Today’s Independent on Sunday carries an article based on an interview with Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which reports:

Vince Cable is back. And he means business. Eight months after being publicly humiliated by undercover reporters and robbed of his halo, he is, once again, a man with a plan. Or, more specifically, a Plan A+. The Business Secretary insists that, despite calls from the sidelines for Plan B, there will be no deviation from George Osborne’s central economic strategy.

But after growth figures last week showed the economy had expanded by an anaemic 0.2 per cent, Mr Cable believes it is now time for additional radical measures to stimulate growth. And the reinvigorated 68-year-old thinks he can win this new battle. In the topsy-turvy world of Westminster politics, it’s the very issues that the so-called experts said would lead to Mr Cable’s downfall which are once again propelling him back to the pedestal where his fans think he belongs…

The economy remains the central purpose of the coalition. Mr Cable believes they should be doing more. Multibillion-pound building projects – from road and rail schemes to power plants and super-fast broadband – could be fast-tracked to provide an injection of cash and jobs to industry.

“Plan A+ is about really mobilising growth, thinking outside the box, not breaking your fiscal rules – because you have to do that for credibility – but shifting the emphasis on to these growth-enhancing interventions…”

On taxation:

But anyone who thinks this plan will involve big tax cuts can think again. “Whether it’s Ed Balls or the Mayor of London [Boris Johnson], they are assuming there is some kind of Father Christmas at work that helps you keep a balanced budget. Well, there isn’t. You can’t just have tax cuts without paying for them.”

In particular, scrapping the 50p tax rate for those earning more than £150,000 remains “impossible”. “It would be politically inconceivable for government to take some of the tax pressure off high earners at a time when people on low pay are suffering public sector pay restraint and cuts in real incomes because of high commodity prices.” Raising more people out of paying tax altogether, possibly above the £10,000 threshold already set out in the coalition agreement, should take priority. “We will look at it [the 50p rate], but it will have to be balanced by something that’s really strong in terms of tax fairness…”

And on the fall of the Murdoch Empire:

Mr Cable is not triumphalist about the spectacle of the Murdoch empire crumbling, but takes time to point out that his “instincts were right and they are shared by the majority of people”. He says it “looks like” Murdoch’s days as an overbearing media mogul are over, and Ofcom’s “fit and proper” test of ownership of BSkyB will be “critically important” in deciding if the Aussie octogenarian has a future in Britain. Mr Cable hopes the forthcoming reviews will lead to a “presumption against cross-media ownership”.

He is “somewhat surprised by the scale” of Tory contact with media executives, particularly from News International. The Lib Dems have observed it all from the comfort of the moral high ground. “We have come out of that, as a party, creditably, because we were never part of the sucking-up to Murdoch that happened with the other two parties, for their own reasons. We were often on the receiving end, but we never compromised. We maintained our independence and that’s what we are proud of.”

You can read the complete article HERE.

A cruel scam intended to trick students and prospective students to reveal bank details to thieves has been uncovered by some sharp-eyed detective work on the part of staff in a local MPs office.

A researcher in Liberal Democrat MP for Somerton & Frome, David Heath’s office, thought there was something odd about an e-mail from the Student Loans Company requesting details about bank accounts “as a matter of urgency”. The email, intended to fool either new students or those anxiously waiting to find details, warned that “your student loan application will be cancelled if you fail to complete our routine application compliance verification. Failure to verify your details means that your next student loan payment and maintenance grant will be delayed, cancelled or blocked and your tuition fee will not be paid”. The recipient is then asked to fill in vital banking details and return the form by e-mail.

Checking with the real Student Loans Company revealed that the e-mail had nothing to do with them – it is what is termed a phishing exercise. Action has now been taken to block the site and have it taken down.

Mr Heath said:

“I’m very pleased that my staff member not only realised the e-mails were suspicious but then took immediate action to investigate and deal with it. As a result, many thousands of young people may have been spared from having their identities stolen or their bank accounts emptied.

“It shows yet again that you should always be suspicious if you are asked for bank details through e-mail or over the internet, even from what appear to be reputable organisations. It’s always worth double checking they are who they are supposed to be, and if in any doubt, don’t give your details on line, and certainly through sites that are not secure.”

MPs on the Treasury select committee have warned that a breakdown in the basic services that should be provided by HM Revenue & Customs such as unanswered phone calls and unopened letters, risks undermining general respect for the tax system.

Large-scale job cuts, a senior management out of touch with day-to-day issues and severe delays responding to queries left the future looking “bleak”. An increasing focus on online is putting its services beyond the reach of some people.

HM Revenue & Customs has had to cope with re- organisations and reductions in real-terms to it’s budget every year since it was formed.

Lord Oakeshott, the former Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman said:

“Britain is fighting its financial deficit with one hand tied behind its back because HMRC is in such chaos. When businesses lose control of their cash collection they go bust, but HMRC just seems to blunder on.”

The report mentions problems with the PAYE system as an example of cuts being made before efficiency savings were accomplished.

In June 2009 the department introduced a new computer system which came int service a year late, and then it was discovered that 6 million people had either overpaid or underpaid tax, which resulted in unexpected tax demands.

The MPs say the ensuing row damaged the public perception of HMRC, concluding that “There have been credible suggestions that HMRC has made savings by reducing staff before the enabling efficiencies have been fully realised – with resulting impacts on performance and costs,”

The report quotes a former employee of HMRC, Martin Lewis, who alleged that senior management are out of touch. He told MP’s:

“Middle managers are discouraged from reporting “bad news” or news that projects were becoming unmanageable or going awry.

“Senior managers are largely unaware of the difficulties, problems, and obstacles that the bulk of the organisation faces. They know little of the scale of unanswered phone calls, and the unopened letters, the data quality of tax payers’ records and perhaps most importantly the nature and quality of the service provided on a daily basis to the taxpaying public.”

The committee said that HMRC’s record on returning telephone calls is”patchy at best and unacceptable at worst”, and that long delays in answering post are endemic, the MPs add. “Such delays increase demand elsewhere , as taxpayers and tax credit claimants chase progress, increasing costs for the public and HMRC alike.”

An HMRC spokesman said:

“We know we have a lot more to do to improve our services to customers, but HMRC is in a much stronger position now than in 2010 and plans to go further.

“We have recruited 1,000 contact centre advisers to manage exceptionally busy periods this year. We have improved the way we deal with post, for example rapidly reducing turnaround times on PAYE and Self Assessment post.

“Moving services online has been a success, making it easier and quicker for most customers to access HMRC services. We recognise that not everybody can access these online services but we are committed to delivering the same quality of service to all customers.

A Suffolk man, helped by the Stop Loan Sharks project has spoken out about his experiences, in a bid to encourage others to speak out. ‘Mike’ contacted the Stop Loan Sharks Team after he was harassed by an illegal money lender for almost two decades, forcing him to pay back a staggering £90,000 on a £250 loan.
He said:

“You wouldn’t wish it on anybody. It affected my relationship with my wife. If I wasn’t
at work I was home arguing, and it affected the kids. They had nothing. Every Friday and Saturday he was sat outside my work- if I finished late the loan shark would text saying ‘its payday where are you’ It was a living nightmare”

“I wish I’d known there was somewhere to go years ago. The Team were fantastic, they offered so much support, and every promise they made they delivered. It was such a relief when I found out the loan shark was arrested and then put in prison. I nearly broke down when the Team rang to say”

“I would tell anyone who is borrowing from a loan shark to be confident to stand up and speak out..
Life is absolutely fantastic now- we don’t have to worry about money anymore and I’m happier than I’ve ever been. Were going on holiday as a family for the first time in 17 years- I can’t imagine ever being able to do this before.

“Contacting the Team is the best thing I could ever have done. I’m living the life I should be living”

Mike’s story is available from Stop Loan Sharks on DVD for use in presentations and training sessions.

To obtain a copy please contact Catherine.wohlers@birmingham.gov.uk

To report a loan shark:

Call the 24/7 confidential hotline 0300 555 2222
Text ‘loan shark + your message’ to 60003
E-mail reportaloanshark@stoploansharks.gov.uk
Log-on to www.direct.gov.uk/stoploansharks

Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Leeds North West, has today welcomed the admission of failure by the Press Complaints Commission with regards to the phone hacking scandal, following the resignation of the organisations chair, Baroness Buscombe.

Having raised concerns with the regulation of the press in the house following the revelations of phone hacking by the News of the World, Mulholland has welcomed news that the PCC have now admitted to failings in dealing with the scandal and has reiterated his call for a new, more effective system of regulation.

Greg Commented:

“I have raised the issue of press regulation in the house, as well as putting my name to an amendment that made very clear that my fellow MPs and I are not satisfied with the current system of media regulation and welcome a new review into media ethics, practices and policing.

“I am pleased that the Press Complaints Commission have now admitted failings in their dealing with the phone hacking scandal and I would take this opportunity to again reiterate the need for a more effective system of regulation in the British media, the replace the current system which is inadequate and needs to be looked at and changed.”

Officials at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are considering introducing measures to force retailers to reduce their use of plastic bags.

Figures collected by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) show a 5% increase in the use of plastic bags in 2010 compared to the previous year.

People in the UK were shown to have used an average of 8.6 carrier bags per month last year, which is a 5% increase on the average for 2009/2010 of 8.2.

An agreement made between the Government, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and leading supermarkets to reduce the number of single-use bags given to customers by 50% ended in 2009, and there have been no sector targets established for carrier bag usage since, but retailers did agree to provide WRAP with figures on the use of bags on each year from this year.

The number of single use bags being given to customers has decreased by 37% since 2006 when records began.

Last year’s increase in the use of bags could be partly due to a rise in sales volume 2006 and 2010 by supermarkets participating in the scheme of 8%.

WRAP has also found that modern carrier bags contain 61% less virgin polymer compared to 2006.

Commenting on the ‘positive’ figures, the BRC said a small increase in the number of bags given out in 2010 ‘should not be allowed to overshadow the major progress made by the sector’.

The Big Society Bank has been officially launched by the Government with around £600m of capital.

The bank, which is now officially called Big Society Capital, will fund social enterprises and charities as part of the Big Society agenda.

The new bank has already made its first investment of £1million to the Private Equity Foundation, which helps disadvantaged young people into jobs or education.

The bank’s initial £600m of capital includes £400m from dormant bank accounts and £200m from the UK’s largest high street banks.

Sir Ronald Cohen will serve as the interim chair of Big Society Capital Limited until the operating company is fully operational and a permanent chair can be appointed.

Sir Ronald said:

“The social sector now has the prospect of attracting funding in the UK to support social entrepreneurs, much as venture capital and private equity did to support business some three decades ago”

Nick O’Donohoe, who was formerly the global head of research at JP Morgan, will be Big Society Capital’s first chief executive.

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said the bank will ‘unlock the money that charities and social enterprises need to grow when a big opportunity comes along’

A loan shark who charged interest in excess of 700,000% APR was sentenced to 15 months in prison after he admitted running an unlicensed loans business for six years.

Colin Morrison, 46 from Glasgow appeared at Glasgow Sherriff Court in April.

He operated in the Shettleston and Sandyhills areas of Glasgow, often preying on vulnerable people and leaving them with little money to live on.

When the Scotland Stop Loan Sharks Team executed warrants at Morrison’s home in March last year they seized £7230 in cash. A further £13,000 was found in bank accounts belonging to Morrison who was unemployed and claiming benefits.

A further financial investigation has begun which is investigating the proceeds of Morrison’s crime with a view to seizing his assets. A hearing to consider this matter is set for August.

To report a loan shark:

Call the 24/7 confidential hotline 0300 555 2222
Text ‘loan shark + your message’ to 60003
E-mail reportaloanshark@stoploansharks.gov.uk
Log-on to www.direct.gov.uk/stoploansharks

Ten new, low emission waste lorries will take to North East Lincolnshire’s streets on Monday, August 1, collecting household rubbish together with encouraging residents to waste less and recycle more.

The new and much improved refuse vehicles will replace the existing fleet of vehicles, which over the years have become expensive to run. As well as improving air quality, the new lorries will help the council’s refuse team offer a more reliable and efficient service and will save money on breakdown, repair and servicing costs.

As with any old vehicle, there comes a stage when it is more efficient to replace them rather than spending money on repairs in order to keep them on the road.

The existing vehicles have done a great job in collecting over 270,000 tonnes of waste over six years, which has mainly been disposed of through the energy from waste plant in Stallingborough. However, they are now beyond their useful and efficient life.

The new fleet means we can continue to offer a high quality waste collection service whilst cutting costs during this difficult financial time as we will save money in fuel bills and repairs.

The lorries are also brandishing new recycling messages urging residents to be more environmentally friendly.”

The council has invested almost £1.5million in the new vehicles, which have fuel efficient engines and will reduce pollution. They are able to collect both bag and wheelie bin waste collections and are fitted with the latest technology to help the refuse crews. They also have new safety features such as a reversing radar system, illuminated warning boards and monitoring devices.

The ten vehicles will serve around 73,000 households across the area collecting over 45,000 tonnes of household domestic waste every year

The messages on the side of the lorries urges residents to think about what they are throwing away, and instead asks them to consider recycling instead. They are also promoting the new online waste calendar, which lets households check when their green and brown bins and triple boxes are schedules for collection.

Community Learning Services want to make sure that you find the right course or training programme for your needs.

There are many to choose from and if you find the right one, then you are much more likely to enjoy it and to be successful.

This is why it is important that you get information, advice and guidance is important. Please find available to download at the bottom of this page the Learning Living and Working Brochure 2011 – 2012 which details the courses on offer.

To help you make the right choice, Community Learning Services offers:
Confidential information, advice and guidance (IAG) to adults and young people across North East Lincolnshire
help and support if you are looking for work, training or further education
a team of qualified and experienced specialists who will discuss your options and help you to make the right decision
a referral to an organisation that will help you if we are unable to and support you through the process
a range of courses and qualifications, which we will discuss with you if you are interested

The Community Learning Services brochure for 2011/12 is now available. You can access a copy HERE