Consultations

Deadline 31st May

The CQC are in the process of creating guidance for local voluntary and community sector groups that will look at how they can best work together.

They really want to find out the views of local groups on how they might work with each other and want to find out how groups work with local communities.

You can help create the guidance by taking part in this short questionnaire.

Deadline 7^th June

The review aims to provide a comprehensive picture of the use and supply of illicit drugs and to identify what more could be done to reduce harm to individuals and society.

The review is in 2 parts:

Part 1 will summarise the existing evidence relating to drug use, supply and effects, including current trends and future risks; to highlight the most important gaps in that evidence; and to suggest how to address those gaps.

It will consider:

• the demographics of drug use. This will look at demand, including who uses which types of drugs, together with patterns of and motivations for use
• the drugs market. This will look at supply into the UK, how criminals meet the demand of users and the causes of drug-related violence

The scope for part 2 will be determined once the first part has reported.

Further information on the scope of the review and its terms of reference can be found on GOV.UK

For more information about the call for evidence go to the Government website 

Deadline 2^nd August

This paper seeks views on the government’s proposals for a new approach to support victims of domestic abuse and their children in accommodation-based services in England.

The Government is consulting on a new delivery model for accommodation-based support. This includes the introduction of a statutory duty on local authorities to provide support that meets the diverse needs of victims of domestic abuse and their children, ensuring they have access to provision that is right for them.

They welcome views on:

• the definition of accommodation-based services and support
• leadership and responsibilities
• local and national accountability
• guidance

They would like to hear from victims and survivors, service providers, local authorities, police and crime commissioners and other public agencies, as well as other professionals who support victims and their children.

For more information go to the Government website

Deadline 21st July

New, or majorly refurbished, large buildings used by the public must have Changing Places toilets, under government proposals being consulted on from today.

New, or majorly refurbished, large buildings used by the public must have Changing Places toilets for severely disabled people, under government proposals announced  on 12th May.

The proposals, being consulted on from today, are expected to add the toilets to more than 150 new buildings a year, including shopping centres, supermarkets, cinemas, stadiums and arts venues.

Changing Places toilets are larger accessible toilets for severely disabled people, with equipment such as hoists, curtains, adult-sized changing benches and enough space for carers.

There are over 1,300 Changing Places toilets in the UK, up from just 140 in 2007, but more are needed to support the more than a quarter of a million people who need them in the UK.

For more information go to the Government website

Deadline 30^th July

The proposed changes have come about as a result of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government issuing a Direction in February 2019 to the Regulator of the Social Housing to set a new Rent Standard.

The new Standard will also have regard to the Rent Policy Statement published alongside the Direction.

The proposed 2020 Rent Standard requires, as an outcome, that registered providers comply in full with both its own provisions and those of the Policy Statement. It goes on to detail the circumstances and properties to which it applies and does not apply. It sets out specific expectations relating to the following areas:

• the 2020 limit;
• rules on Social Rent (including fair rent);
• rules on Affordable Rent;
• movement between different types of rent.

For more information go to the Government website

Deadline 21^st June

The Newton Charity Investment Survey has delivered five years of unique industry insight and trend comparisons, and now they are launching the sixth instalment for 2019.

The survey covers diverse aspects of the management of charitable portfolios, and continues to provide an industry benchmark to see how aligned your investment experience and intentions are with those of your peers.

This year, they are particularly interested in exploring your views on:

• Your investment experience over the last year, and how it has affected your charity’s spending plans
• Ethical investment and the emerging area of sustainable investment
• The changing regulatory environment
• Meeting the challenges of diversity

Please help make a difference to your industry by completing the UK’s most comprehensive and data-rich charity survey here

Deadline 31st May

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has opened a consultation on its draft code of practice for online services likely to be accessed by children in the UK.

The standards include:

• the best interests of the child should be a primary consideration
• settings must be ‘high privacy’ by default
• children’s data must not be shared unless there is a compelling reason to do so.

The consultation is open to the public and closes on 31 May 2019.

For more information and to take part go to the ICO website

Deadline 24^th June

This consultation is a follow-up to the consultation and call for evidence on elective home education held by the Department for Education in 2018.

It seeks views on proposed legislation to establish:

• a register maintained by local authorities of children not attending mainstream schools
• duties on parents and the proprietors of certain educational settings

It also consults on proposed legislation to establish a duty to support parents who educate children at home and seek support from their local authority in doing so.

For more information and to take part go to the Department for Education website

Deadline 1^st July

The Online Harms White Paper sets out the government’s plans for a world-leading package of online safety measures that also supports innovation and a thriving digital economy. This package comprises legislative and non-legislative measures and will make companies more responsible for their users’ safety online, especially children and other vulnerable groups.

The White Paper proposes establishing in law a new duty of care towards users, which will be overseen by an independent regulator. Companies will be held to account for tackling a comprehensive set of online harms, ranging from illegal activity and content to behaviours which are harmful but not necessarily illegal.

This consultation aims to gather views on various aspects of the government’s plans for regulation and tackling online harms, including:

• the online services in scope of the regulatory framework;
• options for appointing an independent regulatory body to implement, oversee and enforce the new regulatory framework;
• the enforcement powers of an independent regulatory body;
• potential redress mechanisms for online users; and
• measures to ensure regulation is targeted and proportionate for industry.

For more information go to the Government website