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Brian Adam is MSP for Aberdeen Donside. He is the SNP Chief Whip and minister for parliamentary business. He was the MSP for Aberdeen North from 2003 to 2011 and for North East Scotland from 1999 to 2003. I was born in 1948 and educated in the North East at Keith Grammar School. After a BSc at the University of Aberdeen I took an MSc in Clinical Pharmacology. I started work with Glaxo in Montrose and continued my career at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where I was a Principal Biochemist. I was an Aberdeen District Councillor representing Middlefield and Heathryfold from 1988 until 1996 and an Aberdeen City Councillor from 1995 until 1999. I live in Aberdeen with my wife and family. I have four sons, one daughter, and two grandchildren. I am an avid Don's fan and make an effort to attend as many games as possible. My only personal hate is onions and garlic, and I feel they should be banned from all cooking.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

CALL FOR ATOL REFORM TO EXTEND TO ALL HOLIDAYMAKERS

Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, has written to Theresa Villiers, the Minister of State for Transport, asking her to extend the ATOL protection scheme to all travellers.

 

The ATOL system is currently being reformed with the consultation process ending yesterday (15th of September) but a local travel agent has told Mr Adam that the reforms will still leave many travellers unprotected if their operator were to fail and that the reforms are being rushed through.

 

Both the Scottish Passengers Agents’ Association (SPAA) and the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) have called for a delay to the implementation of the plans and for more travellers to be protected.

 

Mr Adam said:

 

“Theresa Villiers needs to listen to passengers and travel operators and get ATOL working properly for the 21st century.

 

“There is no question that reforms are needed, when Fly Globespan went bust too many travellers were left stranded with no protection in place to get them home.

 

“ATOL was designed for an age when everyone went down to their local travel agent and booked a package holiday.

 

“However the internet has changed the game; it is now easy to book bespoke packages through websites which may not offer holidays covered by the ATOL scheme.

 

“We need an ATOL scheme which will balance its books and help passengers in their time of need.

 

Mr Adam continued:

 

“I know that there are concerns within the industry that these reforms will happen too fast.  The deadline for submissions to the consultation was yesterday, and the final proposals are far from being finished.

 

“Yet businesses have been told they will have to implement the new scheme in January which would leave them very little time to change their systems.

 

“I hope the UK Government will take forward the suggestion of the SPAA and ABTA to sit down with them and discuss how these reforms can be extended to all travellers and work for businesses.”

 

 

More information can be found from the SPAA here: http://www.spaa.org/default.php and the ABTA consultation response can be found here: http://www.abta.com/about/news/view/418

 

Posted by at 09:35