Policy Statements and Initiatives

ScotGov: The Scottish Government is to provide up to £3m to support the recruitment of 100 new apprentices within the life sciences sector. First Minister Alex Salmond revealed that life science companies will be able to recruit two apprentices for one - with the full salary costs of the second apprentice being paid by the Scottish Government.
Press release ~ Scottish College Biotechnology consortium ~ Life Sciences Modern Apprenticeship for Scotland ~ 'Adopt an Apprentice' scheme ~ ScotAction ~ Skills Development Scotland ~ Life Sciences Scotland ~ Scottish development International - LS ~ Talent Scotland - LS ~ Scottish Life Sciences strategy ~ Nexxus - supporting research excellence, innovation & knowledge transfer within the life science community in Scotland
 
ScotGov: Minister for Community Safety Fergus Ewing has written to the new Home Secretary Alan Johnson reiterating the Scottish Government's opposition to the proposed National Identity Card Scheme. Mr Ewing asked the Home Secretary in reviewing his portfolio to cancel the ID scheme.
 
He wrote to dispute a letter from Phil Woolas which claimed that the scheme would bring economic benefits to the UK, raising doubts about the figures quoted in the letter. In his letter to the Home Secretary, Mr Ewing said:
"It is worrying that your Department is building arguments on economic benefits that have to assume so much over such a long period of time.  Not only that, but having undertaken such an exercise, I am concerned that Mr Woolas chooses to use only the £6bn figure rather than the £2bn (or quoting the range, £2bn to £10bn) and the phrase 'over time' thus avoiding the fact that this is 30 years……..
 
The UK Government continues to use the same argument: that 70 per cent of the planned expenditure will need to be spent in any event just to implement secure biometric passports.  This is a fallacy.
Press release ~ UK Government's 'Safeguarding Identity' strategy (June 2009) ~ National Identity Service delivery update 2009 ~ Directgov – Identity cardsLSE view on costs ~ LSE Identity Card Project
 
DECC: More help to save energy will be available to householders due to an increase in the Government’s Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) scheme and the introduction of a new Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP), to begin this Autumn, helping householders in low-income areas receive ‘whole house’ energy makeovers.
 
Together, CERT and CESP will see extra investment by energy companies under the two schemes, taking the total to an estimated £3.5bn in energy efficiency improvements by the end of 2012.
Press release ~ Defra - Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) scheme ~ Sustain - Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) ~ Government response to (closed) consultation: Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) ~ Government response to (closed) consultation on proposed amendments to the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target 2008-2011
 
ScotGov: The Scottish Government is to allocate £600,000 during the next two years to support a new post-graduate scheme designed to improve education links between Scotland and China for the economic benefit of both nations.
 
The move follows an announcement by the Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop (during her April visit to China) that both countries had agreed to create a new university research programme which would aim to:
* Build partnerships between research teams in both countries, based on areas of mutual strength & interest including renewable energy, life sciences, public health, financial services and engineering
* Encourage research teams and PhD students to undertake exchange programmes which will develop students' skills and support an exchange of knowledge for the benefit of the universities, businesses and economies of both countries
Press release ~ Scotland and China ~ Scottish International Scholarship Programme ~ The Scottish Government’s Plan for Engagement with China ~ Scottish Government International Framework
 
WAG: The Welsh Assembly Government has proposed a new measure outlining changes for greater consistency & fairness in local authority charging for non-residential social services across Wales.  It will hopefully introduce greater clarity into the charging process and allow for further improvements as part of an incremental approach to tackling present inconsistencies.  
 
The proposed Measure will also place an obligation on authorities to provide free information about charging.  Where an authority propose to levy a charge they will be required to provide information, in the form of a statement, on the services that are being  charged for, the calculation of the charge and how their charges can be  reviewed if they wish.  
 
The measure and its initial package of reforms takes into account the views of the stakeholder task & finish group and the independent research that was undertaken in 2008.  It is planned to introduce it from April 2011.  
Press release ~ WAG - Social Care ~ WAG – Charging for Social Services
 
WAG: Deputy Minister for Skills John Griffiths yesterday outlined the progress being made in relation to post-16 education provision across Wales, following the launch of the Welsh Assembly Government’s policy - ‘Transforming Education and Training Provision in Wales’ - last September.
 
‘Transformation’ aims to modernise post-16 education, achieve greater efficiency, offer more choice & better access for students and provide higher quality education & training. Different areas have taken different approaches responding to local circumstances.  
Press release ~ Transforming Education and Training Provision in Wales ~ WAG - Post 16 providers ~ WAG - Education and skills
 
BIS: The government has announced measures for the financial credit sector including:
* a consultation on significant reforms to the regulation of credit & store cards to put consumers
* a ban on unsolicited credit card cheques
* a review by the OFT of the market for high cost credit, such as pay day loans & door step lending
* a new self-help tool-kit and a new Debtor’s Guide from the Insolvency Service
* new powers for the courts to ban persistent rogue traders
* a new national specialist team for internet enforcement to tackle internet scams
* a pilot scheme giving Trading Standards officers powers to help consumers get money back
* appointment of a new Consumer Advocate responsible for co-ordinating work to educate consumers and to help them get their money back when things go wrong
 
New requirements will be introduced on all lenders to check consumers’ creditworthiness before they borrow; to explain financial products fully including the consequences of failure to repay; and to comply with new OFT guidance to tackle irresponsible lending.
Press release ~ White Paper: A Better Deal for Consumers – Delivering Real Help Now and Change for the Future ~ Money Advice Trust ~ In Debt - Dealing with Your Creditors ~ Insolvency Service ~ Moneymadeclear ~ OFT – Irresponsible Lending
 
LBRO: The public body for better local regulation – LBRO - could help councils get new powers to secure compensation for consumers, following the publication of the Government’s Consumer White paper. The paper heralds a potentially major shift in how councils can help consumers achieve redress.
 
A key initiative would see LBRO working with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) on compensation pilots within councils, developing the approach to awarding local authorities the powers to apply alternative sanctions, such as restorative justice.
 
Councils would be considered for the new powers based on how they demonstrate the better regulation principles, in line with the Excellence Standard currently being developed by LBRO with its ‘World Class Coalition’ partners.  The partners include the Food Standards Agency, Health and Safety Executive, Office of Fair Trading, LACORS and professional bodies.  The standard is currently being tested through work in 60 local authorities with LACORS, Coventry City Council and Westminster City Council.
Press release ~ Local Better Regulation Office (LBRO) ~ LCS Report - Shared Services
 
ScotGov: People who traditionally find it difficult to enjoy & participate in Scotland's cultural and creative life can do so if activities are better planned & co-ordinated at local level. That's the finding from an evaluation of the Cultural Pathfinder Programme, which supported 13 pilot projects throughout Scotland over two years, exploring practical ways to get people involved in cultural activities.
 
The projects reached out to groups who had previously faced barriers to participation, such as older people, vulnerable & rural communities, children & young people and minority ethnic communities, ensuring an additional 50,000 people across Scotland were able to explore & enjoy creative opportunities.
 
Less formal approaches adopted by the projects allowed communities to determine their own cultural interests, shaping what happened in their area.  Taking culture out of traditional venues and into local communities meant that activities could be enjoyed in familiar surroundings.  Measures such as these were key to sustaining involvement & commitment from local people.
Press release ~ Evaluation of the Cultural Pathfinder Programme in Scotland ~ ScotGov – Cultural Pathfinder Programme ~ Scottish Arts Council ~ Creative Scotland ~  ScotGov - Arts & Culture
 
ScotGov: An action plan to give Scotland's fishing fleets breathing space and avoid crew shortages has been agreed with the Home Office. Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead this week held constructive talks with Phil Woolas MP, Minister of State for Borders and Immigration, over the employment of non-European Economic Area migrants across the Scottish inshore fleet.   The Scottish Government is separately working on new plans to attract fresh blood into the industry.
 
The UK Border Agency (UKBA) has now written again to vessel owners who were recently issued with notices to repatriate their Filipino crew by last week, giving them more time while further consideration is given to the matter.  The UKBA will continue to take action where there are blatant & deliberate abuses of the law.
 
The next review of the Scottish and UK Shortage Occupation Lists will take place in September 2009.  Inclusion on either list makes it easier to recruit skilled workers from overseas.  The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) is independent and its members are expert labour market economists.
Press release ~ Skilled, shortage, sensible: the recommended shortage occupation lists for the United Kingdom & Scotland ~ First review of shortage occupation lists (April 2009) ~ Recommended Scotland shortage occupation list for Tier 2 of the PBS, September 2008 ~ Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) ~ ScotGov - Fisheries information
 
WAG: The first Post Offices to be awarded a share of a new £4.5m fund to help sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses diversify and improve their Post Offices have been announced. The fund, which will run for 3 years, is open to every sub-post office in Wales. Under the scheme, 63 post offices throughout Wales have been awarded grants worth over £1.1m in total.
Press release ~ Post Office Diversification Fund for Wales (PODF) ~ One Wales 24 - Passing the half-way mark
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