.gif)
WIREDGOV NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
 |
|
|
| Unfortunately there NEVER seems to be enough funding! |
| The financial performance of NHS bodies worsened considerably in 2015-16 and this trend is not sustainable, according to the National Audit Office. |
| Researched Links: |
|
NAO: Financial sustainability of the NHS The King’s Fund responds to the NAO report on the financial sustainability of the NHS LGA responds to NAO report on financial sustainability of the NHS NHS Confederation: The Autumn Statement missed a golden opportunity to ease the strain on the NHS The King's Fund responds to the Autumn Statement NLGN: Chancellor fails to address growing crisis in health & social care The problem is getting worse by the day We have ‘known’ about the problem for decades, but little ever seems to be achieved NHS England: Multimorbidity – the biggest clinical challenge facing the NHS? NHS England: Realising the Value – connecting people & communities |
| No one is safe from ‘attack!’ |
|
Following the success of the IA15 and CyberUK 2016 events, the National Cyber Security Centre is pleased to announce that they will be returning to Liverpool for CyberUK 2017. This is a 3-day event that will bring together cyber security leaders & professionals from across the UK’s information security communities from both the public and private sector. CyberUK 2017 will be held 14–16 March 2017 at the Arena and Conference Centre in Liverpool. The event will have two elements:
|
|
National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) announces flagship event: CyberUK 2017 |
|
|||
|
| Not an obvious target, but data could provide access to more important systems |
|
An STFC events registration site was the victim of a cyber-attack by unknown perpetrators earlier this month. The hackers extracted a registration database, containing personal non-financial information from approximately 12,000 registrations. STFC has written to all individuals listed on this database to advise them of the cyber-attack, to apologise for the release of their data, and to provide information on the enhanced security features and other actions they have taken in response. Although the database does not contain financial information, they are strongly advising affected individuals that if the password used for this service is also used for other cloud services (e.g. shopping or banking), they should change those passwords as soon as possible. |
| Researched Links: |
| Sometimes consultation does have an impact |
| Lord Porter, Chairman of the LGA has responded to the Government announcement that Pay to Stay will be voluntary for councils. |
| Researched Links: |
|
Pay to stay to be voluntary for councils - LGA responds LGA calls on Government to rethink pay to stay policy CLG: Fair rents will ensure higher-earning tenants 'pay to stay' |
| It may not be a White Christmas but ‘freezing’ is still an essential part of it |
| In the run-up to Christmas, the Food Standards Agency is promoting a range of messages to help people plan their festive cooking and work out what & when to cook, freeze and defrost in order to have a less stressful & wasteful Christmas. These messages will be delivered by the ‘FSA Freezer Fairy’ in the form of tips & advice. |
| Some would say the Barnett Formula settlement for Wales must be too generous if they can afford this! |
|
In September 2016 a radical overhaul of student finance in Wales was published after an independent review led by Professor Sir Ian Diamond and a panel of experts. The Education Secretary Kirsty Williams has published the Welsh Government’s response, setting out how it will secure the stability & sustainability of higher education and student finance arrangements in Wales. The Welsh Government will implement, with only minor modification, the Diamond package. This means the average Welsh student could receive £7,000 a year in grant support while they study, with a pro-rata version available to part-time students. The maximum level of support available is expected to be more than £9,000 a year for those studying full–time if implemented in 2018/19. The Diamond review modelled a range of household income thresholds for those eligible for means-tested support. WAG has decided to set the upper threshold at £59,200. This is an increase of around £8,000 on current arrangements. This would mean 70% of Welsh students will be eligible for some form of means-tested grant support, in addition to a universal £1,000, with around 35% eligible for the maximum grant. |
| Researched Links: |
|
WAG: Plans published for new Welsh student finance system that provides for all EU student funding guarantee for Welsh universities extended |
| If they insist on a ‘Hard’ Brexit why would our Armed Forces put their lives on the line to defend them? |
|
Terrorism, hybrid threats and cyber- & energy insecurity leave EU countries no choice but to step up their security and defence cooperation efforts, thus paving the way to a European Defence Union. MEPs suggest: *devoting 2% of each country’s GDP to defence *establishing multinational forces and EU headquarters to plan & command crisis management operations *enabling the EU to act where NATO is unwilling to do so (Editor: Who would decide when urgent action should be taken – the EC, EP or the Council of Ministers and who would pay the ‘bill’ for nations providing resources for that action, while others ‘stay at home’? As a past NATO Review article says; “The numbers speak for themselves. Some 25% of NATO members do not have an air force, 30% have no naval force or maintain a navy with less than 600 sailors, and 50% are fielding an active army of less than 20,000 soldiers”. Would it be the president of the EC, Mr Junker, who comes from Luxembourg, which apparently spends less than 0.5% of GDP per year on defence? Hardly an inspiring military leader in the mould of Winston Churchill, or Dwight D. Eisenhower! |
| Researched Links: |
|
Defence: MEPs push for more EU cooperation to better protect Europe Defence Secretary reviews NATO’s reassurance role with Secretary General 10DS: PM meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg: 23 November 2016 Defence Expenditures of NATO Countries PC&PE: "Woefully low" total of Navy escort vessels could shrink still further |
| Now we know why the SNP don’t care about migration from the EU! |
|
National Records of Scotland have published additional population projections for Scotland based on varying potential levels of EU migration. The 3 additional variant projections do not have National Statistics status and have been created for illustrative purposes only. The additional variant projections are: zero future EU migration; 50% future EU migration (50% less future EU migration); and 150% future EU migration (50% more future EU migration). Each of these variants has been produced for both Scotland and the UK as a whole (including Scotland). The principal projection is the main projection, and if current trends continue it suggests that the population of Scotland may rise from 5.35m in 2014 to 5.7m in 2039 – an increase of 7% over the 25 year period. In the zero future EU migration variant, the population of Scotland is projected to rise to 5.49m in 2039 – an increase of 3% from 2014. However under this variant, the population is projected to peak at 5.50m in 2033 and then decline gradually after that point. For the 50% future EU migration variant, the population of Scotland is projected to rise to 5.59m in 2039 – an increase of 5% from 2014. ScotGov: Statistical News Release ~ The Impact of Migration on UK Population Growth - Migration Observatory ~ According the principal projection, England will experience by far the largest population growth (+17% over the next 25 years) |
| Editorial Comment: Why are the SNP striving for less democratic representation? |
|
Every week seems to bring yet more demands from the SNP for Scotland to ‘remain’ in the EU, yet they never mention one obvious impact of such an outcome – fewer democratically elected representatives! Currently Scotland has 59 MPs (out of 650 & due to reduce to 600) at Westminster, 129 MSPs and 6 MEPs (out of 751 – 73 for the UK as a whole)) to represent approx. 5.4m people. As an independent country (and it looks like it would have to become one), it would have something like 129 MSPs and possibly 12 MEPs to represent approx. 5.4m people – (Ireland has 11 MEPs with 4.8m). What makes the SNP think that they will have more influence (if any) on EU decisions / legislation than they currently have? If the UK as a whole cannot ‘stop’ the onward march of ‘Federal Europe’, what hope for Scotland? Added to which they will have minimal influence on future decisions made by rUK - including in areas such as infrastructure development (including a possible HS2 link to Scotland) and support for North Sea Oil and would have to pay for everything themselves! One could indeed argue that the UK should call a halt to all such payments/investments until such time as the SNP accept that they have had their ‘once in a lifetime’ independence referendum and stop threatening to have another one. After all, why should we ‘financially support’ a Scotland that might soon leave the UK taking its (substantially funded by England) infrastructure with it? Latest update; The UK Chancellor has actually given an £800m boost to ScotGov’s capital budgets in the Autumn Statement. One hopes he won’t hold his breath while waiting for any thanks from the SNP! HMT: £800m boost to ScotGov’s capital budgets in Autumn Statement ~ PC&PE: Uncertainty risks harming growth in Scotland's renewable energy industry ~ UK Chancellor challenged to step up for North Sea ~ New infrastructure guarantee for Speyside renewable energy plan issued by Treasury ~ ScotGov: FM meets EU Ambassadors ~ An independent Scotland could require more than the ‘benefits of £24bn’ to both pay for the extension of HS2 and the subsidies of the existing railway(s) Furthermore, with regard to ScotGov starting legal challenges on the reserved matter of UK treaties (including Brexit), perhaps we should declare ‘open season’ on one current devolved issue in Scotland – Fox Hunting! Given that the SNP MPs ‘interfered’ with proposed UK legislation on Fox Hunting against parliamentary convention, why shouldn’t the UK government start a legal challenge on the basis that changes in Scottish foxhunting laws could impact on rUK, as the foxes can run across the current soft border? ScotGov: Fox hunting laws ~ The Guardian: Government shelves foxhunting vote after SNP opposition ~ Scottish Government will intervene in Article 50 legal case ~ WAG given go-ahead to intervene in Supreme Court ‘Brexit’ Appeal ~ Electoral Commission sets out views on Scottish Government’s draft referendum bill |
|
|
|
More news, opinions, documents, claims & counter-claims; |
| Researched Links: |
|
Electoral Commission sets out views on Scottish Government’s draft referendum bill |
- General News
- Health, Social Care and Homelessness
- Policy Statements and Initiatives
- Consultations
- Guidance Notes and Best Practice Guides
- General Reports and Other Publications
- Legislation / Legal
- EU Legislation, Initiatives, etc.
- Charity and Voluntary Sector
- ICT and Data Management / Security
- Business and Other Briefings
- Industry News
- Forthcoming Event
