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Consultations
DH: Patients will have more choice and a louder voice under major proposals set out by Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley. The White Paper, 'Equity and excellence: Liberating the NHS', set out the Government's ambition to give people more control over their own care, from choice of GP to which consultant-led team they are treated by.
Two consultations (closing on 14 January 2011) - on Patient Choice and on Information - set out proposals to meet that ambition.
Two consultations (closing on 14 January 2011) - on Patient Choice and on Information - set out proposals to meet that ambition.
Press release ~ Liberating the NHS: greater choice and control. A consultation on proposals ~ Liberating the NHS: An Information Revolution ~ Summary of responses to the consultation on enabling people to register with the GP practice of their choice ~ Related King’s Fund press release
EU News: The European Commission has launched a consultation on e-procurement (closes on31 January 2011). Taking the form of a Green Paper, the consultation will seek the views of interested parties on ‘how the EU can help Member States to speed up & facilitate the procurement process’.
The Paper identifies obstacles to faster take-up of e-procurement as well as the risks that divergent national approaches present for cross-border participation in on-line procurement. It sets out options for overcoming these challenges including, for example, regulatory incentives, standardisation and inter-operability solutions.
At the same time, the Commission is also unveiling its new e-CERTIS data base which is a FREE, web-based tool to help companies & contracting organisations cope with the documentation demands encountered when tendering for public contracts in the EU.
Press release ~ Consultation on the Green Paper on expanding the use of e-Procurement in the EU ~ e-CERTIS ~ EU Public Procurement ~ FAQs: e-Procurement ~ Evaluation of the 2004 Action Plan for Electronic Public Procurement
OFT: The Office of Fair Trading is consulting on 2 guidance documents (both closing on 21 January 2011) that aim to help businesses and company directors comply with competition law:
* One has been developed for businesses & their advisers includes a separate quick guide intended to meet the specific needs of SMEs - How Your Business Can Achieve Compliance
* The other is intended to explain the level of understanding of competition law that company directors are expected to have and steps they should be taking to detect & prevent breaches of the law - Company Directors and Competition Law
DECC: The Government has launched a consultation (closes on 24 January 2011) on the coalition’s revised draft national policy statements on energy. They show that we expect over half the new energy generating capacity built in the UK by 2025 to come from renewable sources. A significant proportion of the remainder will come from low carbon sources such as nuclear & fossil fuels with carbon capture & storage.
The statements confirmed 8 sites as potentially suitable for new nuclear power stations and ruled out 3 sites for the development of new nuclear power by 2025. This came alongside the publication of the feasibility study into a tidal energy project in the Severn estuary.
Press release ~ Parliamentary statement ~ Planning for new energy infrastructure - Consultation on revised draft National Policy Statements for Energy Infrastructure ~ Regulatory Justification of new nuclear power stations ~ Severn Tidal Power study
Newswire – PEC: The Parliamentary Education Committee has launched an inquiry into the provision of services beyond the school/college day for young people, primarily those aged 13-25. The inquiry will consider both universal services (ex. youth clubs, or sporting, musical & cultural activities) and targeted services for vulnerable groups. NB: This inquiry will not examine formal careers guidance services, including those provided by Connexions. The Committee asks for written submissions by noon on Wednesday 15 December 2010.
WAG: Wales’ Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones, has unveiled proposed legislation to tackle bad practice among some dog breeding establishments, commonly known as puppy farms, in Wales.
The proposed Animal Welfare (Breeding of Dogs) (Wales) Regulations 2011, which will replace the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973, will introduce major changes to the dog breeding & licensing regimes in Wales by putting animal welfare at the heart of this practice. The consultation will close on 13 January 2011.
The proposed Animal Welfare (Breeding of Dogs) (Wales) Regulations 2011, which will replace the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973, will introduce major changes to the dog breeding & licensing regimes in Wales by putting animal welfare at the heart of this practice. The consultation will close on 13 January 2011.
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