The United Kingdom welcomes Madagascar’s ratification in 2018 of six ILO Conventions and the 2014 Protocol to the Forced Labour Convention, and recognises its progress on developing bilateral agreements to ensure protection of Malagasy migrant workers from exploitation and all forms of modern slavery.

However, we are concerned by harsh, life-threatening prison conditions and use of extended pre-trial detention, including of minors. We encourage the Government to take measures to address this.

The UK calls on Madagascar to protect and promote the rights of women and children, ensuring equality of legal rights and protection from violence and prohibiting discriminatory actions and practices. We urge the Government to fully uphold and enforce laws prohibiting rape and child abuse and ensure perpetrators are held properly accountable within the law.

We recommend that Madagascar:

1) Strengthen existing legislation to ensure that all forms of modern slavery and human trafficking are criminalised in line with international conventions and standards, including the sexual exploitation of children.

2) Integrate measures to identify and combat abusive pre-trial detention into national action plans on prison reform.

3) Adopt an open, merit-based process when selecting national candidates for UN Treaty Body elections.

The Government Actuary’s Department (GAD) has launched a new blog site, where you can read more about the projects and successes of the department, by GAD people themselves.

The new platform Actuaries in government joins other government departments and public bodies on the blogging site where people in GAD will post blogs about our work on a regular basis.

Intelligent and informed analysis

In his opening blog, the Government Actuary Martin Clarke talks about the detailed issues which people in GAD deal with on a regular basis. These can include examining the:

• appropriate cost today for the future pensions of 5 million public sector workers • NHS’s liability for clinical negligence claims and what influences it • appropriate solvency standard for the emerging defined benefit pension consolidators

Martin Clarke commented: “These are all fascinating areas where public policy and the national interest intersect with the worlds of risk and uncertainty. An intelligent and informed analysis based on evidence and assumptions can lead to better decisions, and – in many cases – the avoidance of unnecessary costs.”

Risk management … and recruitment

In other posts we hear from GAD actuary Andy Jinks, who looks at the knotty problem of ‘bow tie’ risk management. As he says, it’s “an approach that’s applied more widely in the identification and management of any type of risk.”

We hear too from GAD’s Head of HR Operations about one of the largest recruitment exercises the department has ever run. We have vacancies for 12 actuaries and 6 part-qualified actuarial trainees, as well as an accounts receivable officer in the finance team – that’s 19 people in all. Read Shamailla’s blog about how the HR team is working with GAD team leaders to make sure the whole exercise runs as smoothly as possible.

‘Actuaries in government’ – join the conversation!

5 October 2020

Voice merged into Community on 1 October 2020. Please note that Voice ceased to exist from 1 October 2020 and has been removed from the list of trade unions maintained by the Certification Officer.

24 August 2020

An application to register the Instrument of Transfer of Voice to Community was received by the Certification Officer on 19 August 2020.

28 January 2020

Independent Democratic Union merged into Community on 27 January 2020. Please note the Independent Democratic Union ceased to exist from 27 January 2020 and has been removed from the list of trade unions maintained by the Certification Officer.

11 November 2019

An application to register the Instrument of Transfer of Independent Democratic Union to Community was received by the Certification Officer on 8 November 2019.

2 July 2019

Bluechip Staff Association merged into Community on 2 July 2019. Please note that Bluechip Staff Association ceased to exist from 2 July 2019 and has been removed from the list of trade unions maintained by the Certification Officer.

24 May 2019

An application to register the Instrument of Transfer of Bluechip Staff Association to Community was received by the Certification Officer on 16 May 2019.

1 May 2018

NACO merged into USDAW on 1 May 2018. Please note that NACO ceased to exist from 1 May 2018 and has been removed from the list of trade unions maintained by the Certification Officer.

1 February 2018

Staff Union West Bromwich Building Society merged into Community on 1 February 2018. Please note that Staff Union West Bromwich Building Society ceased to exist from 1 February 2018 and has been removed from the list of trade unions maintained by the Certification Officer.

19 December 2017

An application to register the Instrument of Transfer of Staff Union West Bromwich Building Society (SUWBBS) to Community was received by the Certification Officer on 18 December 2017.

1 September 2017

Association of Teachers and Lecturers and National Union of Teachers amalgamated to form National Education Union on 1 September 2017. Please note that both Association of Teachers and Lecturers and National Union of Teachers ceased to exist from 1 September 2017 and have been removed from the list of trade unions maintained by the Certification Officer.

2 May 2017

An application to register the Instrument of Amalgamation of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers and the National Union of Teachers was received by the Certification Officer on 25 April 2017.

23 January 2017

The Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (UCATT) merged into Unite the Union on 1 January 2017. Please note that UCATT ceased to exist from 1 January 2017 and has been removed from the list of trade unions maintained by the Certification Officer

20 January 2017

UFS merged into Community on 1 January 2017. Please note that UFS ceased to exist from 1 January 2017 and has been removed from the list of trade unions maintained by the Certification Officer.

20 January 2017

Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematograph and Theatre Union merged into Prospect on 1 January 2017. Please note that Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematograph and Theatre Union ceased to exist from 1 January 2017 and has been removed from the list of trade unions maintained by the Certification Officer.

1 December 2016

An application to register the Instrument of Transfer of UFS to Community was received by the Certification Officer on 17 November 2016.

9 November 2016

The Association of Principal fire Officers (APFO) merged into Prospect on 7 November 2016. Please note that APFO ceased to exist from 6 November 2016 and has been removed from the list of trade union maintained by the Certification Officer.

24 October 2016

An application to register the Instrument of Transfer of Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematograph and Theatre Union to Prospect was received by the Certification Officer on 18 October 2016.

19 June 2015

The Staff Association of Bank of Baroda (UK Region) merged into Unite the Union on 19 June 2015. Please note that the Staff Association of Bank of Baroda (UK Region) ceased to exist from 18 June 2015 and has been removed from the list of trade unions maintained by the Certification Officer.

7 May 2015

An application to register the Instrument of Transfer of the Staff Association of Bank of Baroda (UK Region) to Unite the Union was received by the Certification Officer on 7 May 2015.

5 May 2015

Unity merged into GMB on 16 April 2015. Please note that Unity ceased to exist from 15 April 2015 and has been removed from the list of trade unions maintained by the Certification Officer.

21 November 2014

Yorkshire Independent Staff Association (YISA) merged into Aegis the Union on 21 November 2014. Please note that YISA ceased to exist from 20 November and has been removed from the list of trade unions maintained by the Certification Officer.

3 November 2014

The Instrument of Transfer in respect of the merger of the British Association of Colliery Management – Technical Energy and Administrative Management (BACM-TEAM) to Prospect was registered by the Certification Officer on 3 November 2014. The Instrument comes into effect on 3 November 2014.

BACM-TEAM ceased to exist with effect from the date of registration of the Instrument and its name has been removed the Certification Officer’s list of trade unions.

3 October 2014

An application to register the Instrument of Transfer of YISA (Yorkshire Independent Staff Association) to Aegis was received by the Certification Officer on 3 October 2014.

17 September 2014

An application to register the Instrument of Transfer of British Association of Colliery Management – Technical Energy and Administrative Management (BACM-TEAM) to Prospect was received by the Certification Officer on 17 September 2014.

UK businesses are being encouraged to work with partner businesses in Israel on ideas for innovative products and services in all areas of the economy.

The funding competition builds on a memorandum of understanding on industrial collaboration signed by the UK and Israel in 2017.

It is being run under the EUREKA framework, an intergovernmental network that supports research and development by business across 41 European states and some states outside Europe.

Innovate UK has up to £1.5 million to invest in UK projects working with Israeli partners. The Israel Innovation Authority will support the work of Israeli partners.

Funding for game-changing ideas

Businesses can work on new ideas in any area of technology.

Projects must:

• have a clear game-changing idea that could lead to new products, processes or services and deliver economic growth
• demonstrate a strong business and financial plan and team to deliver it
• have awareness of the risks
• demonstrate the benefits of partners from the 2 countries working together

Competition information

• the competition opens on 11 November 2019, and the deadline for registration is at midday on 19 February 2020
• businesses of any size can apply and must work with at least 1 business partner in Israel
• we expect UK project costs to be between £200,000 and £250,000
• a briefing event will be held on 12 November 2019

Published 11 November 2019

Wednesday, 8 January, 2020

featuring

Eustace de Sousa │ National Lead for Health Inequalities and the Life Course │ Public Health England

and

Dr Helen Lowey │ Director of Public Health │ Bolton Council

For details and booking click here

Published 11 November 2019