7946posts
-
The UK-US Blog Series on Privacy-Preserving Federated Learning: Introduction
This post is the first in a series on privacy-preserving federated learning. The series is a collaboration between CDEI and the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Advances in machine learning and AI, fuelled by large-scale data availability …
-
Coverage of High Street Accelerators announcement
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has launched a new High Street Accelerators pilot, providing ten high streets across England with a share of £7 million. The programme was a key commitment in the government’s Anti-Social Behaviour Action …
-
Farming regulation from the new year
As part of the agricultural transition away from the European Union (EU), we’re committed to delivering a better regulation system for farming. At the moment, farmers who receive payments under the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) and some other agri-environment schemes must meet minimum standards to receive those payments. This is known as cross compliance. Cross …
-
Opening the doors to charity trusteeship
During Trustees Week, I hosted a roundtable for some of the charity sector’s younger trustees. The Commission is keen to demystify trusteeship, enabling more people to get involved and give back to society – and the roundtable was a great …
-
Showcasing HM Land Registry’s Welsh language services
On Welsh Language Rights Day, our Head of the Welsh Language Services Eleri Sparnon Jones explains how you can use your Welsh with HM Land Registry.
-
Creating a lasting legacy of accessible woodlands and forests
As the Woodland Access Implementation Plan is published Alison Hallas, Woodland Access Advisor at the Forestry Commission, sets out why public access to woodlands is so important.
-
Top tips on setting up a Knowledge Asset Management Strategy
Author: Rachel Egan, Deputy Director, GOTT Last week, leaders and innovators from across the public sector gathered to discuss how we can unlock the potential of our Knowledge Assets (KAs). I chaired a panel that included Lucy Caffery from National …
-
Livestock and grassland webinar follow up
On Monday 20 November, we held a webinar for livestock and grassland farmers. If you missed the webinar, don't worry. In this post, I'll share a link to the recording. I'll also include the top questions farmers put to us and a summary of the offer for those farm types.
-
Funding for councils
Today, there has been coverage in the media reporting that councils across the country are facing financial difficulties. We recognise that there are pressures across the sector, and that there is a need to provide stability to council finances. We …
-
Data and digitalisation - powering the UK’s major government projects
Source: Shutterstock In a world of scarce resources, tight deadlines and limited budgets, being as productive and efficient as possible is key to delivering value for citizens - the use of data and digital tools is essential in this. IPA …
-
Winter COVID-19 and flu vaccinations - still time to book online
As the deadline for closure of the online booking service for COVID-19 and flu vaccinations looms on 14 December, highly respected GP and National Clinical Director, Dr Adrian Hayter, explains the merits of health and care colleagues keeping their vaccinations up to date as we get deeper into winter.
-
Internships with the Regulated Industry team – Dharanija’s story.
In the final blog in our internship series, Dharanija, an MSc Computer Science student from the University of Nottingham explains how interning has helped them in the next step on their career path.
-
Encouraging motorists to view their MOT certificate online
In our latest blog post, Chris Price shares more details about how testers can reduce the amount of paper they use, what DVSA will be doing to encourage this move to paperless, as well as how this contributes to DVSA’s strategic plan to 2025.
-
Watch Bodbury Farm: our experience accessing free business advice
Through the Farming Resilience Fund, farmers and land managers who receive BPS payments can access free, independent business advice. In this film, we travel to Shropshire to meet rare breed pig farmers Sarah and Byron Odell. Together with their adviser Karen Fisher, they describe their business objectives and the advice they were given.
-
The tide is changing: Monitoring public attitudes towards data and AI
Today marks the publication of the third wave of the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (CDEI) Public Attitudes to Data and AI tracker survey. The CDEI leads the Government’s work to enable trustworthy innovation using data and AI as …
-
We Are Strategic Command with Lt Col (GS) Markus P.
Lieutenant Colonel Markus P., a German Air Force Officer at DCDC shares his thoughts on Global Strategic Trends and the important role of Strategic Command. Interviewer: Could you provide us with an introduction to your role and background? Lieutenant Colonel …
-
Explainer: What are tariff rate quotas and how do we review them?
The TRA announced the initiation of the steel safeguard extension review, SE0041, earlier this year. The purpose of this review is to make a recommendation to the UK government on whether the current steel safeguard measure, which is set to expire …
-
International Volunteer Day: Why I’m supporting the homeless
On International Volunteer Day Khadijr Rahman shares her experiences of helping homeless people in Birmingham every month.
-
Filing your Register of Overseas Entities update statement
All overseas entities on the Register of Overseas Entities must file an update statement every year. Read practical tips to help you file your statement.
-
Skills for a greener future: Introducing our new Green Toolkit!
The World Climate Action Summit has been reflecting on the world’s progress towards climate aims, and planning where to go next. The UK aims to lead international efforts on climate change. As part of this, the government has committed to …
-
Supporting seed supply across the nation’s forests and beyond.
David Bole is Head of Sector Capacity and Green Economy at Forestry Commission. In this blog he looks at the work we are doing to ensure we have a resilient, diverse, and bio-secure supply of tree seed.
-
Annual health and welfare review of livestock now available to more farmers in England
I am pleased to tell you that the annual health and welfare review of livestock is now open to non-BPS registered farmers, meaning more livestock keepers in England can now apply. Through the Review, farmers who keep cattle, sheep and pigs can get funding to pay for a vet to visit their farm and carry …
-
Building an Innovative Civil Service
A Modern Civil Service is our vision of a skilled, innovative and ambitious organisation equipped for the future. We've discussed what we mean by 'skilled', but what do we mean by 'innovative'?" Innovation has a wide range of applications, …
-
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.
-
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.
-
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).
-
Environment Agency response to Panorama investigation
Today’s blog outlines the Environment Agency’s response to an investigation by BBC Panorama
-
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 …
-
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 …
-
Coverage of XL Bully definition
Today we are looking at media coverage around the definition of an XL Bully type dog.
-
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 …
-
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.
-
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.
-
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 …
-
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 …
-
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.
-
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 …
-
No matter what walk of life you come from, you can make a difference!
The Civil Service has 20 Going Forward into Employment (GFiE) Life Chance Pathways 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 and …
-
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.
-
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.