Policy Statements and Initiatives
DWP: Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Peter Hain has ‘welcomed’ the first findings of a review examining whether financial assistance for people who lost their pensions could be increased. The Assets Review, led by Andrew Young of the Government Actuary's Department, reported there are £1.7bn of assets in occupational pension schemes that qualify for help from the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS).
The current practice of each scheme purchasing annuities for their members (which are then topped up by the Government) may not offer the best use of these assets, the review found. Alternative approaches which could increase the value include bulk purchase of annuities and pooling of assets in a single fund.
The interim report (final report will be published before the end of the year) concentrated on identifying the value of assets in FAS schemes, their ownership & stewardship; potential uses of these assets and whether there are options to increase the value; other non-tax sources of funding; and the key issues relating to solvent employers.
In a subsequent press release, Minister for Pensions Reform Mike O'Brien has pledged that the Government will match any additional funds identified by the Assets Review for people who lost their pensions.
Press release ~ Subsequent DWP press release ~ DWP – Pensions and retirement ~ Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) ~ FAS – Review of Scheme Assets ~ White Paper: Personal accounts: a new way to save ~ Consultation arrangements ~ Pensions Bill ~ Pensions Commission ~ Government Actuary's Department
DfT: A £7.5million annual package of Government funding to help boost sustainable travel to school is to continue for another two years (until 2010), the government have announced. The Travelling to School project is a joint initiative between the Department for Transport and the Department for Children, Schools and Families that encourages children to walk, cycle, or take public transport to school.
The project is based around the development of school travel plans, which set out how an individual school will encourage more sustainable travel and reduce car use. The funding will provide continued support for the network of local authority based school travel advisers, who work with schools to help them draw up and implement their plans.
Press release ~ Travelling to School project ~ DfT – School Travel ~ School Travel Database ~ Sustainable Schools website ~ Teachernet, School Travel Advisers toolkit ~ DfT - Information for parents, teachers and schools ~ Walk To School ~ Sustrans
Scottish Executive: Proposals to tackle air pollution to help improve quality of life and reduce environmental damage in Scotland have been outlined in a revised Air Quality Strategy, which covers the whole of the UK. It takes a more wide ranging approach to addressing pollutants and sets a longer term agenda to look at how air pollution impacts on both health and the environment.
The proposals outlined could potentially deliver large reductions in air pollution, generating significant health and environmental benefits. All objectives & limit and/or target values are being met across the vast majority of Scotland.
The revised Air Quality Strategy considers options which modelling suggests could reduce average exposure to air pollutants for everyone, including:
* early uptake of new tighter European vehicle emissions standards
* increased uptake of low emission vehicles
* reducing emissions from ships
Press release ~ The revised Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland - volume 1 ~ The revised Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland - volume 2 ~ Air Quality Strategy review - UK Government and devolved administrations' response to consultees' comments ~ Scottish Air Quality: Home
DCSF: Helping young families cope with the demands of parenthood and reach their full potential is a priority for Government, according to a new strategy. As well as continuing the drive to reduce teenage pregnancies, the government claims that it wants to ensure that teenage parents receive the support they need to make successful futures for themselves & their children, and avoid repeat pregnancies in their teenage years.
The vast majority of teenage pregnancies are unplanned and the young parents & their children are much more likely to suffer problems with their health, finances, education and social integration. The children of teenage mothers are also more likely to become young parents themselves.
Press release ~ Teenage Pregnancy Next Steps: Guidance for Local Authorities and Primary Care Trusts on Effective Delivery of Local Strategies ~ Every Child matters - Teenage pregnancy ~ DCSF ~ Teenage Pregnancy: Accelerating the Strategy to 2010 ~ Teenage Pregnancy Unit ~ UR Thinking About It?: Sex advice ~ Young people's development pilots ~ Surestart
DfT: Shipping Minister Jim Fitzpatrick has committed the Government to maintaining its 'light touch' approach to the regulation of ports in England & Wales and announced a strengthening of the Government's ports policy framework.
He also announced the publication of an Interim Report setting out the findings so far of the Government's Ports Policy Review (PPR). The Interim Report sets out specific actions on issues such as demand forecasting, the future of trust ports, Master Plans and the safeguarding of land for port operations where that is appropriate.
In addition, it looks forward to further improvements through the future establishment of the Marine Management Organization and Infrastructure Planning Commission.
