General Reports and Other Publications

APCC: Simon Duckworth, Chairman of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners' Transition Board has commented:  "Our research shows that listening to local communities tops the list of priorities for prospective Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs). It's clear that all 192 PCC candidates have been listening carefully to the public and stand ready to tackle their concerns across a wide range of police and crime issues.
 
Potential PCCs' priorities & areas of interest: Their analysis of candidates' own websites and their addresses on www.choosemypcc.org.uk has revealed some of the PCCs' most commonly-cited priorities.
Press release & links
 
IPPR North: The North risks falling further behind Scotland whether or not Scots vote for independence, according a new report from the IPPR North think tank.  It argues that the Northern economy is unable to dispatch a single ambassador to Westminster who can argue for more powers for the North, but that Scotland’s First Minister helps the Scottish economy ‘speak with one voice’.
 
The report shows that Scotland can already develop & resource a targeted industrial strategy and attract inward investors with generous support packages, but argues that the North of England’s Local Enterprise Partnerships pale in comparison.  The report argues both independence & further devolution to Scotland will put the North at risk of tax competition
Press release & links
 
WWF: Commenting on the publication of the International Energy Agency (IEA) World Energy Outlook 2012 recently, WWF-UK said that Governments & businesses were ‘in denial’ over the growing threat of climate change.
Press release & links
 
DCMS: Construction for the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games gave the UK economy a £7.3bn boost, a report has revealed. The latest meta-evaluation of the impacts and legacy of the Games, produced by a consortium led by Grant Thornton and commissioned by DCMS, used available data up to June 2012.
 
The CompeteFor website, which listed Games-related contract opportunities for small businesses, also helped to generate growth with more than 140,000 businesses registered on the site by the end of 2010/11.
Press release & links
 
PC&PE: The Commonwealth is working for the UK and could have a bright future ahead of it, says a Foreign Affairs Committee report published last week.   However the report, which is the product of a wide-ranging inquiry, suggests that, if the organisation is to reach its potential and influence events, the Commonwealth Secretariat needs to "sharpen, strengthen & promote its diplomatic performance".  The Committee notes that recently the Commonwealth has appeared less active and less publicly visible.
Press release & links ~ FCO comment
 
PC&PE: In a report published last week, the Commons Scottish Affairs Committee says it is very worried about the decision to close 2 of Scotland’s Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centres and says Government must do more to explain the rationale for the decision and how it will ensure that the same high standard of service is maintained, with fewer resources.
 
The Committee is ‘deeply concerned’ that despite an extensive Government consultation, those on the front line felt they had been excluded from the process.  The Committee is particularly concerned at the loss of local knowledge resulting from the closures, saying it seems that for a time at least that there will be a major gap in local knowledge among coastguards in the remaining four MRCCs.
Press release & links
 
ieaThe impact of fuel duty on the British economy is immense & destructive.  A new report from the Institute of Economic Affairs - Time to Excise Fuel Duty? - argues not only that fuel duty is unfair on motorists, but also that it puts British companies at a competitive disadvantage and acts as a disincentive to work, pushing up the welfare bill.  The report sets out a plan to fund reducing fuel duty, to the point that it can be halved and then eventually phased out.
Press release & links ~ Time to Excise Fuel Duty?
 
HL: The latest ‘Housing Report’ published recently from the National Housing Federation, Shelter and The Chartered Institute of Housing says that overcrowding, homelessness, housing costs & affordability in the private rental market are all getting worse.
Press release ~ The Housing Report: Edition 3
 
PC&PE: The Commons Committee of Public Accounts has published its Report: The Creation and Sale of Northern Rock plc
Press release & links 
Spotlight on women at Serco – Anita’s story