Government Office Network

Reprieve for businesses as ‘unfair’ ports tax frozen

gonetworkadmin — Fri, 28 May 2010 12:17:31 +0000

Many companies in ports across England will get a respite from their business rates bills as Government put a halt to demands for backdated charges. Read more...

Reforms will tackle poverty and get Britain working again

gonetworkadmin — Fri, 28 May 2010 12:13:25 +0000

The new Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Iain Duncan Smith set out his vision today for improving the quality of life of the worst off in Britain.

Calling for an end to a culture of welfare dependency by bringing the welfare system into the 21st century, Iain Duncan Smith set out the critical need to make work pay and end the situation where some of the poorest face huge penalties for trying to get off benefits and into work. For more details see the Department for Work and Pensions website.

Legislation to enable more schools to become academies

gonetworkadmin — Wed, 26 May 2010 14:01:44 +0000

An Academies Bill and an Education and Children’s Bill will be introduced to enable more schools to achieve academy status, give teachers greater freedoms over the curriculum and allow new providers to run state schools.

Further details can be found on the Department for Education website.

Queen’s Speech 2010

gonetworkadmin — Tue, 25 May 2010 12:58:30 +0000

The Queen today outlined the Government’s priorities for the coming Parliamentary year in the Queen’s Speech, following the official state opening of Parliament.

A transcript of the Speech and quotes can be found on the No 10 website.

£6.2 billion savings announced

gonetworkadmin — Tue, 25 May 2010 09:43:40 +0000

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt Hon George Osborne, and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Rt Hon David Laws, announced details of £6.2 billion of savings from Government spending in 2010-11 to tackle the unprecedented £156 billion deficit, while protecting the quality of key frontline services.

You can view drafts of their speeches on the HM Treasury website.

HIPS suspended

gonetworkadmin — Thu, 20 May 2010 13:49:31 +0000

In an important step at a point of fragile recovery in the housing market, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles and Housing Minister Grant Shapps today announced that with immediate effect, they are suspending the requirement for homeowners to provide a Home Information Pack (HIP) when selling their homes.

View the Communities and Local Government website for further information.

Launch of programme for government

gonetworkadmin — Thu, 20 May 2010 10:39:23 +0000

The Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister today published the Coalition’s programme for government.

This expands on the Coalition agreement produced by the parties and include issues not covered in that original agreement.

You can read the Coalition agreement here.

Political reform speech

gonetworkadmin — Wed, 19 May 2010 16:11:10 +0000

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has made a speech on the revolutionary programme of political reforms he will be leading for the Government.

Click here to read the draft of the speech

Government puts Big Society at the heart of public sector reform

gonetworkadmin — Wed, 19 May 2010 07:51:09 +0000

A new era of people power at the centre of the new Government has been announced today by the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. At a round table event in the Cabinet Room in Number 10, a group of civil society community activists and leaders met with the Prime Minister David Cameron, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude and Minister for Civil Society Nick Hurd to debate the Government’s Big Society programme.

For further information view the Cabinet Office website.

Review of help for homeowners

admintest — Thu, 13 May 2010 16:04:20 +0000

Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles is to review help for homeowners, it was announced today.

The pledge came after figures published today by the Council of Mortgage Lenders and the Ministry of Justice show that the threat of repossession remains very real for homeowners across the country.

A Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “That’s why the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, will be asking the new Housing Minister to take a fresh look at existing Government schemes which help homeowners struggling to pay their mortgage and make sure that they offer the best deal for homeowners, as well as value for money for the taxpayer.”