General Reports and Other Publications

LSN: The Learning and Skills Network (LSN) has highlighted a study widening participation in higher education that claims ‘We are a nation of ‘two halves’, divided at the age of 16 into those who achieve five or more ‘good’ GCSEs and those who do not’.
 
Amid concern that those from disadvantaged backgrounds are still under-represented in higher education, author Geoff Stanton argues that attempting to address this by concentrating on university admissions processes is too narrow.  He says we should look at the social class composition of the institutions they progress from.  Geoff Stanton is one of seven contributors to a new collection of essays – ‘Unfinished business in widening participation: the end of the beginning’ - published by the LSN.
 
In another paper, authors Geoff Hall and Hugh David highlight the importance of further education colleges in widening participation into higher education.  Research shows that higher education provided in colleges attracts students from a much broader range of social backgrounds than HE provided in universities.
Press release ~ Unfinished business in widening participation: the end of the beginning ~ Helena Kennedy Foundation ~ Learning and Skills Network (LSN)
 
DWP:  Recent research shows that nearly 70% of employees who would be eligible for automatic enrolment saw themselves as saving through the workplace pension reforms when they are introduced in 2012. The survey, conducted for the Department for Work and Pensions, revealed that workers were very much aware of the importance of making provision for later life and that 64% believed that automatic enrolment into a workplace pension with an employer contribution was an attractive option.
Press release ~ DWP Research Report No 550 - Individuals' attitudes and likely reactions to the workplace pension reforms 2007: Report of a quantitative survey ~ DWP Research Report No 551 - Why people may decide to remain in or opt out of personal accounts: Report of a qualitative study ~ DWP Research Report No. 546 - "Employer attitudes and likely reactions to the workplace pension reforms 2007: Report of a quantitative survey" ~ Key findings from the quantitative survey ~ DWP Research Report No. 547 - "Understanding employers' responses to the workplace pension reforms 2007: Report of a qualitative study ~ Summary versions ~ DWP – Pensions reform
 
NAO: The National Audit Office has reported that the Royal Household has improved value for money by tightening up the way it plans & manages its maintenance of the Occupied Royal Palaces.  Without an agreed way of measuring the condition of the estate, however, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport cannot show how far the Palaces are being maintained in line with its objectives.
 
In 2007-08, the Property Section of the Royal Household received £15m from public funds to run & maintain the Occupied Royal Palaces, broadly the same level of funding as in 2000-01, which is a reduction of 19% in real terms.
 
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is ultimately responsible for the upkeep of the Estate, but does not currently have a clear basis for assessing the extent to which its aim of maintaining the Palaces to a standard consistent with their royal, architectural and historic status is being achieved.  The Property Section has identified a backlog of maintenance work, but there is not yet an agreement between the parties about how the backlog should be measured or how to manage it.
Press release ~ Maintaining the Occupied Royal Palaces ~ Executive Summary ~ Historical Royal Palaces ~ Royal Residences ~ British Monarchy ~ Guardian: £32m palaces maintenance backlog
 
Cabinet Office: Four more Government departments are on track to meet the challenges of the 21st century, according to the latest round of capability re-reviews. The reviews, published by the Cabinet Office, outline the progress made by the Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform, Communities and Local Government and the Cabinet Office itself since their performance was first assessed two years ago.  The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills underwent a baseline assessment as it was only created last year.
 
BERR, CLG and the Cabinet Office all showed overall improvement, with a particularly strong showing in evidence-based decision making.  DIUS performed well in its baseline review, with good scores in the majority of areas.
Press release ~ Cabinet Office: Progress and next steps ~ Communities and Local Government: Progress and next steps ~ Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform: Progress and next steps ~ Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills: Baseline Assessment ~ Review website
 
CRC: For its latest ‘State of the countryside’ update on specific rural issues, the Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) has been looking at how rural places across England are faring when judged against official markers of deprivation, such as housing, income, health, access to jobs, training & services, crime rates and environmental safety.
Press release ~ ‘Rural analysis of the Index of Multiple Deprivation State of the countryside update 5’ ~ CLG: Indices of Multiple Deprivation 2007 ~ CRC - Measuring Deprivation in Rural Areas – report of seminar 5 December 2008
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