UK Government outlines vision to empower and invest in society

The first Civil Society Strategy in 15 years will build stronger communities by bringing together businesses, charities and the public sector, the Government has vowed today. Civil society refers to organisations and individuals working to create social value, enriching lives and building a fairer society for all. Tracey Crouch, Minister for Sport and Civil Society, unveiled the new vision today, which places communities at the centre of decision-making and focuses on five key foundations of social value: people, places and the public, private and social sectors. The work follows the…

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UK Government to cut Fixed Odds Betting Terminals maximum stake from £100 to £2

The maximum stakes on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) are to be reduced from £100 to £2 to reduce the risk of gambling-related harm, Minister for Sport and Civil Society Tracey Crouch announced . The move comes off the back of a consultation with the public and the industry to ensure that we have the right balance between a sector that can grow and contribute to the economy and one that is socially responsible and doing all it should to protect consumers and communities. The government wants to reduce the…

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UK Government Rejects Environmental Audit Committee Recommendations

The Government has refused to take any decisive action on the complex issue of coffee cups – including the introduction of a ‘latte levy’ – and has instead chosen to rely on voluntary commitments. The Environmental Audit Committee has also announced today that it has asked the National Audit Office to inquire into the Government’s oversight of the Packaging Recovery Note scheme, to further scrutinise UK recycling policy. Environmental Audit Committee Chair, Mary Creagh MP: “The UK’s throwaway culture is having a devastating impact on our streets, beaches and seas.…

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Ethics Panel in London to consider use of facial recognition technologies

An independent panel that advises City Hall on the ethics of policing in the capital is to examine the use by the Metropolitan Police of facial recognition technology, and how they prioritise in the face of Government cuts to their budgets. Today the Mayor of London announced that a new Chair of the London Policing Ethics Panel, the ethical policy expert Dr Suzanne Shale, will review the Metropolitan Police’s use of facial-recognition technology as part of a wider look at digital policing. Facial recognition technology has been previously used at…

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Guide to help campaigners understand Lobbying Act launched by Campaign Collective

A free guide for charities to continue to campaign in the face of the “chilling effect” of the Lobbying Act has been launched by communications social enterprise Campaign Collective. The “Freedom To Campaign Guide” has been launched following the government’s recent rejection of the reforms to the law proposed by the Hodgson Review into the Act. In addition, the ease in which the Fixed Term Parliaments Act was overturned to call the 2017 General Election and the precarious nature of the political climate has meant that a “regulated period” as defined…

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