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See other news stories'Fair rules' agenda revealed
2 December 2008
The Prime Minister has set out the government’s ‘fair rules’ agenda, outlining a range of policy initiatives designed to support strong communities.
Published on the eve of the Queen’s speech, the Fair Rules for Strong Communities strategy sets out a comprehensive series of reforms.
These reforms are designed to bring people together, and to steer the country through the global economic downturn.
The strategy covers areas including:
- welfare reform
- crime and policing
- business rules
- immigration
Strengthening communities, improving enforcement
Building on the action taken to help families and businesses, the strategy sets out 50 measures to strengthen community ties, improve enforcement and provide clear consequences for rule-breakers.
The changes include a new ‘one strike rule’ for benefits cheats, under which they could lose their benefits for up to four weeks.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said, 'We believe in providing real help for families and business now, when they need it. But it also means taking action to ensure our communities are strong. Stronger communities, quite simply, will help our country come through these times faster and stronger.
'So. as government takes action, we expect people to play their part in return, with clear consequences for those who do not. In a fair society that is what people would expect.
Major steps in crime and policing
Major steps are being taken by the government to promote and maintain fair rules in key areas including crime and policing, where steps include:
- a tougher community payback scheme - offenders will wear a uniform and undertake hard community work for several hours a day
- a new victims’ commissioner to give victims and witnesses a stronger voice in the justice system, protecting their interests and ensuring fair treatment
- support for people who do the right thing, including a £5m community crime fighters programme to train members of the public who want to make their towns safer
Major steps in immigration
In immigration, the steps include:
- a new requirement that immigrants contribute directly towards a fund to help local service providers deal with the short-term pressures of migration
- reforming the immigration system, including rolling out the new points-based system to ensure Britain attracts people with the skills our economy needs
- enforcing strict penalties against immigrants and employers who break the rules
- establishing new partnerships between local authorities and enforcement agencies so they work together to gather intelligence, and track down immigration offenders and failed asylum seekers
Learn more
Find out more about the Fair Rules document on Number 10's website. (new window)
