Lib Dem MP for Bristol West, Stephen Williams said:

"This is excellent news for young people across Bristol, but particularly in Bristol West, where the number of apprenticeships more than doubled in the space of a year - one of the biggest percentage increases in the whole country.

"As a Liberal Democrat, I believe that we are doing the right thing by giving employers further encouragement to train young people and create opportunities for apprentices. The rise in youth unemployment is one of the cruellest legacies left to us by Labour, and it is right that we do everything in our power to combat it."

"This Friday I will be joining Bristol …

I took the opportunity to raise the issue directly with the Prime Minister in Parliament after it was announced last Monday that the St George's Trust had withdrawn from a proposed merger with the Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust. Long running negotiations over the merger had been ongoing, but St George's decision to pull out of the process has now left St Helier in a vulnerable position.

I asked the David Cameron whether he would guarantee that the Trust would be allowed the time and money it needs to allow for the development of the hospital and associated care centres.

I have since received a response from the Chief Secretary to the Treasury who assures me that the funding - £219million - remains in place. This is positive news, however, there is still much to be done and I will be working with medical, community and voluntary sector partners to …

Following the ever-increasing success of establishments in the Lake District, Tim Farron has called on Parliament to formally recognise the astounding achievement and value of U.K Bed and Breakfasts ahead of the 2012 Olympics. Eight out of the top 10 in the Best B&B and Inns in the World Category are from the U.K, while Riverside B&B has built on its success in the 2011 competition, climbing from 4th to 3rd place.

Farron has tabled an Early Day Motion which states: "That this House congratulates the Lake District's Riverside Bed & Breakfast in Ambleside for its fantastic achievement of being voted the 3rd best Bed & Breakfast in the world on the Tripadvisor.co.uk website; recognises that 8 of the top 10 establishments …

The Council has to ensure school and college transport by Law, but the reduction in buses in rural areas and the possible withdrawal/rise in cost of the County Ticket will affect many.…

Mark with Lib Dem colleague Vince Cable

New figures reveal that in the North West, 78,660 people benefitted from an apprenticeship last year, an increase of 66%.

This news comes on the back of news last week that Stockport has achieved the highest number of new 16-18 Advanced and Higher Apprenticeships (307) in Greater Manchester in the last year.

This week, the Coalition Government has launched the National Apprenticeships Week, which will seek to build on last year's success with events in schools and businesses.

Commenting, Mark said:

"This dramatic growth in apprentices is welcome news for young people in the North West. Apprenticeships equip our young people with the skills needed to get jobs and build prosperous careers.

"In my own patch of Cheadle, there were 760 apprenticeships last year - a rise of 56% - fantastic news for youngsters in the area and for the future of our local economy.

"I also want to congratulate Stockport Council on last week's news that Stockport has had the highest number …

The Council has acknowledged parents and pupils were left scrambling for information in the wake of their decision to hold an 8:30 am emergency meeting on whether to keep schools open and the subsequent failure of their website.

Commenting, Jo said:

"I welcome the letter from the Council explaining exactly how the system broke down and their assurances that they have reviewed their procedures to avoid a similar situation arising in future."

"Given that wintry weather is still with us let's hope that they indeed have their act together when it comes to informing parents, carers and others about school closures in the future."…

Tim spoke to the Post Office this morning who agreed that they will open the service for reduced hours. Subject to an applicant being successful in taking over the franchise, it will re-open fully in due course.

Tim held a series of phone calls yesterday with Post Office Ltd and several local businesses to try and find a solution to bring the service back to the village. The branch closed on 25 January 2012. With Hawkshead post office closed, the nearest branches are almost 5 miles away at Ambleside and Coniston with a limited bus service.

Tim has also been working closely with local councillor Colin Davies and Hawkshead Parish Council to make sure that they are kept informed of developments.

Tim said: "I'm delighted that yet another of our community campaigns has paid off! I want to thank the Parish Council and the community for their …

Running until 20 February and open to all 14-18 year olds, 'Chance to be Chancellor' challenges young people to make informed decisions about how UK's finances should be run. Young people are asked to give their views on taxation and spending policies, which will go on to be published in the Youth Budget 2012.

As well as offering up the chance to learn about the big issues ahead of the Budget 2012, the website offers the chance to win prizes and a trip to HM Treasury for those who take part.

Last year 'Chance to be Chancellor' engaged 3000 young people across the UK and the Citizenship Foundation want as many young people as possible to contribute to this year's publication. Further information is available online at www.chancetobechancellor.org.uk.

Commenting, Jo said:

"I would encourage all young people with an interest in politics …

The careers event was held at Southwark College to help launch the college as a construction and engineering training provider. The day allowed the college to showcase the talents of its students and gave visiting contractors the opportunity to assess potential candidates for apprenticeships. A careers event also provided advice for …

At a recent campaigns event in Parliament, Greater Manchester MP Mark Hunter joined with representatives from the Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnerships, MIDAS, the New Economy, AGMA, pro.manchester and other MPs to discuss the case for having the Green Investment Bank based in Manchester.

The Coalition Government is creating the Green Investment Bank, the first of its kind in the world, which is designed to accelerate private sector investment into the UK's transition to a green economy.

The Government is providing the £3 billion initial capitalisation of the Bank and given it borrowing powers from 2015. The Bank will begin its operations in 2012, a year earlier than planned, and is anticipated to leverage an additional £15 billion from private sector investment in green projects. A decision, by the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, on where to locate the Bank is imminent.

The key …

Average temperatures must be recorded as, or forecasted for, zero degrees or below for seven consecutive days for certain residents to become eligible for a cold weather payment.

Cold weather payments are made to certain recipients[1] of Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance or Pension Credit during periods of very cold weather (see below for details).

Last winter 17.2 million individual payments were made worth £430.8 million to help people to heat their homes. The Liberal Democrats, as part of the coalition government, have mow made the £25 cold weather payment system permanent - after it was introduced as a temporary measure by the previous government.

Simon Hughes MP , Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader, said:

"Cold weather payments help people to pay high heating bills during prolonged periods of …

Local MP Mark Hunter is urging eligible residents to claim their cold weather payments which have been made available due to the current cold weather across the area.

Yesterday, Monday 6th February 2012, there was a cold weather "alert" in the following postcodes - M22, SK12, SK2, SK3, SK7, SK8 - triggering cold weather payments to eligible recipients. The payments help people, particularly pensioners, who qualify because they receive certain income-related benefits, with their increased heating costs caused by periods of very cold weather during winter.

Commenting, Mark said:Although most people entitled to cold weather payments receive the support automatically, this is not always the case and Mark is urging local residents who think they may be eligible to get in touch, or go to www.direct.gov.uk for more information.

"It is vital that, whilst experiencing these freezing temperatures, those who need extra support get the help they deserve - particularly for elderly, disabled and housebound people.

"During the cold snap residents need to keep warm and this extra cash is …

The purpose of the visit was to show Trolex's commitment to the different industries both in the UK and internationally, and for Mark to see a successful local manufacturing and development company. Among the issues he discussed with Neil McDonald, International Sales Director, were the international presence of our products and the most effective way of getting them to their destination.

Mr Hunter took a tour of both the manufacturing and office facilities at Trolex, and was told of the important safety functions of Trolex's equipment. He was pleased to see a company which is growing and recruiting new employees within the current difficult economic climate.

Commeting, Mark said:

"I'm always keen to hear from local businesses based in the constituency and the visit to Trolex was very useful in helping to understand the challenges faced by the manufacturing industry at this difficult economic climate.

"Trolex are a significant local employer at the cutting …

Benefits have been seen by successive governments as payment to those in poverty, with increases as a way of making poverty a little more bearable. I have long felt that benefits should be used much more to help people get out of poverty. Simply …

The information, acquired through a written parliamentary question to the Secretary of State for Health, shows that the number of people in Cumbria who joined the register of organ donors dropped from 9,162 in 2010 to 8,133 in 2011. This goes along with a drop of almost 9% nationwide, and of over 14% in the Northwest.

Thanks to the campaign run by the Westmorland Gazette in 2010, which sought to raise awareness of organ donation and encourage people across the South Lakes to sign up, a record number of people added their names to the register, which has now reached a record 18 million nationally and saves hundreds of thousands of lives every year.

However, Tim is extremely concerned about the recent drop in the number of people signing up and is calling yet again for people to …

This week (February 6th - 11th) is organised by the National Apprenticeship Scheme (NAS) and aims to engage with employers with apprenticeship programmes by highlighting the considerable advantages of employing and supporting apprenticeships in the workplace.

This week will also demonstrate the wide range of Apprenticeship programmes available, the high standard of skills apprentices achieve and the progression routes available.

On 8th February, Carshalton College will be hosting a day of various 'Have a Go' taster sessions, where they will be highlighting the many career options available. The day will also involve a tour of the many college facilities, including the Renaissance Hair Salons, Carpentry, Electrical and Motor Vehicle workshops and their in-house training restaurant, Nightingales.

Carshalton and Wallington has a particularly strong record when it comes to apprenticeships - in 2010/11 660 young people entered into an apprenticeship, which was an impressive 67% increase …

Metal Theft has been on the rise across Teesside recently, with a 7% rise in metal theft alone in the last six months, so Ian was pleased to hear that the Government is changing the law in a bid to tackle this problem. The BMRA support

Ian said: ''The laws surrounding metal theft are out of date and it is time that we legislated to sort this problem out. Cash payments for scrap metal must be stopped, so I welcome this move by the Government.''

''I recently went round two sites in the local area that are members of the BMRA to see first-hand the impact that scrap metal theft is having. Of course, it is not just metal theft that is the problem, people are also stealing cables, infrastructure and …

Last year, the Audit Commission concluded that there was poor financial control and spending in the adult social care service, which has an impact on the way in which decisions relating to social care are now being taken.

Ian said:

''I am deeply concerned at the continuing level of mismanagement of this vital service by the Labour-run Council. It is simply not acceptable that residents of Redcar and Cleveland have to suffer when they need social care services because this council cannot manage their finances.''

''Report after report has condemned the financial incompetence of the Council, leading to the fact that three quarters of the saving they have to find in the next 4 years are because they have failed to manage their …

21.6% of young people, aged 16 - 24 years old in Grangetown are currently on Job Seekers Allowance, and are in desperate need of help to find sustainable employment. In just the last year, the Government has supported apprentices in the North East and the area has seen an 84% rise in Apprenticeships with Redcar and Cleveland seeing a 93% rise.

Ian commented: ''Whilst these headline figures are clearly not good, youth unemployment in the North East has been steadily rising since 2004, and we need to stop this from becoming a bigger issue than it already is. The increase we have seen in apprenticeships under this Government, as well as the investment in the youth contract, which will help over 1900 people in Redcar and Cleveland alone, is a step in …

This provides an exciting opportunity for the South West region to lead the world in marine energy technology - one of our best hopes of finding a renewable energy solution.

The Minister also re-opened the door to the possibility of a Severn Barrage, saying it was "by no means dead" and that there were "some very interesting private sector-led initiatives."

Commenting, Tessa said "As long as the local environment is protected and the carbon payback of construction is reasonable, I would welcome the chance to look at any marine source of energy on the Severn Estuary, be that tidal or wave power, using barrages, tidal fences, lagoons, or as yet undeveloped technology. This could be a huge boost for the region's economy in terms of new long-term jobs, inward investment, and research and development capacity.

"In difficult economic times, the Coalition Government cannot afford to fund a large …

However, Tessa has insisted "we must all keep the pressure on".

The decision, announced at yesterday's Scrutiny Meeting, is the result of protests against the Conservatives who had attempted to impose stringent cuts with the barest minimum of public consultation.

The consultation about the proposed 50% cut to the budget supporting young carers in Somerset will now finish on 15th March 2012, offering hope that the Councillors will take time to listen to the concerns of families and young carers, and to reverse its decision.

Commenting, Tessa said "Somerset County Council is the only Council proposing huge cuts to a tiny budget which helps young people care for family members. I was really shocked that the Conservative Leader did not instruct the officers to assess the full impact such cuts would have on vulnerable people, nor consult …

From L-R: MD Kevin Schofield, Brian Barker, Joseph Fryer, Mick Chapman, Damien Dutton, Gordon Birtwistle, Kathleen Birtwistle, Gerry Gilroy.

Gordon Birtwistle, MP for Burnley and Padiham, visited fantastic local firm Futaba Tenneco  to meet their new apprentices and hand over the prize in his ’100 apprentices in 100 days’ campaign.

Futaba-Tenneco UK Ltd have reaped the benefits of their young and adult apprenticeship schemes by winning the 100 Apprentices in 100 Days competition, sponsored by local MP Gordon Birtwistle. Gordon presented the award to Young Apprentice Joseph Fryer in a small ceremony at the Burnley firm’s plant. The prize is a meal for two in the House of Commons and a guided tour conducted by Gordon.

Gordon launched the campaign and challenged local firms to take on an apprentice at the North West Manufacturing Conference at Burnley College earlier last year. Within 100 days, participating organisations had taken on a total of 103 apprentices, with many others indicating that they plan to in the next year. All participating companies were …

 This news comes as the Coalition Government has launched the National Apprenticeships Week, which will seek to build on last year’s success with events in schools and businesses.

Commenting, Gordon Birtwistle said:

“This dramatic growth in apprentices is welcome news for young people in Burnley. Apprenticeships equip our young people with the skills needed to get jobs and build prosperous careers.

“Our apprentices are putting businesses on stronger ground to be successful and create jobs and growth in our area. I am thrilled that so many companies in Burley are investing in our young people.

“As a Liberal Democrat, I believe that the Coalition Government is doing the right thing by giving employers even further encouragement to train young people and create opportunities for apprentices.

“They are essential in our efforts to rebalance the economy away from financial speculators in the City of London, as we clear up Labour’s economic mess.”

Commenting further, …

This news comes as the Coalition Government has launched the National Apprenticeships Week, which will seek to build on last year's success with events in schools and businesses.

Commenting, Tim said: "This is a dramatic increase in the number of apprenticeships from just 370 in 2010 to an impressive 720 in 2011, which will make a huge difference to the lives of young people in our local area.

"Thanks to the work of local businesses, and other employers, with the support of the Government, more young people across the South Lakes than ever before now have the opportunity to benefit from a variety of apprenticeships that will help to provide them with the skills needed to get jobs and build up their careers.

"Our apprentices are …