CALL ON OFT TO INVESTIGATE POTENTIAL MONOPOLY ON ABERDEEN TO HEATHROW ROUTE

Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, has called again on the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to ask the European Commission to refer the International Airlines Group (IAG) takeover of BMI back to the UK body.

 

IAG who own British Airways have tabled a £172 million bid to take over BMI, if the takeover is approved it would mean every flight between Aberdeen and Heathrow would be operated by IAG, and they would also own more than 54% of the landing slots at Heathrow.

 

Mr Adam has already written to the OFT to request the referral but in response to a letter from Mr Adam, European Commissioner Joaquin Almunia confirmed that no request has yet been made by the OFT.

 

The European Commission can review the bid to look at the implications for competition and consumers.   If it is believed there will be a disproportionate impact in one member state then the OFT can ask the European Commission for the case to be referred back to the UK.

 

Mr Adam said:

 

“I am concerned that passengers would receive a raw deal if the bid from IAG to take over BMI is approved.

 

“It appears that this bid for the loss making BMI is just a way for British Airways to get more landing slots at Heathrow, who will then switch from flights to Aberdeen to more profitable international routes.

 

“For my constituents and businesses in Aberdeen this will mean less flights from the city that connect to international destinations through Heathrow and a higher price to get down to London in the first place.

 

“I believe that the OFT should be looking at this takeover as its impact would be felt by passengers in Aberdeen, Scotland and the rest of the UK, with little difference in other EU countries.

 

Mr Adam continued:

 

“If the deal is not referred back to the UK I am pleased to see that the Commissioner has said that passengers travelling from Scotland via Heathrow to international destinations will be a ‘core objective’ of their review.”

 

DECISION ON AWPR IS EXCELLENT NEWS FOR ABERDEEN

Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, has welcomed the decision from the Court of Session to reject the latest appeal from Roadsense, in their attempts to stop the AWPR project.

 

Mr Adam said:

 

“I very much welcome today’s decision, which has come as no surprise, to reject the Roadsense case.

 

“The AWPR will bring further investment to Aberdeen and could generate thousands of jobs for the city and shire, just what we need to help the economic recovery.

 

“Mr Walton and Roadsense must now once and for all put an end to these legal challenges and let the Scottish Government get on with building AWPR.

 

“With the support of residents, businesses, the Councils and the Scottish Government I now look forward to the first sods being cut on this vital road.

 

Mr Adam continued:

 

“It is not only the AWPR project which has been held up by these court cases but the Haudagain redevelopment as well.

 

“The Scottish Government recently announced £3 million to ensure that the plans for Option 5 are still current and I hope they will soon be able to update the plans and give local residents and roadusers a better idea of what the future holds for them and the Haudagain junction.”

 

Ends

 

The decision has been made available here:

 

http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/opinions/2012CSIH19.html

 

 

REDUCTION IN DELAYED DISCHARGES

Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, has welcomed statistics published today which show the number of people waiting over 6 weeks to be discharged in NHS Grampian is once again 0.  When the SNP came to power in 2007, 34 people had to wait more than 6 weeks to be discharged in the area.

 

Today also saw the first set of statistics published since the introduction of the new 18 week referral to treatment target for non-urgent patients.  In NHS Grampian 90.3% of patients were treated within this ambitious target in December 2011.

 

Mr Adam said:

 

“Both Aberdeen City Council and NHS Grampian should be congratulated on bringing the number of people waiting more than 6 weeks to be discharged back down to zero.

 

“This is better for patients who get to recover in their home environment and also for the hospitals which have another free bed to put to use.

 

Mr Adam continued:

 

“The Scottish Government have made our nationals health a priority, we have protected the NHS budget and are investing in a new Emergency Care Centre for the Foresterhill site.

 

“NHS Grampian is now tasked with keeping to the high standards we have set for them and I look forward to seeing further improvements in 2012.”

 

Ends

 

More information can be found here:

 

http://www.isdscotland.org/index.asp

 

POLICE & FIRE HQ ANNOUNCEMENT

Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen Donside has welcomed today’s announcement that the interim headquarters of the new Police Service of Scotland will be at Tulliallan Police College and the operating base for the Fire Rescue Service of Scotland at Perth Community Fire Station.

 

The locations have been chosen by the police and fire services’ respective chief officers’ associations, ACPOS and CFOAS.

 

Mr Adam said:

 

“I welcome these very sensible choices to make good use of existing facilities. It’s a cost-effective solution and one which will help to ensure a smooth handover to the new national services next April.

 

“Of course in the long term, the final decision on headquarters locations will be for the new services to make themselves, but for the interim Tulliallan and Perth are convenient choices which can be up and running and ready for leadership teams of the new services to start work right away.

 

Mr Adam continued:

 

“The fact that neither of these new HQs is in Glasgow or Edinburgh is also a welcome signal that these will be truly national police and fire and rescue services, serving all parts and all the people of Scotland.”

 

 

ENDS

 

Notes:

 

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill, these arrangements will be in place before the new services are expected to be established on 1 April 2013.

 

56% DROP IN HOMELESS IN ABERDEEN

Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen Donside has today welcomed new statistics which show there has been a 56% drop in homelessness in Aberdeen.

 

Across Scotland there was a 20 per cent decrease in both homelessness applications and assessments, comparing April to September 2011 with the same period one year ago

 

Mr Adam said:

 

“Aberdeen City Council is to be congratulated for achieving a 56% reduction in the number of people being made homeless in the city.

 

“I know that staff at the Council are working hard to prevent homelessness by addressing the problems before the situation reaches that stage.

 

“The Scottish Government will continue to work with local authorities to tackle homelessness by building more social and council housing and helping residents stay in their current homes.

 

Mr Adam continued:

 

“Being homeless is something that no-one should have to suffer and these statistics show that we are getting closer to meeting the 2012 Homeless target.”