HM Treasury: Making OGC ‘Fit for Future Purpose’ – The Treasury has unveiled a range of public procurement reforms to ‘equip the UK with the capability to deliver world class public services in the face of the growing challenges of global competition, changing demographics and increasing pressures on the environment’
'Transforming Government Procurement' outlines measures to be introduced including:
· reforming the Government Procurement Service
· raising procurement capacity within departments and introducing procurement capability reviews
· making greater use of the Government's collective buying power and collaborative approaches
· broadening the Major Projects Review Group to ensure complex procurement projects are subject to effective scrutiny at key stages, such as approval of the business case
To ‘drive forward’ this transformation, the Office of Government Commerce will become a smaller, higher calibre organisation and will be given powers to:
· set out the procurement standards departments need to meet
· monitor departments performance against them
· require inter-departmental collaboration where appropriate, and
· to support the Major Projects Review Group
A recent National Audit Office report on OGCbuying.solutions, which provides procurement services to the public sector, found that it handled only 5% of central government procurement spending and under 1% of total procurement spending for the wider public sector.
Press release ~ HM Treasury: 'Transforming Government Procurement' ~ London Best Value in Public Sector Procurement Conference ~ Office of Government Commerce ~ Government Procurement Service ~ OGCbuying.solutions ~ NAO: Assessing the value for money of OGCbuying.solutions (1.6Mb) ~ Public procurement and Race Equality ~ Reform of Public procurement in Scotland ~ OFT: Assessing the impact of public sector procurement on competition ~ Social Enterprise Coalition – Public Procurement ~ Innovation and Public Procurement ~ DTI – Public procurement ~ Using public procurement to drive skill and innovation ~ Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply ~ The National e-Procurement Project ~ OGC - eProcurement ~ OGC GatewayTM Review 1: Business justification ~ NAO: Improving IT procurement: The impact of the Office of Government Commerce's initiatives on departments and suppliers in the delivery of major IT-enabled projects
DCLG: Yet more change for Local Authorities - Ruth Kelly has published the Implementation Plan for Strong and Prosperous Communities - The Local Government White Paper. Key milestones in the Implementation Plan include the:
· Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill, being debated in Parliament last week
· Launch of Commission on Local Councillors to review barriers & incentives to serving on councils (February 2007)
· Report of Review of community management & ownership of assets to be presented to the Secretary of State (March 2007)
· Consultation on draft Best Value guidance, including commissioning & community involvement (Summer/Autumn 2007)
In addition she published, for consultation (closes 9 March 2007), a draft of a new model code of conduct for councillors which is intended to remove the current barriers to councillors speaking up for their constituents by amending the rules on personal & prejudicial interests.
An amendment to the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill is intended to facilitate local authorities and Primary Care Trusts in delivering integrated health care. It will require them to work together to produce a strategic assessment of the health, health care and social care needs of the local area.
A further amendment is intended to enable local authorities to work together to deliver waste services that will improve recycling rates and result in less landfill & lower carbon emissions, as well as greater efficiency.
Press release ~ Implementation Plan - The Local Government White Paper ~Strong and prosperous communities - The Local Government White Paper ~ Code of Conduct ~ Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill ~ Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill - Regulatory Impact Assessment ~ Innovation Forum report into the benefits of joint working on waste ~ Defra: Recycling & Waste ~ Defra: Review of England’s Waste Strategy 2006 ~ Waste Implementation Programme ~ Waste Infrastructure Development Programme (WIDP) ~ LA support website ~ OFT: More competition, less waste
SAP: Should ‘illegal driving’ be more heavily punished than ‘careless driving’? - The Sentencing Advisory Panel is consulting (closes
Results of the public opinion survey, to be carried out by the
The consultation is designed to produce guidelines that will be available to assist sentencers when two new offences (created by Road Safety Act 2006) – ‘causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving’ and ‘causing death by driving: unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured driver’ come into force in 2007.
The guidelines will also reflect the recent raising of maximum sentences for ‘causing death by dangerous driving’ and ‘causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs’.
In particular, they are keen to test public opinion on the difficult balancing exercise that needs to be carried out when sentencing an offender who had no intention to cause harm but whose actions have resulted in death.
Press release ~ Consultation document ~ Current Guidelines ~ Institute of Criminal Policy Research ~ Sentencing Advisory Panel ~ Sentencing Guidelines Council ~ Road Safety Act 2006 ~ CPS : Road traffic offences ~ Home Office - Road traffic ~ Brake - the Road Safety Charity ~ Home Office - Sentencing ~ Restorative Justice ~ Crime, sentencing and your community: sentencing explained leaflet ~ Scottish Sentencing Commission
Competition Commission: Too frightened to complain? - The Competition Commission (CC) is to focus its attention on local markets across the
Peter Freeman, Chairman of the CC and Inquiry Group Chairman, said:
“We need to see what choices shoppers have in particular areas and how competition works between retailers of different sizes. We know about the extent of retailers' land holdings, but it's how these are used at local level, and the related effect of the planning system, that matters.
We have found that bigger buyers do not always appear to get better terms from suppliers and [that] food & drink manufacturers and processors, as well as wholesalers, seem to be in reasonable shape. However, we have some concerns about farmers and we have not received as much specific evidence about unfair treatment of suppliers as we might have expected.
The CC has not yet reached any conclusions on the issues discussed in this document and the purpose of the document is to expose the direction of their thinking and to elicit further evidence from parties in relation to these matters. The CC is required to publish its final report by
Press release ~ Emerging thinking document ~ CC: Supermarkets: A report on the supply of groceries from multiple stores in the United Kingdom ~ Code of practice on supermarkets' dealings with suppliers ~ Report on the review of the operation of the code of practice ~ Supermarkets: The code of practice and other competition issues Conclusions August 2005 ~ The Validity of Food Miles as an Indicator of Sustainable Development
CIOB: Going for green and gold - The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has published its strategy for the sustainable delivery of
There are further aims to reuse & recycle 90% of the demolition materials and at least 20% of materials used in permanent venues and residential areas would be recycled. Half of the construction materials will be transported to the Olympic Park by rail and water.
Michael Brown CIOB deputy chief executive commented:
“50% of the
Press release ~ Chartered Institute of Building ~ Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) ~ London 2012: The green Games ~ ODA's Sustainable Development Strategy (1.7Mb) ~ Executive summary of the ODA's strategy (2.9Mb) ~ London 2012 Sustainability Policy
RAE: How did the chicken cross the road? – By ‘Egg Air’ of course - Airbus is challenging students in UK schools to build a model aircraft capable of transporting a hen's egg as far as possible on a playing field or other grass expanse, and landing it intact.
The annual challenge, called 'Project Eggs Factor', forms part of the company's recently announced new sponsorship of the national network of Young Engineers clubs as part of a larger commitment with the Royal Academy of Engineering's Best Programme.
Competitors must record their flights on a camcorder or camera phone and video clips of the best flights will be shown on the Young Engineers website along with a leader board, which will be updated weekly. Competitors may record more than one flight and continue to improve their aircraft & flight distance throughout the challenge.
The egg must be clearly visible during its flight, not wrapped up in a protective material, for example.
The national winner will receive the unique Airbus Trophy. The challenge began on
Press release ~ Airbus Challenge ~ Young Engineers ~ Royal Academy of Engineering's Best Programme ~ Airbus
For information on forthcoming public sector events please click HERE to visit the WGPlus Events Calendar
For Industry News please click HERE
DCLG: The Prime Minister has announced a
commitment to a year long programme of activities & events to mark the
200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade in the
This
year's forthcoming events include:
·
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the launch of a
commemorative £2 coin by the Royal Mint, that will enter general
circulation
·
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the issue of
commemorative stamps by the Royal Mail
·
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A national service
of commemoration at Westminster Abbey
·
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the opening of the
·
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the re-opening of
the
The Prime Minister also announced his
intention to sign the Council of Europe
Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. Signature of the Convention will
strengthen support for adult & child victims and introduce new measures to
prevent trafficking and pursue investigations and
prosecutions.
Press release ~
Directgov : Slavery bicentenary ~
Calendar of
events ~ Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking
in Human Beings ~ UNESCO day for the
remembrance of slavery and its abolition ~ National Archives ~
UK Human
Trafficking Centre ~ One
Scotland ~ BBC's slavery website ~
Royal Mail commemorative
stamps ~ Royal Mint commemorative coin ~
National service of commemoration organised by Set
All Free ~ Anti Slavery Society: Slave Trade Act 1807 ~
Transatlantic Slavery ~ Slaves' Stories ~ EU plan on best practices, standards and procedures for
combating and preventing trafficking in human beings ~ International Slavery Museum, Liverpool ~ Wilberforce House Museum,
Hull
DH: Public Health Minister Caroline Flint
has launched the National School
Pedometer Programme, which will see 250 schools in deprived areas across
the country be given 45,000 pedometers, to encourage children to become more
active. 30% of boys and 40% of
girls are not achieving the recommended physical activity
levels.
Pedometers will be used in schools as a tool
to support a wide range of curriculum topics and to increase awareness among
pupils of the need to be active. Teachers will be trained in how to use the programme within
the curriculum and children will be able to chart their pedometer progress by
logging onto a dedicated website that will help them set step
targets.
The Schools on the Move pilot saw step counts increased steadily from
an average of 8,355 steps at baseline to an average of 13,939 at the end of the
23 week programme.
Press release ~
Schools on the Move ~ Youth Sport
Trust ~ Healthy
Schools programme ~ Walking and Cycling 'Links
to Schools' ~ BHF National Centre - Young People ~ School Sport Partnership ~ Teachernet – Physical education and School sport ~ Promoting Walking to School - A Guide for
Primary Schools ~ Walk
to school
website
MoD: The Royal Navy's newest warship,
the Type 45 Destroyer HMS Dauntless,
has been launched on the
HMS Dauntless is fitted with a potent new air
defence system able to track & destroy salvos of advanced supersonic
missiles, keeping the fleet safe from air attack. Her air defence system is so advanced it can hit a target the
size of a cricket ball travelling three times the speed of
sound.
For the crew life has added comforts,
including i-pod charging points, computer access, 5-Channel recreational audio,
and larger berths. The ship also
has her own hospital facilities.
The first ship of the class, HMS Daring, will
start her sea trials later this year and will enter service in 2009. HMS Dauntless is expected to go into
service early next decade
Press release ~
Type 45 Destroyers ~ Principal Anti-Air Missile System
(PAAMS)
DWP: DWP Minister James Plaskitt has
launched a drive to reduce money lost to customer & official error in the
benefit system which is expected to save £1billion by
2012.
'Getting Welfare Right: Tackling Error in the Benefits
System' maps out the Department's
blueprint to reduce incorrect benefit payments by identifying & correcting
existing errors and preventing new errors entering the
system.
Plans include a review of Pension Credit
benefit payments to eradicate existing errors. Since June 2006 action teams deployed to Jobcentre Plus offices have identified
& corrected overpayments of around £745k a
week.
The customer error pilot, 'Something to Declare', will
remind customers via adverts & posters that they must report any changes
which might affect their benefits. A letter targeted at Income Support, Jobseeker's
Allowance and Housing Benefit customers will ask them to immediately declare
any previous changes.
Press release ~
'Getting Welfare Right: Tackling Error in the Benefits
System' ~ DWP
- Targeting Benefit Thieves ~ Benefit Fraud
Inspectorate ~ NFI web pages ~ Revised Code of Data Matching
Practise ~ DWP Strategy paper - Reducing fraud in the benefit system) (VLF 1.2Mb) ~ NAO - Tackling Benefit
Fraud ~ Public Accounts Committee
report ~ Review of the DWP Benefit Fraud Sanctions Regime - Social
Research Report No 149 ~ NAO: International Benchmark of fraud and error in Social Security
Systems
HC: People involved in the learning
disability sector are being called on to nominate themselves for positions in
what will be the largest audit of learning disability services ever undertaken
in
The HC needs the help of people with
experience of learning disabilities to work (some in paid positions) with
Commission staff to examine the data.
Peer reviewers will then help drive the work surrounding inspection and
have input into the report. The
Commission expects to publish the findings of the audit by the end of the
year.
The importance of the audit was highlighted
recently when the Commission published a report detailing the abuse of people
with learning disabilities at a
Press release ~ On-going
National Audit ~ How to apply ~ Sutton and Merton report ~ Cornwall report ~ Draft three year
strategic plan for adults with learning disabilities
2006-2009 ~ Valuing People
Support Team website
Cabinet
Office: Regulation Minister Pat McFadden has called for a ‘new sense
of shared responsibility’ for the way the UK regulates itself, as he responded
to the report by the Better Regulation Commission’s (BRC) - Risk, Responsibility, Regulation: Whose
Risk Is It Anyway?
While acknowledging that Government must be accountable
for the regulation it creates, Pat McFadden said ‘we have a shared responsibility around
these issues - government, public and media’. From the Spring, the
Cabinet Office will re-launch the 'better regulation portal' in order
to collect serious and specific suggestions & examples of inconsistent or
absurd regulations.
Press release ~ BRC report: Risk,
Responsibility and Regulation - whose risk is it anyway? ~
Scottish Executive: The first Corporate Plan of the
new Scottish Further and Higher
Education Funding Council (SFC) has been launched. First Minister Mr McConnell said
The number of international students was now 50% more than five years ago
and in the last year 18% more international undergraduates have been accepted
to study in Scottish universities.
In addition, the so-called 'brain-drain' out of
Press release ~ Scottish
Funding Council ~ Corporate plan ~ Futures Forum ~ Forward
Scotland ~ Scottish Universities Research and Advice Network ~
Finding a job in Scotland ~ AgCAS
Scotland ~ Futureskills Scotland - The Labour Market for Graduates in
Scotland
DH: Health Minister Ivan Lewis has
announced a £73m (spread over four years) funding boost for social enterprise,
which will go towards supporting & encouraging the development social
enterprises in health and social care.
Speaking at the Voice 07 conference, Ivan Lewis also announced the 25 successful
"pathfinder" projects who can apply for a share of a £1 million pound start up
fund announced by Patricia Hewitt last October.
There are at least 55,000 social enterprises in the
Press release ~ DH – Social Enterprise and successful
pathfinders ~ Social Enterprise Coalition (SEC) ~ Social
Enterprise Network ~ Voice 07 conference ~ Social Enterprise Action Plan ~ Office of Third Sector – Social Enterprise ~ King's Fund - Social Enterprise and Community-based
Care ~ Social
Enterprise Partnership ~ Nearbuyou - the national social enterprise trading network ~ Business Link - What is a social enterprise? ~ SSEC - Scottish Social
Enterprise Coalition ~ WAG – Social Enterprise ~ SSE - The
School for Social Entrepreneurs
Defra: Veterinary risk assessments and
consultation comments informing the review into the
Minister for Animal Health and Welfare, Ben Bradshaw
said:
"The evidence
received so far from government vets, officials and the veterinary risk
assessments raises very important questions about our current approach. It indicates that our current
controls may no longer be proportionate to the risk of rabies entering the
Press release ~
DCMS: New proposals to control the provision
of gaming in clubs & premises licensed to sell alcohol have been published
for consultation (closes on
Under the proposals alcohol-licensed premises
will no longer be required to seek permission from their local licensing
authority for gaming to take place providing a set of stringent conditions are
complied with:
·
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children &
young people must be prohibited from participation
·
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gaming is limited
to 'equal chance' games (such as cribbage or poker) between customers.
·
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Stakes will be
limited to a maximum of £5 in pubs and £10 in clubs for games of
poker
·
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the operator must
not take a 'cut' from money staked or won or charge participation fees
·
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games played may
only take place on one set of premises
It
is also proposed that codes of practice will be drawn up in consultation with the industry and regulators to help
clubs and alcohol-licensees to comply with the new statutory
requirements.
The
Gambling (Gaming in Clubs) Regulations
come into operation on the
Press release ~
Consultation on Gaming in Clubs and on Alcohol-licensed
Premises ~ DCMS: gambling law until Sept 2007 ~ Gambling Act 2005 ~ Gambling Commission
DCLG: The government hopes that a new
consultation (closes on 21 February)
will boost efforts to tackle climate change and promote energy efficiency by
proposing estate agents must include Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) with their property
particulars for the first time.
The consultation also proposes changes to
accelerate the delivery of local searches which can take more than 4 weeks in
some areas and tackling the post code lottery of different levels of service
and different charges for consumers.
In addition, where relevant, flood &
ground stability searches will be required in packs as soon as systems are
available to enable pack providers to find out quickly and cheaply whether a
property is in an "at risk" area.
Press release ~
Consultation ~ Mori HIPs baseline report ~
HIP website ~ Energy Performance Certificates ~ Home Condition
Reports ~ EU Directive on the energy performance of
buildings ~ Association of Home Information Pack Providers
(AHIPP)
HM Treasury: The Economic Secretary, Ed Balls, has
recently published the draft money
laundering regulations for consultation
(closes
SAP: The
Sentencing Advisory Panel is
consulting (closes 19 April 2007) the public on their views regarding
sentences for drivers who commit offences that result in the death of victims
in major road accidents – See ‘In the
News’ section above.
Scottish Executive: People are travelling more, and
further, than 20 or 30 years ago, according to the main findings of Travel by Scottish Residents: some National Travel Survey results for
2004/2005 and earlier years.
In 2004/2005, cars accounted for about three
quarters of the estimated total distance travelled per person. No other mode of travel accounted for
more than 10% and cars accounted for 90% of the increase in the distance
travelled since 1985/1986.
People aged 60 and over who held a
concessionary fare pass made almost seven times as many local bus trips per
person as those without a pass, 79% more walking trips and 22% fewer trips as a
car driver.
The percentage of pupils walking to school
fell from an estimate of 69% in 1985/1986 to 54% in 2004/2005. Press release ~
Travel by Scottish Residents: some
National Travel Survey results for 2004/2005 and earlier years ~ Other Transport and travel
statistics
Socitm: A new report based on research from
recent disasters that have hit local authority ICT services, raises serious
concerns as to whether councils understand the expectations of the Civil Contingencies Act and are
sufficiently prepared to cope with these sort of threats to business
continuity.
The research focuses on six case studies from local
authorities and their suppliers who have experienced major disasters covering,
arson, storm damage, Buncefield oil terminal explosion, major flooding in the
city centre, building collapse and a burst water main at the town
hall.
The report classifies the sources of risk
into six groups in order to help organisations plan their response to possible
incidents: environment, people, governance, technology, information and
collaboration, before setting out the 12 key lessons for business
continuity.
Press release ~
Better Prepared: Lessons
from experiences in business discontinuity ~ Civil Contingencies Act ~ Civil Contingencies Scotland ~ London Resilience Partnerships ~
Wales Resilience Forum ~ Wales Disaster Recovery
Consortium (WADRC) (scroll down) ~ UK
Resilience ~ UK Resilience - Civil Contingencies Act - Identifying and
Disseminating Good Practice ~ Business Continuity – The Risk Management Expo 2007 ~ Tripartite Initiatives ~ FSA: The
Business Continuity Management Practice Guide ~ The Discussion Paper, Resilience
Benchmarking Project ~ UK Financial Sector
Continuity ~ Information needed on firms in a financial crisis: ‘Factbooks’
FONT> ~ PAS 77 IT Service Continuity Management ~
BS 25999-1 Code of Practice for Business Continuity
Management ~ BSI Risk Management website ~
Business
Continuity Institute (BCI) ~ Institute of Risk Management (IRM) ~ Association of
Insurance and Risk Managers (AIRMIC) ~ National Forum for Risk Management in the Public Sector
(ALARM) ~ Risk
Management Standard
Scottish Executive: A research report published recently
has forecast that
The first 'generation' of broadband
was considered to start in the bandwidth range of 512kbps (10 times faster than
dial-up) with subsequent generations of broadband also increasing in factors of
10 - so second generation broadband was 5meg+ and third generation,
50meg+.
The separate Broadband Reach Report, published on
Press release ~
Research report
~ Broadband Reach Report ~ SustainIT
~ Broadband for Scotland ~ Broadband Choices ~ <
FONT color=#800080 size=2>Scotland Online
DCMS: An independent report into the level of
fees for alcohol and entertainment licences has been laid in Parliament. Under the licensing system, premises
apply for a one-off premises licence and then pay an annual charge for their
licence thereafter based on the rateable value of the property.
Following a close examination of the fees and
local authority spending during the first eighteen months of the new regime,
the Independent Licensing Fees Review
Panel has found that local authorities will have spent more than they
received in licensing fees during the
first three years. It also found
that fee payers incurred higher costs than
anticipated.
The panel concludes
that:
·
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there is a
shortfall, incurred over three years
·
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£43 million – 20%
of the total cost - should be met by central
Government
·
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£54 million is due
to decisions by some local authorities - this cost should be met by local
authorities.
The panel make a number of other
recommendations to streamline the process and says future fees should increase by
7% for the three year period from
2007/08.
Press release ~
Independent Licensing Fees
Review Panel and reports
~ Licensing Act 2003 ~
DH: Responding to the publication of the Public Accounts Committee report on Tackling Childhood Obesity Public
Health Minister Caroline Flint said that ‘the Government will consider the report carefully before making a full
response’.
Press release ~
PAC report: Tackling Child Obesity- First Steps ~ NAO / AC/ HC report: Tackling Childhood Obesity – First Steps (1.4Mb) ~
Audit Commission ~ Healthcare Commission ~ NAO – Tackling obesity in England ~
DH – Healthy Living
website ~ National Obesity Forum ~
Association for the Study of obesity ~
Avoiding childhood
obesity ~ NICE - Obesity ~ Food Standards Agency ~ Care pathways for the
prevention and management of obesity (Choosing Health?
briefing) ~ Measuring childhood
obesity: Guidance for PCTs ~ Management of Obesity in Children and young people
guide
NAO: The Government’s investment in large scientific facilities
is starting to deliver a significant programme, including such projects as the
research ship RRS James Cook and
the Diamond Synchrotron light source,
according to a new National Audit
Office report.
Some project teams, however, have
significantly underestimated the likely running costs of facilities and more
attention needs to be given to assessing (at an early stage) the range of
benefits which these facilities should yield. The forecast operating costs of some projects have increased
by large amounts compared to estimates when their business cases were approved
and that Research Councils need to do more work to estimate the likely ongoing
costs of new facilities.
The report says that the process of drawing
up a "road map" has allowed projects to be prioritised across the science base
and has been commended by other countries.
Press release ~
NAO: Big Science: Public investment in large
scientific facilities ~ Executive Summary ~ Office of Science and
Innovation ~ Research Councils UK ~ Large Facilities Capital Fund ~ DTI - Large Science Facilities ~ Diamond
Synchrotron light source ~ ISIS pulsed neutron source ~ Research ship James Cook ~ Energy Recovery Linac
Prototype ~ HECToR high end
computing service ~ Institute for Animal Health ~ Muon Ionisation
Cooling Experiment ~ Halley VI Antarctic research station ~ Laboratory of
Molecular Biology ~ Harwell Science and Innovation
Campus
DfES: Education Secretary Alan Johnson said
that he accepted the key recommendation of a major report that ‘a strong focus on understanding our
history was essential to building community cohesion’.
He accepts the key recommendation that there
should be a new theme of 'Identity & Diversity: Living together in the
Mr Johnson also accepted the following key
recommendations:
·
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that pupils should
be able to take a two-year GCSE and also an A level in
Citizenship
·
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there should be a
national ‘Who we think we are’ week
·
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that schools
should be active in "twinning" with other schools of different
backgrounds
Press release ~
Diversity and Citizenship Curriculum
report ~ Qualifications and Curriculum Authority ~
QCA’s Post Citizenship
website ~ Association of Citizenship Teaching ~
Institute for Citizenship ~ Sense of
Citizenship' CPD Handbook ~
An Evaluation of the post-16 citizenship pilot 2004/05 and Initial
teacher training for teachers of citizenship 2004/05: an overview
report ~ Initial
teacher training for teachers of citizenship 2004/05 ~ Council of Europe EDC Division
~ Life in the UK
Test website ~ Citizenship
Foundation ~ We Were There
exhibition
DfT: Motorists face new penalties for
breaking the law by using a hand-held mobile phone while driving from
·
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the award of three
penalty points
·
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as well as
doubling the fine to £60
The same changes are being made to the
penalties for not having proper control of a vehicle - a measure
which can also be used where a driver has been distracted by using a ‘hands-
free’ mobile phone.
There have been a number of research reports
identifying the danger of using any mobile phone while driving - for example,
TRL Ltd's report for Direct Line
Insurance which demonstrated it is even more dangerous than drink
driving. As well as this, the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones covered the risks in
their report on Mobile Phones and Health in 2000 - see paragraphs 5.201
to 5.214, pages 86 to 90.
Press release ~
DfT: - Mobile Phones and
Driving: FAQs ~
Road Safety Act 2006 ~ Direct Line motor insurance report ~ Independent
Expert Group on Mobile Phones ~ Mobile phone campaign ~ Mobile
Phones and Health in 2000 ~ Home Office Bad Driving website ~ Brake road safety charity
HM Treasury: The Economic Secretary, Ed Balls, has
recently published the draft money
laundering regulations for consultation
(closes 2 April 2007), which are intended to ensure the UK response to money
laundering at home & abroad is effective, proportionate and engages with
all key stakeholders.
The proposals
include:
·
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extended
supervision of the regulated sector
·
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strict tests to
ensure people running money services businesses are ‘fit & proper’
·
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extra checks on
customers that firms identify as posing a high risk of money
laundering
·
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a requirement to
establish the source of wealth for those in high risk
situations
·
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a strengthened
& risk-based regime in casinos, in line with, but stricter than,
international standards
The Government will implement the regulations by December 2007. In
the next few weeks, the Government will publish an anti-money
laundering and counter-terrorist financing strategy document, which
will build on the previous anti-money laundering strategy document launched in
2004.
Press release ~
Implementing the Third Money Laundering Directive: Draft Money
Laundering Regulations 2007 ~
Home Office: The Home office
claims that ‘building stronger borders, tackling organised crime and removing
incentives for illegal immigrants to come to
·
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arrest people
smugglers or traffickers even if their crimes were committed outside of the
·
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detain individuals
they suspect of having committed a crime, or those with a warrant outstanding
against them
·
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arrest those they
believe to have fraudulently been acquiring asylum-support, and to exercise
associated powers of entry, search and seizure
·
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access Her
Majesty's Revenue Customs (HMRC) data to track down illegal
immigrants
Foreign nationals benefiting from living in
the
Press release ~
Scottish Executive: A funding round that will allow
projects focused on employability & social inclusion issues to access
funding ahead of the formal start of the new European Structural Funds
programmes has opened for applications.
The fund - worth £10 million for projects in
the Lowlands & Uplands and £2 million in the Highlands & Islands - has
been established by the Scottish Executive to ensure that projects which help
some of the most vulnerable groups in society can apply for resources despite
delays in the start of the new European programmes which will run from
2007-2013.
In line with the rest of the
Press release ~
Defra: More needs to done at local, national
and European level if cleaner air is to be achieved, Local Environment Minister
Ben Bradshaw has said, when responding to the latest statistics on air quality
which have been published recently:
Preliminary results show that the
The
Initial analysis indicates that no
‘exceedences’ of sulphur dioxide (SO2) objectives were detected at national
automatic monitoring sites in the
The European Commission has proposed a
new
Air Quality Directive which will, if
agreed, streamline the Air Quality
Framework Directive (96/62/EC) and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd 'Daughter'
Directives (1999/30/EC, 2000/69/EC, 2002/3/EC). The proposed Directive is currently under negotiation in
Press release ~
Defra: Air quality indicator for sustainable development
2006 (provisional) ~ Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and
Northern Ireland (2000) and its Addendum (2003) ~ <
FONT color=#800080 size=2>Review of the Air Quality Strategy ~ Additional papers ~ Local Air Quality Management ~ Ozone pollution episode report (June
and July 2006) ~ National Air Quality Information Archive ~
Air Quality Framework Directive (96/62/EC) ~ <
FONT color=#800080 size=2>NEW international standards - BS ISO
14064:1-3
DTI: The limits on payments & awards
made to workers in employment rights cases will rise from
The increased limits
affect:
·
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statutory
redundancy payments
·
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the basic and
compensatory awards for unfair dismissal
·
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the limit on
guarantee payment made when employees are not provided with work,
and
·
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the minimum basic
award for unfair dismissal in health and safety and certain other
cases
Press release ~
The Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2006 ~ DTI: Redundancy ~ Redundancy and leaving your job :
Directgov ~ CAB ~ Redundancy
Help 2007 ~ HMRC Factsheet ~ Acas Redundancy
HMRC: Revenue
& Customs Brief 04/07
This Brief contains 1
article concerning an informal consultation with business on the proposal to
review and regularise the controls on marine fuels, with a particular emphasis
on netting.
HMRC: Revenue
& Customs Brief 03/07
This Brief contains 1
article concerning an informal consultation with business on the proposal to
relax some of the requirements of the RDCO (Registered Dealers in Controlled
Oil) scheme.
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