Interesting Articles
08/07/2008 - Government accused over bonuses
The bonuses here mentioned are subject to common purpose and elements of the bonus paid as a matter of reward for corruption implemented outside the civil servants job description this bonus stolen from the public purse. I ask the question to Mr Gordon Brown how long has it been classed as a perk of the job to steal money from the uk tax payer. Now we know why we are paying for higher fuel prices food price increase ect shame on you Gordon, or is it you believe in robbing the poor to subsidise the rich, or pheraps you was dick turpin in a past life, or is it plain old common purpose to rip the uk people and our once great britain off.
Martin - DWPCORRUPTION .CO.UK
http://news.bbc.co.uk/mobile/bbc_news/top_stories/749/74918/story7491808.shtml?
30/06/2008 - No Ifs No Buts
Benefit Theft occurs Everyday at the hands of corrupt DWP staff. Did you know to with hold benefit and threaten to stop benefit is an unlawful act on behalf of the the DWP and Job Centre Plus Departments? It is a fact the DWP act in a unlawful Malicious Vindictive way that is an act of persecution on behalf of the DWP. The DWP have a squad of officers tackling Benefit Fraud, but who tackles the fraud and corruption within the DWP? Answer – WE DO at www.dwpcorruption.co.uk (The independent Watch Dog) !!
Take note - Whistle Blowers wanted to reveal Corruption within the DWP departments. Its not a Matter of who we can catch, Its When?
Are you next Mr DWP?
30/06/2008 - The Principle of the Abuse of Power
It is a fact the DWP Officers that practice Unlawful Malicious Vindictive Persecution against members of the public to encourage victimisation and harassment is outside the DWPs employed officers job description and is an act of unlawful intent, and you the general public should know and understand that the more corrupt the DWP act outside their job description are rewarded by government with bigger pay rises, more holidays and more perks. What do you the general public get? Apart from been subject to guaranteed vindictive malicious persecution, you must blow the whistle on the masonic staff that appear to be crushing the living daylights out of you.
30/06/2008 - COUPLE HIT OUT AT JOBCENTRE “DISCRIMINATION”
30/06/2008 - The csah-for-fake-ID scandal at the heart of the Government
Click here to view the article
26/06/2008 - You Be The Judge ?
“Mr Ronald, it is a known fact, that no government department of complaint works on behalf of the public.” States Chief Social Security Commissioner, Judge Gary Hickinbottom.
Do they or don't they ?
The below letter and report is from the taxpayer funded IPCC, who investigate complaints against the police.
All I would ask of the reader is simple, please go to www.DWPcorruption.co.uk - Cases Page and read the first case, Paul Ronald – Malfeasance and Abuse of Power. Then please read the supporting linked evidence directly below it – Where from the issue and the supporting evidence, it will be seen there are a large number of criminal offences committed by those who should set example. Where all of these criminal offences have been reported to the police, time and time again (20 yrs), with full supporting documentation.
Witnesses to judge Hickinbottom's, statement also made complaints to the police in regard to their observed criminal offences unlawfully committed by him and others in my issues.
The police did nothing, just as when reported to the IPCC, we again find the same unlawful willing blindness, to public duty and observing the law ?
Read More...
25/06/2008 - Whistle Blowing on the DWP in Brighton!
Further evidence of the violation of our rights under the Labour government
DWP states -
With much, much other evidence we have received from, many, many government whistleblowers (Shortly to be on site), we have no reason to doubt the below information we have been forwarded – Can you shed any further light to the below information ?
Has the DWP now been turned into another recruitment ground for common purpose ?
ARTICLE from an insider at the Pensions Regulator in Brighton
I would like to tell make it known what goes on at the Pensions Regulator. Because I feel that a lot of things are not right.
TPR comes under the DWP. Some of the departments there are quite suppressive towards its staff. If an employee feels something is not right or complains about anything they are taken to a small room away from other staff members and normally told they are being negative. Normally by someone like Debbie Lucas who I suspect may be working for or influenced by Common Purpose. She arrived at the Pensions Regulator just before Christmas 2007 announcing to staff at a meeting that she "doesn't want problems, I only want solutions". The line managers never speak up for or look out for the staff they are supposed to be responsible for, they only look out for themselves like frightened yes men afraid of losing there jobs. Debbie is quite scary and overrides the line managers who have no say about her ruthless ways. The staff that get upset or feel uneasy are told by human resources to get counselling or go to the doctor and get some medication. As if if the problem is with the staff member and has some kind of psychological problem!. What utter nonsense and downright suppression! Una Mills of human resources seems to take great joy in telling people that and boasts about how many people she has made redundant. Seems like mind control to me!
Debbie Lucas also works three days a week for the DWP in London . Staff are told they must keep to the core hours and also they are trying to abolish flexi time. Yet Debbie and some line managers seem to come and go as they please. Debbie turns up at lunchtime and when her "week" is finished disappears at lunchtime. Or even, like some line managers; say they are working from home. Debbie announced in December that no annual leave was to be taken for three months between January and March. Apart from line managers of course and Debbie who actually took three holidays in those three months, one each month, to go Skiing! Nothing like setting an example to boost staff moral eh Debbie ! Anyone that complains are told they are responsible for lowering staff morale. Get a life and wake up Debbie !. The big brother atmosphere you are creating will get you as well as your future generations!
June Mulroy the executive director of the Pensions Regulator wants to get rid of staff that has worked there for more than five years. They are creating and I quote " a new culture at The Pensions Regulator" (you can say that again!). June says that staff over the age of fifty are negative and set in there ways. Does that include her I wonder? she's no spring chicken!. So why is she still there if she's so concerned.
David Norgrove the Chairman of the Pensions Regulator is into his sixties, watch out mate, June may sack you. Don't book any expensive holidays right now, but I suppose you'll be well taken care of. You are one of boys that stand on one leg and give funny handshakes at the Masonic lodge I'm sure. David Norgrove former Personal Private Secretary to none other than Margaret Thatcher gets paid well over one hundred thousand pounds a year for the equivalent of three days work a week. Yet David is seldom to be seen at the Brighton office, does he to work from home I wonder?. Nice work if you can get it David !
Apparently June wants a staff that know little about pensions (does that include herself and the Chairman? - Why are they still there then?)
To turn the place into one big call centre where everyone is multi tasking. Oh you mean un-professional at everything and expert at nothing!, yeah that makes sense. The pension members can sleep well in there beds now, knowing that their pensions are so safe under the guidance of the likes of June Mulroy (formerly of UNESCO) and David Norgrove (three days a week man). As I see it they are changing the culture to a place where people are afraid to speak out for fear of losing their jobs. Instead of experienced staff, new young contract staff that know nothing about the days when loyal staff were valued and respected.
They are making redundant loyal staff members. Telling them that their jobs are no longer required in the new organisation. This is a lie because the work is still there and being carried out by temps on poor work contracts. TPR are supposed to protect pensions. What about the pensions of those they have made redundant?.
The government set up the Pensions Regulator after the Robert Maxwell pensions rip off scandal. They seem to be more interested in gathering a big database on anyone that contacts them. Even details like the date of birth of solicitors that contact the Pensions Regulator. Pension providers have to pay a pensions levy for each member of pension schemes. This goes to the Pensions Regulator and the Pensions Protection Fund. Can you imagine the millions of pounds being collected? A pot of gold for TPR to waste on £1,000 a day consultants and management salaries. Consultants that sit on their arses dreaming up ways to make staff member's lives more uncomfortable. Taking staff to expensive hotels to play monopoly or snakes and ladders and calling it team building. Inventing new and very expensive computer systems that become obsolete within a year.
On one team building event the staff were taken to a posh hotel at Stanstead for a couple of days. At one point the staff were hypnotised by the man running the "workshop". Brainwashing or what?. A few staff were traumatised by it. This is where the money gets wasted.
Why do the managers of the front office of TPR harass staff who go sick by consistently phoning them at home?. They force the staff to do lengthy training courses or if they refuse they are out of a job. With no extra pay for the effort of studying. The atmosphere is so politically correct at TPR that it reminds me of a religious cult, a cross between NAZI Germany and Communist Russia.
TPR paid thousands for its logo. A logo so simple that a child could have done a better job of it.
Is a workplace where management are honest and open with its staff, value hard working and loyal staff and treat them with respect, A workplace where they can come to work without being in fear of losing their jobs, too much to ask for?. Or is it all deliberate, influenced by the sinister organisation Common Purpose that want to demoralise the people of Britain let alone the staff of TPR. To destroy and demoralise the country from within and take into a European Communist-Fascist state. I'm sure many will recognise the behaviour at TPR in their own places of work. Big brother has arrived. Its time to wake up!
- Charlie Massey –strategic development director : Charlie Massey is currently a senior civil servant in the Department for Work and Pensions, responsible for heading up the division that designed the Pension Protection Fund. Charlie has previously worked in the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit, HM Treasury, and in various roles in the Department of Social Security. Charlie will take over his new role from the current interim strategic development director on 1 September 2005.
- June Mulroy – business delivery director : A qualified chartered accountant, June Mulroy has wide ranging experience in the public and private sector including roles as finance director, management consultant, and corporate treasurer. She was Head of Strategy and Information for Midland Bank, and most recently interim Chief Accountant for UNESCO. June joined the Pensions Regulator in February 2005 as interim business delivery director.
- Mark Eade – business support director : Prior to his new appointment, qualified chartered management accountant Mark Eade has had over 20 years experience in the public and private sectors as a finance director and in corporate support roles . In 2004 he set up the corporate infrastructure for the independent regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts. Mark joined the Pensions Regulator as interim business support director in February 2005.
Also David Norgrove , ex Marks and Spencer exec and former Personal private sec to Margaret Thatcher.
Debbie Lucas Interim manager, also works for DWP.
Tony Hobman chief exec
13 December 2004 - David Norgrove announced as first chair of The Pensions Regulator
The first Chair of the new Pensions Regulator (TPR) has today been confirmed as David Norgrove , who was most recently an Executive Director of Marks and Spencer .
The appointment was announced by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Alan Johnson .
Mr Johnson said:
"I am delighted that David Norgrove has agreed to take on this important role. He has a strong track record in both the public and private sectors and will bring highly relevant skills, knowledge and experience to the crucial task of regulating work based pensions.
"For the new regulatory body to succeed in its statutory objectives of protecting members' benefits, improving standards of administration and limiting calls on the Pension Protection Fund, it is crucial that we have an active and engaged Chairman who is able to help the organisation to meet the strategic and operational challenge of regulating in a proportionate and pro-active way."
Mr Norgrove will take up his new position in January and his first task will be to lead the selection of the non-executive Board members for the new body.
Mr Norgrove said:
"I am very pleased to be taking this role as first Chair of the Pensions Regulator. As Chair of the Marks and Spencer pension scheme for the past few years I appreciate the scale of the issues faced both by those who are regulated and by the new regulator. The need now is to develop a clear, risk based approach which recognises the needs of all schemes. I look forward to working with the Chief Executive, staff and Board of the Regulator to achieve this. Key to our success will be our active engagement with all those involved in the provision of work based pensions."
Notes for editors
- David Norgrove began his career in H M Treasury, first as an economist then as an administrator. His time there included two years on loan to the First National Bank of Chicago .
- He was Private Secretary to Mrs Thatcher from 1985 to 1988, when he joined Marks and Spencer . At M&S he held responsibility for strategy, for the international businesses, in buying, and in new business development.
- Appointed to the Board of M&S in 2000, his final post within the organisation was with responsibility for clothing. He retired earlier this year.
Press office media enquiries: please contact Stewart Todd
Press office: 020 7238 0866
Out of hours: 07659 108 883
Public enquiries: 020 7712 2171
Website: www.dwp.gov.uk
24/06/2008 - Where Is My Lawful Right to Justice?
I am one of the ever-rising numbers of people who have faced the unlawful malicious vindictive persecution of the family courts. Where law does not allow us, to talk of issues, which are held behind closed doors (In secret).
However, when it may be shown from the ever-rising number of websites, such as -
www.Dwpcorruption.co.uk - saclinfo - crooked-lawyers.com - crooked-lawyers.co.uk - legal bullies - stand your ground - Injustice Scotland - Shirley Mackie - Dunblane Uncovered - Uk community issues - Unjustis uk - professional Rouges – CASIA - Rough Justice - solicitors from hell - Action for justice - NHS exposed -Virtualiti Universal human rights - Fame 97- Families link international -Trevor Mendham - Ju Gosling - Rick on the roof- to name but a few websites, and independent newspapers such as the UK Column and the Westminster. (With apologies to all those not mentioned)
All of which (and many more unmentioned) show the unlawful willing blindness to truth of documented evidence and observing the law. Coupled with the in hearing, witnessed statement of chief social security commissioner, Judge Gary Hickinbottom. Which was made in hearing with him (unlawfully ?) sitting as a high court judge, in eleven applications against the government. (Case No's 6CF0941 to 6CF04951). Where as well as unlawfully not observing the law in judgement, stated, “Mr Ronald, it is known fact, that no government department of complaint works on behalf of the public” (Dwpcorruption – Cases and petition pages – Evidence for IPCC 2, with one of the witnesses statements at rear)
Read More....
24/06/2008 - Treason and Judges
300,000 FAMILIES EVICTED:
300,000 FAMILIES ARE THE VICTIMS OF:
1. BANK FRAUD, and
2. JUDICIAL CORRUPTION.
*
1. BANK FRAUD:
(a) VARIABLE INTEREST RATE LOAN CONTRACTS, and
(b) MONEY CREATED OUT OF THIN AIR.
*
2. JUDICIAL CORRUPTION:
(a) CONCEALING BANK FRAUD, and
(b) UNLAWFUL DISPOSSESSION OF HOMES.
*
DENYING TRIAL BY JURY
IS DENYING DEMOCRACY
*
DENYING DEMOCRACY
IS TREASON
Written by John Wilson, http://www.rightsandwrong.com.au
06/06/2008 - Further Evidence of the Continuing Unlawful Magic Roundabout From Hell
Further Evidence of the Continuing Unlawful Magic Roundabout From Hell !
The Times article below yet, again shows the con, cise unlawful magic roundabout from hell that has been unlawfully created within our legal system. Where the ever-rising number of unlawfully maliciously vindictively persecuted (UMVP), are being irrefutably shown from below. That from 06 to 08 it has cost £495,000 pounds in fines, for the ever rising many in the legal services, to be unlawfully protected whilst criminally milking the taxpayer of millions ? Where again we will see an unlawful ever rising number of UMVP, with if, or hardly any lawful accountability ? Where the law society can again sit around, doing if, anything, but rubbing their hands, in view of the £31 million it is going to get next year ? Whilst no doubt, wondering how much it is going to cost them next year, to continue these unlawful acts ?
Where from the ever rising number, and presence of our many sister sites, as well as DWP, showing this unlawful corruption. The present labour government and it's PM, as did his predecessor, again show an unlawful willing blindness to public duty ? Where they continually unlawfully allow this unlawful violation to the basis of our society, which should be the law ?
Where still it is even more comforting to know, we have a name change in two years, we are again guaranteed is to be more efficient ? – I wonder if they will be personally informing that to the ever rising numbers of (UMVP), who are still on this unlawful roundabout from Hell ?
From The Times
June 4, 2008
Law Society faces fine for poor complaints system
The Law Society's procedures for dealing with complaints are dismissed as "inadequate" as a £275,000 fine is imposed
Frances Gibb, Legal Editor, and James Rossiter
The Law Society, the professional trade body for all solicitors in England and Wales, has been hit with a £275,000 fine for its complaints-handling system, its second such fine in two years.
Zahida Manzoor, the Legal Services Complaints Commissioner, yesterday criticised as “inadequate” the Law Society's complaints-handling plan for the current financial year, which ends in March next year.
Zahida Manzoor, the Legal Services Complaints Commissioner, yesterday criticised as “inadequate” the Law Society's complaints-handling plan for the current financial year, which ends in March next year.
The Law Society, a self-regulatory body, paid a £220,000 fine for its 2006-07 complaints plan, which the Commissioner also declared sub-standard.
More than ten thousand complaints about solicitors are made to the Law Society each year.
It passes those complaints made by members of the public to the Legal Services Complaints Board (LCS) and the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Both these bodies report to the Law Society.
Investigations can take up to a year or more to process and can lead to disciplinary action being taken against members of the legal profession or entire law firms.
Ms Manzoor accused the LCS of “a preference for remaining within a comfort zone and avoiding difficult decisions until some point in the future”.
Solicitors pay in total more than £31million a year in fees to fund the LCS but it was described by Ms Manzoor as “not a value-for-money service” for its lawyer members.
“I have always welcomed improvements in timeliness and quality of processes but they have come at a financial cost that is unsustainable. This must stop. LCS has to address working practices, reduce costs and become more effective and efficient,” she said.
The Law Society and the LCS called the Commissioner's decision “completely unjustified” and accused Ms Manzoor of “disproportionate action”.
Deborah Evans, chief executive of the LCS, said: “It is important when developing a complaints handling plan that we do not make false promises. We didn't - we set stretching targets but not ones that it would be impossible to achieve.”
Des Hudson, chief executive of the Law Society, said: “The performance of the LCS compares favourably to other similar organisations and on any reasonable measure must now be regarded as an effective complaints handling body.”
Professor Shamit Shaggar, chair of the board of the LCS, said: “By any reasonable measure this is a disproportionate action by the Legal Services Complaints Commissioner that brings no benefit to either the legal profession or consumers of legal services.”
The LCS will be replaced in about two years by a new Office for Legal Complaints which should be independent from the Law Society. Ms Manzoor said it was likely that another 40,000 consumers could have their complaints handled by the LCS before it closes. “The standard of customer care must therefore continue to improve,” she added.
13/05/2008 - 'Pimping' fear over job adverts
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Whatever next will our labour government do to get one parent families, house wives and single guys & girls to go to work and reduce the employment figures.
The Poppy Project says women will become involved in prostitution
|
Jobcentre adverts may lead to women becoming prostitutes, a group dealing with trafficked sex workers has warned.
Denise Marshall, of the Poppy Project, told the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee women as young as 17 were being offered jobs in the sex industry.
After addressing MPs, she accused the government of "pimping" by offering jobs such as stripping and escorting.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said a test case meant such adverts must be carried by Jobcentres.
Relatives 'distressed'
Poppy Project director Ms Marshall said it had had contact with two 17-year-olds who had gone into a Jobcentre where a number of the vacancies had come up.
She told the committee: "Their mother and older sister contacted us because they were so distressed that this had happened."
|
 The jobs included stripper, webcam stripper, adult show hostess, lap dancing and work with an escort agency 
Denise Marshall
Poppy Project |
Ms Marshall said the age of applicants was not monitored by the Jobcentres' computer system.
"And when you are offering £20 an hour to be a webcam stripper to a 17-year-old, the chances are they may be naive," she added
Outside the hearing, Ms Marshall said she was not aware of any cases of women becoming involved in prostitution.
But she added: "It hasn't happened yet, but it will.
"The jobs included stripper, webcam stripper, adult show hostess, lap dancing and work with an escort agency."
Court ruling
The Poppy Project said it had accessed adverts in a number of Jobcentres in the London area despite protests to the DWP which runs the network.
The DWP said Jobcentres had to advertise the job vacancies after the Ann Summers sex shop chain brought a test case in 2003.
The High Court ruled that advertisements for legal work in the "sex and personal services industries" should be allowed.
The project's Anna Johansson also told the committee that law enforcement agencies in Albania and Nigeria have been accused of either being actively involved in trafficking women to the UK or turning a blind eye to it.
Public Services news : Wicks "sickened" by DWP pornography revelations
Wicks "sickened" by DWP pornography revelations. Thursday, 26 Aug 2004 15:39. Wicks. Wicks "sickened" by porn access.
http://www.politics.co.uk/public-services/wicks-sickened-by-dwp-pornography-revelations-$3285155.htm |
19/02/2008 - Scottish Legal Complaints Commission taken over by Law Society of Scotland
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill continues to disappoint the public in terms of their consumer rights against lawyers & legal services as it was revealed today that telephone comments by staff at the the Scottish Government's Justice Directorate have revealed that a vast amount of staff from the Law Society of Scotland itself are to be migrated to the new 'independent' Scottish Legal Complaints Commission, where 'independent' means ... 'more lawyers than ever'.
At least 34 members of staff from the Law Society's headquarters at Drumsheugh Gardens in Edinburgh, are to work for the new SLCC, which was confirmed in a telephone conversation upon enquiries over the make up of the 'independent' complaints body.
The SLCC, which is yet to even start its work, but has suffered from constant attempts at the hands of the Law Society of Scotland to undermine its function, is rapidly losing it's independence from the legal profession at the hands of Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, even though the aims of the new complaints body was to be a break from the past and ensure independent regulation of complaints against Scottish solicitors.
We were to be treated to a spin release from the Justice Directorate over the influx of Law Society personnel as a way of 'bringing into the SLCC the most capable staff of dealing with complaints against lawyers' but discussions on how to go about this still seem to be ongoing, as some are concerned over the 'more jobs for the lawyers to protect each other' image it brings to the SLCC.
Since I have now broken the story, that will ease the problems of telling the public I hope ...
A source at the Justice Department speculated that many of the members of staff from the Law Society had themselves been involved in mishandled complaints against some very well known solicitors, where clients rights and finances had been seriously breached by the conduct of their legal representatives, with the Law Society of Scotland taking a back seat and ultimately letting those solicitors, some who had been involved in serious financial frauds against clients, to escape penalty, while ensuring the client got no compensation.
As one lawyer put it this afternoon after hearing the Law Society staff were being squirreled into the new regulatory body - "that's like asking serial abusers to go into their victims homes when they are alone and abuse them again. I don't think the public will be very happy at that."
Oddly enough I have written along these lines before, being warned during the appointments process of the Law Society's wish to ensure its staff were "at the heart" of the new complaints body with the following articles :
Scottish Legal Complaints Commission 'lacks impartiality' despite Ombudsman's appointment as Chairman
Legal Profession attempts fiddle against new Scottish Legal Complaints Commission as wider review required on injustice in Scotland
Levels of Lay Membership on new Scottish Legal Complaints Commission questioned as lawyers begin attempt to plant allies in positions
The continuing demise of the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission even before it begins its work, seems to be aimed at preventing clients of solicitors and the public getting a fair hearing of their complaints in the independent venue which the SLCC was designed to be.
Allegations of continuing interference in the SLCC's formation process by the Law Society of Scotland, and charges of an almost "clueless attitude" at the Scottish Government on how to go about forming the new independent body to deal with public complaints against lawyers, have helped the legal establishment see that everything down to even the SLCC's appointments process has seen many from the legal profession itself migrate into the new body designed to prevent the mistakes of the old.
It's almost like the Law Society of Scotland has now renamed itself the "New" Law Society of Scotland - in the form of the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission, and is ensuring professional survival and control over regulation by getting their own staff into the new complaints body to prevent fair & proper hearings of public complaints against crooked lawyers.
Also today, the Scottish Government refused requests from myself and others to carry out an investigation into the appointments process, citing there was no such need and that everything had been handled correctly and above board with all appointees declaring their full histories and backgrounds.
However as you know this is not the case at all, and the new Chairman Jane Irvine, confirmed in writing she had not been given any prior knowledge of the appointees to the SLCC, even though they include lawyers whom her office has considered complaints against how the Law Society of Scotland has handled complaints against their respective legal firms and other solicitor partners, and the checkered histories of ex-Police appointees to the SLCC to which the incoming Chairman was also not made aware of.
See my earlier article for the call for an investigation into the SLCC appointments process after revelations of previous scandals of some of the appointees here : Call for MacAskill appointments 'sleaze investigation' as revelations show Legal Complaints Commission member was subject of Police inquiry
A Justice Department civil servant today stated that "short listed lawyer candidates were subject to checks on their disciplinary record" but those records were themselves provided by the Law Society of Scotland - who are well known to fiddle a few complaints against crooked lawyers and legal firms ... so the records themselves have no validity whatsoever other than perhaps whitewash value, which the Justice Secretary seems to be using quite well .. when it comes to his friends in the legal profession.
Cover up or cover up ? - No need for an investigation into appointments scandal, says Scottish Government
Click here to see the image
As for the public, well, there is clearly a diminishing chance of getting your complaints heard properly at the hands of the new Scottish Legal Complaints Commission, when it is going to be comprised of mostly migrated staff from the Law Society of Scotland.
The Law Society of Scotland have wasted no time in getting their spies into the new SLCC, and I say that with considerable ease, as given the performances I have seen from the Law Society staff against poor clients who had to complain against a crooked lawyer, I wouldn't trust anyone who worked at the Law Society to be able to change their conditioning and work in what is supposed to be a completely transparent regulatory environment at the SLCC, compared with the secretive, closed and corrupt regulatory environment at the Law Society of Scotland.
Not much of a public interest performance from Kenny MacAskill then, who doesn't seem to value Scots rights at all when it comes to dealings with lawyers.
There does seem to be a problem emerging now with the SNP on issues of Justice and public access to it. While I am fully supportive of many other Scottish Government policies in different walks of life, I am left to wonder, as many now are, why the SNP is failing on justice. Is that solely down to Kenny MacAskill and if so why is this being allowed to happen ?
Put Scots before lawyers for a change ... we deserve it, Mr MacAskill ...
20/12/2007 - More security breaches likley experts warn!
29/11/2007 - DWP corrupt staff sell claimants identities for cash!
Revealed: The cash-for-fake-ID scandal at the heart of the Government
Civil servants have sold the personal details of hundreds of thousands of people to criminal gangs
By Francis Elliott and Sophie Goodchild
THE INDEPENDENT Published: 14 May 2006
An internal investigation at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has found that civil servants are colluding with organised criminals to steal personal identities on "an industrial scale".
Ministers have been privately warned that the investigation will show that hundreds of thousands of stolen personal details have been ripped off from official databases, often with inside help. Key personal details such as national insurance numbers can be used to commit benefit fraud, set up false bank accounts and obtain official documents such as passports.
The ID theft from DWP and Revenue and Customs databases is currently the subject of an internal investigation, code named Trident, carried out in conjunction with the Government's official data-protection watchdog.
One government figure said: "We have been told that DWP staff have been colluding with organised criminals to commit identity theft on an industrial scale. It is far wider than just tax credits and reaches right across Whitehall ."
A minister confirmed that the issue was causing panic in the office of John Hutton , the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and a key ally of Tony Blair . "It's clear it's pretty serious," she said.
The Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas , told The Independent on Sunday that there are "widespread concerns" that poorly paid staff in tax and benefits offices are "open to temptation".
Ironically, the true scale of identity thefts from the DWP came to light only when its own civil servants were the victims of an audacious attack on the Government's tax credits. The personal details of 13,000 staff were passed to gangsters who used them to steal an estimated £15m in benefits.
Today, however, it can be revealed that the scam is just one of 25 incidents of "significant organised fraud" so far uncovered. The DWP refuses to comment, saying only that there is an "ongoing investigation".
Mr Hutton 's nervousness could be explained by the fact that official statistics are now overdue on how much tax credit was paid through error or fraud in 2003-04. Ministers already admit that an initial sum of £430m will have to be revised sharply upwards.
Richard Bacon , the MP who exposed the foreign prisoner débâcle, has now written to the Government's spending watchdog asking him to investigate.
"It is clear that the security of individuals' personal details has been far more severely compromised than has been admitted thus far by ministers. I have written to Sir John Bourn , the Comptroller and Auditor General, asking him to investigate urgently this failure by the Government to protect our IDs from fraudsters."
One senior Whitehall figure said that civil servants were being unwittingly duped into giving away personal identities in most cases. Figures published last week show there were 100,000 offences under the Data Protection Act in the DWP and Revenue and Customs between 2000 and 2004. Neither department will release the figures for Trident, set up in 2004.
Mr Thomas , who this week called on the Government to stiffen penalties for releasing personal information from a fine to a two-year prison sentence, said: "There are widespread concerns that lowly paid staff can be open to temptation," he said. "They [officials] need to say to their staff this [illegal selling of data] is a very serious matter and from time to time they do say this. I've seen newsletters from Customs and DWP reminders to staff that this is a very serious matter. It is a disciplinary matter and you could be exposed to a fine. If they could say in future you could be exposed to a prison sentence that is really going to be a wake-up call."
Union officials say Revenue and Customs investigators believe they know from which DWP office at least some of the information has been stolen but have so far been unable to narrow the search further.
Staff appraisal records, containing names, dates of birth and NI numbers, were removed some time last year, investigators believe. The information was enough for an organised criminal gang to claim millions of pounds in tax credits by making thousands of fraudulent claims for the credits, a means-tested top-up for low- income families.
Charles Law of the Public and Commercial Services Union says it could hardly have been made easier for the fraudsters to use stolen NI numbers to make bogus applications for tax credits online. "People applying online for tax credits were supposed to receive a telephone call to confirm their ID but, of course, there were too few staff to make the calls and they didn't happen."
Mr Law told the IoS that the fraudsters who targeted JobCentre staff almost certainly had inside help. "Staff have access to the ID details of pretty much the whole country and so there is always going to be a risk."
The sheer scale of the potential abuse was underlined by a report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies which found that government departments hand out state support to 2.1 million lone parents - even though the best estimate is that Britain has just 1.9 million single-parent households.
Mike Brewer of the IFS has said that the 200,000 "phantom" lone parents shows just how successful the ID fraudsters have become.
STOLEN LIVES
STEP 1 Fraudsters are passed details of national insurance numbers by civil servants with access to the Revenue and Customs database.
STEP 2 The details are used to receive utility bills bearing the names and details of the IDs stolen from the database, which records every man and woman in the UK .
STEP 3 The criminals can use utility bills to open fake bank accounts, providing themselves with a crucial element for the new identity.
STEP 4 An internet search by the fraudsters helps them to apply for a replacement birth certificate.
STEP 5 The fraudsters apply for replacement passports, which can be sold to gang masters for people smuggling.
