Government policies

Describe, with examples, the impact of government policies on different public services P5 Identify how society is impacted by federal government policies

In the UK, policies are in place in order to safeguard us and assist implement variety and equality. Sometimes they are not constantly favorably influenced on our society and public services; they can be unfavorable as well. In this assignment, I will cover both the impacts of federal government policies on the general public services and how society is affected.

Human Rights

The most commonly understood policy that has actually affected all of the services is the human rights policy. This act was passed in the UK in 1998 which protected us and offered us the right to life, education, liberty and security and liberty of expression. Whenever these rights are broken, the victim might take the service or individual to take and challenge the actions of the violator. A Policeman was implicated of breaking someone rights after striking a student (Tony Jones) in the face.

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They violated liberty of assembly and association, liberty of expression and liberty of thought. Similar to numerous cases- This one was also dismissed and the Officer wasn't charged for the presumed violation.

Equal Opportunities

Really similar to Human Rights- Equal Opportunities also safeguard us. While this has actually been around for a while, the equality act was republished in 2010 which terminates any discrimination versus "age, special needs, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religious beliefs and belief, sex and sexual orientation.

" If for instance you are obtaining the Public Service and you are bisexual then the service can not decline your application due to the fact that of your sexual orientation. If you are a male Sikh and you wished to sign up with the Force, you are permitted to use a blue police turban with the badge of your force being displayed. This policy stops people from ending up being more 'important' than others which allow everyone to be dealt with fairly and not the same.

Civilianisation

As part of the financial cut back on the Public Services, more civilians are doing non-operational work. This includes more civilians working in the communication control centre which dispatches emergency services to 999 calls. A key reason for civilianisation is because it is a lot cheaper than employing trained employees who can do the same but with little training or experience.

Fire Station Closures

Fire Station closures is apart of the Government’s plan to increase savings. In London alone, 10 Fire Stations have been forced to shut down which has led hundreds of Firefighters jobless. Even the oldest serving Fire Station in Clerkenwell has been shut down. This means- For anyone who dials 999 and asks for the Fire and Rescue service, the fire fighters will take longer to arrive to the scene compared to before where there might have been a Fire Station nearby. As a consequence, Communities are not feeling safe which results in protests.

Increased use of Technology

The use of advanced technology being used during modern warfare has not only saved our armed services from being killed or injured, it also allowed us to get surveillance over areas that we would have never been able to. Drones and satellites have allowed us to spy over our enemies and also kill them. Metal Detectors allowed the frontline to find improvise explosive device (IED) which would have saved hundreds of lives alone. Unfortunately, it isn’t always as expected.

Drones are also responsible for thousands of civilians’ life during the Afghanistan War and they have even taken our lives (Green on Blue). In the UK, increase use of technology has also saved lives and helps prosecute criminals. The increase of CCTV in the UK allowed us to record and catch criminals and serves them justice. While some people believe they violate their privacy, some people feel a lot protected within communities.

Examples of society affected by Government Policies

They’re many policies that affect us both positively and negatively.
Examples of a few are;
Tuition fees
VAT rises
Sales of Council Houses
Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are probably one of the negatives about attending further-education. If you’re attending University then expect an expensive fee after your course that you are required to pay back each month. Many graduates are still paying their fees even after 5-10 years. The main reason why society is affected by the fees is because less people are attending university purely because it’s too costly. Even after graduation, you are not guaranteed a job so some people become jobless while having to pay back the debt.

VAT rises

Every item you purchase legally has a VAT which increases the overall cost of the item. This is normally a 20% increase which is quite costly- depending on the item. If you were to buy a computer for £500(no VAT) then the final price would be £600. This means many families are forced into poverty while they have to struggle on surviving on minimum wage.

Sales of council houses

Selling of council houses is becoming an increasing issue in the UK as people and even businesses are buying the house out. This means hundreds of family homes are now owned by private landlords or individual people. As a consequence, families are finding it difficult to find family-homes to live in.

How Society is affected by Government Policies

When Society does not agree with a new policy that the Government put into place, it normally results in protests near Governmental Buildings with signs criticising the work of Government. However, protests are both peaceful and violent. There are several types of protests such as:

-Sit-ins
-Marching
-Legal Action
-Striking
-Violating Laws

Sit in

This is one of the common types of protests. This means staying in one location while refusing to leave. An example of a previous sit-in is the protest outside the United Nations (U.N).

Marching

This involves walking from different locations while holding signs and normally shouting. One of the most famous marching was led by Martin Luther King in 1963. This protest was to promote civil rights and equality for the ethnic minority.

Legal Action

Though this isn’t a mass-protest, it is still a form which people still use. This involves taking a person or company to court in order to press legal charges against them. In 2012, the Democratic Party sued Florida because of the presidential election results.

Striking

This is commonly scene among Teachers who believe they are not paid enough or the Government plan on cutting their pay check. Striking means refusing to cooperate with your employer till your demands are met. This is normally a mass-protest since you are highly likely to be fired if you general didn’t listen to your Boss.

Violating Laws (Riots)

Riots are normally as a result of the Public feeling angry against the Government’s decision. Riots involve people burning down buildings, looting, criminal damage and even murder. During the 2011 Riot, 5 people were murdered, over 100 Police Officers injured and over 10 protesters injured.