Policy Statements and Initiatives

TSB: The Technology Strategy Board has unveiled details of a £10m investment plan, co-funded by the Department for Transport, which aims to see up to 100 innovative ultra low carbon demonstration vehicles on Britain's roads by the end of next year.  This is one of the initiatives announced by the Government today to encourage a mass market in electric and hybrid cars.
 
The demonstrator and research & development competitions are the latest initiatives from the Technology Strategy Board's Low Carbon Vehicle Innovation Platform.  Three other R&D activities will cover:
* Electrification of road transport (up to £10m)
* Technologies to decarbonise road vehicles (approx £7m)
 * University-led research into lower-carbon vehicle technology (£3m), funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
Press release ~ Sciencewise ERC ~ TSB - Low Carbon Vehicles Innovation ~ Cenex ~ Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) ~ Energy Technologies Institute
 
MoD: The MoD took a step towards becoming a more sustainable department when the Secretary of State for Defence John Hutton, along with some of defence's key industry partners, signed a Sustainable Procurement Charter.
 
The voluntary charter, signed at the first National Defence Industries Council (NDIC) to be hosted by the Defence Secretary, commits the MoD and its suppliers to work together to achieve sustainable development goals, through educating the supply chain, developing performance measures and sharing best practice.
Press release ~ National Defence Industries Council (NDIC) ~ Defence Manufacturing Association
 
DIUS: A pilot programme aimed at developing the leadership potential of students in higher education, strengthening the communities in which they live, has been launched. The Student Leadership Project is funded by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) and designed by the charity Youth at Risk UK.
 
It aims to identify & support students with leadership capacity who may be at risk of losing interest in or dropping out of their course. Through helping these students to develop their learning, interpersonal and social skills the project aims to reduce drop outs from university and increase attendance, achievement & participation in both curricula and extra-curricular activities.
Press release ~ Youth at Risk ~ Thames Valley University ~ London Metropolitan University ~ University of Bedfordshire
 
ScotGov: Scotland will be at the forefront of global action on climate change, Finance Secretary John Swinney claimed as he set out the key components of the Scottish Climate Change Bill. Mr Swinney said that by including international aviation & shipping, emissions from all 6 greenhouse gases and annual targets, Scotland will have the most ambitious Bill to tackle climate change anywhere in the world.
 
Over 21,000 responses were received to the Scottish Government's consultation on a draft Climate Change Bill, which will be brought before Parliament later this year. The Bill will establish a legal framework for emissions reductions in the run up to 2050.
Press release ~ Scottish Government Response to Climate Change Consultation ~ ScotGov - Climate Change ~ Go Greener ~ WWF Scotland ~ UK Climate Change Bill ~ Friends of the Earth Scotland ~ Energy Policy: An Overview ~ Scotland's Energy Future ~ European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney ~ Clyde windfarm ~ ScotGov – renewable energy
 
Defra: Defra and the UK livestock export industry are launching a new partnership today to help exporters enjoy a larger share of the global market. The new UK Export Certification Partnership (UKECP), built on the success of the Export Certification User Group that has been meeting over the last 6 years, will further improve the use of joint Defra/industry efforts to negotiate with non-EU markets.
 
Initially a 3-year trial, UKECP is an informal industry working group that:
* liaises with the UK livestock & livestock product industries to establish export market priorities;
* provides a forum to discuss the use of Defra agents to negotiate export health certificates on behalf of the UK
* helps to draft & follow through the agreement of export health certification which is generally required before exports can commence
Press release ~ Export Certification User Group ~ Defra International Trade
 
WAG: All girls who were born between 1 September 1990 and 31 August 1991 will be offered the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to protect them against the viruses that are the most common cause of cervical cancer, Health Minister Edwina Hart has announced.
 
This is in addition to the routine vaccination programme that has been introduced for all 12 & 13 year old girls this year and the catch-up campaign planned for the next 2 years. This extension to the programme will offer protection to about 20,000 more girls.  
Press release ~ HPV Vaccination ~ Vaccine Preventable Disease Programme
 
MoD: The Ministry of Defence has responded formally to a study of public understanding & appreciation of the Armed Forces. The independent National Recognition Study was published on May 19 2008 and made 40 recommendations, including the introduction of an annual day to recognise & celebrate the work of the Armed Forces community.
 
In response, the MOD will hold the first British Armed Forces and Veterans Day on 27 June 2009, building on the success of events across the country for this year's Veterans Day. The study also identified the benefits of a more systematic approach to homecoming parades.  
 
Each of the three services is now looking at how homecoming parades can be better organised across the country.  The MOD has also welcomed an offer from the Royal British Legion to use its branches & staff to work with local military units and local authorities to help arrange military parades.
Press release ~ National Recognition Study ~ Government's response ~ Royal British Legion ~ Service Personnel Command Paper
 
DIUS: A new advisory service will combine skills & training advice with practical guidance for people on how to overcome the barriers they face in getting on in life, Skills Secretary John Denham has announced. The adult advancement and careers service (AACS) will provide a one-stop-shop for those seeking training and help into work, but who also face problems in areas like childcare, money matters, housing and disability issues.
 
Publishing a prospectus setting out how the service will develop, he announced the names & locations of 10 prototype advisory services across England whose work will inform the launch of the AACS in 2010.
 
The 10 prototypes will run for two years, testing a range of different approaches in establishing local partnerships bringing together nextstep services, Jobcentre Plus, unionlearn, local authorities, housing associations, voluntary and community sector organisations, Connexions, Primary Care Trusts, the Citizen's Advice Bureau, Sure Start Children's Centres, and others.
Press release ~ Shaping the future - a new Adult Advancement and Careers Service for England ~ Train to Gain - learner evaluation
 
HO: A delivery plan for the student tier of the Australian-style points system has been announced by the Home Office. Under the new system, which will be rolled out from March 2009, colleges and universities who want to teach non-European Economic Area (EEA) nationals must have a licence issued by the UK Border Agency.  Licensed institutions can then sponsor non EEA students to come to study in the UK.
 
The system is intended to clamp down on bogus students and ensure only those who benefit Britain can continue to come.  Before they can study here, foreign students must be sponsored by a UK Border Agency-licensed education institution, supply their fingerprints and meet new criteria.  Colleges and universities have been able to sign up to the sponsorship register since July.
 
From autumn 2009 the system will be tightened further with the introduction of a 'sponsor management system' - dedicated technology that will make it easier for universities and colleges to inform the UK Border Agency if students fail to enrol or miss more than ten sessions.
Press release ~ Implementation Plan for Tier 4 of the PBS and related documents
 
CLG: Up to £5m will be committed to promoting new ways to encourage community participation in planning Communities Secretary Hazel Blears has announced. The new grants are part of a Government drive to put communities in control, strengthen active citizenship and give people more say over local services.
 
Councils should use the grants to encourage citizens to actively engage in the planning process and the development of their community through new consultation methods and better access to information.  Innovative techniques to involve the community would be encouraged such as citizen's juries, charrettes or Planning for Real(r).
Press release ~ Charrette ~ Planning for Real(r) ~ Planning Aid ~ Housing and Planning Delivery Grant ~ Empowerment Fund
 
BERR: The first ever national Women's Prowess Policy Centre (PNPC) has been launched by the Government at a reception at 11 Downing Street. The new policy centre, which is receiving over £500,000 of funding from the Department of Business, is the first of its kind in Europe and will act as a 'one-stop' shop for the latest in women's enterprise-related research & policy.
 
The Centre will be co-located in Birmingham and London and managed by Prowess. It is intended to drive up the number of female entrepreneurs in the UK by promoting best practice and raising awareness & understanding of women's entrepreneurship across Government, the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs), Financial Institutions and Multi-National Corporations.
 
No decision has yet been taken on whether further funding will be provided for the period 2009/10 and beyond.  Ultimately, the Prowess National Policy Centre (PNPC) will need to become self-funding.
Press release ~ Prowess National Policy Centre ~ Enterprise Strategy ~ International Centre for Women Leaders at Cranfield School of Management ~ Research reports ~ Government Equalities Office ~ Critical Mass on Corporate Boards: Why Three or More Women Enhance Governance
 
ScotGov: An additional 51 scholarships of £2,000 will be awarded to students from the US this year allowing them to study at universities in Scotland. The cost of the bursary is shared between the Scottish Government and the host universities and the overall scheme is managed by Education UKScotland.
 
The US Graduate Scholarship scheme aims to raise the profile of studying, living and working in Scotland and increasing interest internationally in the post graduate qualifications Scotland has to offer. Under the Scottish International Scholarship Programme, twelve students from China and India are receiving scholarships to undertake 12 month Masters level courses in Scotland.
Press release ~ Scottish International Scholarship Programme ~ ScotGov - Education ~ Education UK Scotland ~ US Graduate Scholarship scheme
 
ScotGov: An improved system to ensure the right number of teachers are in the right place at the right time has been announced as the Scottish Government moves to address the long-standing problem of accurately predicting teacher numbers required across the country.
 
Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, said that the recommendations of the working group she set up to look at teacher employment would all be adopted in order to create a system fit for delivering a 21st Century education. This includes a rise in the Preferential Waiver Payment scheme to £8,000 to attract teachers to areas with vacancies.
Press release ~ ScotGov - Teaching ~ Teacher Employment Working Group report
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