Policy Statements and Initiatives
DWP: People on sickness benefits who are expected to be able to get back to work at some point in the future are now able to take part in voluntary work experience to help them move towards a job.
Short periods of work experience at an appropriate employer will help people with limited employment history get a flavour of the workplace environment, gain new skills and boost their confidence for an eventual return to work.
Short periods of work experience at an appropriate employer will help people with limited employment history get a flavour of the workplace environment, gain new skills and boost their confidence for an eventual return to work.
WAG: Two new innovative finance schemes that will result in £500m of additional infrastructure investment were announced by Welsh Government Finance Minister Jane Hutt last week. During a Plenary debate on the Final Budget for 2013-14 Jane Hutt announced that she would be using a non-dividend investment mechanism to invest around £300m in sections 5 and 6 of the A465.
The Minister also announced she would be extending the Local Government Borrowing Initiative, in partnership with local authorities, to the 21st Century Schools Programme which would accelerate around £200m of investment.
DECC: Barriers to investment in new gas will be addressed as the Government confirmed the major role gas will continue to play in supporting significant decarbonisation of the power sector by 2030.
The Government confirmed a number of steps that would be taken to stimulate investment in gas generation in its Gas Generation Strategy last week.
The Government confirmed a number of steps that would be taken to stimulate investment in gas generation in its Gas Generation Strategy last week.
New gas-fired power stations (which emit half the CO2 of coal) will need to be built over the next 2 decades to replace retiring coal, older gas and nuclear power stations. Gas will also be required to support a low-carbon electricity sector, providing the flexibility to balance out increasing amounts of wind and nuclear energy.
Press release & links ~ CCC says early decarbonisation of the power sector should be plan A – and the dash for gas Plan Z
DfE: An independent review body has called on the Government to link teachers’ pay more closely to their performance. The School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB), which makes recommendations to Government on teachers’ pay reforms, is calling for greater freedom for schools to set teachers’ pay.
In its report published last week it recommends a ‘simpler, more flexible national pay framework for teachers’
Press release ~ School Teachers’ Review Body report ~ TUC: Welcome for regional pay retreat, but dismay at pay plans for teachers
FCO: The Foreign Office, the Canadian High Commission and Wilton Park held a conference on combating intolerance & promoting freedom of religion or belief for all. Last week’s conference brought together experts from governments & civil society across the world to share knowledge & skills focusing on particular parts of UN Human Rights Council resolution 16/18.
WAG: Education & Skills Minister Leighton Andrews has announced the creation of a new qualifications body for Wales. Called Qualifications Wales, the new body will be responsible for awarding qualifications and regulating & assuring the quality of all non degree level qualifications.
WAG: ‘There are no reasons or excuses why all organisations cannot fully adopt the principles in the WalesProcurement Policy Statement’, Finance Minister Jane Hutt said when she published the Wales Procurement Policy Statement.
Building on the recommendations in the McClelland Review the Statement sets out 9 principles for how the public sector should carry out procurement from being professionally resourced to using procurement to deliver ‘community benefits’ and support the Welsh economy.
DECC: The nuclear industry will play a major role in securing the nation’s energy supplies & driving economic growth, Energy Minister John Hayes and Business & Enterprise Minister Michael Fallon said last week as they published the Government’s Nuclear Supply Chain Action Plan.
