary of State for Education, that their bid to the new Da Vinci Studio School in Stevenage has been successful. The Studio School is sponsored by North Hertfordshire College and specialising in Science and Engineering.

Stephen commented: "I am proud that North Hertfordshire College has been successful in our bid for a new Studio School and I am delighted Stevenage is once again leading the way in helping our economy grow and provide job opportunities for young people locally. This is a fantastic initiative and a huge amount of work has gone into making this dream a reality and builds on the government's massive £250 million investment in Stevenage for education, housing, jobs and our local hospital".

Fintan Donohue, Principal of NHC and CEO of the sponsor organisation, said: “We are delighted that our proposal has been approved by the Department for Education. Our key partners in this project include local authorities, other educational bodies, a range of leading employers in the region and the Member of Parliament for Stevenage, Stephen McPartland. Their support will be vitally important to this initiative, aimed as it is to prepare young people to take their places in society through a highly personalised approach to teaching and learning.”

Stephen McPartland, MP for Stevenage, was welcomed at last Saturday's Stevenage Farmers Market.  The market is held at the White Lion Yard off the High Street and offers a range of products from locally-based stallholders. There was a festive feel, with local Councillor Jamie Fraser taking on the town crier role.   Stephen and Jamie are standing in front of a Fowler traction engine owned by John Saunders of Stotfold which was very generously made available for the day.

The market has been going for almost four years under its current formation, building on a tradition going back 100's of years.  The Stevenage Farmers Market Committee is a non-profit making committee with the aim of helping to revitalise Stevenage High Street as a shopping centre. If you would like any further information on the market please see the website at www.stevenagefarmersmarket.com

Stephen McPartland MP for Stevenage is helping make sure collections to charities this Christmas are genuine by raising awareness of the new mobile website from the Charity Commission specifically designed for use on mobile phones. It means that when people are out and about they can immediately check if an organisation asking for donations is a registered charity and so encourage safer giving.

Stephen said, "Giving is a lovely thing to do, especially at Christmas when, as well as our families we can give to charities and help others in many different ways. Having this website available and being able to check quickly if a good cause is actually a charity is really useful and provides reassurance that money given will be used properly."

The Charity Commission, the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, has launched the site, http://m.charitycommission.gov.uk, specifically designed for use on mobile phones.

Stevenage Dog Watch had their Christmas Fun Day at the weekend at Pets At Home in Stevenage town centre. Stephen McPartland MP opened the event and, along with Santa of course, judged some of the classes. Pets At Home sponsored the prizes for the dogs and overall the event raised £307.87 for the Pets At Home adoption scheme.

Stephen said "This is a really fun event which the dogs and their owners get very involved with and I wanted especially to thank Sarah Sheldrick, the Stevenage Dog Watch co-ordinator, for all her hard work, and the team at Pets at Home for kindly sponsoring the prizes for the dogs".

Stevenage DogWatch was developed with Neighbourhood Watch and encourages dog walkers to keep their eyes and ears open and report suspicious incidents to the police. If you would like to know more please contact the coordinator Sarah Sheldrick on 07792 101893 or visit the website at http://www.stevenagedogwatch.org.

Stevenage MP Stephen McPartland was out in Foxfield, together with Michael Hearn, local councillor for Martins Wood, to take a look at the new road markings.  Stephen was brought in following concerns raised by Foxfield residents about the long-standing problem caused by many drivers ignoring the one-way restrictions.

Stephen said, "Following my discussion with Hertfordshire Highways, they have replaced missing no-entry signs and added additional one-way signs, and also improved the painted signs on the road surface.  These now show clearly that it is a one-way street which should go a long way to addressing the problem.  We will continue to monitor the situation and I am ready to take further action with Hertfordshire Highways if needed."