6575posts
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Unpaid carer's leave: your right to look after yourself
Caring at home and work is tough I know from my own experience how challenging it can be juggling a busy work life and looking after a family member, in my case my mum at the end of her …
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Scaling data standards to support local government
One major challenge councils face is unconnected technology solutions that can’t share data with each other. This has a real world impact, as described by a council officer during our Future Councils pilot: “We have a disjointed view of our …
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Reducing methane emissions to help combat climate change
The Environment Agency has set out in one place what it is doing to help reduce methane emissions in England, bringing together all their work in a new Methane Action Plan (2024-26). Mark Ellis-Jones, the national Climate Change and Energy …
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Farming rules for water: The importance of Nutrient Management Planning in farming
Following last week’s blog about soil testing, we’re now looking at another area where we often find issues during a farm inspection – nutrient management planning. Around 30% of farms we inspected last year weren’t able to provide evidence of …
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Explainer: data supporting government’s work to improve building safety
We regularly receive media enquiries about the progress of our remediation programmes and see coverage in the media. In addition to our media statements and regular data publications, this blog sets out various statistics relating to building remediation for journalists …
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Coverage of the launch of the Water Restoration Fund
Today we look at media coverage of a new £11m fund for local water quality projects.
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Water Restoration Fund: grants now available
Groups of farmers in England can now apply for a grant to improve freshwater habitats. Through the new Water Restoration Fund, local groups can apply for funding to bolster their capacity and capabilities for delivery of on-the-ground projects which improve the water environment. In this post, we'll explain how the fund works.
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PropTech Innovation Fund: how it's helped identify barriers to adoption of digital engagement tools and the role of government and partners to reduce them
Through Rounds 1-3 of the PropTech Innovation Fund, we have funded 65 pilots involving 47 different LPAs. This blog post outlines the top five barriers identified through our pilots and research. If these are addressed, we believe they will help enable the adoption of digital engagement tools at scale.
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Storm Henk: grants available for affected farmers
If you suffered damage to your land during Storm Henk that was uninsurable, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) will contact you about financial support to help cover the costs of returning your land to the condition it was in before flooding occurred. In this post, we'll give an overview. Post updated 12 April.
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Launching our Water Restoration Fund
In this post, the Environment Blog team discuss the launch of the Water Restoration Fund and what this fund means local for communities.
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Anneke helps the UK NSC navigate the complexities of genetics
Anneke helps the UK NSC navigate the complexities of clinical genetics evidence in screening when public expectations about the ability of genetics to predict ill health are running high.
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Primary school offer day 2024: Everything you need to know
Parents of three and four-year-olds will soon find out what primary school has offered their child a place for the next academic year. The majority of pupils will be offered a place at one of their preferred primary schools, while …
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Coverage of Ministerial Direction on waste incineration facilities
Today we are looking at coverage following the Ministerial Direction on waste incineration facilities.
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Operation Temperer Factsheet
What is Operation TEMPERER? Operation TEMPERER is a joint contingency operation to provide military support to the police in extreme national emergency circumstances, such as surge support for a major domestic terrorist attack or threat. Defence personnel will always be …
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Drawing from personal experiences to improve children’s social care
In this blog, a member of the Children’s social care National Practice Group (NPG) explains how her own personal experience of the care system has helped support the development of a National Framework for children’s social care.
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Law enforcement torch run visit to the Gibraltar Defence Police
On Friday 5 April 2024, the Gibraltar Defence Police were delighted to host the European Co-ordinator for Special Olympics at Northgate House, Gibraltar Defence Police (GDP) Headquarters. Mr Jan Branderhorst and his wife, who are from the Netherlands, were on …
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“Leave your badges at the door.”
Matt Bradley and Helena Evangelidis explain what their Planetary Impact work is trying to achieve, and they share their passion for how we can better understand the impacts that technology is having on the planet and what each of us can do about it.
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What’s in a name (change)?
Defra Head of Security Hannah John explains how a subtle but important name change aimed at building wider awareness and understanding of our broad and important Defra remit, will at the same time enable us to grow an increased sense of belonging among all of our people.
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Major Pearce returns to the Royal Gibraltar Regiment following two years in Directorate for Overseas Bases
The Royal Gibraltar Regiment is pleased to announce the return of Major (Maj) Elvis Pearce after a two-year assignment as Staff Officer Class 2 (SO2) Gibraltar Desk in the Directorate for Overseas Bases in MOD’s Strategic Command, Northwood, United Kingdom. …
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Working together to meet government targets for tree planting in England
Ian Tubby, Head of Policy and Advice at the Forestry Commission, and Adrian Jowitt, Principal Adviser Woodland Policy at Natural England reflect on the recent CEO visit at Cranborne Estate, where Marian Spain and Richard Stanford discussed our shared vision for woodland creation.
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Working together to meet government targets for tree planting in England
Ian Tubby, Head of Policy and Advice at the Forestry Commission, and Adrian Jowitt, Principal Adviser Woodland Policy at Natural England reflect on the recent CEO visit at Cranborne Estate, where Marian Spain and Richard Stanford discussed our shared vision …
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Partnership board updated on progress with SMA screening evidence review
The UK NSC and its partners were updated on work to review the evidence for newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy at the second meeting of the SMA in-service evaluation partnership board.
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New research project launched by the Environment Agency to monitor saltmarsh’s carbon capture and storage
The Environment Agency (EA) is part of a new research project that will monitor saltmarshes across the UK. Saltmarsh plays a significant role in mitigating climate change by absorbing and storing greenhouse gasses in their plants and sediments. As well …
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In the jungle: Operating alongside the flora and fauna of Belize
Did you know that the British Army undertakes Close Country Tropical Training within the jungles of Belize? The British Army Training Support Unit Belize (BATSUB), supported by DIO, operates on one of the MOD’s overseas training areas, which we share …
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Reflections on the first year as Head of the Government Science and Engineering Profession
Dear GSE members, it has now been one year since I took on the best job in the world, the role of Government Chief Scientific Adviser, with the remit to advise the Prime Minister and government on all things related …
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Free childcare: How we are tackling the cost of childcare
England has some of the highest quality childcare provision in the world, with 96% of early years settings rated by Ofsted as good or outstanding. But we recognise that childcare is also one of the biggest costs facing working families …
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Removing barriers in recruitment for prison leavers and people with convictions in the Probation Service
The Civil Service currently has 23 Going Forward into Employment (GFiE) Life Chance Schemes in operation across Government, using innovative approaches to recruitment and providing Individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, who face barriers to employment, with opportunities and …
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New regime to drive up decent standards for social housing residents
This week we announced the new inspection regime for social housing which will be enforced by the Regulator of Social Housing. Minister for Social Housing, Baroness Scott wrote for the Big Issue, setting out the biggest change to social housing …
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Delivering for people and planet
In 2018, the government published its 25 Year Environment Plan which outlined 10 overarching goals for improving the environment within a generation. Here are 60 ways we are delivering this for people, the planet and nature.
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RAF Rugby Union - For the love of the scrum
As the Rugby Union Inter-Services Championship draws closer, anticipation builds, with players working hard at an intensive week-long training camp in Gibraltar. In preparation for April’s Inter-Services Championships in Plymouth against the Royal Navy Masters, thirty two players from …
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A look back at the PATH-SAFE Biosurveillance Conference 2024
At the end of February, the Pathogen Surveillance in Agriculture Food and Environment (PATH-SAFE) team hosted a two-day conference to facilitate knowledge exchange within the biosurveillance community, by showcasing the innovative work that has been undertaken within the PATH-SAFE programme, and other related biosurveillance programmes.
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Farming Rules for Water: The vital role of soil testing
Established by Defra in 2018, the Farming Rules for Water (FRfW) were introduced to reduce and prevent diffuse water pollution from agricultural sources. They are applicable to all farmers and land managers across England and work to safeguard water quality …
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Passing comets and meteor showers: the UK night sky in April 2024
April is set to showcase the most spectacular displays in the cosmos, from a partial solar eclipse to a glimpse of the Lyrids meteor shower.
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GOV.UK ID Check app: Building an accessible digital identity app
The background At Government Digital Service (GDS), our mission is to make digital government simpler, clearer and faster for everyone. As part of the GOV.UK One Login programme, we released the GOV.UK ID Check app for iOS and Android last …
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Working towards a cleaner Wharfe – a closer look at water quality testing at Ilkley’s bathing water
In December 2020, a stretch of the River Wharfe at Cromwheel, Ilkley, in Yorkshire was designated a bathing water by Defra,the first section of a river in the country to become a bathing water. Yorkshire’s Bathing Waters lead Claire Campbell …
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The publication of the Common User Charge rates
Today we look at coverage following the government’s publication of the Common User Charge rates and guidance
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DSUR Submissions and Fees are Changing from 1 June 2024
The process for submitting Annual Safety Reports (ASRs) for Clinical Trials of Investigational Medicinal Products (CTIMP) to the MHRA is changing. From 01 June 2024, ASRs such as the Development Safety Update Report (DSUR) will not be considered valid unless …
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A foot in the Digital Front Door: expanding digital thinking in policy-making
In this post, Greg Winfield, Head of User-Centred Policy Design at DLUHC, talks about how adding user-centred design support at the spend control gateway spreads digital thinking across policy-making.
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Biodiversity Net Gain: guest insights on planning BNG for small sites
Welcome to our Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) guest blog, featuring industry experts sharing their top tips. They are: Julia Baker, Technical Director, Nature Services, Mott MacDonald Isabelle Carter, Regional Director and Landscape Architect, Stride Treglown Emma Toovey, Chief Ecology Officer, …
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Accessible Justice: courts and digital services for all
In our fourth episode of our Inside HMCTS podcast, we focus on how we’re making our courts and tribunals more accessible for everyone and how we are supporting people to use our online services.