Union in talks on 'windfall taxes'

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Delegates at the annual conference of Unison will discuss moves to introduce a levy on firms such as banks and oil companies to help finance an improvement in public services.

A key motion to be debated at the Brighton conference calls for greater public spending to meet social need rather than "crude" cost cutting to achieve efficiency targets.

Unison will complain that efficiency targets will hit services while attempts to cap pay will damage morale.

The union will also discuss its demand that the Government should build 20,000 new social rented homes a year up to 2011 as well as invest in council housing.

Unison's general secretary Dave Prentis said: "Putting artificial caps on public spending is stopping the Government achieving some of its most important commitments. They stand in the way of key targets to end child poverty by 2020, to deliver equal pay and to tackle the housing crisis.

"Targets to increase the numbers of people that the Government wants to help into home ownership are all well and good, but what about the estimated 1.6 million children in Britain who are either homeless, trapped in temporary accommodation or living in overcrowded, unfit conditions?

"Unison members working in schools, hospitals and providing local services don't just see a housing ladder, they see a sheer cliff face, with no way up. What they want is decent, affordable rented accommodation.

"It's time for the Government to set itself a new target, a target that would really help to solve the housing crisis. They should start by building 20,000 new social rented homes a year up to 2011 and by putting more direct investment into council homes."