That was the week that ...

..The Chancellor put forward plans to get the unemployed into work, which included providing free mobile phones. This will enable personal advisors to send text messages or call when a vacancy arises. However Gordon Brown warned that those who refused jobs would lose their benefits. He hinted that his budget on 21 March would include grants of 400 to help dole claimants bridge the gap between coming off benefit and collecting their first pay packet.

..A church caretaker announced that she was taking her employer of 20 years to an employment tribunal, claiming that she was unfairly sacked after asking for the minimum wage. Her case is being backed by the Citizens' Advice Bureau, where staff calculated her wage at 2 an hour, considerably less than the 3.10 minimum.The church is contesting her claim and declined to comment.

..Thousands of teachers' jobs are under threat, as scores of schools with low GCSE results face closure in a "three strikes and you're out" policy revealed last week. Schools that fail to meet the target for three successive years will be considered for a "fresh start", with all teachers forced to reapply for their jobs. The Government has already ordered the shutdown and relaunch of nine schools under new leadership within two years of failing the Oftsted inspection.

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