Remploy unit closure makes no sense

THE Government has not been entirely frank in statements about the closure of Remploy.

My daughter works for a small Remploy unit based at the British Library near Wetherby, repairing books for the library. Although it was not one of the 36 factories listed for closure, it is nevertheless to close as part of the programme. I believe this is not the only unlisted Remploy unit so affected.

Although the unit makes a small loss, it is a fraction of the figure quoted by the Government in justification of closure, and the way in which work is passed to the unit by the British Library makes it difficult to operate efficiently.

They often receive very little work in the morning, sometimes followed by a glut later in the day when the British Library send them books to be repaired by the end of the day. It may be a coincidence but in the weeks since closure was announced their work from the library has further dried up.

Closure of the unit makes no economic sense. This work will still need to be done. Remploy staff receive little more than the minimum wage for doing a skilled job and the loss of taxes and cost of unemployment benefit will far outweigh any savings made by closure.

The Government’s decision means that skilled work suited to people with disabilities will, in future, be done by non-disabled people. Vulnerable people will be thrown onto the scrapheap while their jobs are given to people who do not share their disabilities. I wrote three weeks ago to Andrew Jones MP and copied my letter to Alan Shelbrooke MP whose constituency includes the British Library, setting out these points and suggesting there is good reason to retain the unit. Neither has replied.

From: Alan Chapman, Beck Lane, Bingley.

LABOUR politicians are making mountains out of molehills regarding modest changes concerning income tax relief, for pensioners. The root cause of necessary adjustments is to correct excessive borrowing made by the previous Labour government under Gordon Brown. Pensioners have avoided making a contribution to balancing the economy and now it is their rightful turn.

Existing OAPs aged under 75 have just received an increase in their tax-free allowance, at £10,500 and for those over 75 the allowance is £10,660 before standard rate tax is applied. This level of relief is to be held until younger workers’ lower allowance catch up by 2015.

I attended a policy meeting on the subject of poverty where an income below 60 per cent of the median was classed as poor, this equated to £19,000 per anum. True poverty applies to those not paying any income tax.

The increase in the state pension is £5.30 per week, the biggest for 70 years. The temporary freeze starting next year allows the Government scope to provide higher benefit for the hard-up pensioner. Thus OAP’s paying no tax keep the full £5.30, OAP’s on standard rate keep £4.24, on higher rate keep £3.18 and top rate keep £2.65.

Compassionate Conservatives would support genuinely poor pensioners through a temporary freeze on tax-free allowances.

From: MP Laycock, Wheatlands Road East, Harrrogate.

JOHN Wildie (Yorkshire Post, April 19) condemns George Osborne for cutting top income tax rates from 50p to 45p for 2013 onwards? Does he also condemn Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling for leaving that same top rate at 40p for nearly all their 13 years of office? They only raised it to 50p for their last month in power. Last time top rates were cut, revenue from higher rate taxpayers actually increased.

Let us hope that this change will not only raise more revenue but also stimulate the economy and help to create jobs.

MPs should do mayor’s role

From: David Downs, Mountbatten Avenue, Sandal, Wakefield.

I REFER to Edwin Schim’s letter (Yorkshire Post, April 23) where he suggests that one of the advantages of having elected mayors is that there is a “chance” of a direct line between West Yorkshire and Downing Street.

Is it not the reason why we appoint MPs: to represent our towns and region in the fight for a fairer distribution of the country’s prosperity?

In our larger cities we have as many as four such MPs: is it not unreasonable to expect at least one of them to take on the duties being bestowed on an elected mayor; after all, he or she is working within walking distance of the PM’ office. Why do we have to duplicate salaries and “expenses” for a function we expect to be the priority remit of our MPs?

Dog chipping is a puzzle

From: Mike Gillson, Quarry Lane, Birstall, Batley.

I AM confused by the proposal to micro-chip new-born puppy dogs (Yorkshire Post, April 24). The problem identified is that of dogs attacking people. I don’t understand how chips can stop that happening.

It’s estimated that the UK dog population is about eight million. That’s an awful lot of daily doggy-doo.

Will chipping stop the fouling of pavements and parks?

Will it help to stop the dogs that feels it necessary to compete with other barking dogs in their vicinity? Will it stop them biting postpersons or other delivery persons?

The only way to stop dogs from biting people is to muzzle them, be it on public property or private. Chipping puppies is merely chipping away at the real problem.