'What should I ask George Osborne? Question suggestions wanted.' blog discussion

worldtraveller

Martin, I would ask you to please address the important issue of public sector pensions which are rapidly leading to a two-class retirement society in the UK. Those people with good quality pensions in the public sector, languishing in their comfortable retirement, with the rest of the country probably struggling to have any quality of life whatsoever.

With the public sector still enjoying unsustainable gold plated, index linked for life, final salary pensions, whilst these schemes have largely been closed in the private sector, what are the Tories plans for these, should they form the new Government?

drwrexham

Please ask Mr Osbourne why it still takes a few days to transfer money online between bank accounts, mortgage accounts, etc. The money leaves one account straight away before appearing in the the other account a few days later. Surely with computers the transfer should happen straight away. Also, with everything being computerised, why do we still have to abide by the "working day" concept. I can make a bank transfer online at 8.00 pm on a Saturday - why do I have to wait until Monday for it to start being processed?

XRAT

1. When an ex-pat in receipt of a U.K. state pension dies abroad, the government has no way of knowing. How many dead people are still recieving pension?

How can school children who get dropped off in a Range Rover and keep horses, be entitled to E.M.A.s?

Repeat offenders are entitled to Legal Aid no matter how many times they reoffend, the only beneficiaries are solicitors, it's a luxury this country cannot afford.

What does the shadow government propose to do to curtail the waste in the benefit system?

2. If an offender is to spend their working life in prison, at great cost to the community, only to be released at an age when they will claim benefit for the remainder of their lives can the cost of keeping them alive be justified, especially when there is a chance they will reoffend/be a danger to the public?

I-LOV-MONEY

Will the Conservatives keep the proposed 'broadband tax' on phone bills?

Can we be certain that if/when a Conservative Government is elected, they will keep to their promises?

XRAT

The pips are squeaking; if the country needs taxes so badly, shouldn't charitable donations be made after tax has been paid?

martinrangers

please ask him what he is going to do about the unemployed? as I remember when the tories were last in and they dealt the unemployed a very bad hand, the london sect were doing great, anyone above the north / south devide lost out big time. We have heard that the tories are green, what are they doing? nothing, I asked D.Cameron to support a renewable energy motion in the commons as he's my local M.P. and his reply was no!

Maggie43

What measures will you put in place to provide a fairer deal for ALL pensioners? In the current economic climate it appears that many pensioners, especially those who have been prudent and careful (through years when mortgage rates were in double figures), are continually penalised.

Those who saved throughout there working lives to augment retirement income have now seen a full year of almost zero interest, while bankers celebrate at public expense and those who spent above their means are bailed out.

Those who paid extra pension contributions into SERPS or worked longer to boost an inadequate state pension are not getting these pensions increased this year.

Those who own their own homes are denied even the minimal care which would allow them to remain in their community (are forced to sell and source their own --often inadequate - care on the commercial market), while non-home owners receive home care or eventually free residential care (subsidised by paying residents).

And finally, how is it fair to change the pension rules to disadvantage those whose working life began in so different a culture, more than half a century ago. I myself paid a married womans stamp for 6 years in the 1960s and then a full NI stamp for a further 36 years, and so do not receive a full pension. I was supposed to work 39 years at full stamp, and was not permitted subsequently to buy the extra years. I accepted this as my mistake, but am now incensed that in three weeks time, it will only be necessary to work for 30 years to receive a full pension.

Rawlplug_2

I woul like to know just how much he is in the picture about the UK's current economic condition. In other words, is he able to see the government's books at present or will he have to wait until the Torys win an election before he can understand what action will need to be taken?

antdon

My question is..

During the recent financial crisis in the banking system, when several banks without government aid would have gone bust.
The conservatives said they initially would have not supported the banks with public money.
How many million people does he think would have lost their homes and savings as a result of such a short sighted policy???

daska

When is he going to simplify the benefit system, make it fair to applicants in identical financial positions and make it based on 'need' rather than contribution.

e.g. people who have paid NI contributions but who then have to claim ESA get less money and less perks than someone in exactly the same financial position who has never worked.

Having been assessed by the DWP as being on a low enough income to qualify for free prescriptions they then have to apply separately to the NHS and be re-assessed.

Are the people on ESA (income related) getting only what they need or are they being rewarded for not having contributed?