8177posts
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UK's quest to be a global science superpower
Science and technology are, perhaps more than ever, transforming people’s lives writes Sir Patrick Vallance. In order to thrive in an increasingly competitive world, countries must apply science and technology strategically and embed it in their policy- and decision-making. The …
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Giving people in prison access to their financial transactions
Since February this year, the Content Hub team has been working feverishly to give people in prison improved access to their personal information, and now it's alive and kicking, we want to tell you about it. If you haven't heard …
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Satellites, bananas, and ethics: Partnerships to tackle food insecurity
It's not every day I attend a workshop where satellites, bananas, livestock, and ethics are central to the conversation.
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Government responds to the Better Regulation Framework consultation
Stephen Gibson offers some initial thoughts on the Government's announcements on 31 January of its conclusions following last year's consultation on the future of the Better Regulation Framework
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The importance of the QAS accreditation for GAD
GAD is proud to be accredited by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries' Quality Assurance Scheme. Our latest annual return shows we've been continuously improving; working to uphold the standards needed to complete high-quality actuarial work.
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National Apprenticeship Week 2022: reflecting on my experiences as a DIO apprentice
As National Apprenticeship Week gets underway, I’d like to offer some reflections on my apprenticeship journey within the DIO corporate communications team, as well as picking out a few personal highlights from my time as an apprentice in DIO. Why …
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We’re Levelling Up Careers in the Civil Service
Following the newly-launched Levelling Up White Paper, Alex Chisholm explores how moving thousands of Civil Service roles and creating more opportunity around the country will help us to build A Modern Civil Service. Last week the Government launched the much …
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How we are helping students prepare for exams this summer
Exams will go ahead this summer as the best and fairest form of assessment. However, we recognise students have faced disruption over the last two years and we have put in place measures to support them. We have introduced a …
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Delivering Climate Adaptation and Resilience: The Role of Measurement
Hear from NPL experts and sector stakeholders about how metrology supports climate action. The climate is changing and will continue to change even as we reduce emissions, in some instances with devastating effects. To limit the most damaging impacts of …
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Tinnitus: From banging tunes to burglar alarms
Alan Dillon, Head of Chancery from the British Embassy Muscat, on his experience of living with the hearing condition, tinnitus. ‘Buzzing, whooshing, humming, ringing, throbbing, hissing, music, singing.’ Dr Seuss could have hardly described it better had he rewritten his …
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Enabling nuclear regulation for a net zero future
The Environment Agency’s New Reactors Assessment Team has been leading an assessment of a nuclear power station design since 2017. Here the team’s manager, Alan McGoff, reflects on the five year project and looks forward to regulating the nuclear industry …
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You’re hired – celebrating National Apprenticeship Week 2022
We’re marking the start of National Apprenticeship Week 2022 with a post from Workforce Management Lead, Claire Thomas Hawnt, who tells us about the many opportunities we have for budding apprentices.
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Texting parents: our key to success in tackling absence
Louisa Munton, headteacher of Shirehampton Primary School, shares how her school have reduced persistent absences by introducing a new way of communicating with parents.
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Coverage of update on investigation into the deaths of crab and lobster in the North East
On the 8th of February, we provided a update on the joint investigation carried out by Defra and partner agencies, looking into the deaths of crabs and lobster found washed up on the North East coast between October and December …
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Exploring how AI can make the NHS more effective and efficient
ACE has been working with the NHS AI Lab to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can be applied to challenges ranging from clinical innovations that improve patient outcomes to enhancing administrative functions to bring greater efficiencies. This post gives an overview of some of this work.
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Welcome to the ACE blog: making mission-led innovation a reality
The Accelerated Capability Environment (ACE) was established by the Home Office to solve digital and data problems facing public sector organisations. Here’s an introduction to what we do, our ways of working and what makes us different.
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Impact Lab: unlocking the power of data for law enforcement innovation
Impact Lab solves digital and data challenges faced by those on the front line of law enforcement by bringing them together with expertise from industry and academia.
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Get Help with Catch Recording
We are hosting a series of drop-in sessions to help fishers with under-10m vessels with their catch recording obligations. We want to support and enable a profitable, sustainable fishing industry. So improving understanding of how much and which species of …
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Driving Environmental Sustainability Leadership across the Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is embarking on an innovative programme to build leadership in environmental sustainability across the Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Tamara Finkelstein, Defra Permanent Secretary and Civil Service Apprenticeship Champion, said: “Our …
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Protecting the adult social care sector
The Adult Social Care Booster Taskforce has published a new paper, written for adult social care and vaccine leads from Local Authorities, Integrated Care Systems, and providers. By bringing local learning into one place, Protecting the Adult Social Care sector – Good Practice for Local Booster Vaccination aims to share and replicate good practice across …
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Working life at the Trade Remedies Authority: our hybrid working pilot
Our Board and leadership team are determined to build a culture where everyone enjoys coming to work. In this blog Steve O'Donoghue, TRA's Corporate Director, talks about our approach to hybrid working.
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Sum of all the Strategies
Just before Christmas last year, after 10 months of being Interim CDIO for the MoJ, I was offered the post on a permanent basis. While I certainly wasn’t acting as “caretaker” in the role, it has definitely given me certainty …
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It’s all talk: why talking to people is one of the most important things we do
We want to talk to people who need to use our services or understand our work. Sarah Avery, Industry, Government and Parliamentary Affairs Lead, introduces the TRA's Pre-Application Office and discusses the importance of engagement.
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Changing the COVID-19 Case Definition
To adapt to the changing picture on COVID-19 reinfections, UKHSA has changed the case definition for COVID-19. This blog explains how we have done this and why.
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New wader zonal maps - helping to ensure new trees are put in the right place.
New guidance will help to inform woodland expansion in England that works with breeding wader conservation.
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Dragons' Den, Episode 5, Series 19
The combination of a boozy escape room with bouncing music balls and cheesy snacks thrown in this week's episode of Dragons' Den would put a glowing smile on anyone’s face.
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How we plan to support families who choose home education through registers of children not in school
There are a wide range of reasons why some families might prefer to home educate children. In the vast majority of cases home educating parents do an excellent job and that’s why we want to support families who want to …
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The night sky in February
Our February night skies host some of the most distinctive and spectacular constellations, so wrap up warm and make the most of any clear nights that come around!
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A year in review – where are we on net zero?
In 2021, the Environment Agency outlined how it would reach net zero by 2030. Here, Sustainable Business Manager Simon Dawes looks back at the challenges and achievements – and anticipates what’s yet to come in 2022.
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Four things I’ve learnt as a Policy Designer
Matt Nicol from the Department for Education reflects on his experience of working in public policy design.
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How we use Slack to respond to service incidents
We wanted to get better at responding to incidents, so we built our own Slack bot. James Glenn explains.
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It’s good to talk – really, it is
Today we’re marking #TimeToTalk Day, and encouraging people to start a conversation about mental health, with a post from one of our Senior Workforce Advisors, Kay Finn, who shares her experiences of homeworking and the challenges of combatting loneliness.
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How we are tackling behaviour in schools to help maintain calm classrooms
Every child should have the opportunity to learn in a calm, orderly, safe and supportive environment where their education won’t be disrupted by misbehaviour. While most students are well-behaved, we know it can be a cause of stress for teachers …
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How rebuilding schools and colleges around the country will help level up education for all
We want all young people to learn in modern, fit for purpose buildings, regardless of their background or where they’re from. Some of the schools in our estate don’t meet the standards pupils and families should expect, and the school …
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Water companies required to do more to protect environment
There has been coverage in the Times, Guardian, Business Green and elsewhere about the Government’s priorities set out today for the water industry, including doing more to protect the environment and reduce storm overflows. The new Strategic Policy Statement …
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The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) supporting rural mental health
We can all play a part in helping people whose mental health is at risk. The smallest act can go a long way. Here at the RPA we are taking this seriously and looking at what we can do to …
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Future Farming Podcast: Tim Parton on nitrogen-fixing bacteria and nutrient-dense food
In the sixth episode of the Future Farming Podcast, Programme Director Janet Hughes talks to Tim Parton. Tim is Farm Manager at Brewood Park Farm, Staffordshire, where he manages 300 hectares using regenerative agriculture methods. Find out how Tim moved to no-till, reduced insecticide and fungicide use and brewed his own nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
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How we’re building our service assessment function in DIT
The feedback received so far is generally positive. Service teams want independent peer review, support, and guidance and this process provides that.
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What to expect on a primary deep dive – some guidance for subject leaders
Heather Fearn and Jonathan Keay, Her Majesty’s Inspectors from Ofsted’s curriculum team, discuss some key points about what primary subject leaders (especially small primary schools) can expect from deep dives. This blog builds on our previous blog about the simple …
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Inside Policy: Unlocking the potential of young people
Since 2014, the Civil Service has provided around 6,000 work placements every year to jobless youngsters. Here, Debbie Alder explains how Movement to Work helps crack the vicious ‘no experience - no job’ cycle to help youngsters nail their first …