Following a civil service-wide competition for the post of Permanent Under Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Sir Peter Ricketts has been appointed in succession to Sir Michael Jay, who will be retiring...

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today launches new resources for employers to help them involve workers in health and safety management. Published as part of a new "worker involvement" website the tools provide...

The Competition Commission (CC) is today publishing, for the purpose of consultation, draft undertakings agreed with Somerfield for divestment of stores identified in its report of 2 September 2005.

Asked why the Secretary of State should retain a veto power on new schools being set up by councils, the PMOS replied that it was at least three weeks since the Government had set out its position on this issue:...

Asked if he had anything further on EU money for the Palestinian Authority, the PMOS replied that discussions were continuing on this issue, that it was a complex issue, in that it was a question of multiple elements...

Asked if the Prime Minister was aware of the deaths of two British soldiers in Al-Amarah the PMOS said that sadly once again he was aware of the deaths. He understood that there had been an incident in Al-Amarah...

Asked if Sir Gus O'Donnell had come to any conclusions, and would there be any reply today, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that as he had said yesterday, Sir Gus O'Donnell would reply when he...

Today, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) announced the revised Construction (Design and Management) (CDM) Regulations would be implemented in Spring 2007. The Regulations will revise and bring together provisions...

Press briefing from the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman on: Tessa Jowell, Deaths of British Soldiers in Iraq, Economy, Palestine and Education Bill

Summary document of Scottish Executive Regeneration Statement, launched February 2006

The OFT yesterday, 27 February, issued an interim measures direction to the London Metal Exchange (LME) to prevent LME from extending the hours of trading on its electronic trading platform, LME Select. The OFT ...

The latest national fire statistics covering the 12-month period up to 30 June 2005 continue to show a fall in the total number of fire related deaths - now the lowest since 1958.

Lord Falconer, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, today announced the appointment for a second term of Stuart Bridge as a Law Commissioner.

A new partnership between business, research and technology organisations and universities to give UK bioscience an edge as global markets become ever more competitive, will be launched today by the Rt. Hon Alun...

Dealing with the challenges facing the environment should be at the top of the agenda for this generation of world leaders, Tony Blair has said ahead of a meeting with Stop Climate Chaos.

The OFT has decided to refuse the application for a consumer credit licence of a Wiltshire motor dealer, Devizes Motor Company Limited, which trades under the name of Pickwick Car Centre.

The OFT has decided to make a prohibition order against Manchester estate agent Martin Corrick Levy, banning him from engaging in estate agency work. The order will not come into effect until the end of an appeals...

Asylum applications fell in 2005 to their lowest level since 1994 and the number of removals increased for the fourth consecutive quarter, according to statistics published by the Home Office today.

Biodiversity Minister Jim Knight today announced £250,000 to set up a National Wildlife Crime Unit to gather intelligence on and investigate wildlife crime throughout the UK.

Consumers stand to save thousands as the financial services industry pledges to reduce pension scheme costs in response to Lord Turner's proposed National Pension Savings Scheme (NPSS).

Press briefing from the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman on: Education Bill and Tessa Jowell

Scottish Household Survey Quarter 3 Release 2005

Pupil Census September 2005 Results

Scottish Executive Regeneration Statement, launched February 2006

Publication of Housing Trends in Scotland: Quarter Ending 30 Sept 2005

Scottish Executive progress report on "A Science Strategy for Scotland 2001"

The nation will say thank-you to its veterans this summer with the launch of Britain's annual Veterans Day. Veterans' Minister Don Touhig announced today that young and old will join together on June 27 for a national...

Proposals for dealing with solid low level radioactive waste have been published today for consultation.

A new business taskforce has been brought together to identify ways in which companies can move to more sustainable consumption and production practices.

A wide-ranging consultation to identify the top UK priorities for EU Structural Funds spending across the UK from 2007 to 2013 was launched today by Alun Michael, Minister of State for Industry and the Regions.

PREPARED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS DIRECTORATE

Applications fall 2% in Quarter 4 2005

Legislation to prevent companies making arrangements in order to obtain corporation tax relief in the UK for losses of a company established outside of the UK will be introduced in the Finance Bill 2006. The legislation...

I am pleased to tell the House that the Government's Tax Law Rewrite project will soon reach another major milestone. Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs will shortly publish a draft of the project's fourth Bill, ...

At its meeting of 14 February 2006 the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) adopted Opinions on the Stability Programmes of Belgium, Luxembourg and Austria and on the Convergence Programmes of Estonia...

My right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State and Lord Chancellor (Lord Falconer of Thoroton) has made the following ministerial statement:"On 1 September 2005 we published a consultation paper 'Hearing ...

On 21 February 2006, the Football Association (FA) confirmed that the venue of the 2006 FA Cup Final will be the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff rather than, as everyone had hoped, Wembley Stadium.Although Multiplex...

I am pleased to inform the House that today the Prime Minister received the final report of the Women and Work Commission: "Shaping a Fairer Future". The Women and Work Commission was launched on 27 September 2004...

The General Affairs and External Relations Council decided on 30 January to renew the European Union's sanctions against the Government of Zimbabwe, with effect from 21 February, for a further 12 months. The European...

Russian citizen Boris Abramovich Berezovsky was granted asylum in the UK in 2003, as is public knowledge. The grant of asylum to Mr. Berezovsky was made after due assessment by the relevant authorities of his case...

I am today announcing the winding up of the Irish Sailors and Soldiers Land Trust (ISSLT) in accordance with the Irish Sailors and Soldiers Land Trust Act 1987. The ISSLT was founded in 1922 to provide support for...

In my written statement of 12 December, I set out the Government's commitment to ensuring that the pledges on Africa and development made at the G8 Summit at Gleneagles in July are implemented. The Gleneagles Implementation...

My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Northern Ireland (Lord Rooker) has made the following ministerial statement:"The Northern Ireland Priorities and Budget 2006–08, launched on 14 December 2005, established...

The Secretary of State will be making a number of minor changes to the discretionary social fund, with effect from 3 April 2006. The improvements included in this amendment to directions and guidance has been made...

TV 'Bad Girl' launches OFT internet sweep and web chat

The Public Affairs Committee report into Military Readiness describes the MoD's system for defining measuring and reporting readiness as 'sophisticated'. The report was welcomed by Armed Forces Minister, the Rt ...

Ministers from across government responded today to a report by the National Audit Office, Audit Commission and Healthcare Commission on progress towards meeting the government's public service agreement to halt...