Party Funding
It has been a turbulent time at Westminster with the focus on loans for Party Funds and election expenses like Cherie Blair’s hairdresser. Modern election campaigns cost a fortune and the money has to be found from somewhere but it is clear that the present system is not working. I am not particularly comfortable with my party depending on multi millionaires as I was brought up on the old adage ‘ Money Talks’. However the alternative is to bring in state funding which would cost the taxpayer but could provide a level playing field for all the political parties. I would like to hear your views on this. As far as Cherie’s hair is concerned, it is not the case, as some people think that the bill was met by the taxpayer. It was in fact paid by the Labour Party. I have some sympathy with Cherie because if she does not look well groomed she is slated by the media. On the other hand, it is an incredible cost for hairdressing which most women could not even think of paying even if they were daft enough. All the parties spent money on things like this at the election but I can only take responsibility for the actions of Labour and it worries me that this is seen as totally out of touch with the reality of most people’s lives. In any case she should have paid it out of her own pocket.

Dairy Farming
Following on from organising a meeting between the Scottish NFU and Scottish MPs I have joined with over 40 colleagues in setting up an All Party Group on Dairy Farming. The Office of Fair Trading has recently decided to investigate the ‘ big four’ supermarkets because of their dominance in the marketplace. We are pressing them to include the price of milk in their enquiry as farmers experience anything but fair trade in the prices they are paid by supermarkets. We are looking for fair pricing for local products.

Consultations on World Poverty and Welfare Reform
Talking about fair trade, I was very pleased with the interest from the Carrick area in the consultation meeting I held the other week on the Department for International Development’s White Paper on Eliminating World Poverty. Similarly, the stalwarts from Girvan and elsewhere, who are representatives of South Ayrshire Forum on Disability, provided me with a very detailed view of the Government’s consultation on Welfare Reform based on their personal knowledge and experience. This assisted me, as MP,  in making a submission to the Government which reflected the realities of the benefits system and getting into work faced by disabled people.  Both submissions, together with my submission to the Energy Review, can be found on my website at epolitix.com/sandra-osborne

Child Sexual Abuse and the Internet
Child sexual abuse is one of the worst crimes, where victims are attacked during their most impressionable and vulnerable years and has life long lasting effects. In recent years the use of the internet for the sexual exploitation of children has greatly increased. We have to realise that the online and offline worlds are connected and face up to the fact that today’s children are sophisticated users of mobile phones and the internet. Protecting them in this environment needs a new kind of response.
Latest figures show that over 8 million children and young people UK wide have access to the internet. One survey suggests 1 in 12  have met someone offline who they initially encountered in an online environment.
Tackling this child sex abuse took a significant step forward last week with the launch of the new Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre bringing together law enforcement officers, specialists from children’s charities and industry. Already major corporations such as Microsoft , AOL and Childnet International have put considerable resources into the new initiative. The challenge is to make the internet a safer environment for children.
The internet is full of learning and fun opportunities. But by putting awareness first you can reduce the potential for harm So as well as catching offenders, the new centre will be allocating funds to develop an education programme and public awareness campaigns. This will be kick started by the ‘ Think You Know’ programme which will be launched to schools later in the year.