General Reports and Other Publications
Newswire – AC: A survey launched recently will examine the extent of detected fraud & corruption in England’s councils, police, fire and rescue and probation services. The Audit Commission is asking 500 organisations for data, in an effort to chart losses caused by fraud.
The Commission’s regular update on its anti-fraud work, Protecting the Public Purse, published in September 2009, promised annual fraud surveys. The Fraud & Corruption survey is the first of these and Protecting the Public Purse (PPP) 2010 will contain the survey results when it is published in 2010.
The survey will include information about areas where fraudsters tend to prey, including: the single person discount for council tax, unauthorised tenancies in social housing, procurement fraud, identity fraud, recruitment fraud and abuse of position or privilege.
Press release ~ Protecting the Public Purse ~ DnA Group ~ SFO – Public Sector Fraud ~ NAO – Tackling External Fraud
DH: New research has revealed that, after the understandable flurry in the first 8 weeks of motherhood, the period when first-time mums have the most questions about their babies’ development can be pin-pointed to 5 months and 1 week after they have given birth. This crucial period is when visits from friends & family naturally decline, leaving mums to make decisions on their own and at risk of feeling isolated & anxious.
The survey was undertaken to help with the development of NHS Baby LifeCheck by the Department of Health. NHS Baby LifeCheck is a free online questionnaire to help new mums & dads keep their babies healthy, happy & safe. It is an easy to use, online service covering topics including: development, talking & playing, feeding, healthy teeth, safety, sleep routine, immunisations and being a parent.
Press release ~ NHS Baby LifeCheck ~ The Pregnancy Book 2009 ~ Birth to Five (2009 edition) ~ DH – Children and Maternity
NE: The most comprehensive analysis of agri-environment schemes (AES) yet undertaken has been published by Natural England. Titled ‘Agri-environment schemes in England 2009: A review of results and effectiveness’, the report draws on research from the entire 22-year history of the schemes and analyses the impact they have made on England’s farmed environment.
AES have an important role in reducing the impacts of climate change, through management of peat moors to help them store carbon, to schemes supporting woodlands. Greenhouse gas reductions from AES are estimated at up to 3.5m tonnes of CO2 equivalent p.a. AES also underpin a range of land management programmes aimed at protecting crucial services such as water supplies, pollination and flood protection
Press release ~ Agri-environment schemes in England 2009: A review of results and effectiveness ~ EU – Scientific Support to Policies ~ Will agri-environment schemes deliver substantial biodiversity gain, and if not why not? ~ NE: Environmental Stewardship
WAG: A report has been published that outlines a number of ways in which the tourism industry can encourage people to use public transport when on holiday in Wales. The report, which has been produced by the Sustainable Tourism and Transport task & finish group, examines the barriers that tourists face using public transport.
It also examined the challenges faced by managers in improving the attractiveness of public transport to the visitor and identified the scope within existing services & Government priorities that may help to overcome the barriers through more effective partnership working. The recommendations will now be looked at in more depth by the Sustainable Tourism Forum, who will work towards producing a more detailed implementation plan over the next year.
CRC: The Commission for Rural Communities has responded to the ‘Policy Statement on Regional Strategies and Guidance on the establishment of Leaders’ Boards’ issued jointly by Communities and Local Government and Business, Innovation and Skills.
This follows the CRC response, in June 2008, to the ‘Prosperous places: taking forward the review of sub national economic development and regeneration’ consultation, which outlined the Government’s initial proposals for revising regional decision making structures and strategies.
Press release ~ ‘Policy Statement on Regional Strategies and Guidance on the establishment of Leaders’ Boards’ ~ CRC response ~ ‘Prosperous places: taking forward the review of sub national economic development and regeneration’ consultation ~ CRC response, in June 2008 ~ Rural proofed
ScotGov: Responding to the Audit Scotland report on Scotland's finances, Finance Secretary John Swinney said: " Given that the latest Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (GERS) analysis shows Scotland in budget surplus - with a surplus of some £2.3bnn in the past three years - it reinforces the need for Scotland to be responsible for our own tax & spending decisions through fiscal autonomy & independence……..
Our ambitious efficiency programme will deliver £3.2bn in cash savings by 2011 while delivering the same level of services, and reforming the way we buy goods & services has also saved over £300m since 2006”.
Press release ~ More information about the economy ~ Auditor General calls for urgent action across the public sector ~ Fiscal Autonomy ~ Oil Fund
ScotGov: A survey of supermarket drink prices has shown that minimum pricing will target cheap, high-strength products while leaving others untouched. The findings show how the policy would be an effective, targeted measure to reduce consumption among problem drinkers. Since almost all drinks in pubs & clubs are already sold well above any likely minimum price, the measure will target the cheapest products sold in shops & supermarkets, where the majority of alcohol is now bought.
Independent research from the University of Sheffield, published on 28 September 2009, showed how minimum pricing, combined with a ban on irresponsible off-sales promotions could save lives, reduce illness and cut crime, as well as reducing the burden on Scottish public services and the economy.
Press release ~ Survey of supermarket drink prices ~ Independent researh from the University of Sheffield
Ofsted: Train to Gain continues to give employees the opportunity to secure nationally recognised qualifications and improves their motivation in the workplace, according to an Ofsted review. However, the report also reveals too few employees are completing qualifications on time and there is insufficient provision to allow employees to progress to higher-level awards at the equivalent of A level.
Skills for Life provision, which includes support for employees’ basic skills in language, literacy & numeracy, continues to be a key area for improvement as identified in the earlier report.
