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

Mon Nov 27 14:57:51 GMT 2006

Jim,

That's good - I contacted him too. It's good that >1 person had asked
him :-)

James

On Sun, Nov 26, 2006 at 08:57:41PM +0000, Jim Jackson wrote:
> 
> 
> 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
> >
> 
> _______________________________________________
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