WIREDGOV NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
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GDPR will soon become a reality |
The ICO’s new series of blogs aiming to bust some of the myths that have developed around the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) are proving incredibly popular and they are pleased that so many of you are finding them useful. Here at the ICO, we took the view that it was time to sort the fact from the fiction before the new law comes into effect on 25 May 2018, given some of the misinformation and outright scaremongering out there – some of which, it must be said, seems commercially driven. Our first two blogs covered the myths surrounding new fining powers and the issue of consent, and this week we want to talk about another widely held misconception – that the new regime is an onerous imposition of unnecessary and costly red tape. |
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ICO: GDPR is an evolution in data protection, not a burdensome revolution GDPR – sorting the fact from the fiction Consent is not the ‘silver bullet’ for GDPR compliance GDPR to be Implemented Through the Data Protection Bill Rob Luke's Keynote Speech for techUK's 'Will GDPR Change the World?' Event Businesses warned to prepare with one year until data protection law change ICO survey shows many councils have work to do to prepare for new data protection law Statement on extra resources needed by the ICO under GDPR |
Providing a helping hand for ‘returners’ |
New initiatives to help people return to work after career breaks have been launched by the Minister of State for Apprenticeships, Skills and Women Anne Milton. The Returner Programmes – part of the £5m fund announced in this year’s Budget – are formal schemes offered by employers to provide training & support to people who have taken time out of the workplace. The Government Equalities Office will be establishing 4 new returner schemes across the public sector. They will be open to women & men, with the aim of giving people who have taken career breaks the opportunity to refresh their skills and build professional networks. According to research by PwC, addressing the career break penalty could provide a £1.7bn boost to our annual economic output. For female professionals, that could increase the annual earnings of that group by an average of £4,000 per woman. |
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Government Equalities Office: Career break returner programmes launched to help people back to work LGA responds to Government's Career Break Returner Programme |
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. |
Government funds to ensure ‘flying start’ to research projects |
As part of plans to promote clean alternative fuels, the government is offering funding for projects in the UK to develop low carbon waste-based fuels for planes & lorries, with matching funding from industry. Trials of sustainable jet fuel, made from waste materials, have taken place in Europe and North America
DfT: Planes fuelled by waste could take off from British airports |
Pounding the message home |
Britons can have an even greater say on how UK aid is spent helping the world’s poorest, International Development Secretary Priti Patel has announced, as she launched the largest ever round of UK aid-supported charity appeals to back the causes which matter to the British public. With old £1 coins going out of circulation in mid-October, the UK public are invited to get rid of their old change by donating to a variety of charity appeals, which will be match-funded by UK aid, doubling the amount their favourite causes receive. UK Aid Match brings charities, the British public and the UK government together to collectively change the lives of some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. |
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New support to boost grassroots British charities Justine Greening visits Mary’s Meals to announce UK aid match funding |
Are you one of them? |
Up to 2m CeX customers may have had their personal information compromised after the electronics retailer suffered a cyber attack. Data compromised by the hackers includes first names, surnames, addresses, email addresses & phone numbers of registered CeX customers. As a precautionary measure CeX are emailing up to 2m of their registered website customers who could potentially be affected. Customers, who do not receive an email, are not affected. CeX, which also runs the webuy.com website, is asking customers to change their passwords immediately. A good way to create a strong password is to use 3 random words & numbers, which are memorable to you, but not for other people to guess. |
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Action Fraud: CeX – 2m customer details compromised Misleading missed delivery cards posted through letterboxes Sharp rise in reports of council tax rebate fraudsters at work The latest fraud & cyber alerts to watch out for Why these fake WhatsApp emails and texts will catch people out City of London Police collaborate with Microsoft to tackle computer software service fraud |
A very nasty way of hurting someone |
The NHS and leading burns surgeons have issued new first aid guidance to help ensure victims of acid attacks get the right help fast.
NHS England: New help for ‘acid attack’ victims following recent rise in demand for NHS help |
Improving our online services |
The Disclosure & Barring Service will be introducing several new digital services for you to use In the coming months. They will improve our processing times and help you manage your information quickly & easily.
Disclosure and Barring Service is introducing new online services |
Ensuring they are run properly |
All charities have a legal responsibility to prepare & send an annual return to the Charity Commission. Failing to do so risks the public’s trust in your charity and its reputation. The annual return service for 2017 is now available. |
Keeping health costs down |
UK businesses & research organisations can apply for a share of £15m for innovative medicines manufacturing solutions. These should speed up access to new medicines & treatments, improve public health and build on the strengths of the UK’s biopharmaceutical sector.
Innovate UK: Manufacturing new medicines - apply for Industrial Strategy funds |
Will you be able to ‘rest easy’? |
The FSCS does not provide protection for individuals who have a funeral plan with a provider that fails. This applies whether the plan was purchased by paying a lump sum or by paying a monthly amount to the (funeral plan) provider.
Funeral plans and FSCS protection: individuals could lose out if their provider fails |
Don’t be ‘chicken’ at the thought of taking action |
All poultry keepers across the UK are being urged to remain vigilant to the threat of bird flu and take action now to reduce the risk to their flocks and the wider poultry industry this winter in a joint call from the Chief Vets of Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the UK. |
Notting Hill carnival has to take ‘second place’ |
In 1967 the first Caribbean style carnival in the UK took place in Leeds, incorporating all three essential elements of authentic West Indian carnival - costumes, music and a masquerade procession. The Leeds West Indian Carnival is now Europe’s longest running Caribbean carnival parade, the largest carnival in the North of England and is playing a key role in Leeds City Council’s campaign to be awarded European Capital of Culture 2023. |
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Is this just an issue for Ireland? |
Delegates are invited to register for the All-island Food Poverty Network event ‘Hungry for Change’ which will look at new approaches to addressing food poverty, organised by the Food Standards Agency and safefood. The event will be of interest to those working in government departments and government agencies, academia and those in strategic positions in the voluntary community sector, that have a common interest in reducing food poverty on the island of Ireland. |
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Food Standards Agency: Register for the All-island Food Poverty Network event: Hungry for Change |
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Still a ‘hot topic’, with widely spread views, for those who put fingers to keyboard in order to ‘share their views’: |
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DExEU: Programme for third round of negotiations with EC DExEU: David Davis' opening remarks at the start of the third round of EU exit negotiations 10DS: PM heads to Japan to build strong post-Brexit relationship with Tokyo PC&PS: Lords debate impact of Brexit on UK-Irish relations Policy Exchange: One year after the referendum – the economy has not done so badly |
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