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The London Summit: what it's all about.
Ask our ministers The London Summit will bring together world leaders in April to discuss how to revive the global economy and restore stability. We want you to join the debate in the lead up... Show more»
APR

06

Ask Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Post your Questions to the Prime Minister. Do you have a question you would like to ask UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown about the current financial crisis and government policy to address it? If ... Show more»
APR

02

Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell answers your questions
Benefits and Pensions are very much in the news right now - to put your questions to the Work and Pensions Secretary, simply click on the "ask" button below. If you are not a member already,... Show more»
MAR

11

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People you are asking:
Gordon Brown James Purnell

We would like to know…

On Mar 08 2009 netmums members are asking public figures these questions.
Join them by asking the question too, or use the toolbar at the top of the page to ask your own.

Question of the day

PublicVoter is asking Gordon Brown: "Your Government is casting failure of RBS firmly at Sir Fred Gooddwins feet. Although he must be held accountable, so too must the FSA. and the Treasury Select Committee. Both of these have been given..." Show more »"Your Government is casting failure of RBS firmly at Sir Fred Gooddwins feet. Although he must be held accountable, so too must the FSA. and the Treasury Select Committee. Both of these have been given powers to question the actions of financial institutions and yet have only been vocal since the financial crisis has exploded. Is it not time for a public inquiry to assertain why the FSA and TSC did not raise concerns before the fall of RBS?" Show less »
12
0 comment | Topic: Business |

MOST RECENT QUESTIONS

georgie1973 is asking Gordon Brown: "My partner and i have both worked since we left school and are now in our late 30's with a three year..." Show more »"My partner and i have both worked since we left school and are now in our late 30's with a three year old son who has delayed development. We had to 'fight' for his disability living allowance and the process took one year from claim to successful appeal. We now have to go through it all again! We are only entitled to the very basic working tax credits and get nothing towards his childcare (apart from the 15 hours per week everyone gets whether they are working or not!) If my 70 year old mother in law wasn't fit enough to care for him for the two days she does I would not be albe to work full time as we cannot afford five days childcare even though he attends a childrens centre nursery for three days and their rates are the cheapest in the city of Lichfield where we live. We cannot get social housing as we are on band 3 which means we have no need and they only offer 10% of properties annually on band 3. We do have a need as we have to pay a private rent of £710 pcm which is more than we can afford. We are in debt. My finances are still reeeling from the 1992 recession when my parents lost absolutely everything and I ended up in a bedsit at 18 years old and no money. We need an affordable home, we need help with childcare fees, we cannot see a way of ever paying our debts off, yet i know people who do not work and yet are offered all sorts of help by the government. when will hard working parents be given a fair deal?" Show less »
9
0 comment | Topic: Poverty |

mthornton is asking Gordon Brown: "If childcare was more accessible and working more of a benefit- our children will have a more educated,..." Show more »"If childcare was more accessible and working more of a benefit- our children will have a more educated, social upbringing and also a better system could be put in place to protect children from abuse in the home which we have heard so much about lately. We need to see the benefits employment brings to parents and to our children and also the benefits childcare can have for our children." Show less »
9
0 comment | Topic: Education |

mthornton is asking James Purnell: "There is always discussion on benefits, stay at home parents etc. I would like to know what is going..." Show more »"There is always discussion on benefits, stay at home parents etc. I would like to know what is going to happen to help working families.

I have read about parents being required to work after their children turn 7 which I completely agree with. There is no need for a parent to stay home whilst their children at at home all day. My question is in regard to those that do work. Because the income threshold (amount required to live) is so low, workers don't really receive much benefit from actually working when wages are so low. I think the threshold should be higher for workers so that a benefit can be seen to work rather than be on benefits. Many of my friends do not work simply because their rent, council tax etc is paid and also they can claim community care grants when needed for their children. There should be a guarantee that if you work, you will receive £so much above the benefits threshold to help with extra costs to help those working on low incomes. Free education should be offered for all up to a certain level. And the childcare allowance needs to be address in regards to tax credits. I have three children under 5 and the £300 claim limit doesn't cover the 85% at all with the rising cost of childcare. This limit needs to be highered if parents are expected to return to work. Especially during holidays when children are off school and needing care." Show less »
9
0 comment | Topic: Pay and Conditions |

mthornton is asking Gordon Brown: "There is always discussion on benefits, stay at home parents etc. I would like to know what is going..." Show more »"There is always discussion on benefits, stay at home parents etc. I would like to know what is going to happen to help working families.

I have read about parents being required to work after their children turn 7 which I completely agree with. There is no need for a parent to stay home whilst their children at at home all day. My question is in regard to those that do work. Because the income threshold (amount required to live) is so low, workers don't really receive much benefit from actually working when wages are so low. I think the threshold should be higher for workers so that a benefit can be seen to work rather than be on benefits. Many of my friends do not work simply because their rent, council tax etc is paid and also they can claim community care grants when needed for their children. There should be a guarantee that if you work, you will receive £so much above the benefits threshold to help with extra costs to help those working on low incomes. Free education should be offered for all up to a certain level." Show less »
9
0 comment | Topic: Pay and Conditions |

sangeetha is asking Gordon Brown: "I had the opportunity to meet you during the 2005 election time and ask you a question. At that time..." Show more »"I had the opportunity to meet you during the 2005 election time and ask you a question. At that time my question was about what you were going to do about Africa. Have you after coming to power had time to do something about the poverty in Africa? With the current economic situation, will the world forget about the less fortunate children in Africa?" Show less »
13
0 comment | Topic: World Affairs |

SHAKERS
Read, comment and vote on the most popular questions yet to be answered.

Claire is asking Gordon Brown: "Hello Gordon Surely this crisis isn't just about banks and whether they lend money. Surely it's also..." Show more »"Hello Gordon
Surely this crisis isn't just about banks and whether they lend money. Surely it's also that we're used to buying things on credit and perhaps spending money we haven't got. Now things have gone wrong I see all the problems - friends who've lost jobs and prices of things going up... and can't think of any solutions.
Is there anything that mums like me can do to make a difference?? Something that doesn't involve spending momey I've not got!" Show less »
31
0 comment | Topic: World Affairs |

shadsy is asking Gordon Brown: "I would like to know why single mums are encouraged to stay at home to raise their children but mums..." Show more »"I would like to know why single mums are encouraged to stay at home to raise their children but mums with partners/husbands are given no help to stay at home and bring up their children and often have no choice but to go back to work?" Show less »
29
5 comments | Topic: Politics |

BoRed79 is asking Gordon Brown: "I would like to know why there is no financial support for parents wanting to bring up their children..." Show more »"I would like to know why there is no financial support for parents wanting to bring up their children properly, rather than farming their children off to childminders/nurseries.

My husband and I have decided that we want to have someone at home bringing up our son until he goes to school, to give him the best start in life - rather than just sending him into childcare.

If we put him into childcare we would receive financial support to help pay for this, which we could afford to then do. However, we have chosen that have someone at home with him, meaning that we loose one of our salaries until he is of school age - however there is no financial support available to us.

Prehaps if more incentives were made for parents to look after their children properly (as they all should anyway), then we would not have children like we hear about all of the time on the news, involved in various aspects of crime. Now is the time to help families support their children, rather than having to put them into childcare with people who are only looking after the for the money (rather than a desire to help them ), so that we can turn this country around." Show less »
16
1 comment | Topic: Politics |

Madspice is asking Gordon Brown: "I would like to know why the government consider it better for a childminder to look after my children..." Show more »"I would like to know why the government consider it better for a childminder to look after my children while I am at work than my own parenting skills. I know lots of single parents who stay at home and look after their kids and have nice holidays, cars, etc. While my husband works all the hours God sends, and I work in the evenings just to make ends meet. We have no debts, apart from our mortgage, we have savings. Our electricity bill has increased by 60% since August last year whilst our consumption has gone down. We have owned our car for years so therefore it is carbon neutral when you consider the age, yet the Government keep putting the tax up. WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO TO BE GIVEN A BREAK?????" Show less »
15
0 comment | Topic: World Affairs |

mauribabe is asking Gordon Brown: "As many families are facing financial difficulties why cant the government allow grandparents (at a..." Show more »"
As many families are facing financial difficulties why cant the government allow grandparents (at a reduced rate) to be paid for looking after grandkids while parents go to work. It would be cheaper in the long run and many families in this financial climate cant afford to pay for childcare even when both parents are working.
I will be returning back to work, i work for a large organisation where business is booming, they are taking on extra staff, and overtime is available in some districts. However i have applied to work term and have been turned down. I feel that there should be some kind of legal right for parents to be allowed to work term time if they wish, as parents we have no say to the structure of school holidays. The organisation i work for advertises flexible working, but term time in my district is not really encourgaged the forthcoming summer holidays will be a nightmare.
" Show less »
14
3 comments | Topic: Local Issues |

MOVERS
Read, comment and vote on this week’s highest climbing questions.

shadsy is asking Gordon Brown: "I would like to know why single mums are encouraged to stay at home to raise their children but mums..." Show more »"I would like to know why single mums are encouraged to stay at home to raise their children but mums with partners/husbands are given no help to stay at home and bring up their children and often have no choice but to go back to work?" Show less »
29
5 comments | Topic: Politics |

BoRed79 is asking Gordon Brown: "I would like to know why there is no financial support for parents wanting to bring up their children..." Show more »"I would like to know why there is no financial support for parents wanting to bring up their children properly, rather than farming their children off to childminders/nurseries.

My husband and I have decided that we want to have someone at home bringing up our son until he goes to school, to give him the best start in life - rather than just sending him into childcare.

If we put him into childcare we would receive financial support to help pay for this, which we could afford to then do. However, we have chosen that have someone at home with him, meaning that we loose one of our salaries until he is of school age - however there is no financial support available to us.

Prehaps if more incentives were made for parents to look after their children properly (as they all should anyway), then we would not have children like we hear about all of the time on the news, involved in various aspects of crime. Now is the time to help families support their children, rather than having to put them into childcare with people who are only looking after the for the money (rather than a desire to help them ), so that we can turn this country around." Show less »
16
1 comment | Topic: Politics |

Madspice is asking Gordon Brown: "I would like to know why the government consider it better for a childminder to look after my children..." Show more »"I would like to know why the government consider it better for a childminder to look after my children while I am at work than my own parenting skills. I know lots of single parents who stay at home and look after their kids and have nice holidays, cars, etc. While my husband works all the hours God sends, and I work in the evenings just to make ends meet. We have no debts, apart from our mortgage, we have savings. Our electricity bill has increased by 60% since August last year whilst our consumption has gone down. We have owned our car for years so therefore it is carbon neutral when you consider the age, yet the Government keep putting the tax up. WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO TO BE GIVEN A BREAK?????" Show less »
15
0 comment | Topic: World Affairs |

mauribabe is asking Gordon Brown: "As many families are facing financial difficulties why cant the government allow grandparents (at a..." Show more »"
As many families are facing financial difficulties why cant the government allow grandparents (at a reduced rate) to be paid for looking after grandkids while parents go to work. It would be cheaper in the long run and many families in this financial climate cant afford to pay for childcare even when both parents are working.
I will be returning back to work, i work for a large organisation where business is booming, they are taking on extra staff, and overtime is available in some districts. However i have applied to work term and have been turned down. I feel that there should be some kind of legal right for parents to be allowed to work term time if they wish, as parents we have no say to the structure of school holidays. The organisation i work for advertises flexible working, but term time in my district is not really encourgaged the forthcoming summer holidays will be a nightmare.
" Show less »
14
3 comments | Topic: Local Issues |

adenby is asking Gordon Brown: "What proposals will you put in place for those homeowners who are now in negative equity? Having bought..." Show more »"What proposals will you put in place for those homeowners who are now in negative equity? Having bought just 4 1/2 years ago with a 105% mortage I currently expect that with the steep fall in house values we are in, or very close to, negative equity. I read that you are advising lenders not to give out mortgages over 85%ltv. Currently when we come off our fixed rate in October we would not be able to remortage - ok when svr are low - we will actually save money!
However what happens when rates start to rise again, I assume they will raise sooner and faster than house prices. We will not be able to get a competitive mortage rate because of the high ltv we have. This could utlimately lead to financial difficulty. We have a good household income and have never defaulted on any payments. What is the government going to do to ensure those with high ltv can find good rates and avoid financial difficulties because banks now see us as high risk (with the governments backing) We are not high risk as can be seen from credit history. 100% mortagages do have a place in the recovery of the economy. Those who they are allocated to just need to be scrutinised more than they previously where with maybe some guaantee given from the government." Show less »
14
0 comment | Topic: World Affairs |

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