General News

FSA: A number of Ryan Foods ready-to-eat products have been produced in unapproved premises under unsatisfactory hygiene conditions and distributed in the Glasgow area.  Glasgow City Council has recalled the products, but it is not possible to recall them all.  If you have bought any of the affected products, do not eat them.  The Food Standards Agency has issued a Food Alert for Action.
Press release & links
 
FSA: All batches of Gaudiano Organic Olives Stuffed with Almonds have been withdrawn from sale across Europe, after 2 people in Helsinki, Finland, were diagnosed with botulismNo cases of botulism have been reported in the UK linked to this product.  Consumers who purchased this product should not consume it and instead dispose of them..
Press release & links
 
HMRC: HMRC has announced that Wealthy tax cheats with overseas property will be targeted by a new 200-strong team of investigators and specialists. The newly-formed team started work this month, bringing together experts from across the department who will use new & innovative risk assessment techniques to identify areas where wealthy individuals are avoiding and evading taxes & duties.
Press release & links
 
HMT: Parents are now able to open a Junior ISA account for their children at a range of high street institutions. Around 6m children will immediately be eligible for a Junior ISA, with a further 800,000 children benefitting each following year. All children under 18 who are UK residents and do not have a Child Trust Fund (CTF) will be eligible for a Junior ISA
Press release & links
 
CEBR: Total bonus payouts in the City for 2011/12 are expected to fall year on year by 38.0% to ‘only’ £4.2bn.  This takes the level of bonus payments to just over a third of the £11.6bn peak seen in 2007/08 just before the recession. These are the key findings of updated research into the City economy by the Centre for Economics and Business Research.
Press release & links
 
DCMS: BT has announced that it will supply fibre broadband to two thirds of UK premises by the end of 2014 – a year ahead of its original target. The telecoms firm is bringing forward about £300m of investment over the next few years and recruiting an extra 520 engineers, to enable the accelerated roll-out.
Press release & links
 
CO: Confusing tenders & bureaucratic public procurement have been laid bare in the latest Mystery Shopper results, published by the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude. The results show that the Cabinet Office has resolved a total of 14 cases for SMEs over the past 3 months.
Press release & links
 
EH: The long-awaited transformation of the Stonehenge landscape moved a step closer recently as the Government agreed sections of 2 roads running near the stones can be closed to traffic.
Press release & links
 
HPA: The latest wave of tests for radioactive gas radon in the Highlands, found 9 homes had readings more than 4 times over the point that HPA recommends action.
Press release & links
 
DCLG: Andrew Stunell has announced that next year's Green Flag Award application round is open, and urged groups that manage green spaces & parks, including those managed and created by local communities, to step forward. 
 
He indicated the Government's intention will be to advertise next year for an external group to run the Green Flag Award scheme under license from 1 September 2012 and to invite bids.  Details of the license offer will be available in February 2012,
Press release & links
 
DfE: Children’s Minister Tim Loughton has written to the Daily Mail responding to 2 recent articles stating that rules are in place about inter-racial adoption.
Press release & links
 
ACE: Details of £440m of strategic funding between 2012 & 2015 have recently been announced, including two new programmes for Capital & Touring. The Arts Council Plan for 2011-2015 sets out in more detail how strategic funding will be used to realise the priorities set out in Achieving great art for everyone.
Press release & links    
 
PCS: The government has acknowledged concerns raised by the Treasury select committee about a problem with leadership in Revenue & Customs but the continuing drive to cut staff will only worsen the situation, says the PCS union. The Treasury committee's report into the administration & effectiveness of HMRC recognises that hard-working staff continue to do more with less.  But the government's proposals to make further savings will only worsen staff morale and hit efficiency further.
Press release & links
 
TfL: Transport for London (TfL) is working with 5 suppliers to create a programme offering 12 new apprenticeship opportunities in quantity surveying.  The Greater London Authority (GLA) Group's Supplier Skills Team has assisted in developing a programme tailored to the skills needs of TfL and its supply chain, as well as supporting the opportunity to bring young talent into the industry. 
Press release & links
 
HMRC: If you haven’t sent in your 2010/11 Self Assessment return, you now must send it online if you want to avoid a penalty, as the 31 October deadline for paper returns has now passed. 
Press release & links
 
MoD: A sailor who spent 4 months helping to run the field hospital at Camp Bastion has spoken about the traumatic incidents & dangers medics face on a daily basis in Afghanistan.
Press release & links
 
CO: The Government has exited 36 property holdings in central London alone since May 2010, Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude confirmed, on the same day as the Public Property Summit took place in London last week. 
Press release & links
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