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ePolitix.com Stakeholders comment on the publication of the government's social mobility white paper, 'New opportunities: Fair chances for the future'.
Party Response: Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrat Independent Report on Social Mobility
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said: "It is a scandal that in today's Britain two children born at the same time in the same hospital still have wildly different life chances based simply on the income of their parents.
"After more than a decade in power the government must wake up and stop tinkering at the edges. If Gordon Brown is serious about turning Britain into a fairer society he finally has to make some tough choices and deliver big, permanent and fair tax cuts for families who desperately need money in their pockets now.
"We must target additional resources in schools to those children who need most help, boost vocational education for teenagers, and radically alter the tax credit system so it is focused on helping those families most in need.
"Schools know which children need the most attention and we must allow them the freedom to get on with their jobs and stop government meddling."
Stakeholder Response: National Union of Teachers
Christine Blower, acting general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, Europe's largest teaching union, said: "Schools in the most challenging areas will always be fragile because of the social deprivation surrounding them. The support that they receive has to be consistent and the top priority is securing a stable and motivated staff.
"Currently, these schools are subjected to punitive accountability mechanisms and the introduction of the secondary National Challenge which gave the message to heads and staff of National Challenge schools that they weren't trying hard enough when in fact they were doing a great job.
"To attract teachers into schools in tough areas, teachers need to be convinced that working in such schools enhances, not undermines, their careers. The extra money being offered to take up posts in challenging schools will not do the job if the government continues with its arbitrary targets that could well see the school closed or put into special measures.
"Giving schools extra funding for reducing class sizes and making links with the community has been done before and was to some extent successful. This is the approach that the government needs to adopt if it wants to see a long term improvement in performance.
"'Golden handcuffs' may have a minor effect. The real need is to support those who have committed to a career with children and young people from the toughest backgrounds. The motivation of those teachers comes from knowing that they are making a massive difference to the individuals and that they are appreciated by their community and local authority. They need to be valued by government too."
Stakeholder Response: Chartered Management Institute
Petra Wilton, director of policy and research, said: "We look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the new high level panel of the professions that is to be chaired by Alan Milburn.
"It's in the interests of all employers to ensure fair access to professional development for all their staff – particularly in the current economic climate. Managers have a direct impact on corporate productivity and performance so their skills are critical to helping organisations survive these tough times.
"Of course, this places a premium on making sure that suitable routes to professional development are available. At most, one in five UK managers hold professional management qualifications. As the UK's professional body for management and leadership, the Chartered Management Institute is committed to providing clear pathways for progression and opportunities for individuals at any stage in their career. There are no barriers to entry in terms of previous qualification attainment.
"We also welcome the move to treble the number of Professional and Career Development Loans, which will help open up new career opportunities. Labour Force Survey data shows that individuals holding professional qualifications and membership of a professional body stand to earn an additional £152,000 over their careers, which provides a clear incentive for many individuals to invest in their own development.
"However, with many professionals facing possible redundancy this year, the government may need to move faster and increase availability before 2010/11.
"The white paper is right to identify the need to boost innovation and enterprise to secure the UK's long-term economic success. Many organisations are already looking to innovate out of the recession, with 48 per cent of organisations reporting that they've already implemented product innovation programmes."
Stakeholder Response: Law Society
Law Society president Paul Marsh said: "This initiative is timely and goes to the heart of what the Law Society is trying to achieve for the promotion of social mobility within the solicitors profession. Our diversity policies are continually updated and improved and the Society and the profession are making considerable headway. We believe that social mobility is an issue and we will be feeding into Alan Milburn's work.
"We already encourage firms to look for their recruits from a wide range of universities and other institutions. In 2008, 59.9 per cent of entrants were women and 22.6 per cent were from a minority ethnic group, compared with 52.6 per cent and 16.6 per cent ten years ago.
"The Society is also working hard to ensure that progression upwards in the profession is fairer, including issues faced by women solicitors around pay differentials and the perceived lack of partnership opportunities. We are also working on the profession's behalf to ensure that solicitors of all backgrounds, race and sex have a fair chance of becoming partner and applying for the appointments selection process.
"The Society will this year continue its Diversity Access Scheme, which supports individuals facing particular barriers in entering the profession. The Society promotes access to the profession and seeks to encourage would-be-solicitors by creating opportunities for students across England and Wales. Along with other groups the Society will help run the Minority Lawyers Conference, which promotes excellence through diversity, again this year on April 25.
"In comparison with many other occupations (like engineering and architecture) the solicitors profession has a relatively good record with respect to the entry of women and ethnic minorities, but we are always looking at ways to increase the diversity profile and break down the barriers to entry to the legal profession."
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd
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