8866posts
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Governance lessons from the UK-US PETs Pilot for cancer research
The UK-US Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs) pilot demonstrates how privacy-by-design can be applied to international data sharing and provides a concrete model for future PETs projects across government. In this blog, we reflect on the governance lessons from the pilot.
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Housing Sec hails recovery 'green shoots' in latest housing supply figures
The Housing Secretary has welcomed new housing supply figures published today, showing green shoots of recovery across the housebuilding sector. The new data release confirms a rise in the number of new build starts in the year ending September …
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Inaccurate reporting on fines under Simpler Recycling
There has been inaccurate media coverage of the government's Simpler Recycling reforms, which come into effect from 31 March.
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A day in the life - Senior Lawyer, Jamie Munk
We have recently opened applications to join our legal team. We asked our Senior Lawyer, Jamie Munk about his day-to-day work life and what it's like working at the Trade Remedies Authority... Tell us about yourself Jamie! I joined the …
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Building Homes, Restoring Nature: How District Level Licensing has streamlined development
By Mike Burke, Sustainable Development Portfolio Director Nature underpins our nation's growth, health, and security. Natural England's job is to recover nature whilst enabling our partners in the development sector to build the vital homes this country needs. Our approach is to …
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Using AI in marking: why technical capability, fairness, and transparency all matter
Ofqual has published new research exploring artificial intelligence’s potential role in marking, as well as its current capabilities and constraints. Rather than providing definitive answers, the published working paper offers an overview of the topic, shares our current thinking, highlights …
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Mandatory sheep carcase classification and price reporting introduced
A mandatory, standardised system for classifying sheep carcases and reporting prices is now in force. This brings sheep into line with beef and pork and will help farmers better understand how their livestock is graded and priced.
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Power of Attorney Stories: Justine
[English] - [Cymraeg] A lasting power of attorney (LPA) allows you to nominate someone you trust, known as an attorney, to step in if you lack the mental capacity to make certain decisions yourself. They are legal documents that cover …
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A winter woodland challenge: how to identify trees on your next winter woodland walk
Phillip Ayres, Land Use Advisor in the East and East Midlands at the Forestry Commission, shares four characteristics to help you identify trees during winter.
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Consultation opens on evidence relating to screening for COPD
The UK NSC has opened a consultation on evidence relating to screening for COPD.
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Driving outcomes through place and sector: Phil Smith explores Skills England’s 2025-2026 delivery plan
In the summer of 2025, shortly after the creation of Skills England, I shared with you the priorities that will guide our work. Now, as we begin a new year, I’ve been reflecting on the enormous energy and commitment I’ve seen across our …
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More local planning authorities commit to making their planning data open and join Open Digital Planning
Planning data locked in PDFs and legacy systems creates barriers for everyone. This February, 49 more local planning authorities are joining the Digital Planning Improvement Fund to publish essential planning data in open, standardised formats making it easier for residents, businesses and developers to find what they need.
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Join AI Engineering Lab and help shape the future of digital government
By joining the AI Engineering Lab project, you can help shape the future of AI adoption in software engineering across government.
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GAD at Botswana Actuarial Symposium
GAD Actuarial Director Dave Johnston attended the first Botswana Actuarial Symposium which explored how actuaries can strengthen public policy. Attendees including a small number of international participants, heard about GAD’s range of specialisms.
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Making sense of complexity: how we are approaching impact evaluation of trade remedies
The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) investigates allegations of unfair international trade practices, as well as unforeseen surges of imports, which are harming UK producers. Where there is evidence of unfair international trade practices, or unforeseen surges of imports, and evidence of injury to UK …
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Good conduct at planning inquiries – thoughts from the Bar and Inspectorate
Interim Professional Lead for Appeals, Claire Searson, reflects on a recent webinar into professional conduct at planning inquiries.
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What is the difference between Weather-Health Alerts and Severe Weather Warnings?
UKHSA's Weather-Health Alerts (WHAs) are separate from the Met Office's National Severe Weather Warning Service (NSWWS) - and understanding the difference matters.
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Response to claims on local elections postponement
Reports yesterday suggested that 22 areas across England will have their elections delayed. This is pure speculation. So far we have had responses from a fraction of the councils that are due to hold their elections in May this year. …
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Further education and skills inspections: frequently asked questions
Since we published the renewed inspection framework on 9 September 2025, we’ve put on lots of online and face-to-face engagement with further education and skills (FE) providers to answer your questions. We’re publishing the most frequently asked questions below, so …
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The power of patterns
Design leader, Joanna Goodwin, writes about Wales's newest government design system.
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The new SFI offer for 2026
Following the Secretary of State’s speech at the Oxford Farming Conference today, we summarise how we're making the new SFI simpler and more targeted, and what this means for you.
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OFC 2026: clarity, partnership and growth
Today at the Oxford Farming Conference, the Environment Secretary made a series of announcements to support farmers in England, with a focus on clarity, partnership and growth.
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GDS Parish Council Domains Helper Service wins Digital Transformation award
Find out how the team scooped the biggest prize at the UK IT Industry Awards 2025.
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The red triangle that made history: celebrating 150 years of UK Trade Mark no. 1
To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the trade mark registry, this blog explores the history of the first trade mark - and you can now have your say on the most iconic trade mark in history...
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Minutes published of UK NSC November 2025 meeting
The minutes have been published of the UK NSC November 2025 meeting.
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Introducing EquipoISE: an evaluation of adding multiple rare conditions to the newborn blood spot screening programme
The UK NSC has published an update on a project called EquipoISE to make it easier to develop the evidence needed to make robust recommendations on screening newborns for rare diseases.
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Building a data model for planning decisions
Every year, local planning authorities make hundreds of thousands of planning decisions. Right now, planning decisions are recorded in dozens of different formats. Find out about the work taking place to change that by creating a data standard for planning decisions.
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The Rural Payments Agency Podcast: Episode 14
Welcome to the fourteenth episode of The RPA Podcast. In our latest episode, we talk about how the Cattle Tracing System (CTS) Online is the easiest and most convenient way for cattle keepers to report their cattle births, movements and …
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Looking Ahead: Growing Life Chance Recruitment in 2026
In Going Forward into Employment (GFiE, pronounced gif-ee-) we are proud of what we achieved in 2025 and very excited for 2026. The GFiE Network of recruiting pathways is rooted in inclusion, fairness and opportunity, supporting people who face barriers …
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A Biodiversity Net Gain Solution for a High Value Brownfield Site
By David Feige, Northumberland County Council In this guest blog, David Feige, County Ecologist for Northumberland, explains the approach taken to approve a major new industrial development on a brownfield site at Cambois. The site contained a significant amount of …
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Building on the positives
Happy New Year! I hope every adult social care colleague, carer and those accessing care and support had a lovely Christmas and welcomed in 2026 with rest, reflection and renewed energy.
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UK NSC online seminar on screening effectiveness
The most recent UK NSC online seminar looked at assessing screening effectiveness, using the UK abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening programmes as a case study.
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What are the symptoms of adenovirus and how does it spread?
Adenovirus might not be a household name like flu or the common cold, but it's one of the most common causes of viral infections. Most people will have had at least one adenovirus infection before they turn 10, and because …
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Progress towards enabling the use of digital verification services for alcohol sales in England and Wales
In December 2024, the then Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) announced that changes would be made to the Mandatory Licence Conditions (MLCs) under the Licensing Act 2003 to allow digital verification services (DVS) to be used …
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The Future of Childhood #1: Engaging with Children and Young People
Improving outcomes for future generations What could childhood look like in 10-20 years? That’s what the Government Chief Scientific Adviser is exploring in GO-Science’s latest Foresight project: The Future of Childhood and Adolescence. We want to understand what factors might …
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Promoting ethical alternatives to monetary incentives in user research
At DBT, our research projects are based on ethical and methodologically sound foundations. We ensure that our participants are incentivised for their time and the expertise they share with us. In this blog, we share about balancing different kind of incentives for ethical user research.
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Response to claims on housebuilding and migration
Reports today suggest new homes built in this country will be required to house arriving migrants. This is scaremongering. The majority of homes that developers sell in this country are to British nationals. Nearly nine in ten social homes go …
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Launching a new Co-design Toolkit for Early Years Services
This blog launches a new co-design toolkit to support the development of services for early years. The co-design toolkit is a practical set of resources created to enable local authorities and communities to design public services together. It has been …
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Modernising democracy: Transforming the Electoral registration officer portal
The Electoral registration officer portal (EROP) is used by local authority officials responsible for maintaining accurate electoral registers, and to process millions of applications directly affecting people’s ability to vote. Learn how the Elections Digital team transformed this service, making it more efficient and better equipped to support future electoral reforms.
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UK NSC authors write journal article on the ethics of multi-cancer detection tests
UK NSC authors write journal article that explores the ethical challenge of testing for many cancers using a single test.