Sep 17
Daft but true
From the ASI newsletter originated in ePolitix.
In last month’s news clippings, I noted government plans to make farmers
responsible for disposing of rubbish that is fly-tipped on their land. ‘This
is not without precedent,’ says a reader. ‘The government has already made
UK citizens pay for the rubbish policies that are fly-tipped onto the
statute books every day.’ Got a point. Still, here’s this week’s outrages:
Economic waste
- – The Chancellor’s economic hopes received a setback when data revealed the
average G7 productivity last year was 16.8 per cent higher than the UK. – MPs want to know why the Treasury’s administration costs have risen 40
percent, up 27 million pounds, in the last financial year. (Me too!) – The Child Support Agency has just written off more than 2.8 billion quid
in unpaid child maintenance. (I wish I could write off debts so easily!) – Council taxes are being tipped to rise by around 200 pounds a year, due
to new demands placed on councils by the government.Bad service
- – Scared of prosecution, Network Rail managers agree to millions of pounds’
worth of unnecessary safety measures, leading to an 80% rise in delays. – Rail subsidies are up 270 million pounds on nine years ago, but official
passenger-growth targets still won’t be met, says a Salford Uni report. – The BMJ says that a shortage of midwives puts babies’ lives at risk;
Cancer Research says bureaucracy is costing the lives of cancer patients. – In the last two years, less than 3000 doctors have taken up government
inducements of up to 12,000 pounds each to fill GP vacancies. – Half our teachers have insufficient time or back-up to teach the
government’s new citizenship requirement properly, says a report.Divided Britain
- – Leeds academics say the UK’s social classes are becoming more divided.
The JR Foundation says families now need 1.5 earners to make ends meet. – The number of people living in council-funded Bed & Breakfast
accommodation has trebled (to 11,000 households) since 1997. – Irate motorists, angry at how speed cameras have been used as a way of
boosting police revenues, have recently destroyed 700 speed cameras.NB: The lot at ASI have a new blog which you find under the link above.
- – Leeds academics say the UK’s social classes are becoming more divided.
- – Scared of prosecution, Network Rail managers agree to millions of pounds’
