halifaxEveC

Answered by James Purnell

We know that juggling work with bringing up children can be hard and we also know that for many people going back to work is a daunting prospect and not something that is taken lightly. That's why ... Show more »We know that juggling work with bringing up children can be hard and we also know that for many people going back to work is a daunting prospect and not something that is taken lightly.

That's why we want to give parents some extra help to get into work once their youngest child reaches seven. We also want to offer more support and advice, so parents can build up their skills and confidence to prepare for and find a job.

This means once their children reach five, our advisers will offer lone parents a "skills health check", to identify where they may need specific training and education to ease their eventual path in work.

But it’s more than just this. Clearly we also need to change the culture around work in our country, in both private and public sectors. We can do quite a lot through legislation, but that can't solve the whole problem. It's also going to be down to companies and employees and what they can do.

So, probably the biggest thing we've done in this area is to introduce the right to request flexible working. There was a lot of scepticism about this at first. Some said employers would just say no - but it turned out that 90% of employers agree all the requests that are made.

This right only applied to younger children initially. But it's worked so well that we've extended it to people caring for relatives and we're now going to also include parents with children up to 16.

Ultimately, however we need to make sure people have jobs to go to, as you rightly point out. That’s why we’ve embarked on something called Local Employment Partnerships, where over 2,000 employers have agreed with us to look to give jobs to people from disadvantaged groups, and in return we offer help such as pre-employment training or work placements, so people can prove themselves and try out the job in question.

Answered by James Purnell

Our proposals are specifically designed to enshrine a something for something culture – where you have to put in if you want to get something out. Our plan to get rid of IB and IS means that while there... Show more »Our proposals are specifically designed to enshrine a something for something culture – where you have to put in if you want to get something out. Our plan to get rid of IB and IS means that while there will be greater support there will also be greater responsibility. People wont be able to simply sign on and collect benefits – there will be conditions they have to meet including attending training and skills programmes as well as job search for those on unemployment benefit. Show less »

Answered by James Purnell

Let's be clear, drugs ruin people’s lives and we should do all we can to get people who are hooked on drugs to kick their habit. Our plan is to make identification of problem drug use a part of the new... Show more »Let's be clear, drugs ruin people’s lives and we should do all we can to get people who are hooked on drugs to kick their habit. Our plan is to make identification of problem drug use a part of the new claim process for benefits. For those claiming the main unemployment benefit, JSA, we will strengthen guidance for advisers to help them to identify claimants who may be dependent on heroin or crack cocaine. Those identified will then be required to see a drug treatment provider. We also propose to share information between Jobcentre Plus and the police, probation services and prisons. Show less »

Answered by Paul Hudson

The main constituent of rising sea levels comes from the thermal expansion of the oceans as temperatures rise. Land based melting ice and snow will also contribute, but obviously melting ice burgs won’t... Show more »The main constituent of rising sea levels comes from the thermal expansion of the oceans as temperatures rise. Land based melting ice and snow will also contribute, but obviously melting ice burgs won’t for the reasons stated by the questioner! Show less »