Reform Media Summary

27 February 2008

In today’s Media Summary, James Purnell, the Work and Pensions Secretary, will tomorrow announce new plans to get millions of benefit claimants back to work, the Citizens Advice charity has found that 800,000 people did not collect prescribed medications last year because they were too expensive and further coverage of the MP’s expenses inquiry.

Economy

James Purnell, the Work and Pensions Secretary, will tomorrow announce new plans to get millions of benefit claimants back to work. The Telegraph reports that they include privatising large parts of the system (Telegraph, p.1, p.2).

The Conservative Party reportedly plans to introduce a new “green ISA”, for savings invested into environmentally friendly companies and research, with a maximum savings limit of £10,000 (Times, p.2; FT, p.3; Mail, p.10).

Yesterday, the CBI employers’ organizations launched an attack on the Treasury’s recent handling of issues affecting business – including the proposed taxes on non-doms and capital gains (FT, p.2; Guardian, p.24).

Alistair Darling, the Chancellor, has stepped up pressure on Britain’s energy companies to cut fuel bills for the poor or face a windfall tax on their profits (FT, p.1).

Thousands of drug users are to forfeit their welfare benefit payments for up to six months if they continually fail to participate in drug treatment programmes (Guardian, p.1; Telegraph, p.2; Independent, p.6; Mail, p.12; Mirror, p.6; Sun, p.2).

The Mail claims that people on low incomes (less than £15,000 a year) will be worse off under changes in the tax system that will come into force next month (Mail, p.59; Express, p.36).

The Office for National Statistics reports sharp falls in investment and spending (FT, p.4).

Buy-to-let landlords retain appetite for loans in the face of tighter credit conditions (FT, p.4).

Further coverage of Northern Rock (Mail, p.79).

Education

New figures: unauthorised absence from schools in England rose to record levels in 2006-07

(Times, p.14; Telegraph, p.12; Mail, p.42; Guardian, p.15; Express, p.19; Mirror, p.11; Sun, p.2).

The number of people awarded vocational qualifications has risen to a record high, but the pace of growth has continued to slow (FT, p.4).

A leader in the FT asks “What should be the correct relationship between universities and employers?” (FT, p.14 [leader]).

Further coverage of the redrawing of school catchment areas (Telegraph, p.1, p.23 [leader]).

Health

The Citizens Advice charity has found that 800,000 people did not collect prescribed medications last year because they were too expensive (Telegraph, p.10; Express, p.4; Mirror, p.6).

The Department of Health acknowledged yesterday that NHS hospitals across England are systematically rigging their waiting lists in an effort to make it look as though they are hitting key government targets (Guardian, p.9; Telegraph, p.12; Mirror, p.20).

Further coverage of antidepressant usage (Telegraph, p.14, p.31; Independent, p.1, p.2, Mail, p.36).

Further coverage of NHS dentistry reforms (Express, p.12).

Politics

Further coverage of the MP’s expenses inquiry (Independent, p.6; Guardian, p.4; Mail, p.30; Sun, p.2; Mirror, p.15).

“The irony of the Tories’ position,” writes Chris Giles, “is that in spite of Mr. Osborne’s animosity towards Mr Brown, he flatters him by imitation” (FT, p.3).