General Reports and Other Publications

DIUS: A new report, predicting big employment opportunities in sectors like business, education, distribution and transport over the current decade to 2017 has been welcomed by the Government. The report, 'Working Futures', was published by the independent employer body, the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES).
 
It predicts employment trends over the next 10 years and shows that despite the current economic downturn job prospects remain good. The report says that there will be some sectors of the economy where growth will be particularly strong including computing & the service sector and paints an optimistic picture for the labour market over the long term to 2017.
Press release ~ Working Futures ~ UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) ~ Train to Gain programme ~ Warwick Institute for Employment Research ~ Cambridge Econometrics
 
WAG: Improvements to the way water & sewerage is delivered to people to ensure it is fair & affordable for all was discussed by the Environment, Sustainability and Housing Minister, Jane Davidson, with water companies, the water watchdog and the Environment Agency recently.
 
The workshop in Merthyr was part of the Water Charging Review which the Welsh Assembly Government is carrying out jointly with Defra.
Press release ~ Strategic Policy Position Statement on Water
 
DfT: The Driving Standards Agency is proud to announce record sales of the 2007 edition of The Official Highway Code.  1m copies sold in 15 months compared to the previous 2004 edition which sold 1m copies in 20 months.  The Bookseller Magazine has also recorded this latest edition as the No1 best selling non-fiction paperback for 2008!
 
January 2009 sees the launch of a national media campaign promoting The Highway Code to all road users, including learner drivers and experienced motorists.  The Highway Code is for life, not just for learners.  All road users - whether car drivers, motorcyclists, fleet drivers, transport managers, cyclists or pedestrians - need to ensure they are up-to-date to help reduce road casualties in 2009.  Get your copy of the Code today for only £2.50!
Press release ~ Driving Tests
 
NAO: The National Audit Office has published a Value for Money report on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs regarding; Managing the waste PFI programme. Defra has a national strategy for waste disposal, which includes plans for meeting the EU Landfill Directive targets in England.
 
Local authorities have statutory responsibility for municipal waste disposal.  The Department decided that, to meet the targets, local authorities needed to invest in new waste infrastructure.  So far, 18 local authorities have signed PFI contracts with a combined capital value of £1.6bn.
Press release ~ Defra: Managing the Waste PFI Programme ~ Executive summary ~ Defra – Recycling and Waste ~ Waste Strategy and Legislation ~ Reducing the Reliance on Landfill in England
 
HEFCE: The Higher Education Funding Council for England has welcomed the report published by the Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee examining the impact of Lord Leitch's 2006 review of skills.
 
Professor David Eastwood, Chief Executive of HEFCE, said:  “We support the view of the committee that the response from universities and colleges should be tailored and sufficiently flexible to meet the needs of businesses and employees in a time of economic upheaval. Understandably the committee is concerned about the sustainability of co-funded higher education courses………. We also welcome the re-statement of the importance of STEM subjects and look forward to reporting further progress this year following the publication of our 2008 report last October”.
Press release ~ HEFCE ~ Lord Leitch's 2006 review of skills ~ Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee ~ 'Re-skilling for recovery: After Leitch, implementing skills and training policies' ~ HEFCE Workforce development programme ~ STEM
 
CRC: The Commission for Rural Communities have circulated a briefing to Peers, ahead of the Grand Committee stages of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill. It highlights the complexities of rural economic & administrative geographies and suggests ways in which the Bill can be ‘rural proofed’.
 
In particular they are saying; ‘The proposed new economic assessment duty on local authorities is welcome.  But parish and town councils deserve (on behalf of their local communities, businesses and partnerships) to be statutory consultees alongside others.  The Bill should be amended accordingly (Clause 64)’.
Press release ~ Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill ~ Briefing
 
ScotGov: The contribution & commitment of NHSScotland staff, supported by investment in their future & wellbeing, is essential to the delivery of better healthcare for Scotland Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon has said.
 
Five ambitions for Scotland's health service, to help it address the key workforce challenges for 21st century, have been published by the Scottish Government and NHSScotland.
Press release ~ NHSScotland ~ NHSScotland Staff Survey 2008 ~ Workforce Response to Better Health, Better Care
 
ScotGov: Early intervention is key to stopping disadvantaged children developing bad diets which can affect their entire life, Children's Minister Adam Ingram has said. The Minister spoke as Growing Up In Scotland (GUS) reports show four-year-olds from deprived areas are more likely to have poor diets and be less active.
 
The Early Years Framework is part of the wider work being done by the Scottish Government to tackle health inequalities.  Equally Well, the report of the ministerial taskforce on health inequalities set out how public service delivery will be revamped to achieve this.
Press release ~ Growing Up In Scotland (GUS) reports ~ Early Years Framework ~ Equally Well
 
Ofsted: Despite expectations, the use of Virtual Learning Environments across schools & colleges has been slow to take off.  However, enthusiasm and peer support from teachers & learners should help the initiative develop more widely.
 
These are the main findings in the report, Virtual learning environments: an evaluation of their development in a sample of educational settings, published by the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted).
 
Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) allow learners & staff to access a wide variety of learning materials through specially designed computer systems.  Resources such as notes & handouts, practice tests, power point presentations, video clips and links to useful internet sites are commonly found on VLEs.
Press release ~ Virtual learning environments: an evaluation of their development in a sample of educational settings ~ Becta - Virtual Learning Environments ~ JISC - Effective Use of Virtual Learning Environments ~ Learning and Skills Council (LSC) ~ CEL e-learning update (2Mb) ~ CEL – eLearning ~ Gateways to Learning project ~ Open College Network ~ Harnessing Technology: Transforming Learning and Children's Services ~ The developing impact of ILT ~ JISC e-learning programme ~ Higher Education Academy e-Learning page ~ e-Learning Research Centre ~ Directgov - e-Learning ~ What is e-learning? (scroll down to ‘Resources’)
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