You talkin to me?
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Monday, July 24, 2006
CSA-press release-
from http://www.dwp.gov.uk/childsupport/
24 July 2006 - More streamlined and tougher child support system to replace CSA
Following the recommendations of an independent report on child support in the UK by Sir David Henshaw, Work and Pensions Secretary John Hutton today announced the government will replace the Child Support Agency with a more streamlined and tougher new body.
Sir David today presented his report on the future of the child support system in the UK to Mr Hutton, who has accepted his recommendation to establish a new system for child support which will be simpler to use and to administer; will be tougher on parents who do not face up to their responsibilities; will maximise the reduction in child poverty and will deliver value for money for the taxpayer.
Mr Hutton said:
“We need a fresh start that is not burdened by the failure of the past. So I propose to replace the CSA with a new organisation that is simpler but tougher on parents who do not pay up.”
He outlined the key changes, in line with Sir David’s recommendations, that would underpin the new system:
- Allow more money to go to children by significantly increasing the amount of maintenance that parents with care on benefits can keep;
- Lighten the load on the new body by providing better advice and guidance to parents and encouraging them to make their own voluntary arrangements;
- Further reduce the caseload for the new organisation by ending the rule that means parents on benefit are forced to use the CSA – whether or not they have a voluntary arrangement in place;
- Enforce tougher penalties on parents who do not meet their responsibilities to their children – we will seek powers to suspend passports and impose curfews on parents who persistently avoid their responsibilities;
- Explore all methods of publicising enforcement action, including the feasibility of naming those successfully prosecuted;
- Examine a range of options to ensure that more fathers take responsibility for their children, including changing the law on registration of births to encourage or require joint registration;
- Further strengthen parental responsibility by increasing the support we give to help lone parents back to work.
Mr Hutton said:
“It is not acceptable for any child to grow up in poverty in this country in this day and age. Too many children are not receiving the maintenance they are due.“There are four million children who could benefit from child support, but only one in three do so. The payment of child maintenance currently lifts 100,000 children out of poverty, but we know we need to do better.
“I want the new system to be more effective, both in tackling child poverty and giving better value for money.”
Sir David Henshaw said:
“Today I am recommending that ministers create a new system of child support to replace the CSA, which can never be made to work properly.“Parents want the freedom to make their own arrangements, but they need to know the government will get tough on parents who refuse to pay up if they need help in sorting out child maintenance.
“A streamlined system that focuses on the harder cases could save up to £200 million a year in running costs and help tackle child poverty by getting more money to children."
Mr Hutton thanked CSA staff and warned there would be no let up on parents who do not pay during the move to a new organisation.
He said:
“I want to thank staff at the CSA, who continue to do their best in very difficult circumstances. There will be big changes ahead, but in the meantime, if any parent thinks they can avoid paying maintenance they are very wrong. We will not relax our efforts as we move to the new system, in fact we will be getting tougher and have already started contracting out debt to debt collection agencies.”
Mr Hutton said:
“more analysis would be carried out to inform decisions about how the new organisation should be structured and the most effective means of moving towards it.“
“Sir David has proposed a radical approach to conversion – closing all existing claims and asking people to reapply. We do need a clean break to ensure the new body does not get dragged down by past failures. But I am conscious of the need to ensure that where arrangements are working properly through the existing CSA, the flow of money to children should not be disrupted.
“This is one area I propose to look at in detail before deciding a way forward,” he said.
Within the government’s response today are questions for consultation – the DWP wants to hear views from across the board so a way forward can be reached which has the best interests of children at its heart.
A white paper will follow in the autumn.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Monday, July 17, 2006
1 year of......
I have been in the UK for 1 year this week. Do I like it?...No. Am I happy?....No. Will I stay?....Yes.
It is 30c today, it will be 34c tomorrow! It doesn't fool me for a minute though, I am waiting for the cold in September. We go out every weekend, walking, going to museums, taking the ferry, even the beach-but in the end it is boring. I miss the people, sights , sounds and smells of Asia.
Haifa in Israel was hit by rockets yesterday. I can remember hitching from there, and to there in 1992. It was my first time outside of Europe.I arrived by ferry from Greece.I loved it, the mix of western and arabic. The music was the first thing I noticed, Arabian dance-rave.The next was the smell of fallafels, and spices, and of course the heat. I had only a few dollars when I arrived. We hitched down to Jerusalem, and at one point found ourselves stranded on a desert road near Jericho, that was only a few hours out of Haifa.I thought 'fuck, I'm stranded in a desert...cool!'
I suppose, this is why I can never really feel settled or happy here, but if Teosdee gets a UK passport, I can get stranded in deserts-with my family.
It is 30c today, it will be 34c tomorrow! It doesn't fool me for a minute though, I am waiting for the cold in September. We go out every weekend, walking, going to museums, taking the ferry, even the beach-but in the end it is boring. I miss the people, sights , sounds and smells of Asia.
Haifa in Israel was hit by rockets yesterday. I can remember hitching from there, and to there in 1992. It was my first time outside of Europe.I arrived by ferry from Greece.I loved it, the mix of western and arabic. The music was the first thing I noticed, Arabian dance-rave.The next was the smell of fallafels, and spices, and of course the heat. I had only a few dollars when I arrived. We hitched down to Jerusalem, and at one point found ourselves stranded on a desert road near Jericho, that was only a few hours out of Haifa.I thought 'fuck, I'm stranded in a desert...cool!'
I suppose, this is why I can never really feel settled or happy here, but if Teosdee gets a UK passport, I can get stranded in deserts-with my family.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
cor! it's a scorcher!
As you can imagine after a few days with the temperature hitting 30c the headlines are predictable- Hotter than Rio!, Britain scorches!...etc the amazing thing is how much people complain. "it's too hot", "this heat makes you tired", even the weatherman joyeously told of the end of the heatwave this morning "relief will be here at the weekend". For me I have mixed feelings, I truly believe that 30c and low humidity to be the perfect temperature for human beings. At the same time it reminds me that I am living here, and not in a hot country where I belong. My blood warmed up years ago, I should be in this temperature everyday, not just 5 days a year!
Monday, July 03, 2006
Friday, June 16, 2006
ole, ole ole ole,....
8 days into the world cup, and I haven't watched a single game in the pub! Football fever is severe here,this is the first world cup that I've watched in the uk since 1986.In fact only the second I've watched in the UK(I was in Germany in 1982). Teosdee and Jack should be over the gobi right now.Joseph and I had a day flight all the way from Hong Kong-we saw everything.
I could go and watch a game in the pub tomorrow(Saturday), they should be home for lunch. Think I'll wait till during the week though. I can't wait to see them both, these 4 weeks have flown by though, especially when we were mentally prepared for 3 months. Tomorrow will be a hot and sunny day, my family will be together,the world cup is on the TV-what more is there to life?
I could go and watch a game in the pub tomorrow(Saturday), they should be home for lunch. Think I'll wait till during the week though. I can't wait to see them both, these 4 weeks have flown by though, especially when we were mentally prepared for 3 months. Tomorrow will be a hot and sunny day, my family will be together,the world cup is on the TV-what more is there to life?
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
a good year?
This blog is now a year old.
Have I done what I set out to do ? I don't know.
Am I where I want or wanted to be? I really haven't got the foggiest idea.
Here is my first entry-last June:
Monday, June 06, 2005
On The Move
Well I have been here for 12 years now, I suppose it is time to move on. After having the usual arguments with the travel agent, i paid for the family's tickets today, actually saved hk$1000!!, after threatening to take back my deposit after the agent tried to raise the agreed price-due to fuel surcharge.
I did only buy their tickets today, I will follow them in a couple of months after doing summer school. They fly to London next Tuesday, and straight on to my parents in Malaga Spain. My wife has never been to Spain before, nor for that matter have my two sons, Jack is only 18 months old , and Joseph is 4 years old.They will spend a month in Spain before going to Liverpool to spend a month with my wife's cousin. It is amazing that she has a cousin in Liverpool, my home town, as my wife Teosdee is from the Philippines.
We have been married for 5 years , but we have decided to move home , primarily for my son's education. School is just too expensive here in Hong Kong, and so for that matter is just about everything. The kids climb the wall in our tiny apartment, which for locals is quite big and nice, they need more space.
That's why I have begun this blog, it should be an interesting year, I have no idea how we will fare , but many challenges lay ahead, then again that is nothing new
posted by chris m @ 6/06/2005 04:33:00 PM 0 comments
About Me
here is another from that month:
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
7 days is a long time
7 days have gone by, I still haven't sorted out this flat. I have thrown away bags of sh...stuff and still haven't finished.Because of the rain, i've had to keep the windows closed in 32C heat and 95% humidity that means a damp house.No use washing clothes as they will never dry so of to the laundry with my umbrella today, you must use an umbrella here or you do get soaked. I am smoking too much i think, it must be the boredom, and no kids in the flat. Not sure how they are doing, i bought a $50 phonecard yesterday, it lasted for 3 minutes!!! I also didn't get to speak to the boys on Father's day.
posted by chris m @ 6/22/2005 03:35:00 PM 0 comments
(The archives can be viewed from the link at the side of page)
I have to admit that I do feel more together these days,if a little bored.
Teosdee's visa came through this week-2 months earlier than we thought! Her and Jack arrive back here on Saturday morning.Visa problems(here or in Hong Kong) are now a thing of the past,it's been a long road-7 years-about!
Teosdee can get a UK passport in 2 or 3 years.
I do not want to be separated from my family anymore, it's the winters here that I worry about. My work is steady , yet that has never bothered me before.My work is not my career-I still consider that to be teaching.
A good year?-yes Exciting?-no Different?-Yes.
In the next year I should just settle down,work, and get these 2 years over(until Teosdee gets her passport)-If I can ,is another matter entirely.
Have I done what I set out to do ? I don't know.
Am I where I want or wanted to be? I really haven't got the foggiest idea.
Here is my first entry-last June:
Monday, June 06, 2005
On The Move
Well I have been here for 12 years now, I suppose it is time to move on. After having the usual arguments with the travel agent, i paid for the family's tickets today, actually saved hk$1000!!, after threatening to take back my deposit after the agent tried to raise the agreed price-due to fuel surcharge.
I did only buy their tickets today, I will follow them in a couple of months after doing summer school. They fly to London next Tuesday, and straight on to my parents in Malaga Spain. My wife has never been to Spain before, nor for that matter have my two sons, Jack is only 18 months old , and Joseph is 4 years old.They will spend a month in Spain before going to Liverpool to spend a month with my wife's cousin. It is amazing that she has a cousin in Liverpool, my home town, as my wife Teosdee is from the Philippines.
We have been married for 5 years , but we have decided to move home , primarily for my son's education. School is just too expensive here in Hong Kong, and so for that matter is just about everything. The kids climb the wall in our tiny apartment, which for locals is quite big and nice, they need more space.
That's why I have begun this blog, it should be an interesting year, I have no idea how we will fare , but many challenges lay ahead, then again that is nothing new
posted by chris m @ 6/06/2005 04:33:00 PM 0 comments
About Me
here is another from that month:
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
7 days is a long time
7 days have gone by, I still haven't sorted out this flat. I have thrown away bags of sh...stuff and still haven't finished.Because of the rain, i've had to keep the windows closed in 32C heat and 95% humidity that means a damp house.No use washing clothes as they will never dry so of to the laundry with my umbrella today, you must use an umbrella here or you do get soaked. I am smoking too much i think, it must be the boredom, and no kids in the flat. Not sure how they are doing, i bought a $50 phonecard yesterday, it lasted for 3 minutes!!! I also didn't get to speak to the boys on Father's day.
posted by chris m @ 6/22/2005 03:35:00 PM 0 comments
(The archives can be viewed from the link at the side of page)
I have to admit that I do feel more together these days,if a little bored.
Teosdee's visa came through this week-2 months earlier than we thought! Her and Jack arrive back here on Saturday morning.Visa problems(here or in Hong Kong) are now a thing of the past,it's been a long road-7 years-about!
Teosdee can get a UK passport in 2 or 3 years.
I do not want to be separated from my family anymore, it's the winters here that I worry about. My work is steady , yet that has never bothered me before.My work is not my career-I still consider that to be teaching.
A good year?-yes Exciting?-no Different?-Yes.
In the next year I should just settle down,work, and get these 2 years over(until Teosdee gets her passport)-If I can ,is another matter entirely.
Friday, June 09, 2006
Monday, June 05, 2006
Sunday, June 04, 2006
flying
Strange sometimes, how obscure thoughts just pop-up now and again and take you away.
How many times have you said goodbye to someone at an airport,train station,ferry pier-wherever? And although you never knew it at the time,you never saw that person again?You know now, that you will never see them again.
Think of the people that you have spent your life with,people that were close ,people that you spent time with,friends,schoolmates or even workmates.
You can still remember them,still think of them,still consider them.The same is probably true of them. There are some who you could contact if you wanted to, but you feel it's probably been too long.There are those you couldn't contact even if you wanted to,not everyone uses friends reunited-why should they?
Is that why so many of us hate goodbyes? Because, deep inside we are conscious that this could be the last time. We live at the same time,our paths cross,intermingle,and fly away again. At that time you had something in common,but at that moment you last saw them, your lives took parallel paths.
I once said goodbye to my biological father at a train station with the full knowledge that it would be the last time that I saw him, that though is different, and it is a rare event when you KNOW it will be the last. My thought is really about the times when you don't.
I used to love flying, but now I think I'm a nervy flyer. It may just be the numbers-statistics, it may be that i don't fly for pleasure anymore, it may be that I no longer drink while flying, it may be since I had my own family, or it may be that I just hate goodbyes.
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