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Same-sex couples in the UK can tie the knot

Same-sex weddings in England and Wales will take place from March 2014, equalities minister Maria Miller has announced yesterday.

The date for the change in legislation to come into effect, which is March 29, is a few months earlier than expected at the time of the passage of the Marriage Act in July.

In fact, it was thought that same-sex couples would have to wait until next summer to tie the knot .

“This is just another step in the evolution of marriage and I know many couples up and down the country will be hugely excited they can now plan their big day,” Ms Miller said.

Both deputy prime minister Nick Clegg and Labour leader Ed Miliband hailed the announcement by equalities minister.

Ms Miller said she is currently working hard to ensure couples wishing to convert civil partnerships into marriages and married people wanting to change their legal gender while married, can do so before the end of 2014.

Westminster Council alone has already received two same-sex wedding bookings and 15 enquiries after the announcement.

Those couples who want to be among the first married will need to give formal notice of their will by March 13.

China's plan to help Britain build HS2

China will help Britain build the controversial high-speed rail link between Surrey and Hertfordshire via central London.
 

Chinese premier Li Keqiang made the announcement after talks with David Cameron, who is back from a three-day trip to promote UK business in China.

The project, also known as High Speed 2 (HS2), is meant to provide extra capacity on the rail network as well as bringing cities closer together with high-speed trains.

The British Prime Minister has declared to welcome any potential Chinese involvement in HS2.

“An open Britain is the ideal partner for an opening China. No country in the world is more open to Chinese investment than the UK,” he said.

Over the past five years China has built the largest high-speed rail network in the world covering nearly 6,000 miles of track and is now attempting to sell its technologies to several foreign countries. 

British transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin had already visited Beijing to hold talks with the Chinese government in October.

Numerous Members of Parliament from both political wings have signalled their opposition to High Speed 2 project on economic, environmental and transport grounds.

They said that the current £ 50 billion plus price tag on HS2 would fund a large number of worthwhile projects if it was scrapped.

The opposition also raised safety concerns following a Chinese railway crash which killed at least 40 people in 2011.

The accident does not appear to be deterrent for the British Government.

Mr Cameron, in fact, is “proud of Chinese investment”.

Moreover, the economic giant, wants to push for progress in the co-operation on nuclear power, willing to purchase equities and stocks in the UK power projects.

British PM added he will be pushing for a comprehensive EU/China trade deal.

UK's strict mode

Prime Minister David Cameron urges Tory MPs and European leaders to back his campaign to tackle a wave of Romanian and Bulgarian immigration. 

The PM has announced his intention to limit migrants’ rights to benefits, as he struggles to meet overwhelming demand for action on immigration from the European Union.

The moves come amid concerns raised by an expected influx of Bulgarians and Romanians, who will gain the right to live and work in the UK once restrictions on their movements in the EU are lifted on January 1.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics have recently revealed that the number of immigrants from poorer EU states to the UK rose to nearly 60,000 in the first-half of 2013, compared to around 41,000 a year earlier.

Government cannot guarantee everyone a job.

Mr Cameron’s new welfare rules include barring newcomers from claiming benefits for three months and stopping payments if they do not get a job within six months.

Also, people found begging or sleeping rough could be deported of barred from re-entry for 12 months.

European employment commissioner Laszlo Andor warned that Mr Cameron’s measures risk presenting the UK as the nasty country in the European Union, and should therefore be revised. He defined the Prime Minister's proposal "an unfortunate over-reaction”.

Conservative MP John Baron said:” The problem with tinkering with benefits is that it will get bogged down in the EU bureaucracy and will require lots of implementation”.

David Cameron also faces a coalition split after Liberal Democrats said blocking benefits could put the UK on the wrong side of the EU.

Interns join forces with the HMRC

Interns all over the UK have been rebelling against unpaid or expenses-only internships for more than four years.

The website of Interns Anonymous, a group which has joined forces with Intern Aware and Internocracy, says that “It’s naked exploitation to be asked to work for nothing. It’s modern-day slavery”.

Last week HMRevenue and Customs (HMRC) has finally pledged to check that companies advertising internships are paying the minimum wage to young people, after having targeted 200 employers who recently advertised for free labour.

The Government believes that anyone considered a worker under the law should be paid at least the minimum wage, which is currently set at £5.03 an hours for 18-to-20-year-olds, rising to £6.31 for those aged 21 and over.

Talking about both interns and people on work experience, employment minister Jo Swinson said: ”Not paying the national minimum wage is illegal and if an employer breaks the law, the government will take tough action”.

A new Government's project is currently helping young people understanding what rights they have over pay, as well as where to go if they feel they are being exploited by the companies they are working for.

 

Troubled 111 helpline caused a rise in ambulance calls

The NHS 111 helpline has not delivered the expected system benefits so far.

The 24 hour freephone service, which was launched in some parts of England in April 2013 to reduce 999 calls, A&E admissions or use of urgent care centres, has failed to cope with demand.

The 111 helpline is run by non-medical staff with support from nurse advisers and was designed to replace NHS Direct and deal with urgent but ‘not life threatening’ health issues.

However, technical failures and inadequate staffing levels led to a long waiting time which has caused a 2.9 per cent rise in ambulance calls.

Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS medical director, called for an enhanced 111 service, as up to 1 million emergency admissions were avoidable last year.

He pointed out that staff should have access to medical records to give tailored advice, while a wide range of health professionals, such as paramedics and doctors, were needed.

Staff would also be able to book appointments at A&E, whenever appropriate.

“The A&E is creaking at the seams. It is not broken but it is struggling,” Sir Keogh said.

In fact, A&E is currently struggling to meet government targets all over the UK.

According to a recent London Assembly’s report, this year more than half of London’s major A&E departments have failed to meet the ‘within four hours’ waiting time targets at least 50 per cent of the time.

Figures also reveal that more than 10,000 patients spent 12 hours or more in casualty units last year.

Pudsey stops at St Pancras International



Pudsey Bear at Teddy bear Picnic - St. Pancras.
Picture: Federica Tedeschi


Usually crowded St Pancras International was today characterised by a relaxing atmosphere to host the first Pudsey’s FamilyFun Day.

This fun-fuelled activity day, offering a giant Pudsey bear picnic, treasure hunt, drawing sessions and face-painting activities,  just to mentioned a few, is part of great fundraising events that communities, schools, workplaces and individuals are organising in their local areas to support Children in Need.

Hundreds of families today gathered in St Pancras International to take part to this brand new event tailored just for little ones.

Lorraine Siery, a mother-of-three from London, said: ”The event looks fantastic and my daughters are really enjoying it”.

Evangeline, 6, Imogene, 5 and youngest sibling Eleonore, 3 got Pudsey stickers, their faces painted and Ms Siery bought them Pudsey headbands and a Bear toy, as well.

Children in Need, that started in 1980, is a very popular fundraising event across the UK, with people dressing up in Pudsey Bear fancy dress outfits, baking Pudsey Bear cookies for sale and buying the official charity merchandise in support of the causes they help.

“I think that Pudsey’s Family Fun Day is a good way for the kids to realise that many other children are not so lucky.

“Next week the BBC TVshow is on and my daughters will be happy to watch it, as they already know Pudsey Bear. I believe they will be more involved because of today’s event”, Ms Siery added.

 

St Pancras’ passers-by can visit the VIP collection of Pudsey Bears, that will be on display at until November 17.

Every drop counts

ThamesWater has said it is aiming to have all homes switched to an electricity-style meter by 2030.

The company, that is responsible for the public water supply in most parts of the UK, declared that people in London use on average 10 per cent more water than elsewhere in the country.

Most Londoners currently pay flat rate for their water based on the rateable value of their home, with around a third of the households already on a meter.

These ‘smart meters’ connected to a wireless network would encourage households to monitor and cut back on unneeded forms of use, such as garden sprinklers.

Thames Water’s Richard Aylard said smart meters were the best value solution to bridge the gap between supply and demand.

The new scheme aims to cut Londoners’ water consumption by 12 per cent and will be rolled out across borough by borough, starting in Bexley next year.

At the same time, Thames Water will increase bills by up to 8 per cent all over the country, forcing an average family of four to face a bill of nearly £500 a year.

The Government is planning to tackle UK soaring water bills to help those on a low income, as consumers cannot switch their water supplier.

Prime Minister David Cameron said that his intention is to try to reduce the burdens on Britain’s ‘hard-pressed families’.

Opposition leader Ed Miliband was also concerned about Thames Water's plans, as householders may get a raw deal.

“I think the water industry is something that should be scrutinised”, Labour leader said.

 

The National Health Service is not an international system

Short-term migrants to Britain will be charged at least £200 to use the NHS.

Earlier this week health secretary Jeremy Hunt has announced that these charges will be added to the immigration bill passing through parliament.

Currently, temporary migrants who come to the UK either to study or to work, are likely to qualify for free hospital care as soon as they enter the British border.

Back in July, the NHS estimated the cost of health tourism at £12 million.

Mr Hunt, who suggested foreigners cost Britain £2 billion a year, instead, had also highlighted that the NHS is a national health service, not an international one and it should be fair on the British families and taxpayers.

EU visitors would continue to access free NHS treatments but ministers are planning to put in place systems for recovering the costs from their home countries.

Jeremy Hunt has proposed a new ‘registration and tracking system’ for visitors before they join a GP surgery, possibly linked to the NHS number.

Those without a formal residency status could be charged for non-emergency public healthcare and should be issued a temporary NHS number.

Meanwhile, those who work in the national healthcare have pointed out that all the checks potentially put into place to avoid that short-term migrants benefit from the system, along with the proposed ‘tracking system’, could cost far more than they save.

In fact, all these measures could possibly turn the medical staff into groups of border security officials.

We are committed to keeping Britain warmer this winter

Millions of British Gas customers may be changing suppliers soon to get a cheaper deal after the energy giant increased electricity prices by 10.6 per cent and gas prices by 8.4 per cent.

Ministers reacted angrily yesterday to the rise, which came days after Scottish & Southern Energy increased its prices by 8.2 per cent.

Prime Minister David Cameron, who led the chorus of disapproval, has declared to be very disappointed by British Gas rises.

However, shadow energy minister Tom Greatrex said: “Britain’s energy market is broken and people are paying the price for this Government’s failure to stand up to the energy companies”.

British Gas website’s visitors can read the unexpected heading: “We’re committed to keeping Britain warmer this winter”, which sounds contradictory, as the average cost for dual-fuel customers would leap by £123 to £1,444 a year. It will force thousands of families to switch off the heating and reduce their electricity consumption.

Ian Peters, managing director of British Gas, insisted that the rise, which comes into force on November 23,  is due to the increasing cost of gas, rising charges for using the national grid that delivers it around the country and cost of government programmes.

Nursing crisis in the UK

Nursing shortages in the UK have forced NHS to recruit overseas, with Spain and Portugal among the most popular hunting grounds for recruiters.

According to the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), in fact, nurses who trained abroad have become a fundamental source of new entrants, making up 40 per cent of new  staff in 2012.

It is not surprising that between 2010 and 2012 the number of ‘qualified in the UK’ nurses working for the health service reduced by more than 6,000. In fact, the number of nursing course places has fallen 2,500 during the last three years.

Dr Peter Carter, chief executive of the RCN, said: “It is perplexing that on one hand nursing posts are being cut and training places being reduced, while on the other, desperate managers are raiding overseas workforces.”

As if it was not enough, according to an independent analysis of the nursing workforce found by the RCN, 24 per cent of registered nurses are set to retire in the next five tears.

NHS services are under strain from an ageing population with increasing healthcare demands, high expectations and no financial growth. It needs radical reform to avoid a financial black hole by the end of the decade.

The Government needs to invest seriously in this workforce to attract nurses and to keep them for the long term.

This means that even though short term recruitment goals have been met, the real challenge is far from over.

 

Get on the property ladder with five per cent deposit

People with a five per cent deposit will get a government-backed loan, which will enable them to get a mortgage at the preferential rates generally offered for those with a 20 per cent deposit.

The first stage of the scheme began in April.

Prime Minister David Cameron has recently declared that the plan to help first time buyers starts this week, in order to increase home ownership in the short-term. 

Barratt Homes will help people whose aspiration is to get on the housing ladder, through the ‘Help to Buy’ scheme, which will underwrite £130billion of new loans for 200,000 homes up to the value of £600,000.

In fact, not only house prices in Britain have doubled in less than a decade, but cost of property in London surged by almost 10 per cent last year, rising by £40,000, which is almost twice the average salary in Britain.

It means the dream of owning a property is becoming harder to realise even for those who save a big chunk of their salary.

Concerns have raised over the risk of a housing bubble, as the scheme is artificially inflating already high prices, according to official figures from the Office for National Statistics.

In fact, the average London property was worth a record £438,000 in July, up £13,000 in a month and 9.7 per cent more than a year previously.

Mr Cameron, however, has clarified that there is no housing bubble, according to advice from the Bank of England.

Update

Dear readers, 

There is going to be a 'summer break' this year. The blog will be up and running again in October. 

I wish you all a great summertime!

Britain is up for gay marriage

 

Image from Toxi: http://www.iamtoxi.co.uk

Early this month the House of Lords voted in favour of same-sex weddings by a majority of 242.

Peers spent two days debating the Marriage Bill, with many members voicing their concerns.

However, the Upper House rejected the amendment aimed at wrecking the Bill, moving it a step closer to becoming law.

The Bill would allow couples who can currently form civil partnerships, to marry, and religious organisations would have to opt in if they wished to offer gay weddings, except the Church of England and the Church in Wales. Both institutions, in fact, will be banned in law from doing so.

But supporters of same-sex marriage should bear in mind that celebrations are premature.

The proposal, in fact, still has to report stages in the Lords, as well as a third reading and it is expected to face severe challenges when it returns for further Parliamentary debate next month, starting on July 8.

According to recent Ipsos MORI poll results, “same-sex marriage is more controversial in Westminster than it is among the public at large”. 

This poll shows that David Cameron is in step, not just with the mood in Britain, but also with people in many countries around the world.

PM’s enthusiasm for the proposal, however, is due to the fact that he regards this Bill as a conservative measure , enabling gay couples to share marriage’s benefits and assume its responsibilities as well.

Yet the opposition to the bill remains powerful and concentrated within the Conservative Party.

More liberal Deputy PM Nick Clegg, was flying the rainbow flag marking LGBT pride, from his office roof this week.

The Marriage Bill is supposed to be all about equality and the Government hopes that it will become law within a year.

Deaf Lounge in North London

Image from Toxi: http://www.iamtoxi.co.uk/

The first Deaf Lounge has opened in North London last month.

The social venue for people with hearing impairments offers deaf karaoke, pool and darts games and all the staff are trained in sign language.

Paul Cripps, who has been deaf since birth and co-owned the specialist bar with non-deaf Domani Peir, came up with the idea after years of negative experiences in bars and clubs.

“I’ve had problems ordering drinks, talking to fellow clubbers and sometimes even getting into clubs,” Mr Cripps said.

The Deaf Lounge is about fun in a club-style social environment, but with added benefits for the hearing-impaired.

Along with specifically trained staff, in fact, customers can appreciate bright lightning to see each other speak with signs, and pens and paper are provided for writing messages.

The fire alarm has a flashing light to alert deaf visitors and lavatory notices are in sign language as well as in written English.

On top of that, the bar supports hearing-impaired staff, too. There is a deaf security guard and a partially deaf DJ.

The special lounge also welcomes non-deaf communities.

“I’m eager that it encourages deaf people to socialise with the wider society. For example the bar will play music and that’s really important to attract non-deaf customers,” Mr Cripps added.

The hearing-impaired will experience music through vibrations, instead.

Ms Peir and Mr Cripps are also planning to set up salsa, zumba and DJ workshops where deaf people will be taught to read beats and play instruments.

For further information please visit: www.deaflounge.com