Phil Willis MP - Member of Parliament for Harrogate and Knaresborough

“This is great news for the region” was the reaction of Phil Willis MP (LibDem, Harrogate & Knaresborough) to today’s announcement by ITV Studios’ of a major £5 million investment in the Kirkstall Road studios in Leeds.

The investment will be made in upgrading and refurbishing the original main building so it can accommodate the Emmerdale production centre which is currently situated on Burley Road.

As the Chancellor of the Exchequer is preparing his Pre-Budget Statement Phil Willis MP (LibDem, Harrogate & Knaresborough) is urging him to reverse the eight per cent beer duty increase when value added tax (VAT) returns to its full rate on 1 January 2010.

"It was unfair and unjustifiable to deny the British beer and pub industry the benefits of the VAT cut when it was introduced last year" said Phil Willis, "and with pub closures running at a record high of 50 a week I do not believe that the industry can cope with the planned VAT increase in January."

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Phil Willis has given his backing to demands for an investigation into wholesale and retail pricing by the ‘Big Six’ energy companies.

Phil Willis has joined other MPs in calling for a Competition Commission into the dealings of British Gas, E.ON, EDF Energy, npower, Scottish and Southern and Scottish Power.

“I give my full backing to this investigation. It is very worrying that by 2016, we may see an increase of over 60% in domestic consumer bills.” *

Harrogate & Knaresborough MP Phil Willis is backing moves to help the tourism sector through targeted reductions in VAT.

“Here in Harrogate and Knaresborough we know better than many just how important tourism is to the wider economy. Other countries in Europe have recognised this, for example Germany has cut VAT on hotel accommodation to seven per cent while France has cut VAT on restaurant food to five per cent.

Phil Willis MP (LibDem, Harrogate & Knaresborough) has added his support to Carers UK’s national carers’ rights campaign on Friday 4th December 2009.

A massive 64% of visitors to my website voted that Tony Blair should not be made the new president of Europe. Only 36% wanted Blair for the top job, and will therefore be disapointed to see Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy as the first ever full-time president of the European Council.