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Prime Minister Keir Starmer made an oral statement to the House of Commons on the G20 Summit and COP29 Summit.

Two men who ran a people smuggling ring from Caerphilly to move thousands of migrants across Europe have been convicted following a National Crime Agency investigation.

Innovative IT software designed to tackle waiting lists and reduce discharge delays has been rolled out across more than two thirds of the NHS.

Government pledges £239 million funding to halt and reverse deforestation in forest-rich nations, supporting global efforts to tackle climate change

The Committee on Standards and Privileges has today published a report on its self-referral to the Commissioner for Standards on an alleged leak of confidential information to the media on a then live investigation complaint case.

The Government has announced that around 5,000 eligible Tri-Service aircraft engineers will receive £30,000 when they sign up for an additional three years of service, whilst a new £8,000 retention payment has been announced for around 12,000 eligible Army Privates and Lance Corporals.

Gaps in how public bodies manage conflicts of interest among staff pose a risk to government’s ability to perform its functions objectively, according to a new National Audit Office (NAO) report.

The findings from a survey of more than 45,500 people who used NHS urgent and emergency care (UEC) services in 2024 show that many were broadly positive about their interactions with staff. However, a number faced lengthy waits to be assessed, and some were not given enough help to manage their pain or control their symptoms.

The UK's Minister for the Future Digital Economy and Online Safety, Baroness Jones, yesterday delivered the keynote speech at the WTO's AI Conference in Geneva.

Steps to support Gaelic entrepreneurs and assess the benefits of the language to Scotland’s visitor economy have been announced by Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes.

New Respect Orders will see repeat perpetrators of anti-social behaviour subject to tough restrictions on their behaviour.

UK government ministers continue to push for global action on nature at COP29 nature day.

Talks with the makers of Enhertu have ended without agreement, meaning guidance that does not recommend Enhertu for advanced breast cancer will remain unchanged.

The FCA has found that while life insurers provide good service to bereaved customers, they need to settle claims quicker and improve how they measure customer experience.

The CMA has found that Viatris failed to comply with compulsory restrictions imposed during the CMA’s review of its deal with Theramex.

Energy regulator Ofgem has today (Friday 22 November) announced a 1.2% increase of the energy price cap for the period covering January-March 2025.  

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) was granted permission to intervene in the Supreme Court appeal of For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer's remarks at the UK-Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council (21 November 2024).

The British Army has completed the first live firing of a next-generation howitzer in Finland in one of the largest series of NATO artillery exercises ever conducted in Europe.

Thousands more apprentice construction workers will be hired each year to build homes and kickstart growth, through new skills hubs funded by industry leaders.

A scheme that provides dedicated advocacy services for children and young people who are attending Children’s Hearings has been praised by those who use it, according to a new independent report.

We are calling on organisations to share personal information responsibly to protect their customers from scams and fraud.

Donald Trump has been critical of US commitments in the Korean peninsula, but his new administration must reassure South Korea and Japan once in office.

Owners of five million leasehold homes to benefit from increased rights and reform to system.

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed, yesterday addressed the 2024 Country Land and Business Association conference.

This data provides information about the number and types of applications that HM Land Registry completed in October 2024.

In November 2022, techUK launched a partnership with Policing to support the delivery of a national digital agenda aimed at preventing and tackling violence against women and girls. 

People in Birmingham are helping Natural England to understand the complex barriers that stop them using green spaces in the city.

Public services will come under further threat if the Scottish Government does not set out and deliver a clear and costed vision for public service reform.

Extra specialist staff, urgent repairs to cells and CCTV cameras and renewed safety training will be carried out urgently at HMP Winchester.

The FCA has started criminal proceedings against 4 individuals for conspiracy to commit false accounting, with 3 of them facing further charges for fraud. 

An Assembly Committee is calling for better accountability and governance arrangements around public procurement here - having identified a series of significant risks and weaknesses in the current processes.

More than 5,000 interventions a year are being carried out in the North West as part of a programme to improve outcomes for babies and families.

With a seasonal surge of deliveries on the horizon, more than a third of online shoppers (almost 15 million people) experienced a delivery issue with a parcel they received in the last month.

The Office of Rail and Road has confirmed that London Liverpool Street station has retained its title as Great Britain’s most used railway station in 2023-24, gaining more than 14 million entries and exits since the previous year. Denton railway station in Greater Manchester becomes the least used station in Great Britain, at 54 entries and exits.

Read techUK's recommendations for health and social care in techUK's Driving Digital Transformation report!

Private school pupils in England no longer perform better at GCSE level than state school pupils in the core subjects of English, Maths and Science when the results are adjusted for socioeconomic background, finds a study by UCL researchers.

The National Crime Agency has participated in a major international operation targeting a Syrian organised crime group considered one of Europe's most significant people smuggling networks

The personal and financial costs of sending mental health patients far from home have long been known.

The First Minister of Wales, Eluned Morgan, hosted a reception for UK-based ambassadors and high commissioners in London today.

Marking first year of Verity House Agreement.

Five people have been arrested and charged as part of an ongoing National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation into migrant smuggling from the UK to France in lorries.

Manufacturing output volumes fell in the quarter to November, and at a faster pace than in the three months to October, according to the CBI’s latest Industrial Trends Survey (ITS). But the near-term picture is more positive, with manufacturers expecting output volumes to rise modestly in the quarter to February.

Up to 300,000 homes to benefit from upgrades next year, as government continues rollout of the Warm Homes Plan.

New scheme launched in Greater Manchester to get more small businesses exporting

More than one million people have been vaccinated against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), after the NHS launched a rollout of the jab for the first time in its history this autumn.

The Met Office and the Alan Turing Institute provide an update on developments around AI's future role in weather forecasting and understanding climate change.

UK sanctions kleptocrats, firing starting gun on a new Foreign Secretary campaign against dirty money

Zip photocard applications now being accepted for customers aged 5-10, 11-15 and 16-17.

GCAP’s management involves five innovations that should drive success in its technology development and timeline.

The Science Minister, Lord Vallance, recorded a speech for the Royal Institute of Navigation’s annual Positioning, Navigation and Timing leadership seminar on 20 November 2024.

A hospital’s failure to properly assess and treat an elderly woman with a pressure sore contributed to her having to move into a nursing home, an investigation by England’s Health Ombudsman has found.

A speech by Sarah Cardell, the CMA's Chief Executive, delivered at the Chatham House Competition Policy 2024 conference.

The Health secretary has responded to latest NHS Wales performance data: September and October 2024.

The work of researchers who have made an outstanding societal and economic contribution was celebrated at the ESRC Celebrating Impact Prize awards last night.

Ofwat has today announced that new rules on exec bonuses and on dividends are beginning to bite in their first full year of operation, in 2023-24 financial year.

Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, Japanese Defense Minister NAKATANI Gen and UK Defence Minister John Healey have welcomed recent progress made on the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).

The Deputy Prime Minister yesterday delivered the closing speech at the Social Housing Annual Conference in London.

The organisations will receive almost £4 million between them over the next three years, to help us deliver on the commitments made in our Uniting the Movement strategy.

Our sixth annual Impact report 2023/24 features stories about real people and the impact we have had on the public and policing. It details case studies from the second year of our five-year strategy: Building trust and confidence in policing.

The Charity Commission has concluded its inquiry into The Captain Tom Foundation.

The UK’s second In-Orbit Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing (ISAM) Conference will take place at the ICC Belfast on 4-6 June 2025.

Proposed new measures would legally require public bodies procuring goods and services for the NHS to both identify and mitigate risks of modern slavery

Resident Doctors accept £64.1 million investment in 2024-25 pay.

Education Minister Catherine McKinnell's yesterday addressed at the Schools and Academies Show in Birmingham.

The UK HPI shows house price changes for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Welsh stars are getting behind a global campaign to highlight the threat of antibiotic resistance.  

Greater flexibility to keep pets in homes amongst range of Housing Bill measures.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has made four recommendations to Government on how the organisation could improve the public services it oversees in its flagship Triennial Review, launched today.

Our sixth annual Impact report 2023/24 features stories about real people and the impact we have had on the public and policing. It details case studies from the second year of our five-year strategy: Building trust and confidence in policing.

The Scottish Budget comes at a pivotal moment for the Scottish Government. 

The proposed extension would allow firms more time to handle complaints efficiently and effectively and help prevent disorderly, inconsistent and inefficient outcomes for consumers and firms.

Firms which raised prices for key epilepsy medicine – causing NHS costs to soar to £50 million – found by the CAT to have breached competition law.

On Carers Rights day today, the Minister for Children and Social Care officially opened a new hub that will help more unpaid carers claim their rights and access free support.

Childhood “Hangs in the balance’ Unless urgent measures adopted to protect children’s futures globally, according to new report

An Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation has praised the courage and professionalism of Thames Valley Police (TVP) officers involved in an incident where an officer was shot with a crossbow by a man, who was shot by police shortly afterwards.

A former scout leader who assaulted children as young as seven over almost three decades has been convicted.

Last Thursday, the Chancellor made a series of announcements around the new government’s plans around green finance.

The Welsh Government announces additional funding to strengthen credit unions, ensuring fair and accessible lending options for those in need.

Union body comments on Fawcett Society’s Equal Pay Day 

IEA Economics Fellow Julian Jessop comments on the rise in inflation to 2.3% in October

New electric buses charged by innovative pantograph technology now on London's roads

Services for rape, sexual abuse and trauma officially opened.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct’s (IOPC) investigation into a fatal road traffic collision involving Met Police officers in south-east London last month is progressing.  

TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak comments on today’s (Wednesday) inflation figures, which show CPI inflation at 2.3%

From the 18th November 2024, with immediate effect, the Home Office has confirmed that evictions of individuals from asylum accommodation will pause for a period of up to, but no more than, 3 days when Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) is activated by a Local Authority. This is to support local authorities to meet their humanitarian obligation to preserve life in severe weather conditions. There is currently no end date to this renewal of policy.

Overdue reforms to Right to Buy to ensure the scheme is fairer and more sustainable.

Foreign Secretary signs new Readmissions Agreement and Defence and Security Partnership whilst on visit to Moldova.

New THINK! campaign encourages drivers to opt for 0% drinks if driving at Christmas.

It has long been known that a focus on early intervention and prevention in the early years can prevent ill health in the future. With the mental and physical health outcomes of children in England on a downward spiral, the new government’s commitment to raising ‘the healthiest generation of children ever’ has been warmly welcomed by the children’s sector. Will this sentiment be met with the action needed to address the scale of the challenge?  

New guidance for Scotland.

Ofgem is consulting on introducing a new investment fund worth between £5 billion and £8 billion that will help Britain’s energy transmission owners cut delays, control costs and beat other nations to attract international investment in the drive to net zero. 

Technology Secretary outlines priorities for Ofcom as government prepares to enforce the Online Safety Act next year.

Welsh NHS Confederation director Darren Hughes responds to Plaid Cymru's report 'The Welsh Health System: Accountability, Performance and Culture'.

Court orders Northumberland landowner to replant trees after illegal felling following Forestry Commission investigation

A vulnerable looked after child with special educational needs missed out on five and a half terms of education and didn’t receive the therapy they needed for more than two years because staff at a council-owned company, Worcestershire Children First, had such a poor grasp of the SEND system.

E.ON Next - part of the E.ON Energy Group - has paid £14.5 million after failing to provide final bills and refund customer credit balances to prepayment meter customers. 

Ofsted, the CQC, HMICFRS and HMI Probation have today published a report that finds serious youth violence is more far-reaching than many adults realise, affecting children all over England and leaving a serious impact on communities.

The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) is inviting members of the public to its fifth annual Open Board meeting on Tuesday 26 November 2024. The public Board meeting takes place via Zoom from 10.30am until 12.30pm. The invitation is open to everyone. 

Inform techUK's thinking for the UK Government's Spending Review in Spring 2025. Below, we outline the process for members to feed in and inform our policy work.

Transport for London (TfL) yesterday announced its intention to award the new Elizabeth line operator contract to GTS Rail Operations Limited, a joint venture between Go Ahead Group, Tokyo Metro and Sumitomo Corporation. The contract will cover seven years with an option to extend for up to two additional years. 

Thousands of unpaid carers could be missing out.

BBC Studios, the BBC’s main commercial arm, has returned £1.9 billion to the BBC by substantially growing its income and profits – reaching £1.8 billion and £202 million in 2023-24 – but needs to continue to evolve in a dynamic market to meet ambitious growth plans, a new National Audit Office (NAO) report has found.   

Incidents of Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) are taking longer to tackle due to inconsistent and insufficient information sharing between agencies, in particular from housing providers to Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs), a new survey of councils has found.

The UK is expanding military support for Ukraine with funding to provide new drone capabilities, on the the 1,000th day of Putin’s illegal full-scale invasion.

Saman Kaur is a recent Education and Early Years T Level student at Sandwell College. 

An ambitious programme of reform to policing has been unveiled by the Home Secretary, marking the start of a new partnership between government and policing.

Scotland’s Migration Service, which provides information and advice for people, employers and investors, has been expanded to offer support to a wider range of individuals.

Truancy rates have risen faster in developed English-speaking countries since the Covid-19 pandemic than in non-English-speaking countries, according to a new working paper by UCL researchers.

APCC Chair yesterday opened the APCC & NPCC Partnership Summit 2024.

The development of hypersonic technology is to be accelerated under a new AUKUS arrangement – bolstering the collective security of the three nations.

Government launches independent review of Physician and Anaesthesia Associate professions, chaired by Professor Gillian Leng CBE.

Legislation proposed to deliver sustained reduction to rising prisoner numbers.

TfL updating signage at small number of stations with new line names and colours from 20 November, with the majority happening from 25 November.

The region’s right-wing populists are ready to cooperate based on mutual admiration for the MAGA project. But their effectiveness as supporters of Donald Trump’s policy is uncertain.

The NHS is providing advanced eye scans closer to home for tens of thousands of people with diabetes which could save up to 120,000 hospital appointments a year and help prevent life-changing sight loss.

We are marking our 40th anniversary by launching a digital exhibition telling the story of the most important moments in privacy and information rights over the past four decades.

Flour will be boosted with folic acid to protect hundreds of babies against serious disabilities every year. But daily supplements are still vital, urges Wales’ top doctor.

Quantum technologies, including computing, communications, and sensing, have the potential for transformative impacts.

The APCC is supporting Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week, held annually by the charity, Resolve.

Community leaders are urging sexually active people in Wales to order a free, confidential test kit from Public Health Wales.

Blog posted by: Louise Stevenson, 18 November 2024 – Categories: A Modern Civil Service.

The Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, Jayne Bryant, delivered the keynote speech at the first day of the annual Community Housing Cymru conference, focussing on working with the sector to deliver more homes, recognising the key role of frontline workers and ending homelessness in Wales.

The Electoral Commission has fined the Irish Socialist Republican Party (NI) after concluding an investigation into the party’s failure to keep accounting records that were sufficient to show and explain the party’s transactions.

We're delighted to welcome Fighting Homelessness CIC as a new member of Homeless Link!

MI5 has, made a small change to its Badge to reflect the symbols of state chosen by His Majesty King Charles.

New guidance will help to design activity into our neighbourhoods and reduce congestion on the roads during school run times.

The Scottish Household Survey: Satisfaction with Schools 2023 results, published today, contains the key findings of the question asked in the social survey on satisfaction with local schools for all adults and service users.

ATACMS striking Russia provide an opportunity to inflict significant damage. To take advantage of this, however, the targets must align with a wider plan.

Report shows total quantity of antibiotics sold for livestock remains at the lowest level to date. Upticks in antibiotic use in some sectors highlight need for continued collective action.

Draft guidance issued for consultation recommends two technologies to help people manage their condition.

The FCA has banned Mr Ari Harris from working in financial services.

Report shows healthy growth across key indicators.

Hunt for criminals behind vast waste site continues.

The Prime Minister will use his trip to the G20 in Brazil this week to strengthen ties with the world’s leading economic powers to drive growth and deliver for the British people at home.

A new Counter Fraud Action Plan from exam regulator Ofqual lays out ways for organisations to work together to tackle qualification fraud.

New measures to bolster protections for elderly and disabled people relying on lifesaving alarms to call for help.

As he speaks at COP29, our chair Chris Boardman argues that the sport and physical activity sector is uniquely positioned to drive the change needed to protect our planet.

GAD’s analysis has supported the government’s work around pension reforms, which were announced by the Chancellor during the Mansion House Speech.

Should a new US administration disengage from forums like the UN, Beijing’s plans to reshape global governance will be boosted. US allies should plan accordingly.

This report was issued in November 2024 and covers the time period 1 October 2024 to 31 October 2024 inclusive.

The Prime Minister has announced that UK-India trade talks will relaunch in the new year.

Annual report showcasing the achievements of our international network of offices. Covering the reporting year 2023 to 2024, it uses case studies to demonstrate the positive impact our international activity has, and the benefits it brings to the people of Scotland.

techUK members Zaizi and Envitia explore the challenges and benefits facing One Login.

The second round of the Manchester Prize will focus on delivering new, clean energy systems.

A trio of people smugglers who made several failed attempts to transport migrants across the Channel have been convicted following a National Crime Agency investigation.

Strong and effective leadership can lead to improvements in the fire and rescue sector, fire service leaders were told recently (15 November 2024).

Scotland’s Chief Statistician today released Domestic abuse recorded by the police in Scotland, 2023-24.

The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) yesterday published its latest Outlook levy update for 2024/25. It also provides an early indication of the 2025/26 levy.

This week (Monday 18 November – Friday 22 November) is Discover! Creative Careers Week – the annual flagship event for the wider Discover! Creative Careers programme, aiming to address some of the creative industries’ most urgent challenges and risks around skills shortages in the creative industries.

Royal Navy and Royal Air Force pilots will benefit from a cutting-edge new cruise missile, following the first successful guided firing trial of the missile.

Funding will keep fares down, protect local routes and deliver more reliable services. 

Over 50 schools share £150,000 investment to mark Book Week Scotland.

The Houthis are diversifying their alliances and deepening their military capabilities, leveraging regional conflicts and pragmatic partnerships to expand their influence beyond the Iranian-led ‘axis of resistance’.

Children in England can be deprived of their liberty in secure settings, specifically custodial settings (for youth justice reasons), secure children’s homes (for welfare reasons) and mental health units (for assessment and treatment).

A Met Police officer will appear in court this week on an assault charge after a man was Tasered and sustained serious injuries, following our investigation.

The Welsh Government will move ahead with a Deposit Return Scheme that delivers for Wales, Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies yesterday confirmed.

The Chancellor recently (15 November 2024) delivered her first Mansion House speech.

The Association for Project Management (APM) Greater Bay Area (GBA) Network proudly supported the UCEM Hong Kong Symposium 2024, themed "Sustainability in the Built Environment." 

5 ways NICE Advice can help you navigate this new opportunity alongside health technology assessment.

It has been another busy month in the connections reform space. The connections queue currently stands at 732 gigawatts (GW), a 10GW increase on the previous month. 

A rare Roman knife handle cast in the shape of a gladiator has been discovered in a river at Corbridge Roman Town on Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland.

A new Home Office unit to monitor performance of police forces will be announced by the Home Secretary this week.

Blog posted by: Neil Barnby, 15 November 2024 – Categories: Development, Digital Innovation, Digital skills, digital workshop, Innovation, Prisons, user-centred.

New powers handed to Ofsted to crack down on exploitative children's care providers and transparency to be increased around their finances.

A review of potential strategic ornithological compensatory measures, assessing their practical and ecological feasibility in the Scottish context.

Ending the war and establishing lasting peace in Ukraine is impossible without implementing practical measures to deter potential future waves of Russian aggression.

British soldiers are to receive high-tech rifle sights, helping them to better track and shoot the enemy in dark conditions.

The number of people being admitted to hospital following a stroke has risen by 28% in the last 20 years, new NHS analysis has found.

Craig Buchan and Martin Cooke, former partners of MedDen Financial Services LLP (MedDen), have been fined £6,037 and £6,020 (respectively) and banned by the FCA for recklessly breaching an asset requirement imposed on the firm.

An award-winning young designer from Swansea who is making waves with her fashion collection is encouraging others with business aspirations to seek support from Business Wales this Global Entrepreneurship Week.

A man who tried to smuggle eight firearms into the UK has been jailed for eight years and three months.

EHRC statement on changes to National Insurance

APM GBA Network Hosts Successful Gathering with Industry Leaders on 12 November 2024.

At COP29 in Baku, Minister for Development, Anneliese Dodds, recently announced an additional £30+ million investment from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to support the Met Office-led Weather and Climate Information Services (WISER) Africa programme.

Gulf states will continue the move to regional reconciliation but on Iran and Israel–Palestine, will look to reset the rules of engagement.

Requirements for voter identification brought in by the previous UK Government should be scrapped, the Minister for Parliamentary Business has said.

In this blog, Gill Taylor, Strategic Lead for the Dying Homeless Project and independent Safeguarding Adult Review author, talks about the Radical Safeguarding Toolkit and encourages practitioners to challenge the status quo of harm and discrimination and move towards anti-oppressive practice.

Experts from policy, politics, and research examined the challenges facing Britain’s core public services from criminal justice to the NHS, at the Institute for Government Public Services Conference, supported by UCL.

A speech delivered recently (15 November 2024) by Martin Coleman, Inquiry Chair for the CMA’s market investigation into veterinary services for household pets at the BVA Congress at the London Vet Show.

Sellafield Ltd attended a recent New Statesman Regional Development event to showcase its education outreach and early careers programmes.

The national conversation about the NHS's future took to the road, as Middlesbrough hosted the first of a series of public debates about fixing the NHS.

This report introduces a method for integrating digital aerial survey data and passive acoustic baseline data to record the abundance and distribution of marine mammals. The report applies the method in a test case study and provides recommendations on data collection.

Learners from Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Edern will take part in the F1 in Schools world finals after taking the chequered flag and becoming the Welsh Champions of the UK nationals.

Public Health Wales is continuing to evaluate air quality data, to improve our understanding of the potential for harm to health of people living around Withyhedge landfill site.

The Procurement Act 2023: provides new opportunities for suppliers of goods or services to the public sector

The rail regulator has given the go ahead for new train services between Swindon, Taunton and Weston-super-Mare from the end of 2025. The regulator has also set conditions on its approval to ensure the new, co-operatively owned operator has sufficient finance and rolling stock in place in good time.

The FCA is committed to supporting growth.

Tenants will continue to struggle to find the housing they need, as new data reveals the chronic shortage of homes to rent to meet demand.

On Thursday 7 November, DSIT’s Responsible Technology Adoption (RTA) Unit and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) published the Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs) Cost-Benefit Awareness Tool.

As Children’s Commissioner one of my main ambitions is that every child has access to a brilliant education: one that helps them to achieve their goals, no matter how ambitious. 

The Bank of England (BoE), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) stand as the collective regulators to oversee the activities of critical third parties, and they issued a policy statement 12 November 2024 confirming the rules set to strengthen their use and that of other technologies within Financial Services. 

UK and Scottish Governments and Falkirk Council agree package to strengthen the local economy and create more than a thousand jobs over the next 10 years.

New financing offer further incentivises overseas buyers to choose British expertise when planning their projects.

The Adam Smith Institute is calling on the Government to use existing legislation to help fix the housing crisis

We have published our Annual Report and Accounts which sum up the work of the Government Actuary’s Department in the 2023 to 2024 financial year.

NHS leaders and their teams are working incredibly hard but there is a real risk services could become overwhelmed.