Letter: Cutting benefits, but Government waste goes on

Under proposed Government welfare reforms over half a million people claiming long-term sick pay will have to work or risk losing their benefit. Claimants in Burnley and Aberdeen will be the first to undergo the medical assessments.

This will include the genuine claimants as well as those termed "scroungers", that may not always take into account medical history or even advice from GPs.

Many individuals with long-standing and medically established permanent health problems will no doubt suffer. With the emphasis on getting people back to work to satisfy Government targets, scant regard will be shown, I fear.

It will be interesting to see just what will happen to those who have new vehicles supplied every two years under the mobility scheme.

With all this going on it is alarming to read that Whitehall wastes billions of taxpayers' cash on hotels, credit cards, mobile phones, stationery, computers, car hire - the list is endless. In addition, councils everywhere spend thousands on pointless "non-jobs", such as political advisors and European and diversity officers.

Across the UK local authorities spent more than £41 million on filling the "non-jobs". A total of 543 full-time council employees worked as diversity officers at a cost of £20 million.

Is it any wonder why council tax is now financially crippling us all?

Then we have the House of Lords, a refuge for failed MPs, who are able to claim in excess of £400 a day for attendance with no responsibilities.

With thousands facing redundancy under Government cutbacks, just where will all these "extra" jobs come from? Sort the benefits system out by all means but don't forget the idle, wealthy fat cats who enjoy luxurious lifestyles at public cost, who do not know the meaning of life on a pittance.

Bernard Jones

Newtown