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"Let’s work for a fair chance for families"
“I’ve listened to parents in the area and I know that alongside tackling crime, their priority is to make sure everyone gets a fair chance in life. They want better hospitals, top quality schools and the right to spend time with their families. I’m delighted that this is a key part of the Queen’s speech.
“That’s why the proposed education bill will give parent’s a bigger say in their children’s education and will refuse to tolerate the idea of a failing school. After all, there can be no justification for any school failing any pupil.
“While we should intervene to tackle the worst schools, we should also give good schools the chance to innovate and challenge pupils. Bad schools should be turned around, good schools should get freedom to do the very best they can.
“Our NHS is stronger than it’s been in a generation. New Hospitals, more doctors and more nurses are making a difference in the treatment of diseases and cutting waiting lists. Now we need to give families an even better chance at a healthy life. That’s why I back plans to ban smoking in enclosed public places and to give new powers to stop the spread of infection in hospitals.
“Finally, It’s vital that Scunthorpe parents get treated fairly at work. So It’s good news that we will help parents by extending maternity leave and maternity pay to nine months and make sure that there are more Childcare places available for parents.”
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Hard-working Families Labour is committed to helping hard working families to deliver on our pledge to provide opportunity for all. April will see measures that will contribute in giving every child the best start in life, offer parents and carers more choice about balancing work and family life and enable people to live in dignity.
Nursery education: The minimum free nursery education entitlement for three and four year olds of 12.5 hours a week has been extended from 33 to 38 weeks.
Child care help: On April 6th the child element of the Child Tax Credit rose in line with average earnings. We will also change the Tax Credit system so that people's earnings can increase by up to £2,500 from the current amount of £25,000 before they lose any tax credit. Child benefit: Rose to £17.45 from April 6th. We’ve increased every year since 1997 meaning a 28% increase in real terms.
Free bus travel: on April 1st Labour delivered our Manifesto commitment in giving the over 60s and disabled people free off-peak travel by bus in their local area.
School budgets: A new funding system will see increases of 4% per pupil for primary schools and 3.4% per pupil for secondary schools in 2006/07 through the Dedicated Schools Grant.
The powers that came into force in early April represent the culmination of Labour MPs hard work in Westminster by arguing for, scrutinising and voting for our legislative agenda.
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NEW GOVERNMENT MEASURES
Crime Prevention Protecting the public is Labour’s top priority. To tackle crime Britain needs to be equipped with the powers to confront low-level crime affecting our local communities as well as more serious organised crime which results from an increasingly globalised world.
New ID agency: From April 1st the Identity and Passport Agency was up and running issuing the first ID cards to protect British citizens from crimes such as terrorism, fraud and identity theft.
Tackling serious and organised crime: The Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) will be working as a newly created intelligence-led agency that will work domestically and overseas to tackle sex trafficking, gun crime and the illegal drugs trade. |