10 replies to this topic

[Saint Billinge]

There is much debate in Parliament as to whether welfare cuts should come before reducing the military even more. In this day and age of savage cost-cutting, it ain't easy to make these important decisions.

No matter which way it goes, someone will not be pleased. What do you think and is the current financial climate affecting you at work?

Edited by Saint Billinge, 02 March 2013 - 09:34 PM.

[Wolford6]

The servicemen have done this country proud.
They deserve to be kept in employment, as a temporary taskforce to do flood control works and environmental schemes that local authorities can't afford to mount.

[back to the future]

every council recently have had to make cuts,suprisingly most will do it makes you wonder how much has been wasted in years gone by,my local council leader currently earns more than the PM,well they call it expenses and costs,not a bad job aye

[ckn]

You can cut the defence budget substantially. The consequence is though that Britain has to stop pretending that we're a world military power. Cutting nuclear weapons alone would save a fortune. Alternatively, current plans are for 25,000 more armed forces personnel to be cut by 2015 yet absolutely none at the MoD... MoD civvy numbers have exceeded uniformed armed forces for years now (late 90s IIRC), that surely should be redressed as a priority to save money.

The armed forces are already substantially and critically overstretched in far too many areas and have been the subject of a few cuts too many for our current commitments.

[Bedford Roughyed]

You can cut the defence budget substantially. The consequence is though that Britain has to stop pretending that we're a world military power. Cutting nuclear weapons alone would save a fortune. Alternatively, current plans are for 25,000 more armed forces personnel to be cut by 2015 yet absolutely none at the MoD... MoD civvy numbers have exceeded uniformed armed forces for years now (late 90s IIRC), that surely should be redressed as a priority to save money.

The armed forces are already substantially and critically overstretched in far too many areas and have been the subject of a few cuts too many for our current commitments.

I don't think Civvy numbers have never exceeded the number of uniformed personnel. Civvy numbers have been cut in lots of areas. Also it has to be noted that quite a few civvys have been employed in roles that uniformed staff used to do, therefore increasing the number of uniforms doing the jobs then should be rather than admin, etc.

I think the numbers a few years ago was a reduction of approx. 50000 civvys in just over 12 years, down to about 80,000 (uniformed is still 100,000+).

Cuts could be made to increase front line support, Red Arrows for one...

[Saint Billinge]

every council recently have had to make cuts,suprisingly most will do it makes you wonder how much has been wasted in years gone by,my local council leader currently earns more than the PM,well they call it expenses and costs,not a bad job aye

Vast amounts of money are still wasted today. The Virgin scandal comes to mind.

Edited by Saint Billinge, 03 March 2013 - 08:37 AM.

[gingerjon]

Brilliant politics by the defence department to make it look like an either/or.

Of course there's huge savings to be had there - probably in the same kind of efficiency savings every other department has had to make.

Defence procurement is standing joke for example.

[Saint Billinge]

Brilliant politics by the defence department to make it look like an either/or.

Of course there's huge savings to be had there - probably in the same kind of efficiency savings every other department has had to make.

Defence procurement is standing joke for example.

Talking of savings, I had to attend a 'back to work' interview whilst being off due to a pulled tendon to my wrist. The exercises that I had to undertake was nothing to do with the injury and quite farcical. I have heard of similar stories. An injured soldier was told to wriggle his toes even though having no foot. This was documented in his case notes.

Edited by Saint Billinge, 03 March 2013 - 09:12 AM.

[Padge]

Talking of savings, I had to attend a 'back to work' interview whilst being off due to a pulled tendon to my wrist. The exercises that I had to undertake was nothing to do with the injury and quite farcical. I have heard of similar stories. An injured soldier was told to wriggle his toes even though having no foot. This was documented in his case notes.

A friend of mine has a son with serious mental health problems. His son has been unable to work for twenty five years and has been in the care of the mental health services throughout that period. They gave him a back to work interview and declared him fit for work. My mate just said to the person that did the interview, thank you very much, you are far better than the entire NHS, they've been trying to cure him for 25 years and you managed it in half an hour.

After a protracted legal battle he won his case that the people doing the back to work interviews were utterly incompetent buffoons with no medical knowledge and with a financial and not a medical agenda.

[Marauder]

We can stand the reductions in the armed forces as long as they don't want to keep fighting wars, in the 70's we would do a 4 month tour of N Ireland every 18 to 24 months on average, today the troops have to do a 6 to 7 month tour on average 12 to 14 months simply because we don't have the man power.

[Saint Billinge]

A friend of mine has a son with serious mental health problems. His son has been unable to work for twenty five years and has been in the care of the mental health services throughout that period. They gave him a back to work interview and declared him fit for work. My mate just said to the person that did the interview, thank you very much, you are far better than the entire NHS, they've been trying to cure him for 25 years and you managed it in half an hour.

After a protracted legal battle he won his case that the people doing the back to work interviews were utterly incompetent buffoons with no medical knowledge and with a financial and not a medical agenda.

A friend of mine went through hell from breast cancer, shingles and severe back pain, yet was deemed fit for work. She did get the decision overturned eventually. She also said that the interview and medical was a farce. I am told that the company involved gets paid on results!