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Yvonne Fovargue MP wins Citizens Advice Parliamentarian of the Year 2011 award

7 July 2011

Yvonne Fovargue, Labour MP for Makerfield, has been named Citizens Advice Parliamentarian of the Year 2011 at a reception in the House of Commons on 6 July 2011.

Gillian Guy, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said:

“Yvonne was selected for her tireless championing of the Citizens Advice service and our clients in Parliament, since being elected in 2010.

“While still a relatively new MP, the sheer amount of time and determination she has put into keeping the issues Citizens Advice work with high on the political agenda, and the effective way in which she has secured the support of so many colleagues, on both sides of the House has had a huge impact on the Service and on our clients.

“Yvonne’s successful leadership is evidenced in her work as Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Legal Aid and the new Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Debt and Personal Finance. In these latter roles she has secured several debates on the impact of legal aid reform and on the impact other public spending cuts will have on the future of funding for free debt and welfare benefits advice.

“As a member of the Welfare Reform Bill Committee Yvonne spoke in favour of several proposed amendments to the Bill to expose and try to mitigate the negative impact some of the proposed changes will have on CAB clients and other vulnerable members of society.

“Together with other members of the APPG on Debt and Personal Finance, she has been campaigning for more effective regulation of fee-charging debt management plans – a huge issue for our clients, and one we fully support.”

These awards acknowledge either a Peer or an MP who we have worked closely with in Westminster – and in the case of MPs, their constituency – to deliver real change for our clients. Previous winners include Vince Cable, Liberal Democrat Business Secretary and MP for Twickenham in 2008, and former Treasury Select Committee Chairman Right Hon John McFall MP in 2007. The reception this year was supported by Prudential.

Yvonne Fovargue MP, said:

“For me, as a former Citizens Advice Bureau manager, receiving this award is extra special and I’m delighted to be recognised in this way by the service that I worked in for so long. My experience with St Helen’s CAB was the best possible grounding for my work as an MP, both in terms of dealing with constituency casework and as a legislator. I continue to meet regularly with representatives of my local bureau, Wigan CAB. This contact, in addition to that which I have with Citizens Advice head office, is vital in helping me effectively represent my constituents, especially those struggling with debt, benefits and legal problems. The Citizens Advice service’s understanding of the issues facing individuals and communities across the country is second to none."

Citizens Advice

Notes to editors

  1. The Citizens Advice service comprises a network of local bureaux, all of which are independent charities, and national charity Citizens Advice. Together we help people resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing information and advice and by influencing policymakers. For more information in England and Wales see www.citizensadvice.org.uk
  2. The advice provided by the Citizens Advice service is free, independent, confidential, and impartial, and available to everyone regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality. For online advice and information see www.adviceguide.org.uk
  3. Citizens Advice Bureaux in England and Wales advised 2.1 million clients on 6.9 million problems from April 2011 to March 2012. For full 2011/2012 service statistics see our quarterly publication Advice trends
  4. Out of 22 national charities, the Citizens Advice service is ranked by the general public as being the most helpful, approachable, professional, informative, effective / cost effective, reputable and accountable (nfpSynergy’s Brand Attributes survey, May 2010).
  5. Most Citizens Advice service staff are trained volunteers, working at around 3,500 service outlets across England and Wales.