Policy Statements and Initiatives
ScotGov: Changes to school funding, including cluster level management of budgets and a national formula for the distribution of money to Scottish schools, are recommended in a recent report. Education expert David Cameron's report makes clear that changes to allow groups of schools - such as primary & secondary schools which share a catchment area - to manage their budgets together can help schools make the most of the opportunities Curriculum for Excellence offers.
HMT: The Government has accepted the recommendations of Pay Review Bodies for public sector pay awards for 2011-12. In line with the announcement made in the June Budget, public sector workers covered by the Bodies earning £21,000 or less will receive a pay increase of £250 for 2011-12. Those earning over £21,000 will have their pay frozen for two years. Overall, the pay freeze will save £3.3bn a year by 2014-15.
WAG: Care & Repair services across Wales have been awarded £4.77m of Welsh Assembly Government funding to help older people to remain in their own homes.
ScotGov: The Scottish Government's commitment to no compulsory redundancies for its own staff has been extended for another year, until the end of March 2012. Agreement was reached following discussions with Finance Secretary John Swinney and union negotiators of the Council of Scottish Government Unions.
HO: Victims of crime & antisocial behaviour, including bereaved families, will benefit from additional support in their communities, Home Secretary Theresa May has announced. New funding of £1m will be spent across the country to ensure victims & witnesses are given a powerful local voice ahead of the introduction of Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) in 2012.
The Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses, Louise Casey, will work in partnership with Victim Support, the national charity for victims, to set up a network of advocates.
The Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses, Louise Casey, will work in partnership with Victim Support, the national charity for victims, to set up a network of advocates.
WAG: The Welsh Assembly Government is teaming up with Sir Terry Matthews to create a new graduate entrepreneurship programme aimed at ‘creating a new generation of high calibre technology entrepreneurs’. The scheme, which is in the final stages of development, would be in partnership with Sir Terry Matthews’ Wesley Clover organisation and the Waterloo Foundation. It will be administered by a not-for- profit foundation called ‘Alacrity’.
DfT: A package of measures to tackle drink & drug driving was announced last week by Transport Secretary Philip Hammond. Improved testing equipment to detect drink & drug drivers will be given the green light and key changes made to streamline enforcement of both offences.
The Government will also examine the case for a new specific drug driving offence – alongside the existing one – which would remove the need for the police to prove impairment on a case-by-case basis where a specified drug has been detected. The full response to the North Report, which also includes the Department’s response to the Transport Select Committee’s report on the same subject, was published last week.
Press release ~ The North Review into drink and drug driving ~ Transport Select Committees report into Sir Peter's review ~ The Government's Response to the Reports by Sir Peter North CBE QC and the Transport Select Committee on Drink and Drug Driving
ScotGov: Enterprise Minister, Jim Mather, travelled to China last week to meet several existing & potential investors in Scotland. The visit coincided with the launch of Scotland's new 5 year Trade & Investment Strategy to boost international trade links, attract investment from key overseas growth markets and promote Scotland's credentials as an internationally competitive business location. The strategy aims to deliver up to £2bn of net additional GVA to the Scottish economy through trade and investment activity by 2015.
HO: Tougher entrance criteria, limits on work entitlements and the closure of the post study work route are some of the changes being made to the student visa system, announced by Home Secretary Theresa May.
This announcement follows a major public consultation on the reform of Tier Four - the student entry route to the UK of the Points Based System - after a Home Office review revealed widespread abuse. A sample of students studying at private institutions showed that 26% of them could not be accounted for.
This announcement follows a major public consultation on the reform of Tier Four - the student entry route to the UK of the Points Based System - after a Home Office review revealed widespread abuse. A sample of students studying at private institutions showed that 26% of them could not be accounted for.
ScotGov: Last week, 130 projects were announced as the latest community initiatives to receive awards totalling over £8m from the Climate Challenge Fund (CCF). Since 2008, 345 communities the length and breadth of Scotland have received a share of the £37.7 million made available under the popular CCF initiative to help reduce their carbon footprint.
ScotGov: Midge Ure is backing Scotland's bid for the 2015 World Water Forum. He will promote Scotland's commitment to provide safe, clean water for developing countries and efforts to improve global, water security. Hosting the event in Glasgow could attract 20,000 visitors from around the world and generate £20m to the Scottish economy.
Defra: Additional £2m p.a. funding for the Environment Agency to provide practical advice to help businesses, organisations & communities prepare for climate change has been announced.
The Environment Agency (EA) will take on a new, additional role as the Government’s delivery body in England for advice on climate adaptation – the actions needed to build our resilience to the changes & impacts projected such as hotter, drier summers; warmer, wetter winters; and an increased risk of severe weather and flooding.
The Environment Agency (EA) will take on a new, additional role as the Government’s delivery body in England for advice on climate adaptation – the actions needed to build our resilience to the changes & impacts projected such as hotter, drier summers; warmer, wetter winters; and an increased risk of severe weather and flooding.
WAG: The Minister for Heritage has welcomed the positive response to the consultation on the Welsh Language strategy – 'A living language: a language for living' – and outlined the work ahead to finish the development of the strategy. The Minister has published a document which ‘summarises the main themes raised during the consultation and sets out actions for the coming year for the preparation of the final strategy and action plan’.
