10138posts
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What is a Good Level of Development and why does it matter?
Every year, the government publishes statistics that show how many children have reached a Good Level of Development (GLD) by the end of their Reception year. Reaching a good level of development is important because it means a child has …
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Coverage of Good Growth funding announcement
On Sunday (25 October), the government announced it will provide local leaders with £285 million to introduce Good Growth funding. This will give Mayors and local leaders more money, more powers, and more control, letting them invest in their priorities …
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Behind the numbers
Tom Warth (Chief Operating Officer) talks about the human element behind planning as the latest performance statistics are published. In the last couple of weeks two large solar farms were given development consent by the Government after independent examinations and …
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How waste sites are regulated: what the Environment Agency and operators are responsible for.
The Environment Agency is the main body in England responsible for making sure waste is regulated effectively. As the population grows and the climate changes, managing waste well is more important than ever for a sustainable future. Our rules help …
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The Apprenticeship Penalty
Once in a while, research hits a sweet spot of relevance and timeliness, in tune with the direction of governmental policy. A recent example is SSAC’s occasional paper No. 27 ‘The influence of the social security system on educational and …
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Part 2: Beyond boundaries —How Ocean Protection Really Works
This three-part series explores what marine protected area management across the UKOTs looks like in practice. In part 2, we delve a bit deeper into the marine protected area management cycle, starting from MPA design and management to long-term monitoring and adaptation.
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20 Years of STEREO: A conversation with Professor Richard Harrison
On 26 October 2006, NASA launched the twin STEREO spacecraft, which transformed our understanding of the Sun. To mark the anniversary, Professor Richard Harrison, a leading solar scientist and Visiting Scientist at RAL Space, shares insights into the mission.
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Tony Juniper: COP17, From Promises to Implementation
As the 17th Convention on Biological Diversity COP gets underway in Armenia, Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, reflects on what's really at stake behind the headlines, technical reports and policy jargon: a global commitment made in 2022 to halt …
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Growing Places: Mobilising private finance for local nature recovery
In our next COP17 blog post, Will writes about a new document to help connect private finance with the needs and opportunities of places across the UK.
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Looking at the bigger picture: how to make your woodland work in the landscape
Robin Gray, Landscape and Woodland Design Advisor, explains how designing a woodland with landscape in mind and following the UK Forestry Standard, can result in greater efficiencies and benefits for you and the environment.
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Quality assurance: from administration control to governance priority
Pension schemes face growing demands from regulation, digital change and automation. This blog outlines practical steps to build risk-based, member-focused quality assurance that cuts errors, meets expectations and gets benefits right first time.
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When a nuclear power station becomes a demolition site
Calder Hall helped launch the nuclear age. Now it's helping shape the future of decommissioning. Emma Nichol explains how a pioneering risk-based approach could make projects safer, simpler and more efficient.
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Transforming towns and cities for people and nature
By Chloe Fay, Principal Officer for Urban Greening and Nature Towns and Cities Nature Towns and Cities is a UK-wide movement helping urban areas become greener, healthier and more connected to nature. Recent learning events in Sunderland and Bristol brought …
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From stored devices to circular value
Anna Fountain reflects on how a simple IT amnesty helped Defra recover nearly 1,000 items — and what other public sector organisations can learn from it.
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Exploring how digital services can prevent gambling harms
The Department of Health and Social Care has been researching how digital services can help prevent gambling harms.
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Share your evidence on the impacts of recreational activities in England's marine protected areas (MPAs)
Are you a marine researcher? Do you study seagrass recovery, monitor seal colonies or capture data on marine birds? Are you a passionate diver, wild swimmer, coastal tour operator or experienced sailor? We want to hear from you. On 30 …
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Designing with Strengths, not Deficits
In September, we ran a workshop at Service Design in Government (SDinGov) in Edinburgh, Scotland called Designing with Strengths, Not Deficits. It was a practical session exploring how we frame people in public services, and what changes when we look …
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Have your say: A closer look at Norfolk’s Environmental Delivery Plan
By Brad Tooze, Director, Nature Restoration Fund The Nature Restoration Fund provides a new way to support development while delivering larger-scale improvement for nature. It focusses on achieving an overall benefit for nature, rather than maintaining the status quo. The …
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Standardising construction product data to improve building safety
The Buildings, Design and Construction digital team in MHCLG is working with policy colleagues and stakeholders to explore ways to improve building safety outcomes. Learn how we’re using user research, mapping data flows and exploring common data standards to help make critical buildings safety information clearer, consistent and accessible, and how you can get involved.
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Supporting Digital Mental Health Technology Developers: a new Community of Practice and survey to support regulatory compliance
In the first of a series of new blog posts focused on compliance issues for medical devices, our Market Surveillance team describes how we will support digital mental health technology developers to understand and navigate the regulatory framework. Background The …
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The draft Code of Practice for the information gateway has been laid in Parliament
Today the draft Code of Practice for Public Authorities Sharing Information with Digital Verification Services has been laid in Parliament. This represents a significant milestone in our plans to commence the information gateway. The Code of Practice The Code provides …
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One simple change and a trust earns over £100,000 a year in extra interest
Judith Haste, Chief Financial Officer at St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan Multi Academy Trust, made up of 21 primary schools in Suffolk, explains how switching to a deposit savings platform has more than doubled its interest-generated income - bringing in …
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Part 1: What Are Marine Protected Areas, and Why Do They Matter?
As the Convention on Biological Diversity COP17 begins in Yerevan, Armenia, this week, the global 30 by 30 target will be firmly in focus: conserving and effectively managing at least 30% of the world’s land, inland waters, coastal areas and …
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Improving support for people who need help using online court and tribunal services
We know not everyone has the access, skills or confidence to use online services. From April 2027, changes to our Digital Support Service will help more people access justice and improve support for some of our most disadvantaged users.
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Test, Learn and Grow, one year on
Following on from the Test, Learn and Grow One Year On event in Sheffield, Nick Kimber shares his reflections on the past year of the programme, the newly launched Playbook on GOV.UK, and looking ahead to the next year of TLG.
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Coverage of Private Parking Code of Practice
Today we laid the new Private Parking Code of Practice before Parliament. This landmark reform will give drivers new rights to challenge unfair private parking charges. There has been widespread coverage across national media. This includes articles in The Sun, …
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Why I brought Europe's infrastructure and nature network to Bristol
The Infrastructure and Ecology Network Europe came to the UK for the first time this September, marking its 30th anniversary. Louise McGowan reflects on bringing the conference to Bristol, lessons from colleagues in more than 40 countries, and why nature must be regarded as infrastructure.
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Want to automate your work? Start with a data spring clean
Automating our blog tasks taught us that the information they depended on needed to be organised. This was the most important step in freeing us from the admin that was slowing us down.
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Defra launches new research in the Amazon, Congo and Coral Triangle
In the first of our blog posts on the 17th UN Biodiversity Conference, Dan McGonigle tells us about new research that will help shape practical action for nature.
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Building resilience and growth in the UK chemical sector
CST sets out how accountable leadership and a long-term roadmap could support a more resilient, innovative, and competitive UK chemical sector.
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What is ‘AI Sovereignty’?
CST has been advising the UK government on how the UK can achieve AI sovereignty. An important first step is defining what ‘AI sovereignty’ means for the UK.
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Putting trees to work on your farm
Trees can help make farm businesses more productive, resilient and profitable. From agroforestry and woodland creation to managing existing woodland, discover the funding, advice and support available to help you get started.
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Different perspectives and shared purpose
Graham Stallwood, Chief Executive of the Planning Inspectorate, recently joined Have We Got Planning News For You to discuss appeal timetables, hearings versus inquiries, and the surge of local plans expected this December.
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Our T Level Success Story
Happy National T Levels Week! Running from 19 to 23 October, it’s the perfect time to celebrate how these placements are bringing fresh energy to our teams. We are excited to share the Going Forward into Employment (GFIE) team’s recent …
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From Research to Recommendation: My Summer in DDaT at UKEF
Over the last few months, I had an opportunity to intern in the Data, Digital and Technology (DDaT) division in UK Export Finance.
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Opening GOV.UK Wallet sandbox to digital verification services
Registered digital verification service (DVS) providers are now able to apply to join the GOV.UK Wallet sandbox.
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Food Crime Update
Katie Pettifer, FSA Chief Executive, on food crime and the work of the National Food Crime Unit (NFCU)
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Why post-market surveillance is a priority for the MHRA AI Airlock programme
It is widely recognised that AI technologies have the potential to positively transform healthcare by improving patient outcomes, supporting clinical decision-making and helping health services work more efficiently. However, AI systems can behave differently once they move from controlled testing …
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Historic Court Buildings: The Royal Courts of Justice, from Queen Victoria to the bear pit
In this episode, we are joined by Richard from the Royal Courts of Justice Estates Office to explore the history of this iconic building, from its construction in the 1880s to its connections with Queen Victoria, who watched barristers arguing below from a balcony, in an area that became known as the 'bear garden'.
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Inside Defra's octopus conference
Defra brought fishermen, scientists and fisheries managers together to share evidence, discuss impacts and help shape future work on the octopus fishery.