The papers are full of Gordon Brown's latest initiative to boost the skills levels of the UK workforce.
Poor families are to be paid extra cash if they commit to training or work.
Ministers are apparently off on a little jaunt to New York to see how such a scheme is working over there. The programme gives money to poor people in deprived areas in return for them enrolling into training or staying in work.
This new idea comes from the government which last month announced individuals would have their benefits cut if they continually refused job offers.
The Tories have naturally accused the prime minister of "chasing headlines". On this occasion, I happen to agree with them. The US scheme is in the early stages with no firm results to show whether it works or not.
Just what is the government's strategy? Depending on where you live, it wants contracts and benefit cuts for those who refuse training or contracts and benefit increases for those who accept training.
I'm getting a little confused. What about the millions of people who are in work and undertake training in the workplace, or at their own expense, to further themsleves? Where are the incentives for that?
Why can't I get paid extra cash for staying in work or learning new skills? As usual the people who shoulder the vast majority of the tax burden that will pay for this scheme are the ones that are forgotten.
Here's a suggestion for a new scheme. Cut taxes for the millions of working, law-abiding people who just get up every day and go to work unassisted on creaking trains and congested roads, and are paying spiralling council tax bills and mortgage payments because of rising inflation.
Anyone else got an idea for a new government policy?
Comments (3)
Why is the British goverment trying to follow American policies? Surely these people who have been voted into power to govern our country on behalf of the British public have got the brains to come up with their own ideas. Perhaps if they listened more attentively to the people, who were good enough to vote them in and used a bit of common sense when making new policies, they may find the answres to the countries problems. Please think about what you are doing, what works in America, may not work in England. For years this country has followed America and look what it has got us into nothing but other people's conflicts. Yes! created by America's greed to control other coutries resources.
Posted by martin maher | February 19, 2008 11:35 AM
Posted on February 19, 2008 11:35
Yes we will are all be trained to be what ever, except of course in most area's of the country it's not training we need but jobs.
Posted by Robert | February 24, 2008 7:11 PM
Posted on February 24, 2008 19:11
I've done all the skills training being disabled. I've done course after course after couse, but I'm still disabled and still without a job.
Simple facts - why bother with a bloke in a wheelchair when we have people from Poland who walk?
Posted by Robert | February 27, 2008 1:46 PM
Posted on February 27, 2008 13:46