24/06/2012 Sunday Politics Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

Coming up in half an hour, we look at us fresh calls for home rule for

the North. And why animal welfare campaigners fear that stray pets

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 2002 seconds

Good morning. Coming up today: Is it time to

fast-tracking economic power it to the north?

We look at a new campaigns for Yorkshire assembly. It will come, I

have never lost faith in that. animal welfare campaigners urge the

Government to maintain a ban on stray pets being used in scientific

experiments. Our guests today are up Craig

Whittaker, the Conservative MP and Linda Riordan the Labour MP for

Halifax. Craig Whittaker, it is there an argument for some form of

Yorkshire parliament? Absolut nonsense. People said they did not

wanted in the north-east, and we had one imposed on us by the then

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott. We very much want localism, but in

regards to this big bureaucratic... People want less politicians. They

are fed up with being told what to do, so no is the answer. Linda

Riordan, you are the President for an organisation campaigning for

home rule for the North. Tell us about that. It is a new

organisation, and there has never been at a time when we need of

regional government for the North, for Halifax and Yorkshire, and the

whole northern region more than life. It has been talked about

before, and as John Prescott said, it was rejected them. But things

change. That is the reason why we need it now. With Scotland and

Wales getting more power, who is facing the brunt of the cuts? For

every pound cut it affects the North more than the south. We do

not have the private sector to cushion that blow. I want to see us

making our own decisions and it will increase democracy. People

will be voting on the things that affect them. Some of the view with

envy the deal the Scots and Welsh landed with their devolved

parliament. Given the massive disparity between north and south

on spending in areas like transport and health, there is a resurgence

sentiment that Yorkshire should be looking to determine some aspects

of its own economic destiny. There are those who would say that

Yorkshire's economy is not on the right track and this is one of them.

Roger's family has run this department store for three

generations. He says scrapping a well-funded regional development

agency was a mistake and it needs to be replaced in some way. He has

got reservations over how exactly that should be done. We had a

wonderful operation in Yorkshire, it made a huge difference

financially and politically and is not there anymore. We do not want

any more or talk shops, we want to talk shops with money. Years ago

there was a plan by the Labour Government to go further and set up

a director -- directly elected regional assemblies. Those plans

were dropped due to public indifference, but this man thinks

the public mood is different today. As the North begins to see, I know

we got rejected in the north-east, but as they begin to see an unfair

distribution of resources between these parts of the UK, they will be

demanding to have a regional form of government. It will come, I have

never lost faith in that. People in Halifax appear as divided today as

locals were eight years ago. need something sorted out in

Yorkshire, the way things are going, it is not a bad idea. I think it is

a great idea, I hope they have the same in other places. I think it is

too complicated. Rubbish. But in nearby Brighouse, there are moves

for another form of directly elected regional government. This

is the head of the Hannah Mitchell Foundation, and the Yorkshire based

research and lobby group committed to devolving power to the north of

England. We're seeing a widening gulf between north and south. That

will get worse in the next two years. We need to redress that

problem by having, if you like, a strategic Tia of governments that

can take power out of Westminster and build on some of the work the

old regional development agencies did. Give them democratic

accountability which they never had before. A limited form of

devolution could soon be coming to the 11 local authorities that

collectively make up the league city regions. They have asked the

Government to transfer transport powers to them so they can take

decisions to boost the local economy. That decision is expected

in the next three weeks. Transport is key to the local economy. London

and the south-east have funding for transport three times that of our

area. We want the ability to make her own decisions and fund our own

schemes. We want to lift the economy of the North of England to

the levels we see elsewhere. Hannah Mitchell foundation has its

first parliamentary reception at next week. It is hoped that one day

those receptions will be held in the north rather than down south.

John Prescott suggests that regional government is still a goer,

do you fancy having a scrap with him on that? The people are the

ones to listen to and the people have well and truly said no. I will

go back to what Roger, I love him to bits but I think he is totally

wrong, the old agencies wasted 40% of what they spend. The Leeds City

region it is set up by wealth creators of the county, the

business people. I am all in favour of giving them more money, more

power to bring it in the northern habit that a lot of MPs have been

lobbying for in government. Why do we need bureaucracy? The Labour

government were excellent inputting that in place, let's tear it down

and give it to people who can make real decisions for the real local

economy. Do we need more politicians, Linda Riordan?

Hannah Mitchell Foundation, and regional government, is not about

creating more bureaucracy or another layer of government. It is

about replacing what is already there. It is about democratic

accountability. Let's have not forget what the Yorkshire forward

did for Halifax when we were in danger of losing age boss. They

played a major role in keeping those there. That is what our

foundation is about, about the North going out and getting more

power into Yorkshire and more jobs into Yorkshire instead of all the

jobs going down south. We must fight for what we deserve up here.

Let's cannot forget when business rates are not shared out any longer,

another decision by this government, you will keep your own reads in

each area. If you do not have a lot of private business, you will

suffer, how can that be right? will not in Halifax. That is what

it is about. It is not about a new layer of government, and it will

bring money in rather than take money out. Craig Whittaker, you got

rid of the Yorkshire forward and brought in a regional growth. You

have to look long and hard to find a business that has been helped by

that. I opened a ten million pound factory this morning, that is real

local businesses doing well in our area. 20% of our people work in

manufacturing. We have some of the best manufacturers in the world. We

That is what we need to promote more and we need to be given money

to do it. We need to give them freedom to do what they do best,

not more people like us, local councillors, bureaucracy or red

tape. We have to leave that particular debate therefore now.

It sounds like many animal lovers worst nightmare. Pets which have

been abandoned by their owners being used for scientific testing.

Campaigners say any you directive could overturn the ban on stray

cats and dogs being used in experiments. Many MPs from

Yorkshire and Lincolnshire are urging the Government to keep the

ban. Across the country animal shelters

are full to capacity with unwanted pets. It is no different here. This

lady runs the alternative animal sanctuary in south Lincolnshire.

She is worried about reports that a ban on stray dogs and cats being

used for experiments could be overturned. I cannot understand

what would happen if you're looking for your pet, don't find it within

a specified time and then find out it has ended up in a laboratory

where it could be experimented on for months until it is killed. I

find it hard to believe the English are prepared to except that that

could be a reality. The Government says scientific research using

animals is essential in the development of new drugs and

medical technology. It is heavily regulated and has to be licensed by

the Home Office. Home Office officials say they

cannot foresee any circumstances where a licence would be granted

for an experiment on strays. But animal campaigners say any EU

directive leaves the door open for just that scenario. Britain has the

option to say no, we will stick to our current plan. All the animal

welfare groups have said, yes, we should stick to the ban. For some

reason the Government has said no, we will adopt a less restrictive

wording and allow it under some circumstances. Many MPs have raised

concerns about the European legislation. Scunthorpe MP shares

at the Parliamentary Group for the Replacement of animals in medical

experimentation. That is the practice in some parts of Europe

were stray animals are used for animal experiments, the argument

being you do not have to breed animals for our -- laboratory

experiments. In the UK, that has not been the case and I would very

much hope that the Government take steps to make sure that cannot be

the case in the future either. That is the reason I tabled a written

parliamentary question last week asking exactly what the Government

intends to do in relation to this area. It seems a little bit

suspicious that it is brought in at lock long after the discussion

about compulsory microchip in animals. -- not long after. The

council can say if it is not checked, and we cannot trace its

owner, it is now our property. Campaigners are calling for an

urgent debate in the House of Commons to discuss changes they

believe will be of concern to the nation of animal lovers.

Linda Riordan, you signed a Commons motion calling for a debate on this.

What are your concerns question mark it is a crazy idea.

British public will not put up with this. I know the Government are

saying it is hardly likely to be used, it should not be there at all.

Research has moved on so much, whilst appreciating all the

research that has gone on in the past, cancer treatments, lots of

others have been discovered, but there is not the need for it. You

lose your pet and you might find it in a laboratory, no, we will not

wear that. There will be many debates in Parliament about that I

am sure. Craig Whittaker, do you think the Government could

seriously except his EU directive which could see stray cats and dogs

being used for experiments? Government have very clearly said

they are going to strengthen the directive and keep in place a lot

of the things that are of much greater and harsher in this country

than you. I do not understand why this mill section of it about

strays, they have decided there is no need to keep the provision which

we currently have. I am with Linda on this one, it is nonsense and

should be changed. Linda Riordan, do you accept there is some need

for animal testing in science? Taking the drugs that I do, I have

got to. We have moved on and people live normal lives and get cured

from many diseases. I am not against it 100%. But as I said,

research has moved on and there is not the need there used to be for

all the experiments on animals, and certainly not strays. The flipper

argument is many animals are bred specifically for medical research.

We look at all these beetles that are used in medical laboratories. -

- beagles. With strays is that such a bad thing if they end their lives

being used for the benefit of humankind? The problem with that it

is, what is a stray. If someone loses a pet, it goes missing for a

few weeks, it could end up in a laboratory. That cannot be the case.

There should be no circumstances, there is no reason to change the

law that his curly working well in this country, to be more relaxed. -

Six months to go before we elect our first ever police commissioners.

Labour launched its campaign and candidates this week. A familiar

face for Humberside with local councillors fighting to run in the

three neighbouring forces. The should be paid teachers, nurses and

dinner ladies less if they work in the North?

Lot of opposition from that government idea in Parliament this

week. We cannot get NHS workers to come to the Humber to work, and we

could not get teachers to teach in the City of Hull a few years ago

and had to give them an enhanced salary to do that. And Olympic

torch mania hit Yorkshire. Amazing scenes with stories to tell our

grandchildren, but has it left a golden economic legacy? The idea

that it brought huge amounts of Craig Whittaker, there was talk the

Government would drop these proposals for regional paid public

sector, but they looked determined to press ahead. We do have a

regional pay around the country already, but these particular

proposals, I agree. They need to be dropped. Myself and a few other MPs

went to see George Osborne last week to say we would not support

regional pay because in Yorkshire and the Humber, let's take

education for example. We have the lowest attainment rates in the

United Kingdom. By reducing regional pay, we will not attract

the best to our region to come and left those standards. I cannot

support it and a lot of local MPs cannot supported either for. Linda

Riordan, many businesses and the private sector say they struggled

to compete when they do not have a level paying for -- playing field

on pay. We have some of the lowest- paid employees at the moment in the

north. We do not need to go there. Education, Social Services, we are

struggling to get people because we pay less in colder deal than Leeds

and Manchester. If regional pay is brought in, how will that help

anybody? Forget -- they get London weighting and they have higher

mortgages. But I come home every week and switch my heating on up

here. Transport is more expensive, heating is more expensive, perhaps

it ought to be the other way round and we get the Northern waiting.

You expect another government U- turn? It is not a U-turn because it

is not in any draft legislation. Who knows, one would say they might

just listens. The big event this afternoon will be the Olympic torch,

it is back in Yorkshire in both of your constituencies. Very excited,

looking forward to going and seeing that, bringing people to Halifax.

It brought loads of people to the area, and I am hoping they will

come to us as well. What about the cynics who say the torch relay has

not brought economic benefits that were prop -- that were promised.

Humbug! If you look at all the things the Olympics has regenerated,

not just in London but outside London as well. Look what happened

that two or three weekends ago at the Jubilee weekend. It was a

fantastic weekend, people were united. All the here on the news is

doom and gloom but there is some great stuff going on. I am rushing

from here to take all of my family down to watch the torch and will be

cheering for it as well. For you confident the Olympics will benefit

the North? Certainly. It will benefit the country, certainly

Londoner again. It has regenerated a whole area and there will be

social housing left there. Hopefully there will be a knock-on