GOV.UK blogs

Ofsted's webinars for schools - spring season

Lee Owston and Jonathan Keay invite you to hear directly from Ofsted on school inspection policy.

What does policymaking look like?

Professor Paul Cairney from University of Stirling writes about different ways to visualise the policymaking process.

Bridging the gap – from hospital to home

Hayley Robertshire is a senior manager working in residential and nursing care in the north east of England. Here, she shares her thoughts on how care colleagues can provide solutions to hospital discharge pressures and support admission avoidance strategies

Considering a flexible approach to providing driving tests

Earlier in the year we shared our plans with you to  investigate ways we could create a modern, flexible and efficient driving test service. One that is less dependent on fixed driving test centres, and takes advantage of new technology. DVSA's Head of Driver Transformation John Selbey, shares some more details with you about the trials and the thinking behind them.

Race equality at Companies House

To reinforce the commitments we’ve made around equality, diversity and inclusion, Companies House is a signatory of the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter. In doing this we committed to improving racial equality in the workplace. Find out more.

Chief Executive’s message to stakeholders - The horsemeat crisis ten years on

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the horsemeat crisis.

Samarkand celebrate their Queen’s Awards for Enterprise in International Trade

In 2016 it was clear to entrepreneurs and co-founders David Hampstead and Simon Smiley that international brands were not capturing the full market opportunity in China. Together, they set out to build a business that would close the cultural, commercial, …

The night sky in February

This month provides a great chance to see a comet and watch Venus and Jupiter appear to move towards each other.

From growing up watching PMQs to supporting the delivery of government's major projects

This week marks National Apprenticeship Week 2023 (NAW23). At the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA), we wanted to celebrate the brilliant and inspiring apprentices across government, by hearing from one of our own, Luke Cryan (Project Futures Team) as he …

Climate and health security: Looking ahead to 2023

The start of each year is a time where we recall the previous year and anticipate the year ahead, and there’s much to reflect on.

For climate scientists, there’s no doubt that 2022 was remarkable.

National Apprenticeship Week 2023: introducing some of IfATE's apprentice network

This week is National Apprenticeship Week 2023. To celebrate, we want to introduce some of IfATE's own apprentices, who are part of a newly formed apprentice network within the organisation. Following the latest apprentice panel survey, six recommendations were made, …

How Ofqual acts in the interests of apprentices

National Apprenticeship Week is the perfect time to talk about how Ofqual’s work benefits apprentices, and the employers they go on to work for. Specifically, I want to look at apprenticeship end-point assessments (EPAs).   Apprenticeship end-point assessments   EPAs are tests …

The triple burden of flu, RSV and COVID-19

In November 2022 the SARS-CoV2 Immunity and Reinfection Evaluation study, or SIREN for short, expanded to study flu and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). This blog explains what we hope to learn from this work.

Cleaning up rivers polluted by abandoned metal mines

The problems facing water are complex, with multiple sources of pollution affecting water quality. One of the lesser-known areas of the Environment Agency’s work is cleaning up pollution from abandoned metal mines.
Mining played a major part in Britain’s rich industrial history, but this also left thousands of abandoned mines scattered across our landscape. Almost all these mines had closed by the early 1900s but they are still releasing harmful metals including lead, cadmium and copper. This is one of the top 10 issues for water quality in England as it harms fish and river insects. Abandoned mines are the largest source of metals to British rivers and seas (click here for more information). Pollution is localised to about 1,500km of rivers - mainly in the North East, Cumbria, Yorkshire & Cornwall.

Helping to keep rivers flowing but not flooding

Debbie Thompson leads the Stour Field Team and has been with the Environment Agency for 15 years.
Here, Debbie explains how the team works throughout the year to help protect communities from flooding and improve the environment for people and nature.
The 14-strong field team can be seen working across this large chunk of east Kent on most days of the year.

Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier now open for applications

Today we have opened the application window for Countryside Stewardship (CS) Higher Tier (HT) revenue agreements which will begin 1 January 2024, and we wanted to share some information about the scheme for this year. HT is open to all …

How we’ve improved the 'Ready to Pass?' website

Find out how we've improved the 'Ready to Pass?' website to include better information to help learner drivers prepare for their driving test and a lifetime of safe driving.

In conversation with our digital apprentices, Donna and Tom

To mark National Apprenticeship Week 2023, Donna and Tom share their experience of completing a digital degree whilst working at DVLA.

The Annual Health and Welfare Review: rolling out yearly vet visits

At around this time last year, I wrote a post introducing the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway. I’m pleased to tell you that the first step on the Pathway, the SFI Annual Health and Welfare Review, is now ready to be rolled out. In this post, I'll explain how to register for a funded annual visit from your chosen vet or team of vets.

Tree Health Pilot: our improvements and progress

The Tree Health Pilot is a 3-year scheme which tests different ways of slowing the spread of tree pests and diseases as well as building the resilience of trees across England. Using what we’ve learned so far from testing and feedback, we’ve made a number of improvements to better support land managers to deal with tree pests and diseases. In this post, I’d like to share a short summary of pilot and the changes we’ve made to the scheme.

Tackling Inequality is Everyone's Business - Uzy Michael, Programme Manager, NDA

This Race Equality Week I am reflecting on my own experiences and reflections on the barriers to race inequality. I have recently celebrated my one-year work anniversary at the NDA, and I am happy to be working for an organisation that …

World Cancer Day: How the government is tackling cancer

Cancer impacts on the lives of everyone, either directly or through a family member or friend. The government is fully focused on fighting cancer on all fronts – prevention, diagnosis, treatment, research and funding – to deliver the best possible …

UK government set to host major international finance event in support of UN Nature COP15

Today we are looking at coverage of our event to drive forward action on the COP15 Global Biodiversity Framework.

Join Services Week 2023

Services Week, the cross-organisational event series for people working in the UK public sector, is back. Returning for the fifth time, Services Week 2023 will take place 20 to 24 March 2023. The theme for this year is Designing for …

Celebrating the joy of nature

Below Bea Finch, a co-chair of the Civil Service Network 4 Nature shares what they’re doing to bring nature a little closer for us all. A quarter life crisis led me to help set up Network 4 Nature, a network …

Apprenticeship Journey Q&A – Howard Falconer

The Government has made it clear that it sees the nuclear industry as vital to the country’s future security of energy supply and as an essential part of our net zero ambitions in the UK. And this is starting to …

Apprenticeship Journey Q&A – Bethany McKee

The Government has made it clear that it sees the nuclear industry as vital to the country’s future security of energy supply and as an essential part of our net zero ambitions in the UK. And this is starting to …

Coverage on fur and foie gras

Today our media blog addresses speculative coverage on the governments position on fur and foie gras.

RPA members – if an incident were to happen, is your school cyber secure and are you covered?

In April 2022 the department included cyber cover as part of its Risk Protection Arrangement (RPA). We are almost a year on and Katy O’Connor, RPA Future Projects Strategy and Delivery Lead thought it was a good time to check in and see if all members are taking full advantage of this vital cover.

Join the Food Standards Agency’s Scientific Advisory Committees

The Food Standards Agency is recruiting new members to join its independent Scientific Advisory Committees (SACs). We are also recruiting associate members; an excellent opportunity for early and mid-career researchers. Members provide independent expert assessment and advice on microbiological, chemical …

GDF Sustainability - Futureproofing our world

Today, we have published the Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) programme sustainability ‘first look’ paper setting out how sustainability is, and will continue to be, at the heart of the GDF programme. As a nationally significant infrastructure project which will span …

Take part in our survey to help stop waste criminals faster

Waste crime can take on many different forms from the very visible dumping of waste to fraudulent producer responsibility claims, deliberate breaches of permits, metal theft and the growing issue of the waste industry being used to launder money. It’s …

Transforming for a Digital Future - six month update

It’s six months since we launched the Transforming for a Digital Future strategy. Megan Lee Devlin, Chief Executive of CDDO discusses the impressive progress we, and government, have made against our original six missions.

Large Research and Development Partnerships: further innovation funding available

Later this month, the second round of the Large Research and Development Partnerships fund will open. From 20 February, agri-businesses, farmers, growers and foresters in England will be able to apply for a share of £8 million to improve productivity, sustainability and resilience. In this post, I’ll give an overview of the competition and details of events for you to find out more.

National Apprenticeship Week 2023 - FSA Podcast

To mark National Apprenticeship Week, Judith Hanvey the FSA in NI’s Boardroom Apprentice and the FSA’s Director for Northern Ireland Andy Cole discuss the journey so far.

How our apprenticeship scheme is developing home grown talent

To celebrate National Apprenticeship Week (6 to 12 February), James Evans, from the Office for National Statistics, discusses its Data Architecture and Engineering Apprenticeship scheme.

Environmental Improvement Plan outlines ambition to create greener and cleaner country

Today we are looking at media coverage of Defra’s announcement launching the Environment Improvement Plan.

World Cancer Day 4 February - Nikki Evans Co-chair of the Defence Cancer Support Network, shares her personal experience of cancer

Cancer will affect 1 in 2. Whether we are diagnosed with cancer, care for
someone who has been, have an inherited genetic risk, are a line manger or friend, we will all be affected by cancer. It can be a difficult to navigate, not only on a personal level but also in maintaining a healthy work-life balance. To raise awareness on World Cancer Day, Government Security Profession have been speaking with Nikki Evans, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Director of Resources at Air Command and Co-chair of the Defence Cancer Support Network about her personal experience.

Reviewing the Accommodation Offset

In its 2022 Report, the Low Pay Commission completed a review of the Accommodation Offset. This blog sets out a digested version of our conclusions and recommendations. What is the Accommodation Offset? How does it work? The offset comes into …

Census figures deliver more veteran insights

Almost a third of UK Armed Forces veterans in England and Wales are 80 years of age or older, according to census data just released. The new findings, published by the Office for National Statistics, look at factors such as …