How new PM could use our cash
In his budget Gordon Brown announced (probably not for the first time) a massive increase in taxpayer spending on new schools and, as usual, the NHS.
Would someone care to explain to Mr Brown that shiny new schools play an insignificant part in improving education. It is the quality of the teachers, coupled with the motivation and discipline of the pupils, that produces the results.
If this was not so, how can it be explained that often the best results are attained by pupils taught in centuries old buildings, or straw huts in Africa.
Teachers should only teach and matters of attendance, morality and discipline should be the responsibility of a separate department in each large school, the staff of which should be enabled to impose sanctions or punishment as necessary, even on unco-operative parents.
Regarding the NHS, one of Mr Brown's first steps as PM could be to cancel Blair's ill-considered NHS National Computer system. According to one report it has swallowed in excess of £12 billion of taxpayers' money. It is a system unwanted and considered unnecessary by most health professionals and many trusts.
It doesn't work and like most of this Government's IT systems it has no chance of ever doing so. If it did it would bring few advantages,
The head of the scheme should be sacked and the contracts cancelled. The firms should be sued for their lack of performance.
Unfortunately Mr Brown might not be able to stomach such a step as many of the companies and consultants are contributors to the Labour Party and these contracts may be their reward.
John Thornicroft, Market Drayton
