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| Not good enough? English schools are world-class | Not good enough? English schools are world-class |
| (2 months later) | |
| The Department for Education's response to Daniel Boffey's report about free schools ("Free schools set up in areas 'with no need'") is more misleading than most such rebuttals. "English schools have not been good enough for far too long." Wrong. The Pearson/Economist Intelligence Unit report published late last year placed us sixth out of 40 countries overall and second for educational attainment. | The Department for Education's response to Daniel Boffey's report about free schools ("Free schools set up in areas 'with no need'") is more misleading than most such rebuttals. "English schools have not been good enough for far too long." Wrong. The Pearson/Economist Intelligence Unit report published late last year placed us sixth out of 40 countries overall and second for educational attainment. |
| "The evidence proves that new schools also encourage those which already exist to raise their game." It's far too early to draw such a sweeping conclusion, which is not in line with the international evidence about either free schools or the effects of competition between schools. | "The evidence proves that new schools also encourage those which already exist to raise their game." It's far too early to draw such a sweeping conclusion, which is not in line with the international evidence about either free schools or the effects of competition between schools. |
| Michael Gove should ensure his department's statements exemplify the rigour that he seeks to instil in the nation's schoolchildren. | Michael Gove should ensure his department's statements exemplify the rigour that he seeks to instil in the nation's schoolchildren. |
| Ron Glatter, emeritus professor of educational administration and management | Ron Glatter, emeritus professor of educational administration and management |
| The Open University | The Open University |
| Myth of Labour and the unionsThe myth of Labour and the unions | Myth of Labour and the unionsThe myth of Labour and the unions |
| Your editorial on Labour and the trade unions ("We need unions. But not as Labour's bankers") inadvertently promotes the myth that all trade unions are affiliated to and finance the Labour party. In fact, many of the unions most active in opposition to the government have no such links. Teachers, lecturers, health professionals, police and civil servants and even tube drivers are all represented by unions without links to Labour. | Your editorial on Labour and the trade unions ("We need unions. But not as Labour's bankers") inadvertently promotes the myth that all trade unions are affiliated to and finance the Labour party. In fact, many of the unions most active in opposition to the government have no such links. Teachers, lecturers, health professionals, police and civil servants and even tube drivers are all represented by unions without links to Labour. |
| And while the relationship between Labour and its affiliated unions needs to be revisited, let's keep things in perspective. The average contribution through the political levy per member is some £4 a year. | And while the relationship between Labour and its affiliated unions needs to be revisited, let's keep things in perspective. The average contribution through the political levy per member is some £4 a year. |
| Jeremy Beecham, Labour (chair, Labour NEC, 2005-06) | Jeremy Beecham, Labour (chair, Labour NEC, 2005-06) |
| House of Lords | House of Lords |
| Role of shale gas overstated | Role of shale gas overstated |
| It was disappointing that your article on fracking ("Will fracking these green hills solve Britain's energy crisis?", In Focus) attributed too much significance to the role of shale gas in cutting carbon dioxide emissions in the US in recent years. | It was disappointing that your article on fracking ("Will fracking these green hills solve Britain's energy crisis?", In Focus) attributed too much significance to the role of shale gas in cutting carbon dioxide emissions in the US in recent years. |
| A report from Bloomberg New Energy Finance shows that the rapid development of renewable energy and improvements in energy efficiency were also important factors in bringing about this decline in emissions. Between 2007 and 2012, energy use in the US fell by 6.4%, largely as a result of advances in energy efficiency and total installed capacity of renewable energy (excluding hydropower) almost doubled. | A report from Bloomberg New Energy Finance shows that the rapid development of renewable energy and improvements in energy efficiency were also important factors in bringing about this decline in emissions. Between 2007 and 2012, energy use in the US fell by 6.4%, largely as a result of advances in energy efficiency and total installed capacity of renewable energy (excluding hydropower) almost doubled. |
| Your report also points out that the UK government is planning to offer significant subsidies to communities prepared to accept shale gas drilling. This is happening despite the International Energy Agency warning that subsidies to fossil fuels must be cut if we are to have any chance of limiting average global temperature increases to 2C. | Your report also points out that the UK government is planning to offer significant subsidies to communities prepared to accept shale gas drilling. This is happening despite the International Energy Agency warning that subsidies to fossil fuels must be cut if we are to have any chance of limiting average global temperature increases to 2C. |
| Understating the contribution of renewables and energy efficiency improvements will not help us bring about the cuts in greenhouse gas emissions that are so urgently needed. | Understating the contribution of renewables and energy efficiency improvements will not help us bring about the cuts in greenhouse gas emissions that are so urgently needed. |
| Gordon James | Gordon James |
| Llanfallteg | Llanfallteg |
| Carmarthenshire | Carmarthenshire |
| Time to reassess council tax | Time to reassess council tax |
| The article on the problems of Britain's high streets, which highlighted Ashford in Kent, correctly concluded that business rates are one of the main issues ("High streets don't have a chance as business rates soar", Business). However, without a holistic look at the whole question of local government funding, this is unlikely to be addressed. Business rates are an important part of the income of local government, so to cut them without making up the resultant shortfall would only worsen the crisis in public services. | The article on the problems of Britain's high streets, which highlighted Ashford in Kent, correctly concluded that business rates are one of the main issues ("High streets don't have a chance as business rates soar", Business). However, without a holistic look at the whole question of local government funding, this is unlikely to be addressed. Business rates are an important part of the income of local government, so to cut them without making up the resultant shortfall would only worsen the crisis in public services. |
| At Kent county council, the government's attack on local government in the name of austerity means the budget will fall in real terms by 40% in the five years from 2010-11. KCC has unveiled a proposal to close 23 children's centres and such announcements will become common across the country. | At Kent county council, the government's attack on local government in the name of austerity means the budget will fall in real terms by 40% in the five years from 2010-11. KCC has unveiled a proposal to close 23 children's centres and such announcements will become common across the country. |
| While business rates have increased, there has been a lot of emphasis on the supposedly vote-winning measure to freeze council tax. KCC, along with most councils, has not seen an increase in three years. While increasing council tax at the low end should not be contemplated, with the poor bearing far too much of the brunt of the government's political experiment, a re-analysis of this tax is surely overdue. It is still based on 1996 valuations and sees the top bracket paying only twice as much as the lowest bracket. A rebalancing of business rates could then take place. | While business rates have increased, there has been a lot of emphasis on the supposedly vote-winning measure to freeze council tax. KCC, along with most councils, has not seen an increase in three years. While increasing council tax at the low end should not be contemplated, with the poor bearing far too much of the brunt of the government's political experiment, a re-analysis of this tax is surely overdue. It is still based on 1996 valuations and sees the top bracket paying only twice as much as the lowest bracket. A rebalancing of business rates could then take place. |
| Martin Whybrow, Green party KCC councillor | Martin Whybrow, Green party KCC councillor |
| Hythe | Hythe |
| Determining term time | Determining term time |
| As a former teacher and deputy headteacher in secondary education, I welcome the review of school holidays.Further factors need to be considered before final and local decisions are made – the most socially disadvantaged students lose most over a six-week holiday period; a four-week summer break would be more cognitively efficient. | As a former teacher and deputy headteacher in secondary education, I welcome the review of school holidays.Further factors need to be considered before final and local decisions are made – the most socially disadvantaged students lose most over a six-week holiday period; a four-week summer break would be more cognitively efficient. |
| Also, the Easter-dependent length of the spring term is the one when student and staff resilience is at a low point. A longer spring term break combined with an imaginative response from the travel industry and a fixed date for Easter should improve attendance rates of both students and staff and offer less excuse for term-time holidays. | Also, the Easter-dependent length of the spring term is the one when student and staff resilience is at a low point. A longer spring term break combined with an imaginative response from the travel industry and a fixed date for Easter should improve attendance rates of both students and staff and offer less excuse for term-time holidays. |
| BK Polachowski | BK Polachowski |
| Greasby | Greasby |
| Wirral | Wirral |
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