[Wylug-discuss] Fwd: Early Day Motion in the House of Commons

[Jim Jackson]

Leslie,

After Phil had forwarded his email to the wylug list I contacted my MP,
Colin Challen, Labour, Morley and Rothwell, who I know (but that's a mixed
blessing!).

I sent an email on Wec 22nd and I received a snail mail reply on Sat 25th
from him/his_office) saying very briefly that he was glad I'd drawn his
attention to the EDM and he had signed it. Given his prompt and positive
response, he might be worth adding to any lobbying list. His main
interests are Green/Environmental issues.

cheers
Jim

On Wed, 22 Nov 2006, Phil Driscoll wrote:

> Leslie Fletcher, who spoke to us at last month's meeting has asked me to
> forward this message to WYLUG members:
>
> Dear UKUUG/LUG member
>
> John Pugh MP has tabled an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons
> entitled "Software in Schools", number 179. Please write to, or email,
> your MP within the next week with a request that (s)he add his/her name
> to this motion.
>
> I would be grateful if you could keep me informed about the letters you
> send and replies you receive.
>
> Yours sincerely
>
> Leslie Fletcher
>
> Leslie.Fletcher at ukuug.org
>
>
> BACKGROUND INFORMATION
>
> The text of the motion can be found at
>
> http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=31752&SESSION=885
>
> CONTACTING YOUR MP
>
> An easy way to contact your MP is by email using the step-by-step guide
> at:
>
> http://www.writetothem.com/
>
> The Open Rights Group (ORG) have sensible and practical information on
> how to write to, or email, MPs:
>
> http://www.openrightsgroup.org/orgwiki/index.php/Letter_writing
>
> If you decide to follow up your letter with a visit to your MP's
> constituency surgery, please look at ORG's advice:
>
> http://www.openrightsgroup.org/orgwiki/index.php/MP%27s_surgery
>
>
> POINTS TO COVER IN A LETTER
>
> You may wish to cover some of the following points
>
>       * Schools receive questionable advice on IT procurement from
>         BECTA, the government agency responsible for the use of IT in
>         education.
>       * BECTA's framework agreements look only at the long-term
>         financial performance of suppliers, seriously hampering the
>         involvement of SMEs and ignoring the risk that schools could
>         become locked into expensive and restrictive contractual
>         arrangements.
>       * Lists of approved suppliers are very limited both in number and
>         variety - only only fifteen suppliers for non-curriculum
>         software for example, none of which has any commitment to open
>         source software.
>       * BECTA's own case studies found considerable savings in cost for
>         schools using open source software.
>       * Government policy claims to promote a level playing field for
>         open source software.  This is not happening in schools because
>         BECTA's advice is partial and inconsistent.
>
> If you have some connection with an SME (proprietor, partner,
> employee, ... ) please make this clear in your letter as the impact on
> SMEs in their constituency is something MPs can relate to.
>
> If you are involved with a school, on the staff, a governor,
> parent, ... , mention that also.  Again the well being of schools in
> their constituency is something MPs are keen to be seen promoting.
>
> John Pugh MP has tabled Early Day Motion number 179, entitled
> "Software in Schools" expressing concern about this and I urge you to
> add your name to it.
> (MAKE SURE YOU FINISH OFF WITH A SENTENCE LIKE THIS BECAUSE THIS IS
> WHAT YOU WANT YOUR MP TO DO!)
>
>
> SOFTWARE, PARTICULARLY MOODLE, BEING USED BY THE OU AND OTHERS
>
> You can read about the OU's innovative use of FLOSS and about
> the lukewarm support from the DfES here:
>
> http://www.ukuug.org/mediawatch/?p=789
>
> There is a Wikipedia entry for Moodle:
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moodle
>
>
> BECTA AND ITS FRAMEWORKS
>
> There is a Wikipedia entry on this topic;
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Becta
>
> This ZDNet article, referred to in the Wikipedia entry sets out the
> issues for FLOSS very clearly:
>
> http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/0,1000000121,39256053,00.htm
>
>
> EARLY DAY MOTION
>
> An Early Day Motion is a parliamentary device to introduce an issue to
> MPs and to gauge support; you can find out more from the Wikipedia entry
> about EDMs:
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_day_motion
>
>
> HOW WE GOT HERE
>
> This EDM is the first parliamentary result of UKUUG's initiative to
> raise the political profile of free and open source software.  Several
> other groups are involved, particularly the Open Source Consortium; you
> can find more information on the website of the Open Schools Alliance, a
> newly-formed pressure group:
>
> www.openschoolsalliance.org.uk
> --
> Leslie Fletcher <Leslie.Fletcher at ukuug.org>
>
> -------------------------------------------------------
>
> --
> Phil Driscoll
>
> _______________________________________________
> Wylug-discuss mailing list
> Wylug-discuss at wylug.org.uk
> https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/wylug-discuss
>