CO2 Fraud

Remember Mrs Dansk Pastry, my cousin from Copenhagen?  Hard to forget I suspect.

Dansk has asked me to draw your attention to the following article from POLITIKEN.DK  Her work schedule doesn't allow for any analysis but I don't feel that necessary as the article is self-explanatory.

Denmark is at the centre of an extensive, international CO2 quota fraud that runs into the billions, according to the conclusions of a report from Tax Minister Troels Lund Poulsen (Lib) to the Energy Policy Committee, Ekstra Bladet reports.

Environment Committee Chairwoman Ida Auken says the report is sheer admission from the Tax Ministry.

“The Danish quota register is the centre for all of Europe’s fraud – we now have it black on white from the ministry itself,” Auken tells Ekstra Bladet and urges Climate Minister Lykke Friis to help the Naitonal Auditors to clean up.

“The Climate and Energy Minister has been trying to cover up the size of the scandal that is on her table. Now the Tax Minister has revealed the issue and passed the buck on to her,” Auken says, adding that the case is so big that responsibility must be placed in the issue.

38 billion
The report says that there has been fraudulent trading in CO2 quotas across the European Union, with many of the cases pointing back to Denmark.

Investigations are being carried out in several countries, with the Danish Fraud Squad involved in investigations in Germany, Spain, Norway and Belgium. In France alone, authorities have found some 151 quota accounts in the Danish register which they suspect have been used to carry out VAT fraud in CO2 quota trading.

The Tax Ministry has been working on the issue for some months, but several countries are said to be slow in providing the necessary information.

Tax Minister Troels Lund Poulsen has written to Parliament saying he plans to make personal contact with his colleagues in France and Germany in order to get more information.

The problem with the Danish system is that from 2007-2009 it was possible to open an account in the register without proof of identity, requiring no more than a mailing address – something that was attractive for European VAT speculators.

The figure of €38 billion is mentioned and this is only one scam.  Well, many of us did wonder where the money went didn't we?

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Why Doesn't This Case Invoke the HRA?

In recent years there have been several stories about social services 'stealing' children in order to reach adoption targets.

Now social services have moved on to 'stealing' adults.

Stephen Neary is a 20 year old man with autism.  His father asked his local authority's respite centre, where Stephen had been once before, for help when he had flu.

Please read the whole story and sign the petition.  Don't expect it to be heart-warming because it's not.  Remember, this could happen to someone dear to you if legislation isn't changed to make it impossible.

Why is it prisoners can invoke the RHA yet a case such as this is refused the right?

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Critical Allies

Another British soldier died yesterday from wounds he received after being shot in southern Afghanistan.  The soldier was from 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment.

We have now lost 346 of our armed forces in the Afghanistan war.

Last week we learned, from the Wikileaks documents, that Gulab Mangai, governor of Helmand province, was particularly disdainful of the British effort in the town of Sangin - which has become synonymous with heavy UK casualties.  In a communication to British officials in January 2009, he wrote "Stop calling it the Sangin district and start calling it the Sangin base - all you have done here is built a military camp next to the city."

Furthermore, the cables report conversations in which Mr Karzai said that Britain was "not up to the task" of securing the southern province of Helmand and suggested the job would be better given to the US.  Karzai is also reported to have told US officials he was puzzled why security in Helmand had deteriorated after the arrival of British troops.

A US general, Dan McNeill, who led NATO forces in Afghanistan in 2007/08 was also scathing in his remarks: he had been "dismayed" by the British effort which "made a mess of things" in Helmand.

We have now lost 346 of our armed forces in the Afghanistan war plus the unknown numbers who have sustained serious injuries.

Isn't it good to know that our allies think so highly of our efforts? Their attempts at damage limitation flattery doesn't impress.

Update 7 Dec:  A fellow blogger has provided more information about the latest tragedy.

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Gripping Stuff

A few decades ago I worked in Switzerland for a short time.  Although I didn't have a car - there was no need as public transport was, by British standards, superb - I was aware that all vehicle owners changed their tyres to snow tyres from early November until around March.  There was no hullaballoo about it, people accepted the policy kept them far safer than driving through winter with tyres only fit for summer weather.

In Germany it wasn't compulsory, but many businesses insisted tyres were changed and also each vehicle carried snow chains.  Fortunately I never had to apply snow chains to my vehicle, although I recall a horrendous journey from Hannover to Herford which took 7 hours, but the snow chains were there in the boot and I'm sure some gallant Herr would have offered his services if I had been unable to keep moving even with snow tyres.  I was never one of those bra-burning feminists who, I still believe, didn't do much towards equality for women. I preferred the 'feminine movement', which worked quietly in the background gradually showing that women could transfer their skills to the male world.

Luckily I had a father who was very enlightened and before I ever had my first driving lesson from him I had to learn how to change a wheel, change oil and fit spark plugs.  Nowadays it's too complicated under the bonnet and my car needs the help of a computer programme to do anything more complicated than renewing a fuse.

This early winter made me wonder if it's time Scotland made it compulsory to change to winter tyres from November to March.  Winter tyres are not snow tyres.  They're tyres specifically designed for temperatures under 7 degrees.  Snow tyres now appear to be old-fashioned and wouldn't be suitable here because we don't have five months of snow.  The past week I've spoken to two people who have invested in winter tyres for their cars and wished they had done a year ago.  The two have purchased new (in one case second hand) wheels for their winter tyres to make the change over in March simple.  I queried the cost but was told some of the expense would be recouped when the cars were sold on as the tyres would go with it.

After listening to the these stories, I'm tempted to invest in them myself.  At first I thought I thought I didn't do enough mileage to warrant them, but after having a glide to visit a friend earlier yesterday evening, I realise there's no price on personal safety.  No matter how good a driver you are, in poor conditions if everyone had tyres which could cope far better in winter, there would be fewer cars blocking roads, fewer accidents and fewer injuries.

Of course many will say 'not another piece of legislation', but if you think about it without a law saying every car should have winter tyres, which will ensure traffic moves instead of stalls, then we'll still have those who have no respect for the safety of others and thus themselves.  Plus the offenders will be easy to find.  They'll be the ones blocking roads because they're unable to keep their vehicles under control.

Viva winter tyres! Having driven a car today - quite similar to my own - I'm all for the extra grip offered.  Especially when I had to move, for those selfish drivers, into the mounds of impacted snow at the side of roads.  I perhaps shouldn't say selfish drivers but 'drivers who know they can't drive on snow/ice'.  Others will say these are an additional expense on families when we are in the middle of a recession.  Surely knowing the vehicle that transports you and yours is worth spending a couple of hundred pounds on to make safe during the winter months.

Fair enough, the tyre companies will make a fortune initially, but isn't it better to buy them before VAT rises to 20% and to know that you never again will buy a car without having a good look at its seasonal tyres?

Here in the east of Scotland I can't see those mounds of ice moving before early Spring as it is forecast we'll have temperatures around freezing or below well into the New Year.

Just a thought.

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As Good a Reason as Any

Will anyone in Cancun be brave enough to promote this?

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This Could Be the SNP's Legacy

Every government has a wish to be remembered for something.  It's unfortunate that the SNP Scottish government hasn't managed to make their desire for a change in the current council tax possible.

But all is not lost.

Gaddafi has heaped embarrassment on the Scottish government in the past 24 hours.  Via a video link to staff and students at the London School of Economics, Gaddafi insisted Megrahi's "Health was not looked after in prison.  He didn't have any periodic examination.  I wish him a long life.

After he passes away, his family will demand compensation because he was deliberately neglected in prison."

Naturally there is outrage in Scotland at the suggestion anyone is mistreated in prison and Megrahi was neglected, although the deplorable Labour justice spokesman attacked the SNP for releasing Megrahi.

If the SNP wanted to win next year's election then there must be a proper inquiry into the 1988 Lockerbie bombing.  Alex Salmond insists he supports the verdict.  Why?  A powerful committee in the Scottish Parliament has backed a Lockerbie inquiry.  Dr Jim Swire has said that, "Without an inquiry the name of Scottish justice will lie in the gutter."  Other very eminent Scottish legals have joined with the call for an inquiry.

This post is nothing to do with the release of Megrahi which I think was taken within the Scottish prisoner guidelines.  Most of the UK know there is doubt about the conviction of Megrahi yet the First Minister continues to insist that there is none. The post is about an inquiry into Megrahi's conviction.

Obviously there is something behind the issue for Alex Salmond to continue to insist he believes the verdict and perhaps, for reasons only known to the political establishment, he's troubled it will be discovered during an inquiry, but it's time the SNP bit the bullet and made the decision for the world to know the facts.  More and more evidence has appeared over the years yet ,when Megrahi dropped his appeal prior to his release, our political masters seemed to sigh with relief thinking the matter was concluded.

It's not finished by a long chalk if Alex Salmond has the courage to instigate an inquiry.  Yes, maybe the SNP Scottish government has shown, like all governments, to have some faults, but the public would forgive them if the truth about the Lockerbie bombing was exposed.

Time to show some true Scottish backbone Alex and call for an inquiry.  If nothing else it would ensure the SNP had a good chance to be re-elected in May next year.  It could be the SNP's legacy.

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Saturday Smile

A dummy is the indispensable ventriloquist prop.  Paul Zardin manages without one, with a little help from the audience.

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Wus They Robbed?

Being housebound yesterday because of the weather I succumbed to watching television during the afternoon and chose Sky News.  The verbose performance of FIFA's president, Sepp Blatter, was wretched, so my viewing was spaspodic, yet I was interested - with the indifferent manner of a rugby supporter - in the result.

Why was I interested?  For no other reason other than dear friends, who emigrated to Australia some years ago and are ardent football supporters, said they would visit for a lengthy holiday if England won.

This morning one radio in this house was tuned to Talksport as usual.  I rather enjoy the banter between the Two Mikes and at times a few gems are produced.  Mike Parry was distraught this morning.  He was apoleptic and I was very tempted to send an email expressing my concern for his health. The anger from contributers was palatable and many of the comments were astonishingly juvenile, along with the excuses now pouring forth from 'those who know'.

Am I sorry England didn't receive the accolade from 22 individuals (two having already been suspended upon fraud allegations)?  I'm ambivalent.

There's certainly no ambivalence here and this writer deserves a job with the MSM, because no MSM journalist looked into the Russian bid with such an eagle eye. If anyone is interested in a view of the Qatar 2022 bid they could do worse than read this.

Oh.  The good news is that earlier I received an email earlier from my Australian friends and they intend to visit anyway.  They'll go and watch Celtic, hopefully Aberdeen if it still exists by then (their words not mine) and I'll be joining them in a long overdue visit to Tannadice.  A visit to certain English teams also seems to be on the cards for them.  Phew, so it's not all bad news.  I can concentrate my mind on rugby when they're away following their millionaire idols.

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Fairness

This week saw the launch of the long-awaited Scotland Bill which Michael Moore, Scottish Secretary, described as 'reflecting the settled will of the Scottish people'.

I'm not so sure it's settled in the least although it's certainly progress.  Who would have thought that, after less than 4 years in power, the SNP would manage to provoke unionist parties into proposing such an extension of Scottish constitutional powers since devolution - even although Alex Salmond calls it 'Calman Minus'?  There is no doubt these changes were a result of the SNP performing well in government; in fact so well that the unionist parties, in a desperate attempt to curtail any progress to the SNP's Independence Bill, suggested Westminster could look at ways to increase powers to the Scottish Parliament.  The result was the Calman Commission and the unionist parties pledged their support for its findings.  A watered-down version of the findings are included in the new draft Scotland Bill.

Many who want full fiscal powers for Scotland have criticised the proposals as 'too little' and 'tinkering at the edges', however I too think Alex Salmond must be pinching himself. 

Newsnet Scotland is promoting a suggestion that those who support Scottish independence to write 'independence' on the coalition's AV referendum ballot slip on 5th May.  I wouldn't put it past the powers that be in Westminster to now combine all ballots onto one paper but I will take part as long there is no indirect damage to my Scottish general election vote.

Another suggestion, which could be very effective alongside this campaign, is made by that tenacious writer of letters to Scottish newspapers, Alex Orr.  In today's Scotsman he makes a very good case for a Scottish referendum on the Scotland Bill.

... Given the fact that the 3p adjustment necessitated a referendum question, it is only right and proper that the Scotland Bill proposals should be put to the Scottish electorate in a referendum.

Few would or could argue with that, especially after the noise opposition MSPs made last week about the SNP government allowing the current 3p tax policy to lie in the long grass.  Surely they would think it only fair the people have their say?

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FMQs 2 December 2010

The Chamber was wanting for bodies today but Labour members showed up in numbers.  Obviously the snow in the west is nothing like here in the east.  The FM confirmed that my saying Edinburgh airport had had five times the amount of the white stuff than Glasgow airport.

Read more at Munguin's Republic.  He has the lowdown.

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Not Guilty

'Bad business decisions'.  That was the verdict of the FSA after investigating the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) in the years running up to the financial crisis.  There's a surprise.

The investigation started in May 2009 and today's announcement shows just how our political masters support the financial sector.  It also shows how slow the wheels of justice run in matters involving billions of the hoi poloi's cash yet, if you've a parking fine you haven't paid, then you're in court - unless you pay the extortionately increased fine - before you know the time.

'These had not been the result of any lack of integrity,' said the useless FSA.

We own 84% of this bank yet the FSA refuse to take any action against those who made these 'bad business decisions' which has resulted in hundreds of thousands of people having financial difficulties.

So there was no fraud just incompetence.  It does beg the question why we, the taxpayer, now own 84% of RBS if nothing was done incorrectly or without due diligence (in government speak).

Now Fred and his cohorts can relax now they know their excessive pensions will be intact, yet many of their older individual shareholders may already have had to sell their properties in order to survive without the indignity of approaching government for help with pension credit or other charitable government benefits.

All I ask is, if anyone does have an RBS account, please consider moving to an institution which has a moral code.  Of course the UK financial regulatory authorities are partly responsible for the financial crisis because they didn't do their job.  Our financial sector is a business which regulates and looks after its own.  Look after your own.

The FSA's investigations into other banks is continuing.  Am I interested?  No.  I know their evaluation, don't you?  And I didn't need a degree in economics or anything else to assist my decision.

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Between the Devil and the Deep

"He doesn't know either."

For the past couple of weeks Vince Cable and Nick Clegg have been nipping round television and radio studios trying to defend the indefensible on university fees.  They seem to have forgotten they benefitted from a free university education.

During the election Nick Clegg insisted he would first abolish tuition fees, then changed his tune a little by saying he wouldn't increase them.

Now he seems stunned that the young voters who promoted him to the post of Deputy Prime Minister are angry and his response is that the proposed system is fairer than the current system.  Also Mr Clegg's unable, or unwilling, to say if he's even going to vote for the proposal, although Vince Cable thinks he may abstain, even though he's the man in charge of implementing the fee increase.  What a ludicrous situation to ask his Tory allies to vote for his proposal but not to do so himself.

The LibDems are between the devil and the deep on this issue, but if the increase in student fees can be halted by popular resistance so too can the whole programme of public service cuts. The aftermath of the vote should be interesting.

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Driving Hazard

If I worked in the Uk Foreign Office, I would relate to this.

'I wish you'd turn that radio off.  Every time they

mention Wikileaks, Grandad has to go.'

source

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I'm Tired

I'm tired of hearing George Osborne and his boss saying "We're all in this together" and that 'the people understand the cuts are necessary'.  No, I don't understand.  I don't understand why I should pay for the misjudgments of politicians who decided to import the US invented financial deregulation, promising me it would be the epitome of the new capitalism that was going to offer the world economic salvation.  Those involved in the introduction of this not-tried-and-tested style of dealing with our financial organisations won't suffer. A 9% increase in their utility bills won't make a dent in their pocket money as they continue to award themselves bonuses for doing their jobs, even though taxpayers own swathes of their businesses.  None of our current leaders have the bottle to even halt the practice within government departments.

I'm tired to being conned by the climate scam and the unfolding environmental catastrophe that awaits me unless I return to the lifestyle of my grandparents, when I consider I've donated my fair share towards reducing pollution.  Scientists now suggest that 'the world should progress towards an international deal on climate change without the US' as talks kick off in Cancun with little hope of the US agreeing to cut emissions.  How can an agreement be international when the most powerful country in the world refuses to agree with it?  Reading the tripe, which is promoted in the MSM, makes sad reading because anyone with a modicum of common sense knows they're being brainwashed, yet the scammers are happy to continue until we're all bled dry.

I'm tired of doing my best to believe the EU is good for the country when they spend large sums of money supporting big global companies and millions of euros are siphoned off by organised syndicates.  The same EU hasn't had their accounts cerified for years, yet if any small business wasn't able to produce certified accounts to HMRC they would be charged with a criminal offence.

I'm tired to trying to read with a low voltage bulb in my lamp.  Of course, if I pay £10+ I can have one which distributes 'daylight'.  Just a couple of years ago I could buy one of these for around 50p.

I'm tired of hearing how wonderful the NHS really is.  It's not.  It's average.  In fact it's possibly worse than average.  People who say it's wonderful haven't experienced healthcare in many other European countries.  How many know of friends who have been unfortunate enough to have required hospital treatment in such as Spain, France, Switzerland or Germany coming home and saying it was wonderful and far exceeded our system?  It's true.  Our NHS isn't pro-patient it's pro-management. It's the sixth largest employer in the world yet it is inefficient, not because it's big - the largest employer in the world, Wal Mart, is very efficient - but it's balance has been skewed.

We educated some of our brightest to become doctors, yet we don't treat them well and they move to other countries to complete their training, taking their expertise with them.  Many never return.  Then we import doctors who may not even be competent in English.  I've no objection having foreign doctors here, but I do object to paying to train those who are regarded world-wide as some of the best, then lose them to other countries because of our politicians' inertia.

Maybe I'm tired of seeing my dreams of a fair and decent country slowly bite the dust in my 50 years of adulthood.  I'd certainly like to be proved wrong.  Thankfully though I'm still not too tired to read some good, plain common sense.

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