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01 Jul 2010
The government has launched its ‘Your Freedom’ web site, an initiative designed to help citizens reclaim their civil liberties and have a say in government policy.
The web site invites citizens to voice their opinions in three key areas; restoring civil liberties, repealing unnecessary laws and doing away with excessive business regulation.
Users can submit comments and/or vote for ideas on policy matters.
Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg described the initiative as a totally new way of making policy as it puts the public in charge.
“For too long new laws have taken away your freedom, interfered in everyday life, and made it difficult for business to get on. We want your ideas to change that,” he argued.
“[We want] ideas on how we repeal unnecessary laws that have amassed onto the statute book, on how we strip away the restrictive regulations that stop businesses from innovating. For the first time in a long time, the government is listening.”
The initiative was described as a very useful tool by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), which is in regular dialogue with the government.
“[The web site] will allow the government to see the areas [of legislation] that businesses find challenging,” an FSB spokeswoman told V3.co.uk.
“This is a positive step but we expect it to be a long process. The subjects that come up the most will be taken further by the government and we will speak to our members to encourage interaction.”
The restoration of civil liberties was a key topic in both the Conservative and Liberal Democrat manifestos and the creation of the web site so soon after the election underlines just how seriously the government takes the issue.
The coalition's civil liberties agenda includes plans to scrap Labour's ID card scheme, the National Identity Register, the next generation of biometric passports and the ContactPoint Database.
Additionally, the government will bring in more CCTV regulation, and end the storage of internet and email records without good reason.
The views gathered from the “Your Freedom” site will help formulate the forthcoming Freedom Bill, according to the Cabinet Office.
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Do you agree?
cutting waste
Lincolnshire county council and South Holland district council both send regular newsletters boasting about what they have done. Get rid of these and save money. Any useful information could be communicated by local papers and parish councils.
Posted by: Anne Ramkaran 23 Sep 2010
NHS cost savings
1. Working within a Metal Health Trust one is very conscious of the fact that clients/patiets collect Social benifits in excess £115 per week with absolutely No outgoings. 2. When asking a manager on the Non merits of purchasing contracted food supplies as oppossed to local supermarkets the retort was Quality and Cost are Not a concideration! "The excessive costs and waste are immoral". When challenging another manager on latter issue ie; what is the NHS management driver, cost/quality? or fear of litigation, the Answer "Fear of litigation" consequently prompting some research and this e-mail. Simply repeal NHS ammendment Act 1986 and give back Crown Immunity on food hygiene, notwithstanding this dose not negate tort actions, however potentially this alone would save tens of millions across the 15,000 hospitals and initiate quality as the primary management driver. "A politically safe inititive".
Posted by: Trevor Williams 13 Sep 2010
Millions wasted in the legal system every day
I think barristers should be 'fined' for not having a case ready when it goes to court. Many millions are wasted simply because cases are delayed because barristers are not ready on the day and TOTALLY FAIL TO INFORM THE JUDGE UNTIL THE ACTUAL DAY OF THE CASE!!, with all the involved costs to everyone involved. If they are not ready, then, they should give at least 7 days notice or be 'fined' a large amount for upsetting everyone involved!!
Posted by: Mr T Malone 05 Aug 2010
Double Summer time
During the second world war, we had double summer, and saved many millions of pounds by not using lighting etc!! We should bring back double summer time or better still aline with European time. The reason it has not been introduced before is because it might cause a very few problem in Scotland for just a couple of months or so!!! In this time of economic problems, surely a couple of months of dark nights would not be a great problem for Scotland when millions and millions could be saved if we move our time zone totally in line with europe??? Spain extends west of the UK and it copes OK, So surely a one hour ajustment for us all in the UK is no problem??? As I say it could save millions of pounds to be lined up time wise with Europe. Most kids in Scotland now go to school by car or bus, so the old views in Scotland of time hold no value what so ever - Lets change now and save the UK a lot a lot of money!!!
Posted by: Mr T Malone 05 Aug 2010
Blood testing in the NHS
In the 'old' days, when you neede a blood test on behalf of your doctor, you queued up at the local hospital. Now you have to make 'an appointment' at the local NHS centre, and only there is one blood test 'every 20 mins', on occasions!! So time is totally wasted, firstly with phone calls, and when the actual blood test only take 4-5 mins!! I recently had to wait 14 days for a blood test in Loughborough!!! A few years ago, I had it the same day by joining the queue! - and my doctor has had to wait 3 weeks to see my results - if it had been a serious problem then I might well have been DEAD!!!
Posted by: Mr T Malone 05 Aug 2010
european union
I DO NOT RECOLLECT SEEING ANYTHING ABOUT THE EU BUDGET. BEARING IN MIND THE OVER-BUROCRACY, WASTEFUL SPENDING, PARLIAMENTS IN TWO LOCATIONS, EXCESSIVE SALARIES AND PERKS, SURELY THIS EXPENDITURE SHOULD BE RESTRICTED IN LINE WITH UK GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS
Posted by: DJK 10 Jul 2010
how to use the grand parents to save the youth of today
there is a way to use over 10,000 grandparents who are educated and military to help the youths of today to learn and educate and team work within drill halls and charity within costs already provide ,but would require expenditure for the young to be involved in this system. on what they get now but with a little extra to interest them in this idea, this would reduce the youth employment at little cost
Posted by: terry reid 02 Jul 2010
Policing
Would it not be an idea to separate the Police Force into two separate sections. One for the upkeep of all laws involved with all crimes committed outside of traffic offence's, and one section to be responsible for all traffic offence's . The section for traffic offence could be self funding if it is allowed to keep all income brought in from offending motorists. I realise that this suggestion will need further thought.
Posted by: Mike Diston 01 Jul 2010
The Real Thoughts of the British People will still not be heard!
The concept was brilliant, however we cannot get to the heart of government, David Cameron & Nick Clegg by using this site. You cannot comment on the big issues such as defence, Foreign Policy or even the NHS, National or local, a waste of time. I would like to make some suggestions to save money, so Mr Chancellor listen up, Stop the Motobility Scheme for those that can afford their own transport, offer a basic range ov vehicles oly for the basic rate. I have seen all sorts of luxury cars offered and subsidised by the govt. Stop abuse of the disabled badge, I saw a Ferrari and an Aston Martin and also a Porsche parked in disabled spaces in fromt of a store, with the badge proudly displayed, im sorry but if they can afford the car they can afford their own care! Registration numbers, the treasury could raise additional revenue from releasing older now defunct numbers, namely old family car numbers, where the children of parents may buy that old reg number from dads morriss 1000? Stop immigration from within the EU? Reintroduce price controls and prevent inflation. Award the right of intellectual property to the individual not make it the right of the employer to own and benefit while the employee gets nothing! Sell to non homeowners old empty council properties that otherwise would be demolished, I give you a block of flats here in Glasgow 20 floors, 6 flate per floor = 120 Homes? By offering these to start ups at say £10k each the council gets money back and the new owners get on the housing market, but make it so that they cannot sell for 10 years unless approved by the council and have a rule owner occupied only, no renting! Owners of all the flats then see that it is in their best interests to look after and develop the property and look after them. I could do this all day with very simple suggestions to cut budgets and raise revenue, but it is up to you guys to make it work and finally please stop telling the world that we are in a financial mess....they know it already, comments from ministers can only damage the countries credit rating! The family silver was sold off in the 1980s, but there are a few chesnuts left!
Posted by: David O'Neill 01 Jul 2010