WIREDGOV

Today the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has published for the first time, the track access dashboard, an overview of how passenger and freight train operators are using the capacity available across the Britain's rail network (access rights) and how effectively the rail industry is meeting timetabling timescales.

Today, the 2nd May, millions of voters will head to the polls to elect more than 2,500 councillors, 37 police and crime commissioners, 10 metro mayors, 1 MP (by-election in Blackpool South) and London Assembly Members.

New research from Public Health Wales and Bangor University, published today in BMJ Open, shows that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can affect people’s perceptions of their ability to cope during the cost of living crisis. 

More than 57,000 new and expectant mums have received specialist support for mental health problems over the last year, up a third on 2022, NHS figures show.

As we head into the Bank Holiday weekend there is still some uncertainty around the exact details of the forecast.

The FDA yesterday submitted an application for judicial review relating to the relationship of the Civil Service Code with the UK government’s Safety of Rwanda Act.

Today, voters across Wales will have to show ID to vote for the first time as they head to the polls to elect four Police and Crime Commissioners, covering North Wales, Dyfed Powys, Gwent and South Wales respectively.

The G7 must weigh the benefits of confiscation against potentially large but uncertain costs.

Proposals which will help to protect people against the threat of ticket touts at UEFA EURO 2028 are the focus of a new consultation launched today.

The government’s aim is for the UK to be a science and technology superpower. However, the UK’s current science and technology policy is based on three fallacies that limit its ability to become a tech superpower.

Some of the leading minds from across the world of science have given their backing to Professor Mark Thomson’s bid to be the next Director-General of CERN.

Blog posted by: Eleanor Thursby, corporate communications Officer, 01 May 2024 – Categories: Engineering, Mission delivery, Recruitment.

Blog posted by: Steven Shukor, Principal Content Designer, 02 May 2024 – Categories: Content, User centred design.

This POSTnote outlines applications of semiconductor chips. It gives an overview of the supply chain, the UK’s semiconductor industry, vulnerabilities to the supply chain and policy considerations for improving supply chain resilience.

Courts issue fines for failing to register boats on the River Thames. Environment Agency enforcement officers regularly patrol the river.

It will be no surprise for many to hear that April 2024 has been a wet month. In what has felt like an unsettled spring so far, the UK has had its sixth wettest April since the series began in 1836, according to provisional statistics from the Met Office.

The investigation by the BBC into abuse at Whitefield School in Walthamstow is absolutely shocking. I am horrified by the content of the CCTV footage and the scale of what was uncovered.

After many delays, Iraq’s Kurdistan Region is scheduled to hold internal elections in June. But with one major party boycotting the polls, their success hangs in the balance.

HMICFRS yesterday published a report on crime data integrity within the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

Jaswant Narwal, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS London North yesterday commented on the attack.

Voters across England and Wales are being urged to remember their ID when they go to the polling station today.

Initial delivery plan for the Mental Health & Capacity Reform Programme, setting out a range of actions that are either underway or planned in the period up to April 2025.

The $300 billion of immobilized assets can only partly address the cost of Ukraine’s survival and reconstruction. There should be no qualms about confiscating it.

Lobbying of Ministers over WhatsApp and other Non-Corporate Communication Channels (NCCCs), should be subject to the same disclosure regime as face-to-face meetings, says the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee in its new report. 

The UK Government’s next Islands Forum will take place on Ynys Môn/the Isle of Anglesey in Wales on 7-8 May. The agenda for this meeting will focus on housing.

A violent thug who murdered a man and raped two women as part of a ferocious four-day crime spree has had his sentence increased after it was referred to the Court of Appeal.

The Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government & Planning, Julie James MS has appointed Ewan Jones as the new Chair of the Design Commission for Wales Ltd (DCfW Ltd).

The UK’s leading progressive thinktank, IPPR, has responded to the announcement that Shell profits have risen to £6.2 billion ($7.7 billion) in the first quarter of 2024 and announced a new round of share buybacks, transferring £2.8 billion ($3.5 billion) to shareholders. 

Baroness Stowell of Beeston, Chair of the Communications and Digital Committee, writes to Rt Hon Michelle Donelan MP, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology following the publication of the Government’s response to the Committee’s report ‘Large language models and generative AI’.

Culture Secretary, Lesley Griffiths has visited to Caerphilly Castle to see how a £10m investment at one of Wales’ finest historic sites is progressing.

Over £500 million in Child Disability Payment paid to families

A highly sophisticated drugs trafficker has been jailed for 19 years and six months in a National Crime Agency investigation.

The Minister of State (Europe), Nusrat Ghani MP, met with Evgenia Kara-Murza to discuss the imprisonment of her husband, Vladimir Kara-Murza.

techUK's International Policy and Trade team is excited for an upcoming couple of months filled with major events and opportunities. 

The Lord Chancellor has approved the reappointment of Professor Penney Lewis as a Commissioner of the Law Commission of England and Wales.

Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies recently met with local fishers at Swansea Maritime Quarter.

The new regime will support greater competition in the sector and more choice to consumers, supporting industry growth.

An illegal entry conviction has been quashed by Maidstone Crown Court after being referred by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

The government department outlines new ambitions for supporting UK business with the publication of its new business plan.

We have published a joint statement with Ofcom about collaboration on the regulation of online services where online safety and data protection intersect.

National Crime Agency officers have charged three people with drug smuggling offences after three separate cocaine seizures off the same flight.

The UK along with 170 countries attended the fourth Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) in Canada this week.

The Prince of Wales has visited the Northeast of England to carry out two engagements in Seaham and Newcastle.

AlphaTheta’s proposed deal to acquire Serato could also reduce innovation, choice, and access to DJ equipment and software.

Alister Jack reaffirms UK Government's goal to achieve long-term growth with more than £3bn invested directly across Scotland to boost business and prosperity

The first illegal migrants set to be removed to Rwanda have now been detained, following a series of nationwide operations this week.

The UK’s export credit agency has completed its first transaction in support of overseas offshore oil and gas decommissioning.

Marking His Majesty's return to public duties, The King and Queen have visited University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre, where they spent time with patients and their families.

A West Yorkshire Police (WYP) officer is due to make his first appearance in court to face two charges under the Terrorism Act.

Gary Fothergill, Specialist Prosecutor for CPS North East’s Complex Casework Unit, said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised Northumbria Police to charge Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers with causing criminal damage after the Sycamore Gap tree was cut down last September.

As Children’s Commissioner, it is my privilege to speak to hundreds of thousands of children about their lives, their hopes and dreams for the future. I want children to be ambitious about their futures as well as about their present – and overwhelmingly, they are.

The statement follows the operational establishment of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) today, 1 May

Rory Deighton responds to the Liberal Democrat's analysis showing the number of patients making their own way to A&E

Colonialism and the slave trade were, at best, minor factors in Britain’s prosperity and may have been net lossmakers.

Officers from the National Crime Agency have arrested a further man over a Channel boat crossing which resulted in the deaths of five people on a French beach.

Ofcom has today opened an investigation into whether OnlyFans is doing enough to prevent children accessing pornography on its site.

UK government joins G7 nations and calls for swift action to protect marine habitats and halt biodiversity loss

An Official Statistics in Development publication for Scotland

The Freight Innovation Fund is supporting businesses to innovate and back skilled UK jobs.

The Charity Commission has opened an inquiry into We Care Foundation.

Don’t lose your opportunity to claim Unclaimed Court Money. The rules are changing and only 1 month remains to claim funds that have been held for 30 years or more.

The opportunities available for aspiring barristers and solicitors in Yorkshire and beyond were discussed when the Attorney General visited staff at the Government Legal Department in Leeds.

Cllr Darren Rodwell, housing spokesperson for the Local Government Association responds to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities latest homelessness statistics

A fund to support food and drink festivals and events across Wales opens for applications on Wednesday 1 May.

Leading food delivery companies will introduce enhanced security checks on their apps to prevent the market being abused by illegal workers, following discussions with the government.

The Joint Economic Data Hub (JEDHub) report shows growth in Defence sector employment, recruitment and revenue.

Dangerous extremists intent on promoting extreme ideologies will be blocked from entering the UK as the government steps up action to protect the public.

On the day that Association for Project Management (APM) launched its new research report The Golden Thread 2024, the organisation invited its Fellows to discuss the findings and ask questions about the profession’s future at its latest Fellows’ Forum.

Consultation launched to strengthen safeguards for child strip search including the requirement to notify parents and guardians when a child is strip searched.

Government to launch consultation on lifting the 50% cap alongside proposals on opening special faith-based academies. 

This report calculates the updated percentage uplift required in remote rural and island areas of Scotland to calculate fuel poverty.

SMEs in high-growth industries looking to adopt AI solutions could receive £7 million, following the launch of two new competitions

Gold bullion and artwork worth millions of pounds has been taken out of criminal hands as a result of a National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation.

Information Commissioner John Edwards has condemned data protection standards at health services for people living with HIV and called for urgent improvements. 

Private sector activity fell again in the three months to April (weighted balance of -14%, compared with -12% in the three months to March), according to the CBI’s latest Growth Indicator.

On 29 April, Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act Regulations came into force.

HMICFRC inspected the National Crime Agency in January 2023 and examined how well the agency helps police forces and other law enforcement bodies to identify corruption and tackle it.

A retired BBC sound engineer has been sentenced after a National Crime Agency investigation found him in possession of over 58,000 indecent images of children.

CBI yesterday responded to First Minister's resignation.

Robust Home Secretary action has driven an almost 80% fall in student dependant applications in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.

The Environmental Audit Committee expects the Government to provide more detail on its plans to adapt the UK to climate change, as it publishes the Government’s response to its report on Heat Resilience and Sustainable Cooling.

Government to reform disability benefits system to ensure they’re targeted at those most in need.

Ensuring industrial injuries benefit meets people’s needs.

In the face of new state security threats, society needs to be more willing to accept the role of the defence sector.

Councils across the country will be able to buy cheaper land to help build thousands more social and affordable homes, thanks to new Government reforms.

New research by Bangor University and Public Health Wales has found that adults who suffered childhood adversities such as child maltreatment or living in a home with domestic violence, report lower engagement with healthcare services.

Sker Ritual, a gothic horror game with a strong Welsh backstory, was one of the best-selling PC and console games in the world following its launch last week– reaching the top 3 on Steam, top 5 on Xbox and top 10 on PlayStation.

A meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) took place in London on 29 April 2024.

Workers will see the impact in their payslips today (Tuesday 30 April).

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's speech at the Society of Editors 25th Anniversary Conference in London.

Ofcom yesterday set out how it plans to step up its media literacy work in the coming years, as part of new duties to protect and empower internet users under the Online Safety Act. 

The government will need to be clearer on how the spending increase will be funded and where the UK will direct its focus.

This POSTnote outlines the social and psychological factors affecting risk and impact of fraud against individuals, and policy implications for victim support and prevention.

Professor Rowan Pritchard Jones, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Medical Director, has a background in plastic reconstructive surgery and trauma medicine with the British and US Armies. 

Consumer protections against hacking and cyber-attacks will come into force today, as all internet connected smart devices will be required by law to meet minimum-security standards.

Pay packets are still worth less than in 2008 in nearly two-thirds (63%) of UK local authorities, according to new TUC analysis, published yesterday (Monday).

Proposed updates to NHS Constitution for England will reflect biological needs of patients and empower people to request same-sex wards and care.

The Scottish Government response to the Independent Commission for the Land-Based Learning Review that reported to Ministers with 22 recommendations to attract and equip more people, particularly women and young people, with the skills and knowledge needed to work in land-based and aquaculture sectors.

The UK government recently issued a new definition of extremism focusing on ideologies that are deemed intolerant or which ‘undermine’ democracy.

Today (30 April 2024), the Government is strengthening its trade border to better detect pests and diseases from imported products.

Blog posted by: Andy Sharples, 26 April 2024 – Categories: Innovation/savings, Supply Chain, Sustainability.

Tax credits customers are due to receive their renewal notice from 2 May.

The Technology and Innovation programme is excited to host its annual Campaign Week, as part of the Unleashing Innovation campaign, taking place from 13-17 May 2024.

The PSTI Act received Royal Assent in December 2022.

The CAT has unanimously upheld the level of penalty imposed by the CMA for a market sharing agreement relating to 20mg hydrocortisone tablets.

Offenders in Wales with low-level mental health issues will be required to address them as part of a government scheme to tackle a major root cause of crime.

Find out if voluntary National Insurance contributions will boost your State Pension.

First Minister Humza Yousaf has announced that he will stand down.

Five more Post Office cases have been referred to the Crown Court by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) due to concerns about the discredited Horizon computer system.

A campaign encouraging young people to get up-to-date with their MMR vaccinations has led to a significant boost across the country, with one region delivering more than seven times the number of jabs in the first 12 weeks of this year to those aged five to 25.

The impact of job quality on wellbeing is of a similar magnitude to that of health, outshining more traditional factors, finds a report co-authored by Professor Francis Green and Dr Sangwoo Lee.

Healthcare professionals from across NHS Wales were awarded for their innovative work, collaboration, and leadership to improve healthcare in Wales and beyond, at the UK’s Advancing Healthcare Awards 2024.

As central bankers seek to embrace technology, their grey world has caught the attention of an unlikely alliance of conspiracy theorists.

Leader of a criminal gang that distributed large quantities of cocaine and cannabis across Sussex has his sentence increased after referral to Court of Appeal.

The education charity and leader in technical and vocational learning NCFE, has become one of the first awarding organisations to regulate the new Care Certificate.  

The Approved Code Scheme is pleased to announce that Ark Insurance has successfully passed all the necessary stages and rigorous checks to become the latest Code Sponsor within the scheme. Developing a robust set of code practices, Ark Insurance will help new home developers and builders to enhance customer protection and standards of service to customers purchasing new homes.

CBI Northern Ireland recently responded to draft NI budget agreement.

The National Crime Agency has issued an alert to hundreds of thousands of education professionals following a considerable increase in global cases of financially motivated sexual extortion – a type of online blackmail widely known as ‘sextortion’.

Two money laundering cash couriers were recently (26 April 2024) imprisoned for their role in transporting illegally obtained money out of the United Kingdom.

The RAF are continuing to take the fight to Daesh in Iraq and Syria.

Transcript of Minister Whately's speech given recently (26 April 2024) at the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services spring seminar.

Our £160 million fund offers crowdfunding pledges, grants and resources, and is launched alongside the Movement Hub pilot.

This is the 10th in a series of articles analysing the top 10 serious and organised crime threats to the UK and how they have evolved over a decade.

Six more members of a money laundering network which smuggled more than £100 million out of the UK to the UAE have been sentenced following an investigation by the National Crime Agency.

Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, has today confirmed two funding schemes to support investment in on farm infrastructure, which will help to build resilience to the potential impact of climate change.

Secretary of State for Wales-led Transition Board agrees broad support plan for those affected by Tata’s move to greener steel.

Driving a shared commitment to prosecutorial excellence in the wake of the Horizon scandal was the aim as the Law Officers joined prosecutors from a range of disciplines for an extraordinarily meeting.

RFA Cardigan Bay will support the US military as it builds a new temporary pier to deliver aid directly into Gaza.

A teenager who shared extreme right-wing videos, possessed bomb instruction manuals and plans for an attack on a synagogue has been found guilty of terrorism offences.

This briefing explains how and why disinformation is spread. It evaluates real-world impact and outlines counter-initiatives and policy considerations.

Illegal and potentially lethal firearms have been taken out of circulation and their owner jailed, following a National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation.

Statement following High Court ruling over decision not to re-investigate fatal police shooting of Lewis Skelton (26 April 2024).

The UK Government and European Commission recently (26 April 2024) gave a statement after the Specialised Committee on the Implementation of the Windsor Framework meeting.

CBI Scotland recently (25 April 2024) responded to end of Bute House Agreement.

Almost 100,000 workplace training places have been delivered in the past year for jobseekers, smashing the Government’s 80,000 annual target, new data has revealed.

The Scottish Government’s SME and Third Sector Procurement Action Plan sets out our actions for the next two years (2024-2026) to collaborate, engage and reduce the barriers for SMEs and third sector organisations when engaging with public procurement processes.

A Luton-based organised criminal gang leader and associates have been imprisoned today for the trading of illegal drugs, guns, and ammunition.

The Deputy Prime Minister, Oliver Dowden, recently (26 April 2024) announced his intention to launch a consultation on measures to protect UK universities from national security threats posed by foreign states.

A woman had unnecessary surgery to remove her breast implants after doctors wrongly told her that one had ruptured, according to an investigation by England’s NHS Ombudsman.

HSE regulates AI in a way that aligns with our mission and priorities.

CBI National Business Dinner – CEO Rain Newton-Smith's speech (25 April 2024).

Businessman defrauded a pensioner out of £60,000 by siphoning off his investment in a proposed housing development in Greater Manchester, ignored his director ban and breached a bankruptcy order.

As Children’s Commissioner, I have spoken to thousands of children about the impact of the online world on their lives and wellbeing, and how much time they spend online.

Regular notice that consumers could be in line for compensation

The CMA has found that Lindab’s acquisition of HAS-Vent could increase prices for installers and contractors.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) encouraged to bid for a share of £7 million for artificial intelligence (AI) projects.

The Local Government Association (LGA) has joined forces with the Electoral Commission and the Jo Cox Foundation to call for no abuse towards candidates at this set of local elections.

The company claimed to be able to provide cheap hospitality at events such as the Six Nations and Cheltenham Gold Cup

As Children’s Commissioner, I have heard from hundreds of thousands of children, parents and carers about children’s life experiences, what they want to achieve and the challenges they face. A strong theme emerging from children was the desire to feel safe and confident in public spaces.  

A new report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) finds there's still a significant amount of work to be done to give children the best chance of growing up free from poverty and reaching the Scottish Parliament’s 2030 child poverty targets

A new approach to identifying illegal elephant ivory developed by EPSRC-supported scientists could help to tackle the global illegal trade.

The LGA responds to Sport England’s Active Lives Adult Survey