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Category: United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: MHRA asks patients to report without delay any safety problem with their continuous glucose monitor or insulin pump

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is asking patients who use a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) or insulin pump to report any safety problem with their device through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme without delay.

    Over 5.6 million people in the UK live with diabetes, many of whom rely on these devices to manage their condition, and their use can significantly improve the quality of life for patients.

    However, adverse incidents relating to these devices can occur, and while most of these incidents do not result in harm to the patient, they can potentially lead to the incorrect amount of insulin which can lead to abnormal blood sugar levels, with potentially serious health consequences.

    The MHRA utilises the Yellow Card reporting scheme for signal detection and trending activities to identify safety concerns that may require action. As of January 2023, the MHRA has received fewer than 300 Yellow Card reports from healthcare professionals and members of the public relating to these devices, which is significantly fewer than we would expect given their widespread use. The MHRA is therefore reminding users how to report adverse incidents and potential safety issues to us.

    To aid this vital reporting, the MHRA has today, Tuesday 08 October, introduced new step-by-step guidance, giving individuals living with diabetes detailed information on how to report any safety concerns with their device and what information they need to include. This guidance provides examples of the types of issues which should be flagged and images to help guide users in their reporting.

    Dr Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer, said:

    Patient safety is our top priority, which is why we urge anyone using devices to manage their diabetes to report to us without delay any safety concerns they may have. We know adverse incidents can occur with the use of these devices. The vast majority of these incidents don’t result in harm but potentially could have serious consequences.

    Every report is valuable to us as it will provide valuable insight and potentially inform future regulatory measures designed to protect patients. We are ready to take whatever action is needed.

    If you are concerned that there is an issue with any of your diabetes devices, please use the guidance [LINK] to complete a Yellow Card report online using the Yellow Card website or via the free Yellow Card app.

     Douglas Twenefour, Head of Care at Diabetes UK, said:

    Diabetes technology can be a life-changing tool, helping people living with the condition improve their quality of life.

    Unfortunately, we know that sometimes this technology doesn’t work as intended, so it is important that users of diabetes tech have a clear and accessible way to report any issues with continuous glucose monitors, insulin pumps and pens.

    Diabetes UK welcomes any guidance that gives reassurance for people using diabetes tech to highlight potential problems quickly and easily. We would encourage anyone with a concern about diabetes tech to report it, as this vital information can help improve the quality of devices.

    However, if there is any immediate concern about technology that could affect a person’s safety, advice from an appropriate healthcare professional should be sought first.

    Professor Partha Kar, NHS England Type 1 Diabetes & Technology lead, said:

    We welcome this work and its important role in ensuring safety while we oversee the widespread adoption of diabetes technologies using continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps.

    These devices can be life-changing for people living with diabetes, giving them the confidence to go about their days knowing they are safe and able to enjoy themselves, so their operationally effectiveness is of paramount importance.

    This initiative will help to ensure standards stay at the highest level as the market continues to expand with new developers.

    The MHRA also urges people to speak to a healthcare professional without delay if they have concerns that their health may have been impacted by a potential safety issue relating to their device.

    Examples of the types of issue with continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps that should be reported include:

    • Concerns with accuracy of delivery from the insulin pump (for example, suspected underdose or overdose, unexpected bolus doses, non-delivery of insulin)
    • Concerns with accuracy of results from a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). As part of your report, please tell us what the readings were on both the CGM and the approved blood glucose meter (see page 6) including the time elapsed between the 2 readings

    • Skin reaction to the sensor adhesive. If a patch test was carried out, please let us know.

    • Technology concerns, such as:

      • Connectivity issues between the various parts of the diabetes management system

      • Concerns with the touchscreen, display or buttons

    • Physical failures, including leaks and cracks

    ENDS

    Notes to editors

    1. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for regulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe.  All our work is underpinned by robust and fact-based judgements to ensure that the benefits justify any risks.
    2. The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.
    3. More information can be found on the Device Safety Information page.
    4. For media enquiries, please contact the newscentre@mhra.gov.uk

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: European court ruling finds just cause to award soccer players greater freedom of movement

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Stefan Szymanski, Professor of Sport Management, University of Michigan

    A ruling that Harry Kane may be happy about? James Gill/Danehouse via Getty Images

    Many of us have quit a job at some point in our lives – but how many have wondered if they had “just cause” to do so? Were you acting on a whim? Did your departure make life difficult for your employer? And did your desire to move on really outweigh the loss this meant for your boss?

    Just cause can be a real problem for professional soccer players who want to change teams. Under the soccer transfer system created and operated by FIFA, the sport’s world governing body, players who quit without showing just cause – that is, who fail to show that their employer treated them in manner that is demonstrably unfair – can be subject to significant financial and disciplinary penalties.

    But that could soon change. On Oct. 4, 2024, the European Court of Justice took a major step toward dismantling an employment system that placed undue burden on employees and, thankfully, was dispensed with for the rest of us long ago.

    As a sports economist, I have written about this subject for several years now, and I know of no system outside of sports that restrains the rights of the employee to a comparable extent.

    An object lesson for FIFA

    The legal case is complicated, but the essence of it is that Lassana Diarra, a star player for Lokomotiv Moscow back in 2014, got into a dispute with the Russian club while under contract and quit. He then got a job offer from a Belgian club but was unable to take it because of the FIFA transfer regulations.

    Europe’s top court ruled in favor of former French international Lassana Diarra.
    Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images

    Under the governing body’s rules, not only was Diarra expected to pay damages to Lokomotiv amounting to US$11.5 million plus interest, but he was unable to take a job with any club until the dispute was settled. A formal suspension was not enforced, because Diarra had already been unable to work for 11 months.

    But Diarra countersued, claiming the regulations of FIFA unreasonably restricted his employment rights. The case has passed through many stages, until the highest court in Europe finally delivered its decision.

    The court struck down two specific parts of FIFA’s regulations: the rule that an International Transfer Certificate, required by a player to move from one country to another, cannot be issued until the dispute is settled; and the stipulation that any new employer of the player is jointly and severally liable for any damages against the player due to the old club, regardless of whether that employer played a role in the dispute.

    The court, which has historically been deferential toward sports governing bodies and their regulations, was highly critical of FIFA’s transfer system. It declared the rules anti-competitive “by object” and not just “by effect.” In the view of the court, the rules were not merely aimed at ensuring an orderly market for soccer player services, but amounted to a “non-poaching agreement,” arguing that they were intended to restrain competition for players in order to benefit the clubs.

    An end to transfer fees?

    The decision means that FIFA will have to rewrite its transfer rules in a way that demonstrates that the system has a clear and legal purpose. The regulations will be deemed legitimate, the court said, for the purposes of guaranteeing “contractual stability” and ensuring that clubs have the right to receive compensation when there’s breach of contract.

    A player who quits while under contract will still need to demonstrate just cause – unfair treatment by the club – or else be liable to pay a fine or penalty. But the new system will look very different, and it is hard to see how the payment of transfer fees can survive.

    Last summer alone, clubs in the top five European leagues spent around $5 billion on player transfers. Frequently, there are moves between clubs in each direction, and so cash transfers are smaller than the big money moves that grab the headlines.

    The system deprives some star players of substantial potential earnings.

    Take England national team captain Harry Kane, for example. In 2023, German club Bayern Munich paid London-based Tottenham around $100 million to buy Kane out of the last year of his contract. Kane was being paid about $13 million a year at Tottenham, and he got a four-year contract at Bayern, paying him around $27 million a year.

    While his salary doubled, Kane received only half of what Bayern was prepared to pay to obtain his services, thanks to the FIFA regulations. The rest went to his former club.

    Here is what one might expect to happen from now on: Kane would unilaterally announce that he wanted to leave, and then a club like Bayern could make an offer. Tottenham would no longer have any enforceable claim over Bayern and so no transfer fee would be paid, and Bayern would offer to pay Kane something like $52 million a year.

    Kane would have to pay damages to Tottenham for breach of contract, and the court suggested that these damages might reasonably equal the wages that the club would have paid him for the remainder of the contract – so in the case of Kane, $13 million.

    Clearly Kane would have been much better off if the judgment had arrived a year or two ago.

    Don’t fall for the trickle-down myth

    Soccer fans will be worried that this means financial ruin for their club and increases inequality as the big clubs poach the big stars.

    But I see no reason to think that the sky will fall. As recent research has shown, the transfer system has a negligible effect on the distribution of resources among the clubs. Rather, transfer fee spending is more likely the source of financial instability than its remedy, as some clubs spend extravagantly with unrealistic expectations.

    It is true that club owners hoping to grow rich by developing young players and trading them in the market will believe that they now have fewer opportunities, but for most clubs, this has always been an illusion.

    Big clubs tend to tie up the potential stars in their teens, leaving few opportunities for small clubs to find diamonds in the rough.

    Major League Soccer, the U.S. professional league, for example, has ambitions to one day match the big European leagues and has committed significant resources to developing player talent.

    But recent figures suggest that the league is still a net importer of players – and not just superstars such as Lionel Messi.

    In fact, MLS might actually benefit from the end of the transfer system. There are plenty of talented players who might fancy a year or two in the U.S. if they are not unduly tied down by transfer regulations.

    Blowing the whistle on unfair practices

    But perhaps the biggest impact of the ruling will be on the mass of professional players who do not live in the spotlight.

    FIFA estimates there are around 130,000 professional players worldwide, and most of them earn little in comparison to the super-salaried stars of the world’s biggest clubs.

    Yet, these journeymen and -women players have been bound by the same restrictive system and are often denied the opportunity to change teams – not because they are being offered great riches, but because they want a change of scene, or to be closer to their families.

    FIFPro, the players’ union, has documented numerous cases of onerous employment conditions, which were possible under the repressive transfer system.

    Thanks to the European Court of Justice, those days may soon be over.

    In 2015 I wrote a report for FIFPro on the economic consequences of the transfer system

    – ref. European court ruling finds just cause to award soccer players greater freedom of movement – https://theconversation.com/european-court-ruling-finds-just-cause-to-award-soccer-players-greater-freedom-of-movement-240403

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Crucial topics are missing from teens’ education on sex and reproductive health in England

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rina Biswakarma, PhD researcher in Reproductive Health, UCL

    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Comprehensive sex and reproductive health education aims to promote positive attitudes toward sex and reproductive health, and empower young people to make informed decisions.

    But decent sex and reproductive health education is still lacking in many parts of the world. This leaves significant gaps in young peoples’ knowledge and understanding.

    We have carried out research to figure out what young people in England are missing in their sex education lessons. We reviewed the relationships and sex education (RSE) curricula across the UK.

    We found that, in England, much of the focus of sex and reproductive health education is on pregnancy prevention. Much less emphasis is given to reproductive health topics such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, fertility and the menopause.

    We also carried out a survey of 931 students aged 16-18 across England. We found students were missing key aspects of reproductive health knowledge.

    Students are not being adequately informed about fertility, despite the RSE curriculum guidelines stating that students must be taught “the facts about reproductive health, including fertility, and the potential impact of lifestyle on fertility”.

    Lack of knowledge

    For example, despite the fact that students learn about the menstrual cycle in RSE lessons, half of them did not know when women are most fertile during the menstrual cycle.

    Less than 3% of teenagers in our study told us that they had been taught about specific reproductive health conditions such as endometriosis and PCOS. Just over 10% said they had learned about menopause.

    Over 70% of students recognised the decline in egg quality and quantity with age, but only about 50% understood the effects of age on sperm quality and quantity.

    In our survey, we asked students what reproductive health topics they research about outside of school. Students told us that they had sought out knowledge on a variety of reproductive health topics, including PCOS, endometriosis, menopause, miscarriage and abortion – subjects that are seldom covered in detail during RSE lessons.

    Many turned to social media and the internet for answers on sex and reproductive health. While these platforms offer easy access to information, they can also expose students to misinformation from non-credible sources.

    In our survey, 70% of students said that they had “a little” sex education at their school. Only 30% rated their school’s sex education as good or very good. This shows a major gap in the quality of sex education most students are getting at school.

    Knowledge seeking

    Our study shows that students in England want to learn more about these topics in school. When we asked them what could be done to improve sex education at school, they called for a more inclusive and comprehensive curriculum that covers a wider variety of topics – including miscarriage, abortion, masturbation and how to access sexual and reproductive health services. One student said:

    All we’ve done in school is go over and over having safe sex and talked about periods which whilst is important is barely scratching the surface of things people need to know about.

    Students want greater focus on sex positivity because current discussions mostly highlight negative aspects of sexual activity. They believe the importance of sexual wellbeing is often ignored. They want honest, transparent, and non-judgmental education – not teaching methods driven by fear.

    Based on our findings, our research team, as part of the non-profit International Reproductive Health Education Collaboration has developed evidence-based educational resources to enhance reproductive health education. These include an education resource for teachers, information leaflets and a fertility education poster.

    These tools aim to help teachers, health professionals and the public access accurate and comprehensive reproductive health education.

    Teens turn to other sources, such as social media, to get information they’re missing at school.
    Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock

    Under the previous government, the Department of Education proposed an update to the RSE curriculum, which included the addition of topics such as “menstrual and gynaecological health, including endometriosis, PCOS, and heavy menstrual bleeding.”

    The results of a consultation on this and other proposed changes are currently under analysis. But adding these topics to the curriculum would be a crucial advancement in school reproductive health education.

    Reproductive health education must be given equal importance to core academic subjects, and schools need to actively engage with students, addressing their reproductive health needs and concerns. This is crucial, as school is often the only time that students receive formal education on these topics.

    By providing comprehensive and accessible information at this stage, schools can equip students with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their reproductive health throughout their lives.

    Rina Biswakarma is affiliated with the charity Fertility Network UK.

    Daniel Marcu owns shares in Virilitas Labs and he is the President of the Network for Young Researchers in Andrology (non-profit).

    Joyce Harper gives paid talks on reproductive health education and has written a book called Your Fertile Years.

    – ref. Crucial topics are missing from teens’ education on sex and reproductive health in England – https://theconversation.com/crucial-topics-are-missing-from-teens-education-on-sex-and-reproductive-health-in-england-237281

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why a pilot scheme removing peak rail fares should have been allowed to go the distance

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rachel Scarfe, Lecturer in Economics, University of Stirling

    A pilot removing peak fares on ScotRail trains has ended. Loch Earn/Shutterstock

    Commuters in Scotland faced a shock at ticket machines as the Scottish government abandoned a pilot scheme that removed peak rail fares. During the pilot, tickets were the same price all day. But now that it has ended, the increase in fares is significant. The cost of commuting at peak time from Glasgow to Edinburgh, for example, has gone from £16.20 to £31.40.

    The aim of the pilot, introduced in October 2023, was to encourage what’s known as a “modal shift” from cars to more sustainable transport.

    Defending its decision, the Scottish government made two claims: that the pilot increased passenger numbers by only 6.8% (when an increase of 10% was required for it to be self-financing) and that it mostly benefited wealthier passengers.

    These claims were widely reported, but are they correct? And what does this mean for similar schemes in other countries?

    Passengers using the train to get to and from work benefited most from the pilot, which made travel cheaper at peak times (early morning until around 9am and evenings until around 7pm). It is true that wealthier people in the UK tend to use trains and cars more, while poorer people are more likely to travel by bus.

    The graph below shows how much £100 of train and bus tickets, and £100 of petrol ten years ago would cost today.

    Cost of transport in the UK (2014-2024)

    The increase in train fares has been smoother, but mostly faster, than the increase in petrol prices. However, bus fares have increased faster than both. Scotland has not followed England in capping bus fares, a policy that might have benefited lower-income passengers more.

    In theory, a decrease in price for a product will result in an increase in demand. But it is impossible to calculate exactly how much passenger numbers increased due to the pilot, because we cannot know for sure how many passengers would have travelled anyway (the “counterfactual”).

    To estimate the rise in demand brought about by cheaper fares, we must make assumptions about the counterfactual, where peak fares remained in place. This is especially difficult for two reasons. First, the pilot began as passenger numbers were rising again after the COVID lockdowns.



    Read more:
    Catching public transport in Queensland will soon cost just 50 cents. Are cheap fares good policy?

    Statisticians must make assumptions about how much demand would have continued to rise in this case. Depending on these assumptions, the estimated effect of the pilot on demand for rail travel ranges from an increase of 16% to a fall of 5%, compared with the final figure of 6.8%. A change in assumptions can change the estimated rise in demand substantially.

    Second, the pilot spanned a period of disruption on the railways. Strikes in Scotland in 2022 may have put people off train travel, and again, we cannot know whether they would have returned in the counterfactual scenario.

    And bad weather in Scotland in early 2024 and disruption caused by strikes in England and Wales make it difficult to use the rest of Great Britain as a control group to compare against Scotland.

    To estimate the effects of a policy like the pilot, statisticians must make many other assumptions. For example, in April 2024 there was a big increase in fares across Scotland. The analysis underlying the report assumes that this would have happened even without the pilot.

    All these assumptions (and more) lie beneath the reported 6.8% increase in demand and make it impossible to be confident that this was the true number of passengers who shifted to rail travel because peak fares were axed.

    What’s happening elsewhere?

    Similar schemes have been piloted in other countries, including a flat rate €49 (£40) per month (increased from €9) rail pass in Germany, a 50 cent (30 pence) flat fare across all public transport in Queensland, Australia, and a £2 flat bus fare in England.

    As with the pilot in Scotland, it is difficult to determine whether these schemes have caused a modal shift. Some new evidence from Germany suggests that cheaper fares encouraged people to make more journeys overall, but that the shift from cars to trains was limited.

    However, we know that the elasticity (how much demand changes as prices change) of public transport fares is greater in the long term than in the short term. There is a danger that, as in Scotland, governments will cancel them before the long-term effects are clear.

    The SNP government in Scotland is facing difficulties balancing its budget. In these circumstances, any further subsidy to public transport seems unlikely. Instead, the government will have to find other ways to reach its net zero commitments.

    There is evidence that people respond more strongly to an increase in price than to a decrease. If this is the case, the pilot itself could even cause a long-term decrease in passenger numbers in Scotland, because the fall in people using the trains due to the reintroduction of peak fares might be greater than the increase during the pilot.

    It is impossible to tell yet, but in the long term this could make travelling on the railways more expensive for both passengers and for the government subsidising them.

    Rachel Scarfe is a member of the Labour Party.

    – ref. Why a pilot scheme removing peak rail fares should have been allowed to go the distance – https://theconversation.com/why-a-pilot-scheme-removing-peak-rail-fares-should-have-been-allowed-to-go-the-distance-240224

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Devolving justice and policing to Wales would put it on par with Scotland and Northern Ireland – so what’s holding it back?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stephen Clear, Lecturer in Constitutional and Administrative Law, and Public Procurement, Bangor University

    Ceri Breeze/Shutterstock

    Devolution is “a process, not an event”, according to the then-secretary of state for Wales, Ron Davies, in 1997. But it is unclear what may come next for Wales in that process under the new UK Labour government, despite the same party now being in charge in both London and Cardiff.

    One ongoing debate among politicians and experts for several years has been whether Westminster should and will devolve more powers to Wales, including justice and policing.

    It wasn’t until the passing of the Government of Wales Act 1998 that the then National Assembly was established. It allowed Wales to make decisions over issues such as education, housing and agriculture. Further primary law-making powers were subsequently granted to the now Senedd (Welsh parliament).

    But Wales doesn’t have control over all matters and some are reserved for the UK parliament. A number of these are consistent across all UK nations, including fiscal policy, foreign affairs, nuclear policy and national security. But others are different for Wales when compared to Scotland and Northern Ireland.

    One of the most obvious examples is in the area of justice and policing. Unlike Scotland and Northern Ireland, Wales is not a separate legal jurisdiction with its own system of law, policing and courts. While there are increasing areas of divergence between England and Wales, technically speaking, Wales is part of a single jurisdiction with England due to decisions made during Henry VIII’s reign in the 16th century.

    The issue of devolving justice and policing has cropped up consistently over the past 25 years. It has been the subject of a variety of debates in the Senedd, Westminster and in the media. It has also been analysed by a number of official reports and independent or cross-party commissions.

    In 2011, the Silk commission was established by the UK government to explore the issue. In its 2014 report, it recommended devolving policing and youth justice to Wales by 2017. That never happened.

    The Thomas commission, set up by the Welsh government in 2019, also recommended devolving justice to Wales, including youth justice and policing. Earlier this year, the independent commission on the constitutional future of Wales called on the UK government to agree to the devolution of responsibility for justice and policing to the Senedd and Welsh government.

    In 2023, Keir Starmer said that a Labour government would introduce a “take back control bill”, to devolve new powers to communities from Westminster. Those intentions were echoed in Labour’s election manifesto ahead of July’s general election.

    But the issue of devolving justice to Wales was absent from Labour’s manifesto. And in an interview in June, the now-secretary of state for Wales Jo Stevens described such a move as “fiddling around with structures and systems”. It is therefore unclear whether devolution to regions of England will take place in parallel to further devolution to Wales and the other nations.

    And while this issue may not be at the forefront of UK Labour policy, it is an ongoing commitment of Welsh Labour. The latter commissioned even further research in August into the devolution of justice.

    What are some of the potential challenges?

    One significant issue is the age of criminal responsibility, currently set at ten in England and Wales. The Thomas commission recommended raising this to 12, aligning Wales with Scotland and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

    But this raises logistical questions. For example, what would happen when a case crosses borders or involves children just above or below the age threshold? These practical challenges need to be addressed if justice is to be devolved smoothly.

    The Thomas Commission also laid out detailed proposals for reforms to youth justice, prisons and probation services. The Welsh youth courts have already started implementing a more preventive and restorative approach, but a jurisdictional overlap with England has slowed progress. While children’s services are devolved, youth justice remains under UK government control.



    Read more:
    Crown estate: why it’s time to devolve it and put Wales on par with Scotland

    Issues like transport to courts, funding and jurisdictional boundaries need careful consideration too. For example, how would authorities determine whether a crime committed near the Wales-England border falls under Welsh or English law?

    Of course, this is an issue which already exists between England and Scotland, and there are complex rules in place. Dependent upon the nature and circumstances of the crime, “jurisdiction” is typically dependent on where it was first initiated. In turn, further challenges arise surrounding police force cooperation, as well as mechanisms for sharing different types of evidence. There are also legally-protected agreements regarding powers to arrest people in each other’s territories.

    Ironing out these types of issues is particularly important in respect of female offenders, as Wales has made progress in providing better support for them.

    Disparities in legal expertise may also become more of a challenge. Legal experts have noted that as Welsh laws become more distinct, judges in England may lack the relevant expertise to handle Welsh cases. This concern has already arisen in Welsh tribunals, where appeals are sometimes directed to England’s Upper Tribunal, raising doubts about how well English judges can handle increasingly Wales-specific laws.

    Cooperation

    While these issues are very real, they shouldn’t block progress. With cooperation between Cardiff and Westminster, the devolution of justice could happen without major disruption. Instead of having endless debates and reviews, time and resources could be better spent acting on existing expert recommendations.

    For instance, both governments could agree on a ten-year timeline – as recommended by the independent commission – to devolve justice, starting with policing. It’s an area which already has strong ties to devolved services at the local level. Youth justice and probation could then follow.

    Despite the potential challenges, the new Labour UK government has a chance to bring about meaningful change. Devolving justice may take time, but it could bring Wales closer to achieving the legal autonomy many believe it deserves.

    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. Devolving justice and policing to Wales would put it on par with Scotland and Northern Ireland – so what’s holding it back? – https://theconversation.com/devolving-justice-and-policing-to-wales-would-put-it-on-par-with-scotland-and-northern-ireland-so-whats-holding-it-back-238634

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Transport assistance for post-16 learners with SEND: Senior councillors asked to approve proposed changes

    Source: City of Leeds

    Senior councillors are being asked to approve proposed changes to the way Leeds City Council provides transport assistance for post-16 learners with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), as the level of discretionary support currently provided is not sustainable.

    The proposed changes would still offer a level of discretionary transport assistance for Post-16 learners with SEND and help support independence through travel training, whilst addressing the significant financial challenge.

    The council is statutorily obliged to make free-of-charge home to school travel arrangements for school-age children with SEND. There is no such requirement to provide this for post-16 learners, however the council has been doing so on a discretionary basis at a cost of around £4m-£4.5million each year.

    Following a consultation earlier this year, a report to the council’s Executive Board will propose the following changes:

    • Limiting post-16 transport assistance to learners with SEND, living three or more miles from their education setting.                                                                                                                                                                                                               
    • Independent Travel Training and a free bus pass (or equivalent cost) for a young person who is able to travel independently or could make the journey to their learning setting on public transport accompanied by an adult as necessary.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
    • A yearly flat-rate Personal Transport Allowance for post-16 learners with SEND, allowing learners and their families to make their own travel arrangements, and based on distance between their home and learning setting:

    –          Between 3 and 10 miles – £1,000 per year.

    –          Between 10.01 and 20 miles – £2,000 per year.

    –          Over 20.01 miles – £3,000 per year.                                                                                                                                 

    • Providing council-organised transport for those meeting the exceptional circumstances criteria.

    Introducing these proposals would achieve an estimated financial saving to the council of more than £800,000 during the financial year 2025/26.

    Should the proposals be approved by the council’s Executive Board next Wednesday (16th October), the changes would be introduced for young people starting post-16 education in September 2025 and onwards. All young people already in post-16 education receiving transport assistance would continue on the current policy unless there is a change in their circumstances such as moving house or a different education setting.

    Councillor Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council’s executive member for children and families, said:

    “We absolutely recognise and understand the concerns of young people, their families and carers, in how these changes may affect them, and we have fully considered their feedback from the consultation when finalising these proposals.

    “Given the significant financial challenges the council faces and the increasing level of demand, the level of discretionary transport support we currently provide is not sustainable.

    “However, we remain committed to providing support for young people and their families through a personal transport allowance, through provision of our award winning independent travel training, and by ensuring that those with exceptional circumstances requiring council organised transport, continue to receive it.”

    Public consultation on the proposals was held between 24 June and 23 July 2024, with just over 300 responses received and views sought from children and young people, parents and carers, staff and governors of Special Inclusion Learning Centres (SILCs), primary and secondary schools, and post-16 providers, and wider stakeholders.

    Should the proposals be approved at Executive Board, the council will begin contacting families and key services to ensure they are aware of the changes well in advance of their introduction from September 2025. Officers intend to work with parent forums, young people and families to continue to inform their understanding of how the proposals impact those affected before and during the proposals’ implementation, and will also liaise with key partners such as public transport providers to continually increase their awareness of accessibility needs of young people with SEND.

    Proposals to remove transport assistance eligibility for post-19 learners, and to introduce a contributory charge for post-16 learners towards their transport, have not been recommended to Executive Board for implementation following feedback from the consultation.

    The full report can be read here. 

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Thousands expected as Run Leicester half marathon and 10k return

    Source: City of Leicester

    THOUSANDS of runners will be taking to the city’s streets this weekend for the annual Run Leicester half marathon and 10k race.

    The events will take place on Sunday 13 October, starting and finishing at Leicester’s Victoria Park.

    Runners will set out from the park from 9.15am, on a route through the city centre onto Melton Road, and into Thurmaston and Birstall, before returning to the starting point.

    A series of rolling road closures and parking restrictions will be in place along the route to enable the runners to pass safely.

    The route heads across the city including London Road, St George’s Way, Charles Street, Belgrave Gate and Melton Road, and then out towards Thurmaston, Watermead Country Park and Birstall, before the race returns via Red Hill Circle, Loughborough Road and then the canal side path.

    From there the route will heads through Abbey Park and the city centre, before continuing up New Walk via De Montfort Street and University Road on its way to the finish at Victoria Park.

    The 10k race will follow the same route as far as Melton Road, before travelling along Loughborough Road, Holden Street and Ross Walk to re-join the riverside path, past the Space Centre and Abbey Park on its way back to the city.

    Parking and loading restrictions will be in place to keep the route free of traffic, and temporary road closures will be in place while the race passes through. The measures have been clearly signposted along the route in advance.

    Roads are expected to have reopened fully by 1pm.

    The race is a hugely popular event, attracting runners ranging from enthusiastic amateurs to club athletes, all raising money for a range of charities including official charity partner, LOROS Hospice.

    The events are organised by Run Leicester and full details of the route and road closures are available at http://www.runleicester.co.uk

    Race director, Andrew Ward, said: “This year’s Run Leicester half marathon and 10k is set to be our best event ever, with over 4,000 runners expected to take to the streets on Sunday. It’s by far the biggest running event in the county and serves as inspiration to everyone watching as they cheer the runners on towards the finish line.

    “We would encourage everyone to come out and support what is such a fantastic event for the whole city. It’s a real festival atmosphere with singers and drummers all around the route for both runners and spectators to enjoy.

    “We can’t wait to see everyone on race day; the atmosphere will be incredible and the event will ultimately raise thousands of pounds for LOROS Hospice and other local charities.”

    Bus services from the city centre will be running as normal but some will be diverted to alternative bus stops nearby while the race is in progress, with any changes clearly signposted.

    Traffic and travel updates are also available from Leicester Area Traffic Control on X at @ATCLeicester

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Manchester Carbon Literate City: Climate change training goal unveiled

    Source: City of Manchester

    Manchester has launched an initiative to become the UK’s first Carbon Literate City as part of the drive to become zero carbon by 2038.

    The effort, co-ordinated by Manchester City Council working with The Carbon Literacy Project, aims to achieve the status by getting the equivalent of 15% of the city’s population – 85,349 people – trained and certified as Carbon Literate.

    Carbon Literacy® is defined as “an awareness of the carbon costs and impacts of everyday activities, and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions, on an individual, community and organisational basis.” It describes an awareness of climate change and the impacts which our everyday actions, whether as individuals or organisations, have. Being Carbon Literate enables people to take informed decisions, whether in their personal or work lives. Becoming a Carbon Literate City will help in the collective effort to dramatically cut harmful carbon emissions across Manchester.

    Manchester City Council is already committed to Carbon Literacy and is the first local authority to achieve The Carbon Literacy Project’s Silver organisational designation and is working towards Gold status. By December this year the Council aims to have 50% of its staff, around 3,500 people, trained and certified in Carbon Literacy. Other founding partners of the Manchester initiative include Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester Museum, Auto Trader, Manchester Digital and GMAST (a network of arts and cultural organisations working to contribute to the city’s climate ambitions.)

    Councillor Tracey Rawlins, Executive Member for Environment, said: “Earning recognition as the country’s first Carbon Literate City is going to require a step change in the number of organisations getting on board and spreading the word in their own sectors.“This has never been a city to shy away from challenges and we hope that this title will become the latest in a long line of Manchester firsts.

    “What really matters here is not the title itself but what it will mean in terms of the number of individuals and organisations who are aware of the issues and the positive actions they can take to help address them.

    “The city can only reach its zero carbon goals through collective local, regional and national effort. Having a more informed and engaged population is an important step.”

    Dave Coleman, Co-founder and Managing Director of The Carbon Literacy Project, said: “Given our origins and our deep roots in the city, it comes as no surprise that it is Manchester that has stepped up, built on all its existing hard work, and publicly declared it’s ambition to be the very first certified Carbon Literate Locality.
    “Globally more than 100,000 citizens are already certified as being Carbon Literate, but of these, more than 10,000 live, work and study in Manchester.

    “The Manchester Carbon Literate City initiative brings together people and organisations already acting on climate in the city, to further help and support each  other, and bring others along with them. Working together in this way makes our collective action on climate easier, faster and cheaper, and in Manchester at least, demonstrates that truly “the whole is far greater than the sum of its parts”. 

    More information about the Manchester Carbon Literate City initiative is available at carbonliteracy.com/mclc and about Carbon Literacy itself at carbonliteracy.com. The latest public Carbon Literacy courses are available at the Project’s events page.

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: First deadline approaches for crime procurement process

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    There are two weeks to the deadline for the first stage of the procurement process for the 2025 crime contract.

    If you want your contract to commence on Wednesday 1 October 2025 and to join duty schemes from that day, you must submit your tender by Tuesday 22 October 2024.

    If you submit your tender after this date but before Wednesday 30 April 2025, your contract will start on Wednesday 1 October 2025. However, you will be unable to join a duty rota until January 2026.

    Tenders received from Thursday 1 May 2025 to Monday 30June 2025 will be opened in early July 2025 and any tenders received from Tuesday 1 July 2025 onwards will be opened the month following submission.

    How do I tender?

    Tenders must be submitted using the LAA’s eTendering system.

    For full details of the procurement process please read the Application Guide which is available at Crime Contract 2025 Tender – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 October 2024

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Man ordered to clear illegal waste site

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A man has been ordered to clear illegally dumped waste from a site near Saltburn in a prosecution brought by the Environment Agency. 

    Images shows dumped waste on the site.

    Martin Booker, 60, of Woodside in Brotton, operated an illegal waste site on unregistered land, burnt it and ignored warnings from the Environment Agency to stop.

    He appeared at Teesside Magistrates’ Court last month for sentencing and having previously denied the allegations, changed his plea to guilty to three offences of operating a waste site without an environmental permit.

    The court heard the land, which is at the end of Gladstone Street in Brotton, is next to council-owned allotments and does not have an environmental permit or a registered exemption, which are required by law to manage waste operations.

    Booker was fined £648 and will pay a victim surcharge of £259. A remediation order was made against Brooker for him to clear the site of all waste. If he fails to comply he could be subject to further action.

    Booker ‘largely ignored’ warnings

    Gary Wallace, Area Environment Manager for the Environment Agency, said:

    Environmental permits are in place to protect the public and environment and we told Booker a number of times that he must stop his activities and clear the waste from the site.

    He largely ignored these warnings, showing a disregard for law.

    Illegal activity such as this undermines legitimate businesses that work hard to operate within the regulations, as well as putting the environment at risk and impacting on the local community.

    In February 2022 an Environment Agency officer visited the land and saw waste including scrap electricals such as fridges and washing machines, as well as shopping trollies and scrap vehicle parts. There were clear signs of burning.

    Enquiries led the officers to Booker, and a letter was sent instructing him to cease all activity and clear the site.

    By May 2022 most of the waste had been cleared, but Boooker resumed waste activity on the land. By October the same year waste was again strewn across the site and the pathway access to the allotments – including a pram, a three piece suite and a TV.

    In January 2023 the Environment Agency gave Booker one month to clear the site, but a month later it was still full of waste – again with evidence of burning.

    When he was interviewed in May 2023 Booker said he’d owned two garages on the land that he knocked down.

    He said he’d brought rubble to the land to develop it, but that people fly tipped the plot and he cleared it by putting it into residents’ bins or throwing it in the allotments.

    He denied being responsible for disposing and burning waste. He also claimed not to have a vehicle but evidence from the council confirmed he was seen in a scrap van in Saltburn in October 2023.

    A final visit on 19 March 2024 saw the site still had waste present, with evidence of burning.

    Law is there to protect communities

    Cllr Adam Brook, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, said:

    Our officers work closely with colleagues in the Environment Agency and other partner agencies every day to protect the public.

    The decision to go to court is never taken lightly. However, if the law which is clearly there to protect our residents, visitors, businesses and the environment we all share is disregarded in this way this action must be taken and I fully support the EA.

    I would like to thank the Environment Agency and everyone else involved for their hard work on this case.

    Illegal waste activity can be reported to the Environment Agency on 0800 807060.

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 October 2024

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UN Human Rights Council 57: UK Statement for Oral Update on Ukraine

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    UK statement for Interactive dialogue with the High Commissioner on the oral update on Ukraine. Delivered by the UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, Simon Manley.

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

    Thank you, Mr Vice President and thank you very much, High Commissioner. I do hope that the Russian Ambassador and his film crew were able to capture your stark account of the realities of the human rights atrocities that are being committed by the Russians, and not merely the fantasy fiction of the disinformation that we have been presented with by the Russian Ambassador. 

    The evidence presented in your report presents a stark pattern of the atrocities Russia is committing against the Ukrainian people. Your report describes systematic torture of Ukrainians by Russia – 97% of prisoners of war interviewed since March reported experiencing torture or ill treatment, and 68% said they had experienced sexual violence. Senior Russian officials calling for the execution of Ukrainian POWs. Its large-scale coordinated attacks against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, deliberately targeting power systems which serve civilian populations, and which you rightly conclude is a violation of international humanitarian law

    Just last week, as you noted, we marked two years since Russia’s attempted annexation of four oblasts in eastern Ukraine. Those living under Russian occupation continue to face arbitrary detention, passportisation, and the seizure of land and property.

    Even children, both those living under Russian occupation and those who have been deported to Russia, are facing indoctrination and re-education programmes designed to distort and erase Ukrainian history.

    High Commissioner,

    How can we continue to remind Russia of its obligations under international humanitarian law, international human rights law and the UN Charter?

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 October 2024

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Delivering better outcomes for our future pensioners

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Minister for Pensions Emma Reynolds addressed an audience at the ABI ‘Pension Investment: Where Next?’ event on Thursday 3 October.

    Location:
    1 America Square London EC3N 2LS to 1 Horse Guards Rd, London SW1A 2HQ
    Delivered on:
    (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

    Thank you for that kind introduction, and good morning everybody.

    I’m delighted to be here today. This is the third time I’ve been to the ABI in the last couple of months to discuss the government’s reform agenda for pensions, and in particular to highlight the work of the pensions Review, I’m very grateful to the ABI.

    Thank you, Yvonne and the team here for inviting me today and for also your ongoing commitment to working with the government to tackle the barriers that pension funds face to invest in growth assets. And I’d also like to give particular thanks to the ABI for your comprehensive response to our recent Call for Evidence, which closed last week.

    I’m delighted to be here today as the first joint DWP and HMT Minister for Pensions, as Yvonne has set out, the government is determined to bring down the silos between departments which too often in the past, have prevented effective Government and effective reform. And as the First Minister to sit between these two great Departments of State, I am excited by the job of work ahead.

    We face many challenges, but also we face many great opportunities to drive significant reform of pensions. As the Pensions Minister, I have two overarching objectives, first to increase pensions, investment in UK productive assets, supporting UK businesses of all sizes to grow and expand across the country. Second, to improve retirement outcomes for future pensioners, which everyone in this room and many millions of savers across the country have a stake in.

    Both of these objectives require more economic growth. The Chancellor reiterated in her commitment to powering growth in every part of Britain in her recent speech [political content redacted], growth is the most important of the government’s five missions to rebuild Britain, and as you will know, reforming pension investments is a crucial part of that.

    Earlier this year, in the King’s Speech, our new government announced a Pension Schemes Bill which includes three key elements. First, the Bill will enable the consolidation of multiple small pots, helping bring individuals eligible pots together in one place. This will support people to keep track of their savings so they can live better and more comfortably in retirement, but it will also mean that consolidators will generate scale at a greater rate, improving opportunity for investment.

    Second, the Bill will introduce a Value for Money Framework for defined contribution schemes, which you’ve already mentioned, to drive consolidation of the sector. We want to see fewer, larger providers who have the scale and expertise to invest in a more diverse portfolio. The Value for Money Framework will also contribute to economic growth, as there will be an increased focus on assets that can deliver long term value.

    Third, the Bill will introduce a requirement for pension schemes to offer retirement products, including a default retirement solution. It is crucial that we improve the options for people when they reach retirement age, and many have said to me that people feel as if they’re left on their own at that crucial time that they retire. But we need to go further, and in July, the Chancellor asked me to lead the first phase of the Pensions Review. I would like to thank all of you in this room who contributed to our Call for Evidence, especially given the short timeframe of our consultation.

    The consultation closed last week and asked questions relating to; DC and LGPS funds, driving further investment in the UK economy, scale and consolidation and driving a shift to value. We were delighted to receive over 100 responses, and it will come as no surprise that many of the themes that you’ll be discussing today have come through in those responses.

    We are putting together our proposals, taking into consideration the consultation responses and the stakeholder engagement we have been doing over the last few months, and we will publish an interim report in the autumn with the full recommendations from phase one to be published next year.

    It is essential to overcome the barriers to increasing pension fund investment in UK productive assets to support our capital markets, which in turn will drive growth in our economy and improve the retirement outcomes for future pensioners. I welcome the discussion on pension fund investments in infrastructure and illiquid assets that you will be having today, and the work that the ABI and its members are doing on this subject. Understanding the barriers that prevent DC schemes from investing more in these assets is crucial to the government’s reform agenda.

    I would also like to thank the PPI for publishing their report today ‘Pension Scheme assets a deep dive into infrastructure’. I was very pleased to read in the report that investment in infrastructure has been developing over the last five years. However, the proportion of infrastructure assets held by pension schemes is still a small minority, and DC schemes need to achieve greater scale and management capabilities to ensure infrastructure assets are a cost-effective component to their investment strategies. The PPI analysis underlines that we can collectively do more to drive this trend further, and I’m grateful for them, once again, for producing analysis and building our evidence base to support change.

    The Review is also exploring ways to drive greater scale and consolidation and working closely with employers, advisors, Trustees and pension providers on ways we can incentivise much greater competition on the basis of Pension returns, rather than purely cost in the DC market. On LGPS, I want to deliver a strong and sustainable scheme by tackling fragmentation and inefficiency. This will ensure that the LGPS serves the interests of members, employers and local communities, and supports growth across the economy.

    As part of the review, I also want to look at the way the current pension system operates. I want to ensure the market is well equipped to deal with the challenges of the future. So your discussion today around the Value for Money and other regulatory apparatus is a key enabler for getting this right. We want to shift the focus from price to value as a crucial part of delivering better retirement outcomes over the long term.

    Separate to phase one, will be a wider phase two, which will look more widely at further long-term steps we can take to improve pension outcomes, including assessing the level of savings people need to achieve the retirement that they want. There is no accident in the sequencing here. Growth is the government’s first priority, so we are prioritizing measures on pensions which can expedite growth and improve returns.

    The ABI is playing a crucial role in delivering this agenda, in particular, in monitoring the investments of some of the UK’s largest DC schemes, it is clear that rate of change and progress is required to reach the Mansion House complex commitment by 2030 the ABI has reported that schemes are taking enabling steps, by, for example, starting to recruit more resorts, engaging with clients as support and producing research to better understand the barriers.

    The ABI is instrumental in measuring developments going forward, and I hope that we will see a significant increase of pension fund investments into growth assets across the UK. The themes of today’s conference are fundamental to the pensions review, which I am leading. So, in conclusion, before you ask me some difficult questions, I want to challenge you as a collective group to continue to make changes, to drive further change. Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 October 2024

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: First-ever Women in Bus and Coach plaque unveiled in Winchester

    Source: City of Winchester

    A plaque honouring Mary Curry, one of the first two women to qualify as a professional bus driver for Hants & Dorset in 1973, has been unveiled at Winchester Bus Station by Mary herself, joined by the Mayor of Winchester Cllr Russell Gordon-Smith.

    This is the very first Women in Bus and Coach plaque in the country. Its unveiling took place at Winchester Bus Station in partnership with Stagecoach and the event paid tribute to Mary’s remarkable contribution to breaking gender barriers in the industry and her lasting impact on generations of women drivers.

    Mary with the Mayor 

    The Mayor said: “I am very proud to unveil this plaque honouring Mary – who lives in Meonstoke – and her wonderful achievements over her long career; she has so many wonderful stories to tell about her time on the buses including the day that a squealing baby was left at the Broadway!

    “We are deeply honoured that our district is the first place to have a Women in Bus and Coach plaque; it’s a wonderful ‘first’ for Winchester and it’s really excellent that the scheme will then roll out all over the country.”

    This national initiative by Women in Bus and Coach recognises trailblazing women across all roles in the bus, coach and community transport industry.

    Louise Cheeseman, Women in Bus and Coach chair, said: “Mary Curry is a true pioneer, and we are honoured to have celebrated her achievement at Winchester Bus Station where she started her journey. This plaque is a testament to her trailblazing spirit and the progress we continue to make in promoting equality and inclusion in the workplace and we look forward to unveiling many more across the country in the months to come.”

    Marc Reddy, Managing Director for Stagecoach South, said: “Mary Curry’s story is one of perseverance, courage, and breaking boundaries. By recognising her, we hope to continue inspiring more women to consider careers in bus and coach driving. Her legacy lives on in every woman who has taken the driver’s seat and continues to challenge outdated norms in the industry.”

    https://womeninbusandcoach.org.uk/

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Salford gains £2.7 million to support residents this winter

    Source: City of Salford

    Salford City Council have today (8 October) announced plans for the allocation of the Government’s extension of the Household Support Fund (HSF).

    Since HSF’s introduction in October 2021, Salford City Council has received over 50,000 applications for support, and in the last round of funding alone, covering the period April 2024 to September 2024, Salford received 5,500 applications for help with energy, food and other essential items and supported the families of over 15,000 children with holiday food vouchers during the school holidays.

    Round six of HSF will cover the period of Tuesday 1 October 2024 to Monday 31 March 2025.

    The latest round will support households struggling with the cost-of-living to cover food, energy and fuel costs. Residents who need support can apply directly for funding online or call Salford’s HSF helpline.

    The money will be distributed by Salford City Council’s Salford Assist team. The funding will be awarded by a grant payment to those who meet the eligibility criteria. Salford residents do not need to be in receipt of benefits to apply for the Household Support Fund and can apply for the scheme if they are also in receipt of other benefits and pension credits, all applications will be considered. 

    The funding will also be used to fund holiday food vouchers for children eligible for Free School Meals; Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) partners to deliver food banks, food clubs and food schemes; and other areas of the council such as housing, adult social care, and welfare rights and debt advice.

    Councillor Tracy Kelly, Lead Member for Housing and Anti-Poverty at Salford City Council said: “The Household Support Fund has provided vital support to our most vulnerable residents across the city. As the winter period approaches, this much-needed support to heat homes and put food on the table will be crucial for many families across our city.

    “In Salford, we work hard to make sure vulnerable residents are supported in the best way possible. This funding will enable us to continue providing that assistance and our commitment to building a fairer, more equal society for everyone.”

    Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: “The Household Support Fund has been an essential support system, offering our residents much-needed help with food and heating, and ensuring that children on free school meals do not go hungry during school holidays.

    “This funding will help the most vulnerable in our communities and I’d urge anyone who is struggling financially to get in touch and see if you can benefit. The Household Support Fund is in place to support you.”

    This support forms part of Salford’s wider Tackling Poverty strategy which aims to make Salford a fairer and more inclusive place where everyone can live prosperous and fulfilling lives free from poverty and inequality. The funding has come from the Department for Work and Pensions.

    Learn more about the Household Support Fund and how to apply.

    Share this

    Date published
    Tuesday 8 October 2024

    Press and media enquiries

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Works completed at Longbridges Nature Park

    Source: City of Oxford

    Tuesday, 8 October 2024

    We’re pleased to announce the successful completion of works at Longbridges Nature Park.

    We’re pleased to announce the successful completion of works at Longbridges Nature Park. The previous concrete wall had deteriorated, with sections falling into the river. Working with ODS, the project involved removing the dilapidated concrete, reinforcing the riverbank with sheet piling, and regrading the area with topsoil and new vegetation. These improvements will protect the area from further erosion and improve safety for visitors enjoying this green space.

    “These improvements are essential to ensure people can continue to enjoy and access their local green spaces, while preserving the natural environment of this cherished nature reserve for years to come.”

    Councillor Chewe Munkonge, Cabinet Member for  A Healthy Oxford

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Social Security Advisory Committee reappointments

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Social Security Advisory Committee have reappointed Carl Emmerson and Phil Jones.

    The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has confirmed the reappointment of Carl Emmerson and Phil Jones as Members of the Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC). The reappointments extend Carl and Phil’s membership to 31 July 2026.

    Appointments and reappointments to the Committee are made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The reappointment has been made in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

    Carl Emmerson

    Carl Emmerson is Deputy Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, an editor of the annual IFS Green Budget and a Director of the Pensions Review. His research includes issues around the UK’s public finances, and household retirement saving decisions. He is also a member of the advisory panel of the Office for Budget Responsibility, and the UK Statistics Authority’s Methodological Assurance Review Panel.

    Phil Jones

    Since October 2021 Phil Jones has been Chief Executive of the Welsh Social Enterprise, Business in Focus, which provides a suite of business support services across Wales, including the delivery of the Welsh Government’s flagship ‘Business Wales’ service.

    Phil was previously the Director of Prince’s Trust Cymru for 5 years and, before that, the Wales Area Manager for The Royal British Legion.  Phil also served in the Armed Forces for over 25 years as an officer in The Royal Welsh.
    About the Committee

    The Social Security Advisory Committee is an independent advisory body of the Department for Work and Pensions. Its statutory remit is to:

    • to provide advice and assistance to the Secretary of State, whether in response to a specific request or on its own initiative
    • to scrutinise secondary legislation relating to social security for the benefit of the Secretaries of State for Work and Pensions or the Department for Social Development in Northern Ireland, and Parliament

    The Committee Membership comprises:

    • Dr Stephen Brien (Chair)
    • Les Allamby
    • Bruce Calderwood
    • Rachel Chiu
    • Carl Emmerson
    • Daphne Hall
    • Professor Stephen Hardy
    • Jacob Meagher
    • Philip Jones
    • Dr Suzy Walton

    Contact SSAC

    Further enquiries should be directed to the Committee Secretary:

    Social Security Advisory Committee
    7th Floor Caxton House
    Tothill Street
    London
    SW1H 9NA

    Email: ssac@ssac.gov.uk

    Tel: 0300 046 0323

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 October 2024

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Has war increased online risks for Ukrainian children?

    Source: Anglia Ruskin University

    Published: 8 October 2024 at 13:00

    Initial analysis finds an almost three-fold rise in mentions on dark web since invasion

    Researchers at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) believe that Ukrainian children could be facing an increased risk of being exploited or sexually abused online because of the war with Russia and the opportunities the conflict has created for offenders.

    Initial analysis of the dark web by ARU researchers indicates that Ukrainian children are being discussed by offenders in online forums almost 300% more frequently than before the invasion in 2022. 

    Now ARU’s International Policing and Public Protection Research Institute (IPPPRI) has been awarded $250,000 of funding from US-based Safe Online to extend this work, which will be the first major European study to investigate the impact of war on the online safety of children. 

    Thanks to the funding, ARU is launching the Dity Online project – ‘dity’ is Ukrainian for ‘children’ – to survey and collect data from 1,500 Ukrainian children and their parents. 

    Around half of all Ukrainian children have been displaced from their homes and for these children, much of their education and socialising has moved online. The project aims to understand the nature and extent of online child sexual abuse in Ukraine, and the impact of conflict on children’s online behaviour and safety. 

    ARU will be working with partners including the Psychological Services department at the National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine, whilst also analysing dark web forums to understand how offenders are seeking to exploit opportunities created by the conflict to target children online.

    Professor Sam Lundrigan, the Director of the International Policing and Public Protection Research Institute (IPPPRI) at ARU, said:

    “Since the beginning of the Russian war in Ukraine, it is estimated that more than half of Ukraine’s 7.5 million children have been displaced, potentially increasing the risk of them being sexually abused or exploited online.

    “This is because the conflict has caused Ukrainian children to spend more time online to connect with their peers and to access education. Despite this, there is currently little understanding of the impact of living in a conflict situation on children’s risks of harm in the digital world.  

    “What’s more, our initial analysis of the dark web has shown that Ukrainian children are being discussed by offenders in online forums more frequently than before the conflict. Our initial research showed almost a three-fold increase.”

    Dr Anna Markovska, Deputy Director of the International Policing and Public Protection Research Institute (IPPPRI) at ARU and the lead for the project, said:

    “All our research must lead to tangible, positive, real-world outcomes, so the final phase of the project will be the development of an education programme for schools to help raise awareness of the risks posed to children online and how to stay safe. 

    “We’re incredibly grateful to Safe Online for providing this funding, which will be instrumental in helping us protect more vulnerable children living through conflict.”

    Safe Online is the only global investment vehicle dedicated to keeping children safe in the digital world. For more information about Safe Online, visit https://safeonline.global

    More information about ARU’s International Policing and Public Protection Research Institute (IPPPRI) is available at https://www.aru.ac.uk/international-policing-and-public-protection-research-institute

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Oxford’s communities bring bright ideas to Christmas Light Festival

    Source: City of Oxford

    Tuesday, 8 October 2024

    Oxford’s Christmas Light Festival 2024 is taking place from 15th to 17th November with a multitude of events, installations, interactive sessions and entertainment for the whole family.

    Themes for the programme have been inspired by Oxford’s communities and feature a broad range of ideas and creativity that spark the imagination and delight the eye.  

    Highlights include:

    • an interactive projection in the city centre from the Cultural Programme at University of Oxford, ‘Sagacity, Periodic Table of Emotions’ by Aidan Moesby, where people can log how they’re feeling, and reveal the emotional wellbeing of the city.
    • Chandeliers created with a ceramic artist, Wendy Wilbraham, installed in Blackbird Leys, in Blackwell Hall at the Bodleian Libraries and in the new Store hotel, are influenced by the iconic lamppost from the classic tales of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.
    • The Museum of Oxford’s free Museum Late event, ‘Park Life’, celebrates Oxford’s green spaces and waterways.
    • Pegasus theatre hosts a day of free activities, including a walking tour with intrepid explorers from Whatnot Theatre, shadow puppetry workshops with Wild Boor Ideas, the ‘Glow Gallery’ with IF-Oxford Festival of Science and Ideas, open-mic night ‘Queer Voices’ with T(ART), and an exhibition of art and poetry.
    • At Barton, Dancin’ Oxford Dancer in Residence Jane Castree, leads ‘Creation Avatar’ where young people explore movement, costume, art, lights and sound to create their own avatar, plus interactive sound performances with OCM musicians.
    • Our youngest residents will need to be up early on Saturday to be sure to catch Santa who is paying a special visit to the historic Covered Market.

    Light parades are always a key feature of the festival and a point of congregation and celebration for communities. The West Oxford Light Festival (WOLF) will feature lanterns of creatures that move slowly, as well as illuminated trees and fire juggling plus a specially composed song ‘Sweet Botley Road’. The OVADA gallery combines the Christmas Lights with Diwali for ‘Diwali Glow’ using diya lights in a parade as well as decoration and ceremony at the gallery. At Rose Hill, Film Oxford, with the Rose Hill Junior Youth Club and Low Carbon Oxford, are going big with elephant lanterns and a parade that is forest themed plus fun workshops including green-screen filming of riding the elephants. 

    “Oxford’s Christmas Light Festival is a brilliant reflection of what makes our city so special—creativity, community, and collaboration. From the large-scale art installations to a child’s hand-made lantern, everything adds to create a spirit of being together and sharing special moments. There’s so much to try out, to see and to explore. Well done to everyone involved and I encourage everyone to join in the festivities and celebrate with us.” 

     Councillor Alex Hollingsworth, Oxford City Council Cabinet Member for Business, Culture and Inclusive Economy

    In the weeks before the festival opens there are opportunities to get involved through workshops in lantern and light display making. Starting from 9th October, Film Oxford are hosting lantern making sessions in Rose Hill and IF Oxford Festival of Science and Ideas present their online Glow Your Own LED display coding sessions. 

    There’s still time to be part of the festival programme – if your group wish to offer activities over the festival weekend, please register your interest via the ‘contact us’ link on the festival website by 28 October 2024.  

    In fact, anyone can be part of the festival. Decorate your home with lights or window displays, get together with neighbours and be part of a local light trail. You can register your street on the festival website to appear on the map of events and trails taking place over the weekend.  

    Events, workshops, trails and activities are being added to the programme during the next few weeks.  

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Call for bids: Creating spaces for citizen dialogues

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Call for bids: project that would bring together voices from civil society to discuss challenges to democratic governance and sustainable development in Peru.

    The British Embassy in Lima is seeking bids for a project that would bring together decentralized voices from civil society to discuss challenges to democratic governance and sustainable development in Peru, putting forward a consensus public agenda. Results from the project should inform partner interventions and policymaking and strengthen the UK’s reputation as an ally to democratic governance in Peru.

    1. Background

    The UK is a global promoter of democratic governance and the rule of law. As such, the British Embassy in Lima is committed to working with like-minded partners to strengthen democracy and resilience. We seek to on building an inclusive, democratic and open society by, inter alia, advancing our shared values of democratic governance and rule of law.

    The past two decades have seen democratic backsliding and political polarization on the rise across the globe. According to UNDP (2023), Latin America and the Caribbean is the region where political polarization has increased the most in the past twenty years. In the region, Peru stands out as a particularly complex case that has faced constant governance crises over the past years. Many of these crises are historically rooted and overcoming them will require significant citizen participation.

    In 2023, Peruvians were the least satisfied with democracy in all Latin America, scoring 8% satisfaction rate (Latinobarómetro, 2023). Trust in political institutions is low. Besides the tendency to high levels of disapproval of the Government and Congress, 92.9% of people do not trust political parties (INEI, 2023) and only 33% of Peruvians say they trust in elections (LAPOP, 2021).

    Across the region/In the past years, valuable efforts have been made to rebuild democratic governance, civic participation, and public trust. However, efforts have had difficulties in adopting a decentralised approach and bringing together diverse stakeholders. As such, the British Embassy would like to support a project that brings together a multitude of actors in civic dialogue to set a consensus agenda to strengthen democratic governance and sustainable development in the country. We are especially interested in supporting decentralized projects that centre local actors outside of Lima to create an agenda with proposals to be included in the debates in the upcoming elections in Peru. This falls in line with Priority Theme 2 (Democracy) of our country Human Rights and Gender Equality Strategy 2023-2025.

    2. Objective and scope of work

    The objective of the work is to support the UK’s commitment to strong democracies, public participation, and rule of law. Projects should adopt a decentralized approach, with clear spaces for dialogue between local civil society actors, academia, public organizations and youth with other key actors. Successful bidders will demonstrate a creative, impactful approach to ensure the creation of a citizen’s public agenda.

    Bids should look to demonstrate their ability to deliver a project that includes:

    a) Consensus building

    • We expect projects to create a space for inclusive dialogue between a diverse set of actors, including civil society organizations, academia, private sector and youth groups. * We especially look for bids that would centre local and grassroots organizations. Dialogue spaces should seek to find consensus around the key challenges for democratic governance and sustainable development in Peru, to put forth a consensus citizen agenda for public debate and build a network of interested stakeholders.

    b) Sharing out results

    • Projects should collate and systematize the shared agenda that arises in dialogue spaces to maintain a record that can be introduced into the public agenda.
    • After results have been compiled, projects should aim to disseminate results through multimedia communication products. We especially look for bids that can work with local media to that end.

    c) Stakeholder participation

    • Projects should involve a quite large list of different relevant stakeholders from all the sectors: private, public, academia, local organizations, NGOs, unions, etc. to be able to collate and give voice to all underrepresented groups and create an inclusive space of dialogue.
    • Include amongst the list of participants political leaders, especially looking ahead of the upcoming election in 2026.

    3. Project Budget

    Project proposals of up to £17,000 = S/77, 860 / $20,400. We are looking for projects that can begin in November 2024 and be completed by February 2025. Implementers should spend 100% of their allocation by February 2025.

    4.  Assessment

    Bids will be assessed against the following criteria:

    • strategic fit – alignment with stated objectives and scope of work expected.
    • project viability – including a realistic description of methodology and activities to deliver the outcome and deliverables (outputs) within the project duration and sustainability after the project ends.
    • stakeholder management – including the capacity of the implementing organisation to engage with key stakeholders, including diverse business, government and civil society stakeholders present in Peru, and involve local/international expertise to deliver expected outcomes.
    • project design – including clear achievable objectives and outputs
    • value for money
    • risk management
    • experience and understanding of the current mining and human rights context in Peru.

    5. How to Bid

    Please complete the attached “Project Proposal Form” and “Activity Based Budget” using the guidance provided.

    Completed forms should be sent in standard document and spreadsheet formats in English or Spanish to BEProjectsPeru@fcdo.gov.uk by 11:59pm October 20th, with “Call for bids Citizen Dialogue” in the subject line of your email.

    Bids submitted after this date will not be considered. Bids can be submitted at any time up to the indicated deadline.

    Bidders will be notified via email of the outcome of assessments in early October. Due to the volume of bids expected, we will not be able to provide feedback on unsuccessful bids.

    Organisations can submit up to a maximum of 1 proposal; bids for projects that include engagement with stakeholders in the outside of Lima region are particularly welcome.

    Please also familiarise yourself at an early stage with the standard ‘Grant Agreement Template’ attached.

    6. What to Include in the Bid Form?

    • Overview of project or activity. How it fits with the UK’s approach to the relevant priority; and why the UK should fund the project or activity.
    • How the project or activity will create an impact and lead to change.
    • Rationale– including why the project or activity should take place now.
    • Where relevant, evidence of support from Peruvian government actors for the project or activity and that it complements their own strategy.
    • Information about how the impact will be sustained after the project or activity has been completed.

    Proposals must be submitted on the authorised forms and include an activity-based budget (ABB) in soles/US dollars. Value for money is an important selection criterion and if you do not submit a detailed ABB then your proposal will not be considered. 

    7. Key documents

    8. Contacts

    Please contact BEProjectsPeru@fcdo.gov.uk with any questions or queries.

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Christmas Village to Transform City Square

    Source: Scotland – City of Dundee

    Dundee’s Christmas is launching for the first time in 2024 with a new operator NL Productions in partnership with Dundee City Council. 

    NL Production is delighted to have been awarded the contract to deliver Dundee’s Christmas Village for this festive season in 2024/25 and potentially the next two years. 

    The event will transform City Square into a vibrant Christmas hub, in front of the Caird Hall, complete with an ice rink, Christmas Market, Santa Experience, and festive funfair, promising a magical experience for visitors and locals alike. 

    The event will commence on the 21st November 2024 and run for six weeks until the 5th January 2024 with a strong focus on community engagement and local economic benefits. NL Productions is excited to create an inclusive festive village that showcases Dundee’s rich cultural heritage and supports local businesses. 

    A Festive Extravaganza for All Ages, Dundee’s Christmas Village will feature a host of festive attractions: 

    A 20m x 10m real ice rink, perfect for families, couples, and friends to enjoy. 

    A Christmas Market featuring local vendors offering unique gifts and festive treats. 

    An immersive Santa Experience, where children can journey to the North Pole to meet Santa himself. 

    A funfair with exciting rides for all ages. 

    Stunning festive lighting and decorations that will transform City Square into a winter wonderland. 

    Jonathan Brown, Event Producer at NL Productions, said: “Our goal is to deliver a Christmas Village that the people of Dundee can be proud of. We’re dedicated to creating an event that blends tradition with innovation, offering festive fun for everyone, while also contributing to the city’s economy and community spirit.” 

    Lord Provost of Dundee Bill Campbell said: “Christmas in Dundee has always been a time for bringing people together, and this year’s Christmas Village will do just that. 

    “I’m sure this event will be a fantastic addition to the city’s Christmas calendar, drawing families and visitors alike. Not only will it bring joy to the community, but will also benefit local businesses and help make Dundee one of the top places in Scotland to celebrate a family Christmas.” 

    “I look forward to seeing City Square transformed and hearing lots of happy voices outside my office window.” 

    In line with Dundee’s sustainability goals, NL Productions is committed to reducing the environmental impact of the Christmas Village. By using eco-friendly materials and promoting waste reduction, the event will support Dundee’s vision for a greener future. 

    The inclusion of local vendors and businesses further demonstrates NL Productions’ commitment to supporting the local economy. By creating a space where community members can showcase their talents and products, the event will provide a meaningful boost to local trade and foster community pride. 

    Call for Vendors: Join Dundee’s Christmas Market 2024/25 

    NL Productions is calling on local traders, catering providers, and bar operators to be part of this year’s Christmas Market. The event offers an excellent opportunity for vendors to showcase their goods and services to thousands of visitors over the six-week period. Local enterprises are encouraged to get involved and bring their unique products to Dundee’s festive celebration. Interested businesses can email hello@dundeeschristmas.co.uk for more information and application details. 

    Jonathan added: “We are excited to open up this opportunity to local businesses. Dundee’s Christmas Village is not just an event but a platform to support and celebrate the city’s diverse and thriving community. We believe in events that foster local connections, boost the local economy, and provide a space for small businesses to shine.” Vendors interested in being part of Dundee’s Christmas Market 2024/25 can apply by contacting NL Productions via hello@dundeeschristmas.co.uk. Don’t miss the chance to be part of this magical experience that brings joy to thousands and supports the local economy. 

    Dundee’s Christmas Opening Times & Tickets: 

    Opening Times: Operating hours Mon – Wed Noon-9pm, Thur-Fri Noon-10pm, Sat-Sun 10am-10pm 

    Tickets – Visit dundeeschristmas.co.uk

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council leaders set to unite in support for a new Leeds hospital and call for Government approval and acceleration of plans

    Source: City of Leeds

    Council leaders are expected to underline their full and unwavering support for a new hospital for Leeds and call for urgent Government approval and acceleration of plans, ahead of the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s October budget announcement.

    Published today, (Tuesday 8 October) a report will go to Leeds City Council’s Executive Board next week setting out the critical importance of the Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust’s (LTHT) plans to build a new home for the children’s hospital, with one of the largest centralised maternity centres in the UK, and a new adult hospital.

    The report highlights how the plans will bring a huge economic boost to the city, creating 4,000 new jobs, 1000 new homes and £13billion of economic benefit, cementing Leeds as a go-to destination for health research, technology and digital innovation locally, nationally and internationally, with huge benefits for clinical investment and academic leadership.

    Councillor Fiona Venner, Leeds City Council Executive Member for Equality, Health and Wellbeing, said:

    “The new hospital will boost the health of children and adults in this city as well as regenerating the existing and surrounding site. and promoting innovation and research across Leeds. It will play a vital part in tackling health inequalities and improving health outcomes for people in Leeds and the region.

    “Along with all our partners, the West Yorkshire Integrated Care System (ICS) and the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT), we confirm our unwavering support for the plans and call on the Government to approve and accelerate the programme.”

    The report also sets out how the existing Leeds General Infirmary facilities and site are in serious need of updating. There is an urgent need for new, modern health buildings and equipment. First confirmed as part of the Government’s New Hospitals Programme in 2019, the Hospitals of the Future project is beset with national delays.   

    Government approval and acceleration for the programme in this month’s budget will stem an estimated £300m of costs related to the ongoing delay of the scheme in Leeds. The Leeds programme is one of the most advanced in the country with preparatory work already done to clear the construction site and Outline Planning Consent secured.

    The site has also gained Investment Zone Status as a critical part of the West Yorkshire Digital Heath Investment Zone and undertaken formal engagement with the market regarding digital technologies and build solutions and the programme is vital for unlocking land and estate to create the Leeds Innovation Village and deliver thousands of jobs and homes and £13bn of economic benefit.

    Leeds City Council’s Executive Board will meet on Wednesday 16 October to consider the following recommendations:

    • To note the strategic importance to Leeds of replacing existing hospital facilities on the Leeds General Infirmary site with new state-of-the-art buildings and equipment, and the progress made so far by LTHT and partners, of the Leeds Innovation Partnership including the Council, University of Leeds and Leeds Beckett University.
    • To note the new hospital programme will deliver a boost to the health of children and adults, act to regenerate the existing and surrounding site and promote innovation and research across Leeds.
    • The Executive Board is asked to support the call to Government to approve and subsequently accelerate the new hospital programme in Leeds, serving as critical regional health infrastructure.
    • The Executive Board requests that, given the Treasury review of the new hospitals programme, officers make a submission to the Treasury clearly stating the importance of modernised hospital provision in Leeds. The Leader and Executive Member for Equality and Health and Wellbeing have sought cross-party support for a letter in support of the Council’s submission.

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Stoke-on-Trent tops table for homeless prevention

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Published: Tuesday, 8th October 2024

    Stoke-on-Trent City Council has maintained its position as one of the best performing councils in England for preventing and relieving homelessness – for the fifth consecutive year.

    This is despite the number of households approaching the authority for homelessness support increasing by over a quarter in a 12-month period.

    The latest homelessness figures released by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) have revealed that over 3,000 households approached Stoke-on-Trent City Council between April 2023 and March 2024 compared to 2,353 in 2022/23.

    During that period, the council completed a homeless assessment for 2,052 households and accepted a duty to support them with their homelessness in 99 per cent of cases.

    The authority closed just under 2,000 cases, helping four out of five people to either stay in their current home or move to a new home where the threat of homelessness was removed. This was the fourth highest rate of successful outcomes in the country, and the best in the West Midlands.

    It also provided advice and signposted all households who needed further assistance to support services which can help.

    Councillor Chris Robinson, cabinet member for housing and planning, said: “These figures show, once again, what a fantastic job the council’s Housing Solutions Team and all of our partners are doing to prevent people becoming homeless in the city, and supporting them to find suitable alternative accommodation when they do.

    “These last 12 months have seen a big increase in the number of people approaching the service as the impact of cost of living and housing challenges continue to be seen. Despite that, the team and our wide range of partners have risen to the challenge and continue to deliver outcomes that make a real difference to people’s lives.

    “Homelessness can have a devastating impact on wellbeing, particularly for families with children, and we will continue to explore how we can better support those that find themselves at risk of losing their homes, including alternatives to bed and breakfast accommodation.”

    Councillor Robinson added: “The main reasons people become homeless are through the ending of a private tenancy and family and friends no longer being prepared to provide accommodation. So, it is essential that people contact us as early as possible so we can work with them keep them in their current homes or make a planned move where this is not possible.

    “We have a range of services that can help people threatened with homelessness including our Housing Needs Officers who can negotiate with landlords and family members, the Citizens Advice Bureau who can provide advice on debt and tenancy issues and Glow and New Era who can support victims of domestic abuse.”

    Stoke-on-Trent City Council has much lower rates of people in temporary accommodation, including families with children, than comparable local authorities despite having a slightly higher number of people in bed and breakfast accommodation.

    This afternoon, Cabinet approved a report which outlines its plans for the future of nightly paid accommodation in the city.

    The decision, which will improve standards for families who find themselves homeless in Stoke-on-Trent, gives accommodation providers the chance to join a supplier’s bank enabling the council to offer individuals and families alternative temporary accommodation and ending the reliance on local hotels and B&Bs.

    Anyone concerned about losing their home can contact Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s Housing Solutions Team on 01782 233696 or 01782 234234 outside office hours or visit the website.

    Alternatively, support is available via our Community Lounges and Family Hubs.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: City leaders unite to lobby the Government for housing investment

    Source: City of Plymouth

    The three Plymouth MPs, along with the Council Leader, have come together to lobby the Government for additional funding for much needed housing in the city.  

    MP’s Rebecca Smith, Luke Pollard and Fred Thomas along with Council Leader Tudor Evans and Chief Executive of the Council Tracey Lee pictured with Matthew Pennycook MP

    With more than 7,000 households in this city on the housing register, the need massively outweighs the supply. As the city continues to grow and with thousands of new jobs being created in the next few years, including new jobs at the Plymouth and South Devon Freeport and the expanded Devonport naval base, it is expected that even more people will need a home.  

    Whilst Plymouth is one of 20 areas in the UK that is considered a ‘priority’ by Homes England, investment is needed to ensure that plans to push forward the city’s plans for housing can be delivered. In particular, plans to increase the number of new homes in the city centre.  

    Following a question raised in the House of Commons by South West Devon MP Rebecca Smith, Matthew Pennycook MP (Minister of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government), agreed to meet with the three local MPs, Rebecca Smith, Luke Pollard and Fred Thomas along with Council Leader Tudor Evans, to discuss the national effort required to deliver the housing needed. 

    Together, they discussed the growth of the city, the local housing picture and appealed to the Government for additional support.  

    Councillor Evans said: “Over the past nine years, we have delivered more than 7,500 new homes across the city, but we know that won’t be enough. With huge amount of planned investment in our city, particularly at Devonport, we need to make sure we have enough people to fill the jobs and we have the right local infrastructure to support this growth. 

    “Together with our three MPs, we stand united, lobbying the Government for more money for housing, transport, and making sure that local people have the right skills to be able to apply for the jobs available.” 

    Luke Pollard, MP for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport, said: “As the MP for Devonport I have been campaigning for Plymouth to get its fair share.  The opportunity to build 5500 homes in the city centre will provide jobs and homes for local people and will directly support the growth of our strategic industries, especially the Dockyard.” 

    Rebecca Smith, MP for South West Devon, added: “The £200 million investment in Dock 9, Devonport’s largest submarine dry dock, by the previous Government will accelerate Babcock’s maintenance of UK submarines. This will preserve Devonport’s vital role in maintaining our nation’s nuclear deterrent, creating new jobs and attracting even greater levels of investment. 

    “However, to ensure that this investment is an opportunity rather than a potential strain on our local economy we must ensure that the correct infrastructure is in place. Upskilling our local workforce, improving Plymouth’s housing supply and providing suitable railway links must all be considered. 

    “I thank the Minister of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Matthew Pennycook for meeting with the Plymouth MPs and listening to my concerns. I look forward to working closely with the Minister to secure a more prosperous future for our Dockyard, Plymouth and the wider region.” 

    Fred Thomas, MP for Plymouth Moor View, added: “It is brilliant that Plymouth is growing. But we urgently need more housing to meet increased demand. It was great to meet together, cross-party, to raise this with the new Housing Minister. The new Government has been clear that it wants to get Britain building again, delivering 1.5 million more homes in the next five years. This must come together with investment in places like Plymouth and I will continue to work with the Government to make sure this happens”.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Expanded opt-out testing begins at Leeds hospitals as part of Fast-Track City commitment to end HIV, TB and viral hepatitis epidemics

    Source: City of Leeds

    An expanded programme of opt-out testing has begun at emergency departments at two Leeds hospitals as part of the city’s commitment to ending new HIV, tuberculosis and viral hepatitis infections by the end of the decade.

    Beginning last month, the new programme sees anyone aged 16 and over who has blood tests taken as part of their emergency care at Leeds General Infirmary or St James’s University Hospital also being tested for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C unless they opt out and decline.

    The testing at the two Leeds hospitals, funded by the Department of Health and Social Care to run for at least a year, is part of a national programme aiming to identify undiagnosed patients and providing support to treatments and care in order to prevent new transmissions and helping people live long and healthy lives.

    The improved testing in Leeds was one of the aims when the city last year became the first in the Yorkshire and Humber region to become a ‘Fast-Track City’ as part of a global initiative to end the HIV, TB and viral hepatitis epidemics by 2030.

    A report on progress achieved since making the declaration in Leeds will be discussed by senior councillors at the council’s executive board meeting at Civic Hall next week (Wednesday 16 October).

    Figures for Leeds show through improving links between stakeholders and communities the city has achieved the international ’95-95-95’ target set down by the United Nations, with 95 per cent of people living with HIV being diagnosed, 99 per cent of those on HIV treatment and 98 per cent virally suppressed meaning they cannot pass the virus on.

    The report also gives an update on a community grants programme launched in Leeds in February marking one year on since becoming a Fast-Track City.

    Overseen by Leeds City Council, BHA Leeds Skyline and MESMAC, the programme awards grants of up to £700 to groups in Leeds to express their lived experiences especially around stigma and discrimination, and its impacts on people living with HIV, tuberculosis (TB), hepatitis B or hepatitis C.

    So far six projects have been supported in the city, ranging from an informative and engaging podcast on the experiences of those living with HIV; a refugee community choir writing a song to release on World Aids Day (December 1st) to fight stigma with music; A new poster campaign to be displayed in places of worship; An LGBT+ youth group making a new quilt to be displayed in local museums; and a knitting group making 40 bears to promote national HIV testing week in February.

    All of these projects will be showcased at a celebration event hosted by BHA Leeds Skyline in the city next month. For more information contact BHA Leeds Skyline via Free Counselling, Disability Support & HIV Testing in Leeds | BHA (thebha.org.uk) 

    Leeds City Council executive member for equality, health and wellbeing Councillor Fiona Venner said:

    “This report highlights the significant progress achieved in Leeds since becoming a Fast-Track City, with all skakeholders, partners and communities working closer together in this vital area. Much has been achieved but we know much more needs to be done achieve the target of zero infections, deaths and stigma around HIV, TB and viral hepatitis by 2030.

    “The recently-begun enhanced testing at the LGI and St James’s has a vital role to play in helping identify anyone undiagnosed so all the available support they need can be provided to help people live long and healthy lives. If everyone in the city and beyond works together on this, I am confident the zero target can and will be reached.”

    Dr Sarah Schoeman, Genitourinary Medicine (GUM) Consultant Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust and Leeds Fast-Track City Leadership Group Chair said:

    “Normalising blood-borne virus testing is essential – it saves lives and helps tackle the stigma associated with these infections. We are so pleased and proud that we are able to offer routine testing for these important infections within our Leeds emergency departments again. This initiative is another significant step towards Leeds reaching our Fast-Track City goals of zero new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths, zero new viral hepatitis infections, zero new TB infections and zero stigma related to all of these infections in Leeds by 2030.”

    Programme Lead at BHA Skyline (and Fast-Track City Leeds group member) Pesha Thornton said:

    “The community grants have provided individuals and groups with lived experience a platform and opportunity to explore how they would challenge stigma, connect with peers and elevate their voices and experiences and to feel empowered to explore their creativity.  This programme has been beneficial for those with lived experience, as most of the people BHA Skyline supports have experienced HIV related discrimination and/or feel a sense of self stigma. 

    “It is so much more than the finished products, it is the journeys and the bravery of the individuals who have been awarded the grants to share their difficulties and triumphs encapsulating them into a piece of work to challenge the stigma that is still very much present. The community grants projects will be launched at the Fast-Track City event hosted by BHA Skyline, in addition to celebrating and sharing the work from partners across Leeds and West Yorkshire.”

    To see the report being considered by the executive board, visit Council and democracy (leeds.gov.uk) (agenda item seven).

    For more information on the community grants programme in Leeds visit Fast Track Cities Leeds Community Grants – BHA for Equality (thebha.org.uk)

    To find out more about the Fast-Track Cities visit: Welcome to Fast-Track Cities | Fast-Track Cities

    Notes to editors:

    ENDS

    For media enquiries please contact:

    Leeds City Council communications and marketing,

    Email: communicationsteam@leeds.gov.uk

    Tel: 0113 378 6007

     

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Expressions of Interest: Havre des Pas Lido and Concession08 October 2024 The Minister for Infrastructure, Connètable Andy Jehan, has published an expressions of interest document for the Havre des Pas Lido and Concession. The Government welcomes interest from operators who… Read more

    Source: Channel Islands – Jersey

    08 October 2024

    The Minister for Infrastructure, Connètable Andy Jehan, has published an expressions of interest document for the Havre des Pas Lido and Concession.

    The Government welcomes interest from operators who wish to manage the Havre des Pas open seawater pool and its associated concession facility.

    This historic and iconic coastal destination, situated in one of Jersey’s most scenic locations, provides a unique opportunity to contribute to the Island’s community life and visitor economy. 

    The Government is seeking an operator committed to ensuring inclusive, year-round, mixed-use access to this public asset.

    ​The facility should serve the diverse needs of the Island, including families, recreational swimmers, fitness enthusiasts and social groups while enhancing Jersey’s appeal to the local community and visitors.

    Minister for Infrastructure, Connètable Andy Jehan said:

    “The Havre des Pas Lido is a vital public asset, and we want to hear from individuals, businesses, and community groups who would be interested in potentially operating the Lido for the benefit of the community. We are willing to listen to expressions of interest for the operation of the whole site, or for part of the Lido. 

    “This is an important step towards ensuring the year-round inclusive community use of the Havre des Pas Lido, and it will assist us in identifying potential future uses. We are open to all ideas and options, provided that they are built around the interests of the Island community, and especially Islanders living in St Helier. We are confident in creating an exciting future for Havre des Pas and look forward to working in partnership with interested parties to achieve our vision.  

    “A formal tender process will then follow at the conclusion of this expression of interest process.”

    ​

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Parliament votes for action on Winter Fuel Payment

    Source: Scottish Government

    UK Government urged to reverse ‘damaging’ decision.

    The UK Government’s decision to introduce means testing for the Winter Fuel Payment must be reversed, according to MSPs.

    Following a debate as part of Challenge Poverty Week, the Scottish Parliament voted in favour of a motion that the UK Government reverse its decision to restrict entitlement to the benefit.

    First Minister John Swinney said that as a result of this damaging decision, Scottish Government analysis indicates roughly 900,000 Scottish pensioners will no longer be entitled to support with heating costs this winter.

    Commenting after the debate, the First Minister said:

    “More austerity is not the solution to the restrictive fiscal environment in which the UK Government, and governments across the globe, find themselves.

    “It is a mistake to think that action to tackle poverty for our most vulnerable citizens are costs to be mitigated. These measures are investments in our people, our communities and our nation’s future. I have urged the UK Government to deliver an Autumn Budget that recognises this reality.

    “Scotland’s Parliament has spoken, and I repeat my call for the UK Government to reverse its damaging decision to restrict entitlement to Winter Fuel Payments for pensioners.

    “The Scottish Government will continue to support households with their energy bills and tackle fuel poverty. However the UK Government must ensure their budget in October provides the necessary support to those who need it most.”

    Background

    The full text of the First Minister’s opening speech given to Parliament on Tuesday 8 October 2024.

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  • MIL-OSI Global: Opt-out laws designed to make organ donation easier may have actually made it harder, says research

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Leah McLaughlin, Research Officer in School of Health Sciences, Bangor University

    In 2020, England introduced an opt-out system for organ donation with the aim of making it easier for organs to be donated after a person’s death. The Organ Donation (Deemed Consent) Act 2019 assumed that unless someone explicitly opted out, they consented to organ donation.

    This change was expected to boost the number of organ donations and, ultimately, save more lives. But research by my colleagues and I reveals a different story. Rather than simplifying organ donation, the law has created more confusion and complications. This may help explain why organ donation rates haven’t recovered from the drop seen during the pandemic.

    Before the change in the law, organ donation in England required people to opt in to the system by registering their consent. With the new system, unless adults over the age of 18 opt out, their consent is presumed. The law is however “soft”. Families are supposed to support the decision, but can still override it, if they disagree, without consequence.

    The law, introduced during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, was meant to increase donation rates by shifting the burden from individuals needing to sign up to individuals needing to declare they didn’t want to donate organs or tissue. Similar laws had already been implemented in Wales in 2015 and later in Scotland in 2021.

    But the results haven’t lived up to expectations. Consent rates for organ donation in England have dropped since the law came into effect, from 67% in 2019 to 61% in 2023. The same has happened in Wales where donation rates have reduced from 63% to 60.5%, and in Scotland where rates have dropped from 63.6% to 56.3%.

    This drop coincided with the spread of COVID-19, and it’s difficult to untangle the consequences of the change in the law with the lasting effects of the pandemic on how people interact with health services. But it does mean that potential organ donors don’t necessarily leave explicit instructions that they wish to donate, which may affect how their families, and the healthcare staff responsible for implementing the law, feel.

    Our research involved interviewing the families of potential organ donors and healthcare professionals involved in the process. We found that many families still said they wanted to be the final decision-makers, even though the law presumed their loved one’s consent. This reflects the potential for confusion and stress at an already difficult time.

    What went wrong?

    An important issue is that the deemed consent law challenges the longstanding norm in healthcare that emphasises explicit consent, and particularly the role of familial consent. This divergence from established ethical practices has placed healthcare professionals in a difficult position. They now face a dilemma – they want to respect the law and increase organ donations, but they also risk being perceived as overstepping ethical boundaries by “taking organs” without clear family consent.

    This fear of being seen as disregarding the emotions and rights of bereaved families has led to a high level of risk aversion among those responsible for implementing the law. Consequently, the processes involved in obtaining consent have become increasingly complex and cautious. This has undermined the law’s original purpose.

    A sympathetic understanding of this situation is crucial, however. The risk-averse stance adopted by official bodies is not a failure of intention but a reflection of the ethical and emotional complexities surrounding organ donation.

    Well-meaning legal changes, while theoretically sound, have encountered practical challenges that stem from the need to balance the law with respect for the sensitivities of grieving families.

    The anticipated increase in organ donation has not materialised. Although the pandemic may have played a role in this, our research suggests that legislative changes alone are insufficient without addressing the underlying ethical tensions and the need for clear, compassionate communication with families during such difficult times.

    Many families we spoke with didn’t fully understand the concept of deemed consent. This is where a decision to donate is assumed unless a person has actively opted out. In some cases, families struggled with the idea of their loved one undergoing surgery, losing sight of the potential lives saved through organ donation.

    The process was also overwhelming. Families were faced with complex consent paperwork and lengthy procedures, adding to the emotional burden of losing a loved one.

    shutterstock.
    Kmpzzz/Shutterstock

    What needs to change?

    Our research suggests several possible ways to improve the system. Better public understanding is vital. Clearer public education campaigns are needed to explain to people how the opt-out system works and to healthcare providers the importance of discussing organ donation decisions with family members. Many people still don’t understand that if they don’t opt out, they are presumed to have given consent.

    The process needs to be simplified too. Reducing the steps involved in “consenting” to organ donation would help ease the burden on grieving families.

    Strengthening donor decisions may also help the situation. Giving more legal weight to decisions made in life, such as registration on the Organ Donor Register, could prevent families from overturning their loved ones’ wishes.

    It’s important that healthcare professionals are trained appropriately. Nurses and doctors need better training to navigate the complexities of the law so they can help families during organ donation discussions.

    And regular prompts encouraging people to update their organ donation preferences may help to ensure that families are aware of their loved ones’ wishes, reducing confusion at critical moments. Only then can we hope to increase organ donation rates and fulfil the goal of saving more lives.

    Leah McLaughlin receives funding from National Institute Health Research (NIHR) and Health and Care Research Wales (HCRW).

    – ref. Opt-out laws designed to make organ donation easier may have actually made it harder, says research – https://theconversation.com/opt-out-laws-designed-to-make-organ-donation-easier-may-have-actually-made-it-harder-says-research-228708

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Tackling the UK’s housing crisis means addressing one key problem: affordability

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Paul Anand, Professor of Economics, The Open University

    Jevanto Productions/Shutterstock

    The UK government has serious ambition when it comes to solving England’s housing crisis. Shortly after the 2024 general election, it pledged to build 1.5 million new homes over the next five years.

    It’s a big plan which could help improve the quality of life of millions of people. But is such an ambitious target plausible? Or has the government created a rod for its own back, and embarked on an economic mission that is doomed to failure?

    For, at the heart of this mission is a political desire to shape the direction of the economy. And to succeed, this desire needs to be matched with a clear understanding of the economic reality at the heart of the UK’s housing crisis – a reality that is all about affordability.

    To be successful, housing policies aimed at helping those on lower incomes need to address this head on. But the government’s emphasis so far has been on “zoning” (allowing houses to be built on land which was previously protected), or speeding up the planning process and tackling nimbyism. All of these factors are distractions from the main and simple point – that too many people simply cannot afford to buy, or even rent, a decent home.

    And while there has been some suggestion that a bigger proportion of new housing projects need to be affordable, details have been scant.

    Instead, most of the talk has been about “greybelt zones”, where planning permission will be granted more easily and quickly to create new opportunities for house building. But it is far from clear this will help to bring down – or even stabilise – the costs of housing.

    Obtaining planning permission is a small fraction of that total cost. And when these permissions are granted, the value of land rises. The landowner makes money, but the hopeful future house buyer or tenant gains nothing, other than the fact there are extra houses on the market.

    Imposing a requirement for higher proportions of affordable housing from building companies might be the single most effective thing the government can do. However, those companies may then increase their margins on the larger houses they plan to sell. And higher prices for bigger homes raises demand – and then prices – for smaller ones.

    If the government wants to tackle the affordability issue by increasing supply, it should note that just over half the costs of new housing are down to expensive construction. The use of modern pre-fabricated methods to help reduce those costs is still relatively low in the UK.

    Sweden uses this approach for over 80% of its new house building, and a faster switch (with government persuasion) to more affordable building methods in the UK could be beneficial.

    An expensive business.
    Clare Louise Jackson/Shutterstock

    More new towns have also been promised. They’re not a bad idea, but building them takes a very long time, so any contribution they make to the housing crisis will take years (decades even) to be seen.

    Local knowledge

    The government has already announced a series of house-building targets for local areas as part of its five-year plan. But this adds a further complication, in a classic example of regional planning being done from Westminster instead of locally. How do they know that these houses will be built where people actually want to live?

    For a good sense of where people do want to live, the government could immediately turn to housing associations – private, non-profit making organisations that already provide low-cost housing to millions. There might be some mileage in seeking to boost their stock by encouraging – and even underwriting – further borrowing by them.

    Typically, housing associations charge significantly lower rents as they are not focused on making a return for shareholders, and their long-term stability attracts lower borrowing costs. If the government’s promised increase in the UK’s housing stock leads to an expansion in the housing association sector, this could make a meaningful contribution to limiting the rents paid by those on lower incomes – and enhancing the potential for them to eventually buy a genuinely affordable home.

    But for many others, the biggest hurdle over the coming years will be mortgage rates. Even if interest rates come down gradually over the next five years, this is unlikely to make much difference to those who cannot afford a mortgage. And it won’t happen quickly enough to conjure up 1.5 million new homeowners in five years.

    It seems doubtful then, that the government will reach its target, however laudible. But if it is to stand a chance, it needs to be thoughtful in its economics. Merely setting targets and expressing frustration when they are not met – as they are unlikely to be – is not enough.

    Paul Anand owns shares in Taylor Wimpey, Persimmon, Barratt Development and Rathbones Global Opportunity Fund.
    He is a professor at the Open University and research associate at Oxford University.

    – ref. Tackling the UK’s housing crisis means addressing one key problem: affordability – https://theconversation.com/tackling-the-uks-housing-crisis-means-addressing-one-key-problem-affordability-239051

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Press release: Ministerial Appointments: 8 October 2024

    Source: United Kingdom – Prime Minister’s Office 10 Downing Street

    The King has been pleased to approve the following appointments.

    The King has been pleased to approve the following appointments:

    • Seema Malhotra MP as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Equalities) in the Department for Education, in addition to her current role as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Home Office.

    • Dame Nia Griffith DBE MP as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Equalities) in the Department for Education, in addition to her current role as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Wales Office.

    • Lord Cryer as a Lord in Waiting (Government Whip).

    In addition, the Prime Minister has appointed the following as Government spokespersons in the House of Lords:

    • The Rt Hon the Baroness Smith of Malvern as a Government spokesperson for Equalities, in addition to her current role as a Minister of State (Minister for Skills) in the Department for Education.

    • Lord Collins of Highbury as a Government spokesperson for Equalities, in addition to his current role as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords and Lord in Waiting (Government Whip).

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Ministerial Appointments: 8 October 2024

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The King has been pleased to approve the following appointments.

    The King has been pleased to approve the following appointments:

    • Seema Malhotra MP as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Equalities) in the Department for Education, in addition to her current role as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Home Office.

    • Dame Nia Griffith DBE MP as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Equalities) in the Department for Education, in addition to her current role as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Wales Office.

    • Lord Cryer as a Lord in Waiting (Government Whip).

    In addition, the Prime Minister has appointed the following as Government spokespersons in the House of Lords:

    • The Rt Hon the Baroness Smith of Malvern as a Government spokesperson for Equalities, in addition to her current role as a Minister of State (Minister for Skills) in the Department for Education.

    • Lord Collins of Highbury as a Government spokesperson for Equalities, in addition to his current role as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords and Lord in Waiting (Government Whip).

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –