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MEP backs EU
youth unemployment funding
AN Euro-MPs has backed
moves for a Europe wide youth guarantee scheme, on 16 January 2013,
which would increase EU funding to help get young people who have
been out of work back into education, training or a job.
The North West Liberal Democrat Euro-MP Chris Davies voted for the
measure and said:- "Youth unemployment is a major concern to
my constituents who rightly see a skilled workforce able to work
throughout the EU as a vital part of our future. Liberal Democrats
in Coalition are tackling youth unemployment and building a
stronger, fairer economy. That is why a £1bn Youth Contract was
launched last April, giving nearly half-a-million young people the
chance to earn and learn. The recent national fall in unemployment
was driven by the biggest drop in youth unemployment on record but
there is more work still to do."
In the North West region, the number of 16 to 24 year olds not in
education, training or work has fallen by 56,000 over the last year,
a 27% decrease. He added in a press release that:- "The EU
Youth Guarantee Scheme would build on this recent progress by
providing additional funding from the European Social Fund. This
would help finance new government initiatives, such as the increased
grants for small and medium-sized businesses taking on young
apprentices announced by Vince Cable last week. It is an excellent
example of how the EU helps 27 national governments work together to
tackle youth unemployment."
HMRC’s affluent
unit to double in size
THE tax team dedicated to
ensuring the better off play by the rules is set to expand, HM
Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said on 16 January 2013. The Affluent
Compliance Team is to begin recruitment of 100 additional inspectors
as the work of the unit expands. In addition to taxpayers with an
annual income of more than £150,000 and wealth of between £2.5
million and £20 million, the unit will also cover those with wealth
in the range £1 million to £2.5 million. By the end of
December 2012, the unit had brought in an extra £75 million in tax;
well ahead of expectations; with a target of £586 million by the end
of 2015.
Exchequer Secretary David Gauke said:- "HMRC set up the new
Affluent Teams from some of the £917 million we made available in
2010. The team has made a great start by bringing in £75 million in
additional tax that would otherwise have been lost to the country.
The vast majority of people pay their way. Dodging tax is immoral,
illegal and unaffordable and the minority who cheat are increasingly
finding that, thanks to the work of the Affluent Team, they have
made a big mistake."
Roger Atkinson, Director of the Affluent Teams, said:- "In
September 2012 the Government announced an additional investment of
£5 million, enabling us to recruit an extra 100 inspectors. We will
recruit from within HMRC and externally and the new team will be
fully operational by April and focused on delivering an additional
£75 million a year. We want to recruit people with external
experience and appropriate qualifications for inspector and lead
case director roles. We want people with recent commercial and
corporate experience in personal tax to help us understand our
customer base. This is an exciting opportunity to work at the
forefront, tackling those who do not pay the right tax. Good quality
intelligence is central to catching the cheats and so we are
expanding our Affluent Intelligence Unit fourfold. This is very good
news for all honest taxpayers."
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CHRISTMAS DRINK
DRIVE CAMPAIGN RESULTS
MERSEYSIDE Police are very
pleased to report that more than 97% of motorists drove responsibly
during the Christmas and New Year period. During the force's
seasonal campaign, that ran from 1 December 2012, until 31 December
2012, officers carried out 7832 breath tests and subsequently
arrested 175 people for drink driving related offences. This means
that 2.2%* of all drivers breathalysed were arrested. The
Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has recently published
figures that show over 175,000 drivers were breath tested throughout
the UK during the four week campaign, with 4% of drivers failing the
test.
Chief Inspector John Hogan of Merseyside Police's Roads Policing
Department said:- "The results of this years campaign show
that the majority of motorists are driving responsibly and not
taking the risk of driving while under the influence of drink or
drugs. Of the 7000 drivers stopped, just 2% of drivers went on to
fail the test and were arrested, a figure that is below the national
average. It is still disappointing that a minority of drivers
continue to put themselves and others at risk by drinking or taking
drugs before driving. Our message is clear, it is totally
unacceptable to jeopardise your life and the lives of others by
drink or drug driving and my officers will continue to target
irresponsible drivers and ensure that they feel the full force of
the law."
Figures also show that during the Christmas period, there was a fall
in road traffic collisions with 414 incidents compared to 554 in
2011. Following collisions, of the 799 drivers breathalysed, 44 were
refused, positive or failed.
Of the 33 drug impairment tests conducted by officers during the
campaign, 5 arrests were made.
► Total number of people breath tested:-
7832
► Total number of breath tests administered to under 25's:- 1522
Chf Insp Hogan added:- "Drinking even a small amount of
alcohol will impair your judgement and general ability to drive
safely, and it is really not worth the risk. Throughout 2013 we will
continue using an intelligence-led approach to stop drink drivers by
using information provided by the public and targeting key locations
and key times of the day and night. We are determined to do all we
can to make our roads safer and I urge drivers to continue to play
their part by not drink driving."
Drivers who were arrested and charged with drink driving offences
over the Christmas and New Year period will be named on Force's
website from Monday, 21 January 2013. Please visit the Merseyside
Police
website for further
information.
Merseyside Police remains committed to tackling illegal and
dangerous driving throughout the year in an effort to reduce the
number of people who are killed or seriously injured on the roads of
Merseyside.
Although the force holds dedicated drink and drug drive campaigns
during the summer and at Christmas, officers conduct breath tests
and impairment tests throughout the year.
Any driver involved in a road traffic collision, or who commits any
traffic offences, can expect to be breathalysed and may be required
to perform an impairment test. Should they fail these tests the
penalties can be severe. |
