Policy Statements and Initiatives

WAG: Health care workers in Wales are being encouraged to develop their skills & experience by getting involved in a scheme to foster health links between Wales and countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The Wales for Africa Health Link Grant Scheme supports projects that make links with health care systems and medical education & training in sub-Saharan Africa.
Press release ~ Wales for Africa ~ Wales4Africa Health Link Grant Scheme 2011-12
 
DH: The Public Health Responsibility Dealshows how partnership & challenge can be the most effective way of tackling some public health objectives’, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley announced last week as he unveiled signatories to the first phase of the deal.  ‘Working in partnership with members of the voluntary sector, business, industry and the retail sector, the Deal can deliver faster and better results than a regulatory route, which is not always available’.
 
Since September 2010, 5 groups working on food, alcohol, behavioural change, physical activity and health at work have developed a series of pledges for action.
Press release ~ DH: Public Health Responsibility Deal
 
DECC: Social policy expert Professor John Hills has been appointed by Energy & Climate Change Secretary, Chris Huhne to lead an independent Review of the fuel poverty target & definition. A household is currently classed as being in ‘fuel poverty’ if it would need to spend more than 10% of its income on fuel to keep their home warm enough. A call for evidence to help shape the review is has been launched (closes 6 June 2011).
Press release and related links
 
WAG: A campaign to reduce the risk of people developing a stroke has been launched by the Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Dr Tony Jewell.  ‘Ask First - to prevent a stroke later’ has been developed to raise awareness that high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) are serious risk factors and can lead to a stroke.  The campaign will encourage adults to visit their GP to have their blood pressure and pulse checked.  This will improve diagnosis and make sure people at greater risk of stroke are referred for treatment.
Press release ~ Ask First - to prevent a stroke later
 
Defra: England, Scotland & Wales will get their own budgets to prevent & tackle animal diseases and look after animal welfare. Budgets will be devolved from 1 April 2011and have been shared based on historic spending & animal numbers. 
Press release
 
ScotGov: Deputy First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has launched Scotland's national strategy to tackle child poverty. Scotland's poorest families will ‘benefit from help to increase their household incomes and improve their children's life chances in the largest co-ordinated effort ever to lift more children out of poverty’.
 
A £6.8m 'Early Years' fund announced just last week will be set up, which national voluntary sector organisations will be able to bid for in May 2011.  The fund will back projects that offer parenting support, affordable childcare, play & bonding activities and family health initiatives.
Press release and related links
 
Directgov: The government has launched the world’s first financial incentive to revolutionise the way heat is generated & used in buildings.  From July 2011 up to 25,000 household heating installations will be supported by a Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Premium Payment.  This will help people cover the purchase price of green heating systems, such as solar hot water panels or large wood pellet boilers.
 
Those taking up the premium will then be eligible to get a RHI tariff when the Green Deal begins (October 2012).  The tariff will provide fixed annual payments to people who install renewable heating systems. The Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) plans to publish details of the RHI Premium Payment in May 2011.  It will consult on the RHI tariffs that will apply from October 2012, later in the year.
Press release and related links
 
CO: Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude, has announced that departments are estimating reductions in spending through public bodies of £11bn a year by 2014-15. The reductions are part of a cumulative £30bn reduction over the Spending Review period, through the review of public bodies, departmental reforms and the Spending Review. 
 
Francis Maude announced anticipated cumulative administrative savings alone of £2.6bn from public bodies over the Spending Review period.  The minister was responding to a House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee report on public bodies.  The Government’s response ‘addresses head-on several misconceptions and inaccuracies in the parliamentary report’.
 
Mr Maude also announced new rules to restrict the lobbying of Government by public-funded bodies, which will be restricted from carrying out unnecessary or political PR or marketing activity under the new rules.
Press release ~ Public Bodies Reform ~ IfG press release ~ PAC previous press release ~ CLG Press release
 
ScotGov: Vulnerable school leavers are to get one-on-one help to find the right employment, training or education opportunity. Activity Agreements - signed between a young person & an advisor to undertake a programme of learning & support to help them become ready for further study or work - are to be rolled out throughout Scotland.
Press release ~ Activity Agreements ~ YouthLink Scotland ~ Engage for Education
 
CLG: A vision of 'self-funded' councils that keep their local business taxes with central grant dependence scaled back except where it is needed to protect the interest of taxpayers was put forward last week by Local Government Secretary, Eric Pickles.
 
The first phase of a review of council resources has been launched to consider ways to establish a new system for Business Rates & Government Grant, which ‘protects the interests of taxpayers, rewards local growth and job creation, and delivers a more self-sufficient income for councils’.
Press release and related links
 
DH: Action to establish a more balanced charging regime for overseas visitors, including tackling health tourism has been promised by Public Health Minister, Anne Milton, following publication of 2 consultations on charging overseas visitors for NHS hospital care.
Press release
 
ScotGov: The Scottish Government has published its response to the recommendations of the Scots Language Working Group. A one stop shop for teaching resources about Scotland - including the Scots language - will be developed to give young people the opportunity to learn about our nation's heritage and culture. 
Press release and related links
 
DfE: Children’s Minister, Tim Loughton, has published a new Foster Carers’ Charter. Currently, many foster carers & children in care are facing obstacles to everyday activities, like going for haircuts & sleepovers, which can make children’s lives more difficult and put off those wanting to foster.  The new Charter sets out clear principles on how foster carers should be treated, recognises their invaluable work and aims to encourage more people to sign up to be foster carers.
 
The Charter is backed up by new slimmed-down fostering regulations & guidance, published last week, which make clear to local authority fostering services what their statutory duties are and reduces unnecessary burdens placed on them.
Press release and related links
 
Defra: The UK Marine Policy Statement has been jointly published by all UK Administrations as part of a new system of marine planning being introduced across UK seas. It will enable an appropriate & consistent approach to marine planning across UK waters and ensure the sustainable use of marine resources and strategic management of marine activities from renewable energy to nature conservation, fishing, recreation & tourism.
Press release ~ UK Marine Policy Statement
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