Government News December 2007

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has published a report claiming that the “new and emerging” government structures need to be more integrated. Regional government offices and assemblies are failing to tackle economic deprivation, the report says. “Most national and regional local economic strategies do not include any significant attempt to link employment generation and business opportunities to the needs of deprived areas”. For more details see http://www.jrf.org.uk/
According to the Queen’s speech, the key plank of the government’s new legislative plan is to raise the education leaving age in England and Wales to 18. By 2015 all 18 year olds will be obligated to participate in some form of education or training. Other new bills are: a dormant bank and building society accounts bill which will enable monies to be used for good causes; a climate change bill to reduce the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions; a housing and regeneration bill to bring together the Housing Corporation and English Partnership.
A report on the labour market by the National Audit Office in 2005-2006 shows that 1.6 million people entered work from unemployment. Many of these used programmes such as New Deal, but 40% of those who move off Jobseekers Allowance returned to it in just 6 months. The report concludes that the government needs to improve job sustainability. The report recommends that the Dept for Work and Pensions and the Dept for Innovation, Universities and Skills need to work together to produce national initiatives with local action. For more details see Sustainable Employment on our publications website.
Gordon Brown has launched a new plan to reduce house-holders’ carbon footprints. The Green Homes service will include a one-stop-shop for green home health checks, encouraging the use of energy saving products, offering financial support packages, piloting a premium service for a green home makeover.