7418posts
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Making your donation count: how to avoid festive fraud
Discover a few quick steps you can take to make it tougher for fraudsters to take advantage of your goodwill when donating to charity this Christmas.
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Ensuring government data drives improvements in public services
Government holds large volumes of data, find out more about Essential Shared Data Assets which are critical to delivery of cross-government operations.
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World Soil Day: How we’re improving access to soils data and information for England and Wales
On World Soil Day, Naomi Lees explains the importance of Defra’s new four-year agreement with Cranfield University for the maintenance and licensing of The Land Information system (LandIS).
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Environment Agency response to Panorama investigation
Today’s blog outlines the Environment Agency’s response to an investigation by BBC Panorama
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Recent devolution deal signings
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has signed devolution deals with three new areas and committed over £1 billion in funding to invest in local priorities and level up. Deals signed with Hull and East Yorkshire, Lancashire and …
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RPA’s Rural Land Register
The Rural Land Register is a key dataset maintained by RPA which underpins the delivery of the land-based schemes, such as Basic Payment Scheme, Countryside Stewardship and Sustainable Farming Incentive, to ensure accurate payments are made to farmers and land …
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Coverage of XL Bully definition
Today we are looking at media coverage around the definition of an XL Bully type dog.
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Animal Health and Welfare Pathway and AMR
On 1 November we published the UK-Veterinary Antibiotic Resistance Sales and Surveillance (UK-VARSS) 2022 report, which shows that the UK has reduced it’s antibiotic sales in food-producing animals by 59% since 2014. Behind these impressive results is the success story …
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Sustainable drainage systems for schools – environmentally friendly flood prevention
Amy Greenough, DfE’s lead for the Schools Water Strategy, talks about the sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) projects her team has worked on in partnership with water companies and Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFA), to reduce the surface water flood risk across the school estate.
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Professional Forester Apprenticeship: a pathway into your new career in forestry
Applications to the 2024 Professional Forester Apprenticeship are now open. Marcus Ling has just started the apprenticeship programme and is working within the Forestry Commission’s South East and London Area Team. He tells us about his experience so far.
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Tax Specialist Programme: Rebecca's Journey
I started my career in HMRC in 2007 and like many others in the department, my first role was an Assistant Officer (AO) in the contact centre handling Tax Credit calls. I graduated from Warwick University with a BSc in …
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Tax Specialist Programme: Michelle's Journey
I had done a lot of different things before joining the Tax Specialist Programme (TSP). I studied Computing with Operational Research at university, before getting a job as a programmer. I decided this wasn’t for me and went to do …
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2023 - A year in FSA Science
Our Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Robin May reflects on the FSA’s commitment to science and the work delivered throughout 2023.
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Collaboration and progress through Cefas’ Climate, Health, and Environment Resilience Programme in the Middle East
Our Climate, Health, and Environment Resilience Programme (CHERP) has recently kicked off another year of activity in the Middle East. With the UN Climate Change COP28 currently underway in the region, we are taking a look back at what we …
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No matter what walk of life you come from, you can make a difference!
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, and who face barriers to employment, with opportunities …
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Celebrating inclusivity: Deaf jurors in our courts
Legislative changes to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act now allow British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters to enter the jury deliberation room as a thirteenth person. We caught up with Karen, who made history last year at Croydon Crown Court becoming the first deaf person to complete jury service.
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How I balance office working alongside a chronic condition
On the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, Wendy Marsden shares her experiences of using her mobility scooter in the workplace, and the difference it has made to her level of work fulfilment by enabling her to interact, face to face, with her colleagues.
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National Tree Week 2023
Sir William Worsley is Chair of the Forestry Commission. In this blog he looks at why we are calling on the public to Grow a Tree in 2023.
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How to improve air quality in your home while making it more energy efficient
Climate change is a growing threat, and our homes contribute significantly to the problem through energy use and emissions. However, as we make our homes more energy-efficient, we need to ensure they remain healthy environments. On average in the UK, …
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Skilled: ODP Fest 2023 - A Celebration of Learning
The Operational Delivery Profession (ODP) is the largest of the 28 government professions, making up over half of the Civil Service. More than 255,000 members work in operational delivery roles across nearly every department. The profession is the face of …
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Spreading the word about Great British Nuclear
In our latest blog post, we look back at some of the recent speaking events Great British Nuclear has been attending and presenting at.
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Common challenges in Knowledge Asset exploitation in the public sector and top tips
Joanna Rodin, Deputy Director of Government Office for Technology Transfer, shares her thoughts from her panel discussion at GOTT's first conference. I had the pleasure of chairing a panel session with Beth Parry from the Natural History Museum, Liz Kirby …
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Creating a Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan for Biodiversity Net Gain
Habitat management and monitoring are integral to effective biodiversity net gain (BNG) implementation. This blog may be helpful if you’re a: land manager planning on (or already delivering) off-site BNG, developer planning on delivering significant on-site BNG, responsible body or local authority reviewing gain plans or overseeing obligations and agreements or advisor supporting any of these groups
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Natural England’s habitat management and monitoring plan templates - Guest Natural England Blog (Mike Burke, Head of Sustainable Development)
Mike Burke, Head of Sustainable Development, Natural England, writes about two new templates developed by Natural England specifically for use with biodiversity net gain (BNG).
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Bathing Waters Annual Classifications 2023
2. Between May and September, millions of people head to bathing waters to swim, which is why the Environment Agency monitors the quality of the water during this period. Today we have published the annual results for 2023 season.
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Charity Commission and Electoral Commission chairs share advice for charities engaging in public debate
A general election is on the horizon and we understand that many of you, as charity leaders and trustees, will see this as a critical moment to speak up for your beneficiaries and highlight your causes. Charities have a proud …
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Dealing with my invisible illness
Ahead of the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, Gabriella Debens reflects on how undiagnosed invisible illness can leave a person with anxiety about their work life, and that making even just a few simple workplace adjustments can make a …
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Satellites – the power behind our modern world
Minimising the impact of space debris is crucial to preserve infrastructure that supports day-to-day activities and life on Earth and in space.
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Lessons from the field: an ethnographic approach to understand people’s lived experience
How doing ethnographic research with farmers and advisers helped to build trust and reframe a policy challenge.
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Feritech Global’s Export Success
The team at Cornwall-based Feritech Global have been celebrating after receiving the 2023 King’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade, announced on 21st April. Managing Director Rob Ferris said: “From our Innovation Centre in Cornwall, we design and build advanced …
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King's Awards recipient GaraDry® welcomes HRH The Duke of Gloucester KG GCVO
HRH The Duke of Gloucester KG GCVO paid a special visit to GaraDry® in Ormskirk on Friday (24th November 2023) for a special tour of the company and to present staff with an award from His Majesty the King. The …
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Looking ahead to COP28
By Mike Morecroft, Deputy Director, Climate Change Science As we look ahead to the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) starting this week in Dubai, it’s worth reflecting on how climate and nature are inextricably linked. Much of our work at …
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We Are Strategic Command with Col Tony Maddison
Col Tony Maddison speaks about the role of Chief of Staff for Directorate Overseas Bases and the importance of their strategic locations and operations. Interviewer: Can you introduce yourself and describe your role as the Chief of Staff of the …
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Natural England to publish updated nutrient budget calculators, and Tees Round 4 rescheduled
Image: Natural England The government passed the Levelling-Up and Regeneration Bill into law on 26th October 2023, making it the Levelling-Up and Regeneration Act. This creates a legal requirement for certain wastewater treatment works designated by the Defra Secretary of …
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Too hot to handle? Marine climate change risks and opportunities for adaptation in the Gulf
As world leaders meet at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) in Dubai this week, Cefas Middle East Programme Director Will Le Quesne, discusses the challenge of climate change facing the …
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Debunking the myths of food hygiene rating inspections
We spoke to Jason Austin, Food and Health Protection Manager from Torfaen County Borough Council. This case study is part of our celebration campaign marking 10 years of the mandatory display of Food Hygiene Ratings in Wales.
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Is coppicing right for my woodland?
Tom Pattinson, Woodland Officer for the Forestry Commission, explains the fundamentals of coppicing and the opportunities for its use within our native woodlands.
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Seven tips to protect your data this festive season
On Computer Security Day, Laurie Doyle from Defra group Security explains the steps we can all take to protect our data. This is particularly important during the upcoming festive season, when many of us are likely to be shopping for gifts online.
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Biodiversity net gain guidance – what you need to know
We are pleased to announce the publication of step-by-step guidance taking you through the biodiversity net gain process.
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The Biodiversity Net Gain Statutory Instruments - explained
Today, we published the draft secondary legislation which provides the detail for the new biodiversity net gain (BNG) framework. There are six statutory instruments which will become law when BNG goes live in January 2024.