Your government needs you

Comment by ANN HODGKISS on July 9, 2010 at 6:10 pm

Central procurement – this is badly needed at county council level. My establishment orders what they want, there is not competition when looking for a supplier on price, they get sometimes the most expensive option, not always the best. It makes me cry the absolute wasted money I see every day. There never seems to be “manager” Managers. Public sector has lot to learn from private sector Management skills and work ethics- I am from private sector and am truly gobsmacked at how public service runs, everybody thinks they are owed something & their work ethic is very poor – Mangers are not truly Managers and have to jump through hoops for HR or bosses when this really is not a good relationship for worker/managers. I so WISH I worked in Government with this new chance to make things work at last

Comment by Craig Ballingall on July 9, 2010 at 6:10 pm

Why not bonus senior civil servants on a % of the savings they make combined with a public SLA that they must meet and be measured against. Also cap management costs to a sensible % of the opex for each department to eliminate the needless spending on consultants. Remember, a consultant is defined as someone who borrows your watch, tells you the time and then charges you for doing so….

Comment by Alan Foss on July 9, 2010 at 6:11 pm

I have the privalidge to work in both the private and public sector. I am a self employed electrician and also teach part time for about 20 hours per week at my local FE college. I have a foot in both camps if you like. What is missing in my area of the public sector is a real understanding of the customer and supplier relationship – and that 99% of the activity shoudl be for the benefit of the customers and about 1% admin and internal activities. In relaity there is an enormous amount of time spent on admin and internal activities – and most do not see it! There needs to be a different management style from the top; everything anyone does should be examined to see if it is for the benefit of the ‘customer’. if ti is not – then why is ti being done? We have a lot of people counting beans; and then people counting the people couning beans. Admin needs to be done but it should be minimal – electronic as far as practicable; entered once only etc. Once this philsophic change has been made then true value for money can be achieved at a fraction of todays costs.

Comment by Christopher C Brown on July 9, 2010 at 6:28 pm

Dear David, I am very concerned about the amount of money you are loosing in unpaid V.A.T. The amount of times we are offered payment for some work or service without paying V.A.T., we are told we can have work done cheaper if it does not go through the books or we don’t want a bill many times we are quoted to have work done then when we require a reciept we are told it will cost more. The goverment must be loosing billions, maybe an undercover team could be set up to get rid of this loop hole and fine those responsable heavily to stop this practice. Yours faithfully, Chris.

Comment by Oliver Roche-Clarke on July 9, 2010 at 6:45 pm

one big problem as i see it is the state of the roads less should be spent on speed humps (especially the ones that no matter how slow you go your car still clips them) and more on getting rid of the pot holes that are destroying our cars plus it will be a huge cut on stress for those who depend on a lot of city driving for work

Comment by chris on July 9, 2010 at 6:50 pm

keep benefits within the uk borders for example do not pay child tax credits to workers who come from the eu’s family , and if you leave the uk you should leave your benefits behind , maybe , also cut mp’s allowances for second homes completely and build a hotel specifically for mp’s to stay in when in need i’m sure that would work out cheaper!, also but a bit crazy if i was pm i would consider an emergency tax

Comment by Phil Whittaker on July 9, 2010 at 6:56 pm

Suffolk County Council Chief Executive in Suffolk earns twice as much as the PM can this be right?Clearly it is not. This is a Conservative Council and her salary along with other high ranking Local officials should be cut in line with the cuts the rest of us face.

Comment by Padraig Curran on July 9, 2010 at 6:57 pm

Good Work!! I’ll have a look.

Comment by N Bryant on July 9, 2010 at 7:07 pm

Cancel Child Benefit for every family with an income of over £75,000 pa, surely they do not need it

Comment by Neil Winkcup on July 9, 2010 at 7:30 pm

Hello,

Reform the Health and Safety Executive. More home based, risk based field inspectors, less back office rule creating irrelevant civil “servants”.

Industry is crippled by the endless compliance only rules that have no direct relationship to field safety. More support to field based auditing and less rule based accademic compliance.

Best of British
Neil

Comment by James on July 9, 2010 at 7:42 pm

I am only 15 but my mum is always going about the excessive amounts of hospital managers. She is a Midwife ans says they just are not needed as they are getting paid extra but are not helping to privide a front line survice. In her department there are 5 managers and this has caused many disputes as no one is clearly in charge and it has even caused members of staff to cry because of the divisions occuring. Please take this into consideration, James.

Comment by Ms.H.Cushion on July 9, 2010 at 8:05 pm

N.Bryant is bang on. Cap Child Benefit at 75,000. But go further, pay all benefits weekly again and make them collectable rather than conveniently depositing them in bank accounts.

Comment by Mariaan Viljoen on July 9, 2010 at 8:05 pm

Dear David.

As an Asthma & Thyroid patient I have 5 presription medicines I take daily. These are given for 8 weeks at a time. If the NHS allows doctors to prescribe for a 13 week period they will save 2 1/2 prescription costs per year on every patient with chronic conditions.

Thanks
Mariaan

Comment by Joy cavanagh on July 9, 2010 at 8:16 pm

Hi
I think look in councils and see how many people there doing the job that one person would be doing in the private sector.
Having a child with special needs i would say it is all very well making cuts but money needs to be spent wisely too. Our son has profound and multiple learning disabilities yet it is going to be easier for him to get funding for him to go to college when he’s 19 than sending him to day centre. Having looked round a good day centre we ould say that the particular day centre (a new one) is more appropriate for him when he leaves school as he will hav his own personal programme and probably achieve more than going to a college that is aimed at him being independant and getting a job when being realistic his disabilities are so severe he will never be independant and most certainly will not get a job. So spend money in a way that is most approrpriated i would say.
What i find amusing we can easily get funding to send out son to college where he will come out with nothing where as those who have the ability to go to uni struggle to get it financed and we are talking about future drs here where they actually put something back inot the community.

Comment by Haz on July 9, 2010 at 8:27 pm

Our department is blighted by ‘sickies’. Stop paid sick leave for the first weekof absence. It would save a fortune in our place alone!

Comment by Adrian Hoe on July 9, 2010 at 8:39 pm

We have to save money!! everyone agrees on that. We should stop sending money to overseas aid and spend it on our own manufacturing base, this will increase jobs and assist in our GDP.
Then look at all the money that is spent on fighting a war that is not ours to fight. bring the troops home and deploy them to protect our boarders. that should be a good start

Comment by Craig on July 9, 2010 at 8:51 pm

the tax system needs to be simplified.

to improve the state welfare system to help people get back in to work and make it less appealing to stay on benefits.

to help industry we have a problem with energy supply why not sponsor alternative fuel/ energy research with in the U.K. and not supply work to out European neighbours make Britain the leader in green technologies.

Comment by Angus Mackechen Macaulay on July 9, 2010 at 8:57 pm

Sack all P.C.S.O s they are a complete waste of time and space. When I asked one of them what his job was he said. If we see anything we radio the police. this is a total waste of money.

Comment by Sally Wallpaper on July 9, 2010 at 9:04 pm

Desperate measures for serious times..
Why don’t you tax people for selling second hand cars. This is a huge market and could generate billions of pounds and you can monitor this through a new box added to the DVLA form where the seller adds the sold price and the buyer signs it. The DVLA then bill the seller for 20% tax. Second hand cars will go up in value to cater for this and new cars will become sustainable.

Comment by James Butcher on July 9, 2010 at 9:05 pm

My name is James, I am a student in West Sussex and have just finished my A levels.

My plea is to reform EMA or Education Maintenance Allowance.

Currently people can recieve up to 30 pounds a week and bonuses at the end of term – to spend on what they wish – and I don’t think you’d believe me if I started to list the things they have been spent on.

EMA is a good idea for students that have to commute but many don’t and this is not taken into consideration when it is issued. I don’t recieve EMA as we are marginally over the threshold to recieve it but that does not affect us.

EMA bonsuses are given out if students attend all lessons and these are around 100 pounds – please explain to me why I don’t recieve the insentive to learn for turning up to lessons, why people who live in walking distance recieve up to 30 pounds a week to spend on what they wish – money which is ontop of child benefit and tax credits – so people don’t need this money while in the last year of school but do in the first year of college?

Sure, young adults need a bit of cash to spend but why not do what I do and get a saturday job.

I know of people who turn up to lessons just for EMA – these people can (and I say can) be very very disruptive – the beauty of 6th form and further education is that people only attended who wanted to learn – but now they have another reason – money.

I am not well off, I do not wish to punish the poor, the idea of EMA is fantastic but I can tell you it does not work fairly.

I am predicted 3 As at A level – I did this attending state schools, without EMA and while having a saturday job!

Please make this fair.

Comment by Munir on July 9, 2010 at 9:30 pm

Pls Stop paying benifit who are not willing to take job Max 3 months off work pay. Stop Bonus system to big boss. Bonus should be paid to those who work hard in real field. Bosses no no Stop it. Banking Loan to be strict but low interest rate so that pepole can open small business and also can pay it back. Govt audit the banks every 6 months carefully. Pension Limit 65 for Man and 60 to woman. Increasing of VAT making difficult to poor people. Should have increase slowly. EU people should not be allowed to take benifir they come here to take the money out. But NON-EU with high skills helps govt more than what EU people do. Child benifit to stop to any NON-EU and EU people, will limit in child birth. People are giving berth to a child for the sake of Money only. After that they are throwing the child in care home or unattended, who later become uneducated person and start robbing, boosing, drug etc. GOVT must stop this external problem first instead of scratching head in Voting system reform.
British has ahistory than any other country in the world.
This Flag shoud FLY higher then any other.

Comment by Yana on July 9, 2010 at 9:52 pm

Hi there

I used to work in a hotel in and the manageress was charging the council considerably more than any other customer because she “could get away with it”.

If only the council staff would bother to go online and check the rates on booking.com…

I’d increase tax on all types of junk food (including frozen meals and sweets and artificial juices) to about 30 – 40%, so that people would start to live more healthily.

It would save money for the NHS, bring money in the treasury and make people healthier.

Also I think it might be a good idea to make the services of the NHS income-related, but I know that one’s a bit unrealistic

All the best
Yana

Comment by KEVIN on July 9, 2010 at 9:57 pm

CRB forms….why do we need so many…surely one is enough to cover all agencies jobs etc….And can they last 5 years before renewal

Comment by Rosie on July 9, 2010 at 10:01 pm

Personally i have to deal with the drug addicts that hang around on the street everyday. I’m on 26, i graduated from university 2 years ago and i currently work in a minimum wage job. I would rather do that then nothing and i have worked since i was 16. I think its unfair that these drug addicts get everything for nothing. They get money, buses paid for them and i even overheard two the other day discussing how the benefit office was paying their court fines.
This is not only unfair to us that work but people who genuinely need the benefits need to get medicals and get hassle from the benefit office all the time whereas these drug addicts just say they are addicted to Heroin and they get everything done for them and paid for them.
In my workplace i have to deal with them everyday and the threats they make toward myself and my work colleagues.
I say stop the benefits for drug addicts as this will save the government a lot of money. They dont deserve it unless they legitamitly want to get off drugs then yeah they deserve the help. I am sick of going to work every day and scrapping by on minimum wage when these people come in with flash mobile phones and jewellery then stand and give myself and other abuse, before payday i have seen myself struggling to have my busfare to go to work and they get on for free.

Enough is enough of these drug addicts getting a free ride from the rest of society.
Man up David Cameron and take a stand. I voted for you (against the political beliefs of all my friend as i live in Central Scotland) prove me right!!!!

Comment by tony on July 9, 2010 at 10:07 pm

Stop child benefit if you have more than two children.
I have heard so may people who are ordinary working people who agree on this , this is the only way forward now for the UNITED KINGDOM.
this could be slowly phased in over 4years.

Any self employed subcontractor ,they are getting away with there share of national insurance they pay the minimum when self employed.

Because of Health and Safety Laws now not many companies want to employ 16 year olds up to the age of 18 we wonder why there is so many youngsters on the streets.I asked my employer to take on a 16 year old to train and his reply was the above ELF AND SAFETY the are all scared to take on a young person absolutely dartf .

Speeding tickets still have a fine if you get caugth speeding but give the car driver an option on the 3 points on your license pay an extra amount for no points added or have them added to your license.

Family tax credits have this assesed by how many parents are living in there house so there hours of work is made up to a forty hour week ,Not just the minimum eg 16 hours then they are entiled to tax credits and the other parent is sitting at home ?
Why would a couple work a forty hour week when they can still get the same money on tax credits for a sixteen hour week its Laughtable.

tony

Comment by S Stuart on July 9, 2010 at 10:36 pm

Dear Prime Minister,

I am highly concerned on the amount of money people who are claiming Incapacity Benefit, when they no longer need it and point blank refuse to work, even though they are at complete capability to gain employment.

My greatest concern is those that are following the benefit trend from generation to generation. I strongly believe people claiming benefits in the past 10 years should have their claims reviewed, and stronger detection for those who are making false claims to the benefit system. I believe it is draining our country’s finances unnecessarily and those who genuinely need it are becoming overlooked.

I understand and appreciate this is something that will take a very long time to achieve, but if we begin now, it is possible we could be potentially saving our systems millions in the years to come to overcome the deficit.

My highest regards and a belated congratulations for your recent achievements.

Sarah

Comment by r.hewes on July 9, 2010 at 10:47 pm

yes i live in scunthorpe and i wish there was more control how the council spends and wastes poll tax money some of the ridiculas and stuiped ways they spend it is a total waste of money this should be reviewed and if poll tax can be cut it should be done and given back to the people that pay it

Comment by Mary Alton on July 9, 2010 at 10:59 pm

1.much less comfort in prison, educate them don’t entertain them. make sure they’re glad to be released and dont want to return.
2.develop more pride in and encourage purchase of British products
3.same retirement age for public and private sectors and for men and women ( ie 67 )
4.national service for anyone under 21 not in education or work
5. no benefits for those on over £50,000
6. child benefit for 2 children only
7. fine GP’s giving sick notes to those who dont deserve them
8. Gp salaries cut to reflect number of patients and hours on call

Comment by Michelle Collins on July 10, 2010 at 12:24 am

Dear David

Firstly thank you for giving the public this opportunity to voice their views on this enormous problem this beautlful country of ours is facing. I am a legal PA working in the private sector in the City of London and I would like to see more cuts in the local councils by cutting bonuses to some of the high rank councillors. May I ask why do councillors get bonuses anyway? Our well deserved salaries contribute to their bonuses from the tax we pay and I really begrudge this when that money could be spent on more education in the local boroughs. The Labour government introduced so many job creation schemes that were not beneficial and never worked. So much bureacracy is ruining the councils and need to be scrapped. Of course each town need a council but surely it would be beneficial to towns if all councils were run properly and that the public should have a say where the money should be spent. I know ridiculous but you can’t blame me for trying. I personally don’t think cuts should be made on education and the NHS but I can understand why you have had to make such drastic measures to protect this great nation of ours. Good luck David

Comment by Aaron bent on July 10, 2010 at 12:36 am

There is a wealth of money being waisted on things we just dont need anymore. i am primarily talking about the trident or nuke program we have.
its understandable to have such a deterrant of world destroying proportions but its just not needed anymore when we belong to greater organisations such as NATO the EU strike force or the UN. Im pretty certain any of those groups would leap to the chance to defend us as we would them. But we cannot over look our relations to the worlds super power or the commonwealth including Australia and Canada. We’re not alone if we were to be ever attacked, and all of these factors are more of a deterrant than any nuke!

British Army
Aaron.

Comment by Seb Horst on July 10, 2010 at 12:36 am

Dear David,

There are far too many layers in management throughout public sector spending areas. For instance, money is being given to managers in the NHS, and that money is then slowly being handed down all the different layers of management, and only 30% of the money you invest in the service in the first place, is going to the place that you intended to put it. This is where people need it most, and where we are going to see changes for the better.
This way you will be spending less money and will be able to invest the recovered money elsewhere or paying off Gordon Brown’s debt!!

Comment by Nick on July 10, 2010 at 1:15 am

Dear David
You are doing a fantastic job as PM so far, I think that you made the cuts in all the right places and I am hoping you can keep up the good work
Best Wishes
Nick Robertson, 15

Comment by Ryan McManus on July 10, 2010 at 1:41 am

Make all civil service pensions and perks 100% contributory or close to that.

Comment by Philip James on July 10, 2010 at 1:55 am

Having used job centre plus many times I know those who work there have under performed for too long compared to private sector job agencies. I am unsure if they have little incentive to find people jobs or they are poorly trained in recruitment but in this age of austerity I feel they should go. The machines that print out job applications always seem to be more useful so why not just keep the machines and put the rest of the JSA service online? There are so many private job agencies around these days who do a better job of getting people into work.

Comment by David on July 10, 2010 at 8:59 am

scrap EMA-£30 a week to go to school +bonuses. most techers at my school signed off students attendence records even though they had not attended-just so students could get their money. Most students spend it on getting drunk on Friday nights, smoking or a new car.

Comment by Darcy on July 10, 2010 at 9:35 am

Benefit..when people have been reported..why does the DWP write off false claims of £600 and does not collect the money back?
Translators for non speaking English recieving FREE dental treatment (e.g married couple have individual translators meet them for thier dental appointments which follow on from each other..cost of two translators for FREE dental treatment).
Translators attending Benefit Claims translator paid..Benefit Claimant non arrival of appointment and then books a further appointment. Cost again of another Translator!
Child Benefit for people with incomes over 50k ridiclous.

Retirement…Tried to buy a second property this week to plan for retirement ..Bank refused due to an default on my credit file for £154.00 for a mobile phone not recd…Now challening the case which can take me 12mnths and a cost to me…This puts my plan 12mnths back or 12mnths nearer my retirement age…So banks will not lend although I am a better bet than a first time buyer as I have 150K to put into the banks..Again we need help to help you get this Country back to where it should be.

Comment by Leigh Higgins on July 10, 2010 at 11:30 am

Telecoms contract procurement, many large organisations can substantially benefit. Looking at all contracts with BT/C&W/Talktalk to get the best rates. I am amazed how different government organisations miss opportunities for economies of scale by not merging accounts with the supplier.

From friends who work in the NHS maintenance side, no one really trys to get the NHS Trust the BEST rate on components from suppliers. Again this should consider to be a central procurement rate for all NHS Trusts.

Highways – Why so many roadsigns? Nearby I have three road signs to point to the driver they are approaching a 30mph zone then the big yellow 30 sign. Also nearby, a 30mph zone then enter 40mph sign followed TEN YARDS later by a National Speed limit sign!

Government Assets – Sell the Tote, Channel 4, Government land.

Taxes – Increase Corporation Tax on Gambling Companies by 1%

Increase tax burden off license alcohol sales

Reduce public houses tax burden

Comment by Roberta Upton on July 10, 2010 at 11:37 am

Get rid of NWDA now before 212 ? Don’t move the BBc to Salford Quays Media City ? Also cancel meaningless public realm improvements such as the Chapel Street scheme in Salford ?

Comment by Xenillia on July 10, 2010 at 1:04 pm

Take at least 3 quarters of the BBC’s licensing fees and take it to fix up the country’s debt. The BBC’s charter says they are there to “INFORM, EDUCATE & ENTERTAIN”

I have seen how they work on site and how they WASTE WASTE WASTE Britain’s licensing money! They had something like 3 crews covering Glastonbury this year (ridiculous!); in Cape Town they spent MILLIONS on a nice cushy office overlooking the football stadium in expensive part of Cape Town (again unnecessary); cut & simplify – the educational & history etc. shows they do put on sometimes are great, yet too often too biased (whereas journalism is in itself supposed to be an unbiased medium taking ALL sides into perspective – not just the knit-your-own-socks perspective for crying out loud, so sick & tired of that), and they shouldn’t be putting rubbish on which is competing with the private stations – that’s not their duty, they are publicly funded – they should be there to educate & improve a nation, not waste the nations money & turn them into square-eyed, politically biased airheads.

Comment by Simon Foston on July 10, 2010 at 1:21 pm

Dear Mr. Cameron,
One way to save money would be for ministries to stop spending huge sums on bringing in private consultants to tell ministers and civil servants how to do their jobs.

Another way would be to scrap PFI, which commits the government to paying out millions of pounds to private contractors who often do not provide value for money, merely for cosmetic purposes, i.e. making the balance sheets look a bit better in the short term. It would also help to slash the salaries of local government employees who earn more than you do but are so incompetent that they deserve less than a tenth of what they actually get.
Also, re-nationalise the railways. Something is very wrong when the government has to pay subsidies to train operators, as it seems to me the whole idea of private enterprise is that they should be able to run train services without any hand-outs.
Finally, why not try to rebuild Britain’s industrial infrastructure? We pioneered the Industrial Revolution, but after that vile Thatcher creature and her toadies destroyed British industry for political gain, any manufacturers worth speaking of in the UK are all foreign. Japan and Germany built up themselves up from wartime ruin to become economic superpowers. Lead the way, and Brtain could do the same thing.

Comment by Tom Whitbread on July 10, 2010 at 1:47 pm

Why waste money on road narrowing schemes like the one in Dalston Lane, which took 6 months to install making the roads narrower and now police, ambulances, and fire engines cannot get through in light traffic where they could before. The money should have been spent on the schools in the borough and the person who designed the scheme sacked as it is dangerous.
You could also dispense with the PSCO’s and save in the region of £315 million, they do not add to the protection of the public or serve any service that more police officers would be able to perform correctly. They were just a way of getting more people of the dole queue by the Labour party. The £315 million could be put into hospitals. Hackney is now thinking of putting mirrors on traffic lights for drivers to see cyclists, what will happen when the sun reflects into a drivers eyes and he mows down a pedestrian. Use the money more wisely. They do not have the money to repair holes in the road, but they are still wasting money on more speed humps, which are a total waste as it does not stop boy racers, car thieves or non-british who will be out of the country before a summons is issued.
Put a ceiling on the amount of legal aid that can be claimed and also set a realistic hourly rate for the legal profession. This will stop lawyers charging unrealistic charges and bent lawyers and CPS officials taking advantage.
No legal aid for illegal immigrants, if they can pay thousands to crooks to get them into England then they can pay their own legal bills.

Comment by Paul on July 10, 2010 at 2:28 pm

Dear Mr Cameron and Team
It is time the law on CRB is revisited. I can assure your government that the rise in unemployment is hugely if not part due to the law on CRB. 70% of those I have interviewed on JSA are claiming that they have petty issues with the law. Employers are refusing to employ people based on the fact that someone has a driving offence or petty offence over years.
How can someone who wants to work within a security industry can be refused license because of a driving offence over four or five years, or someone been refused work in a care home for similar reason? I think it is time people are asked if they have any issues with the law, and those cases traced first with the CRB to see if its worth removing or not mentioning as long as the person has his/her life reformed, has not reoffended and has undertaken training courses to get them into work. Secondly employers need to know what they check for. If someone is applying for a care job, the employer should do a CRB on that applicant based on the job applying for.

Other than that, I see huge number of people on benefit forever because the laws are keeping them there.

CRB should ONLY apply to what the person is applying for because a lot of people are refused jobs because of CRB reports. A simple example is those who went out of security jobs because of the report of the CRB which definitely has nothing to do with their jobs but were made unemployed.

When will your government consider rectifying or working on this if they want people back to work or want to cut down on expenses. This payout to the unemployed is one of the huge areas of expenses.

So consider this as a serious issue Mr Cameron.

Thanks for reading.

Comment by Lorna Moodie on July 10, 2010 at 2:55 pm

Hi

I hear horror stories everyday of how certain local authorities wasting money whether it’s through allowing drivers to take vehicles home, which they then use for personal journeys, wasting fuel taxpayers have paid for or the theft that goes on. No one seems to be in control of things in the councils, it’s like a free for all. Anyone who is in charge seems to be easily backhanded to keep their mouth closed.

Also I think small businesses should be taxed less than multiples and supermarkets. Supermarkets slaughter prices and make it extremely difficult for small businesses to survive. There is little left to retail that supermarkets don’t already.

Duty should be put up on things that harm your health – alcohol, cigarettes etc to compensate for the amount of people using up doctors appointments and hospital beds who put themselves there by abusing their health.

MPS expenses – don’t think we even need to go there!

Benefits for people who are “ill” – this needs to be looked into long and hard. I could list about 10 names in 30 seconds who could easily have a job but instead choose “money sticks”.

People running business and not declaring their earnings. Many are working on the side and claiming benefits at the same time, surely in this day and age we can catch them?

Comment by Amanda Love on July 10, 2010 at 5:26 pm

Oh Lorna I’m sorry you know people who are robbing the system, but externally I look hale and healthy, except I have breast, bone and liver cancer and have been given 2 years to live. Before this I worked as a registered nurse all my life and HATE being on benefits, I’d love to work and love to have a future which I don’t.

Comment by Simon on July 10, 2010 at 5:28 pm

Why not use open source software in schools instead of spending the thousands each school pays to use Microsoft and other branded products.

Comment by brian cooper on July 10, 2010 at 5:40 pm

cut out lots of overseas ambasaders and all their expensive homes and expenses dont cut bus passes as this will put the likes of me back on the roads with my car. I am 72 my wife is 71 and we are both are not well if you cut beifits to the likes of us us we will be visiting the doctors and the hospitle so that too will have an adversed effect and will be counter productive cut oversea aid for now as you say we carn’t aford it when we can aford it then give it away then. get many young back to work I know of lots of young ones around here who have never had a job in their lives they don’t konw how to work and they are very fit they just don’t want to get up early in the mornings. It sickens me to think I have worked all of my live along with my wife and now we need a little help and attention we do not stop hearing of cuts cuts and more cuts for pensioners, all us older ones are frightend to death, dont knock the aged down because they are an easy target so look after the old and get the young to work nobody should stay in bed in the mornings if anyone does not have a job find them something to do there are 1000s or communial jobs to be done, clean up the streets anything to get them out of bed and then they will find something better themselves. come on Mr Cameron get a gripp. Stop all these young people getting pregnant and get the fathers of these chilren to pay not us the tax payers these men have their fun and then just walk away and do it again, make them responsable not us

Comment by Chris Sands on July 10, 2010 at 7:13 pm

The civil service really needs to cut back on the free junckets. My friends that work in the civil service travel about 2-3 times a month for meetings. They openly admit the meeting could be done by telephone conferencing. They say it is just a jolly up.

What a complete waste of tax payers money.

Comment by Arnold Whittle on July 10, 2010 at 7:39 pm

What is the new word for our times for our economic condition , the buzz word is austerity this is a good word it mean tighten your belt, be frugal I will have no problem tightening my belt because I have been living this austere life style for the last 20 years, I only have a small pension less than a £100 per week my TV is 12 years old and I had the tube replaced, my car is 12 years old with 95.000 miles on the clock, I do not have a suit I buy my groceries at 50% off my holidays are camping holidays, that is being austere or frugal.

Comment by Joanne Clarke on July 10, 2010 at 9:21 pm

My school spend £1500 a year sending out a glossy arts newsletter (in addition to the termly school newsletter) few of which ever reach the students’ parents however, we don’t have enough textbooks to teach our A’ Level classes. Get school’s spending properly scrutinised.

However, teachers are the main facilitators of learning, not textbooks, or computers, or electronic white boards or even brand new school buildings, so cutting teachers’ pay and pensions is disincentivising and will lead to a lowering of teaching and learning standards and the loss of many present and future good teachers.

Comment by Angus Mackechen Macaulay on July 10, 2010 at 10:29 pm

Ask why there are more vat millionaires in the uk than lotto millionaires this fraud if stopped would pay the national debt.

Comment by bob on July 11, 2010 at 12:58 am

as a non smoker i cant understand why you dont make tobacco prices the same as europe, it might seem strange but if you reduce tobacco tax then smuggling of fags and tobacco would cease and you would earn more revenue in the long run.

Comment by Simon on July 11, 2010 at 1:01 am

@ Paul.

It is Law that people working in care have an enhanced CRB ( since i beleive Soham ), the actual offence shows regardless of what is it. It is then the employers judgement to employ or not.
Do you really believe CRBs are stopping honest hardworking citizens from being employed ? Really……….

Comment by Simon on July 11, 2010 at 1:02 am

I agree with most coments above, living in a highly populated unemployed area (Bradford) and working in the city centre i see nothing but unemployable or drug taking youths daily. Two reccommendations, more policing ( or CSOs in the City) and less incredulous schemes to get the umeployable jobs – Simple dont give them reasons to stay at home STOP the free cash for losers.

Comment by Colin Page on July 11, 2010 at 1:53 am

Dear Mr Cameron

Fisrt all I fully support you in your quest to get public finances sorted. In my post I came along a Police Sergeant on £655.00 weekly net pay. He switched jobs into a civilian roll in the Police for the same or higher pay. This sounds a bit like jobs for the boys. We need to get the most out our serving officers to get value for money ther should be a complete review of the Police and the pay structures of civilian staff within. The police earn their money don,t get me wrong and I fully support them. But the pay structures of civilian staff especially ex offcier should be investigated.

I am a Civil Servant and I am there to provide a service for the public and fully believe the Civil Service Pension scheme is a joke and totally unsubstainable I pay arounf £47.00 pcm and the goverment over £200.00 pcm 16.4% of my wage. I am a low earner so if i’m getting that into my Pension fund what are you the MP’s, Judges, Teachers, Council Worker, Police and Fireman getting ? We simply cannot afford to paying such amounts for public servants pensions.

Godd luck in your quest this country needs you to succeed

Comment by Kaz Stevens on July 11, 2010 at 3:08 am

The Social Services are diabolical, many are incompetant and the service is notorious for blunders, they have too much power and they abuse it. I think this service should be completely overhauled and reviewed and those with a bad track record sacked and given no pension.
There should be far more stringent tests to asce…rtain if those claiming disability benefits are really entitled to them, many play the system as disabled people when there is little really wrong with them, these people cost the tax payer a fortune every year. Many disabled people could work from home and may welcome the opportunity to do so.

Comment by Kaz Stevens on July 11, 2010 at 3:08 am

I am a single parent with one daughter. I used to beg the job centre when they called me in for a work interview to see if they could place me in work many years ago, to help me set up a business of my own, they sent me to a charity who they said may fund me, but when I went to this charity they said that that day find…ing for the cause had been pulled and the job centre did nothing to help me after that. So I had to ask a friend to help me finance the setting up on a home based business and struggle to repay him, I was one of the lucky ones, but out there lots of single parents would welcome working from home this saves on nursery fees which many claim, and the children are not palmed off in strangers to look after whilst their single parents work outside of the home. Jon centres are not helping people properly to get back to work.

Comment by Kaz Stevens on July 11, 2010 at 3:09 am

I had to home educate my daughter because of severe bnullying in school, I had no help or support from the education department toward books etc, they did nothing to stop the bullying. Lots of kids suffer terrible abuse in schools so perhaps this needs looking into, because like the Social Services the blunders these p…eople make which result n lasting damage to children and even death of children is out of hand and growing more so. Many of these people in these departments are clearly a waste of tax payers money and occupying jobs that better people could do who better deserve those jobs. So many people are in local authority posts that should not be in those posts. Sack them and that will lessent the burden on the tax payer and any of the posts that you could re-fil could give more deserving people a chance to work.

Comment by Kaz Stevens on July 11, 2010 at 3:10 am

Put all public sector workers and postmen on a work study scheme and pay them only on performance, bad performance = less pay = public savings, a work study officer (Time and Motion officer) might stop the workshy skiving whilst supposedly earning money off the tax payer. I have to oay for a private refuse company to c…ollect my refuse as the council missed collecting my refuse most of the time and only half emptied the bins, but I have had no reduction in council tax for no longer using the council refuse service, that isn’t fair. How about an opt out scheme where tax payers only pay for the services they use? That would save money. Many never earn their wages anyway.

Comment by Kaz Stevens on July 11, 2010 at 3:12 am

Health care should be denied to those who self inflict their ill health, like smokers, alcoholics, drug abusers, and the like, that would save a lot of tax payers money and maybe stop self harm as well.

Comment by Kaz Stevens on July 11, 2010 at 3:14 am

Put CCTV on every street in the UK and watch the crime rate drop! This would be costly initially but in the long term save money caused by criminality.
Put the police on work study schemes where they are paid only on performance, likewise with MP’s and civil servants, doctors, nurses, council workers, social workers, post officer workers, etc, this would mean no performance no pay, less performance less pay, hard work for good reward and those hard working rewarded whilst the lower performers are paid less accordingly, this would probably half the pblic sector running costs.

Comment by Kaz Stevens on July 11, 2010 at 3:14 am

My father who is nearly 80 had an accident last week, his hand was gaping open and pouring with blood, he waited over 5 hours in a local hospital to be seen, despite the blood not stopping and was offered no drink or consideration in that time. Making things worse, it seems that a doctor put the stitches in wrong and w…hen he went to a different hosptial this weekend they said that they would need to re-stitch his hand. How about implementing a work study scheme in hospitals and health centres as well and pay only on performance?
So many doctors have mis-diagnosed me that it is a wonder I am still alive, after being given the tablets I have been allergic to like antibiotics. Scaremingered into a Gallbladder op I didn’t need and fortunately refused to have, so how many ops are done without being apprpriate? What a waste of tax payers money too!

Comment by Kaz Stevens on July 11, 2010 at 3:15 am

Make those on benefits work for their benefits, and put them on work study schemes as well!

Comment by Kaz Stevens on July 11, 2010 at 3:16 am

Herbal medicines can be made cheaper than mainstream drugs so why not offer these to those happier to take them on the NHS? I’m a research medical herbalist & can make 15 days supply of herbal tincture for any health problem for less than £1.00, no side effects, fast results + safe to be taken by all ages. I owe my life to my work too!

Comment by Kevin Price on July 11, 2010 at 7:56 am

Can I suggest that you enact a law that requires all advertised charities to inform the public as to what percentage is absorbed in overheads.

Comment by Grant on July 11, 2010 at 8:53 am

Only pay pensions to people who have done something for their country OR Live in poverty. Elderly with well-off children should be supported by their family. Bring in laws to force families to look after their elderly members! Teach young welfare recipiants how to be a share trader, plus any welfare money spent of shares, will give them tax benefits? Sell off ALL public housing! get rid of any housing departments!

Comment by Maurice on July 11, 2010 at 8:57 am

There is a mad scramble by local councils to spend their budget before the end of the financial year to ensure increased budget the next year. They buy anything just to “get rid of the money” Good for retailers of course. This practice should be stopped.

Comment by cliff dias on July 11, 2010 at 10:04 am

Hi,
I am shocked to hear about the new powers to the GPs. I think Andrew Lansley has no idea of what he is doing. I would never trust my GP to make a decision about my health. My wife was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. The GP assured her there was nothing to worry about as she could not find any lump in her breast. We were not convinced and decided to go to a private hostpital where they diagnosed her with breast cancer. Had we trusted the GP, I cannot think of the consequences. Please rethink this decision. You cannot do this. !!!!

Comment by Alan Reardon on July 11, 2010 at 11:31 am

While I believe there has to be cuts I think there has to be more accountability at local government level in the way our money is spent and how services can be streamlined. Every where I go in our Labour controlled area I see council employees wasting our taxes and and I put this down to poor management for example on special refuge collection someone asked to get 10 doors uplifted from there home the local council said they would only pick up 5 and a second request would have to be asked for to get the other 5 what is that all about. Two journeys with a lorry three mens wages X 2 to do a job that in the private sector would have been done with one journey and one mans wages it beggers belief. If you really want the economy to grow there has to be changes made in all areas of local government. I run a succesfull smal business I am constantly hampered in the expansion of it by the planning dept and there inability to understand that businesses need to be fast tracked through the planning system. I could have created 5 new jobs this year but have had to put this on hold due to the planning departments slow response. On the subject of V.A.T . We have always paid our taxes we are V.A.T registered and this system is only fair when every one is under the same rules our competition stay under the V.A.T threshhold but are similar in size to us. I wonder how they do that !!. It is time to do away with the V.A.T threshhold and have every business paying vat on their profits . We will be much worse of when the new V.A.T rate comes in. our competetors will just re-wright the books. The Benefit system has to be radically changed all to often the children of those on long term benefit leave school and think they have a right to do nothing and follow there parents into a life of benefits no benefits should be paid to school leavers it should be the resposibility of their parents to provide for them, if employment is not available they should have to work in the local environment to get a subsistance allowance. To be quite frank the country is a tip in some areas and and the youth that are unemployed could be given the chance to make our environment a better place to live in. This would also instill a work ethic that is now sadly missing due to political correctness. If anyone ever reads this could they explain to me why we need migrant workers to work in this country while we have around 2 million unemployed here on benefits then once the migrant workers are here and on the system they then claim child benefits for children they have back in their homeland thats got to stop.
Our countries system is being well abused we must be the only country in the world where if you can get in and make your papers dissapear we can’t get rid of you then you are entitled to free health care, benefits, housing this has got to be addressed who is allowing housing benefits of £100000 + to be paid out this is just plain crazy. I know some people have touched on the subject of expenses and bonuses, these will always be abused they still are at council level and I am sure they will be in any other place where bonuses are paid however when profit is made from these bonuses/expenses for example houses being bought on intrest only loans and then the houses being sold a few years down the line for massive profit this should be returned to the public purse rather than a politicians pocket. Politicians are not listening to the people who elect them

Comment by Alastair on July 11, 2010 at 6:03 pm

Nationalise the trains, undo Beeching’s Axe, revolutionise the trains (make them more economical and more comforting to travel in (like cheep refreshments/meals and sleeper accommodation too)), electricify all the track, put a huge tax on fuel and put third-party liability motor insurance on fuel (including red diesel), the bigger the car, the more likely it is to kill someone, the more fuel it consumes!

Comment by Alan on July 11, 2010 at 9:28 pm

The paramedics keep on treating and collecting drunken people every Friday and Saturday nights. These people should be accountable for their actions, they should be made to pay the cost of the NHS treatment provided by the paramedics and hospital staff. Living in Devon we have been very impressed by the attitude of Newquay police and their campaign against the drunken youths who visit the town. I firmly believe that people who go out and get completely drunk and incapable of acting normally should be charged for the problems that they cost.The money raised by this should go to the NHS to help pay for other services

Comment by Dr D. Kenomore on July 12, 2010 at 2:14 am

I am writing for the very first time on some aspects of education, which I believe could be better harmonized to become more efficient not only in its utilization of scarce and limited human and financial resources but even in the overall interest of learners especially in the key subject areas like Maths. In the last few years the government had tried to increase the number of trained teachers in this subject at all levels and one of the innovations relates to providing some reasonable grants to trainee teachers studying for the PGCE program. However as things currently stands, many trainee teachers that went into the FE option for maths/numeracy may just have been paid but ending up not being able to use the acquired pedagogical skills in any FE setup as there are limited vacancies while at the same time there still exists gapping unfilled vacancies at both secondary/primary levels. As things currently stand, PGCE/FE trained maths teachers cannot adapt their existing skills to teach even in secondary schools without the need to re-enter into another PGCE program. Me thinks the current state of affairs needs to be seriously reviewed. To allow trained subject specialist teachers to be able to flexibly adapt their skills to teach either in FE or at least in Secondary institutions even if it requires FE trained PGCE holders to go through the QTS tests in order for them to be able to use their skills in secondary schools. Alternatively, the curricular for both FE and Secondary maths could be harmonized to allow trainees the opportunity to flexibly adapt their skills to teaching these subjects at any level rather than just wasting their talents from lack of full utilization. This should go along way to drastically reduce the well known critical shortage of much needed maths teachers in the country. Financially, it will eliminate some of the seeming duplication currently inherent in the educational setup.

Comment by Tom Fulep on July 12, 2010 at 9:38 am

At a time of austerity and just as the government drop the bombshell that eighteen Derby schools will now not be refurbished or rebuilt, our Lib-Con Council have announced a £40 Million refurbishment of their offices.

This smacks the people of Derby right on the nose and is an outrage. We need senior government to step in and stop our council from taking the bloody piss. Please help!

Comment by bob webster on July 12, 2010 at 10:43 am

After 13 years of socialist profligacy there is massive scope for cuts that do not affect core public services. On welfare:means test incapacity benefit so that housholds with an income of 20k or more are ineligible. Do away with the scandalous loophole that currently allows individuals in receipt of incapacity and long term sickness benefits to also claim payments as a carer. How can they look after someone else when they have declared themselves unfit to perform the simplest everyday tasks? On family allowance, again introduce means testing, removing it for incomes of 40k or more. Faced with a population projection of 70 million in 20 years time the government should consider paying family allowance for the first children only. On immigration: the cap is a vital step, but more needs to be done to end ongoing abuses. Restore the primary purpose rule. Make local councils reveal the cost of interpretation services and offer local referenda to determine whether or not cfommunities wish to continue paying. Target abuses of the asylum system. Some refugees are genuine, but most are bogus. It is commonplace for individuals to flee “persecution” in Africa or Arabia and then return on holdays to visit family and friends. Check passports and revoke residency in the UK if this is proven. On pension reform: introduce a single universal retirement age of 67. Make all earnings under 30k tax free between 65 and 67.

Comment by victoria howard on July 12, 2010 at 11:43 am

1) Cut nonsensical initiatives in the NHS, just ONE example is in Hammersmith hospital where managers have introduced a traffic light system where red or green trays have to be placed at a patient’s bed to denote whether they are having private time or not. Naturally this has to be monitored and targets have been set around this.
2) No public official, whatever their level or job (aside from the PM and Deputy PM), should travel first class anywhere. This is the same as what major private companies have been doing for a while.
3) Block the plans for a European diplomatic service, slash Euro MP’s expenses.
4) Cut legal aid for any civil cases.
5) No bonuses or pay increases for the next 2 years, for public sector workers earning above £20K. Possibly phase in inflationary pay increases after that, but take a harder line on bonuses.
6) Cut foreign aid to £2bn and withdraw any aid to India and China.
7) Replace benefits payments with vouchers where practical eg. food stamps. This will ensure the that money is spent in the right way and by making this visible, perhaps this might shame those who think it’s acceptable to live off benefits, although of course it might be upsetting for the many people who want to get off benefits.
Tapper off the level of child benefits once a person is claiming for more than 3 children.

Comment by steve on July 12, 2010 at 2:51 pm

we should pray 4 our local goverment and community

Comment by Peter Ward on July 12, 2010 at 6:05 pm

Sir,
Do you not think it is about time that the banks started to pay back some of the billions of pounds that they have borrowed?
Northern Rock is now a public bank, How much money are they making? where is this money going? I cant believe that anyone would let a bank that owes
its goverment money pay out bonuses of any description. But its not the bankers that will have to tighten the purse strings no its the hard working
members of the public sector, the armed forces the police the fireman all who work so hard at doing there job. and in the case of the army for
no where near what other members of the public sector get paid! I agree that service personnel do deserve more money for their operational tours
however you need to take into consideration the amount of hard work that goes into training for operations, the intense work that is done before
even getting on a plane, Then tell me they are paid even close to what they deserve. The fact that the Army cant strike is probably the reason they
are getting the raw end off the deal. There are many great suggestions above this post that will help, However you will find it hard to action
with labour having as many seats as they have. In my opinon another general election is required sooner than later with perhaps a new voteing system.

Yours Sincerly
Peter Ward

Comment by Karen Syms on July 12, 2010 at 6:35 pm

I’ve just seen the report on the disaster appeal for Haiti and how the money just doesn’t seem to be reaching the people on the ground. It’s so dissapointing for people who have donated out of the kindness of their heart to see these people still suffering. Is there no way that a country who donates can have more control over how the money is distributed to those who are living in camps. And how can we allay the fears and scepticism that the money is corruptly lost.

Comment by Karen Syms on July 12, 2010 at 6:46 pm

I am all for recycling and enviromental care but can we do away with umteen bins in which to put our rubbish the street of Cambridge look appalling as I sure they do in many towns littered with multi-coloured bins. Make it simple one bin for food waste only. Packaging and any other man made objects in another and then ask people on the dole to work in the sorting centres before collecting their benefits. Or place a value on waste so people are more inclined to ensure that it is taken to recycle depots. Remember when you used to take your pop bottle back to the shop for some money. People didn’t smash or leave their glass bottles away then. Money made will then go back into the local community economy.

Comment by Karen Syms on July 12, 2010 at 7:01 pm

savings on incapacity benefit could be made by giving those who are able to work a basic car not a cash exchange for them to upgrade to a sportscar. If they are in full time employment they should be responsible for running their own car just as any able bodied person does. If they can operate a car just how incapacitated are they?

Comment by mrs michelle forrest on July 12, 2010 at 10:43 pm

Dear Mr. Cameron

Stop the funding for 2 years old to have places in a nursery or with a childminder.
children go to nursery school now at 3,which is still young.In the area where i live the parents who get the funding just go back to bed or watch tv,when really they should be looking for a job or doing a college course,especially when there are 2 parents at home.

Comment by Levi Patel on July 13, 2010 at 12:19 am

For starters, how about:

No purely cosmetic surgery on the NHS.

Unemployed should work to get their benefits, if they’re not on disability they should be able to do manual work, this would also help stop benefit fraud.

Tougher sentencing for repeat offenders and a rethink on prisons with more facilities than some hotels I’ve stayed in! No wonder people re-offend if they have a better life inside. I think we’re all fed up hearing about their human rights, if they don’t respect ours then why should we respect theirs? Let’s have a proper deterrent and not waste money giving them a holiday.

Don’t tie public money up in private PFI contracts (e.g. street lighting or road repairs), while you’ll get some short term benefits it costs a hell of a lot more in the long run. Plus, if the contract’s not been thought through, you’re not necessarily going to get a better service. Too many companies claim to put the customer first, when in-fact, it’s the shareholder!

Let’s put some limits on personal injury litigation, not so much to stop people claiming for injuries, more to lift the restrictions and financial burdens on businesses, so they’re on a level playing field with overseas competitors.

That’s it for now

Comment by Ron French on July 13, 2010 at 12:38 am

Scrap all Public Holidays – they cost the country millions.

If people really want to take time off, let them use their own holiday allowance – I do!

Comment by Ian Reynolds on July 13, 2010 at 10:14 am

I have read that David Cameron (and Ken Clark) have stated that we must lock up less criminals, especially to cut down on short sentences. I remind the Government that criminals are locked up for two reasons: firstly to protect the public from their crimes and secondly as punishment, not to be “rehabilitated”. This appears to be in danger of being forgotten as the Tories suddenly become politically correct! The protection of the public is supposed to be the first principle of Government – from both internal and external agression. It is not possible to put a price on the security of citizens as most past Conservatives would no doubt agree. I do trust that the Coalition is not being used as an excuse to dump robust responses to crime and agression. A few million pounds is a small price to pay for citizens’ security and a pathetically small amount when set against the huge spending of the bloated State. To save money target the real “offenders” not honest citizens trying to live their lives in peace and security and who are paying for it all.

Comment by victoria howard on July 13, 2010 at 3:12 pm

Abolish translators for everything bar criminal matters – I mean for when people are questioned by the police. It is unacceptable that people who live here and in particular those who use our services have such a poor level of English that they cannot go about their daily lives. We make it too easy, if they were forced to speak the language and understand when they went to the doctors for example, you can bet they would pull their finger out. If they really really cannot make the effort, then they must bring along a family member or friend who speaks English, I cannot believe that they don’t know anyone with even the rudimentary level required.

Comment by Ashleigh John May on July 13, 2010 at 7:06 pm

Hello

i should like to put forward an argument for the creation of and English parliment.the problem of the west lothian question has over the last few years gained more and more interest from the english public and greater resentment towards the scots has been generated inparticular as a result. it is predominantly unacceptable for the current situation to continue and the P.M should ask himself weather the English people will thank him for what is essentially repression of the English nation. the current system is unsustainable and unfair in Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland English taxes are used to keep the populations of those countries in the manner they have become acustom. how long dose this government expect that this will be tolerated? how long are the English going to be repressed?

Comment by Tricia on July 13, 2010 at 7:10 pm

The USA has approximately 10x as many people as the UK. They have about 450 in congress and 100 in the senate. Why do we, being such a small country have around 700 MP’s and why do we have to have Lords?
Did I read somewhere, the new Goverment is looking for ways to make cutback?

Comment by Howell Jukes on July 13, 2010 at 9:45 pm

The “Information Age”, with all its computer-based methodologies, has created an apparently insatiable demand for …information! . However, there seems to be no method of determining whether all this information is fundamentally necessary for “good governance”: I would hazard a guess that it is not. But enormous amounts of time, energy and resources have to be commited by individuals, and small businesses, to the provision of this information to the limitless numbers of officials who require it. This represents a huge diversion of resources, on both sides of the “information divide”, away from the provision of marketable goods and services. A major assault on this problem must therefore form a major part of the Coalition legislative (or do I mean de-legislative) programme.

Comment by BoB The Bank of Britain on July 13, 2010 at 11:06 pm

We (the people who fund and sponsor / bank roll our government) need to stop employing agency staf at twice the cost of the people being paid to do the job

Comment by J Barron on July 14, 2010 at 6:42 am

My husband and Myself have been redundant for over a year having worked all our lives. We only get a pittence of £100 per week for both of us to live on. I am horrified to hear people say that we should work for our job seekers allowance when we have paid all our working lives for this measly benefit. We are both spending every hour we can on looking for work and have applied for over 200 jobs between us with a handful of replies.

I read in yesterdays newspaper that a newcomer (unemployed) who is living in a posh part of london and whose rent is paid by the taxpayers has just been given a house with a monthly rental of £2,000 for his wife and 7 children to live on all paid for by the tax payers. We could not get that???

I thought the Government had said that there was to be a clamp down on rental paid by the tax payers. There must be millions and millions being paid to people who have not contributed a penny to society. Quite a lot could be saved there. Maybe this should be looked at a little closer.

Comment by Paul Upton on July 14, 2010 at 2:05 pm

Dear Prime Minister,
You must do something about the ridiculous Human Right Legislation.
Why should I be expected to give up my hard earned bus pass whilst thousands of asylum scroungers and eastern european criminal are given cosy treatment at my expense?

Comment by dave gregorick on July 14, 2010 at 4:01 pm

Im a small business and i find hard to accept i pay my national insurance monthly via direct debit but then when i submit my tax return i then have another national insurance contribution to make can you explain this stealth tax to me and is it sometjing you would consider removing. Also as a small business in mobility helping the elderly and infirm i would like to take on an apprentice but as this area does not have any recognised qualifications theres no help to be had and unfortunately i cant afford to take a young man on and him to train under me for about 6 months while i get him to a point were he is capable of doing the job unsupervised is this an area were you may look at putting some resources. D Gregorick

Comment by Tricia on July 14, 2010 at 4:55 pm

J Barron, quite right in saying the following:
‘I read in yesterdays newspaper that a newcomer (unemployed) who is living in a posh part of london and whose rent is paid by the taxpayers has just been given a house with a monthly rental of £2,000 for his wife and 7 children to live on all paid for by the tax payers. We could not get that???’

This is SO unfair! A clear case yet again of money being wasted on those, who in my mind, should have never been given this type of benefit. Sadly the Government tend to side-step situations like this.

Comment by Dave T on July 14, 2010 at 5:19 pm

Non Dom tax status is simple to fix – If you want to be a British citizen then you pay British taxes regardless of where you choose to llive. If you want to avoid British taxes then hand back your British citizenship.
All those non doms (including top sportsmen) got to where they are because of the privilages and security of growing up in Britain.

Comment by jane Biscardi on July 14, 2010 at 7:58 pm

I have just read the latest white paper for the NHS.I work as an O.T and having read this document I can only say that the team in which i work are currently working as an integrated team with socialcare , nhs and local G.Ps .We endevour to work with our clients and Personalise care within the Fair access to care criteria to ensure that clients receive the support that they need, taking into account clients individual needs. we look at client goals as our outcomes.The ideas in this manifesto are not new. We also have regular rescource allocation meetings .
I think the government needs to have more rigorous assessment for benefit applications. Administrators should be able to access local therapists for assessment when applications are boarderline .

Comment by jim alderson on July 14, 2010 at 8:46 pm

another gravy train, legal aid. only criminals and illegals get it. why should 3,4,5, criminals get expensive q.c.s (1 each) on legal aid. there should only be 1 and a limit placed on how much they get. better still the criminal protection service (cps) should defend them.
overseas ‘aid’ usually ends up in swiss banks.
time to cut it drastically, by at least 75%. the law is a joke, so politically correct and they seem to have forgotten what their role is. get rid of the ‘fast trackers’ in the policeand get real policemen to run them and most certainly get rid of acpo, it is just an extension of the junior common room. what about the latest disgrace on housing nenefit in kensington? someone should be sacked immediately.
nuff said.
jim alderson.

Comment by Andrew Reynolds on July 15, 2010 at 10:21 am

How about some of the following:

1) Option for people to opt out of the NHS apart from all but A&E. Private insurers would then procure NHS services when required.

2) Income tax reform. Despite IR35 changes I still know of (particularly commonwealth citizens) people using off the shelf companies to be paid their salary through rather than paying income tax and Ee NI. this is losing HMRC money. How about hitting the recruitment firms hard for advising this.

3) My dad recently died and all his unused (still foil wrapped) drugs had to be returned to destroy. What a waste.

4) Vintage cars and wine is exempt from CGT – why not look at what things are exempt and whether they should be.

5) Reform police budgets. Westminster gets a huge amount because its westminster. Norwood doesnt and funnily enough all the crime is there. Slashing budgets by 25% will just take from those areas that dont have much and leave those that have plenty a little less. Start with a blank page. It is ridiculous that areas with high crime cannot afford to pay for TSG coverage.

6) Fines issued by police should go to central budget. his will stop the police turning into a revenue generating workforce for its local constabulary.

7) Reform of deferred tax. Some of the biggest institutions have racked up such large losses that they wont be paying Corp Tax for years. Their tax losses c/f are immense and yet they are partially the cause of the economic mess – how about revoking them or at least being very particular about what losses should set off what profits.

A.

Comment by k.dunlop on July 15, 2010 at 11:52 am

mr.cameron, sir, what i would like this goverment to consider doing is to charge all these binge drinkers,junkies,and anyone else for self inflicted abuse to themselfs as in my opinion they must cost the nhs some amount off money plus they pack the hospitals and genuine people have to wait longer to see a doctor not to mention there attitude to the staff and the waste off police time give no quarter if they can afford drink and drugs they can afford to pay.one last thing terrorist never mind the red tape do what the yanks done to the mafia send them back to their country of origin and no legal aid .in my opinion for what its worth the british people would agree and daresay would mean more votes

Comment by Graham Silbiger on July 15, 2010 at 3:57 pm

When I need a Doctor I don’t ask a Fishmonger what the pain in my arse is. This is why we have a “professional class” If the public can run the country why do we need you? We elect politicians to make these difficult choices and then stand by them. Ask the puplic? you might as well ask a fish.

Comment by Ian Belchamber on July 15, 2010 at 7:30 pm

Shut down the Safety Camera Partnerships. We have a truly awful operation going on in Dorset. Just google “greed on green”. Confidence in your road safety policy is in tatters here.

Comment by G Perowne on July 15, 2010 at 10:42 pm

Tertiary Education Funding
More emphasis should be placed on sandwich course style degrees sponsored by industry. Further more any companies employing graduates should purchase the option by means of a contract for a period of time to fund the degree. The contract between the graduate and employer could be transferred to any new employer in a similar way as footballers
This type of funding would also direct education to the needs of industry

Comment by John Lovegrove on July 15, 2010 at 11:34 pm

POLICING & THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

Abolish the role of the Police Community Support Officer and use some of the money saved to boost the numbers of substantive constables.

Cut the endless ‘red’ tape that is preventing the Police from doing what they are paid (and want) ,to do!

Build more prisons. Perhaps prison ships would be a cost effective solution. And make the thought of the ‘free room and board’, less appealing.

Completely reform the joke that is the current British Criminal Justice System by imposing proper sentencing. Not taking into consideration the cost as a result of the crime itself, the money saved by preventing repeat offenders, endlessly going through the system would be vast. It would also free up the Police to deal more effectively with Anti Social Behavior and ‘low level’ crime.

Best regards, John Lovegrove

Comment by Bill Lewis on July 15, 2010 at 11:38 pm

Here is a way of saving millions of pounds of public money. Take established technologies seriously for the provision of Next Generation Broadband , especially to low population areas where the cost of implementing Fibre would massively exceed the revenue. I represent a long established (10 years+) provider of these services (Fixed wireless) which the previous government and BIS decided was not eligible and Fibre is the only way.. Have spoke to local conservative MP’s and got zero interest..

Comment by mark jones on July 16, 2010 at 10:36 am

save money in the police by reducing the number of top ranking posts, too many are repetitive so between Chief Inspector and Chief Constable just have a deputy Chief Constable and say Chief Inspectors Staff but the latter should be only on temporary secondment for usage when required.

Comment by Dr P Tuson on July 17, 2010 at 12:39 pm

My colleague’s idea, which I support, is to make ALL software in the public sector open source. This doesn’t necessarily mean that it wouldn’t be paid for. It does mean that the competition for developing software systems would be widened. It opens the door to software from the academic arena as well as contributions from individual software engineers working at home.

As an example, all computers in my house; mobile phone, desktop and server run the Debian distribution of Gnu/Linux. This distribution is maintained by a team of volunteers and is developed by around 1000 people across the world.

It enables the use of low cost, low energy computing, e.g. my server cost about £100 and consumes less than 5W. It also extends the life of computer resources as it doesn’t need the latest powerful computers to run. We use our laptops until they break, usually about 10 years.

Comment by dollyblue on July 18, 2010 at 11:36 am

all the pensioners i know, salt away their DLA and heat bonuses.. they get care workers, paid for by Social Services.
1.. instead of diresct payments, use their existing DLA to pay for their care
2.. means test their need for a heating payment, taking into account, their accommodation; their ownership of such; how many bedrooms are unused by electoral roll occupants;.
3..provide heating payments on a ‘used square footage’ basis.. e.g. what size is the living room? how many hours is it occupied. how much energy is needed to heat it to an average temperature of 70 degrees for, say, 14 hours. do the same equation for the bedroom, bathroom, kitchen.
4.. child benefit is paid for all children. linit its expenditure to those whose combined, nett, household income is 15,000 per person
5.. find a way to provide ‘at home’ work for some who have difficulties going outside the home.. e.g. parents of young children; those with lsome mobility; mental health patients.. most people are capable of some work.. it could be a way of making nursing and care homes self-sufficient and providing dignity to less able persons , instead of them all having to accept welfare benefits.
…hope you find this useful…
.

Comment by dollyblue on July 18, 2010 at 12:23 pm

…i have read some of the above comments now
i’d like to tell you of the wastefulness at NHS meetings…and gourmet buffet lunches! they ‘present’ ‘ideas’ which they are already in the process of implementing, regardless of the fact that they are supposed to ‘consult’ service-users (a term i dislike) before spennding the appropriated monies on services. when you bear in mind how long a process advertising for staff; arranging interviews; CRBs; references; medical checks; training; etc.. takes, you can’t tell me that the time between ‘consulting’ and implementation can take from 2 weeks to 2 months!! they say they have plenty of money for training… when i asked if that would lead to jobs for ‘service users’ attending, there was an ashamed silence! no point in consulting ‘S.U.s’ if their aim is really to keep us from working so that numerous NHS higherarchy can keep their designer label lifestyles whilst ‘S.U.s have to stay on benefits!! they claim there’s no money for cancer drugs.. but they arrange lavish lunches for themselves in plush venues that they own,.. or rent, at high prices…!! everywhere i go, there are NHS offices; buildings; venues; events. it would open their eyes if they were served a cook/chill meal from sodexo!

Comment by Joanne on July 18, 2010 at 12:59 pm

90 mile round trips for 16 hrs (delared)pay-whateva! Then claim housing ben council tax ben and working tax credit top ups on their alledged £90 p/w income.Even businesses such as take-aways declare profits of £20 p/w so all benefits can still be obtained.Why do the Take a look at the abuse of the tax credit system.I agree with Tony why pay tax creits to top up wages of couples who choose to work only 16 hrs a week between them.I couldnt sustain a living on 16hrs so why do I have to support those that do so by choice.
Also the claims need to be scrutinised more efficiently-In my job I see hugh tax credit hand-outs to taxi-drivers who only earn £80 p/w-restaurant workers who declare 16 hrs working -never declare a bonus o/time or tips-traveltax credit people believe these figures without question? We dont.but no-one wants to know-just keep shelling out the”credits” to those that never have a tax debit!.

Comment by Carl Wass on July 20, 2010 at 6:54 pm

Dear Mr Prime Minster
I’ve been unemployed for a year now and I’ve applied for 37 jobs harlf of the time I don’t get a responce off the employer or I have to take a scilly online applycation test e.g sainsburys and I just completed 6 wks unpaid work experience with one of their stores in bourne and i failed this and I think that these test that employers have thought of are a complete waste of time what has happened to the old way of applying for a job where you go upto the employer and ask wheather they have any vaccancies or not.
And also I think that the Afganistan conflict is the biggest killer for this country we are fighting a war that the Americans should finsh thereselves.

Comment by Steve on July 20, 2010 at 7:33 pm

Please axe the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust. It is not really a charity at all as it takes most of its funds from DFE – ie from taxation – about 50 million in round figures. It ispopular with Heads because it exists only to give them money for hairbrained schemes – basically you are told what you can spend and told to find ways to spend it! So of course all the questionnaires and feedback from schools are positive – it’s just a money laundering operation but of course – the money does not go directly to schools, but through bureaucracy and advisers – SSAT manages to consume about 50% of the funding itself in its own bureaucracy. Get rid of it – at a stroke save 50 million and no one would notice.

Comment by zoe clarke on July 21, 2010 at 12:55 pm

i have wrote,emailed and telephoned your mps and councillors and have a 1000+ team in a lincolnshire parish disgusted with the local lincolnshire council, no returned emails no meetings no nothing , gone has our faith so soon in our local mp,we have a school 47 year old immaculate secondary being demolished for homes that is still being denied but teachers have been told WILL be demolished. as a buisness person another 200 homes in our parish, lots of public transport and parents having to move to town or buy a second vehicle so there kids are able to join after school clubs or who are ill can get home must cost us a fortune in transport and im so so annoyed that no body will come to us, or return a full statement of concers we have. i hope mr clegg or mr cameron can get in touch with me . the lafford school billinghay closes today. what a bad decision and a waste of ta payers money. z clarke

Comment by Liam on July 22, 2010 at 1:33 pm

We spend 62.677 billion pounds on public sector pensions in 2009. To put that into context that’s nearly 1.5 the size of the budget spent on the entire MoD. It accounts for nearly half of the entire of the Department of Work and pensions budget and over 10% of all public spending. Surely this can be cut, this is unsustainable. When you trim civil servants salaries you should also trim these pensions. The money saved here would mean you won’t have to tax so much.

Comment by Hazel on July 22, 2010 at 8:40 pm

I would say please reconsider whether axing funding for Adult Education is actually saving us any money in the long term. Especially in areas like performing arts which is known especially that taking an active part in increases general health and well being thereby reducing the number of sick days from work each year and the pressure on the NHS. Thanks, Hazel

Comment by Jane Puncher on July 23, 2010 at 1:39 pm

Today’s news of the soldier who has lost a leg from below his knee having been informed that disability benefit will be withdrawn but he should appeal is a classic example of wasted money.
This poor man is evidently to all is a case which has been poorly judged – yet it has been suggested by the DWP that he has to appeal which no doubt will cost money – probably not a lot – but every penny adds up!
This should be a case where someone has the power to overturn this ridiculous decision.
You have set a challenge to everyone including yourself which should have been in place years ago – I’m sure you will make it work.

Comment by Tim Rooney on July 23, 2010 at 6:51 pm

Without sounding negative this will not work youngsters of today already feel victimised. This will only strengthen this belief.They need proper jobs ie apprentiships this will give them their self esteem and sense of worth not some half baked idea on National Citizenship.
Let them earn for the future let them be our future because as sure as eggs are eggs my generation messed things badly!!!

Comment by mike gardiner on July 24, 2010 at 12:02 am

You state that you want people to suggest saving and how the government should be run but without the financial information for each department no true saving could be suggested without this information. Will you provide this information so that i people can suggest what savings could be made or scrapped?

Especially spending that was authorised during the last months of the Labour Government.

Comment by F Bennett on July 26, 2010 at 10:36 am

I have worked in the call centre environment for a great number of years. Working through the changes required to move from a civil service restricted practices and red tape to a private and competitive company. I was made redundant a few months ago and currently seeking employment; during this process what I have noticed is how the councils and government bodies are very anti recruiting people who have not worked within their environment, because they may rock the boat. From the outside my view is that most of the areas lack efficiency and employ more people that would be required in a private business and have too many levels of managers. If this was addressed I consider the pay of the remaining staff could be increased whilst the cost of the service is reduced. I also consider that there are too many departments set-up to pay allowances why can’t these be amalgamated, or the number of allowances reduced. If this was done it should reduce fraud as well as the number of people required to deliver the services.
I would also question why are we paying for Tony Blair’s security, we don’t pay for pop stars etc. isn’t Tony Blair a Business/ Franchise and therefore I consider he should be paying for his own security

Comment by Beverley Flood on August 2, 2010 at 8:13 pm

Why doesn’t the UK have an entry/departure charge like Turkey, Caribbean and understand that the USA are considering one. This charge should be applied to non UK (European) residents. Sure would raise a considerable amount of revenue

Comment by Sarah Whitehead on August 5, 2010 at 9:21 pm

let’s make heating allowance means tested It’s a crazy system at the moment. Even millionaires get it. WHOW that is way out

Comment by Richard on August 11, 2010 at 7:31 pm

We have allowed our son to start up and run his business from our home. On leaving University, he found it difficult to find employment, saying I’ll start a business within the IT industry myself. He has created a successful web design and IT support business, creating employment for 5 or 6 people. The business to date he has basically managed to stay out of debt and is starting to build up capital or so we had hoped.
Now we have the local council on our backs demanding that he either moves out of his home or we apply for planning permission, which more than likely will be refused, only increasing the councils power over us; this is our property, our home, we have spare accommodation.
It’s people like our son who creates employment opportunities that we help our economy recover, but NO councils want to control all aspects of our lives.
Mr Cameron, please be very careful in giving additional powers to local councils, they misuse their current powers or use them in ways not envisaged by our law makers.

Comment by George Currie on August 13, 2010 at 12:53 pm

The Spending Challenge site is close so here is my idea.

Introduce some measure which ensures that financial institutions will only lend to people who can prove that they can repay the loan back. The proof could take the form of an statement of affairs which details the borrowers income, expenditure and available money for the loan.

This measure will have two advantages, firstly it will make the financial institutions more responsible about lending and secondly it will make people re-consider how they spend their money.

Comment by G Griffiths on August 21, 2010 at 3:25 pm

I only hope you follow up on this Over the Top Health & Safety policies, Some policies are actually creating further problems I know this because it happens everyday while I’m in work.

Comment by douglas on September 4, 2010 at 11:10 pm

When i worked and lived abroad i had to speak their language, if i need translations i had to pay for them as i did for my lessons. If people want to live in England they should speak our national language and the learning of English plus any translation costs should paid by them. Why should we subsidies translations into numerous foreign languages, removing this subsidy would save millions of GBP.

Comment by Terry Boston on September 18, 2010 at 9:55 am

In all the discussions about cuts and the Opposition’s counter arguments, the scale of the problem is being lost on many of the general public.
One area where the message is unclear concerns the National Debt. Statistics on this subject usually state it as a percentage of GDP. While this is probably the most important measure to guide future policy, it does not allow the general public to understand just how wasteful the previous Labour government was.
According to the figures I can find, when they came to power in 1997 Labour inherited a National Debt of about £350 billion. When they left government the debt was almost £950 billion, so in simple terms they overspent by £600 billion during their period in office.
These are figures that the man in the street can understand and for most reasonable people, point to why expenditures must be cut quickly. They can also focus on the improvements in public services claimed by Labour and whether they were worth £600 billions.
The message is not nearly as clear when the debt is discussed in terms of percentage of GDP. These are numbers that should be quoted and emphasised at every opportunity if the Government is to marshal wider support for its policies.