Open and read 'Government failure – printable resource' before using this resource.

Unnecessary drugs?

Has there been government policy failure over swine flu?

In the emergency last summer the government contracted to buy 120 million jabs from the two manufacturers, GlaxoSmithKline and Baxter, but then reduced the order to just 44 million as the emergency petered out. Only 6 million of those have actually been used, nearly 4 million are being given to the World Health Organisation for use in Africa, leaving 34 million on the shelf.

Open and read 'Government failure – printable resource' before using this resource.

Energy efficient lightbulbs

In 2008 the Government ordered the big energy companies to invest in measures for improving energy efficiency and cutting fuel poverty.

The result is that 12 million low energy light bulbs were posted to households over Christmas by an energy company as part of its legal obligation to cut carbon emissions, despite government advice that many would never be used. Over 180 million light bulbs have been issued most are gathering dust in drawers.

Open and read 'Government failure – printable resource' before using this resource.

Overuse of NHS

20% of visits to GPs are for coughs and common colds. This costs the NHS £2bn a year, without making any difference to people's health. The NHS has become a victim of demand-led culture… £10 per visit should be enough to deter people with sniffles.

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Patio heaters

Following the introduction of the smoking ban in Northern Ireland, there has been an increase in the number of bars and restaurants providing patio heaters for customers who want to smoke outside. Estimates 91,000 patio heaters in NI would emit the same amount of CO2 in a year as driving from Belfast to Giant's Causeway and back 116,000 times.

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Unemployment

New Deal 25+ was a mandatory “welfare to work” programme established in 1998, which aimed to help the long-term unemployed, aged 25 and over, to improve their employability and get into work. But despite spending £69m, the PAC found the Department for Employment and Learning adapted a “one-size-fits-all” approach and did not address fundamental problems. The failure rate was 80%.

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Bureaucracy

Needless bureaucracy is costing councils in England £4.5bn a year - money that could be spent on vital local services, according to a report.

The Local Government Association said there should be "a bonfire of red tape" to free up taxpayers' money.

It said increased running costs and staff numbers in recent years had left every household in England paying at least £11 more than necessary.

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Sparrow Killers

A great example of total government failure (in German but has English subtitles):