Jul262017
The Vice President of India, Shri M. Hamid Ansari has said that an empowered civil society is crucial for a more humane redress of the yawning social gaps. He was addressing the gathering after releasing the book ‘Empowering the Marginalized’ authored by Shri Deepak Dwivedi, here today
Jul262017
Did you know it’s UK law that all vehicles must be taxed or declared off-road?
If you’ve got one or more of the 39 million vehicles registered in the UK, it’s quicker and easier than ever to keep on top of your responsibility to stay legal. Don’t get caught out by not taxing your vehicle.
If you’re not sure when your tax is due, you can check with us at any time using our Check if a vehicle is taxed service. You’ll still get a paper Vehicle Tax Reminder (V11) in the post, reminding you when your tax is due – nothing’s changed there.
Can’t manage the cost all at once? You can pay by Direct Debit.
It’s never been easier to tax your vehicle online or by ‘phone, on 0300 123 4321. Both these options are 24/7.
Or, if you prefer, you can tax at a Post Office that deals with vehicle tax.
So many different ways to tax your vehicle and stay within the law – there’s really no excuse not to.
Jul262017
A damning Audit Scotland report has revealed the scale of the SNP’s mismanagement of our NHS.
The report details the SNP staffing crisis in our health service, which began under Nicola Sturgeon when she was Health Secretary.
It states:
• There has been a 107 per cent increase in agency spending from 2011/12 to 2016/17 – from £82.8 million to £171.4 million.
• One in three NHS staff are now over the age of 50.
• There is a 4.5 per cent vacancy rate among nurses and midwifes – up from 1.8 per cent in 2011/12.
• There is a 7.4 per cent vacancy rate among consultants – up from 3.6 per cent in 2011/12.
This report reinforces our warnings that the SNP has presided over a workforce crisis in our NHS, leaving staff over-worked, under-valued and under-resourced.
Staff morale is at rock bottom in the health service, with staff reporting there simply aren’t enough of them to do the job properly.
As Audit Scotland confirms, this is part of the legacy left by Nicola Sturgeon who as Health Secretary slashed the number of training places for nurses and midwives.
Scotland now has a Health Secretary, Shona Robison, who is out of her depth and out of ideas. That is why our health service is in desperate need for a meaningful workforce plan.
We have established a workforce commission that will bring together professionals from across the NHS, representing different sectors, who will together examine the underlying causes for this staffing crisis and develop a strategy to tackle it.
You can read more about our workforce commission here
Read the Audit Scotland report here
We need a government that will fix the problems in our NHS. Agree? Join the Labour Party here
Jul262017
I welcome the progress made to resolve tensions at the Haram Al-Sharif / Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem, including Israel’s decision to remove metal detectors.
As the world knows, Jerusalem is a sacred place for millions of people. I welcome the continuing efforts being made by all parties to ensure the safety and security of the site whilst maintaining the status quo. I encourage all parties to continue their dialogue in order to de-escalate tensions further.
Jul262017
The Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer is leading NATO’s Standing Maritime Naval Group 2 (SNMG2), providing reassurance and deterrence in the Black Sea, as well as commanding NATO’s counter migration activity in the Aegean. For the next 12 months the Royal Navy is commanding two of the four NATO Standing Naval Forces, demonstrating the UK’s commitment to and leadership within the alliance.
The visit follows the announcement last week by the Defence Secretary that the UK is expanding its training of the Ukrainian Armed Forces with new military courses on countering threats from snipers, armoured vehicles and mortars.
Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said:
HMS Duncan’s visit to Odessa this week is a symbol of our unwavering support to our Ukrainian friends in the face of Russian belligerence and aggression.
We are also stepping up our work with NATO this year, leading half of NATO’s standing maritime forces, one of the four enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroups and have deployed Typhoon fast jets to Romania, in a tangible demonstration of our commitment to European security.
Before docking in Odessa, HMS Duncan led the NATO task force through one of the largest naval exercises staged in the Black Sea near the Bulgarian port of Varna.
Exercise Breeze 17 tested naval forces from Bulgaria, Turkey, USA, Italy, Poland, Romania and Greece alongside UK military personnel in their ability to safeguard Black Sea shores and shipping, strengthening the Alliance’s readiness and experience of joint operating.
This year, the UK is also leading Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG2). HMS Enterprise will be the flagship of the multinational force responsible for searching for and disposing of explosive ordnance. The group will be based mainly in the Mediterranean, and will be joined by HMS Pembroke in the second half of 2017.