NewzIntel.com

Category: Great Britain

  • MIL-OSI Australia: NSW Grandparents Day perfect time to celebrate family

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    Published: 25 October 2024

    Released by: Minister for Seniors

    This Sunday 27 October is NSW Grandparents Day – a day for families to come together to celebrate grandparents and those who play grandparent roles in our lives.

    NSW Grandparents Day has been an initiative under the NSW Ageing Strategy since 2011 and is celebrated on the last Sunday of October.

    Whether they’re nan and pop, grandad and grandma, nonna and nonno or mama and papa or simply a grand-friend, NSW Grandparents Day is an occasion to enjoy family fun, whether that’s a picnic, a trip to the park or simply reading a book together.

    The NSW Government provides over $50,000 in funding to local libraries to deliver activities to help the community celebrate Grandparents Day this Friday through the weekend. Events include special storytime, digital programs and even musical performances. This year, 105 libraries across NSW will be running events for the whole family.

    For more information and ways to celebrate, visit https://www.nsw.gov.au/family-and-relationships/grandparents-day/story-time-library-resources

    Minister for Seniors Jodie Harrison said:

    “NSW Grandparents Day recognises the diversity of grandparent relationships and the roles of older people in our community.

    “It’s important to celebrate the contributions grandparents make to their families and communities.

    “The bond between grandparents and grandchildren is special and should be celebrated year-round, but having a special day to recognise that connection and do an activity together is a great way of acknowledging their special and meaningful contributions to family and the community.

    “If you can’t make it to a library for storytime, there are still plenty of other ways to thank grandparents such as having a morning tea together, sending them a hand-drawn card, or by calling them on the phone.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Staff and volunteers celebrated at the NSW Health Awards

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: Staff and volunteers celebrated at the NSW Health Awards

    Published: 25 October 2024

    Released by: Minister for Health, Minister for Medical Research, Minister for Mental Health

    Staff and volunteers across the NSW health system have been celebrated for their dedication, compassion, innovation and outstanding achievements at the 2024 NSW Health Awards, held at the International Convention Centre in Sydney last night.

    The awards recognise the people, teams and programs in NSW Health that make such a significant contribution to the health and wellbeing of patients of the communities they care for. It is – most of all – a celebration of the team enriching health in millions of ways every day.

    Some of the innovative projects to win awards across the 13 categories included the use of artificial-intelligence to develop a wound app reducing average healing times, research to develop oral insulin as an alternative for injectible insulin expanding treatment options for diabetics and establishing a video interpreting service for multicultural communities.

    Awards were presented by Minister for Health Ryan Park, Minister for Medical Research David Harris, Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Regional Health Dr Michael Holland, and NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce AM.

    186 nominations were received across 13 categories, including:

    • Staff Member of the Year Award
    • Volunteer of the Year Award
    • Secretary’s Award
    • Environmental Sustainability Award
    • Excellence in Aboriginal Healthcare Award
    • Excellence in Multicultural Healthcare Award
    • Excellence in the Provision of Mental Health Services Award
    • Health Innovation Award
    • Health Research Award
    • Keeping People Healthy Award
    • Patient Safety First Award
    • People and Culture Award
    • Transforming Patient Experience Award

    The full list of winners and finalists and their projects is available on the ​​NSW Health website.​​

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Ryan Park:

    “I want to congratulate the winners and all 42 finalists for their outstanding contributions to our health system. Every day in NSW Health we see fantastic examples of care, dedication and innovation when it comes to improving the health and wellbeing of people across NSW.

    “It’s fantastic to see that five of the NSW Health Award winners are from rural and regional areas, highlighting the great care available to communities right across the state.

    “I would particularly like to highlight the great work of Dr Nhi Nguyen from Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, who was named Staff Member of the Year for her leadership across initiatives aimed at bridging the gap between clinicians, policy makers and the community.”

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson:

    “I offer my congratulations to the South Western Sydney Local Health District who took out the Excellence in the Provision of Mental Health Services award for their Aboriginal Mental Health Transfer of Care project.

    “This work has had a positive impact on hundreds of people and their communities, with a team of specialists set up to provide culturally responsive care and better discharge planning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients, nearly halving unplanned re-admissions.

    “Across every nomination in this category we see shining examples of a commitment to patient care and safety so I personally want to thank all the finalists for their dedication to providing compassionate mental health services right across the state.”

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Medical Research David Harris:

    “Sydney Local Health District were a deserving winner of the Health Research category, for their ground-breaking work to expand treatment options for people with diabetes. The team has created an oral insulin treatment that is preparing for clinical trials early next year.

    “It was a pleasure to celebrate the people helping position NSW as a global leader in health and medical research, and the work in Sydney Local Health District reflects many of the amazing initiatives underway in our state.”

    Quotes attributable to NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce AM:

    “NSW Health is very proud to celebrate the people and teams who are enriching health in millions of ways every day – our incredible healthcare staff and volunteers.

    “All of the nominees, finalists and winners reflect the incredible work our people do, in a wide variety of roles right across the public health system., and I thank them sincerely for it.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New technology to detect floods and bushfires

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: New technology to detect floods and bushfires

    Published: 25 October 2024

    Released by: Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology

    Testing will soon begin on cutting-edge technology to improve early warnings about floods and bushfires in NSW.

    The NSW Government this week launched a proof-of-concept phase as part of a $3.3 million election commitment to build a natural hazards detection system.

    The testing will explore a range of scenarios to enhance the state’s response to natural hazards including innovative technology to detect floods and bushfires that can:

    • support early identification of flood water across roads
    • monitor rainfall and soil moisture data to predict floods
    • identify fire ignitions in remote locations
    • monitor soil moisture and fuel loads to support improved fire hazard reduction.

    Individual grants of up to $50,000 will be awarded to successful applicants through the program to support the testing of technologies over a six-month period to demonstrate their feasibility and benefits.

    The program delivers on an election commitment by the Minns Labor Government and is being led by the Office of the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer (OCSE) in collaboration with the NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA).

    The initiative directly responds to key recommendations from the 2020 Bushfire Inquiry and the 2022 Flood Inquiry, which called for the use of advanced detection systems to provide earlier warnings and give communities more time to respond to natural hazards.

    Businesses are encouraged to submit proposals addressing these challenges, with the potential to progress to the next stage of the program which includes scaling up and piloting technologies in real-world settings.

    Applications for Phase 1 are open until early December. Grant recipients from Phase 1 will be eligible to apply for Phase 2 through a competitive process.

    The outcomes of the pilot will help shape the design of a final product, ready for deployment in hazard-prone areas of NSW. For more information and to apply, visit: www.chiefscientist.nsw.gov.au/nhds.

    Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:

    “The Minns Labor Government is delivering on its election commitment to better protect communities living in high-risk areas that are prone to floods and fires through better detection systems.”

    “We are helping to develop new detection technologies and testing them in unique Australian conditions.”

    We are working to identify solutions that allow people to better anticipate natural disasters and prepare for evacuations.”

    “This program is not only important to help reduce the impact of disasters, but ultimately can help save lives.”

    Minister for Innovation, Science & Technology, Anoulack Chanthivong said:

    “This funding demonstrates the NSW Government’s commitment to innovation and technology to help improve our response to and preparedness for natural hazards.”

    “Supporting businesses to field-test their technologies with NSW Government agencies allows them to bring their innovations one step closer to commercialisation.”

    Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte, Office of the Chief Scientist and Engineer said:

    “NSW is looking to the future and investigating how cutting-edge technology can transform our response to natural hazards.”

    “By undertaking trials of groundbreaking technology solutions in real world conditions we will ensure that NSW residents are better prepared for natural hazards now and into the future”.   

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Grattan on Friday: a possible Trump victory is making the Albanese government cagey about its 2035 climate target

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    If Donald Trump wins the US presidency on November 5, his victory will have profound implications for other countries on many fronts. Not least of them will be climate change policy.

    Perhaps the uncertainty now hanging over US politics was on the mind of Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen, who shilly-shallied this week over when he’ll announce Australia’s 2035 emissions reduction target under the Paris climate agreement.

    Bowen refused to be pinned down at the Australian Financial Review’s energy and climate summit on whether the target would be public before next year’s election. Neither his office nor that of the prime minister would be more specific later.

    Australia, like other countries, is required under the Paris agreement to put forward its target in February. But, also like other countries, Australia is focused on what’s happening in the US.

    Trump wants to take the US out of the Paris agreement for the second time. The first exit took effect immediately after his 2020 defeat and incoming President Joe Biden was able to reverse it at once. This time, there’d be no such quick turnaround.

    The Biden administration has been strongly committed on climate issues. If the US exited, the Paris agreement would likely be transformed.

    There may be other reasons why Bowen is being cagey about the 2035 target. Climate change and energy will be harder issues for Labor in this election, as it struggles with the realities of the transition, than in the 2022 one.

    In the run-up to that election, a desperate Scott Morrison pulled out all stops to win support within the Coalition to sign up to the 2050 net-zero emissions target.

    Labor was on the front foot, with a policy for a 43% reduction in emissions (on 2005 levels) by 2030, underpinned by a target of 82% renewable electricity by then. The election promise for consumers was a $275 cut in household power bills by 2025.

    Crafting a policy is often easier than implementing it. The journey to a clean energy economy is arduous.

    The $275 promise was quickly seen as unrealisable. The government has had to provide rebates to keep prices in check. The rollout of renewables is complicated by local resistance to some projects, including wind farms and transmission lines. At present, more than 40% of electricity comes from renewables.

    The cost-of-living crisis has increasingly dominated everything. Climate change remains a significant issue with people, but over time it tends to go up and down their scale of concerns, depending on changing circumstances.

    The Ipsos Climate Change Report, done annually, found in 2024 “strong notional support for the energy transition”, but low understanding of what progress had been made.

    Concerns about the negative impacts of the transition on cost of living and energy reliability have increased, particularly in the current high inflation environment. The perceived economic benefits of the transition are less clear, with many unsure about the impact on jobs and the broader economy.

    The emphasis on cost of living is influencing priorities for the energy transition, with Australians wanting to see energy prices and reliability prioritised. There is a growing sentiment that Australia should only take action if other countries are also contributing fairly to climate change efforts.

    Of course a summer of bad bushfires can change people’s priorities suddenly. Barring that, Labor is looking at a 2025 election in which it will be more on the defensive than the offensive on climate and energy issues.

    The opposition has already acted to sharpen the difference with Labor over the medium term targets. Peter Dutton will have no 2035 target before the election, and has questioned the 2030 target to which Australia is signed up, although he says a Coalition government would not leave the Paris agreement. He is also running hard on his controversial policy for nuclear energy.

    While Bowen is not clarifying whether he’ll announce the government’s target ahead of the election, it would be awkward for Australia not to meet the February deadline.

    There would not be a penalty, but it would be a bad look, especially given we are vying with Turkey to host, together with Pacific countries, COP31 in 2026. One unknown, incidentally, is whether a Coalition government would continue this bid, which the opposition has describes as a “vanity project”.

    If the government does announce the 2035 target before the election, the big question is how ambitious it will make it.

    Bowen will receive advice on this from the Climate Change Authority, to which the government has appointed, as head, former New South Wales Liberal Treasurer Matt Kean.

    In an earlier discussion paper, the authority said the evidence suggests

    A 2035 target in the range of 65-75% […] could be achievable and sustainable if additional action is taken by governments, business, investors and households […]. However, attempting to go much faster could risk significant levels of economic and social disruption and put progress at risk.

    A bold target would make the government more vulnerable, just when Labor would want the attention on the Coalition’s problematic nuclear policy. On the other hand, if the target were modest, that would be exploited by the Greens.

    Next month, Bowen will attend COP29 in Azerbaijan, where the central issue will be a financial goal, replacing the 2015 goal, for developed and major economies to help fund developing countries’ emission reduction efforts. Bowen, with Egyptian Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad, is leading the consultations on this, and so has a significant role at the conference.

    At the COP meeting, Bowen will get a better idea of where other countries are on their expected 2035 targets. He indicated this week he has already started taking soundings. “Obviously […] of course you think about international context.”

    By the time of COP, which runs November 11-22, America will have chosen its next president. The COP meeting will either be business-as-usual, looking to an incoming Kamala Harris presidency, or trying to anticipate the implications of a Trump administration that could be a major disruptor of international climate policy.

    Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Grattan on Friday: a possible Trump victory is making the Albanese government cagey about its 2035 climate target – https://theconversation.com/grattan-on-friday-a-possible-trump-victory-is-making-the-albanese-government-cagey-about-its-2035-climate-target-242107

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Northern Ireland: Anti-racism march to be held in Belfast as race hate attacks at all-time high

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Belfast For All – stand together against racism

    Race hate incidents to the end of June 2024 were already at record levels – before the summer surge in violence

    ‘Saturday’s march will be a show of support for victims and for all who live in fear that they could be next’ – Patrick Corrigan

    Large numbers of people are expected to march in Belfast on Saturday in opposition to ongoing racist attacks in the city.

    Following a surge in racist attacks in Northern Ireland during the summer, attacks have continued on a weekly basis, with police figures already showing 2024 as the worst year ever for racist violence in the region.

    Race hate incidents had already reached a record high in Northern Ireland by the end of June 2024, before this summer’s surge in racist attacks. A record 1,411 racist incidents and 891 racist crimes were recorded by the PSNI in the year ending June 2024, according to official police data released by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).

    The annual figures showed that racist crimes represented almost 1% of all recorded crime during the period.

    Amnesty International is among the organisers of the ‘Belfast for All – stand together against racism’ march and rally which will take place in the city this Saturday and which has the support of scores of organisations, charities and political parties.

    Ahead of the march, Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty International’s Northern Ireland Director said:

    “Racist violence may have dropped from the headlines, but not a week goes by in this city without another family having their home attacked by racist thugs.

    “Saturday’s march will be a show of support for victims and for all who live in fear that they could be next.

    “The disgraceful events of August, when a racist mob was able to run amok in Belfast, attacking homes and businesses at will, must never be repeated. But neither must we accept the insidious, ongoing attacks which continue to happen under the cover of darkness week in, week out.”

    Saturday’s Belfast For All march and rally has been organised by United Against Racism, with support from Amnesty International, Belfast Islamic Centre and the NIPSA trade union, with people asked to meet at Writers’ Square at 11:30am before marching to Belfast City Hall.

    View latest press releases

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Global: There’s a crisis in special educational needs provision: here’s the situation across the UK and Ireland

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Cathryn Knight, Senior Lecturer in Psychology in Education, University of Bristol

    Ermolaev Alexander/Shutterstock

    In the UK and Ireland, children who have significant special educational needs and disabilities can receive their education outside mainstream school. This often takes place in “special schools” or “special classes”.

    In the UK, as well as the Republic of Ireland, legislation sets out that children have the right to attend mainstream education. This right cannot be refused based on the complexity of the child’s needs. However, many children are educated in specialist schools, and the devolved governments of the UK, and Ireland, have taken differing approaches to this provision.

    But there is a problem. Across the UK and Ireland, there are far fewer places available in specialist schools and classes for the number of children identified with needs significant enough to warrant a place.

    England

    In 2010, then-prime minister David Cameron set out the aim to “end the bias” towards including children with special educational needs and disabilities in mainstream schools.

    His government felt there had been an overemphasis on inclusion in mainstream schools. As a consequence, England has seen an expansion of specialist education provision. From 2015 to 2023, there has been a 47% increase in the number of pupils at special schools in England – from 109,177 to 161,072.
    However, as of May 2024, 4,407 children across England were waiting for school places in specialist provision.

    There has also been a large increase in the number of appeals against councils by parents or carers of children with special educational needs in England, challenging the decision made around a child’s school placement and provision.

    A new report from the National Audit Office on special educational needs suggests that the current system in England is unsustainable, with many councils set to run out of money by early 2026.

    Wales

    Wales has also seen a 25% increase in special school provision from 2017-18 to 2023-4.

    However, there has recently been a large decrease in the number of learners being identified with additional learning needs. This has coincided with the introduction of a new additional learning needs system.

    However, the proportion of all learners in special schools has increased. This means that this reduction in identification does not seem to have changed the number of those who require specialist placements.

    Scotland

    Scotland has taken a different route. Here, the legal right to mainstream schooling has been taken a step further: there is an underlying “presumption of mainstreaming”, in other words, a right to attend a mainstream school, although exceptions in which a specialist provision should be considered are set out.

    This presumption of mainstreaming means that there has been a reduction in the number of special schools. However, alongside this there has been an increase in the proportion of children not spending time in mainstream classes.

    There has been an increase in special needs provision in mainstream classes in Scotland.
    Evgeny Atamanenko/Shutterstock

    This implies that more children are being educated in units attached to mainstream schools, without necessarily participating in mainstream classes. A recent review has raised concerns that the children with additional support needs in mainstream schools are not having their needs met.

    Northern Ireland

    The number of children with a statement of special educational needs in Northern Ireland increased by 24% in the five years from 2017-18 to 2021-22. A Department of Education official recently told the Education Committee of the NI Assembly that there was a need for an additional 1,000 places for children with SEN. This would require 66 new special school classes and 94 new specialist classes in mainstream schools.

    Northern Ireland is addressing the increased demand for special school places by embarking on a programme to develop specialist provision in mainstream schools. It is important to note, however, that although attached to and often under the same roof as mainstream schools, these are separate, specialist classes for children whose needs would ordinarily have been met in special schools, if pupil places had been available.

    Republic of Ireland

    In the Irish republic, there has been a dramatic increase in demand for specialist provision. There has also been an increase in the number of special schools in recent years, from 123 in 2018-19 to 134 in 2024-25, and further schools are planned.

    However, the challenges experienced by children with SEN in accessing school places continues. Some children are receiving home tuition grants because they don’t have a school place, and even more students are waiting to secure a place for the school year 2024-25. To address this, the minister for education in Ireland is now able to compel schools to open special classes under amended legislation.

    The challenge

    The devolved governments of the UK, and the Republic of Ireland, are committed to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which upholds the right to inclusive education for all learners. This includes the right to be educated without segregation.

    Scotland have addressed this by reducing specialist provision – although there have been criticisms of how this has been implemented in practice. Elsewhere in the UK, the demand for specialist provision is leading to each government increasing the amount of specialist provision, as opposed to considering how the principles of inclusive education could be embedded in mainstream schools.

    In line with guidance from the UN, it is important to consider how mainstream schools can effectively support and include all learners. If these schools are designed to better accommodate a broader range of learners, the need for specialist placements could well decrease.

    However, criticisms of the Scottish system show that without adequate support, placing children with special educational needs in mainstream schools is not enough for students to feel fully included.

    Cathryn Knight receives funding from the ESRC Impact Acceleration Account.

    Joanne Banks receives funding from The Irish Research Council New Foundations Award.

    Noel Purdy does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. There’s a crisis in special educational needs provision: here’s the situation across the UK and Ireland – https://theconversation.com/theres-a-crisis-in-special-educational-needs-provision-heres-the-situation-across-the-uk-and-ireland-240264

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Students with special educational needs are years behind their peers – they need specialist teachers in mainstream classrooms

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Johny Daniel, Assistant Professor, School of Education, Durham University

    BearFotos/Shutterstock

    A new report from the National Audit Office into special educational needs provision in England has concluded that despite a significant increase investment over the last decade, “the system is still not delivering better outcomes for children and young people”.

    This is borne out by my research. Students with special educational needs in England are significantly behind in reading, writing and maths compared to their classmates.

    Laws like the 2014 Children and Families Act, which aimed to improve support for these students, haven’t closed the gap. My recent research suggests that we need to rethink current educational policies and practices.

    My study looked at data from 2.5 million year 6 students (aged ten and 11) between 2014 and 2019. It shows that students with special educational needs are significantly behind in key academic areas.

    On average, students with special educational needs are two years behind in writing and one and a half years behind in reading and maths. The gap in maths is growing, which is especially worrying. It shows that current educational strategies are failing these students.

    Not all students with special educational needs face the same challenges. Students with intellectual disabilities were, on average, more than two years behind in writing and maths. In contrast, students with autism spectrum disorder and visual impairment do somewhat better, especially in reading, but they are still, on average, about one year behind.

    Rethinking support

    Despite well-intentioned policies, current educational frameworks are falling short. A major issue is the heavy reliance on teaching assistants as the main support for students with special educational needs in mainstream schools.

    Teaching assistants are dedicated and play an important role in classrooms. However, research shows that their involvement can sometimes have negative effects on academic outcomes due to a limited range of teaching methods and lack of professional development. Over-relying on teaching assistants without specialised support might be one reason for the continuing achievement gap.

    This raises important questions. If we would not accept teaching assistants as the main instructors for typical students, it should not be acceptable for students with special educational needs, who have more complex learning needs.

    Support in schools also comes from special educational needs coordinators. They manage the school’s approach to supporting students with special educational needs. They handle administrative tasks, work with parents and outside agencies, and ensure legal compliance. But while their role is important, they usually do not teach students directly.

    One solution is to have specialised special education teachers in mainstream schools. This is not just a suggestion; it’s a critical need.

    Special education teachers are trained educators who work directly with students needing extra support. They teach tailored lessons, adapt teaching materials, and use specialised strategies to meet individual learning needs. Their focus is on providing hands-on educational help within the school.

    Learning from other countries

    Integrating special education teachers into our mainstream classrooms, as seen in countries such as the US and Singapore, could be the key to better supporting our students.

    In these countries, special education teachers are part of the mainstream classrooms. They complete certification programmes, learning advanced skills in assessing students’ needs, developing tailored support and creating individual education plans. They teach alongside general educators, ensuring that students with special educational needs are not left out but receive high-quality support.

    This approach addresses both academic and emotional needs in the classroom, providing an effective support system.

    Similar steps should be taken in England to establish comprehensive special education teacher training programmes. This could include postgraduate certifications in special education or specialised modules in existing teacher education programmes.

    Specialist teachers could help contain the attainment gap.
    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Inspection frameworks like Ofsted must include specific criteria to evaluate the presence and effectiveness of specialised support in classrooms for students with special educational needs.

    Schools should be encouraged to hire qualified special education teachers, and government funding models must be changed to support these professionals. Also, ongoing professional development should be a priority, ensuring that all educators expand their expertise in proven teaching methods.

    By aligning teacher training, hiring and policies, England can reduce its reliance on teaching assistants as the main support for students with special educational needs. Instead, schools can have strong support systems led by trained special education teachers. These specialists can work with teaching assistants and classroom teachers to provide more effective, targeted support.

    This change would provide students with special educational needs with improved overall quality of teaching and learning. This could lead to mainstream classrooms fostering a truly inclusive educational environment.

    Johny Daniel does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Students with special educational needs are years behind their peers – they need specialist teachers in mainstream classrooms – https://theconversation.com/students-with-special-educational-needs-are-years-behind-their-peers-they-need-specialist-teachers-in-mainstream-classrooms-240147

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council asked to approve £6.3m boost to Landbank Fund

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Members will be asked to approve the repayment of £6.308m to the Landbank Fund from income from Council Tax on 2nd homes, at the Highland Council meeting on 31 October. The additional money will support the Council in finding solutions to the Highland Housing Challenge.

    Chair of the Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Cllr Ken Gowans said: “The Landbank Fund is a valuable mechanism which allows us to invest further in housing supply in the Highlands. The additional £6.308 million will boost our capacity to bring housing back into communities and help to address the housing challenge.” 

    The Highland Council has in recent years sought flexibility to the Council to utilise income from council tax on second homes to support the revenue budget. 

    Scottish Government granted flexibility to the Council to utilise income in 2022/23 and 2023/24 to support the revenue budget, rather than for affordable housing purposes, given the financial challenges being faced by the Council at that time. That flexibility was however conditional on repayment of income into the Landbank Fund within 3 years of the flexibility being exercised.  

    Through its budget plans, the Council has made provision for repayment back into the Landbank Fund, this through a combination of budget provision made in 2024/25 and reserves earmarked for this purpose.  In total, the sum due to be paid back is £6.308m covering the two financial years.

    24 Oct 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – INTA Delegation to the UK to exchange on EU-UK economic and trade relations – Committee on International Trade

    Source: European Parliament

    A delegation of six Members of the Committee on International Trade (INTA), accompanied by the Chair of the Delegation to the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly, will travel to London (UK) from 28 to 30 October 2024. The delegation, led by the INTA Chair, Bernd Lange (S&D, DE), will exchange with the UK government, parliamentarians and stakeholders on the trade aspects of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement, including the Windsor Framework, and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

    The context of this visit is the ‘reset’ of the EU-UK relations announced recently by the UK Prime Minister, the first review of the TCA due in 2026 and the upcoming democratic consent vote of the Northern Ireland Legislative Assembly on the continuation of the application of major provisions of the Windsor Framework in December 2024.

    The UK and the EU are also faced with the same challenges at global level regarding international trade. In the past decade, geopolitical and geoeconomic tensions have heightened, in part due to the strategic competition between the United States and China. In the last few years the situation has deteriorated further, notably due to the supply chain disruptions from the Covid-19 pandemic and to the impact of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, as well as recently the major crisis in the Middle East, bringing both competitiveness and economic security to the forefront.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Life Expectancy and Healthy Life Expectancy Report published24 October 2024 Public Health has published the Life Expectancy and Healthy Life Expectancy Report. This report describes life expectancy in Jersey for the period 2021-2023, and the Healthy Life Expectancy for the… Read more

    Source: Channel Islands – Jersey

    24 October 2024

    Public Health has published the Life Expectancy and Healthy Life Expectancy Report. This report describes life expectancy in Jersey for the period 2021-2023, and the Healthy Life Expectancy for the period of 2022/2023.

    Key findings for Life Expectancy for 2021-23 include: 

    • life expectancy (at birth) for females in Jersey was 84.9 years, around 3.5 years higher than that for males (81.3 years) 
    • male life expectancy has increased by 1.9 years since the 2011-2013 period, whilst for females there has been no statistically significant increase or decrease. 
    • once people reach age 65 in Jersey, they can expect to live on average another 21.2 years 
    • average life expectancy in Jersey was around 2 years higher than that for England overall, and was around 1 year higher than the South West region of England. 

    Key findings for Healthy Life Expectancy for the 2022/2023 include: 

    • healthy life expectancy at birth for males in Jersey was 63.8 years, around 2.5 years higher than that for females (61.2 years) 
    • healthy life expectancy at age 65 for females in Jersey was 12.9 years, around 1.5 years higher than that for males (11.3 years) 
    • male healthy life expectancy at birth has remained statistically similar, and female healthy life expectancy is statistically lower between 2016-2018 and 2022/2023 
    • male healthy life expectancy at birth was statistically higher than in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, but similar to England. Female healthy life expectancy at birth was statistically similar when compared to the devolved nations of the UK.

    The full report is available online.​​

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Coventry shows its support for National Adoption Week by highlighting adoption journeys of all kinds

    Source: City of Coventry

    Adoption Central England (ACE), the regional adoption agency for Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Coventry, and Solihull, is supporting this year’s National Adoption Week campaign

    Sponsored by Adoption England, and which continues until Sunday 27 October.

    The national campaign, YouCanAdopt, aims to raise awareness of adoption and dispel myths around who is eligible to adopt, as more adoptive parents are needed for those children who are waiting to join new families.

    A heartwarming video from the campaign demonstrates this through the stories of three adoptive families sharing their experiences in conversations onboard a train. This setting symbolises the adoption journey that conveys, despite the ups and downs and detours on the way, that it is overwhelmingly a positive and rewarding to do to provide a permanent family home to a child who is waiting for this opportunity. The film can be viewed at www.youcanadopt.co.uk

    Cllr Pat Seaman, Cabinet Member, Children and Young People said:

    “It remains vitally important that regional campaigns such as this continue to highlight the need, and reinforce the message, for families to step forward to provide that loving care and support that children of all ages are looking for.

    “There are around 60 children in the region currently waiting for adoptive families and we urgently need more people to come forward and welcome these children into their families.

    “The need to support and provide a loving and caring environment for children in care sadly remains a pressing need for many cities and towns, including Coventry.

    “Adoption Central England is a well-established adoption service with experienced staff who can guide and support you through the process and beyond and is keen to hear from anyone who is thinking about adoption.”

    “Therefore, I would encourage people out there in the local community to watch the new ‘Journey’ film and consider adoption, as it can play a massive and important role in improving many children’s lives.”

    Adopters can be any age, from any background, and can be single or in a couple. The most important thing is that they can provide a secure and loving home to a child, or children, and can be there to support them to thrive.

    Adoption Central England recognises the importance of supporting people on their adoption journeys and ensures adoptive parents are never alone and that there is a network of ongoing support around them. The nature of adoption has changed over the years and help is available for adoptive families as they deal with unique issues that only adoptive families experience.

    ACE welcomes enquiries about adoption from all section of the community and experienced adoption social workers are available to answer any questions you may have. The ACE website contains a wealth of information about becoming an adoptive parent, the children who are waiting, and of the ongoing support that is available to you through the service.

    To find out more about National Adoption Week, or to seek information or support, visit  www.youcanadopt.co.uk or contact Adoption Central England on ACE 0300 369 0556 or though the website on www.aceadoption.com

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: WHO – Regional health leaders agree to improve financing to achieve universal health coverage, prioritize digital health

    Source: World Health Organization (WHO)

    MANILA, 24 October 2024 – Health leaders from nations across Asia and the Pacific today endorsed action frameworks on health financing and digital health at the seventy-fifth session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for the Western Pacific.

    Health financing to achieve universal health coverage and sustainable development

    Despite recent reforms in health financing, public health spending in the Western Pacific Region remains inadequate to meet growing needs. In many countries, current policies have not yet achieved the goals of equitable service access and financial protection. As a result, families are being pushed into poverty from the financial burden of paying for health services. In 2019 alone, more than 300 million people in the Western Pacific faced catastrophic health costs. Medicines and outpatient care are the primary drivers of out-of-pocket spending, exposing critical coverage gaps in primary health care (PHC) systems.

    Increasing public health spending, prioritizing PHC and adopting comprehensive financing strategies to promote health in national development are essential to achieving universal health coverage(UHCUHC) and sustainable development.

    The Regional Committee, WHO’s governing body in the Western Pacific, today endorsed the Regional Action Framework for Health Financing to Achieve Universal Health Coverage and Sustainable Development in the Western Pacific. The Framework aims to improve health financing through five action domains: 1) greater reliance on public funding for health; 2) more equitable and efficient health spending; 3) financing PHC now and into the future; 4) strengthening governance for health financing; and 5) promoting health for all in economic and social policy.

    Accelerating digital health transformation

    The Regional Committee also considered digital health – the use of information and communications technology to manage health and promote well-being – which is playing an increasingly significant role in transforming health care by leveraging technology to increase access to care. Digital health is growing rapidly in the Western Pacific Region. However, these changes bring about new challenges related to governance, coordination with a wide range of actors, sustainable financing, and the ethical and secure use of digital health tools and data.

    The Regional Action Framework on Digital Health in the Western Pacificendorsed by the Region’s health leaders today will guide countries and areas in developing national digital health plans. It will also facilitate collaboration with WHO to advance national digital health strategies aligned with country priorities. The Framework calls on countries to prioritize governance, socio-technical infrastructure, financing and economics, digital health solutions, and data in strengthening health systems in the era of digital transformation.

    Achieving transformative primary health care

    Although more than 45 years have passed since primary health care (PHC) was identified as the cornerstone for achieving Health for All in theDeclaration of Alma-Ata, many health systems in our Region remain hospital-centric, while PHC is understaffed and under resourced. With countries facing rapidly ageing populations, an increased burden of NCDs and health security risks, a worsening economic outlook and other changes, transformative PHC is more critical than ever.

    In a panel discussion held at the Regional Committee on Tuesday, delegates from Cambodia and Singapore and a representative of the Asian Development Bank discussed how a transformative PHC approach – which emphasizes keeping people healthy rather than only treating the sick, and the importance of active community engagement and effective communication – can improve health outcomes.

    Recognizing the need to support countries in achieving transformative PHC, the Regional Committee in 2022 endorsed the Regional Framework on the Future of Primary Health Care in the Western Pacific. It highlights five strategic areas for health system transformation, covering models of service delivery, individual and community empowerment, the health workforce, health financing and enabling healthy environments. WHO is supporting countries with implementation of the Regional Framework.

    Improving oral health

    On Wednesday, delegates from Malaysia, Tonga and Vanuatu participated in a panel discussion on oral health. In the Western Pacific Region, the rate of oral diseases such as tooth decay, gum disease and tooth loss has grown by 30% over the past 30 years. One in five adults over the age of 60 has lost all their teeth, causing difficulty in eating, poor nutrition and a lower quality of life.

    Oral diseases disproportionally affect poor and disadvantaged populations. But they are mostly preventable and can be treated in their early stages. Left unaddressed, they cause pain and reduce the quality of life of individuals affected. At the population level, they add to the burden of noncommunicable diseases and impact health systems and economies in the Region.

    The WHO Global Strategy and Action Plan on Oral Health (2023–2030)was developed in response to a 2021 World Health Assembly resolution calling for a shift in oral health policy planning from traditional restorative dental care to a focus on promoting oral health and preventing oral diseases. WHO is working to accelerate the implementation of the Global Strategy in the Western Pacific, making oral health an integral part of universal health coverage and improving access to essential oral health services for everyone, especially the vulnerable.

    Accreditation of non-State actors to attend Regional Committee meetings

    The Regional Committee for the Western Pacific also adopted a decision to formalize the procedure for non-State actors that are not already in official relations with WHO to be accredited as observers at their meetings. The decision highlights the valuable role that non-State actors play in society, recognizes their contributions to advancing public health and to supporting the achievement of WHO’s strategic objectives. It marks an important step towards strengthening regional health governance, and a more inclusive approach to knowledge sharing, dialogue and health policy making.

    Expected closure of the session, time and place of next year’s meeting

    The seventy-fifth session of the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific is expected to conclude tomorrow.

    Notes:

    The seventy-fifth session of the Western Pacific Regional Committee began on 21 October and is scheduled to conclude on 25 October at WHO’s Regional Office for the Western Pacific in Manila, Philippines. The agenda and timetable are available online. A livestream of proceedings, all other official documents, as well as fact sheets and videos on the issues to be addressed can be accessed here. For real-time updates, follow @WHOWPRO on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube and the hashtag #RCM75.

    Working with 194 Member States across six regions, WHO is the United Nations specialized agency responsible for public health. Each WHO region has a regional committee – a governing body composed of ministers of health and senior officials from Member States. Each regional committee meets annually to agree on health actions and to chart priorities for WHO’s work.

    The WHO Western Pacific Region is home to more than 1.9 billion people across 37 countries and areas: American Samoa (United States of America), Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia (France), Guam (United States of America), Hong Kong SAR (China), Japan, Kiribati, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Macao SAR (China), Malaysia, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, New Caledonia (France), New Zealand, Niue, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (United States of America), Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Pitcairn Islands (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), the Republic of Korea, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Viet Nam, Wallis and Futuna (France).

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Meet the Researcher: Derek Aguiar, CoE

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Looking at the research published by Derek Aguiar and his lab over the past few years – ranging from drug side effect prediction to modeling genetic variation to predicting the outcomes of motions submitted in legal trial proceedings – one might conclude he’s a jack of all trades. 

    Aguiar and Jonathan XIV. (Courtesy of Derek Aguiar)

    Actually, he’s a master of one: computer science (CS).

    Aguiar is an associate professor in the College of Engineering who believes there’s no limit to the potential applications of CS. He follows his own curiosity, which frequently lands him in interdisciplinary projects involving other schools and colleges at UConn or multi-institutional collaboratives. And he encourages his students to do the same. 

    “I’ve ‘adopted’ some students that specialized in other areas,” he jokes, by way of explaining the astonishing diversity of his lab’s research subject matter. 

    For his own part, Aguiar is chiefly interested in blending graph-theoretic algorithms with probabilistic machine learning approaches. These are the CS techniques he studied in his Ph.D. at Brown University and his postdoctoral scholarship at Princeton University. Combining them, he has developed new applications for genomics and genetic data to help understand complex disease. 

    Launching the Next Generation of Computer Scientists

    As a first-generation undergraduate at the University of Rhode Island, Aguiar didn’t yet realize that he wanted to pursue a career in research, or that such a thing was even possible. He graduated without lab experience (“This isn’t a good template for other people to follow,” he notes).  

    But then, while pursuing graduate studies at Brown, he realized how “beautifully” his life-long interest in CS could combine with biology. 

    “I really saw the mathematical, statistical, and algorithmic beauty in biology,” he says. “It has a long history – some very important and deep results [in biology] have come from statistics and computer science. That’s where I fell in love and became enamored with the blending of CS and biology.” 

    Now, Aguiar is dedicated to pursuing original research and mentoring students in CS. He doesn’t want any would-be computer scientists to miss the chance to conduct research in college, like he did – in fact, he’s helping them get a head start, by mentoring high schoolers from across the region. 

    Most of Aguiar’s high school mentees are from Glastonbury, where students are paired with researchers through the Advanced Research Mentorship program. A few enterprising students from other schools have also sought him out for mentorship as well. He recently worked virtually with a protege from Massachusetts who went on to enroll at UConn. 

    “They come to UConn for about two hours after their high school gets out, once a week,” Aguiar says, “and we work on CS and research projects together. Eventually, they present their research internally at their high schools, and some go on to present at the CT Science and Engineering Fair.” 

    Aguiar was also a co-organizer of the New England Computer Science Teachers Association New England conference, which was held at UConn Storrs for the first time last year. 

    From DNA to Honest Abe

    Most recently, Aguiar’s work has been supported by an NSF CAREER award; a four-year, nearly $200,000 award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH); and an award from the Horace Bushnell Memorial Hall Corporation, the foundation that operates the Bushnell Performing Arts Center in Hartford. 

    The first two awards support Aguiar’s work on genomics projects. The CAREER award will allow him to continue his work in modeling haplotypes: sets of DNA variants co-inherited along a single chromosome. Aguiar develops algorithms to help understand how these haplotypes are inherited and how they relate to complex diseases. 

    With the NIH funding, Aguiar is developing novel computational immunology programs to help determine the risk of cardiovascular disease among people with type 2 diabetes. One of the ultimate aims of this research is to enable further investigation into the casual relationship between type 2 diabetes and heart disease, a puzzle scientists have been trying to solve since the correlation was first identified. 

    With the Bushnell group, the research looks a bit different. Aguiar is working on a project that seeks to infuse a little theater and CS magic into middle school history lessons: he’s developing an AI version of Abraham Lincoln, using a large language model fed on Lincoln’s extensive body of written work and verbal addresses. 

    “The idea behind this project is to rethink how middle schoolers learn,” Aguiar says. 

    Instead of just reading or watching a documentary about Lincoln, this project will allow students to actually have a conversation with him, learning about his viewpoints and gaining a better understanding of his historical milieu. It seeks to fill a gap in middle-grade learning that Aguiar identifies as critical. 

    “Middle school students don’t really skip school – they’re always there – they’re just not very engaged,” he explains. “We’re trying to increase engagement by providing an experience in the social sciences where you don’t just read a book or listen to your teacher and then regurgitate facts. We’re trying to turn this into an experiential process where instruction is personalized for each student.” 

    What’s Next?

    Aguiar is currently collaborating with Rachel O’Neill, director of UConn’s Institute for Systems Genomics, on a project that will help identify irregular DNA formations that have been linked to increased mutation rates and cancer. 

    “DNA can actually fold into different structures, other than what’s known as B DNA – the canonical double helix structure,” he explains.  

    One of the major ways geneticists sequence DNA is through nanopore sequencing. In this process, an enzyme unzips DNA into single strands, which are then pushed through a microscopic sequencing device.  

    Aguiar and O’Neill discovered that these irregular DNA formations can impact the time it takes DNA to move through the process, since it takes longer for enzymes to disentangle these structures. 

    “We discovered that the genomic locations where these structures can form are associated with differential nanopore translocation times,” Aguiar says. “That hadn’t been done before.” 

    As he continues his career at UConn, Aguiar anticipates embarking on more exciting research across all domains.  He’ll also work to keep enacting his other central focus – supporting students, on whatever paths they choose to pursue. 

    “It’s super important that my students are well-rounded researchers, which includes being good communicators and educators,” he says. “But it’s not important for my students to follow in my footsteps – I want them all to do whatever makes them happy, and hopefully they are using what they learned in the process of earning their degrees!” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: UK Lord Butler of Brockwell: Lord Speaker’s Corner | House of Lords | Episode 22

    Source: United Kingdom UK House of Lords (video statements)

    ‘I’d heard bombs before, so I knew it was a bomb.’

    Forty years ago this month, Robin Butler – Principle Private Secretary to Margaret Thatcher – was in the room with the prime minister when the Brighton bomb exploded nearby in their hotel.

    ‘This is our opportunity to show that terrorism can’t defeat democracy’

    Now Lord Butler of Brockwell tells the Lord Speaker about his experience, from their initial reaction to the blast, to going back to retrieve the prime minister’s papers, and shares Margaret Thatcher’s response to his suggestion she postpone the start of the Conservative Party Conference the next morning.

    ‘I devoted my life to assisting politicians with government.’

    Lord Butler worked closely with five prime ministers, from Edward Heath to Tony Blair. In this episode he shares his experience of working with each of them either as private secretary or cabinet secretary. He speaks about later work of prime ministers on Northern Ireland, negotiations with Europe, why he joined the civil service and the growing role of special advisers. He also shares his thoughts on reforming the Civil Service, arguing that ‘you’ve got to reform it constantly… But you’ve got to lead the Civil Service in my view, and not drive them’

    See more from the series https://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/house-of-lords-podcast/

    #HouseOfLords #UKParliament #LordSpeakersCorner #LordsMembers

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIws-4TrWLE

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI: MINT Income Fund Distributions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Oct. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MINT Income Fund (TSX: MID.UN) (the “Fund”) is pleased to announce that distributions for the fourth quarter of 2024 will be payable to unitholders of MINT Income Fund as follows:

    Record Date Payable Date Distribution Per Trust Unit
    October 31, 2024 November 15, 2024 $0.04
    November 30, 2024 December13, 2024 $0.04
    December 31, 2024 January 15, 2025 $0.04


    The trust units trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol MID.UN.

    The Fund offers a distribution reinvestment plan (“DRIP”) for unitholders which provides unitholders with the ability to automatically reinvest distributions, commission free, and realize the benefits of compound growth. Unitholders can enroll in the DRIP program by contacting their investment advisor.

    Middlefield

    Founded in 1979, Middlefield is a specialist equity income asset manager with offices in Toronto, Canada and London, England. Our investment team utilizes active management to select high-quality, global companies across a variety of sectors and themes. Our product offerings include proven dividend-focused strategies that span real estate, healthcare, innovation, infrastructure, energy, diversified income and more. We offer these solutions in a variety of product types including ETFs, Mutual Funds, Closed-End Funds, Split-Share Funds and Flow-through LPs.

    For further information, please visit our website at www.middlefield.com or contact Nancy Tham in our Sales and Marketing Department at 1.888.890.1868.

    This press release contains forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is based on historical information concerning the distributions and dividends paid on the securities of issuers historically included in the portfolio of the Fund. Actual future results, including the amount of distributions paid by the Fund, may differ from the monthly distribution amount. Specifically, the income from which distributions are paid may vary significantly due to: changes in portfolio composition; changes in distributions and dividends paid by issuers of securities included in the Fund’s portfolio from time to time; there being no assurance that those issuers will pay distributions or dividends on their securities; the declaration of distributions and dividends by issuers of securities included in the portfolio will generally depend upon various factors, including the financial condition of each issuer and general economic and stock market conditions; the level of borrowing by the Fund; and the uncertainty of realizing capital gains. The risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results are described in the Fund’s prospectus and other documents filed by the Fund with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. The forward-looking information contained in this press release constitutes the Fund’s current estimate, as of the date of this press release, with respect to the matters covered hereby. Investors and others should not assume that any forward-looking statement contained in this press release represents the Fund’s estimate as of any date other than the date of this press release.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: CMA response to the Welsh Government consultation on inspection ratings for care home services and domiciliary support services

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The CMA has published its response to the Welsh Government consultation on inspection ratings for care home services and domiciliary support services.

    Applies to Wales

    Documents

    CMA response to the Welsh Government consultation on inspection ratings for care home services and domiciliary support services

    PDF, 117 KB, 4 pages

    Details

    The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has responded to the Inspection ratings for care homes and domiciliary support services consultation, led by the Welsh Government.

    The CMA’s response draws on some if its findings and recommendations in the care homes market study final report (2017), highlighting evidence from the study’s consumer research and its findings on inspection reports.  We also draw on the report’s recommendations on supported decision making, helping people consider their care needs earlier, and protecting residents and their consumer rights.

    For queries relating to the CMA’s response, please contact the CMA Wales team by email at wales@cma.gov.uk.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 October 2024

    Sign up for emails or print this page

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Leader responds to Accounts Commission Best Value report

    Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

    The Accounts Commission has today (Thursday 24 October) published the findings of the Controller of Audit’s Best Value Assurance Report on the City of Edinburgh Council.

    Responding to the report, Council Leader, Cammy Day, said:

    We’re encouraged by the Commission’s findings, which recognise the good progress the Council has made since 2020.

    We’ve delivered a lot of change at a time of huge pressure on our services and on our budget, but we’ve stayed true to our priorities of protecting day-to-day services and investing in a fairer, greener future. Our aims to eradicate poverty and become net-zero by 2030 are ambitious, but we need to be aspirational to make sure they stay at the top of our priority list.

    Our focus on getting the basics right for our residents, meanwhile, is also bearing fruit with Edinburgh now a top performing Council in Scotland for street cleanliness, and continued improvements in key areas such as road conditions. We acknowledge, however, that there is still much more to be done and we’ve targeted substantial additional resources into key services such as housing, where we know performance has to improve if we are to tackle Edinburgh’s housing emergency.

    We’re continuing to adopt new technologies to make it easier for residents to come to us for help and, as recognised in the report, we’re looking forward to realising the huge benefits our Visitor Levy proposals will bring from 2026 – which we forecast will raise over £100m for the city by 2030.

    It’s no secret, however, that ever more difficult financial decisions lie ahead. Despite the unique pressures that come with being Scotland’s capital city, Edinburgh remains the lowest funded council per head in Scotland, which is having a huge impact on our finances. The latest projections show that we will face a budget shortfall of at least £30m next year and we’ll need to work even harder to ensure we can keep on delivering best value for the people of Edinburgh.

    Published: October 24th 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Thousands of workers to benefit from boost to the Living Wage

    Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

    The Living Wage Foundation has revealed that the Real Living Wage will increase to £12.60 next year.

    Responding to the news, Councillor Jane Meagher, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said:

    Thousands of workers across Edinburgh are set for a boost in pay from May thanks to the new Living Wage rate. Helping our city’s workers as the cost of living soars, the rate set by the Living Wage Foundation will rise by 60p to £12.60 an hour across the UK.

    Over 80,000 people are living in poverty in Edinburgh and many have been pushed into deprivation because of insecure work. It really can happen to any of us and that is why the Living Wage is such a powerful tool, for making sure people get a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.

    Considering the increasing pressures businesses are also under, we are so appreciative of the way Edinburgh employers continue to lead the way in Scotland, making Living Wage the norm.

    Published: October 24th 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Middlefield Sustainable Global Dividend ETF Distributions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Oct. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Middlefield Sustainable Global Dividend ETF (TSX: MDIV) (the “Fund”) is pleased to announce that distributions for the fourth quarter of 2024 will be payable to unitholders of Sustainable Global Dividend ETF as follows:

    Record Date Payable Date Distribution Per
    Trust Unit
    October 31, 2024 November 15, 2024 $0.06
    November 30, 2024 December13, 2024 $0.06
    December 31, 2024 January 15, 2025 $0.06
         

    The trust units trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol MDIV.

    The Fund offers a distribution reinvestment plan (“DRIP”) for unitholders which provides unitholders with the ability to automatically reinvest distributions, commission free, and realize the benefits of compound growth. Unitholders can enroll in the DRIP program by contacting their investment advisor.

    Middlefield

    Founded in 1979, Middlefield is a specialist equity income asset manager with offices in Toronto, Canada and London, England. Our investment team utilizes active management to select high-quality, global companies across a variety of sectors and themes. Our product offerings include proven dividend-focused strategies that span real estate, healthcare, innovation, infrastructure, energy, diversified income and more. We offer these solutions in a variety of product types including ETFs, Mutual Funds, Closed-End Funds, Split-Share Funds and Flow-through LPs.

    For further information, please visit our website at www.middlefield.com or contact Nancy Tham in our Sales and Marketing Department at 1.888.890.1868.

    This press release contains forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is based on historical information concerning distributions and dividends paid on the securities of issuers historically included in the portfolio of the Fund. Actual future results, including the amount of distributions paid by the Fund, may differ from the monthly distribution amount. Specifically, the income from which distributions are paid may vary significantly due to: changes in portfolio composition; changes in distributions and dividends paid by issuers of securities included in the Fund’s portfolio from time to time; there being no assurance that those issuers will pay distributions or dividends on their securities; the declaration of distributions and dividends by issuers of securities included in the portfolio will generally depend upon various factors, including the financial condition of each issuer and general economic and stock market conditions; the level of borrowing by the Fund; and the uncertainty of realizing capital gains.  The risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results are described under “Risk Factors” in the Fund’s prospectus and other documents filed by the Fund with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. The forward-looking information contained in this press release constitutes the Fund’s current estimate, as of the date of this press release, with respect to the matters covered hereby. Investors and others should not assume that any forward-looking statement contained in this press release represents the Fund’s estimate as of any date other than the date of this press release.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Middlefield Healthcare Dividend ETF Distributions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Oct. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Middlefield Healthcare Dividend ETF (TSX: MHCD) (the “Fund”) is pleased to announce that distributions for the fourth quarter of 2024 will be payable to unitholders of Middlefield Healthcare Dividend ETF as follows:

    Record Date Payable Date Distribution Per
    Trust Unit
    October 31, 2024 November 15, 2024 $0.05
    November 30, 2024 December13, 2024 $0.05
    December 31, 2024 January 15, 2025 $0.05
         

    The trust units trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol MHCD.

    The Fund offers a distribution reinvestment plan (“DRIP”) for unitholders which provides unitholders with the ability to automatically reinvest distributions, commission free, and realize the benefits of compound growth. Unitholders can enroll in the DRIP program by contacting their investment advisor.

    Middlefield

    Founded in 1979, Middlefield is a specialist equity income asset manager with offices in Toronto, Canada and London, England. Our investment team utilizes active management to select high-quality, global companies across a variety of sectors and themes. Our product offerings include proven dividend-focused strategies that span real estate, healthcare, innovation, infrastructure, energy, diversified income and more. We offer these solutions in a variety of product types including ETFs, Mutual Funds, Closed-End Funds, Split-Share Funds and Flow-through LPs.

    For further information, please visit our website at www.middlefield.com or contact Nancy Tham in our Sales and Marketing Department at 1.888.890.1868.

    This press release contains forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is based on historical information concerning distributions and dividends paid on the securities of issuers historically included in the portfolio of the Fund. Actual future results, including the amount of distributions paid by the Fund, may differ from the monthly distribution amount. Specifically, the income from which distributions are paid may vary significantly due to: changes in portfolio composition; changes in distributions and dividends paid by issuers of securities included in the Fund’s portfolio from time to time; there being no assurance that those issuers will pay distributions or dividends on their securities; the declaration of distributions and dividends by issuers of securities included in the portfolio will generally depend upon various factors, including the financial condition of each issuer and general economic and stock market conditions; the level of borrowing by the Fund; and the uncertainty of realizing capital gains.  The risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results are described under “Risk Factors” in the Fund’s prospectus and other documents filed by the Fund with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. The forward-looking information contained in this press release constitutes the Fund’s current estimate, as of the date of this press release, with respect to the matters covered hereby. Investors and others should not assume that any forward-looking statement contained in this press release represents the Fund’s estimate as of any date other than the date of this press release.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Middlefield Innovation Dividend ETF Distributions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Oct. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Middlefield Innovation Dividend ETF (TSX: MINN) (the “Fund”) is pleased to announce that distributions for the fourth quarter of 2024 will be payable to unitholders of Middlefield Innovation Dividend ETF as follows:

    Record Date Payable Date Distribution Per
    Trust Unit
    October 31, 2024 November 15, 2024 $0.033
    November 30, 2024 December13, 2024 $0.033
    December 31, 2024 January 15, 2025 $0.033
         

    The trust units trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol MINN.

    The Fund offers a distribution reinvestment plan (“DRIP”) for unitholders which provides unitholders with the ability to automatically reinvest distributions, commission free, and realize the benefits of compound growth. Unitholders can enroll in the DRIP program by contacting their investment advisor.

    Middlefield

    Founded in 1979, Middlefield is a specialist equity income asset manager with offices in Toronto, Canada and London, England. Our investment team utilizes active management to select high-quality, global companies across a variety of sectors and themes. Our product offerings include proven dividend-focused strategies that span real estate, healthcare, innovation, infrastructure, energy, diversified income and more. We offer these solutions in a variety of product types including ETFs, Mutual Funds, Closed-End Funds, Split-Share Funds and Flow-through LPs.

    For further information, please visit our website at www.middlefield.com or contact Nancy Tham in our Sales and Marketing Department at 1.888.890.1868.

    This press release contains forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is based on historical information concerning distributions and dividends paid on the securities of issuers historically included in the portfolio of the Fund. Actual future results, including the amount of distributions paid by the Fund, may differ from the monthly distribution amount. Specifically, the income from which distributions are paid may vary significantly due to: changes in portfolio composition; changes in distributions and dividends paid by issuers of securities included in the Fund’s portfolio from time to time; there being no assurance that those issuers will pay distributions or dividends on their securities; the declaration of distributions and dividends by issuers of securities included in the portfolio will generally depend upon various factors, including the financial condition of each issuer and general economic and stock market conditions; the level of borrowing by the Fund; and the uncertainty of realizing capital gains.  The risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results are described under “Risk Factors” in the Fund’s prospectus and other documents filed by the Fund with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. The forward-looking information contained in this press release constitutes the Fund’s current estimate, as of the date of this press release, with respect to the matters covered hereby. Investors and others should not assume that any forward-looking statement contained in this press release represents the Fund’s estimate as of any date other than the date of this press release.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Middlefield U.S. Equity Dividend ETF Distributions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Oct. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Middlefield U.S. Equity Dividend ETF (TSX: MUSA) (the “Fund”) is pleased to announce that distributions for the fourth quarter of 2024 will be payable to unitholders of Middlefield U.S. Equity Dividend ETF as follows:

    Record Date Payable Date Distribution Per
    Trust Unit
    October 31, 2024 November 15, 2024 $0.04583
    November 30, 2024 December13, 2024 $0.04583
    December 31, 2024 January 15, 2025 $0.04583
         

    The trust units trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol MUSA.

    The Fund offers a distribution reinvestment plan (“DRIP”) for unitholders which provides unitholders with the ability to automatically reinvest distributions, commission free, and realize the benefits of compound growth. Unitholders can enroll in the DRIP program by contacting their investment advisor.

    Middlefield

    Founded in 1979, Middlefield is a specialist equity income asset manager with offices in Toronto, Canada and London, England. Our investment team utilizes active management to select high-quality, global companies across a variety of sectors and themes. Our product offerings include proven dividend-focused strategies that span real estate, healthcare, innovation, infrastructure, energy, diversified income and more. We offer these solutions in a variety of product types including ETFs, Mutual Funds, Closed-End Funds, Split-Share Funds and Flow-through LPs.

    For further information, please visit our website at www.middlefield.com or contact Nancy Tham in our Sales and Marketing Department at 1.888.890.1868.

    This press release contains forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is based on historical information concerning distributions and dividends paid on the securities of issuers historically included in the portfolio of the Fund. Actual future results, including the amount of distributions paid by the Fund, may differ from the monthly distribution amount. Specifically, the income from which distributions are paid may vary significantly due to: changes in portfolio composition; changes in distributions and dividends paid by issuers of securities included in the Fund’s portfolio from time to time; there being no assurance that those issuers will pay distributions or dividends on their securities; the declaration of distributions and dividends by issuers of securities included in the portfolio will generally depend upon various factors, including the financial condition of each issuer and general economic and stock market conditions; the level of borrowing by the Fund; and the uncertainty of realizing capital gains.  The risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results are described under “Risk Factors” in the Fund’s prospectus and other documents filed by the Fund with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. The forward-looking information contained in this press release constitutes the Fund’s current estimate, as of the date of this press release, with respect to the matters covered hereby. Investors and others should not assume that any forward-looking statement contained in this press release represents the Fund’s estimate as of any date other than the date of this press release.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Middlefield Real Estate Dividend ETF Distributions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Oct. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Middlefield Real Estate Dividend ETF (TSX: MREL) (the “Fund”) is pleased to announce that distributions for the fourth quarter of 2024 will be payable to unitholders of Middlefield Real Estate Dividend ETF as follows:

    Record Date Payable Date Distribution Per Trust Unit
    October 31, 2024 November 15, 2024 $0.075
    November 30, 2024 December13, 2024 $0.075
    December 31, 2024 January 15, 2025 $0.075

    The trust units trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol MREL.

    The Fund offers a distribution reinvestment plan (“DRIP”) for unitholders which provides unitholders with the ability to automatically reinvest distributions, commission free, and realize the benefits of compound growth. Unitholders can enroll in the DRIP program by contacting their investment advisor.

    Middlefield

    Founded in 1979, Middlefield is a specialist equity income asset manager with offices in Toronto, Canada and London, England. Our investment team utilizes active management to select high-quality, global companies across a variety of sectors and themes. Our product offerings include proven dividend-focused strategies that span real estate, healthcare, innovation, infrastructure, energy, diversified income and more. We offer these solutions in a variety of product types including ETFs, Mutual Funds, Closed-End Funds, Split-Share Funds and Flow-through LPs.

    For further information, please visit our website at www.middlefield.com or contact Nancy Tham in our Sales and Marketing Department at 1.888.890.1868.

    This press release contains forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is based on historical information concerning distributions and dividends paid on the securities of issuers historically included in the portfolio of the Fund. Actual future results, including the amount of distributions paid by the Fund, may differ from the monthly distribution amount. Specifically, the income from which distributions are paid may vary significantly due to: changes in portfolio composition; changes in distributions and dividends paid by issuers of securities included in the Fund’s portfolio from time to time; there being no assurance that those issuers will pay distributions or dividends on their securities; the declaration of distributions and dividends by issuers of securities included in the portfolio will generally depend upon various factors, including the financial condition of each issuer and general economic and stock market conditions; the level of borrowing by the Fund; and the uncertainty of realizing capital gains.  The risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results are described under “Risk Factors” in the Fund’s prospectus and other documents filed by the Fund with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. The forward-looking information contained in this press release constitutes the Fund’s current estimate, as of the date of this press release, with respect to the matters covered hereby. Investors and others should not assume that any forward-looking statement contained in this press release represents the Fund’s estimate as of any date other than the date of this press release.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council sets out plans to raise pupil attainment

    Source: Scotland – City of Perth

    The Council’s Learning and Families Committee approved the Raising Attainment Strategy for 2024-2027 when it met on Wednesday (Oct 23).

    This strategy builds upon the successes of the previous strategy from 2020-2023 and focuses on four main priorities:

    • Improvement in attainment, particularly in literacy and numeracy.
    • Closing the attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged.
    • Improvement in health and wellbeing of children and young people.
    • Enhancement of employability skills and sustained, positive school leaver destinations.

    The strategy employs a range of measures and highlights several key achievements from 2023/24.

    These include 333 more A-C passes being achieved by Perth and Kinross pupils at National 5. The pass rate for National 5s in Perth and Kinross is also higher than both the Scottish average and comparator local authorities.

    Councillors also heard how the poverty-related attainment gap for primary pupils in P1, P4 and P7 has improved by 1% for reading and writing; grown by 1% in listening and talking and remained at the same level for numeracy, compared to last year`s figures.

    Councillors also heard how significant strides have been made in supporting children and young people affected by poverty and those who are care-experienced.

    The Scottish Attainment Challenge Funding Update 2024 highlights targeted improvement activities in literacy, numeracy, and health and wellbeing, aimed at closing the poverty-related attainment gap.

    The report outlines the measures implemented through Strategic Equity Funding (SEF), Pupil Equity Funding (PEF), and Care Experienced Children and Young People’s Funding (CECYPF).

    Learning and Families Convener Councillor John Rebbeck said: “We want every child and young person in Perth and Kinross to have the best start in life, which is why closing the attainment gap is a priority.

    “There have been significant successes made in Perth and Kinross to closing the attainment gap and it is important we recognise that good work.

    “But we will continue to strive to close the gap further and use Pupil Equity Funding, and other sources of funding, appropriately to make this happen.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Medium and emerging private groups tax performance program

    Source: Australian Department of Revenue

    About the program

    We use a risk-based approach to:

    • identify groups with higher risk and consequence tax reporting
    • support them in meeting tax obligations.

    By doing this we strengthen community confidence that they are paying the right amount of tax.

    Information and findings we gather from working with medium and emerging private groups improves our awareness of the population and risk environment. It also complements our development of a range of differentiated response strategies.

    Through the medium and emerging private groups tax performance program, we have improved our knowledge and understanding of:

    • business operating environments
    • tax risks and issues that are present or may be emerging.

    We have learned from our work across the different industries and risks over the past few years. We are well-positioned and capable to respond to existing and emerging risks and issues with effective strategies and tailored activity.

    Who is covered by the program

    The program covers both:

    • private groups linked to Australian resident individuals who, together with their associates, control wealth between $5 million and $50 million
    • businesses with an annual turnover of more than $10 million, that are not public or foreign owned and are not linked to a high wealth private group.

    Our focus is on engaging with:

    • larger and higher risk private groups and entities
    • private groups experiencing rapid growth, increasing foreign links, looking to expand offshore or where controlling individuals are transitioning to retirement
    • foreign investment focused on acquiring high value assets in Australia and structured wealth extraction
    • private groups with higher risk issues or concerns.

    The program doesn’t cover private groups or businesses that are already part of the:

    We use data-matching and analytic models to identify wealthy individuals and link them to associated entities. We consider the group of entities together.

    The private group approach helps us understand your business better. It enables us to provide a tailored experience, including focusing on specific potential areas of risk and entities within the group.

    For more, read about the:

    How we tailor our approach to you

    We continue to improve our understanding of medium and emerging business and the environment within which you operate.

    To support our understanding, we use sophisticated data and analytics techniques. We use intelligence and insights gathered through our engagements to identify trends, priority and emerging risks specific to medium and emerging private groups.

    Through our increased understanding, we tailor our approach and develop strategies to support you to identify and mitigate tax risks within your private group.

    We’ll work with you by:

    Types of engagement you can expect

    Our engagement with you may include:

    • review of areas of correct tax reporting risk specific to your business
    • pre-lodgment compliance agreement for commercial deals and restructure events
    • leveraged engagements for areas of potential risk that are generally more easily resolved.

    We will work with you to resolve any concerns or issues that arise from our risk modelling and analysis of data from:

    Reviews

    We will streamline our engagement with you for simple issues and potential risks. We may require an extensive review for complex matters involving multiple issues and risks.

    Our reviews focus on specific risks and issues. In most cases, we aim to complete our reviews within 180 days.

    Reviews generally focus on issues that can be resolved by getting more information from you. For example, this could be completing a specific action such as lodging an outstanding return or schedule.

    We monitor many potential risks and issues. Some focus areas include:

    • where we have identified income from third-party information attributable to you but did not see this income reported on your tax returns or activity statements
    • where an entity in your group has not lodged tax returns or activity statements resulting in a shortfall of tax paid
    • late or incorrect lodgments of tax returns, schedules or activity statements
    • instances where you do not appear to have enough income to cover your expenses or to acquire the assets that you own
    • inappropriately accessing tax concessions, credits and offsets that you are not entitled to
    • large, one-off, or unusual transactions, including the transfer or shifting of wealth
    • trust structures
    • wealth extraction, including Division 7A, where we seek verification of complying loan agreements, genuine repayments and minimum yearly repayments.

    We encourage and support good tax governance as it helps taxpayers to meet their taxation obligations. However, it’s not a risk factor we consider in the program reviews.

    GST integrated reviews

    We also undertake goods and services tax (GST) integrated reviews as part of the program.

    These reviews consider potential GST risks or issues. We will request information and documentation from you in support of your GST treatment.

    Characteristics of medium and emerging groups

    Medium and emerging groups have certain characteristics and attributes. See more about the:

    Overall demographics

    There are around 273,000 private groups that are part of the program. These groups report holding approximately $3.2 trillion in net assets and contributing more than $61.3 billion in tax revenue.

    A typical medium and emerging group consists of 5 entities with a mix of:

    • companies
    • trusts
    • other entities.

    The profile of a typical medium and emerging group includes:

    • 5 entities consisting of 2 companies, 2 trusts and another entity such as a self-managed super fund
    • individuals
    • a group head aged 63 years old
    • 14 employees
    • total income of $651,000
    • net wealth of $7.9 million
    • income tax of $104,300
    • net GST of $18,200
    • pay as you go (PAYG) withholding of $92,600.

    Typical medium and emerging group

    Groups by location

    The population is mainly located on the east coast (over 84%) and distributed across Australia as follows:

    • New South Wales – 106,519
    • Victoria – 81,984
    • Queensland – 39,213
    • Western Australia – 22,206
    • South Australia – 15,393
    • Australian Capital Territory – 3,583
    • Tasmania – 3,324
    • Northern Territory – 948

    Medium and emerging groups by location

    Groups by entity type

    The program includes more than 1.4 million entities. Group structures may be complex and some groups may have many associated entities.

    There may be a combination of various entity types with companies, partnerships and trust structures operating within and outside of consolidated groups.

    The program includes:

    • 470,453 companies
    • 475,267 individuals
    • 328,870 trusts
    • 151,334 super funds
    • 61,959 partnerships.

    Medium and emerging groups by entity type

    Groups by industry

    A wide range of different industries are represented in the population. The 5 main industries represent more than half of businesses.

    The industries include:

    • financial and insurance services – 26.2%
    • other industries – 22.8%
    • professional, scientific and technical services – 9.5%
    • construction – 6.6%
    • agriculture, forestry and fishing – 6.4%
    • health care and social assistance – 6.3%
    • rental, hiring and real estate services – 5%
    • retail trade – 4.3%
    • wholesale trade – 3.7%
    • manufacturing – 3.4%
    • accommodation and food services – 1.9%
    • transport, postal and warehousing – 1.5%
    • other services – 1.2%
    • administrative and support services – 1.2%

    Medium and emerging groups by industry type

    How much tax they pay

    The population:

    • owns $3.2 trillion in net assets
    • earns $1.10 trillion in total income
    • pays over $61.3 billion income tax
    • pays over $18.9 billion in net GST
    • employs more than 7.5 million people, paying $42.4 billion in PAYG withholding.

    Tax governance and reporting

    Effective tax governance means having oversight frameworks with clear processes and procedures. This supports decision making and ensures you meet your tax and super obligations.

    When we engage with you as part of the medium and emerging program, we don’t consider or review your tax governance processes. However, good tax governance does help support taxpayers to meet their taxation obligations.

    To ensure your risks are mitigated and to improve certainty that the group is paying the right amount, you need:

    • good tax governance
    • internal controls
    • business processes and procedures.

    Clearly defining and documenting the roles and responsibilities within a group and sharing them with advisors is a key governance requirement.

    To ensure correct tax treatment and reporting, it is important to maintain:

    • oversight and independent approval of the preparation of tax returns and BAS
    • segregation of duties with review
    • checking of material transactions.

    Well-designed control systems and reporting frameworks with good governance, checking and review are key to:

    • ensuring accurate treatment
    • record keeping
    • identifying errors or mistakes and correcting them.

    In broad terms a business with a focus on ensuring risk and issue mitigation will apply:

    • well-designed and documented corporate and tax governance frameworks
    • internal controls and compliance practices appropriate to the size and complexity of the business
    • systems that respond to business growth and increasing complexity through improvement in governance focus and sophistication, internal controls, recording and reporting
    • use of automated and integrated business systems that are regularly reviewed for suitability and accurate performance
    • suitably capable and skilled personnel with regular development and ongoing responsibility to understand, manage and report tax obligations
    • segregation of duties across reporting and approval functions
    • regular review and reconciliation of business systems reporting
    • review of the tax treatment of large, unusual and irregular transactions
    • established procedures for monitoring tax reporting and correcting mistakes and errors
    • ensuring that large, unusual and irregular transactions including those between group members and associates, are properly recorded and included in tax returns
    • seeking advice as business grows and for the treatment of new, unusual, one-off and large transactions.

    For more information you can:

    For more support, see:

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The Environment Agency increasing trout and eels in New Forest

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Sea trout and eels can now access more habitats in the New Forest after Environment Agency fits fish pass made from natural materials

    The new fish pass will help sea trout and eels move upstream.

    The Environment Agency has improved access for sea trout and eels in the upper reaches of the New Forest’s Highland Water ecosystem.  

    A bespoke structure has been built to create more favourable conditions for fish to migrate upstream over a wider range of water levels and flows. The fish can now access over 2km of habitat under a greater range of flows.  

    The multi-species fish pass was constructed where the stream passes under the A31 through a culvert onto a weir, which previously made migration more challenging. 

    The new fish pass will greet eels who have travelled 4,000 miles from the north-west Atlantic Ocean.

    Vicky Gravestock, a fisheries officer with the Environment Agency, said:  

    The barrage structures, used to ease migration, have been designed to help both sea trout and eels move upstream over a wider flow range, increasing successful migration. We hope we have played our small part in the lifecycle of these fish by making more habitat available to continue their journey.  

    We had to meet strict standards to deliver these works in the New Forest because it is a protected site. During construction, we used natural materials, which were in keeping with and sympathetic to their surroundings. We were able to use the in-house skills of our wood workshop in Rye, in East Sussex, and then apply the skills of our field team to tailor and fit the structures on site. 

    The success of the project will continue to be assessed as part of the Environment Agency’s fish-monitoring programme in Hampshire, Sussex and on the Isle of Wight, next summer. At the end of this year, the sea trout redds, which are nests created to lay their eggs, will also be counted.   

    Sea trout are known to spawn throughout the New Forest. The fish enter the river system from the Solent, in late spring making the journey upstream to spawn in December. Some of them migrate out to sea as smolts, or young trout, live their adult lives at sea and then return to freshwater to spawn again.  

    Eels spawn in the Sargasso Sea in the north-west Atlantic Ocean. From there, they journey 4,000 miles over two years to Europe. Once they reach freshwater estuaries, they turn into young eels, known as elvers, up to 12cm long and swim up into rivers. Here they can live for up to 20 years, before returning to the Sargasso Sea as mature adults to spawn.

    How it was before the fish pass went in. Conditions were less favourable for migration.

    Background: 

    Contact us:

    Journalists only: 0800 141 2743 or communications_se@environment-agency.gov.uk

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Ministers aim to create ‘top destination for women’s sport investment’

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Four Welsh organisations benefit from a UK government investment scheme as UK Government ministers seek to create a ‘top destination’ for women’s sport.

    Cricket ball next to a boundary rope.

    • Four Welsh organisations benefit from UK government investment scheme as ministers seek to create ‘top destination’ for women’s sport.
    • The Genero Adran Football League, Cardiff Dragons netball team, Celtic Challenge Rugby Union competition and England and Wales Women’s Cricket are all beneficiaries of the scheme.
    • Welsh Secretary says: “It’s really important that the UK Government develops schemes like this to make sure our female sportspeople get the investment they need to achieve success.”

    Four Welsh women’s sport organisations are set for a boost after being named as part of a UK Government scheme to grow investment in elite women’s clubs and leagues as part of a new pledge to make the UK the world’s top destination for women’s sport investment.

    The Department for Business and Trade will today [Wednesday 23rd October] launch the 2024-25 Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator scheme, which will bring over 20 elite leagues, competitions and teams together with investors and industry experts to help them secure transformational investment and sponsorships.

    It will provide them with comprehensive market insights, seminars, connections and networking opportunities over a series of sessions, led by the Department for Business and Trade in collaboration with Deloitte, which will give them the tools and expert insight to help them attract investment and grow their business.

    Elite rightsholders in Wales, the Genero Adran League, Cardiff Dragons, Celtic Challenge and England and Wales Women’s Cricket have been named to take part in the scheme. The announcement will be made at a sport investment conference at Rothschild & Co today, involving leaders from major UK sports and some the world’s most prominent international investors.

    Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, said:

    Wales has a proud history of producing world class female athletes and it’s fantastic to see this scheme being set up to encourage investment in women’s sport and help develop the stars of the future.

    Women’s sport has long been underfunded to it’s really important that the UK Government develops schemes like this to make sure our female sportspeople get the investment they need to achieve success.

    Wales Netball & Cardiff Dragons CEO, Vicki Sutton, said:

    Being part of the Department of Business and Trade and Deloitte Programme for the last year has been incredibly beneficial for netball in Wales and for my development and understanding as a leader in the sports sector.

    Women’s sport is on the rise and this programme has come at exactly the right time to compliment the worldwide movement currently in progress.

    Minister for Investment Poppy Gustafsson said: 

    The UK is already an elite home of women’s sport, and my goal is to make us the top destination for women’s sport investment.  

    The launch of this scheme, a week after our record-breaking International Investment Summit, shows the UK is truly the best place to do business in this fast-growing industry. 

    Off the back of the latest figures showing the industry could be worth over £1 billion this year, I’m looking forward to speaking to investors and clubs, leagues and teams today about how the Accelerator can drive this growth even further.” 

    Deloitte Sports Business Group Lead Partner Tim Bridge said:

    We’re witnessing a surge in investment opportunities within women’s sport. The rise of dedicated funds and brand sponsorships for women’s and girls’ clubs, leagues and competitions signals a powerful shift.

    The Accelerator programme has been built to connect investors and brands with these opportunities, showcasing the strength and remarkable growth potential of women’s sport. This influx of investment will be instrumental in driving professionalisation and boosting participation across the UK, creating a lasting impact for women’s sport at all levels while delivering significant economic returns.

    The scheme will capitalise on the rapid growth of the women’s sport industry, which is expected to be worth over £1 billion by the end of the year according to Deloitte, marking a 300 percent increase since 2021.

    The Government’s pledge to make the UK the top destination for women’s sport investment comes after the record-breaking International Investment Summit held just last week, which secured £63 billion of private investment into the UK which will create over 38,000 new jobs across the country.

    Full list of the elite sports represented in the 2024-25 Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator: 

    • Football 
    • Cricket 
    • Rugby union 
    • Rugby league 
    • Tennis 
    • Golf 
    • Netball 
    • Volleyball 
    • Cycling

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council Cemeteries to revert to winter opening hours

    Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

    Council Cemeteries to revert to winter opening hours

    24 October 2024

    Derry City and Strabane District Council have confirmed that its cemeteries will revert to winter opening hours from Sunday October 26th.
    Cemetery openings will continue at 8am however they will close at the earlier time of 4.30pm until the end of March.
    Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Lilian Seenoi-Barr, encouraged people to spread the word about the winter arrangements.
    “With the darker evenings drawing in and clocks set to go back in the early hours of this Sunday morning our Cemeteries teams will now close the facilities at the earlier time of 4.30am during the winter months,” she said.
    “I’d appreciate if people can spread the word over the coming days, particularly to family and friends who don’t access social and press media so that they can visit the graves of their loved ones before closing time.”
    Council currently operate 10 active cemeteries and 20 closed cemeteries across the city and district.
    The active cemeteries are City Cemetery, Alla Claudy, Ballyoan, Altnagelvin, Aughalane, Ardstraw, Castlederg, Mountcastle, Strabane and Urney.
    Meanwhile, Council have confirmed that repair work on the City Cemetery lower trunk route will be completed by Tuesday October 29th.
    Motorists and pedestrians are advised to expect some minor disruption and to follow the signage while work is completed in the coming days.
    For updates on cemetery services and opening hours visit derrystrabane.com/cemeteries

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Judges bowled over by Jared at The Ultimate Pitch

    Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

    Judges bowled over by Jared at The Ultimate Pitch

    24 October 2024

    Judges were bowled over by local entrepreneur Jared Wilson when he spoke about his business ‘Cricket Jobs Ltd’ during the Derry City and Strabane District heat of Go Succeed: The Ultimate Pitch at the Guildhall.

    This exciting new initiative, backed by the government’s business support service, is aimed at individuals, businesses, and social enterprises across all sectors that have been trading for less than two years.

    A number of local applicants had the opportunity to present their ‘ultimate pitch’ to a panel of experienced judges, but it was Jared Wilson who impressed the most and walked away with a £1,000 prize as well as a year’s hot desk space and 12 months’ membership of the Derry Chamber of Commerce.

    Jared will join the Special Category winners from the Derry/Strabane heat at The Ultimate Pitch Final in Belfast in November. The Special Category Winners are as follows: The Rising Star winner – Clare Hamilton, The Influencer Hub; The Social Inclusion winner – Alannah Kerrigan, Wildflower Weddings; and The Social Enterprise winner – Caroline McGinness Brooks, Repair & Share Foyle.

    A professional cricketer, Jared’s innovative idea revolves around his company ‘Cricket Jobs’ which gives amateur and professional cricketers the opportunity to view playing and job opportunities around the world.

    Reflecting on the success of the local heat of the competition Business Development Manager with Derry City and Strabane District Council, Danielle McNally said: “We were really impressed with the calibre of applicants at the local heat of Go Succeed: The Ultimate Pitch. Our Pitchers had some great ideas which, with the right support, could become sustainable businesses. I would like to thank everyone who took part and to wish Jared, Clare, Alannah and Caroline all the best in the final in Belfast.”

    Anna Doherty, Chief Executive of Derry Chamber of Commerce, was one of the judges at the local heat. She said, “We were delighted to see so many local entrepreneurs coming forward to Pitch to us. Every one of them had obviously put a lot of work into their Pitch and I know many of them will go on to build successful businesses and contribute to our local economy. We at the Chamber of Commerce are delighted to be able to offer Jarad membership for one year and use of a hot desk space – we hope the networking opportunities this will present will help him bolster his future business plans.” 

    Overall winner Jared Wilson was delighted to secure the top prize. He said: “I’m delighted that the judges were impressed with my Pitch. The prize money and support from the Chamber of Commerce will be invaluable in helping to take ‘Cricket Jobs’ to the next level. I am really looking forward to taking part in the Final in Belfast next month and hopefully I can bring The Ultimate Pitch prize back to the North West.”

    Go Succeed (www.go-succeed.com) is funded by the UK Government and delivered by Northern Ireland’s 11 councils. The service supports entrepreneurs, new starts and existing businesses with easy-to-access advice and support including mentoring, master classes, peer networks, access to grant funding and a business plan, at every stage of their growth journey.

    To find out more information about Go Succeed: The Ultimate Pitch, view a full list of terms and conditions, and apply, visit www.go-succeed.com/TheUltimatePitch.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Cegedim: Revenue growth continued in the third quarter of 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

         
     

    PRESS RELEASE

    Quarterly financial information as of September 30, 2024
    IFRS – Regulated information – Not audited

    Cegedim: Revenue growth continued in the third quarter of 2024

    • Revenue of €156.8 million in Q3 2024, up 5.7%
    • Marketing, BPO, HR, and cloud businesses led the way
    • Revenue for the first nine months of 2024 grew 5.9% to €475.8 million

    Boulogne-Billancourt, France, October 24, 2024, after the market close.
    Revenue

      Third quarter Change Q3 2024 / 2023
    in millions of euros 2024 2023
    reclassified(1)    		 Reclassification(1) 2023
    Reported    		 Reported
    vs. reclassified(1)    		 Like for like(2)(3)
    vs. reclassified(1)
    Software & Services 75.6 76.0 -4.8 80.8 -0.5% -4.2%
    Flow 23.7 22.4 -0.4 22.8 5.5% 5.4%
    Data & Marketing 28.2 24.1 0.0 24.1 17.0% 17.1%
    BPO 21.6 19.0 0.0 19.0 13.9% 13.9%
    Cloud & Support 7.7 6.8 +5.2 1.6 12.5% 12.5%
    Cegedim 156.8 148.3 0.0 148.3 5.7% 3.8%
      First 9 months Change 9M 2023 / 2022
    in millions of euros 2024 2023
    reclassified(1)    		 Reclassification(1) 2023
    Reported    		 Reported
    vs. reclassified(1)    		 Like for like(2)(4)
    vs. reclassified(1)
    Software & Services 227.7 226.6 -15.7 242.3 0.5% -2.6%
    Flow 73.2 69.2 -1.8 71.0 5.7% 5.6%
    Data & Marketing 87.5 79.0 0.0 79.0 10.8% 10.8%
    BPO 61.5 51.8 0.0 51.8 18.8% 18.8%
    Cloud & Support 25.8 22.6 +17.5 5.1 13.9% 13.9%
    Cegedim 475.8 449.3 0.0 449.3 5.9% 4.3%

    Cegedim posted consolidated third quarter revenues up 5.7% as reported and 3.8% like for like(2) compared with the same period in 2023. Revenues to end-September rose 5.9% as reported and 4.3% like for like compared with 9M 2023. Marketing, BPO, HR, and cloud businesses all delivered solid growth in the third quarter. As expected, the Software & Services division felt the impact of comparisons with Ségur public health investment spending in 2023 and a slowdown in international sales owing to the decision to refocus the Group’s UK doctor software activities on Scotland.
    Analysis of business trends by division 

    Software & Services

    Software & Services Third quarter Change Q3 2024 / 2023 First 9 months Change 9M 2024 / 2023
    in millions of euros 2024 2023 reclassified(3) Reported vs. reclassified(1) Like for like(2)
    vs.
    reclassified(1)    		 2024 2023
    reclassified(1)    		 Reported vs. reclassified(1) Like for like(2)
    vs.
    reclassified(1)
    Cegedim Santé 20.1 18.6 8.0% -6.2% 58.9 58.4 0.9% -9.8%
    Insurance, HR, Pharmacies,
    and other services    		 42.7 43.9 -2.7% -2.7% 129.5 128.4 0.9% 0.8%
    International businesses 12.8 13.5 -5.0% -6.1% 39.3 39.8 -1.3% -2.8%
    Software & Services 75.6 76.0 -0.5% -4.2% 227.7 226.6 0.5% -2.6%

    Revenues at Cegedim Santé grew 8.0% as reported in the third quarter but fell 6.2% like for like. We did not fully meet our 2024 goal of offsetting last year’s Ségur impact and keeping like-for-like sales stable, but we are closing the gap with each quarter. Reported growth figures include Visiodent as of March 1, 2024. Visiodent’s gradual transition to Cegedim Group products for scheduling, databases, and so on is generating internal sales, which do not appear in the consolidated scope.

    Other French subsidiaries had a challenging quarter, with revenues down 2.7%. We saw positive growth at our insurance businesses, thanks to robust project-based sales, and in HR, which is still getting a boost from its client diversification strategy. Conversely, the €2 million in Ségur public health investment subsidies we recorded in Q3 2023 made for a demanding comparison in the pharmacy business, where equipment sales also flagged after accelerating last year.

    Internationally, revenues from software sales to UK doctors declined, as expected, following the decision to refocus the activity on Scotland.

    Flow

    Flow Third quarter Change Q3 2024 / 2023 First 9 months Change 9M 2024 / 2023
    in millions of euros 2024 2023
    reclassified(1)    		 Reported vs. reclassified(1) Like for like(2)
    vs. reclassified(1)    		 2024 2023 reclassified(1) Reported vs. reclassified(1) Like for like(2)
    vs. reclassified(1)
    e-business 13.5 13.5 -0.2% -0.4% 43.5 41.3 5.1% 4.8%
    Third-party payer 10.2 8.9 14.3% 14.3% 29.7 27.9 6.7% 6.7%
    Flow 23.7 22.4 5.5% 5.4% 73.2 69.2 5.7% 5.6%

    Third-quarter growth in e-business, e-invoicing, and digitized data exchanges was nearly flat, at -0.2%. Healthcare flows offset a relative slowdown in the Invoicing & Procurement segment, which last year enjoyed sustained growth in France ahead of the e-invoicing reform scheduled to take effect July 1, 2024, but which has since been postponed to September 2026.

    The digital data flow business dealing with reimbursement of healthcare payments in France (Third-party payer) experienced 14.3% yoy growth in Q3. It was boosted by strong growth in demand for its fraud and long-term illness detection offerings.

    Data & Marketing

    Data & Marketing Third quarter Change Q3 2024 / 2023 First 9 months Change 9M 2024 / 2023
    in millions of euros 2024 2023 reclassified(1) Reported vs. reclassified(1) Like for like(2)
    vs. reclassified(1)    		 2024 2023 reclassified(1) Reported vs. reclassified(1) Like for like(2)
    vs. reclassified(1)
    Data 15.1 14.6 3.4% 3.4% 43.1 43.4 -0.7% -0.7%
    Marketing 13.1 9.5 38.0% 38.0% 44.4 35.6 24.8% 24.8%
    Data & Marketing 28.2 24.1 17.0% 17.1% 87.5 79.0 10.8% 10.8%

    Data business posted 3.4% yoy growth in the third quarter, resulting in nearly stable growth over nine months. Growth was led by French sales, which were more dynamic than international sales.

    The Marketing segment had a record third quarter, up 38% owing to special ad campaigns during the Olympics. The rising popularity of our phygital media offerings in pharmacies helped the segment post 24.8% growth over the first nine months.

    BPO

    BPO Third quarter Change Q3 2024 / 2023 First 9 months Change 9M 2024 / 2023
    in millions of euros 2024 2023 reclassified(1) Reported vs. reclassified(1) Like for like(2)
    vs. reclassified(1)    		 2024 2023 reclassified(1) Reported vs. reclassified(1) Like for like(2)
    vs. reclassified
    Insurance BPO 15.9 13.8 15.7% 15.7% 44.6 35.9 24.2% 24.2%
    Business Services BPO 5.7 5.2 +9.2% +9.2% 16.9 15.9 6.5% 6.5%
    BPO 21.6 19.0 13.9% 13.9% 61.5 51.8 18.8% 18.8%

    The Insurance BPO business grew by more than 15.7% over the third quarter, chiefly owing to its overflow business, which has been flourishing since the start of the year. Growth over nine months amounted to 24.2%, partly thanks to a favorable comparison stemming from the April 1, 2023, launch of the Allianz contract.

    Business Services BPO (HR and digitalization) continues to report strong growth, up 9.2% yoy over the quarter on the back of a popular compliance offering and new clients.

    Cloud & Support

    Cloud & Support Third quarter Change Q3 2024 / 2023 First 9 months Change 9M 2024 / 2023
    in millions of euros 2024 2023
    reclassified(4)    		 Reported vs. reclassified(1) Like for like(2)
    vs.
    reclassified(1)    		 2024 2023
    reclassified(1)    		 Reported vs. reclassified(1) Like for like(2)
    vs.
    reclassified(1)
    Cloud & Support 7.7 6.8 12.5% 12.5% 25.8 22.6 13.9% 13.9%

    The Cloud & Support division’s trajectory continued over the third quarter, with growth of 12.5% reflecting our expanded range of sovereign cloud-backed products and services.

    Highlights

    Apart from the items cited below, to the best of the company’s knowledge, there were no events or changes during Q3 2024 that would materially alter the Group’s financial situation.

    • New financing arrangement

    On July 31, 2024, Cegedim announced that it had secured a new financing arrangement consisting of a €230 million syndicated loan. The arrangement is split into €180 million of lines drawn upon closing to refinance the Group’s existing debt (RCF and Euro PP, which were to mature in October 2024 and October 2025 respectively) and an additional, undrawn revolving credit facility (RCF) of €50 million. This new financing arrangement will bolster the Group’s liquidity and extend the maturity of its debt to, respectively, 5 years (€30 million, payments every six months); 6 years (€60 million, repayable upon maturity); and 7 years (€90 million, repayable upon maturity).

    Significant transactions and events post September 30, 2024

    To the best of the company’s knowledge, there were no post-closing events or changes after September 30, 2024, that would materially alter the Group’s financial situation.

    Outlook

    Based on the currently available information, the Group expects 2024 like-for-like revenue(1) growth to be towards the lower end of the 5-8% range relative to 2023. That said, we still expect recurring operating income to continue to improve.
    These targets are not forecasts and may need to be revised if there is a significant worsening of geopolitical, macroeconomic, or currency risks.

    —————

    Webcast on October 24, 2024, at 6:15 pm (Paris time)
    The webcast is available at: www.cegedim.fr/webcast
     

    The Q3 2024 revenue presentation is available here:
    https://www.cegedim.fr/documentation/Pages/presentation.aspx

    Financial calendar:

    2025 January 29 after the close

    March 27 after the close

    March 28 at 10:00 am

    April 24 after the close

    June 13 at 9:30

    July 24 after the close

    September 25 after the close

    September 26 at 10:00 am

    October 23 after the close

    		 2024 revenue

    2024 results

    SFAF meeting

    Q1 2025 revenue

    Shareholders’ general meeting

    H1 2025 revenue

    H1 2025 results

    SFAF meeting

    Q3 2025 revenue

    Financial calendar: https://www.cegedim.fr/finance/agenda/Pages/default.aspx

    Disclaimer
    This press release is available in French and in English. In the event of any difference between the two versions, the original French version takes precedence. This press release may contain inside information. It was sent to Cegedim’s authorized distributor on October 24, 2024, no earlier than 5:45 pm Paris time.
    The figures cited in this press release include guidance on Cegedim’s future financial performance targets. This forward-looking information is based on the opinions and assumptions of the Group’s senior management at the time this press release is issued and naturally entails risks and uncertainty. For more information on the risks facing Cegedim, please refer to Chapter 7, “Risk management”, section 7.2, “Risk factors and insurance”, and Chapter 3, “Overview of the financial year”, section 3.6, “Outlook”, of the 2023 Universal Registration Document filled with the AMF on April 3, 2024, under number D.24-0233.

    About Cegedim:
    Founded in 1969, Cegedim is an innovative technology and services group in the field of digital data flow management for healthcare ecosystems and B2B, and a business software publisher for healthcare and insurance professionals. Cegedim employs more than 6,500 people in more than 10 countries and generated revenue of €616 million in 2023.
    Cegedim SA is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: CGM).
    To learn more please visit: www.cegedim.fr
    And follow Cegedim on X: @CegedimGroup, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

    Aude Balleydier
    Cegedim
    Media Relations
    and Communications Manager

    Tel.: +33 (0)1 49 09 68 81
    aude.balleydier@cegedim.fr

    		 Damien Buffet
    Cegedim
    Head of Financial
    Communication

    Tel.: +33 (0)7 64 63 55 73
    damien.buffet@cegedim.com

    		 Céline Pardo
    Becoming RP Agency
    Media Relations Consultant

    Tel.:        +33 (0)6 52 08 13 66
    cegedim@becoming-group.com

    		  

    Annexes

    Breakdown of revenue by quarter and division

    Year 2024

    In € million   Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Total
    Software & Services   74.3 77.8 75.6   227.7
    Flow   25.3 24.2 23.7   73.2
    Data & Marketing   27.0 32.3 28.2   87.5
    BPO   20.2 19.7 21.6   61.5
    Cloud & Support   9.0 9.1 7.7   25.8
    Group revenue   155.9 163.1 156.8   475.8

    Year 2023

    In € million   Q1
    reclassified    		 Q2
    reclassified    		 Q3

    reclassified

    		 Q4
    reclassified    		 Total
    reclassified
    Software & Services   74.4 76.2 76.0   226.6
    Flow   24.0 22.8 22.4   69.2
    Data & Marketing   24.6 30.3 24.1   79.0
    BPO   14.4 18.4 19.0   51.8
    Cloud & Support   8.4 7.4 6.8   22.6
    Group revenue   145.9 155.1 148.3   449.4

    Breakdown of revenue by geographic zone, currency and division at September 30, 2024

    as a % of consolidated revenues   Geographic zone   Currency
      France EMEA
    ex. France    		 Americas   Euro GBP Other
    Software & Services   82.8% 17.1% 0.1%   86.2% 12.0% 1.7%
    Flow   91.9% 8.1% 0.0%   94.5% 5.5% 0.0%
    Data & Marketing   97.9% 2.1% 0.0%   98.0% 0.0% 2.0%
    BPO   100.0% 0.0% 0.0%   100.0% 0.0% 0.0%
    Cloud & Support   99.9% 0.1% 0.0%   100.0% 0.0% 0.0%
    Cegedim   90.1% 9.8% 0.1%   92.2% 6.6% 1.2%

    1As of January 1, 2024, our Cegedim Outsourcing and Audiprint subsidiaries—which were previously housed in the Software & Services division—as well as BSV—formerly of the Flow division—have been moved to the Cloud & Support division in order to capitalize on operating synergies between cloud activities and IT solutions integration.

    2At constant scope and exchange rates. The positive currency impact of 0.2% was mainly due to the pound sterling. The positive scope effect of 1.8% was attributable to the first-time consolidation in Cegedim’s accounts of Visiodent starting March 1, 2024.The positive currency impact of 0.1% was mainly due to the pound sterling. The positive scope effect of 1.4% was attributable to the first-time consolidation in Cegedim’s accounts of Visiodent starting March 1, 2024.

    3To take advantage of synergies, Cegedim Outsourcing, Audiprint, and BSV have been reassigned to the Cloud & Support division.At constant scope and exchange rates.

    4To take advantage of synergies, Cegedim Outsourcing, Audiprint, and BSV have been reassigned to the Cloud & Support division.At constant scope and exchange rates.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –