Annual Reports
ScotGov: Futureskills Scotland has published the latest set of Scottish Sector Skill Profiles for 2007, which are produced in association with many of the Sector Skills Councils.
Each report covers the structure of the industry (full/part-time working, occupations, wages, age structure of the workforce), recruitment & vacancies, skill shortages, skill gaps and training & development.
Press release ~ Futureskills Scotland ~ Scottish Sector Skill Profiles for 2007 ~ SSASCOT - Sector Skills Alliance Scotland ~ Sector Skills Development Agency ~ Joint concordat with Skills for Business Network
ScotGov: More areas of specialist policing - such as counter-terrorism, specialist fire-arms support, motorway policing and air support - should be provided at a national level, according to Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary Paddy Tomkins.
In the Inspectorate's Annual Report, he suggests that a national solution for such important (but small volume policing activity) would help to improve & sustain local and community policing by freeing up capacity and resources within local forces.
Press release ~ Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland – Annual report ~ Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland ~ ScotGov - Police ~ Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA)
DCSF: The government has published the 2007 Primary School Achievement and Attainment Tables, saying that more needed to be done to ensure no child was left behind and that the forthcoming Children's Plan would set out the next steps to build a world class education system.
DfT: The Department for Transport has published the 10th edition of Transport Trends (a National Statistics publication), which provides an introduction to the major trends in transport & travel in Great Britain.
Through the inclusion of many charts it presents an overview of key trends over the past 25 years and highlights some of the key issues. It is intended as a companion volume to Transport Statistics Great Britain, which contains reference tables containing more detailed figures and some longer time trends.
DWP: The Office for Disability Issues (ODI) has published its second annual report to the Prime Minister. There are two annexes that accompany this report, both of which are available from the ODI website: Annex 1: Performance on 'Life Chances' recommendations and Annex 2: Indicators data.
Press release ~ Office for Disability Issues (ODI) ~ ODI Annual Report 2007 ~ Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People
HC: Significant improvements have been made in healthcare services, but there is still a way to go before everyone gets world class care, Professor Sir Ian Kennedy, chairman of the Healthcare Commission, commented this week, on the publication of the 2007 State of Healthcare Report.
He welcomed Lord Darzi's admirable vision of a world class health service for all, but said that; “Our report on the state of healthcare sets out the progress made and the gaps that will need to be closed to make that vision a reality."
The Commission makes six recommendations to the government and healthcare providers:
* improve the planning & commissioning of services
* improve access outside the waiting time targets
* promote a culture of safety more effectively
* improve healthcare for children & young people
* demonstrate more sensitivity to the needs of the individual. and
* use information better
