Speaking to the Scottish Liberal Democrat autumn conference in Glasgow on 14 September, Liberal Democrat MP and Minister of State for Business and Consumer Affairs Jo Swinson set out how she was taking steps to build a stronger economy and a fairer society by tackling unscrupulous payday lenders.
National figures announced by the Coalition Government have brought welcome news on the large number of "Troubled Families" being turned around by councils across the country, but reveal an exceptionally poor performance by Conservative controlled Hertfordshire County Council.
Reproduced from Rail Technology Magazine of 6th September.
Thanks to Liberal Democrats in Government, from last week, 130,000 two-year olds from the poorest homes will be eligible for 15 hours of free childcare a week with a nursery or childminder.
Liberal Democrats in Government have worked hard to ensure that from next April the personal tax allowance will have risen to £10,000. This will take over 2.7m low earners out of tax altogether, and deliver a tax cut worth £700 per year to 24m low and middle earners. We want to go further, and raise the tax allowance to the point which means that no one on minimum wage has to pay income tax at all.
The Lobbying Bill is about extending that transparency further to give people more confidence in the way third parties interact with the political system. So where third parties campaign in a way which supports a particular political party or its candidates they will be required to fully record and disclose their expenditure on those campaigns.
There were a number of by-elections on Thursday. Congratulations to Stephen Knightley who won in Cornwall for the Lib Dems.
The New Barnfield Incinerator Inquiry, due to start on 10th September, has an evening 'community' session scheduled for Tuesday 22nd October.
Liberal Democrat Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, visited Afghanistan last week and announced that the UK is pledging £4.5 million to increase women's participation in democracy.
Liberal Democrat Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, has visited British Armed Forces personnel deployed in Afghanistan's Helmand Province.
Commenting on figures showing UK manufacturing growth at a two and half year high, Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party Committee on Business, Innovation and Skills, Gordon Birtwistle said:
The Government has announced additional funding to provide free early years education to two-year olds across England .
