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| Politics live blog: David Cameron's speech on roads and peers debate health bill | Politics live blog: David Cameron's speech on roads and peers debate health bill |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 10.13am: The Local Government Association has published a report saying that the government's attempts to get young people into work are a mess. Here's an extract from its news release. | |
| Attempts to get more than one million young people into work are being hampered by excessive bureaucracy, duplication and government control, according to local government leaders. | |
| An analysis of the current efforts to tackle youth unemployment has identified an overly complicated £15 billion system that is awash with different national, strategies and inconsistent age barriers. | |
| The research, by the Local Government Association, reveals a complex picture, with people aged 13 to 24 receiving support from at least eight different national organisations, who fund 33 different schemes and span 13 different age boundaries at a cost of £15 billion a year. | |
| The report - 'Hidden Talents' - exposes how government approaches have cast the most disengaged young people further adrift, failing to identify and target support at those most affected by the recession and with the most difficult and complex circumstances. | |
| As a result, this group of 'core - neets', young people not in employment, education or training for more than 12 months, is growing at a faster rate than any other and has doubled in four years to 260,000. This means one in four young people out of work is now classed as long term unemployed and more likely to be living on benefits in later life. | |
| And here's a quote from Cllr Peter Box, the chair of the LGA's economy and transport board. | |
| It's clear that the current attempts to tackle youth unemployment aren't working. National approaches tend to work for those out of work for a short time and address spikes in unemployment, but fail to reach those who are the most marginalised. | |
| 9.43am: Much of the pre-budget comment has focused on the 50p top rate of tax, when George Osborne will cut it and whether he will replace it with a new 45p top rate. | 9.43am: Much of the pre-budget comment has focused on the 50p top rate of tax, when George Osborne will cut it and whether he will replace it with a new 45p top rate. |
| But, in an article for PoliticsHome, the Conservative MP Mark Pritchard (pictured), secretary of the 1922 committee, says the 40p rate should also go. Here's an extract. | But, in an article for PoliticsHome, the Conservative MP Mark Pritchard (pictured), secretary of the 1922 committee, says the 40p rate should also go. Here's an extract. |
| The chancellor must unleash this aspiration by scrapping the 50 pence and 40 pence upper rates and replace it with a single 38 pence higher rate. The 50 pence tax is a job destroying tax, is fundamentally un-Conservative, and economically dumb in that it acts as a punitive deterrent to all would-be entrepreneurs and investors. It is posture politics. Similarly, the 40 pence rate eats into middle earner's disposable income and their ability to spend in the wider economy. | The chancellor must unleash this aspiration by scrapping the 50 pence and 40 pence upper rates and replace it with a single 38 pence higher rate. The 50 pence tax is a job destroying tax, is fundamentally un-Conservative, and economically dumb in that it acts as a punitive deterrent to all would-be entrepreneurs and investors. It is posture politics. Similarly, the 40 pence rate eats into middle earner's disposable income and their ability to spend in the wider economy. |
| 9.30am: There's already been plenty of reaction to David Cameron's proposal to semi-privatise the roads. Here's a round-up. I've taken the quotes from the Press Association and PoliticsHome. | 9.30am: There's already been plenty of reaction to David Cameron's proposal to semi-privatise the roads. Here's a round-up. I've taken the quotes from the Press Association and PoliticsHome. |
| From Maria Eagle (pictured), the shadow transport secretary | From Maria Eagle (pictured), the shadow transport secretary |
| Giving companies the power to rip off motorists even more is not the answer. Motorists are already facing the highest fuel prices ever, and now they're facing the prospect of being ripped off by having to pay tolls on existing roads ... People only need to look at our railway industry to see what happens when you go down this kind of path. Instead of it being cheaper it now costs three times as much as any other railway. Passengers and taxpayers are getting ripped off. That's what I fear's going to happen if this goes ahead in the way in which the government are looking at it. | Giving companies the power to rip off motorists even more is not the answer. Motorists are already facing the highest fuel prices ever, and now they're facing the prospect of being ripped off by having to pay tolls on existing roads ... People only need to look at our railway industry to see what happens when you go down this kind of path. Instead of it being cheaper it now costs three times as much as any other railway. Passengers and taxpayers are getting ripped off. That's what I fear's going to happen if this goes ahead in the way in which the government are looking at it. |
| From Professor Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation | From Professor Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation |
| We should cautiously welcome the prospect of private-sector involvement. There are just not enough public resources to provide the capacity we need and this offers the chance to make long-term plans for a utility every bit as important as things like water, power, electricity and the railways. | We should cautiously welcome the prospect of private-sector involvement. There are just not enough public resources to provide the capacity we need and this offers the chance to make long-term plans for a utility every bit as important as things like water, power, electricity and the railways. |
| From Neil Greig, director of policy and research at the Institute of Advanced Motorists | From Neil Greig, director of policy and research at the Institute of Advanced Motorists |
| British drivers simply don't trust the government to come up with a new way of paying for roads that will not lead to increased costs in the long run. Drivers already pay far more in taxes and duties than they get back in investment in new roads. | British drivers simply don't trust the government to come up with a new way of paying for roads that will not lead to increased costs in the long run. Drivers already pay far more in taxes and duties than they get back in investment in new roads. |
| New roads are safer, but what is needed is the release of more existing motoring taxes as part of a long-term investment plan to target pinch points and eliminate the maintenance backlog. | New roads are safer, but what is needed is the release of more existing motoring taxes as part of a long-term investment plan to target pinch points and eliminate the maintenance backlog. |
| Tolls can be an attractive proposition to many low-mileage drivers but only if current taxes are cut to compensate for new charges. Past governments have a poor track record of removing tolls once private contracts have expired. The Dartford Crossing should have been free once the original debt was paid but tolls remain in place. | Tolls can be an attractive proposition to many low-mileage drivers but only if current taxes are cut to compensate for new charges. Past governments have a poor track record of removing tolls once private contracts have expired. The Dartford Crossing should have been free once the original debt was paid but tolls remain in place. |
| From Conservative MP Matthew Hancock | From Conservative MP Matthew Hancock |
It's very clear that no-one is talking about tolls on existing roads ... What people are talking about is either getting new roads built by having tolls on them and then also trying to get private companies to do more to improve existing roads. Here it is about leveraging in investment. | It's very clear that no-one is talking about tolls on existing roads ... What people are talking about is either getting new roads built by having tolls on them and then also trying to get private companies to do more to improve existing roads. Here it is about leveraging in investment. |
| 9.18am: Stephen Twigg (left), the shadow education secretary, has put out this comment about Maggie Atkinson's school exclusions report. | 9.18am: Stephen Twigg (left), the shadow education secretary, has put out this comment about Maggie Atkinson's school exclusions report. |
| No child, however challenging, should be left behind. There is something systematically wrong if schools are breaking the exclusions law in this way. This is often at the expense of poor, black or special needs children. | No child, however challenging, should be left behind. There is something systematically wrong if schools are breaking the exclusions law in this way. This is often at the expense of poor, black or special needs children. |
| The children's commissioner has done some of our most vulnerable children a service in exposing the 'ghosting' of pupils from school to school and unrecorded exclusions. The government and Ofsted need to take robust action to address her recommendations and ensure our schools do not fail challenging children. | The children's commissioner has done some of our most vulnerable children a service in exposing the 'ghosting' of pupils from school to school and unrecorded exclusions. The government and Ofsted need to take robust action to address her recommendations and ensure our schools do not fail challenging children. |
| 9.00am: As the pre-budget leaking, briefing and speculation continues at full pelt, spare a thought for poor John Bercow. The Speaker is determined to ensure that ministers make important announcements at the despatch box in the Commons, and not on the Today programme or on the front pages of the national newspapers, and last year he revealed that he kept George Osborne on his feet for three hours at the autumn statement last year, by extending questions for as long as possible, as "punishment" (my phrase) for the fact that so much of it was revealed in advance. Osborne clearly does not give two hoots, because this year there seems to be more pre-budget briefing then ever before. We've had the announcements about regional public sector pay and sunday working hours, and we've got a fairly clear idea what to expect on 50p, raising the tax allowance and the "tycoon tax" (although it is not clear to what extent these stories were briefed by the Treasury, and to what extent they came from other sources). Yesterday Osborne was on the Andrew Marr Show talking about the budget. And this morning David Cameron is actually giving a whole speech about an infrastructure proposal that you would expect to hear about in the budget statement. As the Today programme covered it, Bercow must have been spluttering into his cornflakes. I wouldn't be surprised if he has something to say about this later. | 9.00am: As the pre-budget leaking, briefing and speculation continues at full pelt, spare a thought for poor John Bercow. The Speaker is determined to ensure that ministers make important announcements at the despatch box in the Commons, and not on the Today programme or on the front pages of the national newspapers, and last year he revealed that he kept George Osborne on his feet for three hours at the autumn statement last year, by extending questions for as long as possible, as "punishment" (my phrase) for the fact that so much of it was revealed in advance. Osborne clearly does not give two hoots, because this year there seems to be more pre-budget briefing then ever before. We've had the announcements about regional public sector pay and sunday working hours, and we've got a fairly clear idea what to expect on 50p, raising the tax allowance and the "tycoon tax" (although it is not clear to what extent these stories were briefed by the Treasury, and to what extent they came from other sources). Yesterday Osborne was on the Andrew Marr Show talking about the budget. And this morning David Cameron is actually giving a whole speech about an infrastructure proposal that you would expect to hear about in the budget statement. As the Today programme covered it, Bercow must have been spluttering into his cornflakes. I wouldn't be surprised if he has something to say about this later. |
| I'll be covering the Cameron speech in detail later. And it's also an important day for the health bill. Here's the full agenda for the day. | I'll be covering the Cameron speech in detail later. And it's also an important day for the health bill. Here's the full agenda for the day. |
| 8.30am: Tony Blair gives a speech on business and economic opportunities in Africa. 10am: Crime correspondents give evidence to the Leveson Inquiry. The witnesses include Jerry Lawton of the Daily Star, James Murray of the Sunday Express and John Twomey of the Daily Express. 11.30am: David Cameron delivers a speech on infrastructure. As Nicholas Watt reports, Cameron will clear the way for a multibillion-pound semi-privatisation of trunk roads and motorways as he announces plans to allow sovereign wealth funds from countries such as China to lease roads in England. | 8.30am: Tony Blair gives a speech on business and economic opportunities in Africa. 10am: Crime correspondents give evidence to the Leveson Inquiry. The witnesses include Jerry Lawton of the Daily Star, James Murray of the Sunday Express and John Twomey of the Daily Express. 11.30am: David Cameron delivers a speech on infrastructure. As Nicholas Watt reports, Cameron will clear the way for a multibillion-pound semi-privatisation of trunk roads and motorways as he announces plans to allow sovereign wealth funds from countries such as China to lease roads in England. |
| 2.30pm: Maggie Atkinson, the children's commissioner, publishes her school exclusions inquiry report. As Jeevan Vasagar reports, it will say that headteachers have admitted illegally excluding pupils from school, including one "extreme" case in which children in their final GCSE year were sent home at Christmas and told not to return until their exams. | 2.30pm: Maggie Atkinson, the children's commissioner, publishes her school exclusions inquiry report. As Jeevan Vasagar reports, it will say that headteachers have admitted illegally excluding pupils from school, including one "extreme" case in which children in their final GCSE year were sent home at Christmas and told not to return until their exams. |
| 2.30pm: Theresa May, the home secretary, takes questions in the Commons. | 2.30pm: Theresa May, the home secretary, takes questions in the Commons. |
| After 3pm: Peers start debating the third reading of the health bill. Labour will try to block the bill and there will also be a vote on a call from Lord Owen for the bill to be delayed until the government fully responds to the information tribunal's ruling saying the bill's risk register should be published. My colleague Randeep Ramesh will be covering the proceedings in detial on his health bill live blog. | After 3pm: Peers start debating the third reading of the health bill. Labour will try to block the bill and there will also be a vote on a call from Lord Owen for the bill to be delayed until the government fully responds to the information tribunal's ruling saying the bill's risk register should be published. My colleague Randeep Ramesh will be covering the proceedings in detial on his health bill live blog. |
| As usual, I'll be covering all the breaking political news, as well as looking at the papers and bringing you the best politics from the web. I'll post a lunchtime summary at around 1pm and another in the afternoon. | As usual, I'll be covering all the breaking political news, as well as looking at the papers and bringing you the best politics from the web. I'll post a lunchtime summary at around 1pm and another in the afternoon. |
| If you want to follow me on Twitter, I'm on @AndrewSparrow. | If you want to follow me on Twitter, I'm on @AndrewSparrow. |
| And if you're a hardcore fan, you can follow @gdnpoliticslive. It's an automated feed that tweets the start of every new post that I put on the blog. | And if you're a hardcore fan, you can follow @gdnpoliticslive. It's an automated feed that tweets the start of every new post that I put on the blog. |