WIREDGOV NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
| They know ‘How to’, but many lack judgement/knowledge of the risk & dangers |
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95% of children in Wales aged 7 to 15 use the internet at home, a new report shows. The Education Secretary Kirsty Williams has announced that online safety will remain a key priority for the Welsh Government with an extensive programme to enhance online safety practice in schools over the next two years, to continue to support young people to stay safe online. Last month the Cabinet Secretary for Education launched the Online Safety Zone on Hwb, the digital learning platform for schools in Wales. The Online Safety Zone provides young people, teachers, parents and governors with access to a wide range of bilingual online safety materials. WAG is also supporting Operation Netsafe (a pan-Wales campaign led by South Wales Police in partnership with the Lucy Faithful Foundation), which aims to stop the creation, viewing & sharing of indecent images of children online. |
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WAG: Online Safety remains a key priority as internet use rises And here is another area of ‘digital concern’ Operation Net Safe – Tackling online child sexual abuse & exploitation Lucy Faithfull Foundation Child protection charity Child Sexual Abuse NCSC: Girls impress judges in national final of cyber security contest |
The Information Commissioner’s Office carried out this survey, about the governance of data protection and freedom of information, in 2016 to identify common areas of both good practice and possible improvement. The survey was open to local councils, excluding parish and town councils. Councils were advised to make one submission, ideally completed by their information governance lead. Key findings from the survey include:
Click here to access and download the full survey. |
| First Service; a gentle lob |
| Theresa May has given a statement in Parliament on her letter notifying the European Council President of the UK’s intention to leave the EU. |
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10DS: PM's Commons statement on triggering Article 50 EHRC: Great Repeal Bill response CBI: What business wants from UK-EU negotiations after Article 50 TUC: Great Repeal Bill must make good on PM’s promise to fully protect workers’ rights TUC: PM must now take the time to get the best Brexit deal for working people IEA: The PM’s letter is measured & conciliatory – perhaps too much so |
| Return service; the EU pots call the UK kettle ‘black’ |
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The Conference of Presidents endorsed a motion for a resolution drawn up by the leaders of four political groups and the Constitutional Affairs Committee, in which they set out their conditions for a final approval by the European Parliament of any withdrawal agreement with the UK. The draft resolution will be debated and voted on by the full house next Wednesday. The motion attaches great importance to fair treatment of EU-27 citizens and stresses the need for reciprocity & non-discrimination between UK citizens living in the EU and EU citizens living in the UK. The UK must continue to both enjoy all its rights and respect all its obligations under the EU Treaty until it leaves, including financial commitments under the current EU long-term budget, even if those go beyond the withdrawal date. This also means that the UK must continue to accept the 4 freedoms, the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, general budgetary contributions and adherence to the EU’s common trade policy until it leaves. MEPs insist on the importance of addressing the issue of the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. MEPs agree that talks can start on possible transitional arrangements based on plans for the future relationship between the EU and the UK, but only if & when good progress has been made towards the withdrawal agreement. A future relationship agreement can only be concluded once the UK has actually left the EU and a transitional arrangement may not last longer than 3 years. |
| Editorial Note; So the EU can ‘blackmail’ us over agreeing a ‘divorce bill’ before any trade discussions, but it is ‘unreasonable for us to point out they have no automatic right to our security assets/information and that perhaps they (& especially Germany which can afford it) ought to pay their fair share of the cost of European security (including NATO). After all when the UK leaves the EU, 80% of the EU’s defence forces will be paid for by countries outside the EU! |
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EU News: Brexit: MEPs set out conditions for approving UK withdrawal agreement |
| Achieving ‘Love All’ in the final SET |
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In a new report, Open Europe argues that leaving the EU’s Customs Union is the only logical step for the UK to pursue an independent trade policy and achieve a truly ‘Global Britain’ outside the EU. The study concludes that the UK and the EU should aim for full cooperation on the practicalities & administration of customs as part of a comprehensive UK-EU free trade deal. Free trade does not require a customs union and over half of UK trade happens without it. Most UK trade (51.5% in 2015) is not with the EU. Non-EU trade takes place without a customs union and is growing faster than trade with the EU. In 2015, the US was the largest recipient of UK goods exports (16.6%). There is no EU-US FTA, let alone a customs union. None of the alternatives to the status quo guarantee frictionless UK-EU movement of goods. There are various options available for UK-EU customs cooperation. The core trade-off is integration versus control. The more integrated the UK remains with the EU, the less control it will have over its trade policy. The best solution is for the UK to leave EUCU and conclude a comprehensive UK-EU FTA with full customs cooperation. This is in line with the direction of global trade negotiations, which now focus largely on Non-Tariff Barriers – including customs. |
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Open Europe: Nothing to declare - A plan for UK-EU trade outside the Customs Union PC&PE: Clarity needed on UK access to Digital Single Market post-Brexit techUK: Tech Industry Calls for Brexit Negotiations that Secure a Bright Digital Future PC&PE: Brexit and the EU budget report debated by Lords techUK warns UK Faces Tech Talent Cliff Edge Without Urgent Government Action |
| SME Supplier Locator update... |
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UK Government and public sector spend with SME’s is continually on the increase and by 2020, it is the stated intent of Cabinet Office that £1 of every £3 spent on government contracts goes to SME’s. The past 5 years have seen government make a priority of getting money through its supply chain into the hands of SMEs, by both setting targets and introducing new procurement mechanisms. Against this backdrop, the WiredGov Supplier Locator service has been developed specifically to embrace the SME Agenda and provide the ideal platform for SME’s to promote their services, solutions, accreditation and success stories directly to our ever increasing audience across all government and public sector verticals and Tier 1 suppliers. |
| An opportunity to show just how good you are! |
| The National Apprenticeship Awards 2017 kicked off last week, when the application site opened for entries. In its 14th year, the Awards 2017 will search for England’s top apprenticeship employers & apprentices; whilst recognising those individuals that make a significant contribution to apprenticeships. For those considering entering the 2017 awards - a series of webinars to find out more about the process will be announced shortly. |
| Interested in flood risk in your area |
| The Environment Agency is looking for enthusiastic applicants from all walks of life to fill vacancies on the South West Regional Flood and Coastal Committee and Anglian Northern Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (RFCC). Being an RFCC member is an exciting opportunity to help guide local flood & coastal management across the whole region. |
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EA: Do you want to make a difference to flood risk in the South West? EA: Committee members sought to help shape future flood plans in Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire |
| A ‘tough’ but rewarding career |
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Graduates across the country are being encouraged to apply to a fast-track programme to become the next generation of child & family social workers. Applications have opened for Step Up to Social Work, a 14-month programme that combines real-world experience in a local authority social work team with high-quality university training. This year more than 550 funded places are available to support trainees. After applications close in May, students will start training in January 2018. Successful candidates will be awarded a postgraduate diploma in social work when they graduate, allowing them to register & practice as a social worker. Whether you are a recent graduate or someone whose student days are long behind you, this is a fantastic opportunity to begin a new career helping children & families. We want all young people to be able to go as far as their talents will take them, and part of that is making sure childhood is a happy and safe time in their lives. |
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| Could you be part of that ‘Welcome’? |
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People across Scotland are being given the chance to volunteer and be the face of the inaugural European Championships in August 2018. More than 3,000 people will welcome athletes, officials, media & spectators to the new event being staged in Glasgow and across Scotland, as well as Berlin in Germany. It brings together 7 sports and 4,500 elite athletes over 10 days of action. People over the age of 16, regardless of their experience & circumstances, will be welcome to apply to become a volunteer and the recruitment process runs from now up until 31 July 2017. |
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| Help protect our honey bees! |
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The nation’s smartphones are the latest weapon in the fight to prevent the spread of the Asian hornet. People will be able to use a FREE app - called Asian Hornet Watch - to quickly & easily report possible sightings of the invasive species and send pictures of suspect insects to experts at the National Bee Unit. While Asian hornets pose no greater risk to human health than a bee, they are a threat to our native honey bees, which is why it is important to quickly contain them. By using the eyes & ears of smartphone users, we can more quickly identify any Asian hornet nests in the UK and eradicate them before they have the opportunity to spread. Asian hornets can be distinguished from their native counterparts by their abdomens, which are entirely dark except for a single band of yellow – native hornets’ abdomens are predominantly yellow. |
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| Avoid becoming a headline as a future ICO ‘Fine’! |
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The ICO has launched a new set of resources aimed at improving records management in the health sector. The resources are based on the ICO’s experiences from those audits. They include tips & advice that complement existing ICO guidance, as well as practical resources that data protection officers, records managers and information governance specialists can use to help educate colleagues on how to ensure they are operating in line with the Data Protection Act. The resources include training videos, posters and case studies. The ICO plans to offer similar sets of resources around other aspects of data protection in the health sector over the coming year. |
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| The ‘damage’ will only be recognised in future years |
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Families with babies & young children in York will bear the brunt of proposed cuts to health visitors & school nurses by the city council, Unite, the union, warned last week. To alert the 200,000 people covered by the City of York Council as to the extent of the cuts, Unite staged a demonstration at St Helen’s Square, near the Mansion House/Guildhall entrance last week. The health visitor and school nurse workforce was transferred from the NHS to the council in August 2015 – and now the city council wants to reduce the number of community nurses by about 16%. |
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Unite: Protest in York tomorrow over proposed axe to health visitors and school nurses While some records are critical / important (child protection, immunisation, etc.)... |
| Editorial item: Public memory dims, but family pain remains; especially for the children |
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As the headlines revert to Brexit, etc. and the ‘dozens’ of BBC reporters leave the area surrounding the Palace of Westminster, one is reminded that ‘the world goes on’ and, while memories of tragic/shocking events dim in the public’s mind. Meanwhile, those directly involved through the loss of ‘loved ones’ struggle to cope without a mother, father, brother, sister, etc. and to regain ‘normality’ in their lives. This is especially true for the partners & children of our armed forces personnel, who not only have lost their partner/father, but also faced the prospect of having to leave their service home & support network on ‘his’ base camp. A degree of financial support does become available to the widow (in due course), but it is the emotional & mental side of life that can be the real issue. How does a mother help her young children to ‘move on’ in a civilian world where ‘civilians’ generally haven’t faced months of absence, intermittent telephonic contact and the ‘fear’ of a knock at the door’ from the base Visiting Officer. Some years ago the Families' Activity Breaks (FAB) charity was set up to offer bereaved military families the chance to go on an activity holiday with people who have suffered similar losses. FAB is a non-public-funded, tri-Service charitable initiative which works in partnership with the Youth Hostel Association to provide bereaved military families with activity-based holidays. Staffed by volunteers from all 3 Services & civil servants from the MoD, the aim of FAB is to provide bereaved military families with an adventurous yet safe environment in order to encourage self-confidence, resilience & peer support whilst having fun. One mother who has benefited from FAB said: "For the first time in my entire life I was able to let go of so much emotional baggage that, if they hadn't taken the time to listen to me, I think in the end would have killed me. Slowly from the inside out, I know it sounds dramatic, but FAB and the volunteers saved my neck." The FAB holidays are for any bereaved military family with a child under the age of 19 years (accompanying older siblings may attend) who has suffered the loss of a serving loved one regardless of where and how the Service person died. The military & civilian communities have so far been at the forefront of fundraising & donations to allow FAB to carry out its invaluable service, and the need for continuous monetary contributions continues. So if you can remember back to the frequent PM’s announcements at the beginning of PM’s Questions and the sad pictures of the planes landing at Brize Norton, followed by the flag-draped coffins of fallen servicemen & women being met by large crowds who lined the streets (come rain or shine) to pay their respects in the small Wiltshire town of (Royal) Wootton Bassett. Then perhaps you could consider donating to this charity (Fundraise/Donate) which continues to help families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for us in ‘some foreign field’ and help them to ‘move on’. |
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FAB holidays available for bereaved military families Notification of a military death | Cruse Bereavement Care Casualty procedures - British Army Website The Soldier by Rupert Brooke ~ If I should die, think only this of me ... MoD: Improved mail service ensures loved ones can stay in touch |
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More news, opinions, documents, claims & counter-claims; |
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OSSW: Landmark day in devolution as powers pass to Welsh Assembly |
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