General Reports and Other Publications
Newswire – WWF: Preventing whaling in the Southern Ocean (the seas around Antarctica) is critical to ensuring the recovery of whale populations in the entire southern hemisphere, a new WWF report states. The report was published ahead of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting, where governments debated a possible resumption of commercial whaling in Antarctic waters.
Save the Whale, Save the Southern Ocean reveals how seriously depleted several Southern Hemisphere great whale populations are, many of which are completely reliant on the Southern Ocean as the only place they feed.
If whale populations were again decimated in the Southern Ocean, they may also disappear from the seas around many other countries in Africa, Oceania, the Pacific Islands and Latin America.
Press release ~ Save the Whale, Save the Southern Ocean ~ 62nd International Whaling Commission (IWC) ~ WWF press updates on meeting ~ Sunday Times: Flights, girls and cash buy Japan whaling votes
TfL: Motorcyclists in London will be permitted to use the Capital's red route bus lanes under a new ‘Motorcycles in Bus Lanes’ trial that has been announced by the Mayor and Transport for London (TfL). A report into the current trial, which ends on 5 July 2010, examines the 418 TfL Road Network (TLRN) bus lanes that the trial covered and looked in detail at 28 of those trial sites, comparing them with 28 control sites on parallel routes where motorcyclists did not have access to bus lanes.
In the light of the reports findings, the new trial will run alongside a road safety awareness campaign aimed at improving drivers' awareness of motorbikes & cyclists in bus lanes.
Motorcyclists on BikeSafe training will have their courses updated to include extra training on awareness of vehicles crossing their path at junctions. There will also be stricter enforcement of speeding by motorcyclists, in order to improve safety.
Motorcyclists on BikeSafe training will have their courses updated to include extra training on awareness of vehicles crossing their path at junctions. There will also be stricter enforcement of speeding by motorcyclists, in order to improve safety.
Press release ~ Assessment of TfL's experimental scheme to allow motorcycles onto with-flow bus lanes on the TLRN (includes other related reports) ~ Bikesafe - London
ESRC: Progress towards teaching children to have positive attitudes towards disabled people has been slow & 'patchy', according to a new study funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Many primary school teachers admit they ‘could do better’. Lack of resources or insufficient training has led to teaching that is often inadequate and lacking in confidence, claim researchers.
The Disability Equality in English Primary Schools Project, led by Dr Angharad Beckett of Leeds University, focused on the extent & nature of teaching for disability equality, whilst also examining children's understanding of what it means to be disabled.
In December 2006, a legal duty was placed upon public sector organisations to promote equality for disabled people. Primary schools were supposed to have a Disability Equality Scheme (DES) in place by December 2007, which included their plans for promoting positive attitudes towards disabled people (study found that only 30% of respondent schools did).
Press release ~ Disability Equality in English Primary Schools Project ~ Disability Equality in English Primary Schools (DEEPS): Exploring teaching about disability equality and non-disabled children's perceptions of disability ~ Teachernet: Disability and the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)
Newswire – UKSA: Richard Garriott, British-born computer games pioneer & astronaut, has made available a fantastic video library of science experiments he performed on his visit to the International Space Centre in 2008.
For schools in the UK, Richard has also set up a special challenge: can your students turn all of this fantastic space stuff into an amazing 'space story' to win some out-of-this-world prizes? To see the amazing videos, find out more about the competition and get tips on how to create a digital space adventure check out the Our Space website.
Newswire – TLRC: The Tax Law Review Committee (TLRC) have published a discussion paper (TLRC Discussion Paper no.8: Tax policy making in the UK) considering tax policy making in the UK. 5 years have passed since the reorganisation of UK tax policy making. Since the O'Donnell reforms of 2004 lead responsibility & accountability have rested with HM Treasury and HMRC have been responsible for policy maintenance.
The TLRC paper considers that this organisation of tax policy making has not worked as well as it should to produce clear & effective tax policies. The TLRC paper argues that if the new Government is to take steps aimed at improving the system of making UK tax law and simplifying the UK tax system, it should also address the organisation and functioning of tax policy making.
LSIS: Learning & Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) recently commissioned Mick Fletcher to review claims that the further education sector systematically misleads young people by offering courses that appear to lead to employment, but which in reality do not.
The resulting report examines the availability & validity of data on learner destinations and the potential for making better use of it. It also contains current examples of the importance that Colleges do in fact give to learner destinations and providing employability skills.
The resulting report examines the availability & validity of data on learner destinations and the potential for making better use of it. It also contains current examples of the importance that Colleges do in fact give to learner destinations and providing employability skills.
WAG: Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones has published the consultation responses to the Welsh Assembly Government’s proposals for managing the coexistence of GM, conventional and organic crops in Wales.
In line with the WAG’s stated policy position to take the most restrictive & precautionary approach to GM crop cultivation that is consistent with the UK & EU legislative frameworks; a full public consultation was conducted on the options for a coexistence regime for Wales.
Press release ~ Consultation (and summary of responses) on proposals for managing the co-existence of genetically modified, conventional and organic crops in Wales ~ WAG: Farming and countryside ~ WAG: Genetically modified organisms
HSE: Three documents are now available relating to recent cases where HSE has requested, or considered, that a planning application be called-in.
Press release ~ View cases where local Planning Authorities were minded to grant planning permission against HSE’s advice
HMIC: There should be an integrated national strategy to support criminal justice agencies in tackling the causes & effects of gang activity among under-18s, said Dame Anne Owers, Chief Inspector of Prisons, Andrew Bridges, Chief Inspector of Probation and Sir Denis O’Connor, Chief Inspector of Constabulary, as they published a joint thematic report; The management of gang issues among children & young people in prison custody and the community.
Press release ~ The management of gang issues among children & young people in prison custody and the community ~ Directgov: Gangs ~ Gangs: You and Your Child ~ It Doesn’t Have to Happen’ campaign ~ Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Guidelines – knife crime ~ Mothers Against Violence ~ Talk about Knives ~ Family and Parenting Institute ~ Tackling Knives Action Programme ~ An Anatomy of Youth
Newswire – TSA: The Tenant Services Authority (TSA) and Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) have launched the findings of their recent anti-social behaviour (ASB) baseline survey, at the TSA stand of the annual CIH Conference in Harrogate.
The survey asked specific questions of housing providers directly relating to how they are currently delivering their ASB services to their tenants, from both a strategic and operational perspective. These findings give a clear indication of the housing sector’s position in relation to tackling ASB and demonstrate the barriers & challenges to this work.
DWP: Drug & alcohol addiction is one of the most damaging root causes of poverty. In light of the recent report by the Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC), Ministers have decided not to take forward previously proposed Welfare Reform Drug Recovery pilots.
The SSAC report, which follows a public consultation, finds the pilots are unlikely to be effective, contain a number of significant flaws and won’t produce robust results.
The SSAC report, which follows a public consultation, finds the pilots are unlikely to be effective, contain a number of significant flaws and won’t produce robust results.
Also published is the research report ‘Problem Drug Users and their Experience of the Benefits System’, which finds mixed results in the experiences of problem drug users claiming benefit, finding and sustaining employment and dealing with Jobcentre Plus.
Press release ~ View the report ~ Letter from Maria Miller to the SSAC Chair ~ ‘Problem Drug Users and their Experience of the Benefits System’ ~ Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC)
Newswire – KF: Plans by the coalition government to give GPs power & responsibility for holding real budgets and commissioning health services on behalf of their local communities have the potential to help improve care, but will need time & careful design if they are to be successful.
That is the verdict of 6 national organisations that have joined forces to inform the coalition government’s aim of fully devolving commissioning power to GPs. More details are expected in a White Paper, due in early July 2010.
Ofsted: An Ofsted report on food in schools launched last week shows that most pupils have a good understanding of what makes up a healthy diet. It also finds that in the majority of schools visited, food is attractive, nutritious and well prepared.
The report, 'Food in schools - Progress in implementing the new standards’, shows that some parents have to budget carefully to pay for school meals. Families on lower incomes, with a lack of transport, may however be limited to a smaller range of cheap food that is available locally, but not sufficiently healthy.
NIA: Major Government projects are still being completed late and incurring increased costs. That’s one of the key findings from the Northern Ireland Assembly Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) First Thematic Report.
The Report, which looks at how complex Government projects have been managed since 2007, also found that the public has not always received the intended project outcomes.
The Report, which looks at how complex Government projects have been managed since 2007, also found that the public has not always received the intended project outcomes.
A number of cases examined by the Committee have exposed a worrying lack of skills in areas such as IT, accounting & project management that undermines the public sector’s ability to negotiate successful outcomes of projects with private sector contractors.
The Committee will debate this report on 29 June 2010 in the Assembly. At that time it will also address the findings of its fourth composite report, which summarises inquiries dealt with through written correspondence with departmental officials. These included internal fraud in the Sports Institute for Northern Ireland and legal challenges by unsuccessful bidders.
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