Brits Leaving UK In Droves.

[Dame Starry]

Originally Posted by Steve Crook The driver, Jack Mills, suffered from "trauma headaches" (whatever they are) for the rest of his life. He died in 1970, seven years after the robbery - from leukemia. Steve

There was never any evidence that the injury Mr Mills sustained during the robbery contributed to his death - although I think that the family attempted to obtain criminal compensation.
He may very well have contracted leukaemia and died seven years later anyway.

I believe that it is a ridiculous waste of money to keep Biggs in a maximum security jail when he is now far too ill to pose a threat to anybody but himself!
Or perhaps the authorities just prefer releasing able-bodied, fit and dangerous criminals onto our streets and keeping the 'quiet' ones locked up. Much less trouble for the wardens, I suspect!

DS x.

[Mark O]

Originally Posted by Dame Starry I believe that it is a ridiculous waste of money to keep Biggs in a maximum security jail when he is now far too ill to pose a threat to anybody but himself! DS x.

I agree with you there Dame Starry, but he's a 'Celebrity' Prisoner and will probably be released shortly before he dies (if he contracts a terminal illness).......he'll probably serve more time than the actor Leslie Grantham (Dirty Den of the soap Eastenders)........he committed his crime in 'cold blood', but then he wasn't a 'celebrity' on his release, he's had his fame and fortune since, along with Child-killer Mary Bell who recieves £50'000 from authoress Gitta Sereny for her 'Story'.........the victims family's recieved nothing......

[Chevyman]

Originally Posted by Steve Crook How much is "wasted" by treating people who haven't paid any contributions - and how much is wasted by top heavy bureaucracy and silly PFI schemes building new hospitals that are then never used - but still have to be paid for? Steve

Here's a news item from 2001, written after the very first PFI hosptal opened in Carlisle:-
The reality of how a new NHS flagship really works | Politics | The Observer

It makes grim reading

From then on, the projects got bigger. A hospital in Central England which could have been fully refurbished to 2006 standards for £50m was demolished following a new PFI build on the same site. The cost............£400m. The trust concerned, within months of opening, was forced to close some wards and operating theatres as it struggled to keep up with repayments of nigh on £50m a year to the PFI partners.

[Freddy]

Originally Posted by Chevyman Here's a news item from 2001, written after the very first PFI hosptal opened in Carlisle:- The reality of how a new NHS flagship really works | Politics | The Observer It makes grim reading From then on, the projects got bigger. A hospital in Central England which could have been fully refurbished to 2006 standards for £50m was demolished following a new PFI build on the same site. The cost............£400m. The trust concerned, within months of opening, was forced to close some wards and operating theatres as it struggled to keep up with repayments of nigh on £50m a year to the PFI partners.

Have a look at

UNISON the public service union - PFI

Freddy

[Chevyman]

Thanks Freddy,

Very interesting site.

One of the saddests aspects is that the government is able to raise funds cheaper than anyone else yet chooses to use the PFI method instead

[Dame Starry]

I live on the outskirts of Staines, near Heathrow.
There is a hospital within 2 miles - which is being 'wound down' to become some sort of super surgery with hundreds of GPs or something. The 'sister' hospital is in Chertsey - about 8 miles or so away and across the river but, if I had to call an ambulance out, I would probably end up in hospital in Tooting.

DS x.

[Freddy]

Originally Posted by Chevyman Thanks Freddy, Very interesting site. One of the saddests aspects is that the government is able to raise funds cheaper than anyone else yet chooses to use the PFI method instead

Pleasure Chevy,

There was a book published around 2,000 which highlighted all the cons and wastes which PFI encourages but sadly can't recall the title or author. It came out at the time when 'we never had it so good' and it was easy to pull the 25% nylon over our heads.

Freddy

[Chevyman]

Originally Posted by Dame Starry I live on the outskirts of Staines, near Heathrow. There is a hospital within 2 miles - which is being 'wound down' to become some sort of super surgery with hundreds of GPs or something. The 'sister' hospital is in Chertsey - about 8 miles or so away and across the river but, if I had to call an ambulance out, I would probably end up in hospital in Tooting. DS x.

It's crazy and, heaven forbid my dear Dame, but if the need arose it would be an awful for your visitors either by expensive public transport or by car whence the hospital parking charge would be extortionate

[Chevyman]

Originally Posted by Freddy Pleasure Chevy, There was a book published around 2,000 which highlighted all the cons and wastes which PFI encourages but sadly can't recall the title or author. It came out at the time when 'we never had it so good' and it was easy to pull the 25% nylon over our heads. Freddy

If ever you come across the title can you let me know?I've read the one by John Redwood

As a lifelong taxpayer some things really appal me about the NHS/PFI ethos.
1. The way the PFI companies need not have any experience of building or commissioning a new hospital.
2. The way they can re-finance their own deal at any time during the course of the PFI agreement and make even more profit without any obligation to plough anything back into the NHS Trust partner.
3. The unadulterated "spin" which surounds these deals and the way the hospitals perform.
4 The culture of subcontracting. I watched "Despatches".........I think.........a couple of years ago. There will come a time when, on visiting your "flagship" local hospital the first NHS Trust employee you will meet will be a member of the ward or clinic staff. Car parking, security, catering, refuse collection/disposal will all have been subcontracted. In one scene the Despatches team visited a PFI School. As per their contract, the PFI company were responsible for maintenance using their appointed subcontractor. The charge for fixing a notice board to a classroom wall was over £120

Even if an alternative government is elected they will still be saddled with these deals, and repayments thereon, for the remainder of the PFI contracts; most are of thirty years duration

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by Chevyman Here's a news item from 2001, written after the very first PFI hosptal opened in Carlisle:- The reality of how a new NHS flagship really works | Politics | The Observer It makes grim reading From then on, the projects got bigger. A hospital in Central England which could have been fully refurbished to 2006 standards for £50m was demolished following a new PFI build on the same site. The cost............£400m. The trust concerned, within months of opening, was forced to close some wards and operating theatres as it struggled to keep up with repayments of nigh on £50m a year to the PFI partners.

Or check out some old editions of Private Eye. They've been railing against PFI from the beginning and have done a few specials on it. Not just for hospitals, it's killing schools and other things as well

Steve

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by Chevyman Thanks Freddy, Very interesting site. One of the saddests aspects is that the government is able to raise funds cheaper than anyone else yet chooses to use the PFI method instead

It's because it keeps it off the books when they're recording government expenditure

Steve

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by Freddy Pleasure Chevy, There was a book published around 2,000 which highlighted all the cons and wastes which PFI encourages but sadly can't recall the title or author. It came out at the time when 'we never had it so good' and it was easy to pull the 25% nylon over our heads. Freddy

Was that the Private Eye special supplement? Possibly by Paul Foot shortly before he died. That was done at about that time

Steve

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by Chevyman Even if an alternative government is elected they will still be saddled with these deals, and repayments thereon, for the remainder of the PFI contracts; most are of thirty years duration

Some are of an even longer duration.

And if the Tories ever do manage to get back into power then it'll be a case of chickens coming home to roost. PFI deals were invented by a Conservative think tank and the first PFI deals were set up under Major. It's not a party issue, they're all as bad as each other

Steve

[samkydd]

Originally Posted by Steve Crook Some are of an even longer duration. And if the Tories ever do manage to get back into power then it'll be a case of chickens coming home to roost. PFI deals were invented by a Conservative think tank and the first PFI deals were set up under Major. It's not a party issue, they're all as bad as each other Steve

I knew someone once who was invited to be on a kwango (or is that Johnny the head-butting wrestler) or quango even, back in the late 80s and early 90s. Amazing amounts of money and expenses for minimal contribution of both attendence and effort, and also totally unaccountable of course. There were loads of them in the latter days of Mrs Thatcher and in the early John Major era, and they were along the same lines of "think tanks" only with much less thought!

[batman]

Wanna join my quango?

Apply: Mr J Kwango ......