Categories: social-policy
Date: 10 December 2008 11:10:40
The BBC has, presumably, used material released to the media in advance of the relevant government announcements to give us this insight into what the party who still have the audacity to call themselves "Labour" are planning to do on welfare reform. The page includes an interview with James Purnell where he trots out a load of soundbites which do more harm, in a complex debate, than good to my mind.
The debate is not a simple one and in this post I would seek to raise questions to be discussed rather than give short, over simplified answers to vast questions. To explain what I mean by some things requiring more than short soundbites I refer you to useful essay by Robert Peston, (the BBC's economic advisor), on New Capitalism which can also accessed via the BBC News site.
So what are the questions I think we should be asking as we seek to look at the proposals and lobby our MPs accordingly, if appropriate:
1) What do we define as work?
For example is "being a mother" meaningful work? If it is does this mean we should pay those who want to be "stay at home mothers" for looking after their own kids, if their partners wage is not enough to support both of them or they have no partner? If we do think that mothers should be paid for their "childcare duties" because this is a meaningful role what age does this be a job until? Also if the state did do this how would we stop those for whom it might not be an appropriate job at that time, (i.e. many teenage mums) from taking this "job" without peanalising those who happen to fall pregnant?
2) How do we support job creation whilst not encouraging people to avoid social and moral responsibility?
For example: "Care work" with either children or the elderly are growing sectors of the economy and one would presume, as reasonably unspecialised sectors, the type of job area which will have to grow if we want to create growth and appropriate jobs for those coming off benefit whose skills are things like looking after people. Yet, if these areas are ones we choose to grow what cost is there involved? Does looking after other people's children become seen as more valuable by society than looking after our own? and does looking after other people's parents become seen as more important than looking after our own?
3) How do we give people the dignity of work without giving them the indignity of forcing them into jobs which they are not suited for?
4) What are the right training opportunities?
If we put people onto training schemes to increase their knowledge or skills how do we ensure that the person is put on the right course for them rather than one that the government sees future employment being created in? Additionally, how do we create progression opportunities, as appropriate, that people can afford to take? Most colleges have been forced into charging fees for Access courses and the like, and whilst some bursaries are available many people find themselves just over the edge? Also benefit entitlements for those taking higher level courses are now being removed, how does this work?
5) How can we help people build meaningful long term careers rather than just doing a series of short term jobs through their lives? Is forcing people from one short term opportunity to another the answer?
6) How do we ensure that the mistakes of the rich don't get paid for by the scapegoating of the poor?
The current economic crisis and excessive public borrowing requirements are feeding into the warfare on welfare or whatever it's being called. How do we make sure that many of the most vunerable in our society don't become scapegoats when they are genuinely "incapacitated", etc?
7) What type of investment are we going to make in our already over-stretched public services if we want these reforms to work?
The NHS is at breaking point and to help some of those who are on incapacity benefit back into work, without further damaging their health there would need to be the kind of investment into support services we just don't have. Similarly if some of the long term unemployed are going to be helped back into work it will need the support of social workers and the like who are already overworked and increasingly hampered by "initiatives" which are stopping them giving service users the help they need to. Linked to this is how do we measure what are appropriate jobs? and whether people are "fit for work"?
8 ) What are our attitudes towards mental illness?
If we want to help those with these illnesses back into work how are we going to those they will be working with understand their needs and ensure bullying, etc don't place which would cause more harm than good.
9) How do we make volunteering something meaningful to these people, rather than making it being seen as a punishment? Also how do we ensure these volunteers aren't exploited and that others wishing to get involved in projects are still given the chance? Is there any way we could turn these volunteering opportunities into real jobs rather than "cheap labour"? How does government need to re-evaluate how it gives grants in this situation.
10) What are our own responsibilities for making sure we act in a way which helps lead to job creation and people keeping jobs rather than increasing the number of people registered as looking for work? Do we need to reconsider the amount of internet shopping we do for example? Do we need to be willing to pay the higher prices involved in having real people at the end of the phone rather than an automated machine?
I have opinions on some of these things, but answers for very few. Yet I think these are the types of questions we need to be addressing urgently through our discussions as a society, and within that as faith communities. What are the appropiate responses for us as Christians individually aswell as corporately?