GOV.UK blogs

Where we are now with FMPs?

Wondering what stage each of the Defra led FMPs are at? Here's an update.

An exercise with the Portuguese Navy? Algarve it a go!

One of the two Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron (RNGS) patrol vessels has completed her maiden over the horizon deployment to Portugal to take part in Exercise ALLGARVEX-24. After a slightly bumpy transit through the Strait of Gibraltar, HMS CUTLASS (CTLS) …

Homeward Bound Part 2

It rained in Antarctica, and ice that is thousands of years old is melting – my journey to Antarctica In this blog we check back in with Harriet Teare, a GSE member from MHRA, who embarked upon the Homeward Bound …

A new interactive website for our National Character Area profiles

By Sally Marshall, Principal Landscape Adviser, Natural England Today (14 May 2024) we are excited to be launching a new interactive website for England’s National Character Areas (NCAs). This latest chapter in the long history of NCAs makes the valued …

Anne’s ethical principles forged in tandem careers

UK NSC's clinical ethicist members has tandem passions in work and leisure.

Understanding the new Digital and Technology Spend controls

The new get approval to spend service has launched, find out more about how we’ve made the spend controls process easier and more effective for government organisations.

We Are Strategic Command with Jason A'Court

Learn about the crucial role that the Risk and Performance Team in Strategic Command ensure informed decisions are made.   Interviewer: Can you tell us about the work that you and your team deliver?  Jason: My team and I analyse …

What are FMPs and how are they prepared

This post gives a background on where FMPs have come from, what they are and how they are developed.

A whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing: Part 1

Two mental health leads talk about how they work alongside the senior leadership team to develop a whole school approach, to supporting mental health and wellbeing at school.

Welcome to the Fisheries Management Plans blog!

Hello, and welcome to the Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) blog!  The blog is run by the FMP team and is the place you can find all news and updates about FMPs.  We’ve been busy over the last couple of years …

Should we be worried about the new COVID-19 variant?

With the emergence of the ‘XEC’ COVID-19 variant, some people are asking how this new lineage compares to other variants

Secretary of State interview on Long Term Plan for Housing

Housing Secretary Michael Gove was interviewed by Martha Kearney as part of a BBC Radio 4 Today Programme series on housing which aired on Saturday, 11 May, where he set out how the Long Term Plan for Housing will deliver …

Into the Woods: Spring Bluebells

Introducing "Into the woods" our new blog series where staff members share their adventures in England's woodlands. Join us this month to look at spring bluebells at Marbury Country Park.

Improving Data in the Criminal Justice System 

Data plays a crucial role in enhancing decision-making within the Criminal Justice System (CJS). The CJS Data Improvement Programme, led by the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office, addresses the challenges of fragmented data across various organisations by fostering a unified approach to data management. By leveraging innovative tools like Splink for data linking, the programme aims to improve policy formulation, operational performance, and system efficiency. This initiative not only promises to refine data-driven strategies across the CJS but also actively seeks participation from skilled data professionals to join and enrich this transformative journey.

Coverage of the 27 new bathing water designations across England

There has been widespread coverage of the government’s announcement that 27 new bathing water sites will be designated across England. Coverage includes BBC, ITV, The Guardian, The Telegraph, iNews, The Times and Daily Mail.

Maintaining quality early years provision in the face of workforce challenges

We know that many of you in the early years sector continue to face significant challenges, especially around recruiting and keeping well-qualified staff. In this blog, we will highlight: some of the ways these workforce challenges are evident when we …

Launching the Deepfake Detection Challenge: a collaborative effort against digital deception 

The Deepfake Detection Challenge Briefing, marking the official launch of the Challenge Statements outlining the current critical issues which need resolving, featured real-life case studies illustrating the challenges deepfakes pose across government sectors and insights from industry experts.

Social care nursing at the heart of International Nurses Day 2024

Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, Deborah Sturdy: "I’ve been in this profession for decades, but only in recent years has the wider world begun to realise the full range, experience and contribution social care nursing colleagues bring to the health and wellbeing of our communities."

How NWS is making sure the right waste, is in the right place with safe, sustainable and cost effective solutions

Chris Macey, Service Lead for Treatment and Conditioning Services at Nuclear Waste Services (NWS), speaks about how his team is safely diverting huge quantities of nuclear waste away from permanent disposal at the UK’s Low Level Waste (LLW) Repository in …

We Are Strategic Command with Sarah Hudson

To celebrate International Nurses Day, CPONN Sarah shares how her role as Lessons and Clinical Data Manager brings the best possible care to the frontlines. Interviewer: Can you tell us about your current role and responsibilities within the military? Sarah: …

We Are Strategic Command with Jules Després

To celebrate International Nurses Day, Captain Jules Després reflects on his nursing career and the most rewarding part of being the Chief Nursing Officer for Defence. Interviewer: Could you introduce yourself and explain a little about your role? Captain Jules …

Coverage of successful government legal challenge against freeholder Grey GR

There has been coverage in BBC News Online, Inside Housing, Essex Live, Property Week and The Comet following the news that the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has won a landmark legal challenge against freeholder Grey GR - …

Whooping cough: One mother's story of love, loss and action

Whooping cough cases (also known as the '100 day cough') are rising sharply across England. Between January and March 2024 there have sadly been 5 infant deaths. Vaccination is the best protection.
In this blog post, Catherine Hughes, Founding Director at The Immunisation Foundation of Australia, shares the story of her son Riley Hughes and how their family lost Riley to Whooping cough (pertussis)

Behind the scenes of justice – my experience as a juror

As we near the end of Juror Appreciation Week we hear from Jemima, who recently served on a jury. She explains more about her experience and how she saw justice in action outside of her normal day job.

Bluetongue virus risk set out for the year ahead

This week, the Animal and Plant Health Agency published its latest risk assessment of bluetongue virus entering Great Britain during 2024. It confirmed a very high probability of a new introduction of bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) into GB livestock …

Natural England’s Nutrient Mitigation Scheme expects to enable around 3,700 homes and help nature recovery in Dorset

In October last year we provided reassurance that Natural England will not only continue to deliver the Nutrient Mitigation Scheme but seek to accelerate and widen it. That hard work has brought us to our next major milestone – launching …

Changes to permitted development rights

We want to make it easier for farmers to strengthen their businesses. To that end, several changes to permitted development rights are coming into effect from 21 May.  

Keeping pupils active to support their wellbeing

CEO of The Consortium Trust, Andrew Aalders-Dunthorne shares insight about the Trust’s active and outdoor based curriculum.

Working in partnership to enhance approaches to surface water risk management

In recent years, record rainfall events nationally and internationally have served to underline the threat of surface water flooding, particularly to our cities and urban areas, writes Caroline Douglass, Environment Agency Executive Director of Flood and Coastal Risk Management. Examples …

Missing the Point(er)

Email security policy for the UK Government has been fairly consistent for a while, so we were pleased when Google and Yahoo decided to tighten their email authentication requirements that align closely to our own guidance. One element that stands …

Coverage of Defra’s Response to Independent Review into Labour Shortages in the Food Supply Chain

There has been widespread media coverage following our announcement of new measures to address labour shortages in the food supply chain.

The news was reported by publications including The Telegraph, Farmers Guardian, Farmers Weekly, Horticulture Week, The Grocer and Farming UK.

Inaccurate claims in the OEP Report reviewing the implementation of River Basin Management Planning in England

Today the Office for Environmental Protection published a report on legal targets to improve water health.  

The report claims that report claims that “the EA has calculated a cost of £51 billion to achieve the targets… but there is only confirmed funding of £6.2 billion up to 2027”. 

This is incorrect. In October 2023, the water industry announced a planned £96 billion of investment between 2025 and 2030 to deliver significant environmental improvements, including tackling nutrient pollution and reducing the use of storm overflows. Ofwat is currently considering these proposals.

Les Allamby's early reflections of SSAC...the second time around!

I never had a misspent youth. As a student I spent my Saturday mornings volunteering on a Durham market stall containing (then) DHSS[1] leaflets, answering basic queries and offering appointments for more complex issues. Not knowing what I wanted to …

Reflections from the peatland restoration season

England's peatlands are our largest terrestrial carbon store and a haven for rare wildlife. Here's how projects across the country are working to restore them.

UK NSC endorses modification to antenatal screening offered for Edwards’ syndrome

UK NSC recommends addition of quadruple test to the antenatal screening pathway for Edwards' syndrome.

The EA-funded farm group bringing people together to improve sustainability

The Environment Agency (EA) have funded a project to engage and work with farmers in the Upper Roding Catchment. We’ve worked in collaboration with the project lead, environmental charity Thames21, and the Roding, Beam and Ingrebourne (RBI) Catchment Partnership to …

Coverage of Bluetongue virus risk

  There has been widespread coverage of our announcement that there is a very high probability of a new introduction of bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) into livestock in Great Britain this year. This was reported by publications including BBC …

Meteor showers and the Milky Way: the UK night sky in May 2024

May is a great time to see meteors, the star-dense core of our Milky Way galaxy, the spectacular Noctilucent Clouds and several galaxies hidden in the spring constellations.

Marie Hardeman’s site visit to a Lancashire farm

In the first of a series of blogs from Customer Director, Marie Hardeman on her visits to shows, farms and projects, Marie writes about her time at a farm in Lancashire, with RPA field officers on a sheep identification site …

Single-sex toilets announcement coverage

There was widespread coverage earlier this week of the laying of a law to require every new, non-residential building to have single-sex toilets, as well as a fully enclosed universal toilet if space allows. This means amending building regulations so …