General News
MoD: A total of 131 members of the Armed Forces have received honours & awards in the Operational Honours List dated, 24 September 2010. For short citations on the highest awards and the full list, which recognises service on operations in Afghanistan & Iraq and national operations for the period 1 October 2009 to 31 March 2010, see Related Links.
Newswire – BIJ: In a detailed analysis of government salaries, the Bureau of Investigative Journalism revealed more than 38,000 government workers are paid over £100,000, and 9,187 earn more than the Prime Minister (£142,500).
Directgov: A new service being introduced throughout the United Kingdom between now & 2011 will make it easier to inform government when someone close to you dies. The new service will allow you to ‘contact just the local authority in which the person who died was living’. The LA will then contact all other the relevant government departments for you.
Press release ~ Registering a death ~ Registering a death in Scotland ~ Search for your local register office
ACE: Dame Liz Forgan, Chair of Arts Council England, said last week: “The convergence of television and the internet is a huge step forward for audiences. “We look forward to working with all the Project Canvas partners, and with arts, and with arts organisations across the country, to deliver our fantastic theatre, dance, music and visual arts directly into even more people’s homes through this exciting new medium.”
ScotGov: A new leaflet aimed at increasing awareness of the recommended vitamin D levels is to be sent to all GPs & Health professionals. Vitamin D plays an important role in maintaining good bone health. Conditions such as rickets in children (& osteomalacia in adults) are the best understood consequences of vitamin D deficiency.
In Scotland people only get enough sunlight of the right wavelength (UVB) to create vitamin D in this manner between April - September. For the rest of the year, people in Scotland are dependent on vitamin D stores that have built up during these summer months and on other sources such as dietary intake & supplements.
WO: Secretary of State for Wales, Cheryl Gillan, has received notification from the Welsh Assembly Government that its preferred date to hold the forthcoming referendum on Assembly powers is Thursday, 3 March 2011.
CRC: The Commission for Rural Communities will be completing its work by 31 March 2011, but they are aware that many organisations & individuals have been using their evidence and will still want to be able to access this material in future. For this reason they are including in their plans for winding-up the CRC a comprehensive range of tasks, including:
* passing their official files & records to Defra for use by the new Rural Communities Policy Unit
* website material will be archived & made available via the National Archives
* working with their stakeholders to create ‘signposts’ to their evidence, to ensure its accessibility for the future
FSA: The Food Standards Agency is urgently warning people not to consume Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS). This product is being sold as an oral supplement and is also known as Miracle Mineral Supplement. If you have any of this product you should throw it away. If you have consumed MMS and feel unwell you should consult your doctor.
MMS is a 28% sodium chlorite solution which is equivalent to industrial-strength bleach. When taken as directed it could cause severe nausea, vomiting & diarrhoea, potentially leading to dehydration and reduced blood pressure. If the solution is diluted less than instructed, it could cause damage to the gut and red blood cells, potentially resulting in respiratory failure.
If you are aware of MMS being sold in retail outlets you should contact your local authority trading standards department. To find the contact details of your local authority, you can use our online search facility.
