A Call To Account

"What happens when Parliament fails to hold the government to account? What happens when the very institution that is supposed to represent us becomes dysfunctional?" These are the central questions posed in A Call to Account, a compilation of interviews conducted between November 2000 and July 2001 for a series of Stornoway Productions television documentaries on Canadian government. The interviews contain the reflections, observations, and analyses of those most familiar with the inner workings of Canada's political system - from government and opposition backbench MPs, to Cabinet ministers and party insiders, to civil servants, academics, historians and the media. The picture of Parliament that ultimately emerges is one of an impotent, stagnant institution that no longer plays a significant role in holding the government to account or in influencing public policy. Debate in the House of Commons has degenerated to the level of farce, rather than a forum for intelligent discussion. The majority of MPs have little or no ability to affect or scrutinize government action. Instead, decisions are made by an elite few, namely the prime minister and the members of Cabinet, in the backrooms of Parliament Hill - a situation that undermines the very system of government upon which our Constitution was based. A Call to Account leaves no doubt that the need for parliamentary reform is urgent; it is up to all Canadians - politicians and ordinary citizens alike - to stand up and demand that their voices be heard.

A jaw-dropping - and intimate - account by the woman who spent five years as the nation's watchdog of how much of the money needed for public services is misspent, while too many corporate giants get away without paying their fair share. As Chair of the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee from 2010- 2015 Margaret Hodge has been both the scourge of waste and inefficiency by successive governments. At the same time she has helped to disclose the chicanery of companies out to avoid tax. Fearing a summons before the inquisitor-in-chief, mandarins and chief executives quaked. Called To Account takes readers on a fascinating journey inside the NHS, the BBC and defence as well as Amazon, Starbucks and G4S. And comes to radical conclusions about how things must be improved. Hodge scrutinises: The weakness of tax authorities in tracking down corporate tax and forcing companies to pay up Massive failures in public procurement - from committing billions to buy 2 new aircraft carriers when there was no money in the budget; to the absurdity that police forces could cut the costs of their uniforms by over 30% - if only they could agree on how many pockets they need; to a study of 61 hospital trusts which showed they bought 21 different types of A4 paper, 652 different styles of surgical gloves and 1751 different cannulas. The disastrous introduction of Universal Credit, at a cost of £700 million. How a £500 million project to centralise 999 calls had to be abandoned. How officials move seamlessly into well-paid jobs in the private sector while company directors are appointed into positions in government. After the referendum, UK government needs to be fitter than ever before. And needs to secure maximum revenues. This conversational, witty and engaging book shines a light on some of the most fascinating and alarming issues facing us today and shows us the way forward - with salient and pragmatic solutions for the future.

Originally published in 1728 at the beginning of the Enlightenment when rational criticism of religious belief was at its peak, William Law’s work succeeded in inspiring the most cynical men of the age with its arguments in favor of a spiritual life. Proclaiming that God does not merely forgive our disobedience, but directly calls us to obedience and to a life completely centered in him, Law declares, “If you will here stop and ask yourself why you are not as pious as the primitive Christians were, your own heart will tell you that it is neither through ignorance nor inability, but because you never thoroughly intended it.” Law’s prose is packed with vivid imagery and illustrative anecdotes that both reveal what it means to lead a Christian life and unmask the perversion of Christian tenets by secular and spiritual establishments. This challenge of conventional piety and emphasis on Christian perfection directly influenced literary critic Samuel Johnson and historian Edward Gibbon, as well as Cardinal John Henry Newman. John Wesley called Law’s work one of three books that accounted for his first “explicit resolve to be all devoted to God.” Charles Wesley, George Whitefield, Henry Venn, William Wilberforce, and Thomas Scott each described reading the book as a major turning point in his life. William Law (1686-1761) was educated at Cambridge, took a teaching position there, and was also ordained in the Church of England. He lost his access to university venues and the parish ministry when he was unable to swear allegiance to the Hanoverian dynasty that replaced the Stuarts as the rulers of Great Britain. Although forbidden the use of pulpit and lecture hall, he preached through his books, including Christian Perfection, The Grounds and Reasons of Christian Regeneration, Spirit of Prayer, and Spirit of Love.

Accompanying CD-ROM contains ... "26 software programs, help files and tutorials."--Page 4 of cover.

A Call to Alignment speaks directly to the body of Christ to take its rightful place through God-ordained structures and apostolic governance. As the kingdom of God is advancing to the other parts of the world so is the infiltration of man-made structures, philosophies, and empires that is replacing the original pattern of the church or the body of Christ. This book distinctly brings any teachings or doctrines that have deviated from the original God-ordained pattern for the church into alignment. The case and argument presented is excellent, and the thesis expounds the subject matter within context and gives the reader a valuable understanding of being spiritually aligned as per the pattern in the Old and New Testament. The illustrations and expounding of scriptures gives one a simple yet profound understanding of the concept of spiritual governance, and it gives clear apostolic directions and guidance to the body of Christ. This book is a must-read for all that are in ministry as a leader and also to all those that are called to be part of the body of Christ. This book addresses the most important aspect of kingdom reality and living-the realization of God's divine order in our lives. It is a handbook to bring into focus God's command and directive for His church to reflect Him accurately and succinctly in a rapidly changing world.

A complete resource, this handbook presents current knowledge on concepts and methods of human factors and ergonomics, and their applications to help improve quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness in patient care. It provides specific information on how to analyze medical errors with the fundamental goal to reduce such errors and the harm that potentially ensues. Editor Pascale Carayon and an impressive group of contributors highlight important issues relevant to healthcare providers and professionals and their employers. They discuss the design of work environments and working conditions to improve satisfaction and well-being, and the reduction of burnout and other ailments often experienced by healthcare providers and professionals. It is a remarkably comprehensive account offering readers invaluable knowledge from individuals who are some of the most respected in the field.

In a recent study of 61 hospitals, it was found that they bought 21 different types of A4 paper, 652 different kinds of surgical gloves and 1751 different cannulas. Police forces could cut the cost of their uniforms by over 30 per cent if they all bought the same one. But they disagree on how many pockets they need. Having committed to buy two new aircraft carriers, the MOD realised it didn't have the funds to buy them. The delayed delivery cost an additional £1.6 billion. We've spent £500 million on an abandoned project to centralise 999 calls, £3.5 billion on privatising the Work Programme, £700 million on implementing Universal Credit (used by 18,000 people), £20 billion on medical negligence claims, £70 billion (and counting) dealing with nuclear waste at Sellafield, and countless millions on IT investments in the BBC, the Home Office, the NHS . . . Waste is everywhere. Fighting against this waste is the Public Accounts Committee, which oversees some £700 billion of public spending every year. As its chair from 2010-15, Margaret Hodge knows the excesses of government bodies better than anyone. Conversational, witty, engaging and packed with anecdotes and insights about the biggest political figures of our time, Called to Account shines a light on some of the most fascinating - and alarming - issues that face Britain today.