Latest news with #England-wide
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Starmer says migrants should speak English – but all of the UK's languages are important for integration
When Keir Starmer said: 'If you want to live in the UK, you should speak English', it laid bare an assumption – that English is the only language that counts in the UK. This view not only overlooks the UK's rich linguistic diversity, but also runs counter to the language policies being developed across the devolved nations. While the UK government's latest proposals on immigration treat English proficiency as the main pathway to integration, governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are taking different approaches. Immigration is a matter controlled by Westminster. But integration, including language education, is devolved. That means each UK nation sets its own direction. Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK's latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences. Despite frequent political emphasis on English language learning and testing as key to integration, England does not have a national strategy for migrant or refugee integration. It also does not have an England-wide policy for teaching English for speakers of other languages (Esol). Instead, decisions about language classes are made locally but provision is uneven. In some areas, support is well-organised and accessible. In others, it's barely there. Despite the lack of national leadership, the Esol sector in England has long benefited from grassroots activism. Organisations like the National Association for Teaching English and Community Languages to Adults and English for Action have been vocal in campaigning for better funding. Researchers and teachers also continue to call for a joined-up strategy for migrant and refugee integration. By contrast, the Welsh government has made language education a core part of its progressive integration policies. Its ambition to become the world's first 'nation of sanctuary' is backed up by practical measures. This includes a dedicated language education policy for migrants, focused primarily on Esol – the only one of its kind in the UK. The first national Esol strategy was published in 2014, revised in 2018, and will be updated this year following a review. The introduction of Welsh as an element of migrant language education is helping to build a more inclusive, multicultural society too. It shows learners that all languages, including their mother tongue, have a role to play in a modern, multilingual nation. Since 2014, Scotland has implemented three refugee integration strategies. The new Scots refugee integration strategy has been internationally recognised as a model of good practice. It adopts a multilingual, intercultural approach, emphasising that language learning should include home languages and the language or languages of the new community, which may include Gaelic, Scots and English. Scotland had two successive adult Esol strategies from 2007 to 2020. These were developed in consultation with Esol learners and detailed clear progression routes into further training, education and employment. But they were discontinued in favour of a broader adult learning strategy in 2022 which covers all adult learners rather than just the needs of migrants. It was a decision criticised by some due to concerns about losing focus on the specific needs of Esol learners, and reducing the voice of Esol learners and teachers in Scotland. In Northern Ireland, there is no dedicated migrant language policy yet. But its draft refugee integration strategy does at least acknowledge the importance of language in helping migrants feel 'valued and respected'. In 2022, the Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Act granted official status to the Irish language, and to Ulster-Scots as a minority language. Nevertheless, the Northern Ireland refugee integration strategy focuses solely on English language classes as the primary language education provision. What all UK nations share, however, is chronic underfunding. Adult education, where Esol funding sits across all four nations, now faces yet more cuts meaning many language learners will continue to face long waiting lists for classes. But how language education for migrants, especially migrants seeking sanctuary in the UK is perceived, organised and provided is critical to fostering inclusion, promoting integration and bestowing a sense of belonging. Developing competency in the dominant language or languages of the host nation can enable migrants to navigate health, housing or social security systems. It can help them cope with the needs of daily life and to use their skills and knowledge to enter work or education. Read more: Many people seeking sanctuary have experienced trauma from undergoing forced migration. This makes it vital that language provision is trauma-informed and recognises a learner's existing multilingual skills. It's also important that it is shaped around their needs, not just on externally imposed assessments of English proficiency. Multilingual education is more than just a nice thing to have. There is growing evidence that valuing the languages refugees already speak, and recognising their linguistic skills as assets, improves wellbeing, builds confidence and enhances social inclusion. Too often in the UK, language learning is treated as a condition for acceptance, rather than a right that can enable belonging. That risks undermining the very integration that policymakers claim to support. If the UK is serious about being a modern, inclusive and multicultural state, it must embrace the reality that it is also multilingual, and that different nations may choose different routes to welcome those seeking sanctuary. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The authors wish to thank their respective universities for the support they have received in researching this issue. They would also like to thank their co-researchers Sylvia Warnecke and Mel Engman and their co-authors on their recently published policy briefing. Gwennan Higham and Sarah Cox do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Concern over rise in alcohol-related harm in city
Incidents of anti-social behaviour in York city centre's alcohol restriction zone went up over the past year, councillors have been told. The most recent statistics also showed the city had seen a higher number of alcohol-related hospital admissions than the England average, according to a report seen by councillors into the impact of licensed premises. Rachel Melly, chair of City of York Council's licensing and regulatory committee, told a meeting that "alcohol-related harm is a concern". The data would be taken into account when the council updated its licensing policy later in the year, she said. Discussing the authority's draft licensing policy statement for 2025-30, councillors heard that anti-social behaviour in York city centre's alcohol restriction zone - where it is an offence for a person to continue consuming alcohol when requested to stop doing so by a police officer - rose by 15% in the last year. Meanwhile, the city had seen 1,908 alcohol-related hospital admissions per 100,000 people in 2022-23, which the council's licensing committee was told was "significantly higher" than the England-wide rate for the same period. The report stated that an increasing number of pubs and bars were now offering activities such as "bottomless brunches", with unlimited drinks and food for a set period. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, councillors were told that another trend in the past five years was bar staff walking around and offering shots of spirits to customers. Council officers said that had led to people consuming large amounts of alcohol and fuelling the increase in anti-social behaviour. In response to a consultation on the authority's plans to update its licensing policy, one bar owner called for alcohol-related problems to be handled better by police and the council. They said: "We have a thriving student population and a reputation in the city of good pubs and licensed premises. "But, I fear if this situation isn't better-controlled we will lose this, and I hope it will not take a very bad incident for the council to wake up and deal with this." Another bar owner commented: "York's charm lies in its historic appeal, unique character, and vibrant but balanced nightlife." Responding to the consultation submissions, a council spokesperson said that its policies encouraged venues to promote customer safety and to work with them and the police to tackle problems. "We are aware York is a popular city for day trippers and weekend visitors, due to our excellent rail links, who come to the city to visit the pubs and bars which can create an increase in anti-social behaviour," they said. The authority had "worked with partners and the licence trade to tackle the issues associated with these, such as introducing a code of conduct", the spokesperson added. During the meeting, Melly told councillors: "Alcohol consumption is related to crime, anti-social behaviour, domestic abuse, health problems and even death. "So, when we were updating the licensing policy, all of the concerns and the data about this impact on the people of York was closely considered." A consultation on the plans to update the city's licensing policy would be discussed at a further meeting, Melly told councillors. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Alcohol fuels more than half of city centre crimes 'Hen parties love York because the city is safe' MP branded 'anti fun' over bar licence comments City of York Council Local Democracy Reporting Service
BBC News
10-03-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Concern over rise in alcohol-related harm in York
Incidents of anti-social behaviour in York city centre's alcohol restriction zone went up over the past year, councillors have been most recent statistics also showed the city had seen a higher number of alcohol-related hospital admissions than the England average, according to a report seen by councillors into the impact of licensed Melly, chair of City of York Council's licensing and regulatory committee, told a meeting that "alcohol-related harm is a concern".The data would be taken into account when the council updated its licensing policy later in the year, she said. Discussing the authority's draft licensing policy statement for 2025-30, councillors heard that anti-social behaviour in York city centre's alcohol restriction zone - where it is an offence for a person to continue consuming alcohol when requested to stop doing so by a police officer - rose by 15% in the last the city had seen 1,908 alcohol-related hospital admissions per 100,000 people in 2022-23, which the council's licensing committee was told was "significantly higher" than the England-wide rate for the same report stated that an increasing number of pubs and bars were now offering activities such as "bottomless brunches", with unlimited drinks and food for a set to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, councillors were told that another trend in the past five years was bar staff walking around and offering shots of spirits to officers said that had led to people consuming large amounts of alcohol and fuelling the increase in anti-social behaviour. 'Balanced nightlife' In response to a consultation on the authority's plans to update its licensing policy, one bar owner called for alcohol-related problems to be handled better by police and the said: "We have a thriving student population and a reputation in the city of good pubs and licensed premises."But, I fear if this situation isn't better-controlled we will lose this, and I hope it will not take a very bad incident for the council to wake up and deal with this."Another bar owner commented: "York's charm lies in its historic appeal, unique character, and vibrant but balanced nightlife."Responding to the consultation submissions, a council spokesperson said that its policies encouraged venues to promote customer safety and to work with them and the police to tackle problems."We are aware York is a popular city for day trippers and weekend visitors, due to our excellent rail links, who come to the city to visit the pubs and bars which can create an increase in anti-social behaviour," they authority had "worked with partners and the licence trade to tackle the issues associated with these, such as introducing a code of conduct", the spokesperson the meeting, Melly told councillors: "Alcohol consumption is related to crime, anti-social behaviour, domestic abuse, health problems and even death."So, when we were updating the licensing policy, all of the concerns and the data about this impact on the people of York was closely considered."A consultation on the plans to update the city's licensing policy would be discussed at a further meeting, Melly told councillors. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
06-03-2025
- Health
- BBC News
First NHS patients receive plasma from UK donors in 25 years
NHS patients are now receiving lifesaving medicines made from the blood plasma of UK donors for the first time in 25 years after a long-standing ban was blood donors are playing a part in the "landmark moment", which will reduce the UK's reliance on imported Hessey from Bicester said it had saved the life of her daughter Bella who has a rare heart Susan Walsh, CEO of Immunodeficiency UK, said they "urge" people in the county to try blood donation. The lifesaving medicines, most important of which is immunoglobulin, can only be made from human blood. Plasma makes up 55% of it and contains antibodies which strengthen or stabilise the immune antibodies are separated out and made into medicines which treat people with life limiting illnesses such as immune NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), which provides England-wide blood, plasma and platelet donation service and organ donation service for the UK, said that across Oxfordshire, hundreds of people receive immunoglobulin each year. It added that over the past three years, local blood donors had supplied about "5,000 litres of plasma, enough to make around 2,200 bottles of immunoglobulin, which is enough to save or improve around 60 lives a year".NHSBT said the new supply would "bolster supplies to the NHS", which is important in the face of the global shortage of plasma medicines. Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director NHS England, said the "landmark moment" ensured patients relying on crucial plasma-derived medicines "will always have access to the treatment they need".The UK banned the use of domestically collected plasma in 1998, following concerns over a potential increase of recipients getting Creutzfeldt-Jakob ban was lifted in February 2021. 'Positive difference' The first patient to be given UK-sourced plasma was Jill Jones, who received the medicine at the John Radcliffe Hospital in was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, 20 years ago and receives treatment every three weeks."Transfusions have been life-changing for me in keeping me well," Ms Jones said."Before I started on them, I was regularly in hospital with infections - which just doesn't happen now. Ms Hessey, 28, said her daughter had been diagnosed for Kawasaki disease as a potentially fatal condition, where the blood vessels around the heart can be damaged, includes symptoms such as a whole-body rash, red eyes and a high received immunoglobulin, the effect of which was "instant"."Straight away, her colour came back to normal. By the next morning, she was eating and her fever had completely gone," Ms Hessey said."It saved her life. We were very lucky that we had such amazing doctors at the JR. "It's a relief to know we're now making it from local blood donations too."Donation can also be made at three specialist sites in Birmingham, London and Reading. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
25-02-2025
- General
- BBC News
Stoke-on-Trent headteacher says breakfast club benefits are huge
The benefits of free breakfast clubs will be "huge" for children who take part, a headteacher has government announced 750 schools would provide the daily clubs from the start of the summer term in April as part of a pilot scheme ahead of an England-wide chosen for the trial are expected to offer a free breakfast to all pupils and at least 30 minutes of childcare before Academy Grove in Stoke-on-Trent was named as one of the schools and headteacher Shirley Carrigan said about 130 of its pupils could be involved. She described it as a "big undertaking" and said getting it organised in seven weeks was "a little bit challenging" but the school would make sure it had the staff in place."We're just really keen to get as many children in as we can because the benefits will be huge," she told BBC Radio Stoke. 'It's a win-win' Ms Carrigan said there was also some scope for organising outdoor sporting sessions as part of the breakfast said it would be a good chance for the youngsters to socialise, while providing a "lovely, soft start" to the day."It's going to be a win-win for us with as many children as possible because they're going to have the chance to be outside as well as getting fed," she said."We know a number of our children don't always have a nutritious breakfast, they can't always afford to have that." Labour campaigned on a promise to provide free breakfast clubs in every primary school in England, earmarking £30m of funding for the Secretary Bridget Phillipson told the House of Commons she was "confident" the funding would be adequate despite concerns from shadow minister Neil O'Brien, who said there was a "difference in the planned spend and the much larger benefits ministers are claiming".The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) welcomed the news but also voiced concerns that funding could fall Phillipson did not confirm when the national rollout of the scheme would take place but said it would be "as soon as possible". Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
