Introduction
Editorial
Please note that individuals and organisations outside of government also contribute items to the bulletin; consequently, the content of this bulletin should not be assumed to reflect government policy or opinion.
Welcome to the twenty fourth issue of the policylink bulletin.
In this edition of the bulletin we have included material on a broad range of themes. In the New from research institutes and thinks tanks chapter under Employment and Skills there are two publications looking at this issue from different perspectives. The first argues that the Leitch review has resulted in a skills system which is designed to meet arbitrary targets rather than the needs of employers and individuals. The other looks at this issue from an EU viewpoint, providing a broad overview of skills mismatch and the factors that contribute to it.
We have highlighted in the Support for Policy Making chapter a new UK website that provides a free one-stop shop for government data on such topics as crime, education and health.
In the New Policy Relevant Publications chapter there are two reports from the Government Equalities Office focusing on Gender one looking at the drivers of the pay gap and the other on improving the position of women in the labour market. Also in this chapter the UK Department of Health is reviewing how departments carry out health impact assessments in a recently published report.
We have also included a short write up of an international research conference held in February, hosted by Cogworks, an international network of researchers funded under the Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Programme. This event took place at Queens University and focused on cognitive health and wellbeing across the lifespan.
An overview was provided on the work of the research network which involves five leading UK universities: Brunel, Queen’s, Stirling, Ulster and Warwick. The full article can be read by clicking on the link below:
The Centre for Ageing Research and Development in Ireland (CARDI) is launching Call 3 of its Grants Programme. To date the research programme has funded a wide range of interdisciplinary projects covering issues such as rural transport, dementia, elder abuse, fuel poverty and the impact of recession on pensioners. An overview on CARDI’s research grant programme can be read by clicking on the link below.
As usual, this edition includes a number of sections which provide details of:
- Conferences and seminars coming up;
- Current and forthcoming consultations; and
- Policy reviews coming up.
Hopefully there will be something of interest to everyone.
You can email us at policylink@ofmdfmni.gov.uk with your views or suggestions.
