Just saw this on the Sheffield Welfare Action Network) SWAN website, why the silence from the left, etc..
Even more draconian welfare reform on its way!
12 Feb 2007 by roger
It now seems that the Govts welfare reforms are to go even further that the those outlined in the Welfare Reform Bill: from April: unemployed people who cannot speak English will have to show they are learning the language or face losing benefits, there will be also be a ‘crackdown’(don’t you just love that word!) on single parents.(see links for details) Welfare is also increasingly being used as a tool for social policy, hence the sanctions that are applied if one doesn’t go on New Deal and the benefit cuts for those who don’t learn English.
Welfare reform is now a key part of Tony Blair's and No 10’s ‘legacy agenda’ and one can now see see that the ‘gloves are off’ as it were. The Freud review, (led by a former investment banker!) is to present its wide ranging proposals on welfare reform next month and is expected to suggest sweeping new changes to welfare including much wider privatization. John Hutton has also been visiting Australia where a extremely draconian welfare regime has been introduced, (with some resistance), which includes faith based groups running the welfare state. He is looking at plans for the private and voluntary sectors to take over responsibility for finding jobs for the 4.5 (an incorrect figure?) million people out of work in Britain.
The Welfare Reform Bill which is now in the Lords and will probably be voted on in the Spring has gone through opposed, this includes the sessions of the (labour lead)Works and Pensions Select Committee which sadly raised few objections to the Bill and even unprecedentedly authorised funds upfront for its implementation!
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmworpen.htm
This Bill is targeting targeting millions of disabled people with the threat of losing up to 30 pounds per week if the claimant does not comply with back to work plans, interviews and ever more medical assessments through a more stringent Personal Capability Assessment (PCA) already the toughest in the world. It also replaces housing benefit with a fixed rate allowance, which will of course be much less.
SWAN urges you to write to your M.P about these ongoing 'massive attacks' on
welfare and benefits and contact the media with your concerns.
Single parents/Freud review
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/story/0,,2011052,00.html
Benefit cuts for ethnic minorities
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6352793.stm
Australia
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/10/352511.html
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmworpen.htm
www.swansheffield.org.uk
sheffieldwelfare@yahoo.co.uk
.
Even more draconian welfare reform on its way!
12 Feb 2007 by roger
It now seems that the Govts welfare reforms are to go even further that the those outlined in the Welfare Reform Bill: from April: unemployed people who cannot speak English will have to show they are learning the language or face losing benefits, there will be also be a ‘crackdown’(don’t you just love that word!) on single parents.(see links for details) Welfare is also increasingly being used as a tool for social policy, hence the sanctions that are applied if one doesn’t go on New Deal and the benefit cuts for those who don’t learn English.
Welfare reform is now a key part of Tony Blair's and No 10’s ‘legacy agenda’ and one can now see see that the ‘gloves are off’ as it were. The Freud review, (led by a former investment banker!) is to present its wide ranging proposals on welfare reform next month and is expected to suggest sweeping new changes to welfare including much wider privatization. John Hutton has also been visiting Australia where a extremely draconian welfare regime has been introduced, (with some resistance), which includes faith based groups running the welfare state. He is looking at plans for the private and voluntary sectors to take over responsibility for finding jobs for the 4.5 (an incorrect figure?) million people out of work in Britain.
The Welfare Reform Bill which is now in the Lords and will probably be voted on in the Spring has gone through opposed, this includes the sessions of the (labour lead)Works and Pensions Select Committee which sadly raised few objections to the Bill and even unprecedentedly authorised funds upfront for its implementation!
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmworpen.htm This Bill is targeting targeting millions of disabled people with the threat of losing up to 30 pounds per week if the claimant does not comply with back to work plans, interviews and ever more medical assessments through a more stringent Personal Capability Assessment (PCA) already the toughest in the world. It also replaces housing benefit with a fixed rate allowance, which will of course be much less.
SWAN urges you to write to your M.P about these ongoing 'massive attacks' on
welfare and benefits and contact the media with your concerns.
Single parents/Freud review
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/story/0,,2011052,00.html Benefit cuts for ethnic minorities
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6352793.stm Australia
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/10/352511.html http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmworpen.htm www.swansheffield.org.uk
sheffieldwelfare@yahoo.co.uk .
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