Innovative local authorities are to work with some of the country’s biggest businesses in a new type of regulatory partnership which will aim to ensure that key trading laws are applied consistently. The test phase of the Primary Authority scheme, managed by the Local Better Regulation Office, will run from next month until March 2009 and will then be available across all councils from next April. 

Local Government is behind the times when it comes to identity authentication according to a new report from global information services company Experian. Its research shows that by contrast citizens are embracing new technology and two thirds of them want to access services online. 

The Information Commissioner’s Office has issued new sets of guidance for local authorities clarifying points of the Data Protection Act. The ICO is urging councils to consider the implications of the Act when they publish documents relating to council meetings and it has set out further help for local authority staff dealing with housing records. 

Figures today show that more than half of English universities have agreed to sponsor academies. So far 45 of the 88 universities have signed up to sponsor or set up a partnership with an academy in their area and even more have expressed an interest in being involved. 

A study published today shows that teachers and pupils agree that active participation and talking about their ideas in the classroom helps children learn more effectively than using ICT just because it is available. The study, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, recommends that future ICT procurement should be based on improving pupil involvement. 

Britain is dropping behind in the global health race, according to a report published today by the independent think tank Reform. It suggests that to catch up, Britain’s universal healthcare for everyone is combined with the insurance ideas that underpin global health leaders.
The report puts the case for a National Health Protection System, under which individuals would be able to invest a 2,000 pounds a year tax-funded premium to guarantee their healthcare. 

A new report is calling for local councils to be given more power over the provision of adult skills. The report, from the New Local Government Network, proposes a more streamlined skills model with more funding and control moving from Whitehall to local councils. 

Figures published today show that fire services are rescuing more than 300 people a week from fires and road accidents. The figures have been released for the first time by the Fire Brigades Union.
The FBU says the total number of people rescued by the fire service will be larger than the 322 in today’s report because some statistics, such as numbers of people rescued from flooding, or the London terrorist attacks, are not included. 

Charities and voluntary groups will be able to access more financial support to help them win contracts to deliver public services. The money will be available under a partnership between Futurebuilders England and the Royal Bank of Scotland.
Futurebuilders, the 215 million pound Government fund providing support and investment to help third sector organisations win contracts, is to work with the bank in an effort to make its services more accessible and to give organisations more options. 

Researchers have found that teachers are divided over the merits of using Web 2.0 applications, such as Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and Wikipedia in the classroom. The study commissioned by communications provider ntl:Telewest Business shows that half of them feel the applications add value to education while the other half see them as a distraction with no academic benefits.