NewzIntel.com

Category: United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Companies House publishes first strategic intelligence assessment

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Analysis aims to help agency’s understanding of the key threats and guide approach to tackling them  

    Companies House has today published its first ever strategic intelligence assessment as the agency steps up its work to help tackle economic crime. 

    The strategic intelligence assessment gives an in-depth analysis of the key threats Companies House faces. It’ll guide future prioritisation, decision making, risk identification and mitigation.

    The assessment will be followed by a new control strategy, which will outline recommendations and action plans.  

    As part of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, the company registrars for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland now have new and enhanced powers.  

    These include the power to proactively share data with other government departments and law enforcement agencies. 

    In her foreword to the assessment, Companies House chief executive Louise Smyth said: 

    “I am pleased to introduce our first ever strategic intelligence assessment. This marks one of the major steps forward for the changes underway at Companies House.  

    “The assessment forms part of our work to more closely align to the National Intelligence Model and will underpin the work of our new and expanding Intelligence team.  

    “I’d like to thank our strategic partners for their valued insights, which have been used to shape our assessment and are helping us to continue our integration into the wider economic crime ecosystem.”

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Uganda commemorates the International Day for the Girl

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Peace Harriet Elly from Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement, anchors ‘Girls takeovers’ initiative at the British High Commission Kampala in partnership with Plan Uganda.

    Deputy British High Commissioner to Uganda, Tiffany Kirlew poses with Peace Harriet Elly and Alim Daudut both Girls rights champions from Bidi Bidi refugee settlement and Phoebe Kasoga, the Plan International Country Director at the International Day of the Girl event,

    ‘Girls takeovers’ is an initiative of Plan International where girls are supported to work with senior leaders, particularly women from a range of sectors. It is intended to inspire girls to pursue their career goals and life aspirations albeit persisting socio-cultural and economic structural barriers. These individually tailored takeovers are created to have lasting impact for both the participating young girls and senior leaders to continue championing gender equality in workplaces. British High Commission Kampala has partnered with Plan International Uganda to host one of the ‘Girls Takeovers’ organised this year.

    As she assumed office of the Deputy High Commissioner in Uganda, Peace noted that refugee girls and girls living in conflict and post conflict areas face multiple deprivations including personal insecurity, poverty, hunger, school dropout inextricably linked to gender based and sexual violence, forced and child marriages and high teenage pregnancy among others.

    Peace however was grateful for such interventions as one delivered by Plan International Uganda which emboldens young girls to stand up to abuses, provide peer support amongst themselves and pursue their dreams.

    Peace Elly who arrived in Uganda together with her family 11 years ago completed her senior six in 2023. She scored 11 points having offered mathematics, physics, entrepreneurship and Computer. She has hopes of joining university soon to pursue her dream of becoming Information Technology Expert. Peace is an active champion of girls’ rights in her community. She is one the beneficiaries of a project implemented by Plan International Uganda with funding from the global programme ‘Education cannot Wait’ focusing on quality, safe and inclusive education in refugee and host districts in Uganda. The programme is geared towards Improving equitable and inclusive access to relevant learning opportunities; strengthening systems for effective delivery; and improving quality of education and training. The UK contributes over 25% of the total budget of the ECW programme globally.

    Peace noted that taking over office of the Deputy British High Commissioner is one of the symbols that girls in conflict still have a chance to utilise respective spaces to speak up on issues affecting them and to create a better world such as addressing insecurity, lack of access safe education, health services, basic needs and stability. 

    She said:

    Conflict threatens our future, but it does not take away our resilience or our hope. Today I am privileged to hold the flag not only for myself but also for the millions of girls around the world who are experiencing the same hardships and to remind the world of our strength and potential to change the world.

    Tiffany Kirlew, the British Deputy High Commissioner said:

    It’s been a privilege spending the day with Peace, and for her to be inspired by the work that senior female diplomats do. My message to her and to other girls is, live your full potential, never let your situation or circumstance define you.  I am hopeful that this experience today will demonstrate that girls have the potential to be anything they want to be, and that roadblocks can just be a mindset.

    Peace called upon Government and agencies like British High Commission who are at the centre of driving humanitarian agenda to:

    • support young girls in every community, in the schools, families and anywhere to rise and speak up and defend their rights to achieve their dreams
    • create safe environments for girls and boys by educating parents on child development
    • provide quality education and life skills for girls

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Baby Week comes to York

    Source: City of York

    Published Wednesday, 23 October 2024

    Baby Week is coming to York for the first time this November (14 – 20 November).

    The national initiative celebrates services working with young families and raises awareness of the importance of early childhood.

    As a host city, York will celebrate the work of local maternity and early years services, helping to give every baby the best start in life.

    Organised by Raise York (York’s Family Hub Network) and local health services, parents and carers across the city will be able to find out more about the amazing range of services available to young children and their families. 

    Local events and activities include storytime and stay and play events, under 3’s gym class, a free online baby first aid course and a nearly new sale of children’s toys and clothes.

    Cllr Bob Webb, the council’s Executive Member for Children and Young People, said:

    We know that what happens during the first few months of a child’s life can shape their whole future, so helping parents and carers to nurture their baby’s development during this critical time is really important.

    “By becoming a host city for national Baby Week, we hope to showcase the wide variety of activities, local support and advice available for parents to be and new parents in York, as well as celebrating the amazing work health and early years professionals do across the city.”

    To find out more about what’s happening locally for Baby Week visit the Baby Week website.

    Organisers can add their own events to the programme by visiting the Baby Week website.

    For more information about support for children and families please visit the Raise York website.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Plaid Cymru demand fairness for Wales in Autumn Statement

    Source: Party of Wales

    Plaid Cymru call on the Labour Welsh Government to put pressure on the UK Labour Government to ensure five key asks are included in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement.

    Today (Wednesday 23 October 2024) Plaid Cymru will call on the Labour Welsh Government to put pressure on the UK Labour Government to ensure five key asks are included in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement.

    Plaid Cymru will call for:

    • HS2 to be re-classified as an England-only project, and for Wales to receive the £4 billion it is due from the project.
    • Fair funding for Wales – replacing the Barnett Formula with a needs-based formula that prioritises the needs of the people of Wales
    • Devolution of the Crown Estate to Wales, as has happened in Scotland.
    • An end to the two-child benefit cap which forces thousands of children into poverty in Wales.
    • Restoration of the Winter Fuel Payment.

    Plaid Cymru finance spokesperson, Heledd Fychan MS said:

    “For years in the run up to the UK General election, we were promised that things would be better once we had a UK Labour government. But this so-called ‘partnership in power’ hasn’t yet delivered for Wales.

    “Labour in the Senedd used to agree with Plaid Cymru on HS2 reclassification and the £4bn owed to us in consequential; on replacing Barnett; and on the devolution of the crown estate. But evidently, they are not able to persuade their London bosses on any of these matters.

    “In fact, on HS2, the Welsh Government claim to be making the case for HS2 cash, but only a few hundred million rather than the billions they were previously calling for.”

    She continued:

    “While Welsh pensioners are terrified that they won’t be able to heat their homes this winter; while a third of Welsh children are living in poverty; and while Wales is being robbed of billions of pounds in funding, Welsh Labour are happy enough staying quiet, putting party before country.

    “Our calls today represent the necessary steps towards securing fairness for Wales and the funding owed to us. Plaid Cymru is clear – Labour must now deliver on the promises made to the people of Wales!”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Joint statement on the human rights situation in Xinjiang and Tibet

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Joint statement delivered by Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Lithuania, Kingdom of the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom and the United States of America in the UN Third Committee General Discussion.

    Location:
    United Nations, New York
    Delivered on:
    (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

    I have the honour of delivering this joint statement on behalf of Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Lithuania, Kingdom of the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America, and my own country, Australia.

    These countries are all committed to universal human rights and have ongoing concerns about serious human rights violations in China.

    Two years ago, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ assessment on Xinjiang concluded that serious human rights violations had been committed in Xinjiang, and that the scale of the arbitrary and discriminatory detention of Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities in Xinjiang “may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity”. 

    Subsequently, United Nations Treaty Bodies have taken similar views and made similar recommendations, including the CERD in November 2022 through its concluding observations and Urgent Action Decision on Xinjiang; and the CRPD, CESCR and CEDAW in their September 2022, March 2023 and May 2023 Concluding Observations.

     The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has issued communications concerning multiple cases of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances, and over 20 Special Procedure Mandate Holders have expressed concern about systemic human rights violations in Xinjiang.

    Relying extensively on China’s own records, these comprehensive findings and recommendations by independent human rights experts from all geographic regions detail evidence of large-scale arbitrary detention, family separation, enforced disappearances and forced labour, systematic surveillance on the basis of religion and ethnicity; severe and undue restrictions on cultural, religious, and linguistic identity and expression; torture and sexual and gender-based violence, including forced abortion and sterilisation; and the destruction of religious and cultural sites. 

    China has had many opportunities to meaningfully address the UN’s well-founded concerns.

    Instead, China labelled the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ assessment as “illegal and void” during its Universal Periodic Review adoption in July.

    According to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ statement in August, the problematic laws and policies in Xinjiang continue to remain in place. The statement again called on China to undertake a full review, from the human rights perspective, of the legal framework governing national security and counterterrorism.

    Chair, as with our concerns for the situation in Xinjiang, we are also seriously concerned about credible reports detailing human rights abuses in Tibet.  

    United Nations Human Rights Treaty Bodies and United Nations Special Procedures have detailed the detention of Tibetans for the peaceful expression of political views; restrictions on travel; coercive labour arrangements; separation of children from families in boarding schools; and erosion of linguistic, cultural, educational and religious rights and freedoms in Tibet.

    We urge China to uphold the international human rights obligations that it has voluntarily assumed, and to implement all UN recommendations including from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ assessment, Treaty Bodies and other United Nations human rights mechanisms.

    This includes releasing all individuals arbitrarily detained in both Xinjiang and Tibet, and urgently clarifying the fate and whereabouts of missing family members.

    Transparency and openness are key to allaying concerns, and we call on China to allow unfettered and meaningful access to Xinjiang and Tibet for independent observers, including from the United Nations, to evaluate the human rights situation.

    No country has a perfect human rights record, but no country is above fair scrutiny of its human rights obligations.

    It is incumbent on all of us not to undermine international human rights commitments that benefit us all, and for which all states are accountable.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ACMD advice on reform to hemp licensing fees

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs responds to the government on their proposal to amend the licensing regimen for industrial hemp.

    Documents

    ACMD advice on reform to hemp licensing fee (accessible)

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    ACMD advice on reform to hemp licensing fee

    PDF, 207 KB, 5 pages

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    Request an accessible format.
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    Details

    On 9 April 2024 the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) was commissioned to provide advice on a proposal to amend the licensing regimen for industrial hemp.

    The ACMD is supportive of the proposed change to increase the maximum THC content of industrial hemp grown outdoors for seed production or in order to use the non-controlled parts of the plant to produce fibre for use in the construction and textile industries from 0.2% to 0.3%, as the potential benefits outweigh an increased risk of harms.

    The ACMD recommends the Home Office to conduct an assessment of the impact of the legislative change after 2 years. The ACMD foresees no issues with applying the lower fee of £580 to a raised level of THC not exceeding 0.3%, to align with other international examples.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 October 2024

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    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: MHCLG appoints Mo Baines as MHCLG Lead Non-Executive Director 

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Mo Baines confirmed as new Lead Non-Executive Director of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. 

    The Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, has today confirmed that Mo Baines will join the Board of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) as Lead Non-Executive Director (NED) for a one-year term, taking effect from 21st October. 

    Mo Baines is an expert in public policy and local government, with a particular interest in service delivery models, local government finance and research.  She is currently Chief Executive at the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE), and visiting professor at the University of Staffordshire’s Centre for Business, Innovation and the Regions. 

    The Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner said: 

    “I’m delighted that Mo will be joining the MHCLG Board. Her knowledge and experience of how local government and public services operate will inform the work and direction of the department, and I look forward to working with her to drive forward our ambitious agenda over the next year.” 

    MHCLG Lead Non-Executive Director, Mo Baines said: 

    “I’m honoured to be joining the Department at this time to deliver such an important, challenging and exciting agenda. I look forward to working with the skilled and dedicated team of colleagues from across MHCLG, and wider partners within and across the local government, housing and communities sector.” 

    For more information:

    About Mo Baines

    Mo Baines joined the Board of the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government in October 2024. 

    Mo has extensive experience of working in public policy and local government, with a particular background in service delivery models, local government finance and research.  She is the Chief Executive at the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) and visiting professor at the University of Staffordshire’s Centre for Business, Innovation and the Regions. 

    Mo has served in a number of other public sector roles over the course of her career, including as Head of Communications and Deputy Chief Executive of APSE, prior to her appointment as Chief Executive. Mo has authored and contributed to a number of public policy research papers and publications on service delivery and insourcing, housing and planning, workforce matters and local government finance. Mo has throughout her career worked closely with public sector trade unions, local councils and councillors across the UK and is passionate about the value of local government services to communities. 

    About the MHCLG Board 

    The Departmental Board is chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, and comprises all junior ministers, senior officials, the Lead Non-Executive and non-executive board members (appointed by the Deputy Prime Minister in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines).  The board meets quarterly, with overarching responsibility for departmental performance and delivery. 

    The Board provides overall leadership for the department’s business, as well as advice, support and challenge on the delivery and performance of key policy areas and programmes against priority outcomes.   

    About the appointment process  

    The Deputy Prime Minister has undertaken this appointment on an interim basis without competition in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments and following consultation with the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The appointment will now ensure that there is NED representation at the first Ministerial Board in November. A competitive recruitment for all other permanent NEDs will take place within the next year and a competitive recruitment for the Lead NED will run once these are in place.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Cyber Essentials 10 years on

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A speech by cyber security Minister Feryal Clark at the 10 year anniversary event for the Cyber Essentials scheme.

    Location:
    Cholmondeley Room, House of Lords, London.
    Delivered on:
    (Original script, may differ from delivered version)

    See also:

    Good afternoon everyone.  

    Thank you for joining us to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of Cyber Essentials.  

    What an occasion. I’m very excited to be here with all of you today.   

    It’s important we take time to recognise and reflect on the success of Cyber Essentials – and how it plays an important part in making the UK more cyber resilient.  

    Two years ago the government hosted a similar event to mark the award of the one hundred thousandth Cyber Essentials certificate. This represented a significant moment in the growth of the scheme. 

    Since then, we’ve awarded almost ninety thousand more – so it looks like we may have to host yet another celebratory event in a few months time!  

    It is great to see the rapid growth in the scheme, and I firmly believe that with your help, its growth can be accelerated and its impact further reaching.  

    Now – we are often asked about how effective the scheme is.  

    We have always believed Cyber Essentials helps drive better cyber security across the economy.  

    However, we can now prove that it does.  

    Recent insurance data shows us that organisations with Cyber Essentials are 92% less likely to make a claim on their insurance than those without it.  

    Additionally, where organisations require their third parties to get Cyber Essentials, we know they experience fewer third party cyber incidents.  

    We’ll discuss this later in the panel discussion.  

    In short, Cyber Essentials is working. 

    The government has made a concerted effort over the past couple of years to assess the efficacy of the scheme.  

    Today, we have published an [independent impact evaluation report](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cyber-essentials-scheme-impact-evaluation, which I encourage you all to read.  

    It provides fascinating insights into the impact Cyber Essentials is having in many different areas. 

    The evaluation concludes that Cyber Essentials is providing cyber security protection to organisations of all sizes.  

    82% of certified organisations are confident the controls provide protection against common cyber threats.  

    It further concludes that Cyber Essentials is improving organisations’ awareness and understanding of the cyber security risk environment, enabling them to become more informed and confident in mitigating cyber risks.  

    We know it works, and we now need more organisations to embed the Cyber Essentials controls and grasp the economic benefits of secure digital adoption. 

    I’d now like to talk about supply chains.  

    All organisations face cyber security risks, and will benefit from getting the Cyber Essentials controls in place.  

    However, long gone is the time when protecting your own perimeter was sufficient. Supply chain attacks are increasing in prevalence, and their impact can be far reaching. 

    For example, the recent cyber attack on IT provider Synnovis had a devastating impact on London hospitals, with many thousands of appointments and operations cancelled.  

    We know many organisations across the economy are struggling to manage the cyber security risk presented by suppliers.  

    This is clearly reflected in the fact that just 6% of UK businesses are assessing cyber risks in their wider supply chain. 

    This is simply too low and presents a concerning scenario.  

    Supply chain attacks are increasing, while limited efforts are being made to address this increased risk.  

    We know it is difficult – it requires skill and valuable resources to do effectively.  

    Against this backdrop, we firmly believe Cyber Essentials has a more important role to play.  

    By requiring suppliers, or other third parties, to have Cyber Essentials themselves, customers gain tangible assurance that fundamental cyber security controls are in place, and they are protected from common cyber attacks.  

    Such assurance is no longer a ‘nice to have’ – it’s a necessity. Embedding Cyber Essentials requirements across supply chains will drive up the cyber maturity of our whole economy. 

    This is a real priority for me.  

    Which is why I’m pleased to announce that my department and the National Cyber Security Centre today published a joint statement with the UK’s largest banks and building societies. These include Santander UK, Nationwide, Barclays, Lloyds Banking Group, TSB and NatWest.  

    I thank them all for their efforts.  

    This collaboration aims to raise the levels of cyber security in critical national supply chains by exploring ways to expand the role of Cyber Essentials within their supplier assurance processes.  

    We will hear more about this shortly, but I wanted to make clear my enthusiasm and support for this collaboration, which we hope to replicate with other sectors across the economy. 

    On that note, I wanted to end with a request.  

    This new government is determined to make the UK safer, more secure and prosperous. To that end, we want to work with you, to partner with you, in raising the cyber security baseline across our economy.  

    We are taking huge strides to improve the cyber resilience of the UK, including through the forthcoming Cyber Security and Resilience Bill. The Bill will have a significant impact on enhancing the cyber resilience of the UK.  

    However, the proposed legislation must be complemented by other efforts to improve cyber security across the wider economy.  

    We must do this together.  

    Many of those in attendance today represent large, influential organisations with large supply chains.  

    I invite you all to join us on the journey to embed Cyber Essentials across the UK, by incorporating it within your own supplier requirements.  

    As you do this, we will do our utmost to ensure all organisations, especially SMEs, are supported in their efforts to become certified.  

    Together we can make a huge difference in reducing the economic and social harm impacting our businesses and citizens.  

    Thank you for being here and supporting us today. We look forward to closer collaboration in the future. 

    Thank you. 

    [ends]

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Change happens – and why central banks care

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    It is a great pleasure for me to join you today. Many thanks to the staff at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia for the invitation. 1

    BIS Innovation Hub

    Today I want to talk about change and central banks. But before I begin, allow me to briefly introduce the BIS Innovation Hub. The Bank for International Settlements supports central banks in their pursuit of monetary and financial stability by fostering international cooperation. The Innovation Hub was created five years ago and can be described as a joint venture between the BIS and the central banks who host our seven centres. The Innovation Hub has almost 100 people working together across the world. Our mandate is to follow and explore new technology and, when suitable, develop public goods. And to do that we research technologies and challenges that matter to central banks by building proofs of concept or prototypes. In more than 30 projects to date, we have collaborated with central banks and other partners to demonstrate the art of the possible. Currently, tokenisation and artificial intelligence are important areas for us, where we have multiple projects under way. Another crucial area is ensuring the integrity and safety in the financial system by exploring possible improvements to services like payments. Again, we aim to demonstrate the art of the possible. Adopting some of the technologies or implementing the outcomes of our projects is not up to us. Ultimately, countries’ authorities decide what becomes reality in their jurisdictions.

    So why am I here? Well, when I was asked to join you here at the Philadelphia Fed, I immediately said yes. Maybe too fast, because the organisers kept asking me what I wanted to announce. I had to disappoint them. This is not a public service announcement. I am not trying to sell you anything. What I want to do in the next 10 minutes is explain why central banks care about change and innovation – and why that matters to us all.  

    Technology and change

    Let me start with innovation and change, for which I will look to Adam Smith. Who better? The Wealth of Nations was published about 250 years ago. And Adam Smith uses the example of moving goods by road or by ship. Canal companies were the big techs of the day. They could move things faster and cheaper, and only the most niche products chose the horse and cart. Yet 100 years later, the transport network and – by extension the industrial capacity of Britain – was totally unrecognisable.

    What changed? In that time, railways happened. Or more accurately, innovation changed how railways were used. There were railways when Adam Smith was writing. But they were small, private and horse-drawn. He did not even mention them as a contender to roads and ships. But 50 years of innovation in steam engines – to make them smaller, faster and more efficient – would make railways far superior to canals. Following some smaller private railways, the first public railway – from Liverpool to Manchester – opened in 1830. At that time, there were about 125 miles of railways in England. Over the next 40 years, this grew to 13,000 miles. Canals were dead in the water.

    Was the change smooth, clearly predictable and always rational and obvious? No. Was it just the technology advantages that catalysed the change? No. It was many things. Financial innovations meant that investments in railways were easier. Yet this also created a financial bubble. Early safety regulations reassured a sceptical public – but not before some terrible accidents. Competition drove further innovation but resulted in a grossly inefficient network. When agreement on a standardised width of railway gauge was eventually brokered, network effects could be enhanced. The standard adopted was George Stephenson’s 4 feet, 8 1⁄2 inches, which spread across England and internationally. I have been told the United States uses it too.

    But why am I telling you a story about something that happened in England hundreds of years ago? Well first, I enjoy history. But second, because it is a great example of how technologies change. Do you see any parallels with today? Railways did not just “win” overnight. They were initially less efficient than canals. Canal owners saw the threat and organised resistance. Yet railways improved faster than canals could – at least once steam engines became technologically and commercially viable. Investment played a significant role in this. So, at times, did safety regulations and politics. There were battles about which standards should be used. And importantly, change driven by technology and innovation is not an elegant dance. It is a race and a tussle and sometimes a mess.

    To really make the point, allow me one more historical example closer to home. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York recently published an article about when securities markets scrapped paper in the 1960s and ’70s. At that time, IBM and Honeywell were in a race to develop more powerful computers. And stockbrokers were racing one another to use them for competitive advantage. The winners of that race went on to dominate securities markets for decades because they bought out the failing houses that could not operate their computers as effectively. And the digital infrastructures they created, based on the paper processes before them, are the ones we use now. And they are the same infrastructures now experimenting with tokenisation and are maybe on the cusp of another change.

    Understanding change

    How do industries and society manage these huge changes? Almost all industries have regulations of various kinds to ensure safety, competition and transparency – standards with a large or small “s” that are adhered to. Yet finance has something that planes, trains and automobiles do not. Finance has central banks. And why do they care about innovation and change?

    First, for monetary analysis. For central banks to set interest rates to stabilise prices they have to understand the economy. The data collection and analysis of credit, demand, output, supply, costs, prices and labour markets all roll up to into determining monetary policy. And innovation can have a huge impact. AI is an obvious example. But digitalisation more broadly has had and will continue to have a fundamental impact on the global economy. For effective policymaking, central banks need to understand where things are heading. So they must follow and explore innovation and its implications. 

    Second, central banks care about innovation because of their oversight role. For prudential supervision of banks and market infrastructure, it is necessary to understand how technology is being used and the effect of any large changes. Financial stability analyses are increasingly concerned with how financial and operational risks interact. Technology is a significant variable in that analysis.

    Third, central banks do not just think; within their mandate, they act. To deliver on their monetary policy objectives, they decide where interest rates need to be. And then they act through their market operations to make that happen. Central banks want safe settlement and so they offer it – by operating payment systems to safely and reliably move substantial amounts of money every day. And they provide banknotes.

    It is because central banks act that they are really part of any change – not on the sidelines or just observing, but really involved. As part of the financial ecosystem, central banks offer settlement in central bank money, which is the safest settlement asset possible and a pillar of a stable and robust financial system. And this is what makes them so different from a regulator in any other space. To put it very simply, if central banks think technology is changing, they need to consider and adapt as well. And they need to change operations and systems that require the highest possible resilience from cyber threats and operational risk. That puts a very different slant on any decision and perhaps adds some caution. It might also add some practicality. And importantly for an economist, it gives central banks skin in the technology game – and the right incentives.

    Incentives matter. Trust in money is grounded on two things. The first is the central bank’s monetary policy framework and operational independence. The second is the competence to carry out its role. And that competence increasingly means the ability to use technology better. To do that we experiment. We collaborate. We get involved. But our role is not to win or to profit or to tell the private sector how to run their business. The private sector will always know what customers need and want better than the public sector. But it is also important to have the public sector involved, with public policy objectives such as stability, safety, interoperability and compliance.

    BIS and international cooperation

    To close I want to talk about how these themes of technology, change and incentives play out internationally. Central banks are different from one another. But I have spoken for almost 10 minutes about their interests and incentives as a homogeneous group. And if I can do that, they must be similar enough to cooperate.

    The BIS’s job is to help and guide central bank cooperation. Given what I have said, that should be easy. But collaboration is not always simple. Yet, with the right governance and communications, building knowledge by running projects together could reap great rewards for central banks.

    Our projects are “just” a first look at what is possible. Projects are not a commitment. Some of the questions like whether there is a need for central bank digital currency or digital identity can only be answered politically. The central bank is one of many advisers on a decision that should be made with other players in our societies. That is right and that is normal. Yet the fact remains, for good policymaking on any subject, you need understanding. And with technology, you need to experiment and collaborate to obtain that understanding. 

    So, I thank you again for the invitation and attention. I will close with a quote from Adam Smith: “I have never known much good done, by those who affected to trade for the public good.” Eerily, he foresaw a version of what US president Ronald Reagan famously highlighted as the nine most terrifying words: “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.” The BIS Innovation Hub has a mandate to explore technology and to develop public goods. But others ultimately decide what could be changed. Our job is to learn and advise them so that when change happens, it can happen for the better.

    Thank you for listening.  

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Research shows our understanding of ‘posh’ words is all wrong

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Natalie Braber, Professor, Linguistics, School of Arts and Humanities, Nottingham Trent University

    Language use complicates the already-complex nature of class identity. Diane Bondareff/Shutterstock

    If you live in the UK or are familiar with its wide range of accents and dialects, you can probably tell the difference between a posh or upper-class accent, (think the “King’s English”) and one more associated with the working class (such as Cockney).

    Besides accents, it is a popular view, reinforced in media and pop culture, that certain words are used specifically by people of certain classes. For example, in the book Watching the English, social anthropologist Kate Fox comments that the word “sofa” is used by upper-middle-class speakers or above.

    In the 1950s, Alan Ross, a professor of linguistics at the University of Birmingham, claimed to identify behaviour that distinguished England’s upper classes from the rest of society. These included, among other things, not playing tennis in braces and an aversion to high tea.

    He also identified features of pronunciation, grammar and use of specific words which he thought differed. This was not based on empirical research, but solely on his own perceptions (“armchair linguistics”). While Ross’s claims are often referenced in the media, there has not been much research to see if these views hold up today.

    Through two studies carried out with our colleagues George Bailey and Eddie O’Hara Brown, we tried to find out. We investigated the use of words that Ross and others have identified as indicators of class: the supposedly upper-class words loo, napkin and sofa, with their supposedly non-upper-class counterparts, toilet, serviette and settee.

    In the first study, we used spot-the-difference tasks to prompt 80 participants of different ages, genders and social classes to say these words. For example, “the sofa is a different colour in that picture” or “the toilet is green in the left picture and white in the right one”. This meant that participants were focused more on the task than the actual words, so we were able to examine their natural usage.



    Read more:
    When did class stop predicting who people vote for in Britain? Know Your Place podcast

    While the supposedly upper-class napkin and sofa were more common than serviette or settee, the supposedly non-upper-class toilet was more common than loo. For example, where napkin was used by 72 participants, only 18 used serviette (some speakers used multiple words). This challenges Ross’s claims that words distinguish the upper class from the rest of society. If most people use a word, that word cannot be a reliable indicator of upper classness.

    In terms of social variation, we found that the usage of these words varied, but not in a way associated with social class. For example, there were some interesting results relating to age. While, on the one hand, the reportedly upper-class loo is used more by older speakers, the supposedly non-upper-class serviette and settee are also more commonly used by older speakers.

    Perception of words and class

    We also wanted to examine the perception of these words, as in whether people think certain words are associated with social characteristics, such as education level, professionalism, formality and poshness, which are traits associated with class.

    So, in a second experiment, we asked 100 participants to evaluate several social media posts, asking them to judge the writers. Half of the participants read the “upper-class word” and half read the “non-upper-class” word within an otherwise identical phrase, adapted from genuine posts on social media.

    For example, one message was: “My flatmate went to a wedding and I brought takeaway, was almost done eating before I saw something that looks like a fried egg, put it in my mouth and it was a napkin/serviette. God why me!?”

    From this experiment, we found that the perception of these words is not uniform across social groups. For example, the higher socioeconomic group thought sofa to be more posh, while the lower socioeconomic group perceived settee as more posh.

    There were no perceptual differences between toilet/loo. And serviette was perceived as more posh than napkin, despite being identified by Ross and others as the non-upper-class form.

    Napkin or serviette?
    Shutterstock

    Both of our studies, as well as complementary analysis of the spoken British National Corpus (a 10 million word database of spoken English), show that there is little consistency in the way that each of the investigated variables are used and perceived.

    Of course, this is not to say that there are no class-based vocabulary markers in contemporary British English, or that the effects of such perceptions do not have an effect. As much other linguistic research shows, class-based accent and dialect discrimination are unfortunately still alive and well.

    While the view that some words are posher than others has endured, our findings show that the claims popularised by Ross in the 1950s are not reflected in the reality of England today.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Research shows our understanding of ‘posh’ words is all wrong – https://theconversation.com/research-shows-our-understanding-of-posh-words-is-all-wrong-240362

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects: new advice page on Good Design

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Planning Inspectorate has published a brand-new advice page on Good Design.

    This advice explains why good design is important, what success might look like and how it might be delivered in applications for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects. It is aimed mainly at applicants but will benefit all participants in the Planning Act 2008 process.

    Advice on Good Design is available under the heading Advice on design and technical matters within our advice collection.

    Our phased approach to advice updates

    As previously communicated, we are updating our advice collection in three phases. The first set of updated advice (phase one) was published in August 2024. The second set of updated advice (phase two) was published in September 2024.

    Our new advice on Good Design is published in advance of the third set of updated advice (phase 3) which is now expected to follow next year.

    The Planning Inspectorate will issue further news on the progress of this work in due course.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Call for evidence: An inspection of General Maritime

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration invites anyone with knowledge and experience of General Maritime to submit evidence for the inspection.

    The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration has begun an inspection of General Maritime, with the aim of identifying what improvements Border Force is able to make in the short-term (18-24 months) within existing resources, including through efficiencies, reorganisation, and reprioritisation. 

    For the purposes of this inspection, ‘General Maritime’ is understood to include: 

    • (a) all non-scheduled (not on a regular route) international maritime traffic arriving at an un-canalised location (one with no customs or immigration controls or no port approval, for example small harbours, marinas, beaches) 

    • (b) scheduled un-canalised international non-passenger services, whether commercial or pleasure 

    and encompasses yachts, tugs, rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIBs), motorboats and small fishing vessels, as well as larger vessels where (a) or (b) apply. 

    This inspection will focus on: 

    • the levels of General Maritime-related operational activity nationally and regionally  

    • Border Force’s resourcing of General Maritime operational activity  

    • the outcomes from operational activity  

    • stakeholder engagement  

    • the ‘Submit a Pleasure Craft Report’ (sPCR) process  

    • a review of the previous ICIBI recommendations for Project Kraken 

    This call for evidence will remain open until Thursday 7 November 2024. 

    The Independent Chief Inspector invites anyone with knowledge and experience of General Maritime to submit evidence to inform this inspection and would be pleased to hear both what is working well and what could be improved. Submissions touching on any and all areas of interest, including those that may not be mentioned above, are therefore welcome. 

    Please note that the ICIBI’s statutory remit does not extend to investigating or making decisions about individual cases. This remains a Home Office responsibility. However, the Independent Chief Inspector can take an interest in individual cases to the extent that they illustrate or point to systemic problems. 

    Please also note that the information you submit may be quoted in the final inspection report. However, it is the ICIBI’s practice not to name sources and to anonymise as much as possible any examples or case studies. 

    Please click here to email your submission to the Independent Chief Inspector. 

    Data Protection 

    Information on how we process personal data submitted in response to a call for evidence can be found in the ICIBI privacy information notice available on the ICIBI website. 

    David Bolt, Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration 

    23 October 2024

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Travelling Cabinet to visit South Ayrshire

    Source: Scottish Government

    Ayr to host public discussion with Cabinet.

    Residents of South Ayrshire will have the chance to put questions to First Minister John Swinney and his Cabinet on Monday 4 November when the 53rd Travelling Cabinet arrives in Ayr.

    The Cabinet will meet at Ayr Town Hall to discuss local issues and hear opinions from the community. Residents are invited to book their place for the meeting in advance.

    Ahead of the public discussion, the First Minister and Cabinet Secretaries will visit local businesses and community projects to highlight the Scottish Government’s four key priorities:

    • eradicating child poverty
    • building prosperity
    • protecting the planet
    • improving public services

    First Minister John Swinney said:

    “I am looking forward to visiting South Ayrshire and hearing directly from the community about the issues that matter most and how we can improve its future.

    “We will see first-hand the multitude of commendable projects that have made a positive impact on people’s lives in the area and match this Government’s key priorities.

    “I would encourage residents to get involved, ask questions, and share their insights. This is a moment for their voices to be heard.

    “Connecting with communities across the country enables us to make informed decisions as we strive to create a wealthier, fairer and greener Scotland.”

    Background

    Registration details for the public discussion can be found on Eventbrite (Ministers Touring Scotland – Ayr Tickets, Mon, Nov 4, 2024 at 2:30 PM | Eventbrite)

    52 Travelling Cabinets have been held since 2008.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: City service for children in care and care leavers funds vital opportunities through music

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Published: Wednesday, 23rd October 2024

    A Stoke-on-Trent service which supports looked after children has funded vital music opportunities for children in care.

    Stoke-on-Trent’s Virtual School helps children and young people in care and previously in care to do as well as they possibly can in their education. They offer information and advice to parents, carers and schools for children previously in care who attend schools in the city.

    The lessons are for children in care are for school years 4, 5, 6 to receive vocal or instrumental lessons through the city council run City Music Service. 

    Councillor Sarah Hill, cabinet member for children’s services said: “This is an amazing offer from our Virtual School. For many pupils this is more than just a music lesson, it’s targeted early intervention.

    “Both the Virtual School and the City Music Service have done some fantastic work supporting children in the city through this scheme. This is a chance for these pupils to shine and have fun alongside building their confidence and communication skills. The lessons involve fun alongside lessons and we’ve had some great feedback from schools where pupils have developed their confidence as a result of these lessons.”

    The City Music Service was established in 2002 to give children and young people the chance to learn songs and musical skills in a fun environment and to perform together at public concerts. Songbirds progress to the City Youth Choir which promotes singing for 11 to 19-year-olds. The City Music Service works in partnership with Stoke-on-Trent schools to offer a wide variety of musical opportunities for over 8000 young people aged 2–18 each week.

    Councillor Sarah Jane Colclough, cabinet member for education: “I’d like to thank the Virtual School and the City Music Service for all their hard work supporting children in the city.”

    “The City Music Service is always very popular and it’s a great way to celebrate the fantastic musical talent of young people in our city. These music lessons funded by the Virtual School will be incredibly beneficial to our children in care, giving them opportunities they might otherwise not have.”

    For more information on the Virtual School, residents can visit www.stoke.gov.uk/virtualschool. Anyone who wants to find out more about the City Music Service can go to https://stokecms.org.uk/

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Cremyll ferry service not running this Thursday

    Source: City of Plymouth

    During a review of the slipway at Mount Edgcumbe, Plymouth City Council surveyors identified cracks that needed to be repaired. Whilst plans were being put in place to carry out the works, a further survey was carried out following the recent bad weather. The surveyors found that the storms have caused further deterioration beneath the slipway and repairs now need to be carried out more urgently.

    Whilst we determine the scope of the additional damage and understand what repairs are necessary, it does mean that from tomorrow the slipway will be closed. We are currently working with the operator of the Cremyll Ferry to identify an alternative landing location and we are hopeful that this will be in place in the coming days.  

    However tomorrow, Thursday 24 October, the Ferry service will be suspended. We will provide further updates when we know more.

    Ferry passengers are encouraged to check the operator’s website for more information: www.plymouthboattrips.co.uk

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Forum for Regeneration revived

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Plymouth Regeneration Forum has been re-formed and revitalised after a hiatus of five years to help the city work together to face development challenges and opportunities.

    The forum was set up in the early 2000s off the back of the Mackay Vision and in recognition of the role partners play in turning that vision for the city into a reality.

    The forum has been revived by the Council and legal firm Womble Bond Dickinson as a way to catch up with key investors, landowners and other development stakeholders and to discuss planning issues affecting the city.  It comprises architects, surveyors, developers, funders and planners active in and committed to Plymouth.

    The intent is to facilitate better relationships between the Council and the development industry through genuine partnership and collaborative approaches to deliver service excellence within the city.

    The last meeting was in 2019 and in the intervening years there has been a pandemic, lockdowns, Brexit, several prime ministers, a change of government as well as huge and enduring pressures on developers due to massive increases in construction costs and a skills shortage.

    The forum is about a two-way exchange of ideas and information. It is a chance to discuss relevant planning issues affecting the city and to act as an opportunity to be kept informed of the work that the Council is doing as well as hearing from the development industry about issues that are relevant to the Council.

    Councillor Mark Coker, Cabinet Member with responsibility for planning said: “So much has happened in the last few years and there are so many bold, exciting and taunting challenges for councils and developers with the new Government setting out its intentions to speed up the delivery of much needed homes

    “This can only be a good thing for the city. We are all committed to a better Plymouth and this will help strengthen relationships to provide a better business and investment climate in Plymouth.”

    The knowledge and know-how of forum members will help the Council develop workable planning, regeneration, design, transport and net zero policies that will help deliver the much-needed increase in pace of development activity in Plymouth, but ensuring quality is also at the heart of progress.

    At the first revived meeting, Paul Barnard, Service Director for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure at the Council, gave progress updates on public realm and transport projects, Plan for Homes 4 and planning application trends and performance. Paul said: “With the massive pressure for new homes, further planning reforms on the horizon and acute challenges in development capacity and viability, the need for collaboration has never been greater. I think is a great move for the city.”

    Christopher Stephens, Managing Associate at Womble Bond Dickinson said: “We are thrilled to have been able to support the Council in bringing the highly regarded Regeneration Forum back to the Plymouth business landscape.

    “This provides the Council with an opportunity to present their vision of, and priorities for, the city and for the delegates there is an opportunity to stress test those principles and to talk about possible constraints to delivery. I felt we had a very good first session with excellent content delivery and robust discussion. We look forward to supporting Plymouth City Council in future and on a regular basis.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Visitors advised to plan ahead for Derry Halloween

    Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

    Visitors advised to plan ahead for Derry Halloween

    23 October 2024

    With just a week to go until Europe’s biggest Halloween Festival, Derry City and Strabane District Council has released the latest traffic and travel information to ensure visitors avoid any unnecessary delays or diversions.

    Over 100,000 visitors attend the annual festival, which runs from Monday October 28th – Thursday 31st, and a range of measures will be introduced to keep traffic flowing and disruption to a minimum for everyone. These include road closures, parking restrictions and some diversions, so it’s best to plan ahead to ensure easy access to all the events.

    These arrangements will also assist with the safe delivery of the event, and everyone is asked to follow the directions of stewards and police.

    People are advised to use public transport where possible, with additional services being operated by Translink on Halloween night, both to and from the city and local services.

    Motorists are advised to expect some delays and diversions in the City Centre during the four nights of the event. From Monday October 28th – Wednesday October 30th Road Closures will operate from 2pm until 10pm in the following areas to accommodate the Awakening the Walled City Trail. All times are approximate, but road closures and diversions will be kept to the minimum length necessary to ensure safety.

    Road Closures:

    Bank Place, Union Hall Street, Magazine Street, Magazine Street Upper, Butcher Street, Shipquay Street, Ferryquay Street, Bishop Street within, Palace Street, Pump Street, The Diamond, London Street, Artillery Street, Fountain Street. No City Centre on-Street parking with exception of Shipquay Street until 11am.

    Please note that public realm works are currently underway around the front of the Guildhall, pedestrians are asked to please follow the signage in this area.

    Car Park Closures 28th October – 1st November:

    • Bishop Street Car Park will close to general parking to accommodate motorhome parking 
    • Ebrington Car Park

    Monday October 28th, Tuesday 29th and Wednesday 30th

    • Society Street Car Park
    • Victoria Market Car Park (limited accessible only Car parking)

    Thursday October 31st

    • Queens Quay and Strand Road Car Park will be closed on the 31st October.
    • Strand Road Car Park will offer accessible parking only
    • Victoria Market Car Park – limited accessible parking only

    Car Parking availability

    Drivers are reminded that normal on street parking restrictions will be in place and people should avoid parking anywhere they may be blocking entrances to residences or businesses or where they may be obstructing emergency access.

    Parking is available at a number of locations throughout the City:

    Cityside carparks – Foyleside Shopping Centre Car Park East, Foyleside West and Quayside Shopping Centre, Foyle Road, Magee Campus (Lawrence Hill), Carlisle Road and William Street.

    Waterside carparks – Foyle Arena, Spencer Road, Oakgrove School, Duke Street and Former Waterside Health Centre Car Parks.

    From October 28-30 the Council Car Park on Strand Road will be open to the public.

    Fort George Car Park will be open to the public on October 31st only for event car parking.

    Victoria Market will be an accessible car park only from 28th – 31st October and will operate on a first come, first served basis. 

    Strand Road car park will be an accessible car park only on the 31st October also operating on a first come, first served basis.

    On Halloween night itself the annual Carnival Parade will leave the Council carpark at 7pm. The parade is followed by the Halloween Fireworks Finale over the River Foyle at 8.15pm. 

    Please note that in the interests of health and safety, the Peace Bridge will be closed from 7pm in advance of the display, reopening at 8.45pm.

    A quiet space will be available in the Guildhall each day from 12noon – 9pm (10pm 31st), and parents and carers can also pick up ID Me safety wrist bands at the Guildhall information point.

    For anyone with accessibility requirements, a full guide to available support is available here – https://derryhalloween.com/about/accessibility/

    Translink will run additional services to the city centre throughout the event. For information on Translink bus and rail services to and from the city go to https://www.translink.co.uk/

    Festival and Events Manager with Derry City and Strabane District Council, Jacqueline Whoriskey, said regular updates will be provided on social media. “With the numbers expected this year I would advise that visitors check out all the traffic and travel information so they can prepare ahead. Regular updates will be posted on the Derry Halloween and Council social media platforms throughout the festival.

    “I would recommend downloading our Whats On Derry Strabane app – this will give you the lowdown on all that’s going on and all the information you need to plan your journey.

    “I would also appeal to everyone to follow the guidance of our stewards and the PSNI – they are there to keep the event running smoothly and everyone safe. We are so looking forward to the event this year but we need everyone to play their part and help us deliver a safe and enjoyable celebration.”

    Derry Halloween is delivered by Derry City and Strabane District Council and funded by Tourism Northern Ireland and The Executive Office, with support from Ulster University and Air Coach.

    You can find all the details about traffic and travel and the full programme on derryhalloween.com

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: City Plan 2030 nearing adoption

    Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

    Our bold plan for sustainable development in the Capital has passed another milestone after the Planning Committee agreed it today (Wednesday, 23 October).

    This follows Scottish Ministers giving Council the go ahead to adopt the plan with minor changes. It will now be considered for final approval at Council on Thursday 7 November.  

    Cllr James Dalgleish Planning Convener said:

    “I’m delighted that Committee has agreed our bold and ambitious City Plan 2030.  It will allow us to guide sustainable development across Edinburgh after being considered by all councillors in a couple of weeks.

    “When approved, it will help us meet the very real challenges of climate change and population growth. The plan will help us use brownfield land where we can rather than using precious greenfield field sites and after declaring a housing emergency last year it is very important it proposes to increase the affordable housing requirement for new development to 35%.”

    Published: October 23rd 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Westminster launches latest round of Community Priorities Programme funding | Westminster City Council

    Source: City of Westminster

     

    Provider Name 

     Amount awarded

    Project Name 

    Project Description

     

    Individual Provider  

    £10,000

    Westminster Throws 

    Judo project offering structured activities to promote physical fitness, mental well-being, and community development among children in Westminster.

     

    Happy Lizzy​  

    £32,000

    Happy Hub Holiday Clubs & ​ Wild Kittens Wild Cats 

    Holiday clubs every school holiday. During the Summer the club is for children aged 7 and over. Play, explore, plant gardens, build LEGO, learn chess and hold community events.

     

    WECH​ 

    £28,960 (Health and Well-being project)

    £28,960 (Foodbank)

    £13,816 (Welfare Benefits Service)

    The Maida Hill Foodbank, Maida Hill Health & Well- Being Project​​, Harrow Road Welfare Benefits Service  

    Sustain the weekly Foodbank from Nov 24 for a year, to continue providing food to 50 families per week for 46 weeks, benefiting at least 300 families over the year. approx. Also engaging 15 residents as volunteers and support staff.

    sustain delivery of the health and well-being activities.

     

    Next Generation CIC​ 

    £31,040

    Next Gen Intense Mentoring/ Business mentoring​  

    We aim to work with 50 young people (ages 11-25) and their support networks, focusing on those at risk or involved in SYV. Our goal is to encourage them to pursue their dreams and career aspirations while steering them away from antisocial behaviour. We take a holistic mentoring approach, emphasizing diverse career pathways, particularly entrepreneurship.
     

     

    The Flourish Group​ 

    £30,000

    Creativity Calling​  

    Creativity Calling’ is the first project of its kind in London. At its core are the Flourish-Banks, that act like food banks only donating and distributing art and craft materials to those that need them. Circular and sustainable, Flourish-Bank ‘bins’ positioned throughout Westminster allow the community to donate unwanted creative resources to be redistributed.

     

    The Pepper Pot Centre ​ 

    £30,000

    Harrow Road Elderly African and Caribbean Health & Wellbeing Project​  

    Stimulate Creativity: encourage participants to express themselves through art and creative materials.

     

    Westbourne Park Family Centre​ 

    £16412.80

    £10,000

    Parent Power​ & Westbourne Park Pantry

    A 36-week programme to help young people to tackle issues on bullying, boundaries, stop & search, drugs and alcohol, peer pressure and gangs (Parent Power).

    The pantry stocks a range of fresh, cupboard essentials and toiletries (fruit, vegetables, dairy, pasta, rice, cereals, toilet paper, soap etc.) The pantry provides a service for those impacted by the cost-of-living crises and may not qualify for a food bank, or who prefer to choose their food selection.

     

    Paddington Arts​ 

    £24,000

    Every Child Matters​  

    Dance activities for age groups 6-10; 11-15; 16-22, Emotional support programme for age 8 – 18, Wellbeing programme for girls’ group, Health advice and signposting for children and families.

     

    The Grove Think Tank​ 

    £38,000

    Westbourne Holistic & Development Project​  

    Boxing and basketball sessions for young people targeting 24-30 participants.

     

    In Deep​ 

    £24923.86

    In – Deep music therapy for children with send​ & Music Therapy &   Art therapy for People with SEND 

    free weekly group music therapy sessions in Edward Wilson Primary School, senior street, w2 for children with special needs.

     

    Abundance Arts​ 

    £21,000

    Community Unity – SEND Wellbeing, Music and Art project​  

    Interactive drumming and percussion games and stories incorporating basic sign language, enhancing sensory engagement and communication skills, including multicultural music, sign language, performances and community events.

     

    Fun4over 50’s 

    £41819.32

    Zumba Gold Over 50’s & Fun Social Events​  

    Zumba Gold: specialised version of Zumba fitness program designed for older adults or those with physical limitations including community events.

     

    Urban wise​ 

    £27397.60

    Discover and Share!​  

    Project consists of some short arts, culture and heritage courses, discovery walks and visits to places of cultural interest to build connections between people.

     

    Blind Aid​ 

    £25,365

    Reducing isolation and improving wellbeing of blind and visually impaired adults in Westminster​  

    Blind Aid’s flagship Sight Support Project provides free ongoing home-based support to isolated, blind and visually impaired residents of Westminster.

     

    Adebo Stitch​ 

    £29999.40

    Adebo Stitch​  

    Weekly sewing, knitting and crochet sessions for 15-20 participants per week.

     

    Dutch Pot​ 

    £20,736

    Dutch Pot Lunch & Social Club phase 2​ 

    professional wellbeing activities – chair & gentle exercises, special events for birthdays & other special days, signposting & visits from other services in Westminster and a minibus pick up door to door for the most vulnerable operates one day a week. Hand crafts, music, bingo with prizes is the highlight of the day, seaside visits and other places of interest. Cultural dancers & musical entertainers are invited to perform.

     

    London Disability Network​ 

    £35,844

    LDN London Community Hub​  

    We run group activities and workshops for people with learning disabilities.

     

    Kulan Somali Organisation​ 

    £29,985

    SAAXIB​  

    Weekly cultural activities/workshops such as cultural dancing, poetry, singing, cookery activities, telephone befriending service, physical activities and Nutrional meals.

     

    Avenues​ 

    £27,750

    Friday Night Seniors – The Avenues Youth Project​  

    Youth club providing a range of activities designed to enhance health and wellbeing including sports activities – dance, basketball, MMA, table tennis and teq ball. We provide balanced nutritious meals and a space to decompress. Socially the connections are strong, and we frequently run workshops on mental health, sexual health and managing emotions.

     

    Treasure Sports​ 

    £30,000

    Making Westminster Healthier​  

    The main activity of the project is to help uplift the most disadvantaged and vulnerable in Westminster through sports and exercise.

     

    All Stars Youth Club 

    £35,552

    Community Active 

    Kids boxing, female only boxing, Muay Thai and kickboxing.

     

    Adventure Play Hub 

    £16,453.20

    Saturday Play Days at Adventure Play Hub 

    Main activities of the project are to help uplift the most disadvantaged and vulnerable in Westminster through exercise classes as well as financial literacy and community engagement classes for children, young people and female only.

     

    Unfold​ 

    £29,992.66

    Peer Support Groups and Mentoring Programme for Women​ 

    Weekly peer support group for women in the local community in the North of the borough.

     

    Women’s Trust​ 

    £24,000

    Specialist Domestic Abuse Counselling Project​ 

    We offer an initial assessment session (IS) and then up to 18 weekly counselling sessions per client, which is longer than statutory provision (IAPT is usually 6 sessions).

     

    The Floating Classroom​ 

    £12,618.60

    Community Trips on the Floating Classroom (FC)​ 

    We are applying for funding to offer 20 trips on our electric canal barge for community groups and people accessing services provided by organizations.

     

    St Andrew’s Club 

    £55,188

    Active at the Andrew’s – Sports and Physical Activity Programme​ 

    St Andrew’s will support up to 150 children and adults to stay physically active, including football, basketball, yoga and other various physical activities.

     

    Make it Happen​ 

    £7,500

    Carers Mental Health​ 

    Bi-weekly group counselling sessions to provide emotional support and coping strategies. Those session are tailored for Parent Carers and offered by a credited counsellor who is a parent carer herself. The sessions will cover topics such as acceptance, managing feeling, anxiety and low mood. Other topics voted for by parents will be added.

     

    Echo of Hope​ 

    £10,718

    Strive Together​ 

    EOH will bring together leading experts, organization leaders, and housing specialists to offer invaluable advice and workshops.

     

    Individual​ 

    £20,000

    Carlys Angels Stay and Play​ 

    Activities for the stay and play sessions will include outdoor play and exploration, creative arts and crafts, music and movement, storytelling and literacy, physical activities, educational and social play, healthy eating, mindfulness and relaxation and parent engagement. These activities aim to provide a balanced mix of physical, creative, educational and social experiences, supporting children’s overall development and preparing them for future educational settings. I plan to deliver the sessions weekly, dependant on how much funding is awarded, but at least once a week session. Number of participants will be 15-30 to begin with to offer a more personal approach and avoid overwhelming families.

     

    St Vincent’s Family Project​ 

    £20,000

    SVFP Drop-In and Lunch​ 

    Our charity targets young vulnerable families on low incomes. The drop in will provide two main responses to help families affected by this, including the cost of living crises with lots of free activities for children

     

    Individual​ 

    £8,611.26

    Stay Safe Stay Creative​ 

    Intro of the project for 30 minutes, partnership delivery with STREETDOCTORS for 1 hour to empower individuals affected by violence to keep themselves and others safe and in charge of delivering FREE Knife Wound 1st Aid Training. This also include a 1-hour art therapy through artwork craft and outdo of project.

     

    Basch Helps ​ 

    £16,598

    Angel Box​ 

    Emergency relief package which acts to alleviate conditions of distress, deprivation and disadvantage to parents, factors that contribute to social exclusion, self-harm & neglect

     

    Individual​ 

    £14,890

    Happy Feet Haven​ 

    We will offer people a programme of 6 reflexology sessions of 30-mins each. We will register 6 people for each 4-week block and deliver a total of 9 x 4 weeks sessions each year. This means we will be able to provide free reflexology sessions to 54 people each year. After the 30min reflexology session, people will have a 20-min foot spa session which will detoxify the feet and is a very relaxing experience.

     

    Sport 4 Health​ 

    £17,200

    Filipino Women Health and Support Project​ 

    Regular weekly indoor physical and social activities for improving physical health, and for mental wellbeing through creating strong friendship and support networks for Filipino Women. We will provide 2-hour activity sessions twice a week for 30 weeks per year (for 2 years) in both Pimlico South (at St. Gabriel’s Parish House) and Pimlico North (at Queen Mother Sports Centre). Activities (their choice) will include table-tennis, badminton, Pilates/stretching classes, etc and we aim to reach approx. 40 participants – mostly women.

     

    Motivez 

    £15,000

    Sustainable London​ 

    ‘Engage & Inspire’, ‘Empower’ and ‘Unleash’ using a hackathon approach to build community, strengthen confidence and increase feelings of inclusivity. Through 15+ fun activities, intimate fireside chats, team-building activities, site visits, and mentoring led by relatable and inspirational young professionals (volunteers), the students will increase their awareness of how they can solve these issues through STEM.

     

    Well Played​ 

    £17,340

    Well Played Community Hubs​  

    Invited by forthcoming ‘community hubs’ at Charing Cross/Victoria Libraries. Fulfilling established need (having completed community engagement). Increasing social barriers e.g. homelessness, isolation/mental health, increasing confidence/communication skills. Creative Writing with professional poets/writers, queer arts group and family story time.

     

    Individual​ Provider  

    £4,000

    Community Arts & Crafts Through Conversations​  

    Through arts and craft, we allow our participants to express themselves through nonverbal and verbal cues. The activity is also key to bringing the community together. We use mainly preloved materials and encourage sustainability creating sustainable art. This process is scientifically proven to enhance mental health. Single mothers, young adults, ethnic minorities who are less unaware of sustainable living and the public.

     

    WBWT​ 

    £25,000

    Stitch, Shuttle, and Soar​  

    The main activities of the “Stitch, Shuttle, and Soar” project include sewing classes, badminton sessions, 2 summer trips per year, along with two additional day outings for volunteers per year. The sewing classes will cater to 10-15 participants per session, with a total of 40 sessions held throughout the year. These classes provide a creative and cost-saving skill, enhancing mental well-being and community ties. Badminton sessions will host 10-12 participants per session, totalling 60 sessions over 2 years.

     

    Chinese Community Council​ 

    £7,632

    Outreach to the vulnerable​  

    Social “hub” for older Chinese people who either live or work in Chinatown as it is a service-providing charity organisation.   This fact affords us with daily face-to-face interactions with the community and hours spent building organic relationships with the people we serve, consequently developing deep insight into the complex and diverse views of disadvantaged people.  

     

    Bear Fitness​ 

    £29,659.20

    Bear Fitness Street Homelessness Programme​  

    Bear Fitness provides twice weekly fitness classes (~1 hour in length) in The Passage for people experiencing homelessness.

     

    Pro Touch SA CIC​ 

    £37,000

    Inspiring Youths in Health & Wellbeing ​ 

    Physical activities programme, mental health workshops, nutritional education sessions, community engagement events.

     

    Hotel School ​ 

    £30,000

    Hotel School 10-week programme​  

    Hotel School teaches hospitality skills to people experiencing homelessness and those who are vulnerable.

     

    Volta Theatre​ 

    £15,014

    Bright Lights​  

    Provide a 1hr after-school class three times per week, including yoga, pilates bodywork, fitness, stretching, breathing exercises, voice technique, yoga, bodyweight exercises, object-work, visualisation relaxation technique, stress management and performance science theory.

     

    Shop and Donate​ 

    £25,000

    Shop And Donate – Strengthening and Building Resilient Communities​  

    providing residents and families with essential food and goods which will help them with their health, diet and nutrition.  

     

    Individual provider ​ 

    £10,000

    Lunchtime Meals for Homeless​  

    The main activities are: preparing/sourcing the lunchtime meals

     

    Age UK, Westminster​ 

    £15,000

    Maintenance Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (MCST) & Outreach Project​ 

    Over 24-months deliver 2 MCST sessions weekly for Westminster residents aged 60+ and family/carers. Each 2-hour session provides structured, and cognitively stimulating activities.

     

    The Feathers Association​ 

    £40,000

    Community Inclusion Project​ 

    Youth club, cultural events, residentials, vocational traing, including first aid, food sfety, & sports development.

     

    Mala CHERGA Theatre​ 

    £59,732

    Yoga and Dance for Adults and Children ​ 

    Mixed yoga class for men & women in the evenings, yoga class for women only in the mornings.

             49

    Photojournalism Hub CIC​ 

    £19,218

    Seeing the Green​  

    A nine-month project for 20 beneficiaries, each session will include learning documentary photography, followed by practical photography and group activities.

             50

    Creative Futures Ltd (London)​ 

    £20,000

    Community Families​  

    Community Families consists of 8 completely free music sessions every week during term-time for families with children aged 0-4 years old in north Westminster. (Nurture groups)

          51

    London Tigers​ 

    £47,398

    Tigers Connect: Supporting and empowering young people

    Sports to break down barriers of fear and distrust between communities including football, basketball, sports events, mentoring and volunteering activites.

    52

    North Paddington Youth Club​ 

    £40,000

    NPYC Intergenerational Project​  

    Youth club which provides health and fitness sessions and some therapeutic gardening sessions in our brand new 4 story building in Maida Vale.

    53

    Daily Veda​ 

    £22,260

    Little Lotus Meditation and Breathwork Sessions​  

    deliver weekly yoga sessions for 30 children which would consist of 3 x weekly sessions of 10 children per group.

    54

    Earth Living​ 

    £15,000

    Wellbeing Food Drive

    Our project supports over 70 residents who rely on our services, providing full-course meals, massage services for chronic pain relief, providing food parcels as we work with the local food banks to deliver the food parcels to the resident of Westminster.

    55

    Community for all​ 

    £30,000

    C4A’s Community Domino Effect (DE)

    DE is a bespoke culturally appropriate service that celebrates Caribbean culture whilst empowering individuals to make positive choices around health and lifestyle. DE provides a weekly social space that includes dominoes, music and food. It provides vital connections in the community for vulnerable isolated individuals as well as routine in a friendly environment.

    56

    Right at home​ 

    £6,000

    Memory Café for above 65 & carers​  

    The project aims to assist remote, localised communities by organising educational sessions on various subjects such as falls prevention, nutrition, home infection control, art, and chair exercises conducted by our team of senior physiotherapists.

    57

    West London Doulas​ 

    £26,843.5

    Free Birth Preparation Classes​ ​  

    run 8 free, 8 week antenatal courses, for expectant parents. Each weekly session is themed and led by a specialist speaker on that topic. Participants have the opportunity to ask questions and discussion is encouraged. Each session includes yoga and relaxation to promote physical and mental health and wellbeing.  

    58

    Zodiac Arts / Sports4all​ 

    £29487.30

    Bee fit ​  

    Main activities of our project is to enhance health and well-being, community safety, and community development through chair based yoga, hydro swim sessions and windrush workshops.

              59

    7 Spheres 

    £28,976

    Church Street Community Cohesion Project 

    Yoga & Mindfulness and chess club

           60

    Individual 

    £19,010

    Dodge the Laziness 

    Dodgeball sessions for children and young people

            61

    Individual 

    £15,450

    Exploring Themes and Cultures through mosaics 

    Aims to reconnect children through 20 mosaic sessions, offering a fun environment to learn new skills/techniques. The final goal is for children to create a collaborative artwork for donation to hospitals/hospices/care homes.

           62

    Financial Harmony  

    £14,402

    Thrive & Tribe: Building Strong Futures Together  

    Fun workshops for young people to learn about financial concepts like budgeting and credit management.

          63

    Harrow Road Soup Kitchen

    £18,730

     HRSK Mentoring

    Training and mentoring for young people confidence-building, career exploration, and gaining real-world experience.

          64

    Plant Environment  

    £20,250

    What’s Growing On  

    Gardening and environmental awareness for the community

          65

       Cartoon Studios 

    £23,400

    JKCS: Arty and Wellbeing Wednesdays 

    Health and wellbeing workshops and events through art for mum’s, young & vulnerable people.

         66

       Vital Connections 

    £12,600

    “I Am – A Woman’s Voice” 

    67

    ESP Foundation 

    £30,000

    Girls Allowed 

    Sports and wellbeing activities for young girls.

    68

    Family Friends UK 

    £9,898

    Family Friends Befriending 

    Befriending and mentoring service for families from disadvantaged communities.

    69

    Jojays 

    £14,000

    Jojays Community Lunch Club 

    Help the local community improve their physical health and tackle social isolation through healthy meals.

    70

    MEWSO 

    £21,480

    Women’s Circle II 

    Sewing classes and walk & talk sessions for women – predominantly from the middle eastern background.

    71

    PACE 

    £18,984

    PACE Boccia at Beethoven 

    Bespoke physical activity programmes, including coaching in Boccia for all.

    72

    Progressay 

    £4,384

    Girl Power – Football for Girls 

    Football sessions for girls, including information and advice, parent support group and tuition classes

    73

    Queen’s Park Bangladeshi Association 

    £20,222

    Let’s Get Moving! 

    Sports & physical activities programmes to increase participation amongst the BME communities.

    74

    Queen’s Park Community Council 

    £20,000

    Queen’s Park Youth Holiday Camps 

    Youth activities for youths during the school holidays.

    75

    GarmHub

    £15,158

    GarmHubs – Clothes Bank

    Clothes Bank

               

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: More electric vehicle chargers to be installed in Plymouth

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Plymouth will be trialling new ways to support residents who cannot charge their electric vehicles at home as they don’t have access to off street parking.

    An executive decision has been signed to trial different ways for residents to charge their electric vehicles across the city, to support residents who park on street as they don’t have private driveways or garages to charge their vehicles. Currently around 37 per cent of households in Plymouth do not have off street parking and have to travel to charge their car if they own an EV.

    As part of its electric vehicle strategy, the Council is allocating £2.415 million of funding obtained from the government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund to install:

    • 100 pavement channels to enable residents to run a cable from an electricity supply in their house. This is new for Plymouth and would initially be done on a trial basis.
    • 600 pedestal and/or flush fitting 7kW chargers (servicing 1,200 charging bays).  These will be publicly available chargers installed on streets and in car parks in areas where residents do not have access to off-street parking.

    Many of the existing public EV charge points in Plymouth, are super-fast chargers aimed at those who need to charge their cars quickly. There is however a lack of chargers in residential areas, where residents often wish to charge their cars more cheaply overnight.

    More drivers are making the switch to electric vehicles, with electric vehicles accounting for over 16 per cent of the new UK car market in 2023, according to industry statistics. However, electric vehicle uptake in Plymouth has been slower than the UK average, with only 1.5 per cent of 134,000 registered cars and vans as of mid 2024 compared to over 4.6 per cent across the UK. Affordability and insufficient financial incentives, along with perceived range anxiety have been some of the key barriers to EV uptake in Plymouth.

    Councillor Mark Coker, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “Electric vehicles are a key component for how we get out and about in the future and it’s great to see that the city is starting to adapt and put this into practice.

    “We already have over 300 parking bays for electric vehicle charging across the city, but we need to make it easier for residents to charge electric vehicles close to home.”

    The Council will review requests from the public for proposals for pavement channels, charge point companies will install charge points across the city. We have divided the city up into 164 areas and all will have charge points.

    Find out more and how to apply for the EV charging trial here: www.plymouth.gov.uk/plymouth-ev-charging-trial

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council agrees Climate Change Strategy until 2030

    Source: City of Coventry

    Coventry’s Cabinet is set to approve its Climate Change Strategy that will cover the city until 2030.

    The strategy sets out how the Council plans to tackle the causes and consequences of climate change, working alongside partners, businesses and communities to create a more sustainable city. The city’s Climate Change Board has been instrumental in helping to shape the strategy, alongside feedback from public consultation undertaken last year. The strategy outlines the challenges, but more importantly the opportunities tackling climate change will deliver to local people, ranging from lower bills, warmer homes, greener streets, cleaner air, more jobs and skills.

    Coventry is currently delivering a range of projects while working towards the UK Government Net Zero target by 2050, with an interim target of 68% by 2030.

    The strategy asks five key questions:

    • How we adapt to weather changes caused by climate change and create more resilience in our infrastructure, services and systems?       

    • How we decarbonise our city including buildings, transport and industry and create a green economy?

    • How we use resources more efficiently?

    • How we tackle inequalities and deliver a just transition?

    • How we address the ecological emergency, reverse the decline in nature and create a greener city?

    The Strategy provides a foundation for how we will work with partners, businesses, organisations and communities to address climate change, which has many complex challenges which must be looked at holistically to deliver meaningful and lasting change.

    Cllr Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change, said: “Coventry City Council, like all other local authorities across the country, has an important leadership role to play in tackling the causes and consequences of climate change.

    “This strategy is just the beginning. It focuses on how to create opportunities for the whole city working in partnership with others to address a really wide range of issues- but all rooted in climate change.  We need everyone to play their part; as residents, businesses, educators and organisations, our action plan sets out what you can do to help drive positive change.

    “We are leading some really big projects in this area – putting us right at the heart of the green industrial revolution. We will be the first all-electric bus city, we have more on street charge points than any city outside London and of course we are pioneering Coventry Very Light Rail – a fully battery powered new transport system which could run on batteries produced at our gigafactory.

    “What’s also clear here is that this new revolution, this green approach, will also lead to new good jobs for local people and if we get this right, and we will, it will help us ensure that we support the most in need in the city. Our partnership with E.ON is leading some really good work in this area – with work to help people heat their homes for less.”

    Margot James, Chair of Coventry’s Independent Climate Change Board, said: “I am so proud of the work this board has done since its inception in 2021. We have seen the partnership grow from strength to strength, representing a huge breadth of expertise and passion for making a difference in Coventry.

    “We are striving to shape the city’s vision and make key recommendations for how we can improve the environment in Coventry. Taking bold action will help create a better future for everyone, and the board will continue to have a key role in ensuring its success.”

    The papers can be read on the Council website now

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Chaos at the Executive Office Committee

    Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland

    Statement by TUV North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston:

    “The farce of today’s Executive Office Committee meeting will have left even the most ardent defender of the institutions uncomfortable.

    “Before the committee even met there were serious questions about how it could go ahead given that the chair had a meeting with Ms O’Neill without any other members of the committee present at which she discussed how the meeting would progress. Confidence was hardly improved either by the fact that some members of the committee agreed to submit their questions to the Executive Office in advance.

    “But even with all of that, the First Minister’s approach to the committee was to refuse to answer questions even when they self-evidently related to the duties of the Executive Office.

    “None of the questions surrounding Sinn Féin’s multiple scandals were addressed. In spite of what the First Minister and the chair of the committee may claim, all my questions were related to the Ministerial Code and Ms O’Neill’s fitness to hold office.

    “Frankly, the most telling upshot from today will be how many Unionists now sign the motion of no confidence which I submitted to the business office some weeks ago.

    “The only people who can bring this to a head is the DUP who can remove O’Neill from office by resigning the deputy First Minister. I trust they will do so. If they don’t want to sign my motion of no confidence they should table their own.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: McAuley highlights British Heart Foundation defibrillator opportunity for Ballymoney

    Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland

    Statement by TUV Ballymoney Councillor Jonathan McAuley:
    “I was interested to note that the British Heart Foundation has put out a call to communities across Northern Ireland to apply for a free lifesaving defibrillator.
    “The BHF has over 320 defibrillator packages available to communities across the UK as part of our Community Defibrillator Funding Programme.
    “Areas with greatest need and who have limited access to defibrillators will be prioritised and one of the areas in Northern Ireland they are particularly keen to receive applications from Newhill in Ballymoney.

    “I would encourage local groups to avail of this opportunity. Applications can be made online here.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: mRNA vaccine candidate for norovirus – the start of an RCT

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Norovirus, a virus that causes vomiting and diarrhoea, can be a particular problem in closed settings which have high numbers of vulnerable (e.g. elderly) people, such as care home and cruise ships.  But we’ve never had a vaccine against norovirus.

    Now, a phase 3 randomised controlled trial of a new norovirus vaccine candidate is being launched in the UK and globally, to investigate whether the vaccine works.

    The vaccine candidate is an mRNA vaccine, produced by Moderna, and the trial is being run as a collaboration between the NIHR, Moderna and DHSC.

    Journalists came to this SMC briefing to hear from those running the trial about what the vaccine is, how it works, what data so far has suggested about whether it will work, how the trial will be run and how it will recruit those most at risk from norovirus, etc.

    Speakers included: 

    Dr Patrick Moore, Chief Investigator of the study, and GP

    Prof Saul Faust, Professor of Paediatric Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Southampton, and NIHR Vaccination Innovation Pathway co clinical lead

    Dr Melanie Ivarsson, Chief Development Officer, Moderna

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Schools need a new approach in identifying special educational needs

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Penelope Hannant, Assistant Professor in Educational Inclusion, University of Birmingham

    Media_Photos/Shutterstock

    The assessment system for children and young people with additional needs in England is failing.

    More people than ever are on waiting lists for autism and specific learning difficulties. Some NHS trusts are closing waitlists for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Services are overloaded and past breaking point.

    Based on my expertise in neurodiversity and educational inclusion, I believe a different approach is needed to identify and support those with additional needs in schools.

    In the current education system, when there are concerns about a child’s progress, behaviour or wellbeing, schools follow a multi-step process to assess the child’s strengths and needs.

    This process involves trying school-based approaches such as literacy, mathematics and nurture groups, before seeking help from external specialists if this does not lead to improvement. Specialists may include educational and clinical psychologists, occupational therapists, specialist teachers and community paediatricians, among others.

    The right support

    Making accurate and timely referrals to these specialists is a complex task. A crucial role is played by the school’s special educational needs coordinators (Sencos)– qualified teachers who are responsible for the strategic development and provision of assistance for children with special educational needs and disabilities across a school.

    A Senco’s decisions are pivotal in determining which specialists to involve and when. Mistakes at this stage can have significant emotional and financial consequences. Misdirected referrals can strain school budgets and leave the child’s needs unmet.

    Despite this, current teacher training and Senco training does not adequately prepare teachers or Sencos for these complex and crucial analyses – and other responsibilities leave Sencos short of time.

    Introducing a more detailed assessment process within schools would help bridge the gap between education and specialist services. It would provide a comprehensive and holistic understanding of each child’s needs.

    I took this approach in my recent research based on tracking three cases from first referral to final conclusion. Rather than being referred directly to a specialist following the Senco’s observations, three children with different learning and development needs were referred instead to a developmental psychologist who made their own assessment of the child’s overall needs. This was unusual and occurred as part of my research.

    In each case, the developmental psychologist collected detailed background histories. They also conducted thorough observations and assessed cognition, achievement and behaviour using both standardised and “gold standard” diagnostic tools. The resulting reports offered a comprehensive overview of each child’s strengths and challenges, directing them to the most appropriate specialist.

    One assessment outcome confirmed the Senco’s initial concern of autism. One revealed additional co-occurring diagnoses of dyslexia and dyspraxia. The third identified ADHD, differing from the Senco’s initial judgment. Without the developmental psychologist’s input, some of these children’s needs would have been missed.

    Following the developmental psychologist’s thorough assessments and full profiles of each child, diagnoses were made immediately or within six months. Rapid targeted recommendations were provided in each case.

    Skilled practitioners in schools could help children get more appropriate support more quickly.
    Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock

    To address the inefficiencies of the current system, which leads to long waiting lists, I believe a skilled educational inclusion practitioner should become part of the school environment. This would be someone with expertise across various areas, and with strong connections to both educational and health services.

    This role would span a number of schools and does not necessarily require a developmental psychologist. Specialist teachers or Sencos could receive additional training in developmental psychology. By doing so, they could help promote greater understanding of neurodiversity in schools, where the foundations of relationships and learning begin.

    This educational inclusion practitioner would create a profile of the child’s strengths and difficulties. They would take on the role of diagnosing specific learning difficulties and identifying appropriate specialists for likely neurodivergence, and recommending interventions – thereby streamlining referrals and reducing guesswork.

    My research highlights the value of having a skilled practitioner in schools or trusts with expertise beyond that of what a Senco would bring. A skilled generalist who connects education, home and health services can foster better collaboration between health and education, and more thoroughly assess a child’s needs.

    The costs would be minimal compared with the significant benefits of avoiding late, missed or incorrect diagnoses in childhood. This, ultimately, would have a positive impact on children’s lives and futures.

    Penelope Hannant 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. Schools need a new approach in identifying special educational needs – https://theconversation.com/schools-need-a-new-approach-in-identifying-special-educational-needs-235909

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Drug-related deaths have risen by record numbers in England and Wales – latest data

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ian Hamilton, Honorary Fellow, Department of Health Sciences, University of York

    Cocaine is the second most-used drug in England. PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/ Shutterstock

    Deaths from drug use in England and Wales have risen by 11%, according to the latest annual data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). In 2023, there were 5,448 fatalities (93 deaths per million people) – the highest number of drug-related deaths since records began in 1993.

    Over half these deaths involved opiates, such as heroin and morphine. The highest rate of deaths from opiate misuse was among those aged between 40 and 49 years old.

    It’s unknown how many opiate deaths last year were due to synthetic opiates, such as nitazenes. Delays in when the data on synthetic opiate deaths was published meant it could not be included in this latest report. But while these drugs remain of serious concern, and related deaths may be being under-counted, heroin remains the opiate associated with most harm.

    Those born in the 1970s (referred to as “generation X”) are more likely to die from drug misuse than any other age group. It’s not entirely clear why drug deaths are higher in this age group, but it could be due to people beginning to develop a number of physical and mental health problems in their forties that make them more vulnerable to a fatal overdose. For example, breathing problems could make someone more vulnerable to an opiate overdose, as these drugs have a depressant effect on the respiratory system.

    Men of any age outnumber women two-to-one in deaths from drug misuse – a finding which has been true since records began. Men are more likely to use drugs than women, which may account for the difference in fatalities.

    There are also stark regional differences in drug-related deaths. For example, the north-east of England continues to have much higher rates of deaths from drug misuse, compared with other parts of the country.

    There were 174.3 drug-related deaths per million people in the north-east, compared with 58.1 drug-related deaths per million people in London. The rate of drug-poisoning deaths reported in the north-east were the highest they have been for the past 11 years. In the main, these deaths will have been due to an instant fatal overdose, while other deaths will have been cumulative.

    The stark regional differences in all drug-related deaths align with socioeconomic factors, such as poverty and deprivation. There’s a strong link between socioeconomic deprivation and problematic drug use.

    As the popularity of cocaine has increased over the past decade – it is now the second-most used drug in England after cannabis – so too have fatalities. Although it’s not possible to distinguish from the data whether these fatalities were from crack or powder cocaine, the ONS recorded the 12th consecutive rise in deaths due to cocaine, with such deaths rising almost 31% year-on-year. This is a large rise, even in the context of increasing drug-related deaths over the past 20 years.

    One possible explanation for this sharp increase could be that the purity of cocaine has been increasing without the cost going up. This makes cocaine not only more potent, but more affordable to more people than it was. Yet despite high levels of cocaine use throughout England, there have been no coordinated prevention and harm reduction campaigns. Treatments also remain underdeveloped compared with other drugs.

    Many of the drug deaths deaths published in the ONS’s report involved multiple substances, including alcohol. So we can’t be certain in many cases which drug was the cause of a death.

    And some of these deaths occurred in people who had other physical health problems – such as respiratory problems, heart issues and liver disease. These health problems are exacerbated by use of drugs such as heroin and cocaine. This again makes it hard to attribute some deaths entirely to drug use.

    What can be done?

    The UK government is funding research to explore whether artificial intelligence could help reduce drug overdoses. Some of the projects that have received funding involve using wearable devices that would alert emergency services if signs of an overdose are detected.

    Existing interventions could also be more widely adopted. Naloxone, a medication that can reverse the effects of opiates, should be made more widely available. While some emergency services carry Naloxone, there’s scope to broaden this so those most at risk have timely access to this life-saving medication.

    Making Naloxone more accessible could save lives.
    Elena Berd/ Shutterstock

    There’s also a pressing need to change how health services are provided to people struggling with drug misuse – and the kind of services they can access. For example, people that use heroin daily can find it difficult to keep appointments with health services. Tailoring when and where health support is provided could help engage this group of people.

    Stigma around drug use can also prevent people seeking help – or when they do, they can feel judged by others. But there are ways of providing these necessary services that would make it easier for people who are struggling to get the help they need without judgment.

    Improving the knowledge and skills of staff in specialist drug treatment services about physical health problems would be one positive step. Being able to directly intervene by assessing and treating cardiac and respiratory issues, for instance, would eliminate the need for drug users to attend multiple appointments in different locations. This would make them more likely to continue accessing services.

    The Labour government has made it clear that it will be difficult to ensure public services receive all the resources they need. Yet every year, we are seeing record levels of drug-related deaths across the UK.

    It’s clear that what is currently being done is not enough. More money needs to be invested in specialist drug treatment services, both to save lives and improve the quality of life for all those who face problems with drugs. This will provide economic savings in the long term, and reduce the suffering that too many families experience.

    Harry Sumnall receives funding from public grant awarding bodies for alcohol and other drugs research, and fees from (international) not-for-profit organisations and government departments for consultation work. He is an unpaid member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Mind Foundation, the Scientific Advisory Board of the International Society of Substance Use Professionals, an unpaid advisor to the UK Drug Education Forum, and an unpaid co-opted member of the UK Government Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) Working Groups.

    Ian Hamilton 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. Drug-related deaths have risen by record numbers in England and Wales – latest data – https://theconversation.com/drug-related-deaths-have-risen-by-record-numbers-in-england-and-wales-latest-data-241180

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Collaboration between MINUSCA and the government of the Central African Republic is vital: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on MINUSCA.

    Location:
    United Nations, New York
    Delivered on:
    (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

    First, let me commend the continued positive relations between MINUSCA and the government of CAR. Such collaboration is crucial for addressing the most pressing challenges in the country.

     I will make three further points.

    First, the UK welcomes the enhanced joint operations between MINUSCA and CAR’s national armed forces (FACA) to restore state authority across the country. We stress the importance of this cooperation continuing and deepening, to enable MINUSCA to fully deliver its mandate.

    We also commend their joint work to protect children forcibly recruited by armed groups and to implement a new border management policy.

    Second, the elections, scheduled for 2025, will be a crucial moment for the country and the people of CAR. We encourage local elections to be delivered to the current timetable. 

    We also encourage MINUSCA to work closely with the government of CAR to ensure elections are transparent, and with the full participation of refugees, IDPs, returnees and ethnic minorities, and that MINUSCA’s work complements the work of UNDP in this area.

    Third, President, as we look towards renewal of MINUSCA’s mandate, we should continue to ensure its work is grounded in the 2019 Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation. This will help to ensure that security gains result in an environment conducive to longer-term peace and prosperity.

     We are concerned at the SG’s report that disarmament operations are taking place outside the national programme, which poses risks to the integrity of the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation programme.

    We encourage the government of CAR to further consider its security partners, to ensure that the country and people of CAR achieve the peace, security and prosperity they deserve.

    In conclusion, President, the UK is committed to continuing to work with CAR to provide long-term stability and development that delivers on the aspirations of the people of the Central African Republic.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Green Party NI Leader Senator Mal O’Hara furious over homelessness figures in Northern Ireland

    Source: The Green Party in Northern Ireland

    Green Party NI Leader Senator Mal O’Hara furious over homelessness figures in Northern Ireland

    Recent figures released to the NI Assembly showing number of people with homeless status reaches 58,238, a 135.5% increase in 10 years.
    Senator O’Hara said “The executive parties have overseen a rise in homeless figures unrivalled by any comparable nation. It is an absolute disgrace that the executive can carry on as normal, while every day more people are facing housing stress, more people are sent to the back of housing list to wait decades for a home, more people are carted around the country just to keep a temporary roof over their heads.”
    Senator O’Hara continued “How much longer can this executive go on, ignoring the root causes of homelessness. Under investment in social housing, failure to properly regulate the private rented sector and allowing land hoarding to run rampant. This is exemplified by the executive only allocating enough funding for 500 social homes this financial year. At this pace it will take 60 years to clear the backlog of over 30,00 homeless households. The reflex from the executive parties is to blame Tory austerity or chronic under investment in Northern Ireland. They will not take responsibility for their 26 years of on and off government.”
    ENDS 
    Press enquiries – Mal O’Hara on 07540790663 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Defence Secretary John Healey opening remarks from Trinity House agreement press conference 23 October 2024

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Defence Secretary John Healey delivered opening remarks alongside German defence minister, Boris Pistorius, after signing the Trinity House Agreement

    Location:
    Trinity House, London
    Delivered on:
    (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

    This is a significant day for UK relations and for both our countries. Less than 100 days since I first visited Berlin in July to kick off these negotiations together, we have today signed a landmark defence agreement here at Trinity House in London. First, I want to thank our negotiating teams, they worked at pace, and they have helped us secure a deal which forges closer cooperation between our militaries and our industries, which contains immediate actions and longer term ambitions. Today’s agreement strengthens our security, it will grow our economies.

    And you know, when I was Shadow Defence Secretary before the general election, I had conversations with allies and partners and academics that said Britain needed to play a bigger part in NATO. They said European allies needed to take on more responsibility for European security and this, this is the driving force behind our NATO, first UK Defence strategy, behind our reset of UK relations with Europe. We share the same threats, war in Ukraine, conflict in the Middle East, growing Russian aggression. We share the same values, democracy, individual freedom, rule of law.

    And in a more dangerous world, allies are our strategic strength, and we must do more together. But I believe then, as I know Boris, you did too, that the UK-Germany defence relationship was underdeveloped. The UK and Germany are currently Europe’s top two defence spenders. We’re currently Europe’s top two supporters of Ukraine in military and economic aid. Yes, there’s 40 years of great cooperation on fast jets between UK and Germany. Yes, both countries have deployed and operated together in Kosovo, in Afghanistan, and to counter IS. But the collaboration has been ad hoc. It has not been systematic, and there is no fully-fledged defence cooperation agreement. And as I started work on this area, with some of you in this room, and I thank you for your contributions. As I started work sometime last year, there were only 28 German military personnel training in the UK. There were only six Brits doing the same in Germany, we only had one bilateral German-UK defence industrial programme. So there was huge potential, which we both wanted to seize. The potential and imperative to respond to increasing threats to strengthen our collective security through NATO, which is the cornerstone for the defence of both our nations.

    So today, we have signed this landmark Trinity House Agreement. It secures defence cooperation across all domains, land, sea, air, cyber, space. It will be put on a legal footing in the wider treaty between the UK and Germany. The agreement confirms new lighthouse defence projects between our militaries, and where better to announce these than Trinity house, which is home of England’s official Lighthouse Authority and has been so since 1794. In fact, actually, it goes back longer than that, to Henry the Eighth, when he took the first steps to maritime regulation from this building in 1514. And Admiral Ian Lower, thank you for your hospitality, thank you for hosting us, and thank you to your teams for helping us organise this event.

    But in this new agreement, our new cooperation is focused on the now, with our army’s training, exercising, innovating more together on NATO’s eastern flank, on German P8 planes operating out of Lossiemouth to help protect the North Atlantic and on new support for Ukraine through the capability coalitions, and also enabling German seeking helicopters to be equipped with modern missile systems. So cooperation focused on the now, and also cooperation focused on the weapons of the future: developing a new deep strike system together; pursuing new drones that could operate alongside our tanks; our planes and our warships; kick starting work together to protect vital undersea cables in the North Sea; advancing innovation between our armies to shape the future of NATO warfare; driven by AI and emerging technologies. And as well as this, this agreement paves the way for closer industrial cooperation.

    So today, Rheinmetall have announced plans to build a new gun barrel factory in Britain, supporting 400 jobs, bringing nearly half a billion pounds of benefit to the UK economy, and reestablishing a critical defence industry for the first time in 10 years, gun barrels built in Britain with British steel for our British armed forces and for our allies. And from artillery to AI, from the weapons of now to the weapons of the future, Helsing have also confirmed today a new investment of 350 million pounds into the UK for the development of AI systems. So this shows today’s agreement gives renewed confidence to investors in the UK defence industrial base. Finally, just to give this a bigger context, our new government was elected in July to deliver change. Before with the election, we promised a new defence agreement with Germany in six months, we’ve signed this landmark agreement in less than four months. This is what turning talk into action looks like. This is what resetting relations with Europe looks like. This is what growing our economy looks like, and this is what a NATO first defence strategy looks like. And today’s agreement also sends a signal to our adversaries. We will deter and we will defend against any aggression together.

    Boris, I look forward to working closely with you in putting this agreement into action. Today really is only the start of new, deeper relations between our two nations. And yes, politicians may come and go, but the Trinity house agreement will live on, and it will keep our countries and Europe safely in the years to come. Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-Evening Report: If a Year 12 student gets an early offer for uni, does it mean they stop trying?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew J. Martin, Scientia Professor and Professor of Educational Psychology, UNSW Sydney

    Ground Picture/Shutterstock

    Early entry schemes for university – where students get an offer before their final exams – are increasingly popular.

    For example, more than 27,000 students applied to the Universities Admissions Centre (which mostly deals with New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory unis) for an early offer in 2024. This was a record number and an almost 19% increase on 2023.

    On the one hand, early offers are seen as a way to reduce pressure on Year 12 students. But they are also increasingly criticised, with concerns students may stop trying once they receive an offer.

    Our new research shows applying for an early offer does not make a significant difference to how hard a student tries leading up to their final exams or their final results.

    What are early offers?

    The main round of university offers is in December-January, after students have done their final exams in the previous October and November and have their final results or ATAR.

    With early entry offer schemes, universities assess students using criteria other than (or on top of) final results.

    Amid concerns about students reducing their efforts, in February this year, federal and state education ministers agreed there would be no university offers until September. Federal Education Minister Jason Clare is pushing for a new, national approach to early entry by 2027.

    Year 12 students around Australia sit their final exams in October and November.
    Monkey Business Images/ Shutterstock



    Read more:
    ‘I don’t believe I would have gotten into university’: how early entry schemes help Year 12 students experiencing disadvantage

    Our research

    Our new study investigated the role of early entry offers on Year 12 students’ academic and personal wellbeing.

    We looked at three types of students: students applying for and receiving an early offer, students applying for but not receiving an early offer, and students who did not apply for an early offer.

    We then looked at multiple forms of academic and personal wellbeing, including:

    • the ATAR

    • motivation at school (their interest, energy, and drive to learn) and enjoyment of school

    • how students dealt with academic challenges (also called “academic buoyancy”)

    • study burnout

    • overall life satisfaction, mental health and self-esteem.

    Who did we study?

    The study involved Year 12 students in 2022 from schools in New South Wales.

    The average age for participants was 17, most (68%) were female, the majority (69%) lived in an urban area, just under a quarter (23%) were from a non-English speaking background, and just over half were from government schools (52%).

    We tracked the ATARs of 1,512 students for whom we had early offer data.

    We also surveyed a subset of 525 students from this group. We surveyed them in term 2 of Year 12 and then followed up with a second survey in term 4, about 2 weeks before their final exams.

    The surveys included questions about their academic and personal wellbeing. Both surveys were done online.

    What we found

    In terms of early entry status, 16% did not apply for an early offer, 21% applied but were unsuccessful, and 63% received an early offer.

    Using statistical modelling to control for prior differences in achievement and motivation between the groups, as well as age, gender, school type and learning difficulties, we found an early offer did not appear to have an impact on a student’s ATAR.

    We also found no impact on their motivation, effort, burnout or mental health.

    In fact, the best predictors of students’ final results were their previous results and their efforts earlier in Year 12.

    As our research showed, the findings for these predictors were statistically significant, meaning we can have confidence the results were not due to chance.

    This mirrors other research that suggests you can predict a student’s ATAR from their Year 11 results.

    Students in our study did not stop trying if they had an early offer to uni.
    Jacob Lund/ Shutterstock

    One important difference

    We did find one statistically significant effect. Those receiving an early offer scored about 10% higher in academic buoyancy than the other two groups.

    This means these students reported they were better able to overcome academic challenges, such as difficult assessment tasks and competing deadlines, as they approached their final exams.

    We found this difference even after controlling for any prior group differences in academic buoyancy.

    But we note it was only a relatively small effect.

    Why was there so little difference?

    Some possible explanations about why early offers did not appear to make much difference include:

    • Year 12 is a busy year full of activities (from formals and other events, to plans for life after school). It could be early entry status is quickly absorbed in all the demands of the final year and becomes normalised

    • the joy or relief of an early offer is short-lived and students return to their emotional equilibrium or their typical “set point” in terms of outlook on life

    • the ATAR looms large in students’ lives, so they may still want to do as well as they can – regardless of whether they get an early offer or not.

    What does this mean?

    Our study suggests receiving an early offer for university does not make much of a difference to final outcomes.

    So this suggests students can apply for an early entry offer if they want to.

    But once the application is submitted, they need to return their focus to factors that are influential in final outcomes — such as their learning, motivation, and engagement through Year 12.

    Helen Tam, Kim Paino, Anthony Manny, Mitch Smith and Nicole Swanson from the Universities Admissions Centre helped with the research on which this article is based.

    Andrew J. Martin has received funding from the Australian Research Council, International Boys’ Schools Coalition, NSW Department of Education, and Commonwealth Department of Education.

    – ref. If a Year 12 student gets an early offer for uni, does it mean they stop trying? – https://theconversation.com/if-a-year-12-student-gets-an-early-offer-for-uni-does-it-mean-they-stop-trying-241787

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –