tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34128264.post1759185209115600476..comments2024-03-25T12:55:40.911+00:00Comments on Caron's Musings: Nick Clegg speaks out on free schools and parentingAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988201531739344840noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34128264.post-54684795343700912192011-09-07T18:28:57.647+01:002011-09-07T18:28:57.647+01:00Hi Caron,
Julie from Campaigning for Health here....Hi Caron,<br /><br />Julie from Campaigning for Health here. Was wondering if you could give this a bit of publicity? We're trying to get all the Scottish MPs to turn up and vote in the Health and Social Care Bill.Thanks,<br /><br />http://juliemcanulty.blogspot.com/Julienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34128264.post-60796471728425139892011-09-05T15:12:54.561+01:002011-09-05T15:12:54.561+01:00If he hadnt gone into coalition with torys there w...If he hadnt gone into coalition with torys there would be no free schools.Now I wonder what excuse he has for destroying NHS.I didnt vote libdem for thisbillgavhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14082389073271706697noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34128264.post-2983856922212210152011-09-05T14:55:00.837+01:002011-09-05T14:55:00.837+01:00How can we, as liberals, oppose pluralism and choi...How can we, as liberals, oppose pluralism and choice in the provision of public services? Since when was the state some omniscient being that knows best how to educate the children in society?<br /><br />Free schools are non-selective, not-for-profit, opportunities for non-state actors to have the chance to do things differently and do things better. As long as they adhere to the same diversity entrance requirements as local authority schools and meet pre-requisite requirements on the core curriculum and basic teaching standards, where is our cause to criticise them?<br /><br />The Department for Education stats show that half of these new free schools are opening up in deprived areas. Just because they're being set up in non-purpose built premises, doesn't mean that it's not a cost-efficient way to provide a decent education. New school buildings are time-consuming at the planning stage, costly in the set-up costs, then the value of the premises is often greatly diminished in the event that the school needs to expand or move further down the line, making a future venture more expensive.<br /><br />The profit issue is a legitimate one, but beyond the very basic political charge of state subsidy of private enterprise, I'm not convinced it is a terribly significant issue in practice. It's worth pointing out that even independent schools which don't currently receive any sort of state support are invariably registered charities and thus any "profit" made is reinvested in its entirety into new facilities and projects related to the school in question. Often surplus goes back into bursary support, which institutionalises fairer access.<br /><br />You also mentioned the NHS and there are certainly issues with the enforcement of some parts of the new bill, but ultimately the principles are similar. It doesn't matter who <b>provides</b> health services as long as the method of funding is fair and comprehensive and the quality of care of a sufficiently high standard. If a for-profit organisation can do the same job as well or better and for less, then more power to them! Clearly we need to make sure adequate statutory protections are in place but the assumption that only the state can participate in the provision of a universal and comprehensive service doesn't strike me as an especially liberal one.<br /><br />People make a lot of reference to the US health system as evidence against the merits of private enterprise in the health system. What they ignore is that the US system is substantively private in both funding and provision. The reason the coverage across the US is so bad is the funding mechanism and not who is actually carrying out the medical care! If you look at countries like Germany, the funding mechanism is an insurance system with a universal state safety net, but with independent providers dealing with the actual care-side. Whilst the Germans typically spend more on their health system than we do, they also have a much more integrated health strategy (despite less of a governmental role). Their obesity, smoking and alcohol problems are more promising than they are in the UK, for example.<br /><br />In short, the public vs private debate is one that we should engage with more empirically. Both have a role and it seems overtly and at times unnecessarily political to dismiss one out of hand.Graeme Cowiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02704481523638679620noreply@blogger.com