THE DAILY DIET of political news was only broken on Wednesday, this week, when the Telegraph ran a piece on a heavily pregnant Samantha Cameron hosting Downing Street’s first reception.
The reception, to which armed services personnel and relatives of the fallen had been invited, coincided with the Coalition’s announcement that British troops would be withdrawn from Sangin this year.
On Monday, the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, set out plans for the House of Commons to be reduced from 650 to 600 MPs after a review of boundaries (saving £12 million a year). He also confirmed that a referendum on replacing first-past-the-post Westminster elections with the Alternative Vote (AV) will be held on May 5 next year.
On Tuesday, Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude announced that a Bill will be introduced to limit the cost of future Civil Service redundancy payments by capping all compulsory redundancy pay-offs at 12 months' pay - and limiting amounts for voluntary severance to 15 months' salary.
Maude said the decision to legislate had been taken 'with reluctance,’ adding that it had become necessary because of the current economic climate – and blaming legal action against the previous Labour government by the Public and Commercial Services union, which won a High Court ruling that changes to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme were unlawful.
The political thrust was vigorously renewed on Thursday by reports of the Schools’ Minister, Nick Gibb, announcing a four-point plan to improve classroom behaviour.The four-points were:-
The reception, to which armed services personnel and relatives of the fallen had been invited, coincided with the Coalition’s announcement that British troops would be withdrawn from Sangin this year.
On Monday, the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, set out plans for the House of Commons to be reduced from 650 to 600 MPs after a review of boundaries (saving £12 million a year). He also confirmed that a referendum on replacing first-past-the-post Westminster elections with the Alternative Vote (AV) will be held on May 5 next year.
On Tuesday, Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude announced that a Bill will be introduced to limit the cost of future Civil Service redundancy payments by capping all compulsory redundancy pay-offs at 12 months' pay - and limiting amounts for voluntary severance to 15 months' salary.
Maude said the decision to legislate had been taken 'with reluctance,’ adding that it had become necessary because of the current economic climate – and blaming legal action against the previous Labour government by the Public and Commercial Services union, which won a High Court ruling that changes to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme were unlawful.
The political thrust was vigorously renewed on Thursday by reports of the Schools’ Minister, Nick Gibb, announcing a four-point plan to improve classroom behaviour.The four-points were:-
- To encourage teachers to make greater use of physical force to maintain good order.
- To give teachers the power to conduct more searches of pupils.
- To allow teachers the right to impose immediate detentions on poorly-behaved pupils.
- To give anonymity to teachers facing accusations of misconduct from their pupils.
Nick Gibb said that these measures would be followed by others, later in the year.
On Friday, the Coalition announced a long overdue shake-up of Britain’s Libel Laws, together with the ‘biggest revolution in the NHS for 60 years.’
About £80 billion will be distributed to family GPs in a move that will see strategic health authorities and primary care trusts scrapped.
The plan, contained in a white paper to be published next week, is designed to place key decisions about how patients are cared for in the hands of doctors who know them.
Tens of thousands of administrative jobs in the health service will be lost as a result.
So six announcements this week, which the vast majority will welcome. But nothing there to detract from the celebrations of Peter and Mary this week.
Mary has just received the keys to a three-bedroom property, in the area she was hoping for – and, with the proceeds from their insurance claims, Peter has bought her a new Mercedes Sports car.
‘It looks good on the driveway, doesn’t it,’ said Mary. ‘And there is enough room for three more vehicles, which Peter can use for his cars.
’Of course, the house needs a lot doing to it; but the council have agreed not to charge me rent for the first few months – so I can afford to redecorate.’
Peter and Mary will be holding their own, water free, reception soon.
... (11/07/2010, Telegraph) - Former asylum seeker on benefits given £2 million house
On Friday, the Coalition announced a long overdue shake-up of Britain’s Libel Laws, together with the ‘biggest revolution in the NHS for 60 years.’
About £80 billion will be distributed to family GPs in a move that will see strategic health authorities and primary care trusts scrapped.
The plan, contained in a white paper to be published next week, is designed to place key decisions about how patients are cared for in the hands of doctors who know them.
Tens of thousands of administrative jobs in the health service will be lost as a result.
So six announcements this week, which the vast majority will welcome. But nothing there to detract from the celebrations of Peter and Mary this week.
Mary has just received the keys to a three-bedroom property, in the area she was hoping for – and, with the proceeds from their insurance claims, Peter has bought her a new Mercedes Sports car.
‘It looks good on the driveway, doesn’t it,’ said Mary. ‘And there is enough room for three more vehicles, which Peter can use for his cars.
’Of course, the house needs a lot doing to it; but the council have agreed not to charge me rent for the first few months – so I can afford to redecorate.’
Peter and Mary will be holding their own, water free, reception soon.
... (11/07/2010, Telegraph) - Former asylum seeker on benefits given £2 million house
Yes, I think the caoalition government is in danger of getting this one wrong. Had they thought it out properly they could have used GPs and their extra funding as a way of identifying malingerers claiming disability benefit and used the funds they prepare to spend reappraising everyone on DB to ensure the benefits system - particularly housing benefit - is properly policed.
ReplyDeleteAs you identify with your Peter and Mary pieces, it is too easy for fraudsters to skim the system and the Telegraph article highlights that instances like those reported by the Daily Mail continue - despite recent government changes to the rules.
Trouble is I have no idea how to sort out such a broken system without spending more money on benefit investigators. Means testing does not appear to be a solution because the likes of Mary will always ensure they don't have a bank account and claim that any expensive items they own were gifts. The only way to be able to prosecute these people is to put them under full-time surveillance, and that is very expensive.
Perhaps there is some way of privatising benefit investigations where, perhaps, private investigation agencies are only paid on results?
Certainly something needs to be done.