Category: News Story

STORY

The Business and Trade Committee has called on the Government to reconsider what it described as an inadequate response to recommendations for supporting Britain’s small businesses. MPs said Ministers had fully accepted only six of the committee’s 36 proposals and had relied too heavily on existing schemes.

The committee argued that small companies were facing the cumulative effect of tax, employment, regulatory and energy policies developed without sufficient consideration of their combined impact. It called for a more coherent cross-Government approach to business growth and productivity.

The criticism was published ahead of an appearance by Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle before the committee. MPs said small and medium-sized enterprises required clearer accountability, improved access to finance and a strategy capable of addressing the pressures reported during their inquiry.

STORY

The Government has said it will implement all 34 recommendations from an independent review into abuse and safeguarding failures affecting children in custody. Measures will include independent oversight of abuse allegations and access to dedicated social workers for every child held in the youth estate.

Ministers said staff vetting would also be strengthened and complaints investigated more consistently. The announcement follows the Government’s apology over abuse at Medomsley detention centre and wider concerns about whether children in custody have been adequately protected.

The Ministry of Justice said the reforms were intended to ensure allegations could not be ignored or handled solely within the institution concerned. Campaigners and survivors have argued that independent scrutiny is essential if confidence in the youth custody system is to be restored.

STORY

Major companies including M&S, Nationwide, ITV, Microsoft UK and Cloudflare have become early signatories to a new Government-backed Cyber Resilience Pledge. The initiative asks businesses to take practical measures to protect themselves, their customers and supply chains from cyber attacks.

Signatories are expected to give cyber security greater attention at board level, make use of National Cyber Security Centre tools and improve the management of risks involving suppliers. The Government said the pledge was designed to turn general awareness into measurable action across the private sector.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said recent attacks had demonstrated the economic and operational damage that weak cyber resilience could cause. Ministers are urging more organisations to join as part of a wider effort to improve national preparedness and reduce disruption to essential services.

STORY

The Government has opened a six-week call for evidence on reforms to Carer’s Allowance, with Ministers considering changes to the earnings limit and the way income is assessed. The review is intended to reduce the risk that carers lose all entitlement after exceeding the current threshold by a small amount.

The Department for Work and Pensions said it wanted to make the benefit more predictable for people whose pay varies from week to week. It will also seek views on how carers can be better supported to combine paid employment with substantial caring responsibilities.

The consultation follows repeated criticism of overpayment demands issued to carers who unknowingly crossed the earnings limit. Ministers said responses from carers, employers and representative organisations would help shape proposals for a system that is easier to understand and administer.

STORY

UEFA has accused FIFA of crossing a “red line” after the world governing body reversed the automatic suspension of United States forward Folarin Balogun during the World Cup. The decision allowed Balogun to be available for the USA’s last 16 match against Belgium despite his red card in the previous round.

Balogun had been sent off during the United States’ round of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a one-match ban expected to follow as normal. FIFA instead suspended the sanction under Article 27 of its disciplinary code, while leaving the red card on his disciplinary record.

UEFA said the decision was “incomprehensible and unjustifiable” and warned that it undermined the integrity and credibility of the competition. The governing body argued that automatic suspensions for red cards should not be treated as discretionary, particularly during the knockout stages of a World Cup.

The controversy has left FIFA facing serious questions over consistency, transparency and the independence of its disciplinary process. The decision has also placed further pressure on tournament organisers at a stage when the World Cup should be focused on football rather than disputes over rules, influence and special treatment.

Belgium reacted angrily to the reversal, with its football association questioning how FIFA had reached its decision. Reports said Belgian officials were considering legal action, arguing that the ruling appeared to conflict with FIFA’s own regulations.

Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia also criticised the timing and nature of the decision. CBS Sports reported that Garcia joked he “didn’t know that July 5 was equal to April 1 at FIFA”, reflecting the disbelief caused by the late change before the knockout tie.

The case has been made still more politically sensitive by reports that US President Donald Trump contacted FIFA president Gianni Infantino before the reversal. The Guardian reported that Trump made several calls to FIFA and that the White House’s World Cup task force was involved in legal arguments over the decision.

Those reports have fuelled concern that political pressure may have played a part in a decision affecting a host nation’s chances in the tournament. FIFA has cited its disciplinary code, but the lack of a detailed public explanation has intensified criticism from football authorities and commentators.

STORY

Croydon Council has told the Government that the scale of the challenge facing the authority remains significant despite progress on stabilisation and transformation work. The council submitted an update on its improvement programme after years of serious financial and governance difficulties.

The authority said foundations for change had been put in place, but that further work was needed to deliver results. It said it was continuing to review its financial strategy, embed financial stewardship across directorates and identify additional medium-term savings.

Croydon has been one of the highest-profile examples of financial failure in English local Government. The latest update suggests the council is continuing to work through major legacy issues while attempting to restore confidence in its finances and governance arrangements.

STORY

Local Government finance specialists have warned that public services should be placed at the centre of the next Prime Minister’s plans as councils face continuing pressure on budgets. A reported £7 billion funding gap has added to calls for a longer-term settlement for local public services.

The warning reflects continuing concern about adult social care, children’s services, homelessness, special educational needs and wider neighbourhood services. Councils have argued that short-term funding packages have not resolved structural pressures caused by rising demand and higher costs.

Local Government bodies are expected to keep pressing ministers for greater financial certainty ahead of future spending decisions. The debate also sits alongside wider discussions about fiscal devolution, local audit, council reorganisation and the balance of responsibilities between Whitehall and local authorities.

STORY

The European Commission has proposed five major cross-border defence projects intended to strengthen co-operation between member states and partner countries. The proposals are part of efforts to build European defence capacity in response to Russia’s war in Ukraine and wider security concerns.

The projects include work on drones and counter-drone systems, eastern flank surveillance, maritime and seabed defence, air and missile defence and space-based defence capabilities. The plans are intended to support long-term industrial collaboration and reduce fragmentation in European defence procurement.

The proposals will require approval from the Council of the EU. The Commission has argued that joint projects can help improve Europe’s ability to develop complex defence systems while complementing NATO priorities and strengthening the competitiveness of European industry.

STORY

Members of the European Parliament are preparing to vote on updated air passenger rights during the July plenary session in Strasbourg. The proposed rules include compensation after a three-hour delay and fee-free seating for children travelling with accompanying adults.

The vote forms part of the Parliament’s 6 to 9 July agenda, which also includes debates on the June European Council summit, Ukraine and Moldova’s EU paths, social security co-ordination and support for farmers affected by fertiliser costs.

Supporters of the air passenger proposals say they would provide clearer protections for travellers affected by disruption. Airlines and member states have previously raised concerns about the cost and operational impact of passenger compensation rules, meaning further negotiation may still be required.

STORY

Affordable housing providers have warned that changes to planning obligations could reduce the number of affordable homes built in rural areas. The concern centres on possible reforms to Section 106 agreements, which currently require affordable housing contributions from many private developments.

The National Housing Federation has said that removing on-site affordable housing requirements from smaller developments could have a particularly damaging impact in rural England. It argues that many rural affordable homes are delivered on sites that would be affected by such a change.

The Government has said it wants to simplify the planning system and increase housebuilding, but no final decision has been confirmed on the specific reform. Housing organisations say any changes need to protect rural communities where local families can already struggle to find affordable homes.