9928posts
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Tony and Marian make the case for nature to Parliament's Environmental Audit Committee
This blog is a summary of Marian Spain and Tony Juniper's appearance in front of the Environmental Audit Committee, and reflections on their time in office. Natural England's Chair Tony Juniper and Chief Executive Marian Spain appeared before Parliament's Environmental …
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Shaping the future of uncertainty: the challenge of transformation
Deep uncertainty is a defining feature of transformational policy challenges. This blog explores how actuarial thinking can support appraisal and decision-making where future outcomes are difficult to predict.
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Should I be concerned that an invasive mosquito species has been detected in East London?
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has detected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and larvae at residential properties in East London. It is the first time this species has been found breeding in the UK, and the fourth modern-day detection of Aedes …
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Connecting data to enable modern digital government
The Foundational Data team in the Office for the Chief Data Officer explains how better-connected data could support simpler, more joined-up public services.
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From cadet to captain: a Merchant Navy story
Rising to captain his own ship in the year 2000, Shajan Lukose, Head of Nautical Examiners at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), reflects on his time in the Merchant Navy.
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Copilot and me: making the pace of work more manageable
In the second part of our series looking at how Copilot is helping Defra colleagues in their daily work, Leigh-Ann Jones shares her personal reflections of how Copilot has supported her to stay on top of a fast-moving, information-heavy role, making overwhelm manageable.
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Removing barriers to restoration: how your feedback is helping improve marine licensing
Marine habitat restoration is essential if we are to reverse biodiversity loss and build resilience to climate change. Across England, important habitats such as seagrass meadows, saltmarsh and native oyster reefs have declined significantly. Restoring them is vital for improving …
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Creating the best working environments for Civil Service in Greater Manchester
How Greater Manchester’s Civil Service hub is creating inclusive spaces for digital careers, collaboration, connection and community beyond London.
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Protecting UK democracy from hostile actors and foreign interference 🗳️🔒
The Government is taking further action to stop foreign money and hostile actors from interfering in UK elections and politics. 💪 Free and fair elections are the foundation of our democracy. Everyone should be able to trust that political decisions …
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GOV.UK Pay at 10: how it started and how it's going
10 years ago, GDS launched GOV.UK Pay, one of its flagship platforms used by public sector service teams. To mark this milestone, we look back at an incredible first decade and some exciting developments in store as we begin the next decade.
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Starting Uni this September? Here's what you need to know about food safety
Moving into your own accommodation for university is exciting. Keeping on top of your food hygiene might not be top of mind for many students but it might make the difference between spending your Friday night alone feeling poorly or out with your new uni mates. These tips will keep you safe at uni.
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New duty takes effect to support children in temporary accommodation🏠
There are around 177,530 children living in temporary accommodation, the highest on record. From today (1st September), a new duty takes effect, designed to enable these children to get the support they need as early as possible, and to stop vulnerable …
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Farmer Collaboration Fund: delivery partners can apply now
Delivery partners can now apply for the Farmer Collaboration Fund. In this post, we share an overview, link to the guidance and details of webinars to learn more.
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Capital Grants 2026 now closed
The 2026 Capital Grants offer is now closed. In this guest post, the Rural Payments Agency's Chief Executive, Oliver Munn, shares some early reflections on the data and the environmental ambition they represent.
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Supporting devolution through digital, data and AI
Across government, there is a growing focus on how powers, funding and decision-making can be exercised closer to the places they impact. We're pleased to be working with Mayoral Strategic Authorities, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and No.10 North through a new Digital Devolution programme, announced on 21 August by the …
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From sustainability champions to sustainability by design – Part One
Christopher Gale explains how Sustainable ICT is no longer a niche concern, or something for a handful of passionate people to champion from the sidelines.
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Small R&D Partnerships competition now open
Round 5 of the Small Research and Development Partnerships competition is now open. UK businesses can apply to develop new farming products or services to bring them closer to commercial use. In this post, we share a summary and case studies from previous rounds of the competition.
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Help shape the future of food safety: Join an FSA Scientific Advisory Committee
Chief Scientific Advisor Ian Young encourages people to apply to become a member of the FSA's Scientific Advisory Committees.
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Back to school with IP
School's starting soon! Work experience students Arwen and Freya are taking over the IPO blog to explore the intellectual property behind their back-to-school essentials.
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One week left to apply for roles on UK National Screening Committee
There is just one week left to apply for one of the 4 expert roles on the UK National Screening Committee.
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SFI26 update: Window 1 now closed
Window 1 of the Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 (SFI26) has now closed. We expect Window 2 to open from 22 September. This post provides an overview of figures and insights from Window 1.
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OTSI Blog post – Annual Review 2025-2026
The Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI) has published its Annual Review for 2025-26. OTSI was launched in October 2024 as part of wider efforts to enhance the effectiveness of UK sanctions in supporting domestic and global security. This …
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Is that really HMCTS? How to spot a scam
In this episode of Inside HMCTS, Matt from our counter fraud team explains how scammers are targeting the public by pretending to be HMCTS. He shares the warning signs to look out for, how to spot fraudulent calls and emails, what to do if you think you've been targeted, and where to report suspicious activity. …
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A day in the life of a Fisheries Enforcement Officer
For most anglers, a Fisheries Enforcement Officer is the person who checks their fishing licence. But for the Environment Agency, the work of our enforcement officers helps protect fisheries, wildlife and the future of angling. From routine patrols and licence …
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A guide to keeping kids healthy this school year for parents and carers
As children head back to school and we move closer to winter, now is a good time to familiarise ourselves with some of the common illnesses that can cause disruption to children’s time in school during the colder months.
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Listening, learning, changing: my first update to driving instructors
Beverley Warmington, DVSA Chief Executive looks at issues facing driving instructors and feeds back on progress.
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Lightweight architecture for learning at pace
CustomerFirst shares what two years of architecture practice has taught them about people, trust and lightweight governance, and why less can be more.
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Sign up for seminar exploring the future of cervical screening in the era of HPV vaccination
The UK NSC is holding a seminar entitled ‘From vaccination to elimination: HPV and the future of cervical screening’ on 30 September.
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Dragons' Den IP Blog - Series 23 Episode 9
A seedy snack range and a water-saving device were just two of the pitches the Dragons chewed over this week. All brilliant ideas, but which ones fired them up the most?
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Your guide to who’s eligible for the autumn 2026 flu vaccine
Flu season is approaching, and some people can already book their free NHS flu vaccine. Here's everything you need to know about who can get vaccinated this year and what's changed since last autumn.
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Adopting a user-centred design approach to our internal content landscape
The Content Improvement team in MHCLG focuses on making sure internal content across our platforms is accessible and user-friendly, and meets the needs of all colleagues. By treating content as critical infrastructure rather than just a communications tool, we’re helping our colleagues, and the AI tools they use, work more efficiently.
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Explore More for Less: Affordable South East Nature Days Out
This summer, if you’re looking for fun and accessible days out that are low-cost, then we have you covered. Not only is spending time in nature great for your wellbeing, it can also be great for your bank balance. Here are our suggestions for …
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Biodiversity Net Gain for major infrastructure projects – new guidance
From 2 November 2026, Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) will become mandatory for new nationally significant infrastructure project (NSIP) applications in England. Bringing BNG into the NSIP system is an important next step for nature. It will ensure that much needed major infrastructure …
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Explore More for Less: Affordable Southwest Nature Days Out
If you’re looking for fun and accessible days out that are low-cost, then we have you covered. Not only is spending time in nature great for your wellbeing, it can also be great for your bank balance. Here are our suggestions for our favourite affordable days out in …
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How science is helping us respond to the Tyne nurdle pollution incident
By Dr Rob Bradburne, Environment Agency Chief Scientist When incidents happen, good decisions depend on good science. That is certainly true of the ongoing recovery along North East England's coast, where a maritime collision released small pellets of plastic, known …
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Coverage of plans to strengthen mayoral powers over planning decisions
Following an announcement earlier this week, there has been widespread national coverage of the government’s plans to give regional mayors greater powers over major planning decisions, as part of efforts to boost housebuilding, unlock growth and deliver devolution. The measures …
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Coverage of first wave of funding from the Social and Affordable Homes Programme
There has been widespread national, regional, broadcast and social media coverage of the government’s announcement of the first wave of funding from the £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme. The government confirmed almost £10 billion will be allocated to …
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Building technology with purpose: how we developed Business Finder
Read about how our new Business Finder tool makes valuable data useable so that advisers can effectively find and support potential exporters more consistently.
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First year as a Marine Surveyor after a career at sea
Rob reflects on a year working for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency as a surveyor.
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Tackling antimicrobial resistance: what seven years of global work has taught us
Over seven years, with support from the Fleming Fund, APHA and FAO strengthened laboratories, built expertise and generated evidence to help countries tackle antimicrobial resistance.