Hidden away an obscure Home Office publication last month is a tiny financial detail. It wasn't even announced to the House of Commons during George Osbourne's budget last week. You may be forgiven for thinking that it is insignificant, a minor financial footnote. It's not. It's a bombshell. What is more, it effects huge swathes of Monmouthshire and will cost the area jobs, prosperity and incomes. The worst part of it is that it's all ideological.
The Forensic Science Service (FSS) has supplied evidence in many high profile criminal cases in recent years. Such evidence has been key to convictions being secured in some of the most gruesome crimes committed in modern times, from Soham to Ipswich. Despite these crucial successes, however, the Conservative led Government has announced that the service will close. What they have not said publicly, though, is that closing the service will cost £70 million pounds. That's right, £70 million to cut 1,600 jobs across the country, including 166 in Chepstow.
Before the last election, the Labour Government became increasingly alarmed at the costs the FSS was piling up. Several ideas were put forward for debate, one of which was the closure of the FSS. Ministers studied each proposal in detail, against a backdrop of the FSS losing a reported £2 million per month. Closing the service was quite rightly considered and quite rightly ruled out. Instead, a 'rationalisation' plan was put into place, which concentrated on how the service could save as much money as possible without harming service provision. By consulting with management, Unions and service users, a plan was put into place which would cut the losses and maintain the FSS crucial role in the criminal justice system.
The change of Government last May, however, has dealt a severe blow to the FSS. The Conservative led Government has announced that they would be axing the FSS, with it's functions either being privatised or bought in from the existing private sector. Tory Ministers seized on the figure of £2 million per month to portray the service as wasteful and inefficient. No mention was made of the restructuring plan and the savings that were coming on stream. The Tories were determined to press ahead with another ideological privatisation, going further than Margaret Thatcher had ever dreamed. The closure was dressed up as necessary, in relation to savings and efficiency. But thanks to the obscure Home Office document, such claims can be seen as being a complete sham.
In trying to privatise the FSS, the Government are putting 166 people in Chepstow on the dole. Add on the knock on effects, of 166 fewer families with incomes, spending less money in their local community and the problems grows ever bigger. Does it have to happen? No. A thousand times no. Why is it happening? Because this Government is determined to privatise wherever it can - and as we recently saw with Nick Clegg, they will play fast and loose with the truth when trying to justify their actions.
Sneaking out unpopular news like this is no better than the 'burying bad news' scandal under Labour. I condemned it then and I will condemn it now. Politics must be transparent, especially where public money and people's jobs are concerned. By trying to hide the huge cost of closing the FSS in an obscure document, the Government are taking us for fools. Their decisions to close public services for political reasons and blame the deficit is low. Hiding the true costs of their actions is lower still.
The Forensic Science Service (FSS) has supplied evidence in many high profile criminal cases in recent years. Such evidence has been key to convictions being secured in some of the most gruesome crimes committed in modern times, from Soham to Ipswich. Despite these crucial successes, however, the Conservative led Government has announced that the service will close. What they have not said publicly, though, is that closing the service will cost £70 million pounds. That's right, £70 million to cut 1,600 jobs across the country, including 166 in Chepstow.
Before the last election, the Labour Government became increasingly alarmed at the costs the FSS was piling up. Several ideas were put forward for debate, one of which was the closure of the FSS. Ministers studied each proposal in detail, against a backdrop of the FSS losing a reported £2 million per month. Closing the service was quite rightly considered and quite rightly ruled out. Instead, a 'rationalisation' plan was put into place, which concentrated on how the service could save as much money as possible without harming service provision. By consulting with management, Unions and service users, a plan was put into place which would cut the losses and maintain the FSS crucial role in the criminal justice system.
The change of Government last May, however, has dealt a severe blow to the FSS. The Conservative led Government has announced that they would be axing the FSS, with it's functions either being privatised or bought in from the existing private sector. Tory Ministers seized on the figure of £2 million per month to portray the service as wasteful and inefficient. No mention was made of the restructuring plan and the savings that were coming on stream. The Tories were determined to press ahead with another ideological privatisation, going further than Margaret Thatcher had ever dreamed. The closure was dressed up as necessary, in relation to savings and efficiency. But thanks to the obscure Home Office document, such claims can be seen as being a complete sham.
In trying to privatise the FSS, the Government are putting 166 people in Chepstow on the dole. Add on the knock on effects, of 166 fewer families with incomes, spending less money in their local community and the problems grows ever bigger. Does it have to happen? No. A thousand times no. Why is it happening? Because this Government is determined to privatise wherever it can - and as we recently saw with Nick Clegg, they will play fast and loose with the truth when trying to justify their actions.
Sneaking out unpopular news like this is no better than the 'burying bad news' scandal under Labour. I condemned it then and I will condemn it now. Politics must be transparent, especially where public money and people's jobs are concerned. By trying to hide the huge cost of closing the FSS in an obscure document, the Government are taking us for fools. Their decisions to close public services for political reasons and blame the deficit is low. Hiding the true costs of their actions is lower still.
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