Archive for the ‘United Kingdom’ Category
Saturday, March 13th, 2010
The Children’s Commissioner for England’s follow up report to: The arrest and detention of children subject to immigration control
Source: Children’s Commissioner, UK
From the Executive Summary:
This report concerns the third visit of the Children’s Commissioner to Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre which took place in October 2009. It follows on from our visit in May 2008 and the subsequent report The Arrest and Detention of Children Subject to Immigration Control (2009).
The aim of this report is to examine the progress made in addressing the concerns raised regarding children’s experience of the immigration removal process and detention. In doing so we are mindful of our statutory duty to promote awareness of the views and interests of children in England and to have awareness of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Children Act 2004 also requires the Commissioner to have particular regard to groups of children who do not have other adequate means by which they can make their views known.
While we fully acknowledge the Government’s right to determine who is allowed to stay in this country, my contention remains that detention is harmful to children and therefore never likely to be in their best interests, and we continue to argue that the detention of children for immigration control should cease.
+ Download Full Report from this page (PDF; 1.1 MB)
+ Download Executive Summary from this page (PDF; 406 KB)
Posted in Children and families, Europe, Human rights, Immigration, International, Legal and law enforcement, Race, Social and cultural issues, United Kingdom | No Comments »
Friday, March 12th, 2010
The Cocaine Trade
Source: House of Commons Home Affairs Committee, UK
Key Facts:
Cocaine is a class A stimulant drug. Importation, dealing and possession are all illegal attracting penalties of up to life imprisonment and unlimited fines
• Cocaine comes in two forms: cocaine powder which is snorted, and crack cocaine which is smoked; both forms can be injected
• The street price of cocaine powder has halved over the past ten years, from £80 per gram in 1999 to £40 in 2009. A line of cocaine in London now costs between £2–£8, depending on its size
• Cocaine is heavily cut with other substances, including anaesthetics and animal worming agents; police seizures of cocaine in 2009 averaged 27% purity, with some as low as 5%
• The UK has the second highest number of cocaine users in Europe: the number of adults who used cocaine powder within the last year quintupled from 0.6% in 1996 to 3.0% in 2008/09
• The number of people in treatment for cocaine powder addiction increased by 17% between 2006/07 and 2007/08
• The number of non-fatal hospital admissions for cocaine poisoning in England more than tripled between 2000/01 and 2006/07
• There were 235 cocaine-related deaths in England and Wales in 2008, an increase of 20% compared with 2007
• Combining cocaine with alcohol forms a highly toxic third substance, cocaethylene, which has been associated with a 25–fold increase in sudden death
• For each gram of cocaine consumed, 4 square metres of tropical forest are destroyed
• Drugs mules are often forced to swallow up to 20 pellets of cocaine, or insert 500g pellets the size of a pint glass into body cavities
+ Direct link to Report (PDF; 2.8 MB)
+ Evidence (PDF; 1.4 MB)
Posted in Documents in the news, Europe, Health and healthcare, International, Legal and law enforcement, Mental health and substance abuse, Social and cultural issues, United Kingdom | No Comments »
Monday, March 8th, 2010
Labour markets in the EU-27 still in crisis
Source: Eurostat
In 2009Q3, employment (seasonally adjusted) in the EU-27 fell to 221.4 million people, its lowest level in the last three years, down 0.5 % (1.1 mil- lion) on 2009Q2. Spain and Italy together accounted for almost 40 % of this reduction. Employment fell in every EU country, except the UK and Luxembourg, where it remained unchanged.
Since it peaked in 2008Q2, employment in the EU- 27 has decreased by 5.4 million. Latvia (-18.1 %), Estonia (-10.2 %), Ireland (-10.1 %), Spain (-8.5 %) and Lithuania (-6.9 %) have seen the largest contractions, while employment has increased over the same period as a whole only in Luxembourg (+1.1 %) and remained unchanged in Germany.
In 2009Q3, unemployment (seasonally adjusted) in the EU-27 rose by 4.1 % (0.9 million people) on 2009Q2. This further increase took unemployment up to 22.1 million, the highest figure recorded since the start of the time series in 2000Q1. Estonia and the Czech Republic suffered the highest quarter-on-quarter growth rates in unemployment.
Since 2008Q1, when it bottomed out and started to rise, unemployment has grown by 5.9 million. Over the same period, unemployment has more than tripled in Estonia and Lithuania, nearly tripled in Latvia, more than doubled in Ireland and Spain and nearly doubled in Denmark.
+ Direct link to document (PDF; 134 KB)
Posted in Business and economics, Europe, Industries, Labor, United Kingdom | No Comments »
Sunday, March 7th, 2010
Islamophobia and Anti-Muslim Hate Crime: a London Case Study
Source: European Muslim Research Centre
In this report we introduce empirical evidence that demonstrates tangible links between Islamophobia or anti-Muslim bigotry in both (i) mainstream political and media discourse and (ii) extremist nationalist discourse and anti-Muslim hate crimes. That is to say the report provides prima facie and empirical evidence to demonstrate that assailants of Muslims are invariably motivated by a negative view of Muslims they have acquired from either mainstream or extremist nationalist reports or commentaries in the media. Moreover, the evidence is clear that the major motivating factor for violence against Muslims is a negative and false belief that Muslims pose a security or terrorist threat. The evidence arises from compelling and original primary data: interviews with victims, perpetrators and witnesses of hate crimes in London.
Muslim Londoners face a threat of violence and intimidation from three arenas. Firstly from a small violent extremist nationalist milieu that has broadly the same political analysis as the British National Party (BNP) and the English Defence League (EDL). BNP influence is significant but so is the influence of mainstream political commentators. Moreover, whereas the experienced London based Searchlight monitors of this same milieu focus on the BNP and the dirty water it swims in as racist and anti-Semitic, this report highlights new tendencies towards anti-Muslim bigotry that have hitherto been understated. Secondly from London gangs who have no allegiance with or affinity to the BNP or the violent extremist nationalist milieu that surrounds that party. Thirdly from ordinary Londoners and visitors to London who have become convinced and angry by negative portrayals of Muslims as terrorists and security threats.
+ Direct link to document (PDF; 2 MB)
Posted in Crime, Ethnic, Europe, Government and politics, Legal and law enforcement, Race, Religion and spirituality, Social and cultural issues, Terrorism, United Kingdom | No Comments »
Saturday, March 6th, 2010
Youth Deaths: The Reality Behind the ‘Knife Crime’ Debate (PDF; 253 KB)
Source: Insitute of Race Relations
The media portrayal of, and government response to, the ‘knife crime epidemic’ created a distorted image of the reality on the ground, according to new research undertaken by the Institute of Race Relations (IRR).
The evidence suggests that, whilst some marginalised young people are carrying knives, the image of violently nihilist, feral, often Black or ethnic minority teen gangs armed with knives and guns is, at best, only a snapshot of the grim reality for a very small minority. At worst, this kind of imagery, replicated unchallenged and unqualified on our screens and from the dispatch box, leads to a punitive and misguided political climate which may ultimately fail the very teenagers it aims to reach.
Here, the IRR publishes a summary of its key findings for 2008. It aims to provide a description of who was killed and by whom and in what circumstances – a factual description which was largely missing from much media and political evaluation at the time.
Posted in Children and families, Crime, Ethnic, Europe, Legal and law enforcement, Race, Social and cultural issues, United Kingdom | No Comments »
Friday, March 5th, 2010
Sinking and swimming: understanding Britain’s unmet needs
Source: Young Foundation
This is a study of who is sinking and who is swimming in Britain today. Based on new analysis of statistical data, case studies, surveys and hundreds of conversations with people across the country, the study shows where the most acute needs are and how they interrelate. It looks at why some people can cope with shocks and setbacks and others can’t. And it draws on the implications for policy, philanthropy and public action.
The welfare state that was build up after the great economic crisis of the 1930s was designed to address Britain’s material needs – for jobs, homes, health care and pensions. It was assumed that people’s emotional needs would be met by close knit families and communities.
Sixty years later psychological needs have become as pressing as material ones: the risk of loneliness and isolation; the risk of mental illness; the risk of being left behind. New solutions are needed to help the many people struggling with transitions out of care, prison or family breakdown, and to equip people with the resilience they’ll need to get by in uncertain times.
Britain is still a rich country – but one with many poor people. And it is a largely happy country – but with many unhappy people. This study is a guide to the changing landscape of need – and a guide to how we can reduce the unnecessary suffering around us.
+ Direct link to document (PDF; 4.8 MB)
Posted in Europe, Health and healthcare, Mental health and substance abuse, Social and cultural issues, United Kingdom | No Comments »
Saturday, February 27th, 2010
National Diet and Nutrition Survey : Headline results from Year 1 of the Rolling Programme (2008/2009)
Source: Food Standards Agency/Department of Health
The report of the first year of the NDNS rolling programme (February 2008 to March 2009) can be viewed at the links below. This report focuses on food consumption and nutrient intakes for adults aged 19 to 64 years and for children aged 18 months to 3 years, 4 to 10 years and 11 to 18 years.
The key findings of the survey are:
• People are eating less saturated fat, trans fat and added sugar than they were 10 years ago, when the survey was last carried out.
• Saturated fat intakes in adults have dropped slightly to 12.8% of food energy, but are still above the recommended level of 11%. Whereas, the population’s trans fat intakes, having also fallen slightly, are well within recommended levels.
• People are still eating too much added sugar, currently 12.5% of food energy intake compared to the recommended 11%.
• A third of men and women are now eating the recommended ‘5-a-day’ fruit and veg.
• People are still not eating enough fibre, which is essential for healthy digestion. On average intakes are 14g per day for adults, some way below the recommended 18g.
• Consumption of oily fish, which is the main source of omega 3 fatty acids, remains below the recommended one portion per week.
• Iron intakes among teenage girls and women are still low, which can lead to iron deficiency and anaemia. However, overall, vitamin and mineral intakes among the population are slightly improved.
+ Direct link to Survey (PDF; 487 KB)
+ Direct link to tables (PDF; 419 KB)
Posted in Europe, Food and agriculture, Health and healthcare, Industries, Social and cultural issues, United Kingdom | No Comments »
Thursday, February 25th, 2010
Are juries fair?
Source: Ministry of Justice
From News Release:
Juries in England and Wales have been found to be fair, effective and efficient by the most in-depth study into the issue ever undertaken in this country, published today.
Are juries fair? by Cheryl Thomas, Professor at the Centre for Empirical Legal Studies at University College London, is a two-year long survey of more than 1,000 jurors at Crown Courts and a separate study of over 68,000 jury verdicts.
In the report, sensitive issues about jury decision-making have been tackled for the first time.
It reveals that:
• all-white juries do not discriminate against defendants from black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds
• juries almost always reach a verdict and convict two-thirds of the time
• there are no courts where juries acquit more often than convict.
It also shows that:
• jurors want more information about how to do their job
• written instructions improve jurors’ legal understanding of cases
• some jurors use the internet to look for information about their case
• some jurors find media reports of their case difficult to ignore.
+ Direct link to Report (PDF; 686 KB)
Posted in Documents in the news, Ethnic, Europe, Legal and law enforcement, Race, Social and cultural issues, United Kingdom | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 24th, 2010
The legal basis for the invasion of Afghanistan (PDF: 80 KB)
Source: House of Commons Library
The military campaign in Afghanistan was not specifically mandated by the UN – there was no specific Security Council Resolution authorising the invasion – but was widely (although not universally) perceived to be a legitimate form of self-defence under the UN Charter.
Article 2(4) of the UN Charter prohibits the ‘threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state’. The accepted exceptions to this are where a competent organ of the UN (almost always the Security Council) has authorised it, or where it is in self-defence under article 51 of the Charter.
As required in article 51, the US and the UK reported to the UN on the reasons for invoking the article to justify their military action. The Taliban Government of Afghanistan was considered an accomplice to the events of 9/11 and, therefore, a justifiable target for action. United Nations Security Council Resolutions had already been passed requiring the Taliban to stop giving sanctuary to al-Qaeda.
Humanitarian law requires any action to be proportionate. This means that the action must only be that which is necessary to repel any attack and prevent further attacks from happening, if there is a realistic chance of further attacks. It also requires civilian casualties to be minimised.
Posted in Afghanistan, Asia, Europe, Government and politics, International, Legal and law enforcement, Military and defense, National security, United Kingdom | No Comments »
Monday, February 22nd, 2010
The State of Happiness: Can public policy shape people’s wellbeing and resilience?
Source: Young Foundation & IDeA, UK
A new report from the Young Foundation and the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) highlights that promoting and influencing happiness is no longer an airy aspiration. As the recession forces difficult public spending choices, services focused on wellbeing are delivering widespread economic and social benefits – especially to children.
The State of Happiness brings together four years of groundbreaking work based on in-depth pilots – from teaching resilience to children in schools to promoting neighbourliness – with three councils in very different areas of the country: Manchester, Herfordshire and South Tyneside.
Against a background of intense pressures on public spending, the report recommends prioritising programmes that:
• Teach children resilience in schools – drawing on strong evidence that this improves academic performance and behaviour as well as employability of pupils
• Promote opportunities for neighbours to get to know each other, based on clear evidence that this tends to enhance wellbeing
• Provide support for isolated older people to help them create and maintain social networks, and reduce anxiety and depression
• Shift transport and economic policies to encourage lower commuting times and allow people to spend more time with their families and friends
• Reshape apprenticeships and other programmes for teenagers to strengthen psychological fitness to help young people find and keep work
• Support families so parents are happier and children are less likely to face problems at home and at school
• Promote activities that are simultaneously good for the environment and reducing CO2, and make people feel better about their lives
+ Direct link to document (PDF; 2.2 MB)
Posted in Age and Aging, Business and economics, Children and families, Documents in the news, Education, Environment, Europe, Government and politics, Health and healthcare, K-12, Mental health and substance abuse, Social and cultural issues, Transportation and travel, United Kingdom | No Comments »
Sunday, February 21st, 2010
The British film and television industries—decline or opportunity?
Source: House of Lords Communications Committee
From the Introduction:
The creative industries are playing a growing part in the British economy. This report examines two of the most important, film and television—although some of our proposals have implications for other industries like music and videogames. Our aim is to see what practical help we can suggest to enable these two industries to develop further and so benefit employment and overseas earnings as well as adding to our national reputation for excellent and innovative production.
The total workforce of the British film and television industries is over 110,000. It is a workforce which takes in actors, directors and producers, reporters and cameramen, animators and make up artists, staff in post-production studios and special effects, and the very many men and women working behind the scenes ranging from electricians and plasterers to sound technicians and researchers. In 2008, British films accounted for around one third of the British cinema box office and generated overseas earnings of over £1 billion. In television, BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the corporation, has sales of over £1 billion and few doubt that this figure could be increased.
Both industries have won for themselves high reputations. In the last twenty years there have been outstanding British films like Slumdog Millionaire, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Shakespeare in Love and The English Patient. British television has also produced a string of award-winning programmes and programme formats, highly popular both in the UK and abroad, such as Doctor Who, The Office, Prime Suspect, Planet Earth, Morse, and State of Play. While in the area of news, British television companies have provided impartial and fair reporting which is respected around the world.
Nevertheless both industries now face challenges which have been increased by the global recession. Commercial television supported by advertising has been particularly hit. The problems of the economy have come on top of the structural change caused by the growth of the internet and its success in capturing an increasing share of advertising. One consequence has been that the amount of money devoted to British originated material has reduced and on present trends could reduce further.
+ Direct link to Report (PDF; 501 KB)
+ Direct link to evidence to the Committee (PDF; 3 MB)
Posted in Arts and humanities, Business and economics, Europe, Industries, Media and entertainment, Sports, recreation and leisure, United Kingdom | No Comments »
Friday, February 19th, 2010
UK suicides increase in 2008
Source: Office for National Statistics
Between 1991 and 2008, the number of suicides in people aged 15 years and over in the United Kingdom fell. Despite a sharp increase of 538 from 1997 to 1998, figures continued to fall until 2007. In 2008, the number of suicides increased by 329 from the previous year (5,377) to 5,706.
There are more suicides among males than females. Male suicide rates peaked at 21.1 per 100,000 in 1992 and 1998 and then declined until 2007. The rate increased from 16.8 per 100,000 in 2007 to 17.7 per 100,000 in 2008.
Suicide rates for women have been consistently much lower than rates for men and have experienced a steadily downwards trend. The rate was highest in 1991 and 1992 at 6.7 per 100,000 and was lowest in 2007 at 5.0 per 100,000. In 2008, the female suicide rate increased to 5.4 per 100,000.
+ Direct link to document (PDF; 82 KB)
Posted in Europe, Gender and sexuality, Health and healthcare, Mental health and substance abuse, Social and cultural issues, United Kingdom | No Comments »
Friday, February 19th, 2010
Marriages in England and Wales 2008
Source: Office for National Statistics
The provisional number of marriages registered in England and Wales in 2008 has remained stable compared with 2007. This, together with a rise in the number of unmarried adults, has resulted in provisional 2008 marriage rates for England and Wales representing the lowest rates since they were first calculated in 1862. The provisional marriage rate for men in 2008 was 21.8 men marrying per 1,000 unmarried men aged 16 and over, compared with 22.4 in 2007 and 31.1 in 1998. The provisional marriage rate for women in 2008 was 19.6 women marrying per 1,000 unmarried women aged 16 and over, compared with 20.2 in 2007 and 26.6 in 1998.
Marriage rates were first calculated in 1862. Rates from this year onwards are shown in Table 2b of the summary tables at the following link:
www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=14275. The General Marriage Rate (GMR) referred to in this bulletin, shows the number of men or women marrying per 1,000 unmarried men or women aged 16 or over. The GMR takes account of changes in the size of the unmarried adult population in England and Wales as well as the number of marriages.
The provisional number of marriages registered in England and Wales in 2008 was 232,990. It is estimated that a further 1 per cent of 2008 marriage returns will be received from register offices and the clergy over the next year allowing final figures to be published in spring 2011.
Marriages have experienced a long term decline over recent decades, although, between 2002 and 2004 marriages increased. This was followed by a fall in marriages to 2007. It is therefore expected that final 2008 marriage figures will be similar in total to 2007 (235,370). However the 2008 total currently represents the lowest numbers of marriages in England and Wales since 1895 (228,204).
+ Direct link to document (PDF; 78 KB)
Posted in Documents in the news, Europe, Gender and sexuality, Social and cultural issues, United Kingdom | No Comments »
Thursday, February 18th, 2010
Adaptability and Partnership: Issues for the Strategic Defence Review (Defence Green Paper 2010)
Source: Ministry of Defence
Our security and prosperity is delivered primarily through the maintenance of a stable, rules-based international order. We believe that disputes within or challenges to this system should be resolved by peaceful means. But, when that is not possible,force remains an essential element of our response. The Armed Forces provide a unique instrument for the country.
The Armed Forces have undertaken over 100 operations since the 1998 StrategicDefence Review – validating many ofits principles. These include the majorinternational operations in Bosnia,Kosovo, Macedonia, Sierra Leone, Iraq and Afghanistan. But military personnel have been deployed widely – from counter-piracy in the Indian Ocean to counter-terrorism in the UK…
Many of these operations have not required fighting. But when our forces have had to fight, the operations have often been characterised by hard and dangerous combat. We must maintain our ability and willingness to undertake such operations if we are to protect UK interests and citizens from the threats we now face.
The use of our Armed Forces must be fully integrated into our wider National Security Strategy. Their contribution must be coordinated with the full range of instruments which the Government can bring to bear at home and overseas. At home, they contribute to our ability to withstand man-made or natural disasters –our national resilience. Overseas, our ability to play a global military role complements our diplomatic efforts and enhances our influence on wider international developments.
Our security increasingly relies on effective international relationships. The continuing commitment of all NATO allies to collective defence and international security remains the critical underpinning of our security.
The EU also plays an increasing role in promoting our interests.
We currently plan for the Armed Forcesto be able to contribute to a wide range of operations – from counter-terrorism or direct intervention against hostile states to conflict prevention and disaster relief in the UK and abroad. In an international response to major crises, we aim to be able to contribute for a limited period up to two Naval Task Groups with one centred around an aircraft carrier, an Armoured Division and up to three Expeditionary AirGroups. For enduring crises, we aim to be able to contribute indefinitely a Naval Task Group, a Brigade and an Expeditionary AirGroup…
The assumptions determine the forces we build, the equipment we procure and the training we undertake. We take decisions on the capabilities we need – such as ships,aircraft or Army numbers – based on the roles and missions we plan to undertake.The key task of the future Strategi cDefence Review (SDR) will be to consider whether the current assumptions continueto reflect our interests and the likely demands on the Armed Forces.
+ Direct link to Green Paper (PDF; 1.4 MB)
Posted in Documents in the news, Europe, Government and politics, International, Military and defense, United Kingdom | No Comments »
Thursday, February 18th, 2010
Nitrate pollution falling, but greater efforts still needed to meet water quality standards across the EU
Source: European Commission
From Press Release:
The agricultural use of nitrates in organic and chemical fertilisers has been a major source of water pollution in Europe. While nitrates are a vital nutrient to help plants and crops grow, high concentrations are harmful to people and nature.
Today’s report on the implementation of the Nitrates Directive, which aims to control pollution and improve water quality, shows a trend towards steady or falling nitrate concentrations within the EU. Between 2004 and 2007, nitrate concentrations in surface water (including rivers, lakes and canals) remained stable or fell at 70% of monitored sites. Quality at 66% of groundwater (below ground surface) monitoring sites is stable or improving.
However, despite these encouraging trends, the report reveals a number of regions where nitrate levels are worrying. High nitrate concentrations are found in groundwater in parts of Estonia, south-east Netherlands, Belgium (Flanders), UK (England), several parts of France, northern Italy, north-east Spain, south-east Slovakia, southern Romania, Malta and Cyprus. Particularly high concentrations are found in surface waters in Malta, UK (England), Belgium (Flanders) and France (Brittany).
According to the report some 15% of groundwater monitoring stations and 3% of surface stations found nitrate concentrations above the water quality standard of 50 mg/l.
+ Direct link to Report (PDF; 52 KB)
Posted in Environment, Europe, Food and agriculture, Industries, International, Science, United Kingdom | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 17th, 2010
The Oil Crunch: A wake-up call for the UK economy
Source: UK Industry Taskforce on Peak Oil + Energy Security (ITPOES)
From the Foreword:
The credit crunch of 2008 foreshadowed major economic, political and social upheaval. It stress- tested the responses of governments, policy-makers and businesses to the extreme. If only there had been greater time to prepare for its impact and a greater level of understanding about the issues.
The next five years will see us face another crunch – the oil crunch. This time, we do have the chance to prepare. The challenge is to use that time well.
As we reach maximum oil extraction rates, the era of cheap oil is behind us. We must plan for a world in which oil prices are likely to be both higher and more volatile and where oil price shocks have the potential to destabilise economic, political and social activity.
Virtually every sector of our economy is still dependent on oil. This is why it is vital that whichever party forms the next government, they have a coherent set of policies to help the UK adapt. This is especially important for the UK, and other developed economies, which have been so reliant on low-cost oil for decades.
There are two challenges for government and policy-makers. Firstly, to recognise the situation we face, and secondly to take action to mitigate the worst implications of the crunch.
Unless we do so, we face a situation during the term of the next government where fuel price unrest could lead to shortages in consumer products and the UK’s energy security will be significantly compromised. This has the potential to hit UK business and commerce as well as the most disadvantaged in society with yet another crisis.
While responsibility for addressing these changes must be taken up by government, we must also build a coalition of interests including businesses and the public if we are to implement the changes needed to help us adapt and prosper.
+ Direct link to document (PDF; 703 KB)
Posted in Business and economics, Documents in the news, Energy, Europe, Government and politics, Industries, Social and cultural issues, United Kingdom | No Comments »
Monday, February 15th, 2010
ACA Review: Report by Sir Thomas Legg
Source: House of Commons – Members Estimate Committee
From Review of Past ACA Payments:
On 19 May 2009, it was agreed at a meeting of the party leaders and the members of this Committee that there should be a review of past payments of Additional Costs Allowance (the “second home allowance”). The then Speaker announced the review that evening, and we made arrangements for setting up the review the following day. Sir Thomas Legg agreed to conduct the review. Terms of reference were agreed on 1 July, and are set out in Sir Thomas’s report.
On 23 November, we agreed that any sums recommended for repayment by Sir Thomas should be recovered from Members, preferably voluntarily, but if necessary by deduction from pay and allowances on the authority of a resolution of the House. This was, however, subject to Members having the opportunity to show in an independent appeal process any special reasons why it would not be fair or equitable to require them to make the repayments. The Rt Hon Sir Paul Kennedy agreed to conduct the appeal process….
The review of past ACA payments has been painful for many Members, for the House and for the public, whose trust in the House has been undermined. We believe that the review, alongside the establishment of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, demonstrates the House’s determination to deal with the problems over Members’ allowances and to create a situation in which public confidence in Members of Parliament can begin to be restored.
+Direct link to Report (PDF; 603 KB)
Posted in Documents in the news, Ethics, Europe, Government and politics, Legal and law enforcement, Social and cultural issues, United Kingdom | No Comments »
Saturday, February 13th, 2010
Delivering more with less: the people management challenge
Source: Chartered Institute for Personnel Development
There is a widely held view that taxpayers and public service users are getting a raw deal. and more objectively, according to the Office for National Statistics, public sector productivity fell by 3.2% between 1997 and 2007, an average annual fall of 0.3%.
While notoriously difficult to measure, this apparent underperformance nonetheless poses a big question to policy-makers – how can the public sector do more, and at higher quality, as we move into a period of fiscal austerity? The answer lies in being more consistent in our determination to improve and reform the way we manage public sector workplaces.
The public sector is highly labour intensive (the annual pay bill, at present £158 billion, accounts for more than £1 in every £4 the government spends). public sector workplaces are where the impact of the squeeze on public spending will be most sharply felt, as well as being at the centre of day- to-day public service delivery. To ensure that the spending squeeze can combine cost-cutting with improvement in public sector performance, it is necessary that public sector workplaces are managed more productively.
Public sector workplaces are far from homogeneous. The variation within central government and its agencies, local government, non-departmental public bodies and the national health Service is enormous – not to mention the increasing extent to which public services are now often provided by the private and third sectors. Front-line services to the public range from tax inspectors through teachers and nurses to police, fire and prison officers. There is not therefore a specific, detailed high-performance workplace blueprint applicable to every situation. But it is possible to identify from numerous research studies generic features of organisational design and management practice that make for productive workplaces.
+ Direct link to document (PDF; 227 KB)
Posted in Business and economics, Europe, Government and politics, Labor, Nonprofits, Taxation, United Kingdom | No Comments »
Monday, February 8th, 2010
Giving children a healthy start
Source: Audit Commission
From the Summary:
Children have a right to enjoy the best possible health, but there are significant differences in their experiences. Children under five years living in deprived areas are 8 per cent more likely to be obese; 9 per cent more likely to be of a low birth weight; and 12 per cent more likely to have an accident than those living in the rest of England. Evidence clearly demonstrates that improving early years’ health contributes considerably to better health outcomes in later life, with reduced levels of diabetes, coronary heart disease and hypertension, all of which have a significant impact on the NHS as well as wider society, children and their families.
Children’s health has been an increasing priority for the government over the last ten years. Between 1999 and 2009 the government published over 20 policies relating to the health of under-fives (Figure 1). However, except for Sure Start and more recent policies such as the Healthy Child Programme, policy statements have largely focused on the 0 to 19 years age group or wider population public health, rather than on the under-fives.
Between 1998/99 and 2010/11 we estimate that £10.9 billion (including £7.2 billion for Sure Start, which had dedicated funding for health improvements in the early phase of roll-out) will have been invested in programmes aimed in whole, or in part, at improving the health of the under-fives, but this has not produced widespread improvements in health outcomes (Table 1). Some health indicators have indeed worsened – for example, obesity and dental health – and the health inequalities gap between rich and poor has barely changed.
+ Direct link to Summary (PDF; 1 MB)
+ Direct link to Full Report (PDF; 3 MB)
Posted in Children and families, Diseases and conditions, Documents in the news, Europe, Health and healthcare, Obesity, Poverty, Social and cultural issues, United Kingdom | No Comments »
Sunday, February 7th, 2010
Four New Publications from the UK Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology
+ Counterfeit Medicines (PDF; 198 KB)
Counterfeiting of medicines is increasing, is often linked to other criminal activities and poses risks to public health. It exposes people to medicines of unverified quality, safety and efficacy. This POSTnote considers the extent of the global counterfeit medicine trade, its impact in the UK and the technologies and policy options available to combat it. It also examines the risks and benefits of online pharmacy, one of the main ways in which counterfeits are distributed.
+ Lighting Technology (PDF; 197 KB)
Electric lighting accounts for around one-fifth of electricity consumption, both in the UK and globally. Under recent legislation, the traditional incandescent lamp is being phased out in the UK, saving 1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year by 2020 (equivalent to the emissions of around 180,000 households today). This POSTnote gives an overview of energy efficient lighting currently available and under development. It examines policy initiatives to drive uptake, as well as relevant health, environmental, public perception and economic issues.
+ Pets, Families and Interagency Working (PDF; 167 KB)
All agencies, professions and individuals who have contact with children have a duty to safeguard them. Government guidance has highlighted the need for agencies to work together and share information to achieve this aim. It has been suggested that organisations that work with animals should be included in the safeguarding agenda on the basis that there may be an association between cruelty to animals and family violence. This POSTnote examines the evidence base for this assumption, and the rationale for cross-reporting between different agencies.
+ Diagnosing Dementia (PDF; 178 KB)
Dementia currently affects 700,000 people in the UK, yet only 1 in 3 cases receives a formal diagnosis from a doctor. Dementia costs the UK economy £17bn a year and is one of the main causes of disability in later life. A key aim of the Department of Health’s 2009 National Dementia Strategy is early diagnosis. This is intended to improve quality of life through increased support, prevention of harm and reduction in care home admissions. This briefing outlines current diagnostic practices, research into newer tools and service provision proposals that aim to increase early diagnosis.
Posted in Diseases and conditions, Health and healthcare, Prescription drugs, Technology, United Kingdom, Veterinary Medicine/Animal Welfare | No Comments »
