Tag Archives: family

The government has been defeated in the Lords

Government suffers Lords defeat over benefit cap plan

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Baroness Tonge and Margot James MP tell the BBC’s Norman Smith what they think of the outcome

The government has been defeated in the Lords in a vote on its plans for a £26,000-a-year household benefit cap.

Lib Dem, Labour and crossbench peers backed a bishop’s amendment by 252 to 237 that child benefit should not be included in the cap.

Critics argued that imposing the same cap on all families, regardless of size, would penalise children.

The government said it was “very disappointed” and the vote “clearly flies in the face of public opinion”.

Earlier the government defeated another amendment proposed by Labour to exempt people considered at risk of homelessness from the cap.

There is a need for better training for social workers

Equality in social care practice: still a long way to go

After improvements in local government training and recruitment, why aren’t there more BME social workers?

Like many readers, my heart leapt when I saw that Stephen Lawrence’s killers had been found guilty. The family’s campaign for justice, and the McPherson Inquiry they prompted, have changed forever how we treat racism.

We should welcome that progress. But a serious look at social work suggests we still have a long way to go before we have a level playing field for black and minority social workers – let alone service users.

The Health Bill – ‘outright Opposition’

NHS plans: Unions move to ‘outright opposition’

By Nick Triggle Health correspondent, BBC News

 The health bill is currently working its way through Parliament

The unions representing nurses and midwives have joined others in stating their “outright opposition” to the government’s NHS plans in England.

The Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of Midwives had expressed concerns in the past, but said they were willing to work with ministers.

However, now they want the entire bill covering the changes to be dropped.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said the unions wanted to “have a go” at government about “pay and pensions”.