WIREDGOV NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
It’s like an ‘perpetual state of war’ where individual ‘battles’ may be won but one knows there will always be others to be ‘fought’ |
The Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2017 reveals nearly 7 in 10 large businesses identified a breach or attack, with the average cost to large businesses of all breaches over the period being £20,000 and in some cases reaching £ms. The survey also shows businesses holding electronic personal data on customers were much more likely to suffer cyber breaches than those that do not (51% compared to 37%). The most common breaches or attacks were via fraudulent emails - for example coaxing staff into revealing passwords or financial information, or opening dangerous attachments - followed by viruses & malware, such as people impersonating the organisation online and ransomware. Businesses also identified these common breaches as their single most disruptive breach, and the vast majority of them could have been prevented using the Government-backed, industry supported Cyber Essentials scheme, a source of expert guidance showing how to protect against these threats. Small businesses can also be hit particularly hard by attacks, with nearly 1 in 5 taking a day or more to recover from their most disruptive breach. Cyber Essentials, technical advice on CiSP and regularly updated guidance on the NCSC website offers companies, big & small, simple steps that can significantly reduce the risk of a successful attack. All businesses which hold personal data will have to make sure they are compliant with the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) legislation from May 2018. This will strengthen the right to data protection, which is a fundamental right, and allow individuals to have trust when they give their personal data. |
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DCMS: Almost half of UK firms hit by cyber breach or attack in the past year DCMS Releases Cyber Breach Survey Findings – techUK response Cyber-security Information Sharing Partnership (CiSP) - NCSC Site NCSC publishes new report on criminal online activity NCA: Young cyber criminals motivated by peer respect & accomplishment Home Office: Baroness Shields' speech at the National Security Agency techUK: Building Trust In The Security of Cloud New Quality & Assurance framework open now Advice on managing enterprise security published after major cyber campaign detected Universities of Edinburgh and Warwick become academic centres of cyber excellence Garages, new homes & old offices: the records management mistakes that put health records at risk Phishing awareness training can thwart cyber-attacks NCSC and NCA threat report provides in-depth analysis of evolving threat Many more than 23 Apprentices will be required to meet the UK’s need for cyber security experts Two important news items courtesy of techUK The Hacker Hardened Public Sector Enterprise: Practical Steps to Real Cyber Security Trying to avoid being in a situation of playing ‘catch-up’ Still much more to be done by LAs to comply with Best Practice / Legal Requirements ICO Blog about ‘GDPR’ posted by Jo Pedder, Interim Head of Policy & Engagement Simplifying GDPR Compliance: How to mitigate risk and derive value as you take on the new regulation |
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Hopefully more joined-up working will help reduce this problem |
A new set of inspections will examine how local partner agencies - including local authorities, health & probation services and the police - are working together to protect children living with, or at risk of, neglect. The series of 6 joint targeted area inspections (JTAI) involving Ofsted, Care Quality Commission (CQC), HMI Constabulary and HMI Probation will begin in May 2017. JTAI assess how effectively agencies are working together in their local area to help and protect children. Each set of joint inspections also evaluates the multi-agency response to a particular issue or theme. Guidance published last week sets out how the inspections will work in practice. Uniquely for this JTAI, inspectors will also speak with school leaders & staff to get a wider picture of how neglect is identified and referred. |
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Ofsted: Series of inspections to focus on children living with neglect While some records are critical / important (child protection, immunisation, etc.)... More proactive monitoring required to ensure timely action NICE guidelines aim to improve how children at risk of abuse or neglect are helped & supported Anne Longfield comments on production of new child abuse & neglect guidelines by NICE Anne Longfield comments on NAO's report on Children in Need of Care or Protection Nicky Morgan’s vision for children’s social care and social work LGA responds to Ofsted social care annual report LGA: Positive progress for children in care LGA responds to launch of inquiry into children's social care £22m awarded to projects to support vulnerable children, adults and older people in Wales Vulnerable children turned away from mental health treatment report finds |
Highlighting one particular related issue |
A new report launched by the Children’s Commissioner for England shines a light on the difficulties faced by thousands of children each year bouncing around the social care system.
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Good foster care is critical for the emotional development & well-being of a child Innovative projects to get £36 million funding boost £1m St David’s Day fund for children who have experienced care LGA responds to Fostering Network report LGA responds to research on early years provision for children in care Children in care control the corridors of power in Whitehall Improving the lives of looked after children LGA responds to Barnardo's report on independent visitors for children in care Strong leadership vital for children’s services improvement LGA: Positive progress for children in care Education Secretary unveils a new blueprint for adoption New plan to help looked after children reach their potential |
SME Supplier Locator update... |
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. |
Will it free up resources to deal with genuine asylum seekers? |
The government has set out plans for a new fast-track process for detained foreign nationals appealing a Home Office decision to remove them from the country. The new rules, which if accepted would apply to detained foreign criminals and failed asylum seekers, could speed up about 2,000 cases every year and save the taxpayer an estimated £2.7m. The proposals would mean the time between an initial decision & conclusion of an appeal to the First-tier Tribunal would be capped at between 25 & 28 working days – shaving around a third off current average timeframes. |
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MoJ: New fast-track immigration appeal rules proposed Home Office fails to remove equivalent of 'small town' of foreign offenders Ombudsman upholds 3 in 4 complaints about the Home Office, report reveals |
Just when the media reports school budgets are going to be cut!!! |
DfE recommends a deal that makes buying printers easier and saves schools money. The first schools to use the new buying framework saved more than 40% on their previous contract prices. The deal is one of many in the schools’ buying strategy that aim to make buying easier and offer the best value for schools. |
Help provide cleaner energy for the future |
Businesses can apply for a share of £13m for innovative projects that address the issues of cost, emissions and security of supply. This is the fifth round of the Energy Catalyst. More than 200 projects with a total value of £200m have already been funded in the previous 4 rounds. This round opens on 24 April 2017, and the deadline for registration is midday on 21 June 2017. |
Innovate UK: Making energy clean, affordable & secure: apply for funding |
Can you help the nation walk/cycle to better health? |
Up to £470,000 is available for organisations with innovative projects that lead to people walking and cycling more. Innovations may include technology, infrastructure, manufacturing or behavioural change. This is a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competition. It has 2 phases. Up to £170,000 is available for phase 1, and up to £300,000 for phase 2. This competition opens on Wednesday 19 April 2017, and the deadline for registration is midday on 7 June 2017. |
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DfT: Encouraging cycling & walking - apply for business funding Also helps one prepare for tube strikes 90% ‘off’ local sustainable projects Trouble is many of us stopped living healthily in middle-age! Challenging app designers to utilise cycling data The Daily Mile’ officially launched in Wales Minister puts segregated cycling on road to success New roads targeted in updated Safer Junctions programme |
Could Brexit & its limitation on free movement of labour, ‘force’ the UK’s employers to start training again? |
In its report – From ‘inadequate’ to ‘outstanding’: making the UK’s skills system world class - the CIPD warns that the UK is sleepwalking into a low-value, low-skills economy. New analysis from the CIPD, shows that two decades of under-investment and failed policy on skills in the UK has contributed to the country lagging well behind its competitors in Europe and most of the OECD on at least 4 key measures, including literacy & numeracy, learning & development, and digital skills. In its report the CIPD warns that the UK is sleepwalking into a low-value, low-skills economy which leaves the nation ill-prepared for its post-Brexit future, particularly if the UK is to face restrictions on accessing talent from outside of the UK. |
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UK Faces Tech Talent Cliff Edge Without Urgent Government Action, Warns techUK We need a skilled ‘home-grown‘ workforce to trade successfully worldwide after Brexit ‘Potential’ needs nurturing and may take years of the right encouragement! Reducing confusion of route to gaining technical skills Some of the ‘brightest & best’ choose an alternative to university |
Don’t you sometimes wish the national media could be the subject of a pre-election ‘purdah’ as well? |
Minister for the Cabinet Office, Ben Gummer, has laid a statement in Parliament on guidance for civil servants during the pre-election period. |
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Cabinet Office: Conduct guidance for 8 June 2017 general election: written ministerial statement Boundary Commission for England: Statement on the General Election Electoral Commission statement on the UK Parliamentary General Election scheduled for 8 June PC&PE: General election: opportunity for parties to commit to gender equality Information Commissioner warns political groups to campaign within the law |
Getting ready for holidays abroad |
End of roaming charges for travellers in the EU in 2017; Updated Questions & Answers |
EU News: End of roaming charges for travellers in the EU in 2017 |
All that ‘TV Money’ and yet they cannot make the improvements! |
Premier League clubs have made only limited progress on stadia accessibility for disabled fans, broken Premier League rules and failed to provide sufficient information when questioned, a review published by the Equality and Human Rights Commission has revealed. |
EHRC: Premier League clubs' progress on disabled access revealed |
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More news, opinions, documents, claims & counter-claims; |
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Scotland Office: UK Market Supports Half A Million Scottish Jobs |
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