General Reports and Other Publications
ScotGov: The Scottish Environmental Attitudes and Behaviours Survey (SEABS), which questioned over 3,000 people, shows that awareness of environmental issues is high and that some greener behaviours are becoming commonplace. But there is still some way to go to tackle stubborn issues like travel habits and more to do to make people realise that their own behaviour can make the world a greener place.
The aim of the survey was to produce dedicated, sound and up-to-date data to support the development & delivery of environmental policy.
NAO: HM Courts Service has taken practical steps to improve the use of the Crown Court’s existing resources, but a number of risks to value for money remain, the National Audit Office recently reported. The Crown Court operates from around 500 court rooms at almost 100 locations around England and Wales. Some Crown Court locations in London and parts of the South East are running at, or close to, full capacity, which can increase waiting times affecting victims, witnesses and other parties in a court case.
Tim Burr, head of the National Audit Office, said: "The Service needs to improve its allocation and development of staff, so that it has enough well-trained people in each of its court locations, and tackle weaknesses in IT systems which currently bring operational risks and impair efficiency."
OFT: The Office of Fair Trading has published its report on the impacts of public support for Northern Rock on competition in financial services. The report fulfils a Government commitment given to Parliament during the passage of legislation to nationalise Northern Rock in February 2008, which stated that the OFT would publish an annual report assessing any competitive implications of public support for Northern Rock.
Taking into account the available information, including the constraints placed on Northern Rock by its 'competitive framework', and in the context of severe financial instability in the year to February 2009, the OFT has concluded that public support for Northern Rock did not, during that period, have a significantly adverse impact on competition.
The OFT will consult on a Financial Services Strategy in March 2009, which will lead to a Financial Services Plan later in 2009. The Plan is expected to cover consumer & competition issues across the financial services sector. This would encompass, where appropriate, consideration of competition issues relating to public support to banks, including where relevant, Northern Rock.
Socitm: Few Councils are realising the benefits they could from flexible & mobile working and, as a result, are missing out on potential savings. The problem is not a technical one says the briefing, since most councils now have the required infrastructure. Obstacles are mostly around resistance to change and reluctance to let go of 20th century management thinking which says: ‘If I can’t see my people, how do I know they are working?’
The briefing gives examples of efficiency and other benefits that organisations are realising from mobile & flexible working, centred on four main areas: people, buildings, mobility and the environment. It challenges managers to look at the facts and justify failure to act when there are opportunities to drive productivity up by 40% and simultaneously make dramatic improvements in customer service.
ScotGov: Almost all of the comments of young offenders in HMP Greenock and HMP Perth about their experience were positive. However, almost all of the comments of young offenders in Cornton Vale were negative, according to the latest report by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons.
All three locations have established excellent links with community organisations who contribute greatly to the reintegration process. When staff are focused on, and have an interest in, a particular group, then that group is better off - particularly if it is in a smaller unit close to families.
The experience of female young offenders in Cornton Vale is not good. There is very little for them to do and they consistently mix with adult prisoners in various circumstances. A smaller unit, specifically for women under 21 years of age, should be considered.
Press release ~ HM Inspectorate of Prisons: Report on Young Offenders in Adult Establishments ~ HM Inspectorate of Prisons
ESRC: The most ambitious independent policy review in the UK for over a decade was published last week and it makes challenging reading for both Government and Opposition. How has Britain progressed over the last decade? What are the next big choices that face us in the coming one?
These questions are addressed in the review, launched as part of the Economic and Social Research Council’s Festival of Social Science. Drawing on contributions from more than 60 leading experts, the reviewers document the post-97 Government’s successes such as on science and technology policy and health.
The review also documents areas where progress has been weak, such as on housing and planning, transport and the environment.
Press release ~ Publication details ~ Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) ~ ESRC Festival of Social Science 2009
NAO: An initiative, begun in 2004, by the National Offender Management Service to build a single offender management IT system for the prison & probation services has not delivered value for money. A National Audit Office investigation found the project had been hampered by poor management leading to a 3-year delay, a doubling in project costs and reductions in scope & benefits.
More recently, the National Offender Management Service has made progress in getting the project back on track; but the core aim of the original project of a single shared database of offenders will not be met. The Service has however reduced the number of databases used from 220 to3.
Press release ~ NAO: The National Offender Management Information System ~ National Offender Management Service
Ofsted: Government investment and better planning in schools have contributed to improvement in the quality of school information & communication technology (ICT) lessons, yet not all pupils are benefiting, according to a report published by Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills.
The report, The importance of ICT: information and communication technology in primary and secondary schools 2005/8, found that schools are now making the subject a high priority for development. The picture was most positive in primary schools, where achievement & standards rose as the survey progressed.
In secondary schools students were adept at using ICT to present their work and communicate ideas, but standards in using spreadsheets, databases and programming were low. In both primary and secondary schools many higher-attaining pupils were insufficiently challenged. Despite it being a statutory requirement, one in five secondary schools made insufficient provision for students who chose not to take an ICT qualification at Key Stage 4.
Press release ~ The importance of ICT: information and communication technology in primary and secondary schools 2005/8
NAO: The project to replace the UK’s ageing Anti Air Warfare capability, which is currently provided by the Type 42 destroyer, has suffered significant delays of over two years and costs have escalated to some £6.5bn, up by nearly 30% from initial estimates of £5bn.
More recently, the project has progressed well, with key milestones, such as completion of sea trials, being met, according to a report released by the National Audit Office. The problems arose because of over-optimism about what could be achieved, inappropriate commercial arrangements and, in the early stages, poor project management.
As part of the MOD’s plan to fit a number of equipments incrementally on ships after they have come into service, the full capability of the Type 45 will not be available until the middle of the next decade. These include the final elements of PAAMS, communications equipments and the Co-operative Engagement Capability which provides a clearer picture of the battle space and has a current target date of 2014 for installation.
NAO press release ~ Providing Anti Air Warfare Capability: the Type 45 destroyer ~ MoD press release
DCMS: The results of a pilot programme to introduce a new system of self-assessment and peer review for directly sponsored museums has been published by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The pilots were carried out at the National Portrait Gallery, Natural History Museum and Tyne & WearMuseums.
Each museum was asked to detail its vision, its successes and its challenges. In each case the peer review was then conducted by a panel of three individuals, from both the UK & abroad and from a range of professional backgrounds.
The peer reviews took place over three days and the panel reports include a critique of the self-assessment, an over-arching appraisal of the excellence across the museums functions and a set of recommendations for each museum to consider. Each museum was also asked to provide a management response to the peer review.
Press release ~ Supporting Excellence in the Arts: From Measurement to Judgement ~ DCMS Museum Peer Review Pilot - Reports and Self-Assessments
ACE: Arts Council England has published an independent evaluation of a proposal from the Royal Opera House (ROH) and Manchester City Council (MCC) to open a new opera and ballet producing theatre in the rebuilt Palace Theatre, Manchester.
Leading arts consultant Graham Marchant was commissioned in October 2008 to conduct the evaluation, which examined the potential of the plans to expand opera and dance provision, develop new audiences and provide more training & skills development to the sector. The evaluation also looked at the plans’ possible impact on other cultural organisations, including those producing and touring this type of work in the north of England and across the country.
Press release ~ An assessment of the viability of a proposal made by the Royal Opera House and Manchester City Council
HC: The Healthcare Commission (HC) has published a report detailing progress by 154 NHS acute trusts since it reviewed services for children in hospital in 2005/06. The review showed that services were generally good when children were inpatients in specialist paediatric services. But there was a need for significant improvement in the care of children being treated in other settings.
This latest report focuses on emergency & day case settings, looking at the areas that the HC had previously highlighted as particular concerns. Results for each trust across 19 indicators of performance are published alongside the report. The HC said that although some trusts had improved, overall progress was mixed.
