Earlier this morning a fishing vessel, the Budding Rose, a fishing vessel heard an urgency ‘pan pan’ call on VHF from a two person Norwegian crew on board the  yacht `Serenity’ some 8 miles from their position and about 80 miles due east of the Shetland Islands.

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Land Registry has published a new guide where deeds lodged for registration require correction or alteration.  It also gives advice about how to deal with the different situations that can arise.

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Baroness Julia Neuberger, the Government’s independent volunteering Champion, today called for all civil servants to be given up to five days off per year to volunteer.

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Carol Brady, Project Director for the Local Better Regulation Office, was awarded a Fellowship at the Trading Standards Institute’s (TSI) Annual Conference.

The Highways Agency has published its new procurement strategy today, setting out its approach to procurement of goods, services and construction expertise for the next 5-10 years.

Secretary of State for Defence, Bob Ainsworth today set out the process towards undertaking a Strategic Defence Review in the next Parliament. The recently updated National Security Strategy (NSS) will provide the framework for the review which will be designed to ensure that the UK’s Armed Forces are fully prepared for future threats and challenges to Britain’s security.

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Maintaining passport security and delivering a high quality service to customers is the driving force behind a fee increase of £5.50 for a standard passport, the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) and Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) announced today.

ECGD, the UK’s official export credit agency, is back ‘on cover’ for Iraq.

The Department for Business today launched a consultation on new regulations that will make it unlawful for trade union members to be denied employment through secret blacklists.

The Department of Health has appointed Roy Taylor as the new National Director for Social Care Flu Resilience, Care Services Minister Phil Hope announced today.

Four people were rescued from the Solent this afternoon as Solent Coastguard co-ordinated the rescue of two swimmers in Littlehampton and two people from a holed yacht near Southsea.

The head of the Secretariat for Sir John Chilcot’s committee of inquiry into Iraq has been named today.

A new poverty action plan to help the world’s poorest people cope with the economic crisis was announced today by International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander. 

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Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell will be joined by Dragons' Den star Peter Jones and the former Olympic Triple Jump champion Jonathan Edwards at Civil Service Live 2009.

This is an opportunity for frontline staff and managers to drive innovation by coming up with imaginative solutions that will help Britain improve public service both now and in the future.

New centre in Colchester will see patients 8am-10pm, seven days a week

The Government’s Planning Portal is aiming to forge greater links with the English local planning authorities (LPAs) by providing them with the tools that will see them save time, money and effort when dealing with daily planning enquiries.

The Serious Fraud Office has today been asked to consider whether there should be a criminal investigation following completion of an inquiry into the collapse of the MG Rover Group owing creditors nearly £1.3 billion.

The Lord Chancellor, the Right Honourable Jack Straw MP, has appointed Alison Grace Clark to be a Salaried Judge of the First-tier Tribunal of the Health, Education and Social Care Chamber, to exercise the mental health jurisdiction within that Chamber in the Northern Region, with effect from 21 September 2009.

Coastguards are asking people to call them if they are launching Chinese lanterns along the coast at dusk following a spate of false alarms that has led to teams being sent out unnecessarily.

His Honour Judge Charles Tilling retires as a Senior Circuit Judge on 5 July 2009.

The Department of Health (DH) and Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) are seeking two agencies to manage the creative and communications planning activity for new campaigns to help reduce teenage pregnancy; improve sexual health in young people; and raise awareness of the range of contraceptive choices available.

On Monday 6 July 2009, at 11am at Comely Bank Cemetery in Edinburgh, former machine gunner Alf Tubb will unveil a headstone in memory of Reginald Earnshaw, his friend and former shipmate who was one of the youngest service casualties of the Second World War.   Records show Reginald Earnshaw was aged “about 15” when he died aboard the SS North Devon, but it’s believed he may have lied about his age in order to serve his country, perhaps being as young as just 14. 

The Government today begins a consultation on how employment tribunals can pass on details about whistleblowing cases to appropriate regulators.

The Department for Transport has appointed Dai Powell as the new Chair of the Disabled Persons’ Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC).

There’s so much information out there about climate change that it is hard to know what to believe. It can get a bit confusing but it doesn’t have to be like that.

The Met Office is giving a clear guide to the facts about climate change and what can be expected in the future at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show next week. We will also dispel doubts by talking about the fiction.