[Politics] The Labour Government

[LamieRobertson]

But I think they are. Worthing fares used to start at £1.60 then £1.80. When the cap was introduced all the previous "low fares" were increased to £2. Well, there's a surprise eh? Now they will no doubt "put the prices up" again.

Great value if you are bussing it from Worthing to Brighton. Total disincentive to use the buses if you want to get heavy shopping from say town to the train station.

Keep putting the prices up and folk will return to their cars.

Agreed……if you are pushing a green agenda then surely this cap should have been renewed at the current level …it’s inevitable for me that fuel duty will go up, (yes that will have a knock on effect on funding the cap..but then VAT take goes up as well), so tie that in with selling the £2 cap being maintained?

 

[fly high]

Eurgh she has probably been lobbied by some well to do constituents of a private school, who are suddenly appalled at the prospect of their well earned government funded tax break being removed from their schools fees. If they can't afford it, hard luck. They'll have to join the majority, who by the way, also want the best education for their children.

This is about special needs children who aren't always getting the specialist support they need in state schools. Very, very different from the majority.

 

[Half Time Pies]

This is about special needs children who aren't always getting the specialist support they need in state schools. Very, very different from the majority.

As I understand it a lot of SEND children that attend specialist independent schools, have a Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP) and their places are funded by the local authority.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Speaking to a contact yesterday in the demolition / groundworks business. For the first time in over 20 years he has no work. It's not just him but the entire sector has ground to a halt. I expressed surprise given HMG's commitment to build millions of new homes. He said that since all the Budget leaks started coming out, everything has been put on hold until the potential damage to businesses (particularly SMEs and OMBs) can be assessed.

2024 was predicted to be a bit of a slow down in the construction industry anyway, if anything July / August figures have shown an optimistic upturn already.

CPA's construction autumn forecast shows optimism

The Construction Product Association's construction autumn forecast tells of a returning optimism in the sector, find out why here

www.pbctoday.co.uk

 

[Guinness Boy]

As I understand it a lot of SEND children that attend specialist independent schools, have a Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP) and their places are funded by the local authority.

Yes, they should be local authority funded.

Any exception could easily be used as a loophole. Harrow School for Special Educational Needs anyone?

 

[Bozza]

Again, because people don't seem to understand:

1) Bus fares are not a tax.
2) Bus fares never used to be capped
3) The funding for the £2 cap was about to run out. Labour could have abolished any kind of cap making buses exactly like they were for most of mine and your lifetime.

It's twice you've said that now.

Where has a single person, on here, said they believe this to be a tax?

 

[Is it PotG?]

As I understand it a lot of SEND children that attend specialist independent schools, have a Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP) and their places are funded by the local authority.

Only children with a formal EHCP would be spared the rise – meaning 75% of children with special needs would miss out.

 

[fly high]

As I understand it a lot of SEND children that attend specialist independent schools, have a Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP) and their places are funded by the local authority.

Agreed but seems not all are.

 

[Half Time Pies]

Only children with a formal EHCP would be spared the rise – meaning 75% of children with special needs would miss out.

My son has SEN and attends a state school, If a child doesn't meet the criteria for EHCP then I am not sure you can make the case for them needing to attend a expensive specialist independent school.

 

[Is it PotG?]

My son has SEN and attends a state school, If a child doesn't meet the criteria for EHCP then I am not sure you can make the case for them needing to attend a expensive specialist independent school.

I have no idea but only 25% currently would imply that this is not the norm, and I would guess that availability is regionally quite varied.

 

[Guinness Boy]

It's twice you've said that now.

Where has a single person, on here, said they believe this to be a tax?

The bloke I replied to said it, which is why I started with that point. Bolded below.

A rise in the Bus price cap is almost exclusively going to affect the working class. As someone who uses a bus regularly this is a kick in the teeth. I guess their champagne socialist voter base don't use buses much though.

Its fair if fuel duty and road tax are scrapped or reduced considerably and "pay per mile" is used in its place. Not as another tax rise on the "working man".

 

[Bozza]

The bloke I replied to said it, which is why I started with that point. Bolded below.

The bit that clearly refers to fuel duty and road tax?

 

[Half Time Pies]

I have no idea but only 25% currently would imply that this is not the norm, and I would guess that availability is regionally quite varied.

EHCP are awarded when a childs additional needs are holding them back in school and the educational setting is unable to provide enough support to meet those needs. If it is deemed that the state education provision is enough to support a childs needs, then there is no need for that child to be in a specialist educational setting. Over and above that it becomes a choice for parents to pay to send their children to private schools in the same way as it is for everyone else.

 

[Is it PotG?]

EHCP are awarded when a childs additional needs are holding them back in school and the educational setting is unable to provide enough support to meet those needs. If it is deemed that the state education provision is enough to support a childs needs, then there is no need for that child to be in a specialist educational setting. Over and above that it becomes a choice for parents to pay to send their children to private schools in the same way as it is for everyone else.

Indeed, and this will now become more expensive and beyond many.

 

[Guinness Boy]

The bit that clearly refers to fuel duty and road tax?

It's not clear at all. Pay per mile surely refers to bus journeys. How would you honestly measure it in a car? Hand in your mileage??

 

[PascalGroß Tips]

It's not clear at all. Pay per mile surely refers to bus journeys. How would you honestly measure it in a car? Hand in your mileage??

I agree with the main point you're making but proportionally the rich gaz guzzlers will pay more in duty. The lack of recharging infrastructure for those of us without a driveway is a different issue. I also believe that EVs should pay a charge based on the additional damage they do to road surfaces, being heavier. The fairest way to pay for driving is a tax based on how much we drive ie road tolls. With the amount of cameras up already, this is probably quite achievable.

Seems pretty clear to me that this was about driving not bus journeys.

 

[Half Time Pies]

Indeed, and this will now become more expensive and beyond many.

Yes and it was too expensive for me to send my child with SEN to a specialist school. I suspect the use of SEN is cleverly being used to politicise this issue and keep it on the agenda, because most of the general public have little sympathy for the sob stories from people who lets face it are much better off even to be able to consider sending their children to a private school than the majority of the population.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Seems pretty clear to me that this was about driving not bus journeys.

I think everyone bar one probably thinks that

 

[Is it PotG?]

Reeves squirming right now in Parliament, we've had '£22bn' three times already

 

[Bozza]

It's not clear at all. Pay per mile surely refers to bus journeys. How would you honestly measure it in a car? Hand in your mileage??

No - its about cars.

Many motoring organisations are calling for the abolishment of fuel duty and road tax, to be replaced by drivers paying-per-mile. It was a lengthy talking point on 5Live this morning.