The Coalition Government has today announced how much Pupil Premium money each school in England will receive in 2013/14. The cash targets extra money to schools depending on the number of children from disadvantaged backgrounds they have. The Pupil Premium is a major Liberal Democrat priority that is being delivered by the Coalition Government. The Pupil Premium will be worth a total of £1.65bn, or £900 per child, in 2013/14. It covers any primary or secondary school pupil that has been registered for Free School Meals in the past six years. Commenting, Liberal Democrat Schools Minister, David Laws said: “Liberal Democrats are building a ... More

Commenting on the rise in the Income Tax personal allowance announced in the Autumn Statement, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson, Stephen Williams said: “Liberal Democrats are working for a stronger economy and a fairer society, so that everyone can get on in life. That’s why we are cutting taxes for working people. “Today’s announcement means that by April, Liberal Democrats will have cut your income tax bill by £600 a year. “Liberal Democrats want fairer taxes, which is why we made raising the tax-free allowance our number one priority at the General Election – so important that we put it on the front page ... More

Launched at the Lib Dems Autumn Conference in Brighton, the Fairer Tax campaign seeks to make sure that the super rich pay their fair share and to cut the tax bill of ordinary people. If successful this would mean that since entering the Coalition, Liberal Democrats will have cut the Income Tax bill of most people by £700. Commenting on the campaign, Deputy Prime Minister  Nick Clegg said: “In government, the Liberal Democrats have already delivered a 10% increase in Capital Gains Tax from 18% to 28%, a new tax on sales houses worth over £2 million and a £10 billion new bank tax.” “But we believe we can ... More

The Liberal Democrats in government have kept their commitment to fair pricing for rail passengers. As a result, next year’s planned rail fare rise (initially RPI inflation, plus three per cent) has been capped at inflation plus one per cent. This will save over 250,000 season ticket holders up to £200 over the next two years. The money to fund the cap in fare rises will come from savings in the Department of Transport’s budget, and the government are committed to ending the era of above-inflation fare rises when the costs of maintaining and investing in the rail network allow. The Secretary ... More

Ed Davey, Lib Dem Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, today spoke about the measures the government has taken to enhance the role of solar PV (photovoltaics) and biomass in creating an environmentally-sustainable energy mix in the UK. The Department for Energy and Climate Change has now proposed a range of new rates for solar projects covered by the Renewables Obligation – the commitment to producing a percentage of energy from renewable sources that energy companies are required by legislation to fulfil. Support levels for solar PV generation will be roughly equivalent to the rates that govern individual Feed-In Tariffs. Commenting, ... More

Liberal Democrat Minister of State for Care Services Paul Burstow has announced the most radical reform of social care in the UK in over 60 years. These changes will mean that people will no longer have to face selling their own homes to pay for their care. They will fix a fragmented and confusing care system, end the incidence of ‘postcode lotteries’ in care, improve training across the board, and shift the system’s focus to prevention instead of endless crisis-management. The government’s aim is to create a social care system that is modern and comprehensive, fair and sustainable. Top Ten Changes in ... More

The Liberal Democrats are proud to support the ‘Fix Parliament’ campaign for a majority-elected House of Lords. After 100 years of promises, papers, reports and Commissions, it is time for the government to take action and deliver a truly democratic second-chamber. There is no excuse nor justification for half of our parliament being appointed at the whim of party leaders to lifetime terms of office – an arrangement that we share in common with Belize, Burkina Faso, and Jordan. There is no excuse for supporting a system that allows some lawmakers to inherit their office – an arrangement that we currently ... More