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Mark Prisk has used a Parliamentary device Early Day Motion (number 501) to try to increase the pressure on the Chancellor to rethink. It is important that Mark, himself a former freelancer, commands a large number of signatures from MPs of all parties in order to be able to challenge Ministers on the subject.
Mark told Shout99: "I am determined that the Government understands how concerned the business community is about this issue."
Sign up
He is asking MPs to sign up to the following:
"This House notes the Government's plans to reverse its tax treatment of owner managed businesses; is deeply concerned that this could result in severe financial hardship for thousands of family businesses and thus damage enterprise; asks the Chancellor to explain why his tax incentives went wrong; and urges him to meet with and consult small business representatives prior to the Budget.
What can you do?
If you support Mark Prisk's motion, then you can encourage your MP to add his or her name to the list. The larger the number of signatures from MPs of all Parties, the greater influence it will have.
If you agree, contact your MP and ask if he or she has signed it; will they sign it; and if not, why not.
It doesn't take many letters from constituents to begin to bring pressure to bear on local MPs.
You can write to your MP at the House of Commons, Westminster, London SW1A 1AA or send a fax through this link (typing your postcode will identify your constituency MP):
Please post below if you succeed in persuading your MP - or if you don't. Shout99 will follow this closely and publish lists of who has signed.
If you know other freelancers or small businesses who are concerned about the Chancellor's actions, you can email them this article by using the 'Email A Friend' link below.
Early Day Motions
The tabling of an Early Day Motion or EDM is a device to draw attention to an issue and to elicit support for it by inviting other MPs to add their signatures. MPs can also table amendments to existing EDMs.
EDMs, amendments and names of signatories are circulated in the Vote Bundle, the daily working papers of the House of Commons. Although they don't necessarily lead to a debate, they can often attract a great deal of publicity, and many people regard them as a gauge of opinion.
Although some motions are Party political, they are often drafted in such a way that members of other Parties feel able to sign - as is this case. In fact one of the first signatures of support was from Kerry Pollard MP, chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Small Business Group and a Labour MP.
News on IR591
Shout99 has been closely following the IR591 news, debate and speculation. We have a free resource centre on the issue which is available by clicking here.
www.shout99.com/ir591
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Susie Hughes © Shout99.com 2004
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