Jan262017

Green Party: Poverty to blame for child health inequality

Green Party
image_pdfimage_print

26 January 2017

The Green Party is deeply concerned child health in the UK is lagging behind that of most other European countries due to poverty rates [1]. Experts say little progress has been made to address the social factors behind health inequality since it was highlighted in a Government report in 2010 [2].

Jonathan Bartley, Green Party co-leader, said:

“It’s appalling we’re failing to give children the best start in life, even though Britain is one of the richest countries in the world. Children deserve to be happy and healthy, no matter where they are born or how much money their parents make.

“We can’t tackle a growing health gap between rich and poor children without looking at the way inequality is entrenched more widely. We’re in an age of insecurity where life is getting worse for those who are struggling the most.

“The Government has a dismal record on child poverty, abolishing the child poverty unit [3] and scrapping child poverty targets [4]. Government cuts to public services have taken a toll and unless the Prime Minister prioritises tackling poverty, inequality will continue to soar, with a flow on effect on children’s health and the NHS, which will struggle to cope with increased demand.”

Notes:

  1. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/jan/25/poverty-in-the-uk-jeopardising-childrens-health-warns-landmark-report
  2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-38743574
  3. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/dec/20/fears-after-government-abolishes-civil-services-child-poverty-unit
  4. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/jul/01/government-scrap-legal-requirements-child-poverty

Back to main news page

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

Jan262017

News story: New talent joins British Transport Police Authority Board

HM Government
image_pdfimage_print

New appointments to the body that oversees the specialist rail police force in Britain.

The body that oversees the specialist rail police force in Britain is to be further strengthened by the appointment of a new deputy chair and 5 new board members, the Department for Transport has announced.

Mark Phillips, who has been a board member of the British Transport Police Authority since 2013, has been appointed as the new deputy chair. He is also currently Chief Executive Officer at the Rail Safety and Standards Board and has previously worked at Network Rail as Regional Director for Anglia and as Deputy Managing Director for the Greater Anglia franchise.

In addition experienced businessman William Gallagher, chartered accountant Shrinivas Honap, experienced strategist Jeremy Mayhew, retired chief constable Martin Richards and human resources expert Beverley Shears have been appointed as new members of the BTPA Board.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said:

We are delivering the biggest rail modernisation programme for more than a century to improve services and provide passengers with faster and more comfortable trains. British Transport Police will play a major role in delivering our vision for a growing and sustainable railway. I am confident the newly-refreshed team will provide the strategic direction the force needs to offer even better value to the rail industry and the taxpayer while fighting crime, reducing disruption and keeping the network safe for passengers and rail staff alike.

The new deputy chair took up his role in November 2016 and the new members will be taking up their roles in January 2017.

Jan262017

News story: UK Space Agency funds satellite solutions for developing countries

HM Government
image_pdfimage_print

The UK Space Agency’s International Partnership Programme (IPP), is a five-year, £152 million programme designed to partner UK space expertise with governments and organisations in emerging and developing economies around the world to deliver a sustainable, economic or societal benefit. Satellite data will be used to tackle problems such as flooding, drought, and deforestation.

The 21 chosen projects help provide solutions for local issues in countries across Africa, Asia and Central and South America. They include providing communications in remote areas for education and health provision, improving maritime safety for small fishing vessels in South Africa and Madagascar and reducing illegal logging in Guatemala.

The IPP focuses on using the UK Space sector’s research and innovation strengths to deliver practical and measurable effects to end-users in developing countries. As GCRF forms part of the UK’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) ring-fenced budget, the new IPP programme is fully ODA compliant.

Funded from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), the IPP forms part of the UK’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) ring-fenced budget. They projects underwent a rigorous selection process to ensure that they met strict requirements for ODA and UN sustainability goals. The UK Space Agency part funds IPP projects with a proportion of the cost shared by the programme applicants to ensure cost effectiveness and value for money.

View the whole list of IPP funded case studies.

The IPP will make a second call for applications later this year, with an opportunity for new projects to secure funding.

Case study: Ecometrica, Edinburgh

Forests2020

Grant: £14.3 million Target country: Indonesia, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Ghana and Kenya

This project addresses critical gaps in current forest monitoring systems by providing a sustained and effective forest monitoring system capable of measuring forest change and providing information on the risks and drivers of forest loss. The project focusses on Indonesia, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Ghana and Kenya. It will use publically available Earth Observation optical data and commercial LIDAR/radar products as well as set up in-country capacity building EO monitoring stations.

Case study: exactEarth Europe Ltd (eEE) Harwell, Oxfordhsire

sOuth Africa Safety Initiative for Small vessels Operational Take-Up (OASIS-TU)

Grant: £1.1 million Target country: South Africa, Madagascar Following on from their IPSP project, this project will install 1,500 transponders across the most at-risk artisanal fishing boats in South Africa. exactEarth will use their constellation of ‘Automatic Identification System’ monitoring satellites to track these boats in partnership with the South African Maritime Safety Authority; and this will ensure a more effective rescue approach for the small boats and reduce the current high loss of life in this sector.