General Reports and Other Publications

TUCRegular safety inspections, a maximum temperature in the workplace and far greater control of carcinogens are just some of the improvements that the TUC is calling for in a new 10-point safety manifesto published recently.
 
The report, Time for change, features 10 key recommendations which the TUC believes, if implemented by a future government, could help turn around the UK's poor safety record, and prevent a good many of the 20,000 workplace-related deaths which occur in the UK every year.
Press release & links
 
TUCEmployers who create healthy workplaces can reduce employee absence & boost productivity, according to a new TUC guide published recently. The report, Work & well-being, aims to promote healthier working and help union safety reps identify what within their workplaces are making staff ill.
Press release & links
 
ESRCAs international criminal gangs increasingly target online dating & social networking sites, as a means of extorting money from unwary victims, research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council suggests that new strategies are needed for tackling the crime & supporting its victims.
 
Almost 230,000 people in the UK have been conned by online romance fraudsters since 2007, according to the study.  The criminals pretend to be seeking a relationship, using a fake profile and traditional grooming techniques, in order eventually to extort money from their would-be lover.
Press release & links
 
PC&PE: In a report published last week, Lifting the restrictions on NEST, the Work & Pensions Committee reiterates its previous recommendation that the Government should remove the cap on annual contributions to NEST (National Employment Savings Trust) and the ban on transfers in and out of NEST now.  The Committee urges the Government to introduce the necessary amending legislation as a matter of urgency. 
Press release & links ~ Committee report puts more pressure on government to lift restrictions on NEST, says TUC ~ DWP: Government confirms it will consult on technical changes to automatic enrolment ~ DWP: Government's pension reforms will give lower paid bigger incentive to save
 
IoEThe end of History? Let’s make sure it’s not. A Blog posted by Chris Husbands from the Institute of Education comments on the Government’s draft national curriculum for history and asks 2 basic questions: is it good history, and will it promote good learning?  
Press release & links
 
IoEPupils with the most acute special educational needs (SEN) spend over a quarter of their week away from their class, teacher & peers, new research from the Institute of Education (IOE), London, shows.  This ‘high degree of separation’ means that both their education & their social development suffer, the study concludes.
Press release & links
 
CAB: Gillian Guy, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, recently addressed an audience at the Resolution Foundation to launch a new report on Squeezed Britain.
Press release ~ Squeezed Britain
 
OFT: The OFT has published a report which identifies several consumer protection issues in the lettings market. It found that both tenants & landlords were concerned about fees & charges levied by agents, poor service provided and that 'surprise' charges were introduced or 'drip-fed' once contracts have been signed.
Press release & links
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