Chancellor delivers 2008 Pre-Budget Report
The 2008 Pre-Budget Report (PBR) presents updated assessments and forecasts of the economy and public finances, and reports on how - in the face of major global economic shocks - the Government intends to support the economy, businesses and households through these uncertain times while delivering its long-term goals.
600,000 new incapacity benefit claims each year
The costs of working-age ill health to Britain are large by any standards. Dame Carol Black estimated that the annual economic cost of ill-health - in terms of working days lost and worklessness - was over £100 billion. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) estimated that last year 172 million working days were lost due to absence, costing employers £13 billion. Against a backdrop of a wider economic downturn both taxpayers and businesses can ill afford to bear these largely unnecessary costs.
Economics of renewable energy examined
The Government aims to increase renewable energy from 1.8% to 15% of energy consumption by 2020, in line with European Commission proposals.
This Report, 'The Economics of Renewable Energy' (HL 195-I), looks at the economics of renewable energy given the Government's policy to reduce carbon emissions.
Maths performance in Primary Schools examined
Since the late 1990s the Government has had a specific strategy aimed at improving performance in primary mathematics which, along with its strategy to improve primary literacy, cost £207 million to implement in 2007-08.
In 2007, the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) commissioned Sir Peter Williams to undertake an independent review of the quality of primary mathematics teaching and his report was published in June 2008.
Passengers not well informed during rail delays
This Report from the Committee of Public Accounts, 'Reducing Passenger Rail Delays by Better Management of Incidents' (HC 655), examines how the rail industry, led by the Department for Transport (the Department) and Network Rail, manages incidents on the rail network and how passengers are treated when delays occur.
The Report follows on from a March 2008 National Audit Office report on the same topic ('Reducing Passenger Rail Delays by Better Management of Incidents' (HC 308).
Public expectations of the police 'not being met'
The Government aims to replace the top-down police targets with locally set priorities and to encourage greater use of officer discretion, backed by more effective supervision.
In this Report, 'Policing in the 21st Century' (HC 364-I), the Home Affairs Committee states that - at present - public expectations of the police are not being met, with the public wanting the police to put a greater focus on minor crime and anti-social behaviour.
Dari Taylor MP 'misused' House stationery
This Report from the Committee on Standards and Privileges, 'Ms Dari Taylor' (HC 1188), examines a complaint against Ms Dari Taylor MP, for Stockton South.
The complaint against Ms Taylor, made by Mr James Wharton of Stockton South Conservatives, concerned the possible misuse of stationery and postage provided by Parliament, for letters sent between August and October 2007.
Work of Europol examined
This Report from the House of Lords European Union Committee, 'EUROPOL: Coordinating the Fight Against Serious and Organised Crime' (HL 183), looks at Europol (the European Police Office) and its' efforts in coordinating the fight against serious and organised crime.
Terminal 5 problems examined
BAA opened Heathrow's fifth terminal for business on 27 March 2008, after six years of construction at a cost of £4.3bn, on time and within budget. Passengers had been promised a 'calmer, smoother, simpler airport experience'.
Multiple problems, however, meant that on the first day of operation alone, 36,584 passengers were frustrated by the 'Heathrow hassle' that Terminal 5 (T5) had been designed to eliminate.
'Areas of uncertainty' in nuclear deterrent budget
In 2006, the Government announced its intention to maintain the UK's nuclear deterrent capability with the White Paper 'The Future of the UK's Nuclear Deterrent' (Cm. 6994).
The programme aims to maintain the UK's nuclear deterrent beyond the life of the current system, with the introduction into service of the first of a new class of submarines in 2024.
Government's 'greener homes' targets examined
In July 2007 the Government announced an increased target of three million new homes to be built by 2020, with two million of these to be completed by 2016. At the same time, it stressed that these homes must be 'part of the solution to climate change' and must be built to high standards in terms of both design and environmental impact.
This Report from the Environmental Audit Committee, 'Greener Homes for the Future? An Environmental Analysis of the Government's House-building Plans' (HC 566), follows on from two previous Committee Reports in this area and both reviews progress on existing policies since the last Report and examines major new policies announced since then.