Building Britain's Future

Public services: what are your entitlements?

The next few years present three challenges to Britain’s public services; an ageing population, the creation of new industries and jobs and the opportunities offered by giving citizens the power to take advantage of the opportunities ahead.

In our strategy for Building Britain’s Future, we have set out a programme for empowering people with new entitlements to high-quality education, health care and policing. In developing our ideas, we looked at how some of the best services around the world are raising standards and delivering higher quality services at lower costs.

The results of this study have now been published.

More than anything, we want citizens and staff working at the frontline to have the power to drive innovation themselves.  So over to you: what ideas do you have for making our public services work harder for you?

Climate change

As part of the 12 steps we’re taking to build Britain’s future, we’re committing to 1,000 new wind turbines over the next year, and we’ll deliver an additional 20,000 energy-efficient affordable homes over the next two years.

We’ve already set the world’s first legally-binding carbon targets, committing to cut emissions by a third over the next decade. The UK Low Carbon Transition Plan sets out the detail of how we’ll do it – creating new jobs in the process.

For an example of how it’s already working, check out Slipstream, a Keighley company, run by two young engineers who are developing the next generation of wind turbines.

What else should we be doing to build a low carbon future for Britain?

Calling time on crime

A bold new approach to crime and policing is one of 12 steps we’re taking to build Britain’s future.

In Britain, we’ve got some sophisticated strategies for fighting crime, but we have to stay ahead of the game.

In Extending our reach: A comprehensive approach to tackling serious organised crime we’re looking at shutting down businesses like massage parlours that are fronts for crime, blocking mobile phone use in prisons and recovering the assets of all organised criminals under investigation.

Trafficking in drugs and people, fraud, and financial crime costs the UK around £30bn a year. If we’re really going to help honest British people, we’ve got to strengthen our response to the organised criminals who harm our society and our economy.

What other steps do YOU think we should be doing?

Reforming markets, protecting consumers

Yesterday, the Government published Reforming financial markets [External - PDF, 2.08MB], our proposals for sorting out the financial system.

It learns the lessons from the global financial crisis, which began with failures in the banking system and resulted in the current global economic downturn.

We can’t have a proper recovery in our economy until the public trusts banks again. We also need to make sure individuals who are already facing financial difficulties get the help they need at this difficult time.

So Reforming financial markets [External - PDF, 2.08MB] proposes stronger bank regulation, a more robust system of financial market regulation and help for consumers to make better choices, including a national money guidance service, and a call on banks to resolve overdraft charges for 1 million complainants.

Reforming financial markets is one of 12 practical steps the Government is taking to build Britain’s future.

What do you think are the best ways to strengthen Britain’s economy?

Liam Byrne, Chief Secretary to the Treasury blogs for BBF

By now, you'll have heard about the Government's plan for a fairer, stronger and more prosperous society - Building Britain's Future.

In the coming months, we will build on this plan by setting out more details in key areas, including: transport, social care, climate change and energy and constitutional reform.

Tough choices must be made to achieve our goals and so we have decided to prioritise where taxpayers' money is directed to focus on the immediate needs of the country.

This involves no new borrowing, no new money - and I'm pleased to confirm that the resources for the announcements in Building Britain's Future - such as the £1.5 billion on building a new generation of social housing - have all been found within existing budgets.

But if it's really going to succeed, Building Britain's Future has to be the start of a conversation with the British public on the big issues facing our country.

Cabinet and Regional Ministers will be holding town hall meetings up and down the country to hear what you think about the plan.

You can also give us your views by emailing us, uploading your videos or 'tweeting' us your questions.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown blogs for BBF

I have today published the Government’s plan for Building Britain’s Future. It is a radical vision for a fairer, stronger and more prosperous society for all.

We have made enormous strides, driving up standards of health care and education; cutting crime and poverty; and harnessing Britain’s economic potential.

The country has been transformed and I am proud that Britain is now a better place to live.

But I am determined that in this time of profound change, driven by the global economic downturn and the crisis of trust in our political system, the Government will work even harder for you.

We plan to make public services more accountable: access to a cancer specialist within two weeks, free health-checks for those aged 40-74 and patients entitled to hospital treatment within 18 weeks.

Parents will be guaranteed an education tailored to their child, with a personal tutor for every secondary school pupil and catch up tuition, including one-to-one, for those who need it.

And residents will have the right to hold the police to account at monthly beat meetings, get a say on CCTV and vote on how offenders pay back the community.

All these commitments will come with proper systems of redress if they are not met.

The severe global downturn has threatened our jobs and homes here in the UK, leaving many of you understandably anxious about the future for you and your children.

We will not make the same mistakes of past recessions by losing another generation to work. This is a price we are not prepared to pay. From next spring everyone under 25 who has been out of work for a year will be guaranteed a job, training or work experience place. And they will have to take that offer.

From September every 16 and 17 year old will receive an offer of a school or college place or an apprenticeship.

Carefully targeted investment of an extra £1.5 billion over the next two years will also deliver an additional 20,000 new affordable homes and create 45,000 jobs. And new guidance will allow local authorities more flexibility on how they allocate council houses.

We have already started the process of cleaning up politics and more action will follow to restore confidence in our democratic institutions.

But today is just the start.

And we want to know your ideas on how we build a better future for Britain – one that’s fairer, more prosperous and responsible. I look forward to hearing from you.