The age-profile and needs of the population are easy to predict, if only people look
31 October 2013Every age-group has its own set of needs and issues but not every year group is the same size.
The Blog
The Treasury’s sharia bonds should be welcomed
30 October 2013The Prime Minister announced yesterday that the UK is to be the first western country to offer sharia-compliant bonds. In the second phase of a drive to reassert London’s place as the world’s financial capital, the Debt Management Office (DMO) will offer ‘sukuk’ bonds of £200 million. Sharia law forbids investing in companies that gamble… [Read More]
Ann Clywd says to put patients “back in the picture” with complaints shakeup
29 October 2013Yesterday, the government released a report into complaints procedure in the NHS. It was led by Ann Clwyd MP, the Labour MP for Cynon Valley in Wales, and Professor Tricia Hart, Chief Executive of South Tees NHS Foundation Trust. Clwyd’s husband Owen Roberts died last year in hospital, and the emotional account she gave of… [Read More]
Swingeing cuts to EU regulation
28 October 2013My pessimism in last Friday’s blog was misplaced: the Brussels EU summit has made meaningful progress, and progress in a British direction at that. The European Commission’s President, José Manuel Barroso, has acceded to Anglo-Dutch pressure to reduce red tape which limits businesses and economic growth. In a fringe meeting over the weekend, Cameron lauded his… [Read More]
The empty, self-defeating and pointless sentencing of Pavlo Lapshyn
27 October 2013A 25 year-old Lithuanian immigrant and self-confessed white supremacist was this week found guilty of the murder of an 82 year-old Muslim man, and of detonating three bombs near mosques in the West Midlands. The Crown Prosecutor wanted a Whole Life sentence, but the Judge resisted this and ordered that Pavlo Lapshyn spent the next… [Read More]
EU summit marred by spying accusations
25 October 2013Today’s EU summit was intended to make serious progress. The Lampedusa tragedy, in which 359 migrants fleeing Africa for Italy drowned, galvanised member states to make a comprehensive borders policy. British interests, such as limiting ‘benefits tourism’ and cutting red tape, were on the agenda. Business Minister Michael Fallon has produced a list of regulations… [Read More]
Scarce resource pricing: the benefits of the market while keeping basics affordable
24 October 2013Scarce resource pricing allows the benefits of the market while keeping basic necessities affordable to people on low incomes.
Why the UK can’t build its own nuclear power stations
23 October 2013The current state of Britain’s energy sector and the fact we cannot build our own nuclear power stations is another example of the government’s failure to make long term policy decisions. Despite knowing that many of the UK’s power stations were scheduled to close as early as 2020, the coalition government cancelled plans in 2010… [Read More]
Health Secretary: mutualised Patient-led Commissioning an “interesting” idea
22 October 2013There were encouraging noises in the Commons today when the Conservative MP Steve Baker urged the Health Secretary to consider our recent paper calling for patient-led commissioning groups in the NHS. Jeremy Hunt said the idea was “interesting”, while stressing that he wanted to give current coalition reforms a chance to bed in first. You… [Read More]
New report: the merits of Swedish-style localism for improving UK healthcare
This originally appeared on Liberal Democrat Voice, available here. Debate about NHS reform has been intense in 2013 as the service has entered its historic 65th year and the need for greater accountability has become apparent in response to lapses in care such as those at Mid Staffordshire. In light of this, it is important… [Read More]