Tag: UK Government

Borderlands Deal will build on success of Edinburgh Napier-led Mountain Bike Centre of Scotland

The Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal was signed yesterday, confirming millions of pounds of investment into the Scottish Borders.

Ministers of the UK and Scottish Governments and representatives of the five councils of the Borderlands Partnership signed the deal, which aims to drive inclusive growth and deliver significant and lasting benefits for individuals, businesses and communities, including the creation of up to 5,500 jobs.

For the Scottish Borders, investment will include:

·         £19m for an ambitious project to create the world’s first Mountain Bike Innovation Centre, integrated adventure Bike Park and Trail Lab in Innerleithen (further details below)

·         £11m Destination Tweed tourism project based around the River Tweed

·         Funding to further develop the 7Stanes mountain biking network across the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway

·         A share of £20m for town and community improvement projects through a Place Programme in the south of Scotland

·         Funding for improved business infrastructure in Hawick and Coldstream

·         Funds to support rural innovation and skills

·         Projects to tackle gaps in digital and mobile infrastructure

·         £10m to deliver the feasibility activity around extending the Borders Railway from Tweedbank to Carlisle

·         Funding to support the generation of low carbon energy

·         Pilot projects covering woodland, upland and agricultural areas to trial new approaches to valuing and protecting our natural capital to capture the benefits of our environment in a sustainable way

Councillor Mark Rowley, Scottish Borders Council’s Executive Member for Economic Regeneration and Finance, said: “The Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal has been worked on by the various partners for a number of years and this level of investment and joined up partnership working has never been more important than it is today, as we look towards our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This deal can transform the Scottish Borders, allowing multiple, large scale projects to be taken forward by the Council and a wide range of partners, delivering new jobs and sustainable growth which will help support the region for decades to come.

“Significant investment into our towns and communities, our tourism infrastructure and our environment means that this deal will see the benefits shared right across the whole of the Scottish Borders.”

Innerleithen Mountain Bike Innovation Centre/Tweed Valley Bike Park and Trail Lab

A key element of the Borderlands Growth Deal for the Scottish Borders is the development of a new mountain bike innovation centre in Innerleithen that will support Scottish, UK and international businesses to develop innovative products and services within mountain biking and across the cycling sector. 

In addition, a Tweed Valley Bike Park and Trail Lab will be created in what is thought to be a global first in terms of combining tourism and innovation. An adventure bike park will deliver infrastructure to attract and sustainably manage visitors to the Scottish Borders.

Borderlands Growth Deal will invest £19million in the project, which is predicted to contribute £141m in Gross Value Added (GVA) and over 400 new jobs in the South of Scotland.

The project partnership includes South of Scotland Enterprise as project sponsors Scottish Borders Council, Edinburgh Napier University and Scottish Cycling, through Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland (DMBinS).

Ed Shoote of DMBinS, the Senior Project Manager of the Mountain Bike Project, said: “It is fantastic news that the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal, including the Mountain Bike Project, is pushing ahead.

“The vision is for the south of Scotland to be recognised as the European leader in mountain biking and this is an important step forward.

“There is still a lot of work to do to realise this vision and we will continue to work with the project partners and the local community to deliver the best project for the region.”

Councillor Mark Rowley added: “This project is a fantastic example of how projects funded by the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal can deliver multiple benefits, in this case attracting new businesses and jobs to the area and also attracting tourists from across the UK, Europe and beyond, building on the already well-established reputation of the Tweed Valley as one of the world’s top mountain biking destinations.”

Professor Nick Antonopoulos, Vice Principal for Research and Innovation at Edinburgh Napier University, said: “Today marks another important milestone for Edinburgh Napier and its partners in our journey towards making the South of Scotland the mountain bike capital of Europe.

“The Borderlands Growth Deal will build on the fantastic groundwork of the Mountain Bike Centre of Scotland, hosted by Edinburgh Napier University who have been supporting cycling innovation since 2012.

“This investment will take the work of Mountain Bike Centre of Scotland to the next level, helping to drive innovation and support product research and development, whilst working with local and international companies.

“Together, these projects will power commercial activity, attract inward investment and deliver positive outcomes in terms of public health and supporting carbon neutral products and processes.

“We are also hugely excited by the potential research opportunities for Edinburgh Napier colleagues across a range of academic disciplines, including exercise science, health and wellbeing, engineering, inclusion, product design, artificial intelligence, big data and tourism.”

South of Scotland Enterprise Chair, Russel Griggs OBE, added: “This is a transformational project which could really put the South of Scotland on the map as a global leader in the mountain biking industry.

“The potential wider economic and community benefits for the local area are significant in terms of inward investment and jobs, as well as bringing further UK and international tourism to the region.

“I am delighted the South of Scotland Enterprise will be working with various partners to realise this ambition.”

Johnson: Let’s get the jab done!

PM’s statement at coronavirus press conference: 18th March 2021

Our roadmap to freedom depends on the continued success of our vaccination programme, and so it is reasonable for people to want to be continually reassured not only that our vaccines are safe and effective but also that we have the supply that we need.

So I want to address both points today especially in the light of concerns you may have heard in some other countries about the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine.

First, the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has reviewed the evidence, as it does every week.

They have confirmed that the benefits of the vaccine in preventing COVID far outweigh any risks and people should continue to get their vaccine when asked to do so and June will say a little bit more about that in a moment.

It’s also very important for our European friends that today the European Medicines Agency has come to a clear scientific conclusion and I quote – “this is a safe and effective vaccine.”

We also saw yesterday the evidence from Public Health England that a single dose of either vaccine provides 60 per cent protection against getting COVID.

and reduces the chances of hospitalisation by 80 per cent and the risk of death by 85 per cent.

So the Oxford jab is safe; and the Pfizer jab is safe – the thing that isn’t safe is catching Covid – which is why it’s so important that we all get our jabs as soon as our turn comes.

And as it happens, I’m getting mine tomorrow. And the centre where I’m getting jabbed is currently using the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine for those receiving their first dose, and that is the one I’ll be having.

And let me also assure you – if you come forwards after receiving your letter, we have the jabs for you.

We’ve always said that in a vaccination programme of this pace and this scale, some interruptions in supply are inevitable and it is true that in the short term we are receiving fewer vaccines than we had planned for a week ago.

That is because of a delay in a shipment from the Serum Institute who are doing a herculean job in producing vaccines in such large quantities – and because of a batch that we currently have in the UK that needs to be retested – as part of our rigorous safety programmes.

So as a result we will receive slightly fewer vaccines in April than in March.

But that is still more than we received in February and the supply we do have will still enable us to hit the targets we have set.

That means that by 15 April we will be able to offer a first dose to all of you who are over 50, as well as those under 50 who are clinically vulnerable.

We will have the second doses that people need within the 12 week window – which means around 12 million people in April.

And we will still offer a first dose to every adult by the end of July.

So there is no change to the next steps of the roadmap.

We’ve now vaccinated over 25 million across our entire United Kingdom – more than the entire population of many countries

and our progress along the road to freedom continues unchecked.

We remain on track to reclaim the things we love, to see our families and friends again, to return to our local pubs, our gyms and sports facilities, and of course our shops, all as long as the data continue to go in the right direction and we meet our four tests.

And the way to ensure this happens is to get that jab when your turn comes.

So let’s get the jab done!

Thank you very much.

Coronavirus vaccine fears: Keep using Astra Zeneca, urges WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged countries not to pause Covid vaccinations, as several EU countries halted their rollouts of the Oxford AstraZeneca jab.

It said there was no evidence of a link between the vaccine and blood clots.

Germany, France, Italy and Spain have now joined Denmark, Norway and Iceland in halting vaccinations as a precaution while data is examined.

WHO’s vaccine safety experts meet today to discuss the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) will also meet and is due to draw conclusions on Thursday. It has also said the vaccine should continue to be used.

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon sought to reassure anxious Scots over safety concerns yesterday.

She told the daily media briefing: “We are of course – as I’m sure you are too – aware that some countries, most recently the Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland, have paused their use of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

“You might be hearing reports of this in the media and you might have concerns as a result. So I wanted to take the opportunity today to address this directly.

“In the UK, the decision to suspend the use of any vaccine is a matter for the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

“The MHRA has confirmed to us that there is no current evidence of an increase in blood clots being caused by the AstraZeneca vaccine. That is the issue that has caused the pause in some other countries.

“As you would expect, though, the MHRA is continuing to monitor this carefully, and it remains in regular contact with other regulators. 

“There is, however, significant and growing evidence of the benefits of vaccination in reducing death, illness and we hope now, reducing transmission as well –  and the vaccination programme continues to make very good progress.

“So for all these reasons and based on the advice and opinion of the MHRA, we continue to urge people to come forward for vaccination included with the AstraZeneca vaccine when you are invited to do so.“

Indeed, I can confirm that, as of 8.30 this morning, 1,908,991 people in Scotland have received the first dose of the vaccine.

“That is an increase of 20,294 since yesterday.

“In addition, 1,907 people yesterday received the second dose, which brings the total number of second doses now to 161,945.

“So as of now, virtually all people over the age of 65 have had the first dose of the vaccine. So too have 53% of 60-64 year olds; 41% of 55 to 59 year olds; and 33% of 50 to 54 year olds.

“As the Health Secretary indicated when she was here on Friday, we expect the pace of vaccination to pick up significantly again this week in line with increased supplies.

“So we are expecting that, taking first and second doses together, there will be around 400,000 vaccinations done over the course of this week.”

MHRA response to the precautionary suspensions of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca

‘It has not been confirmed that the reports of blood clots were caused by the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. People should still go and get their COVID-19 vaccine when asked to do so.’

Dr Phil Bryan, MHRA Vaccines Safety Lead said: “We are closely reviewing reports but the evidence available does not suggest the vaccine is the cause.

“Blood clots can occur naturally and are not uncommon. More than 11 million doses of the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca have now been administered across the UK, and the number of blood clots reported after having the vaccine is not greater than the number that would have occurred naturally in the vaccinated population.

“We are working closely with international counterparts in understanding the global safety experience of COVID-19 vaccines and on the rapid sharing of safety data and reports.

“People should still go and get their COVID-19 vaccine when asked to do so.”

Health charities back vaccines drive for those at risk

  • Charities write open letter to encourage those with underlying health conditions to come forward for the jab
  • More than half of cohort 6 have already been vaccinated
  • Vaccine drive includes NHS text alert sent to more than 2 million people in this group

People with underlying conditions including cancer, diabetes and heart disease are being encouraged to come forward for a Covid-19 vaccine by leading UK health charities.

Frontline charities, including Mencap, Diabetes UK and Lupus UK, have asked those with underlying medical conditions, their carers, and those with learning disabilities on their GP register, to book a vaccination to protect themselves and those around them from coronavirus.

People in cohort 6 have been prioritised for the vaccine because they have conditions that mean they are more likely to become seriously unwell from coronavirus.

More than half of those in cohort 6 have already received their first dose of the vaccine and it’s hoped that the charities’ letter – alongside text messages from the NHS – will help to increase take up further among those in this at-risk group.

The charities who signed the open letter are among 22 who have joined together in partnership to reassure those they support about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.

GP services already have been contacting this cohort but those who have not yet received a letter can get a quick and convenient appointment at a vaccination centre or community pharmacy by using the national booking system or calling 119. The NHS have sent text messages to people in this group with a link so they can book their appointment.

The vaccine is safe and effective and very few people are advised not to have it. However, if you have any concerns, you can discuss these if you book over the phone, or with a health professional at your appointment.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: “The backing of the charities who work every day to support those who are entitled to a jab as part of cohort 6 is a great boost for the vaccine rollout and shows what we can achieve when we pull together.

“This open letter is a hugely important way to reassure those with underlying health conditions, and their carers, about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.

“The charities’ support for this national vaccine effort is invaluable in encouraging more people to come forward and helping us to save lives.”

These vital charities support those included in priority vaccination categories, including cohort 6 which covers individuals aged 16 to 64 with certain long-term conditions identified by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation as being at higher clinical risk from Covid-19.

Underlying health conditions faced by people in cohort 6 include chronic respiratory, heart, kidney, liver disease and neurological conditions, including multiple sclerosis (MS) and epilepsy, stroke, vascular disease, diabetes mellitus, immunosuppression due to a health condition or treatment, asplenia or dysfunction of the spleen, morbid obesity, severe mental illness, as well as sickle cell, lupus and those on GP learning disability registers.

Cohort 6 also includes carers who are eligible for a carer’s allowance, or those who are the sole or primary carer of an elderly or disabled person who is at increased risk of Covid-19 mortality and therefore clinically vulnerable.

Minister for Vaccines Nadhim Zahawi said: “We have already given a first dose of the vaccine to more than half of those in cohort 6 and I am grateful to the charities who are encouraging more people in that group to come forward.

“The vaccine is our way out of this pandemic and offers the chance to protect yourself and others – that’s why it’s vital that people get their jab.

“This open letter should help to reassure those with any concerns the vaccine is safe and supported by more than twenty of our most trusted charities.

“I would like to thank them all for backing this life-saving campaign and offering their expertise and assistance to support the largest medical deployment in British history.”

Open letter

We are writing today to encourage people living with an underlying health condition in cohort 6 to come forward for a Covid-19 vaccine.

People with these conditions, including their carers, and those with learning disabilities on the learning disability register, have been prioritised by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation because they are more likely to become seriously unwell from Covid-19.

The vast majority of you should already have been invited for vaccination and more than half of you have already received your first dose.

Some of you may still be waiting for a letter from your GP.

But the good news is, even if you have not received your letter yet, you can now get an appointment at a vaccination centre or community pharmacy, quickly and easily, by using the national booking system or calling 119 in England.

We are proud to support the vaccination roll-out and are here to support you.

The vaccine is safe and effective and very few people are advised not to have it. However, if you have any concerns, you can discuss these when you book, or with a health professional at your appointment.

Over 20 million people in the UK have had their first dose and great progress has been made by the NHS.

We are very pleased to see the Covid-19 vaccination roll-out providing protection for people, like you, who are most at risk from the virus.

Underlying health conditions in cohort 6 include chronic respiratory, heart, kidney, liver disease and neurological conditions, including multiple sclerosis (MS) and epilepsy, stroke, vascular disease, diabetes mellitus, immunosuppression, due to a health condition or treatment, asplenia or dysfunction of the spleen, morbid obesity, severe mental illness, as well as sickle cell, lupus and those on GP learning disability registers.

Cohort 6 also includes carers who are eligible for a carer’s allowance, or those who are the sole or primary carer of an elderly or disabled person who is at increased risk of Covid-19 mortality and therefore clinically vulnerable.

The vaccines that have been approved for use in the UK have met the strict safety standards set by the medicines regulator on safety, quality and effectiveness.

To protect yourself and your family, friends and colleagues, you still need to follow the current government guidance on social contact after receiving your vaccine.

Please come forward to have the jab. It will help save lives and offers the best form of protection from this terrible virus.

The organisations within the partnership, 18 of which have also signed the letter, are:

  • ACLT (African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust)
  • Anthony Nolan
  • Asthma UK
  • British Heart Foundation
  • British Liver Trust
  • British Lung Foundation
  • Cancer Research UK
  • Carers UK
  • Diabetes UK
  • Epilepsy Action
  • Kidney Care UK
  • Kidney Research UK
  • Lupus UK
  • Macmillan Cancer Support
  • Mencap
  • MS Society
  • National Kidney Federation
  • Rethink Mental Illness
  • Sickle Cell Society
  • Stroke Association
  • Terrence Higgins Trust
  • Versus Arthritis

Unpaid carers are included in cohort 6 providing they:

  • are eligible for a carer’s allowance
  • are identified as a primary carer by their GP
  • are receiving support following a carer’s assessment by their local council or from a local carer’s organisation
  • are the sole or primary carer who provides close personal care or face to face support for an elderly or disabled person who is clinically vulnerable to COVID-19

UK Government must act now as report shows infection control guidelines ‘fundamentally flawed’

A report commissioned by the Royal College of Nursing shows that the government’s COVID-19 infection control guidelines, which are used across the UK, are “flawed and need replacing”.  

The report, written by independent experts, analysed a literature review which underpins the current guidance and found that the review met just four of the 18 criteria the experts deemed essential. Crucially, the report found that the review failed to consider a key way in which COVID-19 is transmitted – airborne infection – about which growing evidence has emerged during the pandemic.  

For these reasons, the experts concluded the review provided only a “superficial account” of the available COVID-19 evidence and that the current guidelines based on the review need replacing.

In the report, the authors Professor Dinah Gould, an Honorary Professor of Nursing at London’s City University, and Dr Edward Purssell, also from City University, said: “UK infection prevention and control (IPC) guidance to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in health care settings, and the rapid reviews of the literature on which it was based, still identify droplet spread and hands as the major route, based on early advice from the World Health Organization (WHO).   
“Updated evidence indicates that aerosol spread is much more significant and the original advice from the WHO has been superseded. The UK guidelines are still based on this outdated evidence, however. They urgently need thorough revision and replacing.”  

The report highlights that the guidelines omit detail on the importance of ventilation and advise that higher level personal protective equipment (PPE) must only be provided in certain high-risk settings like intensive care, but that it’s up to individual health trusts to decide whether or not to provide them more widely to other staff.   

This has caused huge concern for members, especially with the emergence of highly infectious new COVID-19 variants. Members have also expressed concern about the lack of action on ventilation in UK hospitals as research suggests airborne transmission is a particular problem in poorly ventilated rooms. 

The RCN has repeatedly tried to engage the government on these issues and is calling for all NHS staff to be given a higher level of PPE as a precautionary measure pending the outcome of a review. 

RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary Dame Donna Kinnair said: “We have been battling this pandemic for more than a year now. ‘Following the science’ is a hollow boast when we have evidence showing the flaws.   

“The report and its findings must launch an official review and not be swept under the carpet as an inconvenience.

“Health care workers need to know everything possible is being done to keep them protected. It is inadequate to say they have masks if they aren’t fit for purpose. Staff are scared for themselves and their families and left any longer it’ll turn to anger.”

Turing scheme to ‘open up global study and work opportunities’

Schools, colleges and universities can now apply for funding from today to allow students to study and work across the globe as part of the new Turing Scheme.

The programme, backed by £110 million, replaces the Erasmus+ scheme in the UK and will fund 35,000 global exchanges from September 2021, including university study, school exchanges, and industry work placements.

The new scheme aims to improve social mobility, targeting students from disadvantaged backgrounds and areas which did not previously have many students benefiting from Erasmus+, making life-changing opportunities accessible to everyone across the country. The British Council and Ecorys will be targeting disadvantaged parts of the country to promote the scheme to improve take up.

The Turing scheme offers benefits to students that they would not have under the previous Erasmus+ programme, with university students from disadvantaged backgrounds set to receive a maximum of £490 per month towards living costs (currently worth around 573 euros compared to 540 euros under Erasmus+), alongside travel funding, and other forms of additional funding to offset the cost of passports, visas and insurance.

Unlike Erasmus+, which is EU-focused, the Turing Scheme is a truly global programme and every country in the world is eligible to partner with UK universities, schools and colleges.

Prime Minister, Boris Johnson said: “The Turing Scheme is a truly global programme with every country in the world eligible to partner with UK universities, schools and colleges.

“It is also levelling up in action, as the scheme seeks to help students of all income groups from across the country experience fantastic education opportunities in any country they choose.”

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “This is a landmark step in delivering on our promise to level up a truly global Britain, strengthening our ties across the world and providing students with the skills they need to thrive.

“The programme’s focus on social mobility and value for money will open up more opportunities for international education and travel to all of our students, especially for those from disadvantaged backgrounds who were less likely to benefit from the previous EU scheme.

“I urge all universities, schools and colleges from all corners of the UK to start their applications and partner up with countries worldwide.”

Universities Minister, Michelle Donelan said: The Turing scheme will support our levelling up agenda by opening up the world to young people and children from all backgrounds with exciting global opportunities.

“The scheme will enable up to 35,000 students throughout the UK to work or study across the globe.”

As part of the UK-wide launch, education ministers are visiting the devolved nations today to highlight the advantages of the Turing scheme and ensure wider participation for all students across the UK.

In support of the launch, Universities Minister Michelle Donelan will visit Cardiff University and Edinburgh University to discuss the bidding process including how to demonstrate widening access to more disadvantaged students as part of the application process.

School Standards Minister Nick Gibb and Apprenticeships Minister Gillian Keegan will visit educational settings in areas that have not previously benefitted from Erasmus+.

Applicants from schools and colleges are encouraged, with funding levels and eligibility set out in programme guides available to help inform applications.

UK organisations are encouraged to form partnerships across the globe, not just the EU. The Turing website includes the programme guide, funding levels and eligibility, and details of webinars available to help inform applications.

Successful applications will receive funding for administering the scheme and students taking part will receive grants to help them with the costs of their international experience. The benefits of the exchanges will be assessed and the findings used to build on future schemes. Funding decisions for subsequent years will be subject to future spending reviews.

£110m of funding will be available to support projects and activities during the 2021/2022 academic year. This is enough to fund similar levels of student exchanges under the former Erasmus+ scheme.

Programme guidance, including information on the application process, has also been published on the Turing Scheme website.

Scottish adults support tough new laws and sanctions on tech firms to combat child abuse

  • Poll shows widescale public support for stronger legislation to protect children from abuse online
  • Comes as NSPCC report says UK Government’s Online Safety Bill must be more ambitious to comprehensively tackle sexual abuse
  • Charity chief calls for no compromise on children’s safety being at the heart of new laws

The Scottish public overwhelmingly back robust new laws to protect children from abuse on social media and wants bosses to be held responsible for safety, new polling suggests.

An NSPCC/YouGov survey found that more than nine in ten respondents (95%) in Scotland want social networks and messaging services to be designed to be safe for children.

The poll of more than 2,000 adults across the UK*, of which 179 respondents were from Scotland, shows huge support for putting a legal requirement on tech firms to detect and prevent child abuse, while backing strong sanctions against directors whose companies fail.

91% of respondents in Scotland want firms to have a legal responsibility to detect child abuse, such as grooming, taking place on their sites.

And almost four in five Scottish adults (79%) support prosecuting senior managers of social media managers if their companies consistently fail to protect children from abuse online, while 83% of respondents want social media bosses fined for consistent failures.

NSPCC Chief Executive Sir Peter Wanless said it shows a huge public consensus for robust Duty of Care regulation of social media.

He is urging the UK Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden to listen by ensuring his landmark Online Safety Bill convincingly tackles online child abuse and puts the onus on firms to prevent harm. He set out the UK Government’s vision for legislation in December.

The survey found that just ten per-cent of Scottish adults think sites are regularly designed safely for children, but 77% support a legal requirement for platforms to assess the risks of child abuse on their services, and take steps to address them.

It come as the NSPCC’s ‘Delivering a Duty of Care’ report, released earlier this week, assessed plans for UK legislation against its six tests for the UK Government to achieve bold and lasting protections for children online.

It found that UK Government is failing on a third of indicators (nine out of 27), with tougher measures needed to tackle sexual abuse and to give Ofcom the powers they need to develop and enforce regulation fit for decades to come.

Sir Peter Wanless said: “Today’s polling shows the clear public consensus for stronger legislation that hardwires child protection into how tech firms design their platforms.

“Mr Dowden will be judged on whether he takes decisions in the public interest and acts firmly on the side of children with legislation ambitious enough to protect them from avoidable harm.

“For too long children have been an afterthought for Big Tech but the Online Safety Bill can deliver a culture change by resetting industry standards and giving Ofcom the power to hold firms accountable for abuse failings.”

The NSPCC is calling for legislation to be more robust so it can successfully combat online child abuse at an early stage and before it spreads across platforms.

They want a requirement for tech firms to treat content that facilitates sexual abuse with the same severity as material that meets the criminal threshold.

This means clamping down on the “digital breadcrumbs” dropped by abusers to guide others towards illegal material. These include videos of children just moments before or after they are sexually abused – so-called ‘abuse image series’ – that are widely available on social media.

The charity also want Ofcom to be able to tackle cross platform risks, where groomers target children across the different sites and games they use – something firms have strongly resisted.

In its report, the NSPCC called on the UK Government to commit to senior management liability to make tech directors personally responsible for decisions on product safety.

They say this is vital to drive cultural change and provide an appropriate deterrent against a lax adoption of the rules.

The charity wants to see senior management liability similar to the successful approach in financial services. Under the scheme, bosses taking decisions which could put children at risk could face censure, fines and in the case of the most egregious breaches of the Duty of Care, criminal sanctions.

They warn that the UK Government has softened its ambition and at present just propose liability for narrow procedural reasons, which will only to be enacted later down the line.

The NSPCC has been the leading voice for social media regulation and the charity set out detailed proposals for a Bill in 2019.

The UK Government’s White Paper consultation response in December set out the framework for an Online Safety Bill that is expected in the Spring.

Test and Trace: “British taxpayers cannot be treated by Government like an ATM machine”

“Unimaginable” cost of Test & Trace failed to deliver central promise of averting another lockdown

In May last year NHS Test and Trace (NHST&T) was set up with a budget of £22 billion. Since then it has been allocated £15 billion more: totalling £37 BILLION over two years.

The Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC) justified the scale of investment, in part, on the basis that an effective test and trace system would help avoid a second national lockdown – but since its creation we have had two more lockdowns.

In its report Westminster’s Public Accounts Committee says that while NHST&T clearly had to be set up and staffed at incredible speed, it must now “wean itself off its persistent reliance on consultants”; there is still no clear evidence of NHST&T’s overall effectiveness; and it’s not clear whether its contribution to reducing infection levels – as opposed to the other measures introduced to tackle the pandemic – can justify its “unimaginable” costs.

The scale of NHST&T’s activities is striking, particularly given its short life. Between May 2020 and January 2021, daily UK testing capacity for COVID-19 increased from around 100,000 to over 800,000 tests. NHST&T had also contacted over 2.5 million people testing positive for COVID-19 in England and advised more than 4.5 million of their associated contacts to self-isolate. 

But the percentage of total laboratory testing capacity used in November and December 2020 remained under 65%, and even with the spare capacity, NHST&T has never met the target to turn around all tests in face-to-face settings in 24 hours. Low utilisation rates – well below the target of 50% – persisted into October last year.  

A major focus for NHST&T in early 2021 was the mass roll-out of rapid testing in different community settings, but there have been particular setbacks for the roll-out to schools, after NHST&T had significantly underestimated the increase in demand for testing when schools and universities returned last September.

Meg Hillier MP, Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, said: “The £23 billion test and trace has cost us so far is about the annual budget of the Department for Transport.Test & Trace still continues to pay for consultants at £1000 a day.

“Yet despite the unimaginable resources thrown at this project Test and Trace cannot point to a measurable difference to the progress of the pandemic, and the promise on which this huge expense was justified – avoiding another lockdown – has been broken, TWICE.

“DHSC and NHST&T must rapidly turn around these fortunes and begin to demonstrate the worth and value of this staggering investment of taxpayers’ money. Not only is it essential it delivers an effective system as pupils return to school and more people return to their workplace, but for the £billions spent we need to see a top class legacy system.

“British taxpayers cannot be treated by Government like an ATM machine. We need to see a clear plan and costs better controlled.”

Test and Trace chief Baroness Dido Harding has defended the £37 billion service and said the committee report is ‘old news’.

Building Back Better: Move to boost transport connections across the UK

  • Prime Minister sets out vision to boost connectivity across the UK, with improved transport infrastructure at the heart of Government’s levelling up agenda
  • Consultation to launch this Spring on reforming Air Passenger Duty tax in further step to boost transport connecting the whole of the UK, whilst we explore new requirements to offset emissions and in parallel continue to decarbonise aviation
  • Sir Peter Hendy’s interim report into transport connectivity outlines potential for a UK Strategic Transport Network, with £20m committed to develop plans

Prime Minister Boris Johnson today (Wednesday 10 March) sets out his vision to ‘build back better’ from coronavirus by boosting transport connectivity across and between the whole of the UK, as part of ambitions to truly level up across the country.

The UK Government will also consult on cutting air passenger duty on internal UK flights, and will commit £20m to develop plans for upgraded rail, road, sea and air links. 

The measures were announced following the interim report of Sir Peter Hendy’s Union Connectivity Review, published today. In June, Sir Peter Hendy CBE was tasked by the Prime Minister with exploring ways in which transport can better connect all parts of the United Kingdom.

Sir Peter Hendy’s report sets out how a UK Strategic Transport Network would help deliver this ambition.

Such a network would significantly expand and upgrade direct transport connections in the UK across road, rail, sea and air, helping to reduce delays and bottlenecks and stimulate economic growth.

Improving rail links helps cut carbon emissions, and so as well as considering how transport links can better connect the UK, the Prime Minister will consider their environmental and social impact – taking into account how they will improve the quality of life of the people that use them.

The potential network will now form the main focus of Sir Peter’s continuing investigations, with his final report in the summer looking to identify specific transport upgrades that could form the backbone of the network’s ambitions. 

To jump-start some of the projects identified by Sir Peter, the Government has today committed £20m towards exploring the development of projects, such as: 

  • Improved rail connectivity between the North coast of Wales and England
  • Upgrading the A75 between Gretna, Dumfries and Stranraer, a key route for south-west Scotland and Northern Ireland but almost entirely single-carriageway. 
  • Significantly faster rail links from England to Scotland, including looking at options to enhance the West Coast Mainline
  • Rail improvements in South-East Wales building on ideas from the Welsh Government’s Burns Commission

The Government is also announcing that the consultation on aviation tax reform, announced at Budget 2020, will be published in Spring 2021.

The consultation will include options to change the APD treatment for domestic flights, such as reintroducing a return leg exemption or creation of a new lower domestic rate.

In addition to looking at the case for increasing the number of international distance bands, the UK will continue to decarbonise domestic aviation as part of their ambition to reach net zero, including through mandating the use of sustainable aviation fuels. All domestic aviation emissions are captured in carbon budgets.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, said: “It’s now time to build back better in a way which brings every corner of the UK closer together. We will harness the incredible power of infrastructure to level up parts of our country that have too long been left off the transport map.

“This pioneering review by Sir Peter Hendy gives us the tools we need to deliver on our ambitions for a UK-wide transport network that encompasses sea, rail, and road – and I also want to cut passenger duty on domestic flights so we can support connectivity across the country.”

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “As we build back better from Covid it is more important than ever that we level-up every corner of our great country.  

“Quality transport infrastructure is key to achieving that, which is why we are committed to boosting connectivity and bringing communities across the UK even closer together.” 

The UK Government will work closely with relevant devolved administrations on development studies. For example, the UK government will work closely with the Scottish Government on any feasibility study on the A75.

Sir Peter has spoken with over a hundred organisations and received nearly 150 submissions to his call for evidence. As a result, he has been able to identify some of the most pressing issues for connecting all parts of the UK. 

Sir Peter Hendy CBE said: “Devolution has been good for transport but it has also led to a lack of attention to connectivity between the four nations, due to competing priorities and complex funding.

“A UK Strategic Transport Network could resolve this, with its core objective centred around levelling up across the whole of the UK.”

The Government will receive the final UCR recommendations ahead of the Spending Review, where it will consider and confirm funding plans for delivering improved connectivity across the UK.

The review into boosting the transport options connecting the UK sits squarely at the centre of the Government’s levelling up agenda, with focus on providing high-quality transport infrastructure to communities that have been passed over for investment in previous decades a key pillar of the plans. 

While the review looks to the future, the UK Government continues to support current Union connectivity measures and recently provided a further £4.3 million to fund a two-year extension to the vital flight route between City of Derry Airport and London Stansted, beginning on 1 April, which will boost local economies on both sides. 

The Scotish Government has accused the UK Government of undermining devolution as transport falls under Holyrood’s remit.

Union-Connectivity-Review-Interim-ReportDownload

UK Government is taking control away from the Scottish Parliament, says new report

Scotland’s ability to legislate in areas such as food, health and environmental standards is being undermined in a “systematic attack” on devolution, according to Constitution Secretary Michael Russell.

A report published yesterday by the Scottish Government shows the extent to which the Scottish Parliament’s devolved powers are being eroded by the UK Government following the 2016 Brexit vote.

AFTER BREXIT: The UK Internal Market Act & Devolution sets out how:

  • the Scottish Parliament’s views on Brexit have been ignored by the UK Government
  • terms of reference designed to agree Brexit negotiating objectives among the UK’s four governments were disregarded
  • the UK Government and Parliament now regularly legislate in devolved policy areas and adjust the powers of the Scottish Parliament without the consent of the Scottish Parliament
  • UK Government Ministers have taken powers to spend in devolved areas

Most notably, the recently passed UK Internal Market Act allows the UK Government to in effect impose standards in a large number of areas that are devolved.

It means the Scottish Parliament could have its hands tied if it wants to stop the sale of hormone injected beef, regulate food content to prevent obesity or ban single-use plastics to protect the environment, the report sets out

The report also details how the Act is being used by the UK Government to divert funding that would otherwise come to the Scottish Parliament to decide how it should be spent.

One example is the UK Government administered Levelling Up Fund for infrastructure projects, which is bypassing any Scottish Parliament involvement in around £400 million of expected consequential funding.

Additionally UK Government Ministers now have the power to extend to Scotland’s NHS the controversial market access principles that the Act introduces.

Mr Russell added: “Devolution has helped to move Scotland forward, building on the fundamental principle that the Parliament and Government elected by the Scottish people should make decisions for Scotland.

“But since the Brexit vote there has been a systematic attack on the Scottish Parliament’s powers, fundamentally undermining devolution.

“Bit by bit, the settlement that secured 74% support in the 1997 devolution referendum, is being unpicked under the cover of Brexit and without the consent of Scottish people.

“This is not a big bang abolition – it is instead the slow demise of devolution in the hope that no-one will notice.

“The UK Government has signalled its desire is to ‘undo’ devolution and it is now repeatedly using its majority at Westminster to impose laws in devolved policy areas.

“Most alarming of all, the Internal Market Act has substantially weakened the Scottish Parliament’s powers.

“The Act is going to have a very real impact on everyone in Scotland. The Scottish Parliament’s ability to ensure high levels of food standards and stop the sale of single-use plastics could be rendered obsolete – undoing devolution and undermining Scotland’s ability to directly shape its future.

“UK Government Ministers also now have the power, at a stroke of their pen, to subject Scotland’s NHS to the market access principles the Act introduces.

“That is why we will continue to resist the damaging effects of this Act in every way possible, and why we are bringing forward an independence referendum Bill – to keep Scottish powers in the hands of the Scottish people.”