Christmas Costs the Average Student £161

STUDENTS at university are planning to spend an average total of £161 on Christmas this year according to a recent survey by student money website.  This is less than 1/3 of the national consumer average, as found by a poll for the Money Advice Service last month.  Still, 8 out of 10 students surveyed said they struggle to find the money but feel pushed to spend more than they can really afford during the festive period.  The typical student plans to buy gifts for 6 people, totalling an average of £108. 1 in 5 think they'll spend over £200 on others, with 70% being spent on family members and the remainder on friends.  There is also a clear divide between the sexes. Female students tend to buy more presents for friends and spend 25% more than their male counterparts.  One female respondent is gearing up to spend a total of £400 on Christmas presents this year, £160 of that being on other students.  The seasonal spending doesn't stop there. Students are set to loosen their purse strings by an additional £53, putting £8.50 towards group Christmas dinners and the rest mostly on alcohol, decorations and travel.  Less than half of students said that they budget for Christmas, with a quarter admitting to receiving additional money from parents.  Save the Student Editor Jake Butler observed:- "it's not much of a surprise that students find money hard to come by at this time of year and more so than the general population. Student loans are running dry at a time when students feel the pressure to buy presents and attend countless Christmas parties.  Money saving ideas such as Secret Santa, joint Christmas dinners and homemade decorations are just a few of the ways that students have been resourceful this year in curbing overspending around the festive period. As always, I would encourage students to think carefully before spending large amounts of money, without being too much of a Scrooge!"  Save the Student surveyed 810 current university students in December 2012.

Local Labour Euro MP votes to increase animal welfare by limiting animal transport journeys

BRIAN Simpson, Labour's spokesperson on agriculture in Europe, has welcomed a vote in the European Parliament which recommends an 8 hour limit on journey times for live animals being transported for slaughter. Mr Simpson said:- "Many animals are subjected to days of transportation, often in overcrowded vehicles and with no breaks for rest, food and water. Labour MEPs are committed to improving animal welfare practices, and in this day and age such inhumane transportation methods are completely unacceptable. We believe that animals should not be transported for more than 8 hours and we hope that today's vote will put pressure on the European Commission to reduce the limits by law."

Labour's support for limiting journey times is backed by the latest scientific evidence from the European Food Security Authority, and has also been welcomed by animal welfare charities. Mr Simpson said:- "Many of my constituents have written to me asking for transport times to be limited, and the '8hours' campaign has collected the signatures of over 1.1 million people from across the EU. I am delighted that the European Parliament has listened to its citizens and voted in favour putting animal welfare first, by limiting journey times to 8 hours."