Tag Archives: Margaret Hodge

Tories Defend Lord Green, Tory Peer Who Ran HSBC, Over Tax Evasion Allegations

February 10, 2015 By in Austerity, Business Administration, David Cameron, Fiscal Policy, Growth, People, Politics Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment
One HSBC Center

One HSBC Center (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is an amazing story of where the Tories are protecting a former minister, Lord Green, who was chairman of HSBC during a period of massive tax evasion, where the bank helped wealthy clients hide cash in Switzerland. The story has been reported in detail in BBC program, Panorama and also in the Guardian newspaper.  Check this out!

via Tories Defend Lord Green, Tory Peer Who Ran HSBC, Over Tax Evasion Allegations.

The Coalition government of David Cameron employed Lord King as an adviser on banking reform. Perhaps, it’s no surprise that despite banking scandal after scandal, few UK bankers have gone to jail?

Under David Cameron, ordinary people have suffered austerity and collapsing public services but wealthy bankers have been able to hide from the law. Why?

Thoughts?

Housing benefit fraud and error report published – News from Parliament – UK Parliament

January 14, 2015 By in Accountability, Austerity, Business Administration, Business Transformation, Central Government, David Cameron, Fiscal Policy, George Osborne, Growth, Neoliberal, NHS, People, Politics, Public Sector, Public Services Reform, Reform Tags: , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment
English: Parliament buildings London UK

English: Parliament buildings London UK (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

According to the UK Parliament Select Committee the Department of Works and Pensions (DWP) has failed to tackle problems of Housing Benefit fraud and error quickly & convincingly. Yesterday’s report is a must read. Check it out!

via Housing benefit fraud and error report published – News from Parliament – UK Parliament.

What caught my attention was the following:

Around £12.6 billion has been spent on Housing Benefit overpayments since 2000/01 – money that could have been used to improve the system.

Also:

The size of the over-payments is going up not down. In the last financial year £1.4bn of overpayments were made.

What is truly amazing is that the rate of fraud is increasing after nearly four years of David Cameron’s government, despite austerity.

With a UK national election this year, these figures highlight the massive levels of waste in the UK public sector.

Let me ask two open questions:

1. Given the massive fraud at the DWP, surely it’s better to outsource administration?

2. Surely, it would be preferable to scrap housing benefit, and find a more effective way of helping the needy?

Thoughts?

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