Thirteenth Report of Session 2012-13

Thirteenth Report of Session 2012-13
Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: European Scrutiny Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
Total Pages: 206
Release: 2012-11-02
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9780215049773

HC 886 - Investigating Clinical Incidents in the NHS

HC 886 - Investigating Clinical Incidents in the NHS
Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Public Administration Select Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
Total Pages: 75
Release: 2015
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 0215085752

PASC is inquiring into how incidents of clinical failure in the NHS are investigated - and how subsequent complaints are handled. The Committee is considering ways that untoward clinical incidents could be investigated immediately at a local level, so that facts and evidence are established early, without the need to find blame, and regardless of whether a complaint has been raised. It is hoped that this work will reduce the need for complaints to go to the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman (PHSO), whose main role relates to administrative and service failures in the NHS in England.

Child sexual exploitation and the response to localised grooming

Child sexual exploitation and the response to localised grooming
Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Home Affairs Committee
Publisher: Stationery Office
Total Pages: 84
Release: 2013-06-10
Genre: Law
ISBN: 9780215058867

This report reveals results of the inquiry into children being treated in an appalling way not just by their abusers but, because of catastrophic failures by the very agencies that society has appointed to protect them. It is still happening, in every part of the country. The quality of the response to the abuse depends on where you live and that is inexcusable. Race is a factor but it is one of many in cases of child sexual exploitation. Officials who fail to act, for example in places like Rotherham or Rochdale, must not be allowed to evade responsibility through early retirement or resignation for other reasons and should not be paid compensation of any kind. The police, social services and the Crown Prosecution Service must all bear responsibility for the way in which vulnerable children have been left unprotected by the system. The Ministry of Justice ought to implement a number of reforms to court processes including section 28 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999; the introduction of specialist courts either for child sexual exploitation cases or for sexual offences as a whole; and invite the Lord Chief Justice to consider recommending to the Judicial College that specific training on child sexual exploitation cases be developed and provided

HC 1152 - Our Work in the 2010-2015 Parliament

HC 1152 - Our Work in the 2010-2015 Parliament
Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Public Administration Select Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
Total Pages: 37
Release: 2015
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0215085841

As one of a small number of cross-government select committees, this Committee has gained a perspective on the state of Whitehall and its agencies which is not available to departmental select committees. Throughout the past five years, the recurring theme of their findings and recommendations reflects the importance of effective leadership in creating effective organisations. It is the positive or negative attitudes and behaviour in the people and the culture of an organisation which determines success or failure. Structures, processes and systems are important too, but preoccupation with these so often becomes a distraction from the real problems, which are about why people do not share information for the common good, collaborate effectively and trust one another. PASC took control of the process of selection of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) away from the Government altogether, so that for the first time Parliament has appointed its Ombudsman. They have also held many pre-appointment hearings for the Chairs of public bodies and were the first Select Committee to refuse to accept a government nomination for the chair of a public body. The Government was forced to re-run the selection for the post of Chair of the UK Statistics Authority under a new selection panel, and to propose a different candidate. They also hold hearings on PHSO's thematic reports, to interrogate and hold to account those who must respond to its recommendations. PASC has worked together effectively as a team despite political differences and the often controversial issues tackled

Foreign Policies of EU Member States

Foreign Policies of EU Member States
Author: Amelia Hadfield
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 340
Release: 2017-06-14
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1351997211

Foreign Policies of EU Member States provides a clear and current overview of the motivations and outcomes of EU Member States regarding their foreign policy-making within and beyond the EU. It provides an in-depth analysis of intra-EU policy-making and sheds light, in an innovative and understandable way, on the lesser-known aspects of the inter-EU and extra-EU foreign policies of the twenty-eight Member States. The text has an innovative method of thematic organisation in which case study state profiles emerge via dominant foreign policy themes. The text examines the three main policy challenges currently faced by the twenty-eight Member States: First, EU Member States must cooperate within the mechanisms of the EU, including the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). Second, EU Member States continue to construct their own inter-EU foreign policies. Third, the sovereign prerogative exercised by all EU Member States is to construct their own foreign policies on everything from trade and defence with the rest of the world. This combination of clarity, thematic structure and empirical case studies make this an ideal textbook for all upper-level students of European foreign policy, comparative European politics and European studies.

HC 870 - Autumn Statement 2014

HC 870 - Autumn Statement 2014
Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Treasury Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
Total Pages: 88
Release: 2015
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0215081536

The Treasury has again been unable to provide all the information needed by deadlines agreed with the OBR. The Government may, as the Chairman of the Office for Budget Responsibility suggested, have decided that for political reasons this was a "price worth paying." This would set an undesirable precedent. The work of the Office for Budget Responsibility depends on the Treasury meeting the agreed deadlines. The Committee welcomes the OBR's innovation of providing uncertainty ratings for policy costings. The Committee recommends in future that the OBR publish a breakdown of the uncertainty rating assessment against the three criteria for all announced measures at Autumn Statements and Budgets. The Committee also welcomes the Government's continued publication of the distributional analysis of the Government's policy changes and recommends that the next Government continue with this important aid to transparency. The current inflation target set by the Government is symmetrical, and is 2 per cent at all times. Several witnesses alluded to the risks of very low inflation and subsequent deflation, including the Chancellor. The Chancellor has publicly welcomed the current level of inflation. This is not likely to help anchor inflationary expectations. The Governor of the Bank of England is required to write to explain to the Chancellor why inflation has fallen below 1 per cent. It is important to avoid mixed messages on inflation targeting. The Bank of England should undertake research on the effect of net migration, and the potential for future net migration, on the supply of labour and wage growth as part of the work on meeting the MPC's remit. The Treasury should ensure that discussions within Government on immigration policy fully consider the requirements of the economy.

HC 799 - Out-Of-Court Displosals

HC 799 - Out-Of-Court Displosals
Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Home Affairs Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
Total Pages: 29
Release: 2015
Genre: Law
ISBN: 021508389X

Out-of-court disposals (OOCDs) can provide the police with simple, swift and proportionate responses to low-risk offending, which they can administer locally without having to take the matter to court. As a quick and effective means of dealing with less serious offences, they enable police officers to spend more time on frontline duties and on tackling more serious crime. Additionally, OOCDs can often represent an effective response to offending that can focus on the needs of the victim. There are currently six ways in which offences can be addressed by the police without the matter proceeding to court (excluding no further action). These are: (i) Cannabis Warnings: a formal warning from a police officer for simple possession of cannabis for personal use; (ii) Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs); (iii) Penalty Notices for Disorder (PND): an offender is offered the chance by a police officer to pay a fixed penalty of £50 or £80 to discharge liability for an offence and avoid a court appearance; (iv) Simple Cautions: a formal warning from a police officer following an admission of guilt; (v) Conditional Cautions: a caution with conditions attached. These are issued to tackle offending behaviour, provide reparation and enable compensation to be paid to victims, where appropriate. Failure to comply with the conditions will usually result in prosecution for the original offence; and (vi) Community Resolutions.

Making Governments Accountable

Making Governments Accountable
Author: Zahirul Hoque
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 342
Release: 2015-05-15
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1317666976

Over the past two decades, there has been a paradigm shift in public administration and public sector accounting around the world, with increasing emphasis on good governance and accountability processes for government entities. This is all driven both by economic rationalism, and by changing expectations of what governments can and should do. An important aspect of this accountability and governance process is the establishment and effective functioning of a Public Accounts Committee (PAC), a key component of democratic accountability. With contributions from renowned scholars and practitioners, and using case studies from around the world, this research-based collection examines the rationales for current roles of the PACs and explores the links between PACs and National Audit Offices. It also compares PAC practices from developing and developed countries such as Africa, Asia, Pacific islands, and Europe with both Westminster and non-Westminster models of government. This will be valuable reading for academics, researchers, and advanced students in public management, public accounting and public sector governance.

Police and Crime Commissioners

Police and Crime Commissioners
Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Home Affairs Committee
Publisher: Stationery Office
Total Pages: 48
Release: 2013-05-23
Genre: Law
ISBN: 9780215057624

In this, the first register for PCCs, we find that there is a massive gap between Commissioners' costs and their other activities. A system of local scrutiny makes sense for PCCs, but the public cannot possibly judge whether their PCC is upholding the standards of the office and giving them a good deal unless they make a comparison with other PCCs. Some Commissioners have already failed to meet the deadline for publishing information online, but there is no one in Government keeping track. A national register is vital for local accountability. Police and Crime Panels must redouble their oversight of their PCCs. Already there has been a suspension of a chief constable without consultation in Lincolnshire, controversial personal and political appointments without scrutiny by the PCP in Kent and other areas, and PCCs with second, third and even fourth jobs. We need to guard against maverick decision-making. PCCs have national responsibilities as well as local. It is right that they should meet the same standards of disclosure as chief constables. In future, the Government must commission a full register from an independent national body, such as HMIC