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FSA Chief Executive Katie Pettifer has affirmed the FSA’s commitment to working closely with the UK meat sector, highlighting the importance of a constructive relationship as it faces rising costs and global trade challenges

Commitment to ensure vital institution thrives.

Businesses will save time and money on repetitive legal action thanks to new international rules coming into force across the UK on 1 July.

Two men involved in a plot to bring over £1.5 million of cannabis to Scotland hidden in a load of watermelons have been jailed.

UK-Thai cooperation results in 90% reduction in cannabis arriving in the post. 

The Charity Commission today published redesigned guidance on paying trustees, with a continued emphasis on the principle of voluntary service.

The Consumer Council for Water says there will be “no hiding place” for water companies if they fail deliver on their commitments to customers over the next five years.

Tens of thousands of people have been helped into workplace training thanks to government support, new figures show today (25 April).

Even tougher action to hold tech platforms to account for failing to protect children from harmful knife crime content online, the government has announced.

techUK and the Local Government Association (LGA) have signed an MOU to advance digital transformation in local government.

Aid spending on development in East Africa has had a long run of poor results, calling into question the efficacy of carrying on.

Thousands of women are set to benefit from plans to boost workplace support as leaders from across industry, healthcare and the legal profession came together today to form the first-ever independent Menopause Advisory Group.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and water regulators have failed to drive necessary investment for the sector, which now faces significant environmental, supply and infrastructure challenges, says the National Audit Office (NAO).

The Foreign Secretary has issued a statement following reports of violence in and around El Fasher, Sudan.

Wales economic ties with Japan have been further strengthened at an investor showcase in Tokyo.

New laws in force today mark the toughest sentencing powers against law-breaking water executives in history.

Arts centres, libraries and museums across the country are set to have a central role in the 80th anniversaries of VE and VJ Day, thanks to a £2 million investment by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to be managed by Arts Council England.

Blog posted by: Nick Layt, Senior Manager, Consumer Policy & Compliance, 24 April 2025.

Statement given yesterday by the Children’s Commissioner on Ofcom’s new Children’s Safety Codes.

Scottish Government pay gap information in relation to gender, ethnicity and disability.

The UK’s property market is the backbone of our economy, and there’s no doubt that its efficiency could be improved through comprehensive adoption of the Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN).

Support the development of our new Courier, Distribution, Storage and Specialist Solutions agreement.

Satellite developed by British academics and engineers set to become the first in the world to measure condition of the Earth's forests from space.

Members of the public are able to watch the VE Day 80 military procession taking place on Monday 5 May.

Moray West offshore wind farm capable of powering half of Scotland’s homes is switched on by Scottish Secretary.

Action-thriller HAVOC, produced with Creative Wales support and released on Netflix today, is the biggest feature film ever shot entirely in Wales according to a recent report by the streaming giant.

The Energy Secretary yesterday delivered the opening remarks at the International Energy Agency (IEA) Future of Energy Security summit.

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) group played a pivotal role in defueling Hunterston B on time and on budget.

This data provides information about the number and types of applications that HM Land Registry completed in March 2025.

The NHS Confederation and Local Trust have launched an action research programme aimed at building community-led approaches to health and wellbeing.

The Scottish Government will have increased borrowing powers following an Order made in Parliament this week by Scottish Secretary.

We have fined AFK Letters Co Ltd (AFK) £90,000 for making more than 95,000 unsolicited marketing calls to people registered with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS), in a clear breach of electronic marketing laws. 

Wales will become the first devolved nation in the UK to trial registering voters automatically using data to identify potential electors.

We're excited to share our latest report, "Navigating Social Value: Challenges Facing Tech SMEs in Government Procurement."

An ambitious plan to improve transport, roads and buildings, as well as a greater shift to using digital to deliver services, has the potential to transform the Highland Council’s services over the next 20 years.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is appealing for witnesses as we investigate the circumstances of a fatal road traffic incident in Croydon following a pursuit involving Met Police officers.   

A high-ranking member of a Midlands-based drugs supply network has been found guilty in his absence following a National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation

On 24 April 2025, Ofcom published the Protection of Children Codes of Practice and guidance. 

A groundbreaking UK research network has been launched to uncover how gut health influences the brain, immune system and mental wellbeing.

Rory Deighton says the increase in incidents is deeply concerning and unacceptable

Thousands of jobs created as major carbon capture and storage network is ready for construction – boosting energy security and the government's Plan for Change.

The rollout of new technology to prevent the 8am rush for appointments and streamline how patients access primary care is very welcome.

Ofcom has published its landmark Protection of Children Codes of Practice and guidance, in a policy statement outlining new protections for children online.  The regulators policy statement is accompanied by six volumes detailing decisions, regulatory documents, and guidance.

As Children’s Commissioner, my top priority is for all children to be safe, happy and cared for. That must include children in prison.

Significant growth in activity levels for older adults and disabled people but more work to do to support those living in the most deprived places

Children in the UK will have safer online lives, under transformational new protections finalised by Ofcom today

Manufacturing output volumes were broadly unchanged in the quarter to April, according to the CBI’s latest quarterly Industrial Trends Survey. While a broad range of sub-sectors reported lower volumes in April, this was offset by higher output in the motor vehicles & transport equipment sector. Manufacturers expect output to fall marginally in the three months to July.  

GPs are providing millions more appointments to people in England and better access through upgraded technology, the NHS has said today.

The government has announced the appointment of five members to the Building Control Independent Panel.

Ambassador Holland condemns Russia's missile attacks against civilians in Sumy and Kharkiv over Easter and President Putin's transparently cynical attempts to portray Russia as the party of peace.

Where and how are European countries going to discuss the European security architecture, and coordinate their activities and efforts? Is it now time to dust off the idea of a European Security (and Defence) Council?

An amendment to the Great British Energy Bill will enable the company to ensure forced labour is not used in its supply chains.

Starting 29 April 2025, we are introducing new security measures to safeguard our visitors, staff and to protect our collections.

The FCA is proposing streamlining the rules on the types of funds investment firms must hold to absorb losses and maintain financial resilience during periods of stress.

New accessible toilet launches at White Hart Lane station, with Seven Sisters Overground station to follow, to help improve toilet provision on the TfL network.

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax starts in April 2026 for sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000.

APCC has responded to new police vetting reforms.

Children in the UK will be able to live a safer life online under new Ofcom protections which set ambitious new safety standards for tech firms.

The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has referred a man’s sex offence convictions to the Court of Appeal because it has found that important evidence had not been disclosed at trial. 

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has today launched new guidance for corporates about self-reporting, co-operation and Deferred Prosecution Agreements (DPAs).

The company substantially under-declared the amount of tax it had to pay in 2020 and 2021.

Earlier this month I hosted my inaugural Festival of Childhood: Our Future, Our Voice at Young V&A to celebrate the joy of childhood and outline my vision to make England the best place to grow up.

Frontline officers and young people in custody will be better protected under plans to equip specially selected and trained staff with synthetic pepper spray, the Government has announced today (24 April).

New compact and lightweight portable oxygen delivery system will improve safety and can be deployed immediately for use by frontline medics.

News ways to control atom-sized objects have led to potentially transformative technologies like quantum computing. What are the benefits of these new quantum technologies, and what are the risks?

The dangers to Ukraine multiply. The international focus on President Trump’s tariffs has sucked attention away from Ukraine just as Gaza did in 2024.

Free Courses for Jobs is a fully funded, government-backed initiative enabling adult learners - aged 19 and over - to access Level 3 qualifications for free.

A paddleboard business owner has been jailed for 10 years and six months for gross negligence manslaughter following the deaths of four people in 2021.

It will inform England’s first ever men’s health strategy to tackle the life expectancy gap.

In response to a changing global context, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), with knowledge partners Oliver Wyman, and with support from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, and Secretary of State for Defence, John Healey, is establishing a Defence & Economic Growth Taskforce to identify opportunities to drive UK growth and productivity through investments in UK Defence capability and production.

A new report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) and Public First challenges the idea that the British public is resistant to government action on public health. It reveals instead a strong appetite for intervention, particularly in communities that could decide the next general election.

SMEs from across the UK will benefit from new government support to match them up with international buyers and markets.

Millions of Brits will find it easier to track their pension savings with the creation of a small pensions pot consolidator, in reforms unveiled by the pensions minister today (Thursday 24 April).

Prime Minister brings forward £300 million for Great British Energy to invest in offshore wind supply chains ahead of the Future of Energy Security summit.

The LGA has launched its Sector Support offer for 2025/26.

The UK will become the first country in Europe to ban the possession and supply of SIM farms – technical devices used to defraud the public.

The conference is due to take place today, Thursday 24 April

A statement on behalf of E3 members, the UK, France and Germany, following yesterday’s meeting with the US and Ukraine in London.

British businesses will be supported to trade freely as the Chancellor chooses to act on practices that undercut fair trade, such as the dumping of cheap goods into the UK.

A small but significant part of the population are attending A&E frequently. In 2021, the British Red Cross (BRC) published Nowhere else to turn. This report showed that while less than 1% of the English population attend A&E frequently, they account for 16% of all A&E attendances, 29% of all ambulance journeys, and 26% of all hospital admissions.  

Civic, faith, trade unions and political leaders commit to action.

Police officers will be given greater confidence to carry out their roles, with reforms to the systems that hold them to account set to enter Parliament.

A 42-year-old man was caught red-handed by Environment Agency officers when he attempted to use a cast net without permission on a canal in South Yorkshire.

Public finance data out today show that borrowing overshot the official forecast made at last month's Spring Statement by £15 billion.

A company owner has been jailed for the gross negligence manslaughter of four paddleboarders who died during an organised tour in Pembrokeshire.

Lord Collins of Highbury visited Uganda on 3 and 4 April to reinforce the UK's commitment to sustainable development and mutual economic growth.

Caitlin Taylor, RoSPA’s Road Safety Manager, offers valuable advice on managing your reactions to unexpected situations on the road.

The Met Office marks the 20th anniversary of its Civil Contingencies Advisors, a dedicated team of meteorological specialists who have been instrumental in supporting the UK's resilience community during severe weather events.

Further action to reduce waiting times will see thousands of additional tests made available every month.

A successful grassroots fund has been extended after reaching 50,000 people in first year. Applications are now open for grants between £5,000 and £10,000.

This Joint Statement follows the meeting of the United Kingdom and New Zealand Prime Ministers in London on 22 April 2025.

First Minister announces boost for humanitarian aid.

Clean energy projects, reservoirs, railway lines, and other major infrastructure to be built faster, under changes to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill

Police chiefs will automatically sack officers who fail background checks, allowing them to root out those who are unfit to serve and clean up their forces.

The health of children in England is in decline. While many factors are at play – including a rise in poverty fuelling food insecurity – it is not only how much food our children are eating (whether that’s too much food or not enough), but what they are eating that is playing a huge part in the rise of preventable illness in children.

Chair of the National Employers for local government services, Cllr James Lewis responds to the following announcement of a full and final pay offer for council employees,

Views sought on exemptions from rent control and where rent could be increased above cap.

Joint statement on behalf of the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and the UK on more than 50 days of Israel's block on aid to Gaza

Chancellor Rachel Reeves travels to Washington DC for her first spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

This insight is live and will be continuously updated as new announcements are made. 

The first prisoners have been locked up at a new jail that will create nearly 1,500 prison places, helping to cut crime and make streets safer today as part of the Government’s Plan for Change (23 April).

People in Wales are set to benefit from a £10 million investment aimed at improving local work, health, and skills support as part of the UK Government's initiative to tackle inactivity and Get Britain Working.

Government backs world-leading trial of cutting-edge technology to diagnose bowel cancer earlier, harnessing the power of technology to treat patients.

Consumers will be able to save money on their bills thanks to new regulations for many smart energy appliances.

Street furniture (615) offers customers a quick, simple and competitive route to purchase a wide range of outdoor furniture including shelters and canopies (such as bus shelters and cycling racks); waste bins (litter, novelty, dog waste and cigarette) including plastic and metal options; recycling bins/units; solar compacting smart bins; grit bins and salt spreaders; a range of seating including benches and picnic tables available in timber, metal and plastic options; and a variety of bollards.

Ofcom yesterday announced new rules that will make the UK a world leader in protecting people from the malicious use of mobile networks.

A chief superintendent at Essex Police has been dismissed with immediate effect following an Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation into his sexual conduct towards female colleagues.

UK fighter jets have intercepted two Russian aircraft flying close to NATO airspace.

Pension Age Disability Payment is now open for applications across Scotland.

The Prime Minister hosted New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at Downing Street yesterday.

A man’s conviction for producing a controlled class B drug has been referred to the Crown Court by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) based on new evidence that he was a child victim of modern slavery and human trafficking.  

Hounslow council is refusing to offer a home to a young mother despite making a catalogue of errors which left her homeless and sofa surfing while pregnant.

Director banned following Insolvency Service investigation into sale of investment bonds.

This report explores how data collection in business and industry surveys can be made more consistent. It summarises questions used in a selection of business surveys in Scotland and provides guidance on framing questions.

The UK-Japan Tech Forum, co-organised by techUK and JEITA, is a platform for both the UK and Japanese tech sectors along with their respective governments to come together to explore collaboration opportunities in technology and innovation.

A man who stabbed two people with a kitchen knife has his sentence increased to a decade after it was referred under the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme to the Court of Appeal by Solicitor General, Lucy Rigby KC MP.

Hundreds of people brought up in care are being supported into careers in the NHS, as part of a new scheme.

Thousands of children to attend free breakfast clubs across the country today, as government delivers its manifesto commitment and promise to working families.

Ana Stewart appointed as Chief Entrepreneur as Ecosystem Fund reopens.

Voters without ID have just one day left to apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate to use at the elections in May.

Jonathan Fisher KC has begun work on part 2 of his Independent Review of Disclosure and Fraud Offences.

Rise in popularity of social media and outdoor apps is behind significant growth in call-outs to honeypot locations in Britain according to rescuers.

The Industry Steering Board for the UK-Ukraine TechBridge met on 20th March 2025. 

Almost half of Scots say reaching net zero will improve their quality of life.

Demand flexibility will increasingly take centre stage in energy security. Can industry play a role while contributing to industrial development?

We have fined Merseyside-based DPP Law Ltd (DPP) £60,000, following a cyber attack that led to highly sensitive and confidential personal information being published on the dark web.

Work to replace the windows in the 1970s part of our building continues and from late Spring will move to the first floor.

Statement given yesterday by Fergus Eckersley, UK Minister Counsellor, at the UN Security Council meeting on Haiti.

As Wales marks 18 years as the first UK nation to abolish prescription charges, forty-four-year-old Ryan Perrot who has severe asthma shares how the policy helped change his life.

The Supreme Court recently (16 April 2025) gave its judgment in the appeal of For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers.

A dangerous driver who killed a teenage passenger and hospitalised another after driving at double the speed limit has had his sentence increased after Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP intervened.

Living conditions for families in military housing will be transformed under a new Consumer Charter, as Defence Secretary John Healey promised to “stop the rot” in military housing.

Statement from the Prime Minister following the death of Pope Francis (21 April 2025).

Looked After Children Statistics were published on 22 April 2025.

An Essex Police officer who used unlawful and excessive force on a man while on duty has been convicted of assault, following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Pub goers will be able to raise a toast to veterans for an extra two hours to celebrate next month’s historic 80th anniversary of VE day. 

Research has linked wearable devices with the prevention, detection and mitigation of disease. What are the public health benefits and what are the risks?

First 750 breakfast clubs to rollout from today (22 April 2025), delivering on government’s manifesto commitment and promise to put more money in working people’s pockets.

First Minister to convene gathering on strengthening democratic resilience.

Statement given recently by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Libya.

A new AI tool aims to modernise council planning by replacing outdated paper systems with high-quality digital data, enabling faster, smarter decisions to support the government’s goal of building 1.5 million homes.

The NHS’s top cancer doctor has urged the public to check for changes in their body and cancer symptoms, as a new survey found people were nearly twice as likely to check the weather forecast or their bank balance regularly than check themselves for potential signs of cancer.

A new platform is helping children read Welsh, even if their parents can’t, by teaching them how to pronounce words.

Blog posted by: Sarah Lombardi, Principal Content Designer and Steven Shukor, Principal Content Designer, 17 September 2024 – Categories: Content, User centred design.