What ideas and suggestions would you like us to pass on to the new government?

[Carriemumsnet]

We are meeting with government in the next few weeks and we'd like to pick your brains. Obviously times are tight and most government departments will be anxious to find ways to increase efficiency. Do you have any thoughts about how things could be made simpler and easier, perhaps by using Mumsnet to implement services or offer support currently offered in other ways? Are there particular services that you think warrant special protection and should be ring-fenced? Or any particular ones that you feel are badly implemented/ wasteful? How could Mumsnet work with government to make life easier for parents? For example should Mumsnet be promoted by Midwives and Health Visitors to parents when they leave hospital or have their final visit? Could Mumsnet be used as a job-share hub? We know you'll have lots of ideas and suggestions, so please post them here and we'll try and pass on as many of them as we can.

Thanks, MNHQ

Just heard on Radio 4 that the plan is to allow new businesses outside of the South East & London a big N I employer break. I'm really glad for those outside of the South East but that won't help me or my DH's business stay afloat. I work for the public sector and it is completely possible my job will go in the cuts. As my income has helped keep him going through and I quote "the most difficult trading time I've ever known" if my job goes and things don't improve quickly his best option - and the irony is not lost on me - would be to move into teaching (as he has very specialist skills). So I'm still saying Local authorities need to be nurturing their small businesses and doing everything possible they can to help them - even in the South East. Many local Gov employees seem to get a real thrill from hurting small businesses and business people because they don't have a law degree or the back up of big businesses.

"Am sick and tired of being told I can't put a cholate biscuit in the children's lunch by the same people who are feeding all the other children nutrasweet EVERY DAY."

excellent point. If the chocolate biscuit had nutrasweet in it, then the same people would encourage the eating of more biscuits.

some great suggestions here

1. Do less.
2. Cut back the frontiers of the state
3. Simplify
4. Lower and simplify taxes
5. Merge tax and NI
6. Seek to achieve a flat tax
7. Remove most tax allowanes and complications - don't let the fiscal tail wag the dog - let people take decisions not based on tax consequences
8. Freeze benefits, allowance and the like for the 5 years of the parliament
9. Give all parents a voucher to spend at schools of their choice and have an aim of transferring all schools into the private sector

10. Increase paternity rights and reduce maternity rights so that women aren't foisted into dull domestic housewife roles 11. Change the law to force both parents to have the children 50% of the time on divorce 12. Remove all sick pay other than statutory sick pay in the state sector (so it is like the private sector - ie no pay for first 3 days off sick at all and then just SSP) and of course retirement ages for all in all sectors and all jobs at 67. 13. No forcing people to retire if they do not want to

And many others.

Take care of the carers.

6 weeks respite which is not means tested. I am a carer of a parent with dementia (living with me), I have children and a Dh and have received a letter cancelling all respite unless means tested.

• Scrap tax credits and higher the tax threashold instead. Make childcare tax deductible or provide free childcare - tax credits could then go altogether

• Make IS only payable for the same length as maternity otherwise it has to be JSA - completely unfair some mums only get 9 months and some get 7 years - not to mention it makes people virtually unemployable after so long out of the workplace. May also stop the benefits cycle repeating with the children.

• Scrap HIP and Surestart grant. Abolish funding for school uniforms, free laptops etc

• 50/50 to be the starting point of custody after a split

• Count maintenance in means tested benefits - why should a fathers contribution count when you live together but not when you dont?

• Cap child related benefits to two children

• No extra benefits paid if you choose to have a child/children whilst already on benefits

• Make more benefits based on contributions - our teen pregnancy rate would soon drop

• More checks made on claimants - am always amazed at the number of single mums who are quite clearly in a relationship or even having more children whilst on benefits

• Long term benefit claimers of JSA/IS to do community work in return for benefits to encourage a work ethic

Please can you start to be a bit more intelligent about tuition fees?

Surely it would make far more sense to have a scale of fees that are applied at different levels for different subjects.

For example, if this country needs engineers, or physicists, or mathematicians, then to study these at university should cost less (or be completely subsidised) than other subjects that are less in demand in our economy (like, oh, I don't know... surfing, or meeja studies for example).

That way, you start to influence the number of graduates available to work in our economy with subject expertise that will attract investment into our economy from companies that are crying out for these skillsets.

Make sense?

More cycle paths, sort out public transport so it is a viable alternative to driving.

Look into the Fair Tax System Fair Tax

Reinstate dogs licenses.

Liking the suggestions, esp Xenia's and HappyMummy's

Resign en masse with immediate effect.

autodidact, I think you may not be treating this with the seriousness it deserves

I was wondering if anyone agrees with me. Why is it that childcare is so expensive, so going back to work seems hardly worth it and we are about to get child benefits and tax credits cut so staying at home is going to be hard. Why dont we get a little something for staying at home and being a family, i dont like the thought of some else bringing up my child. I understand there has to be cuts but there are so many benefit frauds out there deal with them. Im not claiming anything, someone said to me why dont i claim job seekers benefits to which i replied i cant do that im not actively seeking a job, to which she replied everyone else is doing it. Im an honest person that just wants to raise my family. Tell me Mr Cameron whats wrong with that and why do we have to suffer for being honest people.

yawn at all the free marketeers. Seriously, move to America and join the tea partiers, you'll be much happier there. Yes, I'm looking at you Xenia.

What good will that do with Socialist Obama in the White House?

at the thought of obama being "Socialist"

Why is Michael Gove continuing with the mad free schools idea? Surely with all the cuts on their hands they will be busy enough fixing things that are broken without breaking the state school system too?? Seems mad to me.

Also heard on the radio this morning that Govt will anounce council tax freeze ( in E&W as Scotland has had one for couple of years already) and local govt pay freeze. Pay freeze is already happening for ordinary workers (although not the bosses interestingly enough..) Council tax is surely up to local councils who already have other cuts to deal with? So much for decision making going to the local level....

Marking place to come back and read when there is less Cub activity.

OffToSortHimOutTiggaxx

My husband and I both work. I am currently on maternity leave. If I return we will earn over £50,000 between us pre-tax so would not be entitled to tax credits.

It is not affordable for me to return to work with two children (one a baby) unless childcare is either much cheaper (under £100 a week) or subsidised.

We have no need for any other tax credit, just help with childcare. Without help with childcare through tax credits with my first child I would never have the good job or career I have now and I cannot continue without the same help with my second child. I will pay far more back in the long run through tax if I am working and having a career. If I continue working for a few more years my earnings should rise significantly and we would not need any help. I am sure many women are in the same position.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE can the government keep tax credits for childcare or provide subsidised childcare through the state or they will lose huge tax revenue and a generation of talented women from the best jobs.

i knew it. all that 'mumsnet election' arse kissing was just to soften us up for a takeover.

i will definitely, definitely quit mumsnet if mnhq sells us out to these tory bastards, anyone else thinking of doing the same?

its not enough that they're selling off our kids schools to the highest bidder; it's not enough that they're going to remove all job security from teaching posts; now they've come for mumsnet, the refuge of pissed off women everywhere.

I don't know what you mean by coming after mumsnet. But I do not feel as if I have been fooled into anything. I hope the Tories woudl win before the election, and I am glad they are in still. Okay, a coalition, but good enough.

I'm a tad annoyed about losing child benefit because I actually I only just scrape by each month after forking out for childcare so I go to work. But, hey ho, at least we now have a government who wants to clean up the mess rather than making more of it.

I think you will find that not every MNer is disappointed with the Tories.

And i completely agree with Strawberry3. It is a real shame that the government in so shortsighted in their tax collection that they drive people out of work -- people who really want to work.

I would be delighted if they took my 1 - 10 list above but the left need not worry. The coalition is not particularly radical.

It was number 11 I was worried about Xenia.