Consultations

EU News: The European Commission has launched a public consultation on ways to improve access to justice in the field of the environment.  Access to justice – the right to challenge decisions or omissions by public bodies that are suspected of not complying with environmental law – is an international obligation under a UN Convention ratified by the EU in 2005.  Consultation closes on 23 September 2013.
Press release & links
 
EU News: In Europe we waste about 89m tons of food every year.  Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik said: "This is morally & economically unacceptable and is all the more horrific when you consider the true scale of the resources required to produce those 89 million tons! We are also wasting all those resources. There's something wrong with the system."
 
That is why the European Commission is asking for opinions about the European food production and consumption system. The consultation asks stakeholders, citizens, businesses, NGOs and public authorities for ideas on immediate action to reduce food waste and more generally on how to ensure our food system is using resources efficiently.  These will provide input for a Communication on Sustainable Food later this year.  The consultation closes on 1 October 2013.
Press release & links
 
DSASome rules for motorcycles, lorries and buses used for driving tests are changing to let trainers use more easily available vehicles. Manufacturers are phasing out production of the types of vehicles that were commonly used in 2000 when the European Commission first introduced the minimum standards.
 
The Driving Standards Agency has launched a consultation about a directive that introduces changes to driver licensing and the vehicles that can be used to take the driving test.  It closes on 26 August 2013.  All of these changes must be introduced by 31 December 2013.
Press release & links
 
DfE: Deputy PM, Nick Clegg, and Schools Minister, David Laws, have launched a consultation setting out proposals to reform the way primary schools are held to account and raise standards for all. The new system will be more ambitious, setting out clear expectations of what every child needs to achieve to be ready for secondary school.
 
The consultation is online and the government response to the national curriculum review and the new programmes of study are available to download from the department’s website.  The consultation closes 11 October 2013.
Press release & links ~ Primary assessment and accountability under the new national curriculum ~ IoE: How the government is connecting the dots between the pupil premium and KS2 results
 
BIS: The government launched 2 new surveys at the ministerial summit in July 2013 to address concerns in the payday loans market.  These surveys aim to check how well payday lenders are meeting the standards set out in the industry codes implemented last November.  Both surveys will close on 14 August 2013.
Press release & links
 
DECCInvestors have received further certainty of how the government will support investment in new energy infrastructure through the Energy Bill, in order to keep the lights on and bills & emissions down. The draft Electricity Market Reform Delivery Plan, published last week for consultation, provides detail on the support mechanism (long-term Contracts for Difference) and draft strike prices for renewables investors, which together will help incentivise up to £110bn of investment in new electricity infrastructure by 2020.
 
The EMR Draft Delivery Plan is being put out for consultation, before a final version is published in December.  The consultation closes on 25 September 2013.  The Energy Bill is expected to receive Royal Assent by end of 2013.
Press release & links
 
Ofcom: Ofcom has proposed to change the way people dial local telephone numbers in some parts of the country, in order to free up new numbers where supplies are running low. The change would require people in 5 areas of the UK to include the area code when dialling a local number from a landline. At present the code can be omitted for local calls, but this means Ofcom is unable to allocate local numbers beginning with a ‘zero’ or a ‘one’.1
 
Ofcom is proposing to implement the measure on 1 October 2014 in Aberdeen, Bradford, Brighton, Middlesbrough and Milton Keynes – 5 dialling code areas where the supply of new telephone numbers is running low due to high demand. The consultation closes on 13 September 2013
Press release & links.
 
DH: Plans to help people better prepare for the cost of their future care needs have been published alongside details of how the new fairer funding system will protect homes & savings.  As part of the consultation looking at the practical detail of implementing the proposed funding reforms, the proposals include financial advice to help everyone understand their needs and plan for the future. The consultation closes on 25 October 2013
Press release & links
 
Additional Consultations: Readers should be aware that many consultations are never publicised with a press release, so do not appear in either the email alerts or Wired - GOV Plus. Many of these consultations can be found at the following links:
GOV.UK consultations ~ Current ScotGov consultations ~ Recently added WAG consultations
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