National identity scheme a step closer to reality / Home Office, 21 November 2008
http://www.ips.gov.uk/identity/downloads/NIS_Legislation.pdf
A consultation has been launched, paving the way for the next step of the government's national identity scheme. The introduction of the first identity cards for British citizens moved forward today as the government began a 12-week consultation on the finer detail of the scheme's next phase.

Home Office: Closure of premises for persistent disorder or nuisance (HTML format)
Departments: Home Office
Document type: Information

Date of publication: 21 November 2008

http://www.respect.gov.uk/members/article.aspx?id=12676

Summary:
This document explains premises closure orders, which are tenure-neutral powers that can be used to offer communities immediate respite by temporarily closing premises for three months.

Under-age drinkers plaguing town / BBC, Friday, 17 October 2008
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7676021.stm
"Police said youths are descending on Lochgelly from nearby towns
Up to 200 teenagers are descending on a Fife town every week for co-ordinated drinking sessions, it has been claimed. Locals said youths were descending on Lochgelly from nearby towns such as Cardenden, Ballingry, and Cowdenbeath. Children as young as 12 were said to be getting drunk before causing trouble in Friday night gatherings, which it is thought are arranged in the classroom. Community wardens have tried free cinema tickets and minibuses to youth clubs to curb the problem."

400 foreign criminals allowed to stay in Britain
Up to 400 criminals involved in a foreign prisoner scandal, including some of the worst offenders, have been told they can stay in Britain, the Home Office has disclosed. / The Daily Telegraph, 20 November 2008
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/3490635/400-foreign-criminals-allowed-to-stay-in-Britain.html
Less than a third of the 1,013 convicts have been deported two and half years after the scandal broke and subsequently cost Charles Clarke his job as Home Secretary.
And many more could end up staying because 90 are still missing, 31 are in jail again and 160 are still going through the process. The figures emerged as immigration minister Phil Woolas admitted too many migrant workers have been let in under previous Government policies. He also launched another attack on asylum lawyers as he revealed the case of a Nigerian who had his claim rejected four times and was removed, only to have to be brought back because his solicitor lodged a judicial review."

More than one million added to the DNA database as children
/ The Daily Telegraph, 17 November 2008
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/3473483/More-than-one-million-added-to-the-DNA-database-as-children.html
"Campaigners said the revelations showed how children are being criminalised and treated as "suspects for life". Official figures show that, since the DNA database was created, 1.07million profiles of children have been added. This is nearly a quarter of the 4.4million profiles on the database. Anyone who comes into contact with the police, as an offender or a witness."

Statement on Safeguarding Children: Speech by Ed Balls / Department for Children, Schools and Families, 20 November 2008
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/speeches/search_detail.cfm?ID=846
"This is a transcript of the statement by Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls in the House of Commons on 20 November 2008. He talks about the actions taken since the serious case review into the death of Baby P."

Councils have saved 1.2 billion says Audit Commission, but further back office saving will be tough / Public Technology, 10 Oct 2008
http://www.publictechnology.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=17479

"A new Audit Commission report on the efficiency of English councils' back office activities finds that they face an uphill struggle to contribute to a further £4.9 billion of savings before 2010. The report, Back to Front, focuses on savings from back office council operations, such as finance, human resources, IT, procurement, legal services, facilities management, marketing and communications. These areas were originally highlighted in Sir Peter Gershon's 2004 review, and have contributed £1.2 billion, over a quarter, of the £4.3 billion efficiency savings made by English councils in the last three years (equivalent to £240 a year off the average Band D Council Tax bill*)."

Australian investigation into sale of ID theft-kits / Public Technology, 10 October 2008
http://www.publictechnology.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=17472
"Finjan, a provider of secure web gateway solutions for the enterprise market, has confirmed the findings of an Australian investigation into the sale of stolen credit and debit card information on the Internet. "It seems that Sydney Morning Herald reporters have uncovered the fact that almost anyone on Internet can buy stolen payment card details for as little as US$1.50 a time for Aussie details, and US$2.50 a time for US and English cardholder information," said Yuval Ben-Itzhak, chief technology officer with Finjan."

Dept of Health uses Science well, but review finds it needs to improve joint working / Public Technology, 9 October 2008
http://www.publictechnology.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=17469
"The Government Office for Science review published today commends the Department of Health on good practice in the way it commissions, manages and uses science. The report highlighted examples of good practice including the 'Best Research for Best Health' strategy in setting direction for NHS research and development, the role of the Policy Liaison Officers in the Policy Research Programme to support evidence based policy, and the role of the Scientific Advisory Committees in providing advice. However, the GO-Science Review also found that given the importance of science to the Department of Health policies there could be more consistency in the effective management of science, joint working (both across disciplines and with stakeholder groups), developing mechanisms to share and manage knowledge effectively, and the use of external scientific advice and expertise."

62 per cent of companies use Data De-duplication to chase away Storage Inefficiency / Public Technology, 9 Oct 2008
http://www.publictechnology.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=17468
"Research by Storage Expo has found that 62% of companies use De-duplication to increase efficiency, reduce storage requirements and also costs. A further 27% intended to implement de-duplication technology within the next 12 months. At the other end of the spectrum 4% do not intend to join the bandwagon and 6% claimed that De-duplication was not delivering what they expected. Simon Robinson, Research Director, The 451Group, commented, “Data De-duplication has emerged as one of the most talked about technologies in storage, and IT departments are actually embracing it, suggesting that De-duplication can provide real value and return on investment to businesses that deploy it.” "

Organisations unaware of criminals stealing data right under their noses / 3 October 2008
http://www.publictechnology.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=17432


"In a podcast interview released yesterday on www.infosecurityadvisor.com, Peter Wood Member of the ISACA Conference Committee and founder of First Base Technologies reveals the ease with which criminals are able to steal data and gives 3 critical steps organisations can take to block them. Wood reveals how he and a colleague walked unchallenged into an insurance company and were able to steal all their data as part of a security exercise. And he is not the only one to get away with stealing data; very often companies unwittingly hire people whose sole purpose is to steal data."

Government Olympic Executive Newsletter / Department for Culture, Media and Sport
http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/2012_olympic_games_and_paralympic_games/5602.aspx

"This page links to the latest issue of a newsletter designed to keep stakeholders up to date with government activity on the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games."

Minister announces review over baby's death / The Independent, Tuesday, 11 November 2008
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/minister-announces-review-over-babys-death-1010949.html
"Children's minister Beverley Hughes announced a nationwide independent review of child protection services today after the harrowing death of a toddler. The 17-month-old boy, who cannot be identified, was on the child protection register with Haringey social services in north London. His mother's 32-year-old boyfriend and another man, Jason Owen, 36, were convicted at the Old Bailey today of causing or allowing his death."

Home Office: Drugs interventions programme / Home Office, 11 November 2008
http://drugs.homeoffice.gov.uk/publication-search/dip/dip-conditional-cautioning
"This page gives information on the Home Office's drugs intervention programme, which is a key part of the government's strategy for tackling drugs and reducing crime. A fact sheet on conditional cautioning has been added."

National Conference on Injecting Drug Use: Speech by Dawn Primarolo / Department of Health, 7 November 2008
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/News/Speeches/DH_090082
"This is a transcript of the speech by Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo at a drug conference on 28 October 2008. She says that maintenance and abstinence are equally important in treating drug misuse."

Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary's Response to the Policing Green Paper / Home Office, 7 November 2008
http://inspectorates.homeoffice.gov.uk/hmic/inspections/special_humberside_police_report/HMCIC_s_response_to_the_pol11

"This is Sir Ronnie Flanagan’s letter to the Home Secretary in response to the policing green paper. He outlines a future for the inspectorate that champions the public interest by seeking to significantly improve public confidence in the analysis and assessment of police performance and improvement."

Responding to Rape: Speech by Alan Campbell / Home Office, 7 November 2008
http://press.homeoffice.gov.uk/Speeches/alan-campbell-speech-resonding
"This is a transcript of the speech by Home Office Minister Alan Campbell to the Lancashire and Cumbria Constabularies Joint Conference on 7 November 2008. He talks about the Government's role in ensuring that police have the support needed to deliver a first-class service to all victims of rape and sexual violence."

The Future of Policing: Speech by Jacqui Smith / Home Office, 7 November 2008
http://press.homeoffice.gov.uk/Speeches/home-sec-speech-police-future
"This is a transcript of the speech by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to the Neighbourhood Crime and Justice Group on 5 November 2008. She talks about the challenges facing policing.

Regulating the Security Industry: REPORT BY THE COMPTROLLER AND AUDITOR GENERAL HC 1036 Session 2007-2008 / TSO, 17 October 2008
PDF - http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/nao_reports/07-08/07081036.pdf

Police Reform e-Bulletin / Home Office, 5 November 2008
http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/police-reform-e-bulletin/policing-policy-e-bulletin-119?view=Standard&pubID=592181
"This page links to the Police Reform e-Bulletin, which is published every fortnight for those working on the police reform programme. Issue 119 has been added.

Neighbourhood Crime and Justice Areas / Home Office, 5 November 2008
http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/police-reform/neighbourhood-crime-justice-area?view=Standard&pubID=592256
"This document lists the 60 areas across the country that have signed up to become new neighbourhood crime and justice pioneer areas."