A4e "welcomes" the new contracts to be issued by Chris Grayling for "offender rehabilitation", or so they say on their website. These contracts will privatise a chunk of the work of the Probation Service, and they're set to be on a Payment by Results basis. PbR is not a model the outsourcing companies like; but it seems to be the only game in town at the moment. The Work Programme hasn't been a good advertisement for it, and Mark Hoban (more about him later) has reiterated that the worst-performing providers will be penalised by losing "up to 5%" of their new referrals. It's hard to see that as a punishment. The providers have complained that they have too many referrals and not enough money to do anything useful with them. Hoban is talking tough, saying that he's willing to see providers go out of business if they can't deliver on the contracts they signed. But if any of the big companies, including A4e, went bust it would cause big problems, as the remaining providers would be expected to pick up the business.
The Telegraph reports that Mark Hoban has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the MPs' second homes scam. He sold his London flat, funded partly through the MPs' expenses system, in November with a profit of £144,000. He's only been asked to repay £11,332, because that's all that's due since the new system kicked in. The article, somewhat tongue in cheek, ends by describing Hoban as the minister "at the forefront of trying to get more people off benefits and into work". It really does point up the hypocrisy of politicians who milk the system while vilifying the poorest.
Two more articles I'll simply recommend without comment. The first is in the Guardian: "Recession is a good time to exploit cheap labour, says Cameron aide". The second, also in the Guardian, is by Nick Cohen: "Lies, damned lies and Iain Duncan Smith".
Finally, a demonstration of how the right-wing press works hand in glove with the government, this time to denigrate the BBC. The Express has splashed an account of a book which purports to show left-wing bias in the Beeb.
The PBR failure spreads onwards without stopping. Complete mess and will cause no end of problems. Handing more money to the likes of A4E, G4S and serco.
ReplyDeleteIf you would like more details about whats happening i would recommend this site
http://probationmatters.blogspot.co.uk/
"The providers have complained that they have too many referrals and not enough money to do anything useful with them" Im on the work programme but not through choice id gladly leave the work programme so what do you say "provider"?
ReplyDeleteA bit funny,I am on my 8th adviser(in 16 months) lovely lady,question 1,Why can you not find employment? The qualifications are no longer recognised,can you re-train me? NO! Second question! What can we do? Retrain me? NO. not in the budget! How else can we help? What is on offer? Nothing!
ReplyDeleteThis is probably the most outrageous aspect of the Work Programme- claimants are told by them or the Jobcentre that it is 'not in the budget' to provide the means to retrain and gain relevant qualifications. Despite this, the Government continues to waste millions of pounds on the Work Programme, money which could be put to much better use by paying for claimants to have the opportunity to retrain and gain the qualifications which employers want.
DeleteMy advisor told me on the very first day that without a driving licence I didn't have a hope of getting a job. So I asked -
Deletecould they pay for lessons? no
could they pay for the provisional licence (about £50), and I'd save up for lessons etc? no
However they have continued to pay my travel expenses each time I go in and have now paid well over £50, probably nearer £150. Had they originally agreed to pay for the provisional licence, I could have paid for the lessons etc and by now I would have a job. In fact I could have just walked into a job in January.
The work programme, one big joke. I have going to A4E for 16 months, on my 5th advisor. 6 weeks ago I had a telephone preview, last week i had a appointment, in 6 weeks time i'm having another telephone preview. Each time I had a appointment or telephone preview all they what to know is what i have applied for or any interviews i have had. A4E, they do nothing, they have not offered me anything or any help. As for finding a job, they have told me, that's up to me and my jobsearch, so why should they be in the equation.
DeleteJust had another (offensive and hopeless) Work Programme appointment. That's Twenty Pounds for 30 minutes, I think.
ReplyDeleteI don't get this BBC left-wing bias thing. It is one of the most conservative media organisations in the world - just look at its programming! It tends to reflect middle-class values rather than left-wing ideals.
ReplyDeleteOver the years I have noticed a shift in the BBC. I first noticed this at the time of the Falklands when their presentation became more jingoistic and less impartial. The trend continued. I think those at the top and middle of the BBC (all in very well paid and well pensioned jobs) are frightened of upsetting the government and losing the licence fee thus having to compete on a commercial basis. This fear means they toe the government line. To my mind it can be seen in the selective reporting (or NON reporting!) of some issues. I can't recall the last time a question on the Work Programme was permitted on Question Time for example.
DeleteIf I want to know what is really going on I watch Channel 4 news which allows time (1 hour excluding ad breaks) for some proper probing of issues and whose editors and presenters are not afraid to give people a proper grilling (c/f the E. Harrison car crash interview prior to her resignation from A4e's board).
Actually, that Emma Harrison interview was well after her resignation from A4e's board.
DeleteThere's always been a perception (no more than that) that the BBC had a left-wing bias, simply because of the backgrounds of the people who worked there. But every government has complained that it's biassed against it. My concern at the moment is that there is direct bullying by people like IDS to intimidate editors and producers.
"A4E" glad about new contracts? Of course,after failing at so many levels delivering the WP,more fuel for the fire! Upset? 16 months of my life being on a programme that delivers less than nothing? At the end of the day it is my responsibility to find employment,regardless of anything that inhibits me,but the WP just puts up more barriers(feel like a circus monkey) the main goal,in my opinion is not about the unemployed but about the survival of the WP and the Politicians that supported this insane waste of money and lives.
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