TGS


06 March 2022

PM call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine: 6 March 2022
seen at 16:33, 6 March in Search (Our copy).
PM call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine: 6 March 2022
The UK stands with Ukraine
seen at 14:51, 6 March in Search (Our copy).
The UK stands with Ukraine
PM: We must match our words on Ukraine with action
seen at 12:33, 6 March in Search (Our copy).
PM: We must match our words on Ukraine with action
Inspiration and innovation – the best bits from Hackathon 2022
seen at 12:31, 6 March in DVLA digital services (Our copy).

At DVLA, we’re constantly searching for innovative ways to make our digital services better for our customers.

We’ve hosted hackathons since 2014, including the botathon in 2019, to test new ways...

DVLA’s IT transformation – our story so far    
seen at 12:31, 6 March in DVLA digital services (Our copy).

As one of the first in government to bring our IT in-house we’ve established a firm foundation with our people skills programme, digital services development, and cloud technology platforms. We’...

Celebrating Ada Lovelace Day 2022 – in conversation with Karen and Claire
seen at 12:31, 6 March in DVLA digital services (Our copy).

Today is Ada Lovelace Day - an annual international celebration of the achievements of women in STEM. To mark the day, we caught up with Karen Clark, Agile Delivery Manager, and Claire Barry, Technical...

How DVLA’s strategic enquiries platform supports cross-government collaboration through data sharing
seen at 12:31, 6 March in DVLA digital services (Our copy).

DVLA holds data on every driver in Great Britain and every vehicle in the United Kingdom. As a data driven organisation, we’re committed to supporting cross-government collaboration by providing other ...

Digital careers are ‘Not Just for Boys’ – promoting digital skills to the next generation
seen at 12:31, 6 March in DVLA digital services (Our copy).

We recently partnered with Chwarae Teg to host their ‘Not Just for Boys’ event, promoting digital skills and careers to girls from a local school.

Chwarae Teg are a charity that advocate...

Setting DVSA’s priorities for GOV.UK for 2019 to 2020
seen at 12:31, 6 March in DVSA digital (Our copy).

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) turned 5 years old on 1 April 2019. And later this year, GOV.UK will be 7 years old.

As both our agency and GOV.UK continue to evolve, it’s important...

Best-selling apps, a 2-million MOT milestone and digitising the driving test – DVSA’s digital year in review
seen at 12:31, 6 March in DVSA digital (Our copy).

Becky Thomas, DVSA's Director of Strategy, Policy, Digital and Technology

As 2019 draws to a close, it’s a good time to look back at what the Digital team at the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA...

‘The best step I could take’ – taking the leap from the private to public sector
seen at 12:31, 6 March in DVSA digital (Our copy).

Alex Lee, DVSA service designer

Taking the leap from the private sector to the public sector was always going to be interesting. I often feared what life would be like on the other side. Would the work...

International Women’s Day: 'We can be the change'
seen at 12:31, 6 March in DVSA digital (Our copy).

The DVSA digital team is diverse and inclusive. To mark International Women’s Day 2020, we spoke to some of the female members of the team about their work as women in tech.

Tina Churcher, digital delivery...

Is being too trusting our downfall…?
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Defence Digital (Our copy).

When I was asked to write about my ‘personal perspective’ on cyber awareness, my first thought was: What comment could I possibly make, when I have never been impacted by a ‘cyber event?’ 

On reflection...

Making the MOD an information-driven organisation
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Defence Digital (Our copy).

The Ministry of Defence employs around 250,000 people and works with over 355,000 employees of partners and suppliers. It has established a vast amount of knowledge and information across the military and civil...

Become a content designer in Defra’s future farming team
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Defra digital, data and technology (Our copy).

Sue Agnew

Defra is recruiting content designers for its future farming programme. Sue Agnew, Jenn Brookbanks and Tom Metcalf recently joined the team. Read about their experience of the content design...

Supply Chain Matters – Due Diligence: Defra DeSA and the RBA’s partnership
seen at 12:31, 6 March in UK Government Sustainable ICT (Our copy).

Defra’s e-Sustainability Alliance (DeSA) was founded in 2018 to promote, collect, share and implement best practice aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and Defra’s 25 Year Environment ...

Coverage of Sir James Bevan’s speech: ‘Reflections on water: the good, the bad and the future’
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Defra in the media (Our copy).

On Tuesday 21 February, Environment Agency Chief Executive Sir James Bevan delivered a keynote speech at the World Water-Tech Innovation Summit entitled ‘Reflections on water: the good, the bad and...

Defra calls for more action to protect the world’s ocean
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Defra in the media (Our copy).

 

There was national and regional coverage following our announcement of new projects under the Blue Planet Fund to boost marine conservation efforts worldwide, fight climate change...

Introducing the Developing Data Unit – come and join us!
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Department for Transport digital (Our copy).

Data is developing

"Is it the unit or the data that is developing?" I've been asked this, jokingly, a few times since I started as Head of the Developing Data Unit (DDU). I've always replied, also joking...

International Women’s Day: women in digital roles
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Department for Transport digital (Our copy).

To celebrate International Women’s Day 2019, we asked 6 colleagues in digital, data and technology (DDaT) roles to tell us about their work.

Maria Duffy - Web operations engineer, DVSA

I work ...

The power of diversity: International Women’s Day at DfT
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Department for Transport digital (Our copy).

Bernadette Kelly, Permanent Secretary, Department for Transport

Earlier this month, colleagues from across the Department for Transport and its agencies gathered for an inaugural International Women’s ...

NaPTAN - the most popular dataset you’ve never heard of
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Department for Transport digital (Our copy).

NaPTAN is a shy dataset. If you’ve ever used a mobile journey planning app, you’ve probably used NaPTAN, most likely without knowing! NaPTAN, the acronym for National Public Transport Access Nodes, is...

Rebrand vs refresh: what’s right for your project?
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Design102 (Our copy).

Your brand affects how your organisation looks, feels and comes across to others, so it’s important to get it right. This blog post explains the differences between rebranding and refreshing your brand...

What’s the alternative? How to write good alt text
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Design102 (Our copy).
How do you write good alt text?

Alternative text, often called alt text, is not a new concept, but as more of our lives are focused online, it’s important that we do everything we can to make sure our content...

What you told us in the ‘Working as a driving instructor’ survey
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Despatch for driver and rider trainers (Our copy).

Today we’ve published the results of our ‘Working as a driving instructor’ survey. This was previously known as the ADI Demand survey.

Thank you for taking the time out to respond to our survey...

Reflecting on DVSA’s successes in 2022
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Despatch for driver and rider trainers (Our copy).

Loveday Ryder, DVSA Chief Executive

I want to take you back to 2021, when we were facing arguably the most difficult challenge in DVSA's history that had such a substantial impact on our own work and home...

How we’ve improved the 'Ready to Pass?' website
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Despatch for driver and rider trainers (Our copy).

We launched the 'Ready to Pass?' campaign and the website on 18 July 2022. Hopefully you've had chance to visit.

It's a one-page site that includes important information about the learning to drive...

Why we’re thinking about raising the ADI standards check pass mark 
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Despatch for driver and rider trainers (Our copy).

The format of the approved driving instructor (ADI) part 3 qualification test and the ADI standards check have been in place for several years. I believe they are a significant improvement...

What’s planned for G-Cloud 9?
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Digital Marketplace (Our copy).

We’ve been working closely with our colleagues at the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) and the Government Legal Department (GLD) over the last few months exploring the ways we can improve G-Cloud for buyers and...

New health app to support people with Down’s syndrome
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Digital Skills Partnership (Our copy).

The Digital Inclusion Fund supports initiatives designing, researching or delivering digital inclusion programmes in new, creative and innovative ways. It aims to improve the lives and well-being of older...

Introducing the DSP’s Regional Coordinators: Sarah Williams, Cheshire and Warrington
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Digital Skills Partnership (Our copy).

In March 2019, three new Local Digital Skills Partnerships (Local DSPs) were announced in the following regions: the South East, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, and Cheshire and Warrington.

Local DSPs bring...

The Basic Digital Skills Framework is being updated - now’s your chance to have a say and shape its future.
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Digital Skills and Inclusion (Our copy).

The Tech Partnership and Lloyds Banking Group have today launched a consultation on updating the Basic Digital Skills framework. Created in 2015 by Go ON UK, working with a wide range of...

Guest Post: Lancashire Enterprise Partnership – Developing the first Local Digital Skills Partnership (Local DSP)
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Digital Skills and Inclusion (Our copy).

This post has now moved to our sister blog, 'Digital Skills Partnership', to form part of an ongoing series on the Local DSPs: it is now located here (click link to be redirected).

Guest Post: Using Data for Good – the latest from the largest measure of UK Digital Capability and the new Essential Digital Skills Framework
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Digital Skills and Inclusion (Our copy).

The Lloyds Bank Consumer Digital Index is the largest measure of financial and digital capability of people in the UK, and now in its third year of publication. In this guest post, Nick Williams, MD of Consumer...

Come and meet us at Silicon Milkroundabout - London’s big tech job event
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Digital people (Our copy).

On 14 and 15 May, and after 2 years of virtual meetings, the data and technology teams from several government departments, including Government Digital Service (GDS); UK Security Vetting (UKSV), the ...

Summer Interns - Communications, it’s not all digital
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Digital people (Our copy).

Introduction

Every summer we welcome a number of students from diverse backgrounds into our Summer Diversity Internship Programme (SDIP) and this year, unlike for the last two years, we were able...

Dragons’ Den, Episode 3, Series 20
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Dragons' Den: the Intellectual Property blog (Our copy).

It’s been a while since I’ve written a Dragons’ Den blog but the episode did not disappoint! To be honest, even when I’m not writing the blog and watching purely for my own entertainment, I can’t help but focus...

Dragons’ Den, Episode 4, Series 20
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Dragons' Den: the Intellectual Property blog (Our copy).

In this week’s episode we got to see a disco in the Den, business models of the future, partnerships popping up and firm rejections. The Dragons were out of their seats, picking at the fine details to see if ...

Dragons’ Den, Episode 5, Series 20
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Dragons' Den: the Intellectual Property blog (Our copy).

A real mixed bag in tonight’s episode. From van alarms to fashion, bag pipes to apps – it just goes to show that IP affects every area of business. However, there was one thing the entrepreneurs had in common...

Dragons’ Den, Series 20 Episode 6
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Dragons' Den: the Intellectual Property blog (Our copy).

While February may still be a bit dark and cold, things have been heating up in the Den, with the Dragons’ fiery appetite for investment.

Barking up the right tree

First up were father and son, Peter and...

Dragons’ Den, Series 20 Episode 7
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Dragons' Den: the Intellectual Property blog (Our copy).

Tonight’s booming episode of Dragons’ Den was as productive as it gets! Various deals were shared around the Den, offered by free-handed investors and rejected by wary, self-assured entrepreneurs.

In ...

Dragons’ Den, Series 20 Episode 8
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Dragons' Den: the Intellectual Property blog (Our copy).

Plants cleared from gardens, plant-based food delivered to homes, dog snout scanners and adaptive designer wear…another intriguing evening of investor-innovator suspense beckoned as I settled down to watch this...

Joining the dots – people, data and impact - part 2
seen at 12:31, 6 March in ESFA Digital (Our copy).
Engaging directly through digital channels

An exciting challenge is how we create our capability to engage directly with employers through digital channels, driven by data.

We’re thinking about our technology...

Remote end-point assessments – there’s no need to be afraid
seen at 12:31, 6 March in ESFA Digital (Our copy).

In the list of common phobias, examination and assessment nerves rates pretty highly. However for me the End Point Assessment part of my apprenticeship was almost an enjoyable experience.

I started...

From academic research to user research – 6 months in the Apprenticeship Service
seen at 12:31, 6 March in ESFA Digital (Our copy).

The last 18 months of my life have been dominated by several key events: the formal completion of my doctoral studies, the country being placed into lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and ...

Capgemini UK – Our Continued Investment in Early and Emerging Talent
seen at 12:31, 6 March in ESFA Digital (Our copy).

2020 was an unprecedented year for us all. However, the impacts on those just starting their career were significant. The job market flattened, often with apprentice and graduate jobs being the first...

An engineer’s tips for writing in plain English
seen at 12:31, 6 March in GDS Digital Engagement (Our copy).

More years ago than any of us care to remember, I went to school with a bloke called Ben Rogers and through him, met his sister Lucy.

Fast forward all those years, and Lucy is now Dr Lucy Rogers...

Using Instagram to ‘show the thing’
seen at 12:31, 6 March in GDS Digital Engagement (Our copy).

We use social media at GDS to tell the story of the people who work here, and the innovative work they do. We also use it to show our culture, values and what a great place to work this is.

We...

The latest improvements across GOV.UK Verify’s certified companies
seen at 12:31, 6 March in GOV.UK Verify (Our copy).

Since GOV.UK Verify went live in May 2016, work to develop it hasn't stopped. Not only has the team at GDS been working on improvements, but so have the certified companies that connected to GOV.UK Verify

Her Land, Her Power: How geospatial tech secures women’s land rights
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Geospatial Commission (Our copy).

Amy Coughenour Betancourt is the Chief Executive Officer of Cadasta, an award-winning non-profit organisation that develops and promotes the use of simple digital tools and technology to help partners...

Local Land Charges – delivering the geospatial way
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Geospatial Commission (Our copy).

Credit: Shutterstock

The Local Land Charges Programme is unlocking the power of location data. Transforming 25 million items of public sector held data on land use restrictions into a machine-readable, ...

Why we no longer use the term ‘BAME’ in government
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Equality Hub (Our copy).

How we write about race and ethnicity matters.

As civil servants, we need to be as precise as we can in the language we use when describing different ethnic groups, and also in how we develop ...

World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2021: Reflections on the Veterinary Medicines Directorate’s AMR work
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Government Vets (Our copy).

Kitty Healey, Head of AMR at the Veterinary Medicines Directorate reflects on AMR activities over the past year.

Introduction

As World Antimicrobial Awareness week draws to a close it feels like a good...

Veterinary Medicines Directorate’s (VMD) Extramural Studies (EMS) Placement
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Government Vets (Our copy).

 

Hello! My name is Alison Anderson and I am a fourth year veterinary student at the University of Nottingham.  In summer 2021 I was one of six vet students from UK vet schools to be part of the Veterinary...

World Zoonoses Day – How you can help protect our dogs from Brucella canis
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Government Vets (Our copy).

Defra Chief Veterinary Officer - Christine Middlemiss

World Zoonoses Day is held every year to commemorate the first vaccination against zoonotic disease – infectious diseases caused by bacteria, viruses...

My experience and advice as a veterinary surgeon applying for a job in the Civil Service – by Jane Holleran
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Government Vets (Our copy).

Jane Holleran

My experience of applying to clinical vet roles in the UK was that it was generally very straight-forward; provide a CV, and if you meet the experience level for that position, you are likely...

What we’ve been working on in Government as a Platform
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Government as a Platform (Our copy).

We recently celebrated 200 adopters of Government as a Platform (GaaP) products during our #GovPlatforms week. We looked at how GaaP has matured operationally and how adoption has...

What we’ve been working on in Government as a Platform
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Government as a Platform (Our copy).

Since our last update, the adoption of GaaP products has accelerated. We are now supporting more than 400 services from 120 organisations across the public sector.

GOV.UK Registers has created...

How we’re connecting new services with legacy systems
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Government technology (Our copy).

In this guest post from MOJ Digital and Technology, Kylie Havelock talks about how the Ministry of Justice recently integrated the 'visit someone in prison' service with their back office systems.

<...
GDS’s next top model contract
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Government technology (Our copy).

Back in July 2016, we published a blog post setting out our vision for government contracts in the digital age.

We said that simplifying contracts and hosting them online would encourage...

Protecting your property from fraud: Form LL – the ‘counter-fraud’ restriction
seen at 12:31, 6 March in HM Land Registry (Our copy).

A restriction in the property title register limits the owner’s ability to deal with the property.  For example, depending on the wording, it might prevent the owner from selling, leasing, mortgaging or remortgaging...

Digital by default – the day has arrived
seen at 12:31, 6 March in HM Land Registry (Our copy).

HM Land Registry has hit a major milestone following the publication of our 2022+ Strategy: we are now digital by default. Digital applications are something we’ve been talking about for a while

Using legal software to submit digital applications 
seen at 12:31, 6 March in HM Land Registry (Our copy).

Andrey Suslov/Shutterstock.com

As of 30 November this year, applications into HM Land Registry are ‘digital by default’. This means you can submit your applications through our portal using the Digital...

Tried and tested tips for reducing requisitions 
seen at 12:31, 6 March in HM Land Registry (Our copy).

@hsleathphoto

HM Land Registry is working with customers to help drive down the number of requests for information (requisitions) we send, which cause delays in the registration process and can lead to...

Mentoring and me: celebrating David’s Silver Award for Mentor of the Year
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Life at HMRC (Our copy).

Today is National Mentoring Day, and we are very pleased to announce that our very own David Foster has been successful in achieving a Silver Award in the 'Mentor of the Year' category at the UK Social Mobility...

Bulk appeal for Late Filing Penalties – Coronavirus
seen at 12:31, 6 March in HMRC working with tax agents (Our copy).

 

Due to the impact of coronavirus on individuals and businesses around the country, HMRC has not issued a Late Filing Penalty for anyone who has been unable to file their 2020-21 Self Assessment...

Authorisation to discuss Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) grants on behalf of your clients 
seen at 12:31, 6 March in HMRC working with tax agents (Our copy).

We may not be able to talk to you about your clients’ SEISS grants unless we receive additional consent from them. This is because our existing process – the 64-8 agent authorisation – was not designed...

What’s the Context? Winston Churchill’s ‘Sinews of Peace’ speech, Fulton, 5 March 1946
seen at 12:31, 6 March in History of government (Our copy).

Now, at this sad and breathless moment, we are plunged in the hunger and distress which are the aftermath of our stupendous struggle.

Though no longer Prime Minister, Winston Churchill’s speech at Fulton...

What’s the Context? Occupying Powers sign Quadripartite Agreement on Berlin, 3 September 1971
seen at 12:31, 6 March in History of government (Our copy).

The most that we can say is that we have made the best of a bad bargain, not that we have got a fair deal (Prime Minister Edward Heath, 1 September 1971)

Fifty years ago, Ambassadors representing the 4...

What’s the Context? The decision to build a British atomic bomb, 8 January 1947
seen at 12:31, 6 March in History of government (Our copy).

We’ve got to have this thing over here, whatever it costs. We’ve got to have the bloody Union Jack on top of it.

“This thing” as British Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin put it, was the Atomic Bomb. Bevin...

The Art of Delivery: The Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit 2001-2005
seen at 12:31, 6 March in History of government (Our copy).

Tony Blair and Sir Michael Barber speaking at the Strand Group, Policy Institute at Kings event at the Great Hall, Strand Campus, KCL, London on the 11/06/2015. Photo: David Tett

My name is Dr Michelle...

Using ‘cooperative usability testing’ with our expert users
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Home Office Digital, Data and Technology (Our copy).

At the Home Office, usability testing is our go-to method for finding out how well a service will work for people. With expert users we need to understand how well the service will work in the ...

Our ‘effective delivery’ principle in action: Updating a scientific e-licensing service
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Home Office Digital, Data and Technology (Our copy).

‘Effective delivery’ is a principle in our Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) Strategy 2024. To be effective at delivery, teams need to be led by user research and use commonly agreed standards...

Being East & South East Asian in government project delivery: “It's important for project teams to be as diverse as possible”
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Infrastructure and Projects Authority (Our copy).

This blog is part of the Infrastructure and Project Authority’s Role Models Campaign, which aims to increase diversity at all grades in the Project Delivery Profession.

Eileen Wong is a Senior ...

Marking Black History Month in project delivery: “We need to recruit against stereotypes.”
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Infrastructure and Projects Authority (Our copy).

Lorraine Thomas is Head of Risk & Benefits at BEIS and has been in the role for six months after roles in both the public and private sectors. Her portfolio is one of the largest and most diverse ...

International Women’s Day: “No one can make me feel small without my permission”
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Infrastructure and Projects Authority (Our copy).

As part of International Women’s Day, Lolade Onabolu, Senior Programme Director at the Home Office gives her views on the importance of representation in leadership roles and on encouraging underrepresented practitioners...

Putting BATUS to bed: how we prepare the British Army’s Canada estate for the winter
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Inside DIO (Our copy).

An armoured battlegroup conducts a mock dawn attack at BATUS [Crown Copyright/MOD 2016]

The British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) in Canada is home to one of the largest training estates that...
Yardley Chase Training Area: Northamptonshire’s hidden gem
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Inside DIO (Our copy).

Yardley Chase Training Area hosts a unique system of woodland and meadow ponds which provide habitats for a range of wildlife [Copyright Jeff Blincow]

Yardley Chase Training Area in Northamptonshire is ...
Supporting the IT industry – DVLA launch the second Business Analysis Development Programme
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Inside DVLA (Our copy).

It's been two years since we launched recruitment for our first Business Analysis Development Programme. When we originally came up with the concept and design of the programme it was a voyage into the...

Be a ‘Road Safety Hero’ by making sure your eyesight is fit for driving
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Inside DVLA (Our copy).

This week is Road Safety Week. At DVLA, we take road safety very seriously – one of the ways we do this is by ensuring drivers meet the vision standards required by law to drive. This involves assessing...

Tax it, don’t risk it – DVLA hits the road to highlight the risks of vehicle tax evasion
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Inside DVLA (Our copy).

The law is clear – you must tax your vehicle if you’re using it or keeping it on a public road. If you’re keeping the vehicle off the road, it must either be taxed or have a Statutory Off Road Notification...

How we’re preparing for the migration to Google Analytics 4
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Inside GOV.UK (Our copy).

Google Analytics (GA) is a web analytics service that tracks and reports website traffic from users. It’s used across the world, and there are significant changes coming to GA next year.

This will...

India and the UK – an unbeatable combination in healthcare
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Inside Healthcare UK (Our copy).

Sir Malcolm Grant

Back in June, I was privileged to accompany Sir Malcolm Grant, the chairman of NHS England, our new Managing Director Deborah Kobewka and 23 British organisations on a visit to...

Opportunities in China’s primary care and dental care markets
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Inside Healthcare UK (Our copy).

China has made enormous strides in recent years in developing its healthcare system, and making healthcare more accessible and affordable. China’s recent National Health Conference emphasised the government’s...

Disqualification claims: a judge’s view
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Insolvency Service (Our copy).

Professional Support Lawyer, Matt Pope, hosted a learning and development event in our Birmingham office on 19 May 2022 where leading insolvency expert, His Honour Judge Abbas Mithani QC, spoke about disqualifications...

Whatever you do, don’t click on the link!
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Insolvency Service (Our copy).

During International Fraud Awareness Week, Neil Freebury, our Head of Intelligence, talks about fraud and the importance of not clicking on that suspect link.

Brenda, were we expecting a package? They...
An interview with Kristofer McGhee, General Counsel at the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (Our copy).

An interview with Kristofer McGhee, General Counsel at the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education

 Kristofer, General Counsel at IfATE, is a solicitor and senior civil servant leading IfATE...

Celebrating British IP Day with great success stories 
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Intellectual Property Office blog (Our copy).

At the Intellectual Property Office we like to celebrate intellectual property every day. British IP Day, however, gives us that extra excuse for sharing some great IP success stories.

We spoke...

Accessibility matters to us all at the IPO 
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Intellectual Property Office blog (Our copy).

Following National Inclusion Week (26 Sep – 2 Oct) it’s now National Dyslexia Week and we’re reflecting on our accessibility progress here at the Intellectual Property Office (IPO).

As I browsed...

Hornit’s story: the SME who used IP to combat the counterfeiters
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Intellectual Property Office blog (Our copy).

Wheeling their way into the future, are Hornit - an innovative and creative British business that produces a wide range of cycling products. We spoke to their CEO Tom de Pelet about how Hornit has grown...

LPC kicks off 2022 visits programme in Leicester – but has anything changed?
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Low Pay Commission (Our copy).

Each year the Low Pay Commission (LPC) conducts field visits to collect evidence from workers, unions, campaigners, councils and employers on low pay-related issues in their areas. This is a crucial part of our...

Low Pay Commission regional visits 2023 – Your chance to be heard
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Low Pay Commission (Our copy).

Low Pay Commissioners will be meeting workers and businesses across the UK, on six regional visits. This is your chance to let us know how you are affected by the minimum wage.

If you want to participate...

Regulator’s experience of clinical trials during the Covid-19 pandemic (Part 2) – what we have learned
seen at 12:31, 6 March in MHRA Inspectorate (Our copy).

In part one of this series, we explored as an introduction how we initially responded to the Covid-19 pandemic to move faster in the set-up and approval of clinical trials. Now we look at the unprecedented...

Regulators’ experience of clinical trials during the Covid-19 pandemic (Part 3) – looking forward
seen at 12:31, 6 March in MHRA Inspectorate (Our copy).

In parts one and two of this series, we looked at how we responded to the unprecedented challenges the COVID-19 pandemic and the lessons we have learned. In this final part, we explore the challenges...

Compliance Monitor process (Part 1) – An introduction
seen at 12:31, 6 March in MHRA Inspectorate (Our copy).

This is the first part of a two-part blog series on the Compliance Monitor process which is being piloted by the MHRA from April 2022.

The MHRA has a history of implementing risk-based inspection practices...

Compliance Monitor Process (Part 2)– CM role and application process
seen at 12:31, 6 March in MHRA Inspectorate (Our copy).

This is the second part a two-part blog series on the Compliance Monitor Process which is being piloted by the MHRA from April 2022.

As outlined in the first part of this blog, the MHRA is starting...

Innovation, Quality & Transparency – a Compliance Team 1 Perspective
seen at 12:31, 6 March in MHRA Inspectorate (Our copy).

Lab assistants doing research. People in white coats using microscope, test tubes flat vector illustration. Laboratory, chemistry, medical test concept for banner, website design or landing web page. Image: (...

Manufacture of Investigational Medicinal Products – Frequently Asked Questions
seen at 12:31, 6 March in MHRA Inspectorate (Our copy).

GMP and GCP Inspectors work closely with MHRA Clinical Trials and regularly provide support to help answer a wide range of stakeholder queries which relate to the manufacture, import, labelling, licencing requirements...

Women’s History Month : Super Women In Tech in Networks, Voice & Video Services
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Justice Digital (Our copy).

Kicking off Women’s History Month we have some inspiring stories of some very inspiring women, taking us through their career journeys, and how and why they ended up working here at Justice Digital.

Lindsay...

In deep water? Understanding the future climate risks to Pitcairn’s coral reefs
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Marine Science (Our copy).

 

Coral reefs, Henderson Island. Photo Luke Hosty, Protect Blue.

The UK overseas territory of the Pitcairn Islands is one of the most remote in the world. Spanning the four small islands of...

Catching fishers’ view of the future of Channel non-pressure stocks
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Marine developments (Our copy).

In June MMO colleagues visited 21 ports stretching from Kent to Cornwall to speak with commercial fishers about their experiences of fishing for non-quota species (NQS, also known as non-pressure stocks...

MMO supports new Lyme Bay Fisherman’s CIC
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Marine developments (Our copy).

A new community interest company, Lyme Bay Fisherman’s CIC, has recently been formed, supported by funding through the UK Fisheries and Seafood Scheme from Marine Management Organisation.

This week, Fishing...

Habitat focus – the importance of rocky and biogenic reefs
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Marine developments (Our copy).

Why do reefs need protection?

Most people are unaware of the many vitally important habitats which lie offshore beneath the surface of English coastal waters. Rocky and biogenic reefs are two of...

Heavy Vehicle Testing Review recommendations – updating you on our progress
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Moving On (Our copy).

It’s been around 18 months since the Department for Transport (DfT) published its review of heavy vehicle testing in Great Britain. And, since then we’ve been making progress towards implementing...

Buying part worn tyres – what operators need to know
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Moving On (Our copy).

Knowing about and understanding tyre condition is very important. It’s even more important when it comes to issues surrounding part-worn tyres. 

What are part-worn tyres? 

Part-worn tyres are in...

Digital accounts for vehicle testing customers – taking a user centred approach
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Moving On (Our copy).

As we look to invite all Authorised Testing Facilities (ATF’s) and pre-funded account holders onto the new manage your vehicle testing (MYVT) service over the next few months, it feels like a good opportunity...

Operators and ‘HIAB’-type cranes on lorries – know your responsibilities
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Moving On (Our copy).

We are encountering an increasing number of heavy goods vehicles with large HIAB-type loader cranes where vehicles have often been converted to accommodate cranes of 80 tonnes lifting capacity or more.  

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Supporting pupil’s learning and development through engagement with nature
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Teaching (Our copy).

One of the objectives of the Department for Education’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy is to increase opportunities for children and young people to learn from and connect with nature...

‘The P Word’ – Reducing the stigma of periods across our college
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Teaching (Our copy).

Mel Kay, Student Support Manager, has been leading the way at Newcastle College to make sure that all learners have access to period products. The period product scheme is funded by DfE and will be running...

Protecting nature through our enforcement work – latest data published
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Natural England (Our copy).

By Stephanie Bird-Halton, National Delivery Director.

At Natural England our mission is to build partnerships for nature’s recovery, which is reflected in our work with a wide range of people to rebuild...

Modernising lasting powers of attorney – safer, simpler and fit for the future 
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Office of the Public Guardian (Our copy).

This week the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), in collaboration with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG), published a consultation on plans for how lasting powers of attorney (LPAs) can be modernised.  

...

Applying to become a deputy 
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Office of the Public Guardian (Our copy).

It can be a tough time when applying for a deputyship. If you’re having to deal with the application process you’ll also be trying to manage certain aspects of life for someone who no longer has mental capacity...

Acting as a deputy for a loved one 
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Office of the Public Guardian (Our copy).

Acting on behalf of a loved one after being appointed as their deputy can seem a bit daunting. We’ve got some hints and tips here to help you on your way to being the best deputy you can be.

Getting started...
Modernising lasting powers of attorney consultation – what happens next?
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Office of the Public Guardian (Our copy).

The Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ) consultation on modernising lasting powers of attorney closed on 13 October 2021, after being open for public response for 12 weeks.

Over 300 responses were received through...

Ofsted webinars for schools – responses to questions and new webinars
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Ofsted: schools and further education & skills (FES) (Our copy).

First of all, I’d like to thank everyone who attended or viewed our schools webinar series earlier this year. The recordings of these sessions are available on YouTube and the slides have been ...

Foster Care Fortnight – 9 to 22 May 2022
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Ofsted: social care (Our copy).

Yvette Stanley, our National Director for Social Care, celebrates foster carers’ invaluable contribution to the lives of the children they care for.

This Foster Care Fortnight, as ever, we take...

Consultation on a judgement for care leavers in our inspections of local authority children’s services
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Ofsted: social care (Our copy).

Yvette Stanley, our National Director for Social Care, discusses our proposal to inspect the experiences and progress of care leavers.

In June we announced proposals to introduce a separate...

Supported accommodation – we need strong oversight to make sure young people are safe, secure and doing well
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Ofsted: social care (Our copy).

Yvette Stanley, our National Director Regulation and Social Care, discusses the progress we have made in our plans for regulating supported accommodation, as we seek to recruit inspectors.  

In...

Children’s homes need strong leadership and a stable workforce
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Ofsted: social care (Our copy).

Strong leadership and a stable workforce are fundamental for children’s homes to thrive. We know that there are many committed leaders and staff delivering excellent care across children’s residential...

How we use the children’s social care point-in-time surveys results
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Ofsted: social care (Our copy).

Earlier this month, we launched our 2023 Children’s social care point-in-time surveys. We run these questionnaires every year for about 6 weeks in February and March. This year, the surveys will...

Cervical Screening Saves Lives – evaluating the national campaign
seen at 12:31, 6 March in PHE Screening (Our copy).

The first national ‘Cervical Screening Saves Lives’ campaign ran from 5 March 2019 to 30 April 2019 in England, as part of the wider Be Clear on Cancer initiative. An evaluation of the campaign...

Pinging in the changes – update on text messaging in screening
seen at 12:31, 6 March in PHE Screening (Our copy).

Text messaging has become an increasingly important tool to communicate and connect with patients.

Whether it is to provide a GP’s endorsement or to remind people of an upcoming appointment, texts...

Mind Your Head – Supporting the Farm Safety Foundation
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Rural payments (Our copy).

This week we’re sharing information about the Mind Your Head campaign, on behalf of Yellow Wellies, Farm Safety Foundation. 

The Farm Safety Foundation is the charity leading the campaign to raise...

RPA’s strong performance helps farmers and rural businesses across the country
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Rural payments (Our copy).

Recently, Defra shared an environmental land management scheme update including the full range of actions, payment rates and when they’ll be available, with a summary on the Future Farming blog. 

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Service landscape maps – a tool for mapping public services
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Services in government (Our copy).

For the last few years, we have worked hard on designing and delivering joined-up, end-to-end services, which continues to be a focus of GDS’s strategy. We researched and established new service...

What it’s like to work as a designer in a transformation programme
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Services in government (Our copy).

If what makes words good is people agreeing on their meaning, then transformation is not a very good word, is it? Transformation means many different things to different people, and if you work in government...

Managing infections - don’t forget about the indoor air in your care home
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Social care (Our copy).

As winter takes hold, it is tempting to try and keep residents warm and fuel costs lower by hunkering down until the weather gets warmer. But keeping all the windows and doors shut may not be the best idea: ...

Bridging the gap – from hospital to home
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Social care (Our copy).

Hayley Robertshaw is a senior manager working in residential and nursing care in the north east of England. She is passionate about the social care sector and sees first-hand the positive impact good quality...

What we talk about when we talk about biometrics…*
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Surveillance Camera Commissioner’s Office (Our copy).

There can be no doubt that technology using biometric data is progressing at a rapid pace. Clearly, the use of such technologies can be intrusive to privacy and raises other human rights considerations. However...

The Camera That Mistook a Woman’s Jumper for a Car
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Surveillance Camera Commissioner’s Office (Our copy).

It sounds like a book that the genius neurologist, the late Dr. Oliver Sacks might have written but it’s a true surveillance story that caught the attention of industry professionals last week.  Suppliers, manufacturers...

One Year Later… The Commissioner reflects on his time in post so far at the National NPCC CCTV Conference
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Surveillance Camera Commissioner’s Office (Our copy).

Officially one year into my term as the Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner, I gave the keynote speech at the NPCC’s National CCTV Conference in Bristol recently. I took this opportunity to reflect...

When it comes to solving complex problems, collaborating isn’t enough
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Systems thinking (Our copy).

Adam Jones

‘Collaborate’ has become something of a rallying cry in the public sector over the past few years. We’ve heard how collaboration leads to better outcomes for citizens, how it has enabled civil...

Introducing the government’s Chief Technology Officer Council
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Technology in government (Our copy).

The Technology in Government blog platform often highlights how government is working towards making better use of technology. 

We’re now adding to that aim by introducing the work of the newly...

What’s next for Children and Young People’s Mental Health?
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Technology in the NHS (Our copy).

Context

NHSX and NHS England collaborated on a discovery to explore: 

“What are the opportunities to support children and young people in preparation for their first visit or subsequent ...

Better information about qualifications – what would help you?
seen at 12:31, 6 March in The Ofqual blog (Our copy).

Ofqual has published a survey to find out what information is most useful for people searching for qualifications, how Ofqual’s Register contributes to this, and what enhancements could make it a more valuable...

Primeast Celebrate The Queen’s Awards For Enterprise
seen at 12:31, 6 March in The King’s Awards for Enterprise (Our copy).

Since its inception in 1986, Primeast has always held itself to the highest standard in terms of the products and services it provides to its clients. Operating in a competitive market, providing culture transformation...

The Queen’s Awards For Enterprise: Has Been Enerquip’s Springboard To Further Growth
seen at 12:31, 6 March in The King’s Awards for Enterprise (Our copy).

EnerQuip was just five years old when it was awarded The Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2020, for outstanding achievement in International Trade and there is no doubt that this prestigious accolade has provided...

Synalogik Receives Queen’s Award For Innovation From HRH The Duke of Gloucester
seen at 12:31, 6 March in The King’s Awards for Enterprise (Our copy).

SYNALOGiK are a leading provider of data aggregation, automation and risk identification software solutions for compliance and fraud investigations. Following their achievement of a Queen’s Awards for Enterprise...

Expand your global reach with a Queen’s Awards for Enterprise
seen at 12:31, 6 March in The King’s Awards for Enterprise (Our copy).

Being awarded with The Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade in both 2019 and 2022 has helped Coltraco Ultrasonics expand their global reach.  

Coltraco Ultrasonics achieved their...

Samarkand celebrate their Queen’s Awards for Enterprise in International Trade
seen at 12:31, 6 March in The King’s Awards for Enterprise (Our copy).

In 2016 it was clear to entrepreneurs and co-founders David Hampstead and Simon Smiley that international brands were not capturing the full market opportunity in China. Together, they set out to build a business...

What we’ve got planned for Transforming Together in partnership with Defra
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Transforming Together (Our copy).

Date: Wednesday 13 November 2019 Venue: CCT Venues Canary Wharf, London Time: registration from 9:30am, start at 10.30, close at 4:00pm

We are looking forward to our 9th Transforming Together...

Working together to cope better : A family’s journey  
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Supporting Families Programme (Our copy).

Rachel, 31, is mum to Sam 12, and Jack 7.

What happened?

Sam was in his first year of high school and was anxious about leaving home in the mornings, so had started to scratch his arms with scissors...

The importance of a local perspective…Employer Skills Survey 2015
seen at 12:31, 6 March in UK Commission for Employment and Skills (Our copy).

What’s the biggest challenge facing employers today?  Is it survival?  Growth?  Technology?  Recruiting skilled staff?  The answer, of course, depends on who you ask.

To state the obvious, the challenges...

Britain’s bosses need a little extra says Hannah Hope
seen at 12:31, 6 March in UK Commission for Employment and Skills (Our copy).

Many British bosses need more help than expected when it comes to managing their firms, but others have stepped in to provide it - according to a new report launched today by the UK Commission for Employment ...

Working for UK Export Finance – 6 months in
seen at 12:31, 6 March in UK Export Finance (Our copy).

Six months ago I joined UK Export Finance (UKEF): my first role in the Civil Service. Looking back, I wanted to reflect on my experiences, the opportunities that have arisen and how my perceptions of the...

Building your user research career: Trialling a “workshop in a box”
seen at 12:31, 6 March in User research in government (Our copy).

The User Research community is currently exploring how we support researchers in their career development. Cross-government working groups are being set up to look at career progression, and training ...

Why your property’s rateable value might change 
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Valuation Office Agency (Our copy).

At a revaluation, we reassess the rateable values of all non-domestic properties in England and Wales. Non-domestic properties are properties that are not private homes. As well as shops and offices, ...

£8.5m for fight against veteran homelessness
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Veterans Today (Our copy).

More than &pound;8.5million of funding has been announced to ensure no veteran should sleep rough this Christmas and veteran homelessness is ended in 2023.

The funding will deliver services...

£5million funding for cutting-edge veteran healthcare projects
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Veterans Today (Our copy).

Projects across the nation have won a share of more than &pound;5million in funding to save and enhance lives for veterans.

The 22 innovative healthcare schemes will bring advancements in technologies...

Defending a woman’s right to stay with and care for her baby: transforming transitional and neonatal care
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Viv Bennett (Our copy).

The NHS Long Term Plan and Neonatal Critical Care Transformation Review call on all maternity and neonatal services to implement the Unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative standards, to provide...

Giving nurses a voice – share to innovate 
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Viv Bennett (Our copy).

 

four young medical students chat to each other and their manager after a shift on the wards

Celebrating International Nurses Day (IND) is a time to recognise the impact of nursing ...

“I absolutely love my job. Seeing the difference I can make is so special.”
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Working in the Prison and Probation Service (Our copy).
"I can’t make people change, but I can help plant the seed and support them to do so." Community Payback (CP) supervisor Jane gives us an insight into her work, the skills she brings to the role, and what...
What it’s like working as a Community Payback placement coordinator
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Working in the Prison and Probation Service (Our copy).

Community Payback placement coordinators play a key role in ensuring people sentenced to Community Payback are allocated to appropriate unpaid work projects. If you have good organisational and communication...
Things I wish I’d known when starting PQiP
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Working in the Prison and Probation Service (Our copy).

Joining the trainee probation officer programme (PQiP) can be the beginning of a rewarding career in the Probation Service. You will receive support at every step of the way. But, as with most courses...
Living with a Food Hypersensitivity in the UK - the costs and the impact on a person’s quality of life
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Food Standards Agency (Our copy).

Cymraeg

Nicholas Daniel, Economics Advisor at the Food Standards Agency discusses findings from two research reports commissioned by the FSA which help understand the economic and societal...

’Get comfortable with being uncomfortable’ - FSA in NI’s Boardroom Apprentice reflects on her first few months
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Food Standards Agency (Our copy).

It has been a busy few months for Judith Hanvey, the FSA in Northern Ireland’s Boardroom Apprentice, with an overnight trip to Oxford for a Board retreat and a fact-finding visit to Lakeland Dairies...

Chief Executive’s message to stakeholders - The horsemeat crisis ten years on
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Food Standards Agency (Our copy).

Cymraeg

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the horsemeat crisis, a food scandal that rocked consumer confidence in UK food and cost the industry hundreds of millions of pounds. In ...

Podcast series: Talk Innovation – the EPO podcast
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Government Office for Technology Transfer (Our copy).

CEO of Government Office for Technology Transfer (GOTT) Alison Campbell has moderated an interesting new podcast episode on behalf of the European Patent Office, as part of their Talk Innovation series. The series...

What you need to know about the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Children’s social care (Our copy).
The Independent Review of Children’s Social Care has now set out, through a number of recommendations, what’s needed to bring forward change to children’s social care, so that it can provide more help to families...
New round of Farming Equipment and Technology Fund grants opening soon  
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Farming (Our copy).

English rural landscape with grazing Holstein Friesian cattle

The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund  is part of the Farming Investment Fund.  

It offers grants for specific items...

Disability Cricket – A growing world of opportunity
seen at 12:31, 6 March in The Disability Unit (Our copy).

A participant laughing during a tabletop cricket game

One of cricket’s best kept secrets is the opportunity that exists for people living with disability to get involved in the sport. The game’s latest...

‘Embracing opportunities, empowering success’ – GIAA virtual conference 2021
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Government Internal Audit Agency (Our copy).

We held our third annual GIAA all-Agency conference as an online event on 6 and 7 October. its Each year, we come together in one place – be that physical or virtual – to reflect on our work, look ahead and celebrate...

Working together to cope better : A family’s journey  
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Supporting Families Programme (Our copy).

Rachel, 31, is mum to Sam 12, and Jack 7.

What happened?

Sam was in his first year of high school and was anxious about leaving home in the mornings, so had started to scratch his arms with scissors...

Annual Consultant Awards – a new name, and a new scheme
seen at 12:31, 6 March in DHSC Healthcare leaders (Our copy).

There has been a national scheme to reward and incentivise the highest-performing consultants in the NHS for as long as the institution itself has existed. And although the details of the reward scheme...

New ‘Appeal a planning decision’ service launches
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Planning Inspectorate (Our copy).

Olu Abraham-Sunday, Product Manager at the Planning Inspectorate, explains about the recent launch on GOV.UK and what’s next.

Olu Abraham-Sunday Appeals Service Product Manager, Planning Inspectorate...

Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) – Work placements in town planning
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Planning Inspectorate (Our copy).

The Planning Inspectorate was delighted to be involved in the RTPI EXPLORE work experience scheme. This pilot programme aims to encourage young people from under-represented groups to become Chartered...

It’s World Town Planning Day – what does it mean to be a planner?
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Planning Inspectorate (Our copy).
Today is World Town Planning Day, which celebrates how good planning improves the lives of people and benefits society by creating places where we live, work and play together. 

Founded in 1949, by the late ...

How we’re delivering equality, diversity and inclusion
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Planning Inspectorate (Our copy).
Georgia Smith, Lead HR Business Partner at the Planning Inspectorate reflects on the recent release of Inspectorate diversity statistics.

Former HR Business Partner, Gail Larkin, blogged about why we need...

Launching government’s first ever multidisciplinary course
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Public Policy Design (Our copy).

The world is complex, and when we design, develop and deliver policy and public services, we do a disservice to citizens if we don’t bring the best of our collective expertise and experience to the challenge...

Why evidence maps are the UK NSC’s first step in reviewing screening evidence
seen at 12:31, 6 March in UK National Screening Committee (Our copy).

A huge volume and variety of research evidence is published worldwide on health conditions, treatments and technologies. The PubMed database alone includes more than 34 million citations for biomedical...

RPC gives evidence to the House of Lords’ Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Regulatory Policy Committee (Our copy).

Stephen Gibson (Chair of the RPC) and Andrew Williams Fry (member of the RPC) gave evidence to the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee (SLSC) in the Palace of Westminster on Tuesday 5 April. They ...

Government increases the cost of regulation to business by £9.9bn
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Regulatory Policy Committee (Our copy).

The RPC’s latest IVB report confirms that regulatory measures introduced by Government over the last year increased net direct costs to business by &pound;9.9 billion.

When combined with the...

It’s never too early to start planning when buying for your school
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Buying for Schools (Our copy).

Peter McMullan is the Senior Category Manager at the Crescent Purchasing Consortium (part of the CPL Group). Crescent Purchasing Consortium provide several of the DfE approved frameworks including building cleaning...

RPA members – if an incident were to happen, is your school cyber secure and are you covered?
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Buying for Schools (Our copy).

In April 2022 the department included cyber cover as part of its Risk Protection Arrangement (RPA). We are almost a year on and Katy O’Connor, RPA Future Projects Strategy and Delivery Lead...

A year in the life of… the Prison Leavers Project
seen at 12:31, 6 March in The Prison Leavers Project (Our copy).

Our project works to reduce reoffending by testing new and innovative approaches to support people leaving prison to turn away from crime. But how did we get here and where are we going?

Where we started <...
Lessons from MoJ’s first ever Innovation Challenge
seen at 12:31, 6 March in The Prison Leavers Project (Our copy).

The tech sector is known for bringing new, disruptive solutions to old challenges, as well as the ability to scale them at pace.

As part of the Prison Leavers Project, we wanted to inject some ...

Response to The Guardian’s article on funding for homeless charities
seen at 12:31, 6 March in DLUHC in the Media (Our copy).

The Guardian article about funding for homeless charities is both inaccurate and misleading.

Since the start of the pandemic we have taken decisive action to protect rough sleepers, and the government...

What’s happened in the last week? There is a new alert on Find a Grant to help
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Government Grants Community (Our copy).

Find a Grant has been up and running on GOV.UK for a month now and the response has been overwhelming. 

So far, this month, over 3,380 people have visited the site with over 70 people going on to...

Mentoring and me: celebrating David’s Silver Award for Mentor of the Year
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Life at HMRC (Our copy).

Today is National Mentoring Day, and we are very pleased to announce that our very own David Foster has been successful in achieving a Silver Award in the 'Mentor of the Year' category at the UK Social Mobility...

When it comes to trade, who decides what’s fair?
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Trade Remedies Authority (Our copy).

As a public body committed to defending the UK from unfair international trade practices, we tackle the question of what counts as fair daily. Let’s examine some of the complexity by looking at a recent...

Track our progress: Trade Remedies Authority case milestones – Dec 2022
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Trade Remedies Authority (Our copy).

Subscribe below to receive the latest update on our interactive case tracker, which shows the progress of each of our cases as they go through the investigation lifecycle.

This month’s tracker shows progress...

OBR forecasts and trade remedies: what’s the link?
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Trade Remedies Authority (Our copy).

On 17 November the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) economic forecasts were released alongside the government’s Autumn Statement. The OBR – an executive and non-departmental public...

Track our progress: Trade Remedies Authority case milestones – Jan 2023
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Trade Remedies Authority (Our copy).

Subscribe below to receive the latest update on our interactive case tracker, which shows the progress of each of our cases as they go through the investigation lifecycle.

This month’s tracker shows...

Track our progress: Trade Remedies Authority case milestones – Feb 2023
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Trade Remedies Authority (Our copy).

This month’s tracker shows progress on our cases during January and the data is correct as of 2 February 2023.

Subscribe here to receive automatic monthly updates of our interactive case ...

Track our progress: Trade Remedies Authority case milestones – Mar 2023
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Trade Remedies Authority (Our copy).

This month’s tracker shows progress on our cases during February and the data is correct as of 1 March 2023.

Subscribe here to receive automatic monthly updates of our interactive case tracker...

My placement experience working with the VMD’s AMR surveillance team
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Veterinary Medicines Directorate (Our copy).

Kudzaishe Vhoko-Tapesana at the offices of the VMD

Why I’m here

Hi, my name is Kudzaishe Vhoko-Tapesana. I am a veterinarian from Zimbabwe, and a Fleming Fund fellow for antimicrobial resistance...

CDDO’s Autumn of Digital Learning
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Central Digital and Data Office (Our copy).

Credit: Jason Goodman [unsplash]

The season may change, but our commitment to learning doesn’t, and we’re delighted to share that the Autumn of Digital Learning will continue into the festive period...
The Civil Service’s digital skills imperative
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Central Digital and Data Office (Our copy).

The Central Digital Data and Data Office’s (CDDO) vision is that by 2025, the UK government will be a transformed, more efficient digital government that provides better outcomes for everyone, as outlined...

Registering to become a childminder with Ofsted – what to expect
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Ofsted: early years (Our copy).

Alex explains what to expect from Ofsted’s childminder registration process.

You’ve thought about it and made the decision – you want to become an early years childminder. But what does that actually...

Committee-run childcare – what you need to know
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Ofsted: early years (Our copy).

Alex discusses what committee-run childcare is and our role in checking the suitability of committee members, trustees and directors.

What is committee-run childcare?

Some childcare providers...

Ofsted-registered nannies – What you need to know
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Ofsted: early years (Our copy).

This blog post explains a bit more about how and why nannies might think about registering with Ofsted and what that can mean for parents who employ a nanny.

Did you know that nannies do not have...

Become a content designer in Defra’s future farming team
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Defra digital, data and technology (Our copy).

Sue Agnew

Defra is recruiting content designers for its future farming programme. Sue Agnew, Jenn Brookbanks and Tom Metcalf recently joined the team. Read about their experience of the content design...

What you need to know about the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Children’s social care (Our copy).
The Independent Review of Children’s Social Care has now set out, through a number of recommendations, what’s needed to bring forward change to children’s social care, so that it can provide more help to families...
Podcast series: Talk Innovation – the EPO podcast
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Government Office for Technology Transfer (Our copy).

CEO of Government Office for Technology Transfer (GOTT) Alison Campbell has moderated an interesting new podcast episode on behalf of the European Patent Office, as part of their Talk Innovation series. The series...

How we’re levelling up the accessibility of our digital services
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Cabinet Office Digital (Our copy).

Raising the baseline standard of accessibility of digital services across the board is a difficult job for a government department and for public bodies on the whole.

Many have dispersed digital...

How being planet-centric can really make a difference when designing services
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Defra digital, data and technology (Our copy).

In the latest from our ‘Sustainability Heroes’ series, service designer Ned Gartside talks about the work of Defra’s planet-centred design working group, which has focused on creating a set of principles...

Supply Chain Matters – Due Diligence: Defra DeSA and the RBA’s partnership
seen at 12:31, 6 March in UK Government Sustainable ICT (Our copy).

Defra’s e-Sustainability Alliance (DeSA) was founded in 2018 to promote, collect, share and implement best practice aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and Defra’s 25 Year Environment ...

Coverage of Sir James Bevan’s speech: ‘Reflections on water: the good, the bad and the future’
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Defra in the media (Our copy).

On Tuesday 21 February, Environment Agency Chief Executive Sir James Bevan delivered a keynote speech at the World Water-Tech Innovation Summit entitled ‘Reflections on water: the good, the bad and...

Introducing the Developing Data Unit – come and join us!
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Department for Transport digital (Our copy).

Data is developing

"Is it the unit or the data that is developing?" I've been asked this, jokingly, a few times since I started as Head of the Developing Data Unit (DDU). I've always replied, also joking...

International Women’s Day: women in digital roles
seen at 12:31, 6 March in Department for Transport digital (Our copy).

To celebrate International Women’s Day 2019, we asked 6 colleagues in digital, data and technology (DDaT) roles to tell us about their work.

Maria Duffy - Web operations engineer, DVSA

I work ...