News

Call for power to classify protected characteristics to be devolved to Scotland

A six week government consultation published this week aims to strengthen the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) capacity to better deal with companies breaking the law over nuisance calls and texts. 

The Defence Select Committee chair has criticised the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) prioritising management skills over local expertise in its overseas staff, and expressed scepticism over the UK’s approach to developing strategy. 

Crown steps up efforts to tackle historical sexual abuse

Defra have confirmed that the 5p plastic bag charge will be introduced in England in October 2015.

Mark Serwotka was re-elected for a fourth term as general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services union on 23 October. 

Atam Verdi, Director at the property regeneration consultancy, gives and outside perspective of the civil service

Almost two thirds (65%) of civil servants have suffered from ill health as a result of stress at work, one fifth (19%) of which have taken more than 40 days off within a 12 month period as a result of stress-related ill health, new surveys from the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union reveal. 

National Crime Agency considering use of pop-up warnings for websites

Chief of the Met police Bernard Hogan-Howe has said he “welcomes” Home Secretary Theresa May’s pause on the review of whether counter-terrorism should stay a policing function.

Phil Gormley, deputy director-general of the National Crime Agency (NCA), outlined the key crimes the UK recognise as falling under the tier two threat of ‘serious and organised crime’. 

The Department of Work and Pensions’ (DWP) decision to close the Independent Living Fund (ILF) for disabled people was challenged by the Equality and Human Rights Commission on 22 October. 

The threat of serious and organised crime should be given recognition when discussing national security, according to the National Crime Agency (NCA). 

Margaret Hodge today stated that confusion at the centre of government is impacting on the government’s ability to “deliver value for taxpayers’ money”.

A National Audit Office (NAO) report reveals the number of foreign national offenders (FNOs) deported from the UK remains broadly unchanged whilst the number of FNOs in prison has increased by 4% since 2006 despite a tenfold increase in Home Office staff working on FNO cases. 

As the election looms, CSW puts six questions to deputy prime minister and Liberal Democrat party leader Nick Clegg

The chief of the Met Police has today emphasised the importance of the Home Office’s anti-radicalisation ‘Prevent’ strategy, arguing that "we can't arrest our way out of this problem. We do have to do a lot around prevention. Radicalisation is not an event, it's a process.”

Admiral Lord West predicts that more emergency legislation over monitoring communications is likely to be needed if the Communications Data Bill does not go forward.

DWP are now facing an “escalating problem” with housing benefit error from both claimants and officials, according to National Audit Office (NAO).

The Met Office plans to expand and improve its open data by becoming the first trading fund to partner with the Open Data Institute (ODI) membership programme. 

UK economic growth is forecast to drop to 2.4% in 2015, down from 3.1% this year, according to EY Item Club.

New levy to cut waste