Work TV

One of the scheme allegedly under consideration by the government is selling off our motorways and forcing motorists to pay to use them. We are concerned that this could infringing on the rights of people on low incomes and prevent them from having freedom of movement.

An example of how this would work is the The Dartford-Thurrock River Crossing, commonly known as the Dartford Crossing. By removing toll booths and by definition, the jobs of those who manned them. This has resulted in £25 million fines income since Dart Charge was brought in to ease congestion at the crossing by removing the old toll booths.

It is however providing something of a bonanza for the ‘usual suspects’ who come up with these schemes. No since Highwaymen shouted ‘Stand and deliver, your money or your life’ has such a money making wheeze worked out so well. At least Highwaymen had to do the occasional risk assessment. With these scheme it’s legal, lucrative and if you want to cross the Thames this way, pay up or else.  

Dart Charge bosses dished out fines to 4,000 drivers every day in the first three months of the new Dartford Crossing payment system, potentially cashing in on as much as £25 million, it has been revealed.

New figures show the Highways Agency issued more than 350,000 penalty notices from November 30, when the changes were introduced, to March 4.

354,920 PCNs (Penalty Charge Notice) have been issued during the period 30 November 2014 to 4 March 2015. Prior to this period a manual collection system was in place, which has been replaced by Dart Charge, the new charging regime.

2,024 PCNs have been cancelled following confirmation of the incorrect identification of the vehicle, which represents less than 1% of the total issued.”

It would be interesting to see what percentage of non-payers are foreign vehicles - not just Lorries say hacked of regular toll bridge users.

Without the toll booths many drivers will think that there are no charges including people coming from the north who have not been privy to the media coverage that appears to have been focused on Kent, Essex and London say observers.

Edmund King from the RAC has said that the signage is inadequate. I have yet to experience the Dart River Crossing but expect to in a couple of months’ time. ‘Heaven help me’ said Mr King.

Quite we thought wait till we are paying the fat cats to use motorways, taxpayers have already paid for!

Dartford Crossing charges

You must pay for droppable axles whether they’re up or down. Trailer axles aren’t included but semi-trailer axles are.

The HGV levy doesn’t include the Dartford Crossing charge.

You don’t have to pay if you cross with a moped, motorcycle, motor tricycle or quad bike.

You’ll get a Penalty Charge Notice if you don’t pay.

!

Some rather local news for our ‘European’ latest news section, but sadly Colchester landlords; the April Centre, have gone into receivership.

Over the years, this organisation helped so many people, despite at times at times managing on the tightest of budgets. The people involved had the biggest of hearts. Individuals in the organisation had both skills and great depth of experience to offer, and a caring attitude. 

We may add more news to this article. We hope that Colchester Council may be able to explain what happened?  

We may be reporting on a lot more of this sort of thing if 12 billion pounds worth of benefit cuts are instigated. Tonight some people will be facing homelessness. Let’s hope something can be done.  

The ABC is entering the EU Social Innovation Awards 2015. We visited Brussels last year for the final and we had a great time meeting like minded people and organisations.

The Competition invites people to come up with new solutions to social or societal issues and to create growth and jobs. Launched in memory of a social innovator Diogo Vasconcelos, the competition helps participants bring their ideas to life and further develop them in the Social Innovation Academy. Two editions were already held. The third edition was launched in early 2015. The three best projects will be awarded a prize of EUR 50 000.

Can we compete to win? Well, we can certainly  try!  

This time it is the turn of Plaid Cymru is answer our searching questions as the elecion looms large. 

What has been the experience of Welsh people living on state pensions and benefits during austerity?

The experience of people in Wales living on state pensions and benefits during austerity has been one of increasing hardship. Research by Sheffield Hallam University showed that in the first year after the Government’s cuts to social protection, over £1.1bn was taken out of the Welsh economy. Around 36,000 people have been hit by the bedroom tax here and around a third of people here are classed as living in fuel poverty.

What are the most pressing social issues facing Wales right now?

Austerity and the myriad of social problems this creates are the most pressing issues facing Wales right now and bringing it to an end is a priority. Overall the underperformance of the economy is the problem underpinning most problems in Wales. Successive Westminster Governments have left Wales one of the poorest countries in Western Europe in terms of income per head. We want to develop our economy, investing to bring jobs and growth, allowing Wales to eventually stand on its own two feet and create the fairer society we want to see here.

To cut the deficit and would you make benefits cuts, if so where?

 We would not make benefits cuts. The deficit can be brought down in a fairer and more equitable way that does not penalise the people who did not cause the economic crisis. For instance, we would not waste £100bn on a new generation of unusable nuclear weapons. We also want to raise the minimum wage to the level of the living wage. This would reduce the in-work benefit budget by ending government  subsidy for businesses that pay poverty wages. We would also introduce rent caps that would bring down the housing benefit budget without targeting benefit recipients with cuts. If New York and Germany can do it, it can be done here.

What is your Party’s attitude to benefit sanctions?

Benefit sanctions are cruel, pernicious and vindictive. We will work to end them. It is outrageous that the current government is planning to make £12bn worth of further cuts to social protection benefits in the next parliament when people have already suffered such hardship through cuts. Benefits sanctions have been one of the main drivers in people having to turn to foodbanks – over 1 million people in the UK and more than 85,000 in Wales – a number far higher than a proportion of our population share.

Would you scrap or modify Zero Hours contacts?

We would scrap compulsory Zero Hours contracts. Plaid Cymru pushed for a ban on the use of zero-hours contracts in the agriculture and social care sectors in Wales but this was rejected by the Labour Welsh Government. We will push for legislation at Westminster scrapping compulsory zero hours contracts throughout the UK.

What are your policies on youth unemployment?

We want a greater emphasis on skills training in order to give young people the skills employers want. In a budget deal with the Welsh Government, we secured an investment of £40 million to create thousands of higher apprenticeships in Wales, which offer apprentices a higher level skillset. We would adopt the European Youth Jobs Guarantee for employment, education or training for all young people aged 18 – 25 who have been searching for work for more than four months. 

How do Plaid Cymru propose to reduce child poverty?

Child poverty is best tackled by ensuring that parents are in adequately paid and secure jobs. Our policies are to end compulsory zero hours contracts and raise the minimum wage to the level of the living wage. We would also investigate how tax credits can be better used to reduce child poverty.

We want to break the link between child poverty and low attainment. We would maintain the Pupil Depravation Grant to ensure disadvantaged children reach their full potential and we want to give young children an additional year of schooling to our youngest children with qualified educational staff because this is the best way to equalise a child’s life chances.

What is Plaid Cymru’s policy regarding free prescriptions?

Prescriptions are free in Wales as the NHS is a devolved matter. We would keep prescriptions free and push for greater investment in the health service by recruiting an additional one thousand doctors (Wales has one of the lowest doctor per head ratios in the EU), as well as integrate health and social care.

Would you let prisoners vote?

Yes, provided that they are due for release in the current electoral cycle.

Do you have any desire to return the railways or the utility companies to public ownership?

We believe that a publicly owned not-for-dividend company should run the railways – similar to the one that ran the East Coast mainline so successfully before the coalition’s ideologically driven decision to re-privatise it again – so that any profit can be reinvested in the service and in lowering fares. We also want to see a similar publicly owned company energy generation and transmission company here in Wales which would result in the same benefits for consumers.

What would you say to those living in the more prosperous South who might feel that they will be funding Welsh plans with higher taxes?

There are many people in the prosperous South of England who are hit by grinding poverty and a lack of economic opportunity as well. The UK is the most unequal state in the EU, and London is the most unequal city. We will work with other progressives to ensure there is a levelling-up of economic performance between individuals as well as regions. London and the south east of England has benefited from massive transport and infrastructure  investment as well as an economic framework that favours its strengths. The foundation of a civilised society is a progressive taxation system, where those who are fortunate enough to be doing well should be contributing the most. The broadest shoulders should bare the greatest burden to fund the vital public services that we all depend on.

 Do you intend to have MPs outside Wales in future?

Plaid Cymru means the Party of Wales, so we don’t intend to have MPs outside Wales in future. However, we will work with other progressives throughout the nations and regions of the UK to secure a genuine rebalancing of power and economic opportunity and bring about an end the austerity advocated by the main Westminster parties. 

As we head towards the final days before the general election, and as the promises and charges fly back and forth like ‘arrows on a medieval battlefield’ - we decided to offer the Scottish National Party (SNP) the chance to put their case - in particular the SNP policies that are relevant to those living on state pensions and benefit.

We love all things Scottish here at the ABC, and of course the history, culture, kindness and warmth of the Scottish people themselves. 

To our delight, Rachel Heydecker of the SNP Policy Unit, helped facilitate this Q&A session which we have simply titled:

IN THEIR OWN WORDS – The Scottish National Party (SNP)

What has been the experience of Scottish people living on state pensions and benefits during austerity?

Scotland is part of an increasingly unequal UK and Westminster’s welfare cuts risk putting up to 100,000 more children into poverty by 2020. It is unacceptable that anyone should be living in poverty in a country as wealthy as Scotland.

The Coalition Government’s plan to further increase the state pension age is a worry to people across the UK who are planning for their future, and SNP MPs will push for a guarantee that there should be no further increase in the state pension age in Scotland while life expectancy still lags behind the rest of the UK and Europe.

The SNP Scottish Government providing over £100 million in 2015-16 to mitigate families in Scotland from the impact of Westminster welfare cuts. We will fully mitigate the effect of the Bedroom Tax, and the Scottish Welfare Fund provides a safety net for 100,000 households with low incomes.

What are the most pressing social issues facing Scotland right now?

The path of cuts which the Tory/Lib Dem coalition have chosen, and that Labour have signed up to, is negatively affecting Scotland. The Coalition’s reform to the benefits system attempts to balance the books on the back of the poor which has led to devastation, but the SNP is offering an alternative.

Our anti-austerity plans are for modest spending increases which will bring the deficit down, as well as allowing investment in growth and jobs. This plan is socially responsible and will protect our social fabric.

With creeping privatisation of the NHS South of the Border in England, the SNP will protect Scotland’s NHS and keep its future safe in public hands. SNP MPs will oppose anything that could have an adverse knock on impact on our budget. That is exactly why we will vote to restore England's NHS and give people south of the border their health service back

To cut the deficit would you make benefits cuts, if so where?

The SNP are offering a real alternative to the drab Tory-Labour cuts consensus in Westminster. Our anti-austerity plans propose a modest increase in public spending to allow investment in jobs and growth, and stop the savage cuts to disability benefits. This plan will allow us to also bring the deficit down but over a longer consolidation period.

What is your Party’s attitude to benefit sanctions?

Westminster’s sanctions regime is causing hardship and misery for far too many people across Scotland and the SNP believes there should be a root and branch review of this policy – and the DWP should not be allowed to impose any more unfair sanctions on vulnerable people while the review is ongoing.

Would you scrap or modify Zero Hours contacts?

SNP MPs will vote to end the unfair use of zero hours contracts.

What are your policies on youth unemployment?

The SNP Scottish Government has a strong record on promoting youth employment. In February the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that more than 1,000 job opportunities for unemployed young people are to be created through a £6.1m Scottish Government investment.

This is part of the Scottish Government’s Community Jobs Scotland programme – which has already helped over 5,500 young people so far.

We are on course to exceed the target of 25,000 Modern Apprenticeships this year, and we have now committed to delivering 30,000 new Modern Apprenticeship opportunities each year by 2020.

The SNP Scottish Government’s Opportunities for All commitment also guarantees a place in education or training for all 16-19 year olds not already in learning, training or employment.

How do you propose to reduce child poverty?

The SNP want Scotland to be the best place in the world to grow up, and by investing in growth rather than continuing cuts we can give our children the best start in life.

Our proposals for a modest increase in public spending will allow investment in public services – for example these plans will allow us to spend £2 billion more on Scotland’s NHS by 2020.

We will push for Child Tax Credits and Child Benefit to be uprated instead of frozen as the Tories plan.

The SNP will continue to deliver free school meals for P1-3s, boosting children’s wellbeing and helping to improve attainment.

Do you have any desire to return the railways or the utility companies to public ownership?

The Scottish Parliament does not currently have the power that would have allowed a publicly-owned company to bid for the Scotrail franchise which was procured recently.

The SNP Scottish Government called for the full responsibility for rail transport to enable public sector bids and not–for–profit models in the Smith Commission.

What would you say to those living in the more prosperous South who might feel that they will be funding Scottish plans with higher taxes?

Scotland more than pays its own way. Scottish tax receipts have been higher per head than in the UK as a whole in each of the last 34 years. In 2013-14, revenues per head in Scotland were £400 higher than across the UK. Over the past five years as a whole, total tax revenue was £4,100 per head higher in Scotland.

If you force the scrapping of Trident, Britain’s nuclear defence, how much would you save and what would you do with the money?

We do not believe that £100 billion should be spent on the renewal of Trident nuclear weapons. We would invest this money in childcare and vital public services instead.

Do you intend to have MPs outside Scotland in future?

We do not have plans to field candidates outside Scotland.

Will you try again for Scottish Independence?

The SNP leader and Scotland’s First Minister has made it clear that she is not planning another referendum, and in order for another referendum to be in an SNP manifesto in future, something significant would have to change from the situation we had last year in the referendum.

Thank you Rachel, and thank you to the SNP for taking part. Good Luck in the forthcoming elections.

As a new ABC initiative we have asked a number of selected organisations to take part in a Questions and Answers (Q&A) session we are calling: ‘In their own words’.   We are passionate about justice at the ABC, and so we asked Vice Chairman, of the Criminal Law Solicitors Association (CLSA) - Robin Murray, to answer some searching questions about the current state of the UK Legal Aid system. 

Robin is a practising solicitor at Tuckers Solicitors.

Tuckers is a leading law firm specialising in criminal law, civil liberties and regulatory proceedings. Established in 1980, the firm has over 150 lawyers and 10 offices in London, Birmingham and Manchester. Tuckers Solicitors is ranked as a top tier, premier law firm by both The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners.

We have include the Company’s website address following this article. These are Robins full and frank answers. 

Criminal Law Solicitors Association CSLA Logo

IN THEIR OWN WORDS – Q&A’s with Robin Murray.

The Vote for Justice Rally is being at Central Hall, Westminster 23 April at 2pm. The Criminal Law Solicitors' Association, is encouraging solicitors to take part. Why is this event being held, and what do you hope to achieve?

The event is being held to draw attention to the shocking failure of the current general election campaign to address the real and present danger to our nation caused by the collapsing Justice system must be redressed.   That is why the largest rally in our history to focus on these issues is being held. It is time the tide turned and the country wakes up to the reality that in this 800^th year anniversary of Magna Carta the right of the ordinary citizen to stand up to the powerful, the wealthy, the large Corporations and to State funded prosecution has been and is being substantially eroded by cuts and imposition of financial penalties.

The average person is being abandoned and left to fend for themselves in a complex legal system.  We must help people become aware of this crisis in our once renowned legal system.  This damage will impact poorly and drastically upon the quality of justice for generations to come if we do make a stand.  It will weaken the Prosecution the Defence and the Judiciary and erode liberty.  By attending this rally you will be demonstrating to the Nation that a stand should be taken.

The coalition government has made serious cuts in Legal Aid. Where have these cuts fallen, and how have these cuts affected the experience of the public?

 As our headline speaker former Court of Appeal Sir Alan Moses has opined on the BBC Panorama program the threat to justice is already obvious when one sees what has happened to civil law following the notorious LASBO cuts. There is a real and present danger of miscarriage justice being a regular occurrence in the criminal courts as well with the innocent being punished if the further cuts planned go through.

We are seeing solicitors firms merge and drop less profitable services. What effects have Legal Aid cuts made to solicitors and the profession in general? Is this part of a trend of consolidation in the legal profession? Will we be seeing: McSolicitors, anytime soon?

 The fall of in work now the underfunded police fail to bring people to court will lead to some consolidation of firms but the very odd ‘2 tier’ proposals combined with further cuts are regarded by all as simply unworkable. Apart from Mr. Grayling of course who alone thinks they are workable.  

Some people might argue that that the legal profession became too greedy, and that the government had no choice but to dramatically cut Legal Aid. What is the professions view of that argument?

The profession has not had a rise in legal aid rates for 18 years and according to the report of the National Audit office we compare like for like favourably with other nations. We are average in overall expenditure. Legal aid lawyers are very poorly paid and are leaving the profession as a consequence. The effect of cuts will leave us with a far more inefficient and slow court system which will cause far more expense. It is entirely short sighted and an assault on the right of every citizen to a fair trial in this 8oo year anniversary of Magna Carta.

In the early 1930’s Great Depression, the then Labour government wanted to make a 10% cut in public spending. The Judges argued that they were governed by the ‘Act of Settlement’ and therefore exempt from these public spending cuts. Is there an argument for considering the legal profession as a special case when considering public spending reviews?

 The recent YouGov poll (Fieldwork Time: 1st - 2nd April 2015) revealed

•             84% of people say legal aid and a fair trial are a British fundamental right. (82% say health care at the point of use)

•             89% of people say legal aid is important.

This nails the lie that people do not care about legal aid as a political issue. It is an important and fundamental issue for politicians to note. Legal aid campaigners speak for the people. There MUST be proper funding for legal aid. It is a right not a benefit.

In the USA Judges subject to disciplinary proceedings have been found to be accepting unlawful payments from ‘privatised’ prison companies. The US has the largest prison population in the world. Is the ‘privatisation’ of services in the UK legal system a positive development, or is a profit driven legal system likely to lead to injustice or corruption?  Is there a commonly held viewpoint about this in the profession?

 Most in the profession are deeply sceptical about privatisation in relation to the criminal Justice system and believe the profit motive will drive down standards due to cost cutting to make a profit. One only has to look at the many scandals such as the interpreter disaster to see how negatively privatisation impacts upon the CJS

UKIP want to double the prison capacity in their manifesto. In the experience of solicitors [in general] does prison ‘work’? As a general view what would members of the profession suggest as an alternative to prison?

No, most feel it reinforces criminality as the majority of prisoners reoffend with 12 months or so. Most prisoners have social issues and health issues that are better targeted outside a custodial regime unless for serious crimes and dangerous offenders where custodial sentences are unavoidable fir public safety.

*Should soft drugs like cannabis be de-criminalised? Does your Associations’ members have a common viewpoint on this controversial issue? 

No

 The impression of working as a solicitor is years of studying followed long hours of hard work, as you hope to climb the ladder to become a partner in a firm. Some might point to a sense of job satisfaction, job stability and an engaging social side as benefits of working in the profession.  Would you recommend becoming a solicitor, and what are the positive career benefits in your view?

 Of course I would. In terms of legal aid it is a fascinating career with one able to make a positive difference to society and people’s lives but we need the cuts on legal to be reversed to ensure in that sector a high quality of lawyer is maintained. If the rewards are hopelessly inadequate the profession will suffer and so will the public.    

If a young person wants a career as a solicitor how would they best go about it?

Through university, Law school and a training contract or through becoming a legal executive whilst working,

If the public want to support the ‘Vote for Justice’ Rally and Campaign, is there anything they can do to support the cause?

We hope all who care for access to Justice Non Lawyer’s and Lawyers)will all be descending upon the huge Westminster Hall for the ‘Vote for Justice Rally’ on the 23rd April  at 2 pm. We need to show to the media and the politicians that Legal aid and access to Justice do matter. The poll tells us so. People should book here:

http://www.clsa.co.uk/index.php?q=Vote-for-Justice-Rally-23rd-April-Central-Hall-Westminster-1400

Thank you again Robin for taking part, and may we wish you the best with The Vote for Justice Rally, which -  to remind everyone, is being at Central Hall, Westminster 23 April at 2pm. 

Tuckers Solicitors Website:

http://www.tuckerssolicitors.com

Plaid Cymru has today challenged Labour to come clean and admit that they will cut the Welsh Budget.  Despite promising money for Wales if they implement the Mansion Tax, the Institute for Fiscal Studies has forecast that Labour’s plans will in fact lead to real term cuts.

The Party of Wales has warned voters not to be deceived by the Labour party’s spin. Plaid’s candidate in Carmarthen East and Dinefwr Jonathan Edwards warned that whilst Labour is today talking about raising money through a mansion tax, the party has already signed up to plans that will cut more than a billion pounds from Wales’ economy.

Labour has previously stated that it will stick to the Conservative plan to cut departmental spending by over £1.5bn across the UK. This lower base for expenditure means that Wales will lose an additional £365 million over the next five years compared with 2014-15.

The IFS has estimated (March 2015) that starting this year Wales and the other devolved administrations will lose 2.2 per cent of their funding in real terms by the end of the next parliament leading to a cumulative, real terms loss for Wales of £835 million. Taken together Labour will cut funding to Wales by £1.2bn (£365m plus £835m) in real terms over the coming five years.

 The Party of Wales candidate in Carmarthen East and Dinefwr Jonathan Edwards said:

“Despite their acknowledgement that Wales is underfunded, Labour are still planning to make deeper cuts into the Welsh budget.

“Despite this they are trying to pull the wool over people’s eyes - deceptively claiming that they will put more money into Wales’ economy while signing off spending plans that will cut more than £1 billion from Wales.

“Labour party is giving with one hand and taking away with the other.

“Plaid Cymru is the only party in Wales making the case to stop austerity and to grow our economy. We also want Wales to be funded to the same level as Scotland.

“Plaid Cymru’s economic plans are focused on growing Wales’ economy. We want to invest to create jobs, increase our tax intake and bring down the deficit. We need to close the gap between the rich and the poor and we are the only party focused on rebalancing power and wealth throughout the UK.”

We do feel upset when we see a needless disaster on this scale. We need to bring pressure on European Companies to act responsibly, and ensure suppliers treat their workers with the same degree of care, as most employers do in our developed society. 

On 24th April 2013, over 1100, mainly women, workers were killed and 2500 injured when the Rana Plaza building collapsed in Bangladesh. The building housed factories making clothes for Benetton, Primark, Matalan, Mango, Gap and other major brands supplying clothes for the UK high street. Approximately 2,515 injured people were rescued from the building alive.

Two years later, the garment workers of Bangladesh are still fighting for justice. To mark the anniversary, War on Want have organised a walking tour of Oxford St where they will expose the high street brand undermining attempts to make Bangladesh’s factories safe. 

If you can make some spare time, why not go along and support this demonstration? If we all show we care, those who are getting rich cutting corners might start to think more carefully about how those workers are treated, and when, where, and how they have their garments manufactured. 

War on Want 

When: Thursday 6.30pm, April 23rd

Where: Oxford st, [exact meeting point tbc], central London,
What: Walking tour
Organised by: War on Want & Labour Behind the Label
Supported by: Fashion Revolution, Rainbow Collective, The Brick Lane Debates

According to the Law Society Gazette more than 3,500 applications for civil legal aid in cases involving domestic violence or child abuse have been refused since reforms were introduced two years ago, official statistics have revealed.

Legal aid statistics published by the Ministry of Justice show that the Legal Aid Agency received 10,455 applications between April 2013 and December 2014 for civil representation legal aid in private family law cases where there was a risk of domestic violence or child abuse.

During the same period 6,916 applications were granted, though the ministry said not all applications granted in a period necessarily related to applications received within the same period. The majority of applications cite evidence relating to domestic violence.

The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, which came into effect in April 2013, removed legal aid from the majority of private family law matters. However, applicants are granted legal aid for cases where they can prove the incidence or risk of domestic violence or child abuse through a range of prescribed forms of evidence.

Meanwhile…

The Vote for Justice Rally, which is being organised by practitioner groups the Criminal Law Solicitors’ Association and London Criminal Courts Solicitors’ Association, will take place at Central Hall, Westminster, London, on 23 April.

CLSA vice-chair Robin Murray (pictured) said: ‘We’re hoping to achieve a mass demonstration of support for the idea that justice matters in this general election.

Lawyers are campaigning the reinstatement of Legal Aid.

Labour will abolish the government’s employment tribunal fee system as part of reforms to make sure that workers have proper access to justice, employers get a quick resolution, and the costs to the taxpayer are controlled.’

The government has insisted the fees are necessary to protect employers from frivolous claims and to ensure the taxpayer does not have to foot the bill.

Meanwhile, Welsh nationalist party Plaid Cymru has called for greater devolution of justice matters in the next parliament – including the devolution of all powers over criminal justice to the Welsh government.

In its manifesto, the party pledges to introduce a Welsh legal jurisdiction to codify the nation’s laws, to make clear which legislation applies only to Wales.

The party says it will oppose any moves by a UK government to scrap the Human Rights Act or withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights.

Plaid Cymru also wants hearings to be held in alternative locations such as council chambers and other public buildings, and to create dedicated ex-servicemen’s courts to recognise particular problems faced by former members of the armed forces.

 Compiled from the source - Law Society Gazette