Our Actions - in General and in the Past

¨      We make amendments to the Financial Services and Markets Bill at the House of Lords stage (February 2000)

¨      We submit evidence to the House of Lords’ Select Committee on the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England (July 1999)

¨      We submit Questions for Written Answers to the Government (since May 1998)

¨      Regular public meetings at the House of Lords bringing together victims of banks, concerned citizens, politicians and journalists (since February 1998)

And recently - more specific:

March 6 00: Letter to the Prime Minister

Feb 1 00: Letter to all those MPs who submitted an 'Early Day Motion' (EDM) that relates to financial and monetary matters.

What are actions - if not communications?

What are communications - if not letters, emails, faxes or phone calls?

In Parliament, I have learnt about political communication processes:

1. Parliamentarians ask Questions to get Oral or Written Answers from the Government
2. MPs put Early Day Motions down to express their concerns - they are generally not debated though
3. Influencing legislation means briefing Parliamentarians so that they can address a Bill as it is debated.

Getting Private Members' Bills drafted is among our lofty aims. That means finding lawyers who take the time to help pro bono publico, i.e. without pay.

TimeDollars were successful in a law firm in the US who did a lot 'for free' and the clients ended up trading with each other...

I made one submission to the Select Committee of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England in 1998.

Since then, the Select Committee changed its name and remit to Economic Affairs. I attended a few of their public meetings and responded to its first Call for Evidence for their Inquiry into the Global Economy.

See Submission

At the meeting of March 8th 2002, our discussion initiated a document entitled the "New Money Amendment".

Its introduction formed the basis for EDM 1515 which was submitted by Austin Mitchell MP on June 26th.

The current topic of investigation is "Aspects of the Economics of an Ageing Population". Having pointed this out to Richard Murphy who has been attending Forum meetings quite regularly, he submitted his report on "People's Pensions" and the Clerk wants to invite him to give oral evidence.

Richard has also reworded the text that Titus Alexander had started on for another EDM.

This has become EDM 854 as well as a 4-page and 12-page Briefing.