DWP: Office of Disability Issues - David Blunkett has announced that a new Office for Disability Issues will be established later this year. The government claims that this will ‘give real choice to people with disabilities over how services are delivered, ensuring they are suited to their needs and helping them achieve independence’.
Quite how this will mesh with the proposed new ‘super quango’ one-stop shop offered by the proposed Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR) remains to be seen.
According to government estimates, there are around 10 million adults (22%) and 700,000 (5%) children in Great Britain likely to be covered by the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, which defines disability as ‘a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on the ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’.
The Government is also publishing a Green Paper on welfare reform in the autumn.
Press release ~ SUCCESS ~ ’Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People’ ~ Pathways to Work ~ DDA ~ Canadian Office for Disability Issues ~ New Zealand ODI ~ Submit an opinion on UK ODI (asap)
Defra: Fly Away Carbon - British Airways has launched a new scheme, backed by the government, where its customers can volunteer to help to offset the carbon dioxide emissions from their flight by making a contribution to an organisation called Climate Care to invest in sustainable energy projects that tackle global warming by reducing carbon dioxide levels. It would be nice to think that the ‘government backing’ included participation in the scheme for all Ministerial air travel.
Air travellers can choose to make a donation via a link from the airline’s website for the cost of the emissions created by their journey. For example, the donation on a return flight from London Heathrow to
The money raised will be used by an organisation called Climate Care to invest in sustainable energy projects, in countries such as
The airline believes that emissions trading is the best long term mechanism for limiting aviation carbon dioxide emissions and supports aviation’s inclusion in the European Union emissions trading scheme from 2008.
Press release ~ BA Carbon Emissions web page ~ Defra Climate Change website ~ Climate Care ~ Sustainable Aviation website ~ A strategy towards sustainable development ~ Sustainable Travel International website ~ Aviation and the environment: Using economic instruments ~ Aircraft Emissions and their Impacts on the Atmosphere ~ GreenSkies website ~ CAA Environment web page ~ Skan-UK website
DfES: The Great Vegetable Challenge- As excitement builds for the 14 October cinema release of The Curse of the Were-rabbit, the first big screen adventure for triple Oscar winner Nick Park’s Wallace & Gromit characters, the DfES’ ’Growing Schools’ programme has teamed up with Aardman Animations to encourage more primary schools to create an ’outdoor classroom’ to help their pupils learn about diet, nutrition and the natural environment.
The ’Great Vegetable Challenge’ competition will invite every primary school in the country to design its own growing area for a chance to win £2,500 to have their garden built, with four runners-up prizes of £500 to help them develop their playgrounds into a growing area.
This item provides the perfect excuse for readers to preview Wallace & Gromit in their latest outing, in which they have formed their own humane pest control company, ’Anti-pesto’ and are defending village allotments from the clutches of the Were-rabbit on the eve of the annual Giant Vegetable Competition.
Press release ~ ’Growing Schools’ programme ~ The ’Great Vegetable Challenge’ ~ The Curse of the Were-rabbit ~ Aardman Animations
MOD: The
Press release ~ Defence Procurement
Agency ~ Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System ~ Light Mobile Artillery Weapon System rocket
launcher
Defra: Defra is
funding the first 2 years of setting up costs for a new
professional body – The
Association of Commons Registration Officers - for people involved in the
registration of common land and town & village greens.
Press release ~
DH: Students
undertaking nursing and midwifery diplomas in
Press release ~ NHS Student
Grants ~ Financial help for health care
students
CC: The Competition Commission (CC) has provisionally concluded
that consumers have allegedly been ‘overcharged’ in the region of £80 million
to £100 million a year, for the supply of consumer credit through store cards
and associated insurance in the UK.
The CC is required to publish its final report by
Press release ~ The provisional findings report and Remedies
Notice ~ OFTs referral
WaterVoice: WaterVoice Central will meet Severn
Trent Water and South Staffordshire Water in
Press release ~ WaterVoice ~ new Consumer Council for Water website should be www.ccwater.org.uk from Monday 3
October
Defra: The
government has published a strategy for plant health, which is
intended to bring together existing policy on preventing, containing and
eradicating plant pests and diseases across Defra and look to the
future.
Press release ~ Plant Health Strategy
for England ~ NAO report - Protecting England and Wales from plant pests and
diseases ~ Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food: Facing the
Future, ~ Legislation and International procedures ~ Defra main
Plant health website ~ Horticultural Code of
Practice ~ Invasive
non-native species ~ Review of Non-native Species Policy
~ England biodiversity
strategy - Annual stock take 2003-2004
Defra:
Press
release ~ Whole Farm Approach ~ Animal Health and Welfare strategy ~ Farm Assurance
schemes
Defra: Advice from
the Food Standards Agency (FSA) that
Defra’s proposed new BSE
testing system for older cattle should replace the Over Thirty Months (OTM) rule, has been
accepted by the Government. The
OTM rule currently imposes an automatic ban on all older cattle from entering
the human food chain, while the new system will allow
However, older
Press release ~ Food Standards Agency (FSA)
BSE website ~ FSA
- Over Thirty Months (OTM)
rule ~ Defra’s BSE
website ~ National CJD surveillance
unit ~ Spongiform Encephalopathy
Advisory Committee ~ DH CJD website
DfES: Skills
Minister Phil Hope has welcomed the start of the new college year with the launch of new
teaching materials and techniques aimed at making Further Education more
stimulating. Providers
are invited to nominate Subject Learning
Coaches who will get free professional training and membership of regional
subject networks so that they can coach colleagues in their own
organisations.
Press release ~ Success for All ~
Success for All – The Second Year 2004 ~ Learning and Skills Council
DH: A team from University College London and the University of
Newcastle upon Tyne have been chosen to lead a £20 million initiative to speed
up the development of new medical treatments for dementia and neurodegenerative
diseases such as Motor Neurone Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Huntingdon’s
Disease and Alzheimer’s.
Press release ~ Dementias and
Neurodegenerative Disease Research Network ~ Alzheimer’s
Society ~ Parkinson’s Disease Society (PDS) ~ UK Clinical Research
Network (UKCRN) ~ Scoping report for Wales Dementias & Neurodegenerative
Diseases Research Network
MOD: All Armed
Forces personnel and their families have been urged to register to vote by
Defence Secretary, John Reid, as he launched MOD’s annual voter registration
campaign. Distribution
of 400,000 copies of ’Register to
Vote’, a combined leaflet and registration form, to all members of the
Armed Forces is underway and coincides with a publicity campaign across Service
media.
Press release ~ ‘Don’t lose
your right to vote’
~ ‘About my vote’ ~ The Electoral
Commission ~ The British Army
website ~ Help Information Volunteer Exchanges
(HIVEs)
DCMS: The
Government has announced ‘reforms’ which it claims will dramatically streamline
the way sport is organised, clarify the responsibilities of sporting bodies and
greatly improve the chances of
Press release ~ DCMS Sport
website ~ Carter Report on Sport ~ Carter Report Supporting
Evidence ~ UK
Sport ~ Sport England ~ Talented Athlete Scholarship
Scheme (TASS) ~ TASS 2012 Scholarships ~
Defra: People who have an interest in, and are involved in managing heather and
grasslands, are being consulted (closes
Press release ~
OFT: A new advice leaflet for consumers
considering entering into Hire Purchase (HP) agreements has been published by
the OFT after three major car finance lenders made improvements to their
consumer agreements to provide fairer and more transparent contract
terms.
Press release ~ Hire purchase - Making the right choice ~ Consumer regulations
website ~ BBC guide to Hire Purchase ~ Faulty goods bought on hire purchase
MOD: New public safety measures have
been announced following a wide-ranging Ministry of Defence (MOD) review into
helicopter low flying training, initiated in response to recommendations from
the Louth and Spilsby Coroner. From 3 October, more accurate
information on planned helicopter flying will be available to the general
public through the MOD freephone helpline.
Press release ~ British
Horse Society ~ Be Seen - Be Safe
campaign ~ MODs Review of Military Helicopter Low
Flying ~ MOD’s low flying website
DTI: A new
publicity campaign to tell people what they need to know about civil
partnerships has been launched by the government. The guidance gives people information about how they can
register their civil partnership and
what their new rights and
responsibilities are in areas like tax,
pensions and benefits.
Couples will be able to give notice at a Register
Office that they want to register a civil partnership and will be able to
register after 15 days, from
DCA: The Crown and County Courts in England and Wales Annual Reports
covering April 2004 to March 2005 have been published.
Press release ~ Her
Majestys Courts Service (HMCS) ~ Crown Court Annual report ~ County Court Annual report
Healthcare Commission: The
results of a major national survey show users of mental health services are
satisfied with the care they get.
However, the mental
health patient survey, published by the Healthcare Commission, also highlights a number of areas where care could be
improved, including better emergency support and
better information on the side effects of medication.
Press
release ~ Survey of users of
mental health services 2005 ~ Count Me In, the
National Mental Health Ethnicity Census ~ Mental Health and
Social Exclusion ~ DH
– Choosing Talking
therapies ~ User Led research on
talking therapies ~ DH
Mental health website ~ National Service Framework (NSF) for Mental
Health – modern standards and service models ~ Care programme approach
(CPA) ~ Effective care co-ordination in mental health services: modernising the
care programme approach - A policy booklet ~
An
audit pack for monitoring the care programme
approach
DTI: Employment
Minister Gerry Sutcliffe has launched a DTI-commissioned report into the characteristics of a High Performance Workplace, based on a
comprehensive survey of almost 3,000
Press release ~ Work
Foundation ~ People, Strategy and Performance ~ DTI employment
relations website
DWP: Estimates of the levels of fraud &
error occurring in claims for Pension Credit over the period October 2003 to
September 2004 have been published on the Dept. for Work and Pensions website.
The estimated overpayment was 4.9%
of the benefit paid over the year, which is equivalent to an estimated
overpayment of £280 million.
Press release ~ Fraud and
Error in Pension Credit from October 2003 to September 2004 ~
Targeting
Benefit Fraud website ~ Benefit Fraud Inspectorate ~ Benefit Fraud
Reporting Form
Defra:
Press release ~ Working with
the grain of nature: a biodiversity strategy for England (see latest news for indicators) ~ Defra SSSI website ~ English Nature SSSI website
Acas: Acas has
welcomed the publication of the final in a series of reports on part-time &
flexible working by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC).
Press release ~ Britain’s Hidden Brain
Drain ~ The
EOC’s investigation into flexible and part-time working website (see
‘related documents’ for previous reports) ~ Acas
FW website ~ DTI FW website
ODPM: The ODPM and
DEFRA claim that new measures to make buildings more energy efficient will
save one million tonnes of carbon per year by 2010, equivalent to emissions
from more than one million semi-detached homes.
The changes to Parts F and L (ventilation and fuel conservation) of the Building
Regulations two years ahead of schedule from April 2006 and the
implementation of the Energy Performance
of Buildings Directive are hoped to result in making a major contribution
to the
Press release ~ Energy Efficiency in Buildings Directive (Parts
L&F): Interim publications 2005 ~
ODPM Building Regulations
website ~ Energy Performance of Buildings Directive ~ Air pressure
leakage testing of buildings ~ Decent Homes programme ~ Low or Zero Carbon Energy Sources –
Strategic Guide (Interim Publication) ~ Energy Smart Project~ Building a future for Wales: a strategy for
sustainable housing ~ Energy Efficiency: The Government’s Plan for Action
FSCS: Consumers may be entitled to
compensation of up to £48,000 if they have lost money as a result of their
dealings with any one of 43 firms recently declared in default by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme
(FSCS). Consumers who believe they may have a claim should contact the
Scheme on 020 7892 7300. The service is free.
Press release ~ Financial Services
Compensation Scheme (FSCS) ~ FAQs
OFT: The OFT has launched a market study
into the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation
Scheme (PPRS), which is the method by which the UK Departments of Health
seeks to control the price of the branded medicines for prescription in the
hospital and community sector.
Press release ~ Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme: Eighth Report to
Parliament, Department of Health, March 2005. ~ DH PPRS
website ~ Assessing the impact of public sector
procurement on competition
CC: The Charity
Commission has changed its main contact number and the new number - 0845 3000
218 - will charge customers at local rate, rather than national rate. Minicom
users can contact the Commission on 0845 3000 219. Calls to the former number
will be automatically redirected.
Pensions Regulator: A five-point plan
to help employers and trustees meet the challenge of pensions tax
simplification has been prepared by the Pensions Regulator. The briefing highlights the need for
action in respect of the changes from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and
provides guidance to help employers and trustees prepare for
A-day on
Press release ~ Pensions
Regulator website ~ Pensions Regulator - Pension Tax simplification ~ HMRC
- Pension schemes guidance
Defra: The Agricultural Wages Board for England and
Wales met on
Press release ~ Defra
Agricultural employment website ~ Agricultural Wages Board ~ T&GW Agricultural wages
campaign
HMRC: HM Revenue
& Customs (HMRC) has launched a project to measure the administrative
burden on small business of complying with the tax system. Businesses and other groups that are
contacted as part of the exercise are strongly urged to participate to ensure
that their views are included.
HMRC would like to hear from any organisations
wishing to participate and can be contacted on abmeasures@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk or 020 7147
0492.
Press release ~ Better Regulation
Executive – HMRC – Supporting
Enterprise & Productivity ~ Hampton Review - Reducing administrative
burdens: effective inspection and enforcement ~ Better Regulation Task Force (BRTF) report - Regulation: Less is
More
HMRC: VAT Business Brief 18/05
Contents:
·
VAT: A review of the scope of the VAT exemption
for medical services - announcement of consultation (closes
·
New Civil Investigation of Fraud
Procedures
Press release ~ Business Briefs 2005 (it sometimes takes time to appear
here)
For further information on the
events listed below (and subsequent events) please click HERE
Date: 3 - 5 October
2005
Venue:
Organiser: Neil Stewart
Associates - Reinventing Accountability for the 21st Century
A two-day international
event and training day which will explore innovative approaches to building
accountable leadership and organisations in the 21st century.
Date:
Venue:
Organiser: Homeless
Link - Making the link: opening up research into
homelessness
Homeless Link supported by the Joseph Rowntree
Foundation, provide an opportunity for people both within and outside the
homelessness sector to talk us about the wider issues affecting homeless
people.
Date: 5 - 6 October
2005
Venue: Victoria Park Plaza
Hotel,
Organiser: Chartered
Institute of Purchasing & Supply – Premier
Conference
The central themes of this
year’s Premier Conference examine the contribution that purchasing and supply
management can make to the management of risk, whilst ensuring security of
supply, and how procurement can drive innovation, both within organisations and
with external suppliers.
Date:
Venue:
Organiser: Local Government
Chronicle – Improving policy design
A timely conference that
will analyse the recent initiatives aimed at improving communication between
central, regional and local government.
Date:
Venue: Cumberland Hotel, Marble
Arch,
Organiser:
Feedback on a project
involving a consortium of nine public
sector organisations including government Departments and Agencies, and local
authorities, who wanted to improve HR performance. All participants will
receive a complimentary copy of the project report - ‘Fit for Business’.
I>
Date:
Venue:
Organiser: Royal British
Legion -
Date:
Venue: Inmarsat Conference
centre, London EC1
Organiser: Neil Stewart
Associates – Modernising Mental health services: Developing Leadership,
Recruitment, Retention and training
An opportunity to discuss
how best to develop a more diverse and coherent NHS Mental Health workforce,
with structured career development programmes and a drive to recruit more
service users as part of the workforce.
Date:
Venue: Chepstow race
course
Organiser: Royal British
Legion - Chepstow
Raceday
Date:
Venue: Fairfield Halls,
Croydon.
Organiser: Royal British
Legion - Biennial
gathering of the Massed Bands of the Royal British Legion
Concert
Date: 26 –
28 October 2005
Venue:
Organiser:
Equipping
people to work at a level to provide top-quality support to their managers and
developing their potential to be the leaders of tomorrow. Designed for
administrative officers and their equivalent, on completion you should
understand the basis of effective management
 
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Date:
Venue:
Organiser: Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply
– CIPS Supply Management Awards
2005
The awards are run jointly
by the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS) and its
fortnightly magazine, Supply Management. For the CIPS Supply Management Awards
2005, the 10 team and two individual categories will be presented at a
black-tie gala dinner at the London Hilton on
Date: Up to 15
December
Venue: none
Organiser: Citizenship Foundation - Take a
hands-on approach to politics, journalism and the legal system
Now in it’s 15th year, The National Youth
Parliament Competition helps
11-18 year olds understand the democratic process and gives them the
opportunity to video their own parliamentary debate.
The National
Political Journalism competition, challenges young people (11-18 year olds) to
experience first-hand the relationship between politics and the media. They are
asked to tackle a local, national and international political issue of their
choice, by taking on the roles of media professionals and create real news
pieces in print, TV or radio.
In the Magistrates’ Court Mock
Trial competition students take on the roles of court staff, lawyers
& witnesses and present the prosecution and defence of a specially written criminal case.
For further information on the above (and
subsequent) events please click HERE
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