Welcome to WiredGov Plus

WiredGov Plus provides a weekly roundup of news from the UK Government and Public Sector. To save your time, we research & validate the links to websites / documents and selectively add additional background links as appropriate.

Editor’s choice of ICT items of note:

Luxury on the Surface: Social Media Influencers and Financial Crime

NCSC enters new partnership for PDNS delivery

UK Government to partner on AI Safety with The Republic of Korea

From valves and control systems to AI and robotics: is Sellafield the ultimate engineering training ground?

Deputy Prime Minister and Education Secretary host roundtable to harness the benefits of AI in education

The UK's Competition Authority seeks to address concerns in markets for AI Foundation Models

Using research to guide our online safety work

Housing association reprimanded for exposing personal information on online portal

New research on how UK adults navigate an increasingly online world

'Let’s build a system to keep children safe online' – Meet Almudena Lara, child protection policy lead

A window into young children’s online worlds
 

UKA Live: Harnessing technology and procurement to power innovation
Online panel discussion - 24 April, 11:00-12:00

Harnessing digital, data and technology (DDaT) to deliver innovative solutions and services that 'break the mould' is essential if the sector is to deliver better services at less cost to our citizens. But buying such innovation is not always easy within traditional public sector procurement processes. Does the new Procurement Act 2023 coming into effect this autumn provide an opportunity to reimagine procurement, to boost innovation and transform public services? Join us LIVE as our expert panel discusses 'the art of the possible' … 

Panel includes:
Rikesh Shah, Head of Innovation Procurement Enablement Centre, Connected Places Catapult I Carol Williams, Director Transformation & Digital/SIRO, Walsall Council and VP, Socitm I Katy Armstrong, Deputy Director for Digital Services, DLUHC I Helen Olsen Bedford, Publisher and Host, UKAuthority...Register FREE now
 
Editor’s choice of Health, Social Care & Homelessness related items of note:

Survey shows strong support for schools' role in children and young people's health and wellbeing

Chief Medical Officer for England on the tobacco and vapes bill

Tobacco & Vapes Bill Second Reading Opening Speech

MPs to vote on landmark Bill to create Smokefree generation

Households threatened with homelessness over 80,000 times due to Section 21 evictions since Government promised to scrap them

NHS Confederation - Response to the Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Act inquiry report

Cabinet Secretary response to latest NHS Wales performance data – February and March 2024

NHS Confederation - Addressing inequalities will be our only hope of sustainable health and care services

Using genetics to improve health outcomes

ICO publishes guidance to improve transparency in health and social care
 
Editor’s choice of Business / Commercial items of note:

Check if your business is eligible to benefit from grants to help reduce running costs

UK and U.S. to clamp down harder on the trade of Russian metals

Report marks two years of unique assessment innovation fund

Regulator investigates fundraising activity over links to pro-Hamas media outlet

IFS - New tax year gives Chancellor more ‘headroom’ but doesn’t change the fundamentals

The King's Fund - System working lays the groundwork for improved dementia diagnosis but more to be done

New funding to uncork future winemaking talent

Multi-million pound funding boost for home-grown video game developers
 
Editor’s choice of Policy & General items of note:

First Minister’s concerns over UK decision to continue to arm Israel

Gross misconduct proven against former Dorset Police Special Constable over offensive WhatsApp messages

HMRC Publish Cross Justice Secure Mail PIN

Sweden’s Foreign Minister Visits RUSI to Discuss NATO and Russia

Publication of Wildlife Crime in Scotland 2022

APM North East Regional Network launches Project Management Challenge Finals Night

Four arrested on suspicion of smuggling money from UK to Albania

RUSI’s CFCS Becomes the Centre for Finance and Security (CFS)

UK statement to 2024 OSCE Alliance trafficking conference session on targeting vulnerabilities

COP28 net-zero exports close to £70 million

A new European Court of Human Rights ruling has established a vital new precedent

UK Defence Minister speech at Black Sea Security Conference 2024
 
SME Supplier Locator update...

With the officially stated target and ongoing drive for SME’s to receive £1 of every £3 spent on government contracts, UK public sector spend with SME’s is continually on the increase.

Against this ambitious backdrop, the WiredGov Supplier Locator service has been developed specifically to embrace the SME Agenda and provide the ideal platform for SME’s to promote their services, solutions, accreditation and success stories directly to our ever increasing audience across all government and public sector verticals and Tier 1 suppliers.

Recent arrivals to the SME Supplier Locator service include:

Click here to find out more.

Bulb Tech Group Limited
 
Please choose from the links below to view individual sections of interest:
Residential Landlords Association
Our Latest Updates

Time to get on with Renters (Reform) Bill say landlords
The NRLA responds to confirmation that the Renters (Reform) Bill will be heading back to the House of Commons for the report stage of the legislative process.

NRLA agrees new partnership with GetGround
Today, the NRLA welcomes our new partner GetGround, the all-in-one property investment platform for buy-to-let landlords looking to find, structure, and manage their UK limited companies.

Supply and demand inbalance must be addressed to support rental market
CEO Ben Beadle has recently commented on the Resolution Foundation Report, which highlighted the recent trends in rental-price growth, such as average rents being risen by 15 per cent since January 2022, and are currently rising at their fastest rates on record, growing by 9 per cent over the year to February 2024.

Could the relaxation of permitted development rights hit housing standards?
The UK’s housing crisis is undeniable. But the reasons behind it are more contested – planners, developers and the Government are variously criticised for the lack of supply.

Supply crisis the crux of rising rents
Supply and demand issues are driving rents ever higher, with urgent action needed to support landlords and tenants.