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• Systematic mass testing in closed settings provides information on infection rates. • Test positivity was 11.6%, with only one-quarter reporting symptoms. • The prison wing handling new admissions reported the second-lowest positivity rate. • Testing uptake was higher in residents than in staff members. • Mass testing is a valuable tool to bring outbreaks under control quickly. The aim of this paper was to describe the results of mass asymptomatic testing for COVID-19 in a male prison in England following the declaration of an outbreak. It provides novel data on the implementation of a mass testing regime within a prison during the pandemic. The paper is an observational evaluation of the mass testing conducted for 6 months following the declaration of a COVID-19 outbreak within a prison. It investigated the incidence of positive cases in both staff and residents using polymerase chain reaction testing. Data from October 2020 until March 2021 was included. A total of 2170 tests were performed by 851 residents and 182 staff members; uptake was 48.3% for people living in prison and 30.4% for staff. Overall test positivity was 11.6% (14.3% for residents, 3.0% for staff), with around one-quarter of these reporting symptoms. The prison wing handling new admissions reported the second-lowest positivity rate (9.4%) of the eight wings. Mass testing for COVID-19 over a short space of time can lead to rapid identification of additional cases, particularly asymptomatic cases. Testing that relies on residents and staff reporting symptoms will underestimate the true extent of transmission and will likely lead to a prolonged outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scale of the decarbonisation challenge and the short timeframes over which action is required demand urgent action. This paper is set within the surface transport sector, now the largest sector of emissions with the slowest pace of change in many advanced liberal economies. It focuses on the strategies and actions of local government which is recognised to be a central player in catalysing change. Our evidence is derived from the actions of two UK local areas which claim to be at the forefront of the decarbonisation challenge. The paper focuses on the role of funding and financial mechanisms in addressing the climate crisis. In the face of an established pattern of austerity and hollowing out of local government we explore how deep transformation is being envisaged. We find a recursive set of issues which derive from a dependence on funding from outwith. This dependence means that despite comprehensive overarching strategies and goals the funding available is the core of the strategy. This means that the nature of the funds, such as the requirement for experimentation, innovation or private sector leverage, defines direction. In turn, and to maintain success in attracting funds, there is an emphasis on presenting 'premium spaces of ambition' with little evidence of attention to broader systemic change. This duality is openly recognised. This paper advances a wider point that greater emphasis should be placed on the 'financialisation' of climate policy and the reality rather than the rhetoric of change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how past notions of idyllic rural dwelling were mobilised and enacted during the implementation of the UK Land Settlement Association (LSA) scheme established in 1934. The LSA was a UK Government programme set up to resettle unemployed workers from depressed industrial urban areas to the countryside. Between 1934 and 1939, 1100 smallholdings were established within 20 settlements across the country. These smallholdings were run as cooperatives, but many failed when relocated families complained of long hours, low pay and isolation. Recruitment to the scheme ceased at the outbreak of World War II, with the settlements being fully dissolved and privatised in 1983. By drawing on a unique archive housed in the Museum of English Rural Life (MERL), analysis centres on how the LSA represented and promoted rural living to settlers and the wider public. The paper illuminates three overlapping but distinct elements to this project: the production of physical space as a setting that has been designed to bring about particular forms of behaviour and community cohesion; notions of labour, independence of spirit and reconnecting with the land; and building the physiques of men through hard work, fresh air and good food, thus improving the national stock. The findings demonstrate the power of the rural idyll in producing particular forms of sociality, belonging and masculinity, with many of the ideas that undergirded the LSA continuing to resonate today. • The rural idyll produces distinct forms of sociality, belongingness and masculinity. • Many past English land settlement schemes drew on the notion of the rural idyll. • The rural idyll underlaid formation of the 1930s Land Settlement Association (LSA). • The LSA captured imaginations at the time but had limited practical success. • Many ideas concerning rurality that undergirded the LSA continue to resonate today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Seaside resorts face socio-economic challenges which can exacerbate family crises. • Inequalities in seaside resorts can complicate delivery of family support services. • Innovative embedded research approach within Children's Social Care. • Preventative Early Help strategies need to be attuned to differing care ecologies. Effective Early Help services are key to halting rising rates of children in care in the UK. Yet despite family support and child welfare interventions being unequally distributed across the country, the role of 'place' has received limited attention in the children's social care arena. This paper examines the connections between coastal challenges, Early Help and child welfare interventions, drawing on embedded research undertaken within a Local Authority on England's coast with elevated levels of children in care. We focus on families' experiences raising children in a seaside resort area as well as professionals' perspectives on the place-based challenges faced delivering effective and accessible Early Help support. The study generated data from ethnographic observations, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups with local parents/carers (n = 57), service managers and frontline professionals (n = 14), and the Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector (n = 22). The findings highlight how the socio-economic challenges associated with many seaside resort areas, including housing pressures, a seasonal and low-wage economy, and the transience of the population, present difficulties for parents/carers in raising and supporting their children. For professionals delivering Early Help, high levels of housing instability, elevated inward migration, resource constraints and challenges around recruitment and retention presented challenges to delivering services. This paper recommends increased emphasis in regulation and resourcing around family support that considers the spatial and geographic dynamics that influence the incidence, structuring, and experiences of child and family welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic cannabinoids (i.e. Spice) are a major public health problem in UK prisons, however, research in this area is limited. Here we aimed to draw comparisons between people with and without experience of using synthetic cannabinoids in prison, to characterise the features of, and motivations for use within this setting and evaluate support for different treatment interventions. Questionnaires were administered to 122 people in a category-B prison for adult males in England between July 2022 and March 2023. Participants were asked questions related to their sociodemographic and custodial characteristics, use of synthetic cannabinoids (and other drugs) inside and outside of prison and psychological distress was measured via the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18). Those that had ever used synthetic cannabinoids in prison completed additional questions related to features of use, motivations for use and support for various interventions. In total 46.7 % (n = 57) of participants reported use of synthetic cannabinoids in prison and this group experienced significantly greater levels of psychological distress compared to those reporting no use (mean (± standard deviation) BSI-18 scores = 23.7 (±16.7) vs 12.8 (±13.6), p < 0.001). Participants mostly reported using paper-based preparations (77.4 %) and use via e-cigarettes (75.9 %). The most strongly endorsed motivations for use included to alleviate boredom (91.1 % strongly agree/agree), to make the sentence pass faster (89.3 % strongly agree/agree) and to cope with stress (80.4 % strongly agree/agree). The interventions that received most support were strategies to better manage time and medication to manage withdrawal. The use of synthetic cannabinoids in UK prisons typically involves the use of paper-based preparations via e-cigarettes, and use is associated with greater levels of psychological distress. Motivations for use were mostly pragmatic (e.g. to alleviate boredom or cope with stress) and interventions should prioritise increasing the time individuals spend out of cells and in meaningful activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

UK farmers are facing significant uncertainty due to recent post-Brexit policy changes. Upland farmers in England are particularly at risk, due to their high dependence on European subsidy support payments. Farm entrepreneurship strategies may be a viable solution for these farmers to achieve economic sustainability while continuing to make valuable social and environmental contributions via multifunctional enterprises. However, many socio-economic constraints often prevent farmers from implementing these strategies. This paper builds upon existing research on 'constrained entrepreneurship in UK agriculture' by examining the Constrained Institutional Contexts that upland farmers operate within. Using a qualitative approach, the paper explores and theorizes how upland farmers are constrained by exogeneous forces which control access to and dependence on resources. The findings highlight the importance of a supportive rural environment for farm entrepreneurship; however, they also reveal that the success of such strategies is often beyond the control of individual farmers and policy support is often necessary to alleviate these constraints. • Constrained entrepreneurship in UK agricultural sector. • Post-Brexit legislative changes. • Weberian Analysis. • Uncertainty in the UK farming sector. •UK Agricultural policy will have a dramatic effect on the UK farm sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first Transplant Games took place in 1978 in Portsmouth, England. Since then, numerous Olympic-style sporting 'Games' have been established, each aiming to increase public awareness of organ donation, demonstrate the benefits of transplantation, and encourage patient fitness. Despite this, there is limited research exploring the psycho-social and health impacts of the Games. Drawing on qualitative research conducted at the 2022 British Transplant Games and the 2022 European Transplant and Dialysis Games, this paper explores the Games through a therapeutic landscapes framework, a concept that examines the ways in which environments contribute to health and wellbeing. Building upon work that acknowledges the relational and contingent nature of health-in-place, I argue that the Games are a therapeutic landscape of social relations for transplant recipients in three ways: providing a landscape of belonging , a landscape of hope , and a landscape of motivation. Through this therapeutic landscapes perspective, the Transplant Games are presented as a peer-to-peer clinic – a care space where individuals are more actively involved in their health on a reciprocal level than in the traditional hospital clinic. In turn, this paper emphasises the crucial role of affective peer support in producing health-promoting environments. This research seeks to make a practical contribution to the wider transplant community by promoting the Games as an environment which may positively contribute to both physical and mental wellbeing. • The Transplant Games function as a therapeutic landscape for organ recipients. • They provide a peer-to-peer clinic where participants are active in their health. • The Games provide a landscape of belonging, acceptance, understanding and family. • In showing you can still lead a healthy life, the Games become a landscape of hope. • As a landscape of motivation, the Games improve both physical and mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All secondary schools in England have been required to teach Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) since 2019, which has raised particular challenges for – and confrontations with – religious minorities. This paper draws on ethnographic research to centre analysis on the fraught moral binds felt by Jewish parents and educators as they struggle to decide when and how to equip children with knowledge while needing to conform to institutional positions on what protection means. Bodily knowledge is redacted across religious/state models of education, which propagates the maintenance of social boundaries and definitions of sexual transgression, but do not stop the quests and questions that adolescents harbour during puberty and development. The paper draws attention to the use of bracketed words in feminist scholarship to convey how terms are projected as having universal meanings or connotations, which are, in reality, socially situated or at least used in socially sanctioned ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how conceptions of displacement have been challenged and adapted as the study of gentrification has expanded to encompass a series of new contexts, including post-industrial conversions and new-build urban developments within and beyond the Global North. Attention is draw to Peter Marcuse's work on displacement, and how some of his conceptualisations of different forms of displacement have been significant in cross-contextual discussions of gentrification, although other aspects of his work, such as his discussions of the relationship between abandonment and displacement have received less attention. Drawing on work of Marcuse, the earlier work of George and Eustice Grier, and a series of more contemporary studies, the paper argues for the adoption of more multi-dimensional and temporally sensitive conceptualisations of gentrification displacement. It then seeks to illustrate the value of this conceptualisation in the study of a further context of gentrification, namely the study of rural gentrification. The paper highlights recent debates over the significance of displacement, and thereby gentrification, to the study of demographic change in rural areas of the UK. Attention is drawn to studies that have made reference to displacement impacts of rural gentrification, before drawing on research conducted by the authors in nine villages located in six districts of England. The paper highlights evidence of 'disinvestment displacement' occurring prior to the major onset of gentrification in these villages, through 'reinvestment displacement' and 'direct displacement' at the point of gentrification, 'chain displacement' occurring both before and after the point of property gentrification, and 'exclusionary displacement', and material and experiential 'displacement pressures', operating once gentrification had started to take hold in these locations. Displacement is further shown to involve not only housing but also employment conditions, access to services, and the symbolism, practices and affective relations that people have with human and more-than-human constituents of space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the UK, Core Surgical Training (CST) marks the start of a surgical career, but previous experience and skills vary widely. Whilst Individual hospital Trusts offer local inductions, these are generally of a generic, administrative nature rather than advising trainees on how best to harness training opportunities. We designed a regional induction programme, 'Building Excellence in Surgical Training' (BEST) to address this, develop essential technical and non-technical skills, and engender support networks.Methods: All incoming London Core Surgical Trainees (annual cohort size 90) were invited to participate, during the week prior to commencement of training. Trainees undertook 3 modules (portfolio, surgical skills and human factors-based simulation) and a research paper presentation day. We collected qualitative and quantitative data through a structured evaluation form, pre and post course Likert-scale scores and self-assessment utilising the non-technical skills for surgeons (NOTSS) framework.Results: 972 CSTs have completed BEST over the past 12 years. In 2019, significant improvements were seen in: confidence for starting CST, 45% (n = 22/49)-83% (n = 33/40,p = 0.00045); feeling the core programme cared about them, 55% (n = 27/49)-98% (n = 41/42, p =< 0.00001); getting to know peers 16% (n = 8/49)-88% (n = 35/40, p =< 0.00001); understanding human factors 82% (n = 40/49)-95% (n = 36/38, p = 0.00427); gaining confidence of trainers, 49% (n = 23/47)-86% (n = 31/36, p = 0.00114), and ability to speak out over patient safety concerns, 78% (n = 38/49)-97% (n = 37/38,p = 0.00019). NOTSS assessments showed significant improvement across all 4 criteria (n = 142, p =< 0.00001).Conclusion: BEST equips trainees with the fundamental skills and confidence to safely embark on surgical training and provides tools to navigate the challenges training presents. The ethos of collaboration and support will aid the development of more resilient and empowered surgeons, vital in this era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green and sustainable food procurement has benefits for human health, the environment and economies. Public sector actors have purchasing power behind procurement decisions, and there is significant support for sustainably sourced food from consumers and the third sector. A sustainability transition in the public procurement of food would appear to be achievable, yet change remains incremental. This paper analyses supply chain stakeholder narratives about pathways to more localised public food procurement. Based on forty interviews with actors in the procurement supply chain in the South West of England, we examine the barriers and opportunities for more localised food supply and sourcing. Our findings indicate that if public food procurement is to become a viable, feasible and desirable market channel for operators of regional food businesses, we need to give greater attention to supply chain stakeholders' experiences of the interface between procurers and suppliers. Tensions exist between stakeholders' shared need for efficiency and logistical convenience, and their mutual desire for closer procurer-supplier relations and aspirations for a regional economic community. Results demonstrate that alongside the need for new physical and digital infrastructure, there is an urgent need to address socio-cultural barriers to change. • A sustainability transition in the public food procurement should be achievable. • Barriers persist despite social benefits, state buying power and policy ambitions. • Narratives of the interface between procurers and suppliers display tensions. • Change requires integration of low-cost food, convenience and economic community. • Closer procurer-supplier relationships are needed, not just new infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much research surrounds the move from publicly owned and operated bus markets to publicly controlled and privately operated markets, or in the case of Great Britain, a fully deregulated market. Little research however exists concerning the counter move and the issues that this may raise. Such a step would be consistent with Gwilliam's regulatory cycle, which suggests that a combination of self seeking behaviour of suppliers and unrealistic aspirations of politicians leads to instability in the regulatory arrangements for the provision of bus services. Consequently, the associated structural and institutional arrangements go through a cycle of private/public ownership and competitive/regulated markets. The paper discusses some of the practicalities at the regional level of introducing the measures provided by the Bus Services Act 2017 in England and the Transport Act 2019 in Scotland, both of which offer the option of a partial or full economic reregulation of bus services. Theories of radical policy change are examined and applied in the context of the issue through interviews with key informants in regional authorities in Scotland and England. The overriding conclusion from this analysis is that whilst deregulating the market does not actually break Gwilliam's regulatory cycle, it makes it very difficult to 're-connect', and thus a further long term consequence of bus deregulation in Britain in the mid 1980s is that future policy options may have been severely restricted in the very long term. • Identifying the key factors required to bring about radical transport policy change. • Bus de-regulation represented a clear break in the regulatory cycle and as such has compromised longer term policy actions. • The importance of real transport governance and the financial ability to carry through policy actions. • A major divergence between actions policy makers think is required, and the realities to which those actions are targeted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that existing English and Welsh mental health legislation (The Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA)) should be changed to make provision for advance decision-making (ADM) within statute and makes detailed recommendations as to what should constitute this statutory provision. The recommendations seek to enable a culture change in relation to written statements made with capacity such that they are developed within mental health services and involve joint working on mental health requests as well as potential refusals. In formulating our recommendations, we consider the historical background of ADM, similarities and differences between physical and mental health, a taxonomy of ADM, the evidence base for mental health ADM, the ethics of ADM, the necessity for statutory ADM and the possibility of capacity based 'fusion' law on ADM. It is argued that the introduction of mental health ADM into the MHA will provide clarity within what has become a confusing area and will enable and promote the development and realisation of ADM as a form of self-determination. The paper originated as a report commissioned by, and submitted to, the UK Government's 2018 Independent Review of the Mental Health Act 1983. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The ingress and egress of water from managed realignment sites in macrotidal estuaries commonly causes erosion at the breaches and the formation of channels across the fronting intertidal areas. However, the rate of development of these features and their final dimensions have not been well documented. This case study paper details the development of the breach area and the erosional processes in the main and exit channels associated with the Steart Marshes managed realignment site in south west England. The paper shows type of data, along with its accuracy, which is currently available for this type of study. It uses a combination of UAV and LiDAR data that was collected as part of a monitoring campaign to record the development of scheme over a period of 3 years and 7 months following site opening. This data would normally reside within consultancy reports and thus be unavailable to the wider scientific community. The paper demonstrates that further work is needed to improve the prediction of erosion rates associated with managed realignment schemes. The monitoring data at Steart Marshes show the development of a large exit channel along the line of the former channel that led across the existing intertidal mudflats. The highest rates of erosion occurred in the first 3 months following opening. After this time rates declined markedly and, approximately 7 months after opening, the breach and exit channel region began to show periods of accretion as well as erosion. The non-linearity in erosion rates is similar to previously reported sites, but the rates of development were more rapid due to higher flow speeds generated by large tidal prism and the single breach design. Although the volume of the exit channel region appears to have stabilised, a secondary channel is starting to form, which suggests that further changes are likely. Within the site, further recession of the step feature is expected before a stable condition is reached. The paper documents these changes in more detail and draws out those behaviours that are likely to apply to other schemes. Highlights • Flows in/out of managed realignment sites commonly erode intertidal areas. • UAV and LiDAR data were used to analyse changes at a scheme in SW England. • A small tidal creek was eroded to form a large entry/exit channel. • Erosion was driven by the large tidal prism, high tidal range and single breach. • A shorter secondary channel appears to be forming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Methane measurements show that a high proportion of landfill gas can be captured. • A methane collection index (MCI) can be calculated from methane measurements. • A MCI is a direct measure of landfill gas management performance. • The MCI can be used to trigger improvements in landfill gas collection. Methane emissions from landfills are an important source of greenhouse gases in the UK and worldwide. This paper considers how measurements of methane emissions could be used to regulate landfills in England in order to reduce the contribution of landfilling to climate change. The paper presents the results of a number of UK studies undertaken to quantify methane emissions from landfills. The methods used have included the DIAL (Differential Absorption Lidar) technique and a tracer gas dispersion method. A method based on aerial measurements has been developed. Methane emission rates were measured at 15 biodegradable waste landfills. All of the landfills where measurements took place had an active landfill gas extraction system. A methane collection index (MCI) is calculated for each landfill using the ratio of the methane collection rate to the sum of the collection and emission rates. The values of the index in the campaigns reported here ranged from 0.28 to 0.90. The modern operational landfills surveyed achieved MCI values with a much narrower range of between 0.64 and 0.90 with an average of 0.76. This has demonstrated that it is possible for these landfills to collect a high proportion of the landfill gas. A proposed approach is presented for regulating landfills using the measured MCI. This would involve an annual measurement campaign to quantify the methane emissions and the use of the data provided by these surveys to develop an achievable but challenging MCI limit. A limit value of 0.75 for the MCI is used to illustrate the approach. An MCI that falls below the limit would trigger actions to reduce the methane emissions from the landfill. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The paper presents a verification of HDM-4 fuel consumption estimates by comparing these to real world measurements from a large dataset from a truck telematic database. • Results of the study show that the latest calibration of HDM-4 performed in UK is not able to estimate the fuel consumption of the considered fleet of trucks reliably. • The authors suggest that, in order to use HDM-4 at a strategic level in road asset management, a full recalibration of the model should be performed in UK. • Results show also that analysis of the 'big data' available in the telematic database of fleet managers can help in updating HDM-4 without performing new experiments and can represent a valid alternative to the traditional approach. Abstract This paper presents an assessment of the accuracy of the HDM-4 fuel consumption model calibrated for the United Kingdom and evaluates the need for further calibration of the model. The study focuses on HGVs and compares estimates made by HDM-4 to measurements from a large fleet of vehicles driving on motorways in England. The data was obtained from the telematic database of truck fleet managers (SAE J1939) and includes three types of HGVs: light, medium and heavy trucks. Some 19,991 records from 1645 trucks are available in total. These represent records of trucks driving at constant speed along part of the M1 and the M18, two motorways in England. These conditions have been simulated in HDM-4 by computing fuel consumption for each truck type driving at a constant speed of 85 km/h on a flat and straight road segment in good condition. Estimates are compared to real measurements under two separate sets of assumptions. First, the HDM-4 model calibrated for the UK has been used. Then, the model was updated to take into account vehicle weight and frontal area specific to the considered vehicles. The paper shows that the current calibration of HDM-4 for the United Kingdom already requires recalibration. The quality of the model estimates can be improved significantly by updating vehicle weight and frontal area in HDM-4. The use of HGV fleet and network condition data as described in this paper provides an opportunity to verify HDM-4 continuously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been a succession of policy documents related to active travel published by the British government since the implementation of a National Cycle Network (NCN) in 1995. However, as the latest National Travel Survey (NTS) reveals, the number of journeys made by bike in the UK has remained steadfastly around only 2% (Department for Transport [DfT], 2018a). By using documentary analysis of the available official policy documents and statements, the aim of this paper is to make sense of the policies that have been published concerning active travel (AT) in England. This is done from a figurational sociological perspective. Three key themes emerge from the analysis: (1) the rhetorical, advisory level of the vast majority of the policies; (2) the reliance on a wide network of local authorities to implement AT policy; and (3) the focus placed on individuals to change their behaviour. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that despite a large number of policy publications from a range of government departments claiming to promote AT, little has actually changed in this time period in terms of a national agenda. Despite the successive policies, it seems there is little appetite on behalf of recent governments to make widespread infrastructural changes, where instead the focus has largely been on persuading the individual to seek more active modes of travel, increasingly for their own, individual 'health' gains. Highlights •The paper is based on documentary analysis of available official policy documents from UK government on active travel since 1996 • The findings reveal the largely rhetorical, advisory level of the vast majority of the policies, which contributes to a lack of overall success in promoting active travel • The lack of success is compounded further by a reliance on a wide network of local authorities to implement active travel policy, when most local authorities appear more concerned with transport issues related to motorised vehicles • The findings reveal that active travel policy has becoming increasingly focussed on health gains that might be made from increasing the number of trips made by bicycle • The overwhelming focus of the policy documents analysed, however, is on encouraging individuals to change their behaviour, a process regarded as 'healthism', and one most sociologists of health suggest is likely to fail as a result • We conclude by suggesting that if the government is serious about wanting to see a 'step change' in the way in which people travel, particularly over shorter distances, then there is a need to have a more forceful approach to implementing policy within local authorities at the same time as making more substantial infrastructure changes to encourage cycling [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-term field experiments at Rothamsted in south-east England (UK) are an important resource that has been used extensively to study the effects of land management, atmospheric pollution and climate change on soil fertility and the sustainability of crop yields. However, for these and other long-term experiments around the world to remain useful, changes are sometimes needed. These changes may be required to ensure that the experiment is not compromised by e.g. acidification or weeds, but often they are needed to ensure that the experiment remains relevant to current agricultural practice, e.g. the introduction of new cultivars and the judicious use of pesticides. However, changes should not be made just for the sake of change or to investigate aspects of management that could be better resolved in a short-term experiment. Rather, modifications should only be made after carefully considered discussion, involving scientists from different disciplines. It must be remembered however that there are limitations to what can be achieved in one experiment. In this paper we give examples of why certain changes were made to the Rothamsted experiments and what the results of those changes have been. We also highlight the value of archiving crop and soil samples for future studies. • The management of Rothamsted's long-term experiments (LTEs) is discussed. • The effects of that management on soil fertility and crop yields are considered. • The need for changes to LTEs to ensure their continued relevance is emphasised. • Reasons for changes to Rothamsted's LTEs and the results of those changes are given. • The value of archived soil and crop samples is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A skilled workforce is essential for producing high quality construction work, efficiently and effectively. This paper is formulated to improve the understanding and knowledge surrounding the skill shortage currently being faced within the UK, and the significant impact it is having on quality management. It surrounds around each main area, and the impacts of recent years: Brexit, Covid-19 and ageing workforce. A mixed method approach was applied to collect data from the quantitative and qualitative sources. The quantitative survey data was collected through snowball sampling from the 130 construction professionals working the UK construction industry. Moreover, a case study has been conducted on a large-scale construction project located in the Northeast of England where the outcome of these issues can be seen in all aspects of the work. Training and development are the fundamental issues highlighted during the literature review and then subsequently expressed by participants of the surveys. In addition, the moderation analysis also provides the important role of training and development in reducing the negative impacts of COVID-19 and Brexit towards quality management. However, it was also revealed that the training and development are not useful for the aging workforce in combating the skilled shortage challenges towards quality management system in the construction industry. This research will allow the industry to understand the need for a skilled workforce and how it benefits the quality management elements of a construction project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how land use affects water quality and how this impacts the viability of shellfish mariculture (marine aquaculture) in the UK through a synthesis of the current literature, stakeholder workshops and targeted engagement of cross-sector organisations across a case study in South West England. We examine the importance of water quality as a constraint for shellfish mariculture in South West England and explore how current and projected future land uses are likely to influence ongoing viability. Currently, faecal material from agricultural runoff and municipal wastewater discharges is the main water quality issue affecting the viability of shellfish mariculture. Most UK Shellfish Waters, including those in SW England (~90%), do not consistently meet regulatory standards for faecal indicator organisms (FIOs) in shellfish, designed to ensure they are safe for direct human consumption. Other pollutants currently impacting shellfish mariculture include persistent organic pollutants and metals, suspended solids and excess nutrient inputs. Emerging pollutants with the potential to impact on mariculture include a range of consumer- industrial- and agri- chemicals, including biocides, pesticides, veterinary and human medicines. We evaluated possible changes in water quality conditions through deriving and exploring a range of future scenarios, considering policies and trends in land use including regenerative and intensive agriculture, renewable energy generation, afforestation, urban development and climate change. Our findings highlight possible trade-offs and synergies between land and water-based food production systems, applicable in SW England and across other regions of the UK and internationally, for helping to inform environmental policy development and implementation. • Marine aquaculture (mariculture) has the potential to enhance future food security. • UK mariculture has not yet met its potential sustainable output. • Mariculture viability is sensitive to catchment land management practices. • Poor land management exports faecal, metal and persistent organic pollutants. • Future land management is uncertain, but crucial for mariculture to consider. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the mental health impacts of poor quality private-rented housing in the north of England during the UK's first COVID-19 lockdown. The paper draws on data collected from semi-structured telephone interviews with 40 renters in the private-rented sector. We use the Power Threat Meaning Framework to highlight how substandard housing was a social and material vulnerability which, underpinned by powerlessness, resulted in threats that created and exacerbated the mental-ill health of precarious private renters. The paper suggests the pandemic and increased time spent in unhealthy places of residence can create stresses at a time of broader structural fragility, and calls for the greater engagement and integration of health practitioners in the future development of housing policy at all levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One criticism of the tourism area lifecycle model is that it treats destinations as homogeneous entities. Instead destinations can be conceptualised as a mosaic of elements, each of which can follow a lifecycle that is different from that of the destination overall. This paper examines this issue with reference to amusement arcades in British seaside resorts and triangulates secondary sources and in-depth interviews to examine the historical evolution of this sector. It argues that the arcade sector has followed a lifecycle trajectory that is independent of the resorts in which they are located. A range of internal/external factors and global, national and local influences have affected the lifecycle of the arcade sector, including global developments in the entertainment industries; the influence of state policies and legislation; and the responses of local entrepreneurs to resort restructuring. The paper ends by arguing that destinations can be conceptualised as 'assemblages' of interacting elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We evaluate the time-varying safety effects of speed cameras. • Speed cameras have significantly reduced the number of road accidents. • Safety effects of speed cameras experienced a sharp decrease after the installation. • Appropriate management is important to maintain the effectiveness of speed cameras. Introduction: Speed limit enforcement cameras provide an effective approach to reduce vehicle speeds and the number of road accidents. However, it is still unclear whether the safety effects of speed cameras show durability over long periods of time. This paper analyses how the effects of speed cameras on road accidents change over time. A total number of 771 camera sites and 4787 potential control sites are observed for a period of 18 years (1999–2016) across England. Method : Covariates such as road class, crash history, speed limit, and annual average daily traffic (AADT) are included in the data set. A difference in difference (DID) based propensity score matching (PSM) method is employed to select proper control sites and estimate the treatment effects. The safety effects of speed cameras are then evaluated from a long-term perspective. The post-treatment period is divided into four equal-length periods: early, medium 1 and 2, and late. Results and Conclusions : The results show that speed cameras have significantly reduced the number of road accidents near the camera sites. However, the effects vary across different time periods. The safety effects of speed cameras experienced a sharp decrease during the medium periods after an initial period of highly reduced accidents (medium 1: −53.1%, medium 2: −40.7%) and recovered slightly during the late period. In addition, to evaluate the criteria for selecting camera sites in the UK, we further investigated whether speed cameras at high risk sites have better safety performance. The results show that while safety effects at high risk camera sites also decreased during the medium periods, the reduction was smaller (medium 1: −20.8%, medium 2: −2.1%). Practical Applications : Appropriate road traffic regulations and management, as well as proper camera sites selection criterion, are important to maintain the effectiveness of speed cameras. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Education Reform Act 1988 in England proposed by the Conservative Party caused over 1100 public schools to "opt out" of local school authority control by becoming autonomous grant-maintained schools. Using a regression discontinuity design, this paper finds a causal effect of party control on school autonomy with British local election dataset. That is, a Labour party (not a Conservative party) win would consequently stimulate a considerable increase in local schools opting for autonomy. This could be the first empirical evidence of a remarkable cross-party consensus in education policy, which has so far been stressed only on theoretical grounds. Our findings not only improve the understanding of current government education policy but also suggest the role that government would play in future policy-making process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper analyses changes in accessibility that might result from a new High-Speed Rail (HSR) line in the UK. A proposal for such a line put forward by Network Rail in 2009 is used as the basis for the analysis. Using travel time to London as the main benchmark to measure accessibility of a station on the current (conventional) and future (high-speed) rail networks the paper examines the likely winners and losers from the construction of the new line. The results show that the accessibility benefits from the proposed line are relatively limited in terms of geographic spread and that many cities close to it would not see any travel time reductions on journeys to London, thus will not see any accessibility benefits in this respect. For such places, this will translate to a relative reduction in the accessibility to London, when compared to other locations, and thus to potentially adverse socioeconomic implications. The paper concludes by arguing that any examination of a HSR line must consider a wider geographic area than just the cities, and especially the stations, on the line and it therefore must give due consideration to integration between transport networks, and especially between the high-speed and conventional rail networks. Based on the current analysis, the paper concludes that the case for a HSR line in the UK from a regional accessibility perspective is questionable. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: With growing numbers of bilingual children on the autism spectrum in UK classrooms, the interaction between autism and bilingualism is becoming a pressing issue for practitioners, researchers and families. In this study, we report the school experiences of bilingual, autistic children in the UK through their own voice with focus on five aspects of their school life.Method: Using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) as a methodological framework, semi-structured, computer-assisted interviews were conducted with 11 children aged 7 to 14 from across England and Wales. Interviews were carried out in English and took place in mainstream schools or the children's home, depending on their preference.Results: Results indicate that, while children's school experiences vary widely, there were commonalities in this population's identity formation, including being bilingual, and their classroom experiences. Most notably, children educated in more multilingual environments (i.e. in schools with larger multilingual populations) expressed more positive views about multilingualism than those in more monolingual settings. In line with previous studies, limited social circles and classroom anxiety were present in participants' school experiences.Implications: The findings of this paper suggest that giving autistic children from bilingual backgrounds opportunities to explore their linguistic identities in the classroom may enhance their experiences of school. Further research should focus on parents' and practitioners' attitudes and perspectives towards the support available for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The last ten years have witnessed increasing levels of concern and public debate about the risks associated with environmental hazards such as flooding in the UK and the likelihood that these will increase in frequency due to anthropogenic climate change. In this paper, we argue that attempts to mitigate this process through a focus on individualised risk communication and behavioural change are unlikely to be successful, given the epistemic conflicts surrounding climate change knowledges in public discourse. In response, we argue for an alternative framework for developing environmental knowledges, using social learning to promote both epistemic re-alignment and a re-scaling of environmental governance that promotes enablement. We use insights from research on flooding in South West England to highlight the ways in which traditional policy approaches such as behavioural change have come to be so overbearing in public debate on environmental hazards management. In contrast, we demonstrate the potential for a re-scaling of environmental governance to reconfigure climate change knowledge and build new spaces for enablement to reduce hazard vulnerability at the place-based community scale. We argue that this has major epistemological and practical implications for the ways that researchers and policy makers work with publics to reduce hazard risk under a changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the late 20th century wave of reforms in mental capacity or competence law were predicated upon the so-called 'functional' model of mental capacity, asking not merely whether a person had a mental disorder or disability but rather whether they were capable of making a specific decision (or decisions) at a specific point of time. This model is now under sustained challenge, most notably from the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and this challenge has focused a spotlight on the difficulty of applying the legally 'neat' concepts of the functional model of mental capacity across the full complex spectrum of human life. This paper presents a review, in two parts, of the first ten years of the Court of Protection, a specialist mental capacity court in England and Wales which applies a functional model of mental capacity. The first part outlines the history of the functional model in England and Wales, and the development of this specialist mental capacity court (Court of Protection), created by the Mental Capacity Act 2005. The second part presents an empirical and case-based study of 40 published cases of capacity disputes presented to the Court of Protection, or to the Court of Appeal on appeal from the Court of Protection, during the first ten years of its existence. The authors found that in 70% of cases the subject of proceedings (or P) had either a learning disability or dementia, and the court ruled on P's capacity for a wide range of issues, most commonly residence, care and contact. The judge considered the support principle, or whether practical steps were taken to maximise P's capacity, in 23 of 40 (57.5%) cases. The subject P was determined to have capacity in 13 cases, to lack capacity in 22 cases, and in 5 cases P was found to have and lack capacity for different issues before the court. The functional inability to use or weigh relevant information was most commonly cited by the judge, being cited in all but 2 cases in which P was determined to lack capacity and inabilities were cited. The propensity for the system to learn was shown by an increase in the proportion of cases which considered the 'causative nexus' from 2013, when a Court of Appeal case emphasised that impairment must not merely be present alongside functional inability but must be the causal basis of inability. The authors conclude that whilst the Court of Protection is still on a learning curve, its work provides a powerful illustration of what taking capacity seriously looks like, both inside and outside the courtroom. The implications for judges, lawyers and psychiatrists that can be drawn from the study are generalisable to other comparable socio-legal frameworks in which mental capacity or competence plays a role and is likely to do so for the foreseeable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper examines how complex transport projects are reported in the media using the Transport Innovation Fund bid for Greater Manchester as a case study. It demonstrates how projects are simplified and distorted in the media in a systematic way. Such distortion is explained by a scheme’s perceived newsworthiness, its complexity and the contemporary nature of news media production. The paper has implications for future research in this area and the implementation of sustainable transport policy. It urges transport professionals to both better understand, and engage directly with, the media if they are to maximise the benefits of efforts to shape travel behaviour. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights • On most indicators, social exclusion was associated with rural/urban residence. • Higher levels of social exclusion were associated with lower well-being. • Seven social exclusion indicators were significant in an urban model of well-being. • Five social exclusion indicators were significant in a rural model of well-being. • Neighbourhood exclusion significantly improved rural and urban models of well-being. Abstract Background Social exclusion (SE) is a process that limits participation in society across life domains, and is associated with poor quality of life. Neighbourhood exclusion has been identified as particularly important for older adults. This paper examines the association between SE and well-being in older adults from urban and rural areas, focusing on neighbourhood exclusion. Methods Using a cross-sectional survey design with a stratified sampling frame, participants (aged 65+) from rural (n = 628) and urban (n = 627) areas of Barnsley, United Kingdom, completed a questionnaire containing indicators of five SE domains: civic activity, material resources, social relationships, services and neighbourhood. Sequential multiple regression models were developed for 1) total sample; 2) rural areas; and 3) urban areas, with well-being regressed on SE indicators after controlling for self-reported health. Results SE indicators explained 13.4% of the variance in well-being in the total sample (of which neighbourhood exclusion explained 1.2%); corresponding figures for the rural model were 13.8% (3.8%) and for the urban model 18.0% (1.7%); the addition of neighbourhood exclusion significantly improved all three models. Five SE indicators were significant in the rural model, compared with seven in the urban model, with four common to both. Discussion Neighbourhood exclusion explained more variance in well-being in rural than urban areas, whereas exclusion from services explained more variance in urban than rural areas. Area characteristics and the role of neighbourhood should be considered in policy initiatives to reduce SE and promote well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Transport policy should take into account the needs of those who are socially excluded. To facilitate this, a software tool, AMELIA, is being developed. After a description of AMELIA and how it is used, the paper continues with a discussion about the analysis of the increase in the number of elderly people who can reach the centre of St Albans in Hertfordshire in Great Britain as the result of the implementation of four policy actions, including the cost implications. The paper is concluded with discussion about the potential role of AMELIA as a tool for policy analysis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary The publication of Best Research for Best Health highlighted the need for the NHS Service and Delivery Organisation (SDO) Programme to develop a programme of research on public health service delivery and organization. This paper reviews the need for this research by reviewing recent policy documents and public health research activity. The paper outlines the rote of the SDO Programme in relation to other current developments and discusses how these respond to the need to develop research on public health and what the research priorities are. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines farmers’ motivations for voluntary unsubsidised practices that benefit the environment. It identifies amongst a group of English farmers the amount of unsubsidised environmental activities on mainly arable land, and explores the extent to which motivations are extrinsic and intrinsic for undertaking this unsubsidised activity. Using responses from a national survey in England of 1,345 farmers, in-depth face-to-face interviews with 60 farmers and an analysis of existing agri-environment scheme data, the extent to which subsidised and unsubsidised environmental activity is undertaken on arable land was identified. Furthermore, it was also possible to identify and compare the motivations behind subsidised and unsubsidised environmental activity and to understand the interaction between these two types of activity at the farm scale. The research found that around 25% of all environmental activity undertaken on arable farms in England is unsubsidised, although some of this activity sits alongside subsidised activity. There were clear differences between the motivations for undertaking subsidised and unsubsidised environmental activities. Financial reasons dominated farmers’ motivations for engaging in subsidised agri-environment scheme practices, whilst agronomic and environmental motivations were of greater importance for unsubsidised activity. Data analysis also revealed over-subscription in agri-environment schemes, with a considerable amount of environmental activity occurring without payment. From a policy perspective it is helpful to understand motivations for existing unsubsidised environmental activity as this can inform the design of advice and message framing to encourage uptake of more widespread voluntary environmental behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the increasing recognition of household food insecurity as a policy issue, there is currently no routine measurement of food insecurity in the UK. There is nothing to suggest that Government will address this in the near future for all parts of the UK. In which case, policy makers and campaigners might instead seek out consistent and robust measures of the population-level factors which are known to contribute to food insecurity. However, no systematic measures exist, meaning that resources may not be targeted at those areas most in need. This paper presents the first objective estimate of high population-level risk of household food insecurity in English neighbourhoods (4.09% of the population, 95%CI 4.08–4.10) using public data. Estimated geographic distribution of factors contributing to household food insecurity is customisable to local pressures and is adaptable to settings outside of England. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK currently faces an unprecedented threat from terrorism. Between 2016 and 2019, the UK suffered six terrorist attacks, all targeting crowded places; it is therefore important that security is a key consideration when crowded places are being designed and developed. This paper argues that, if the security of crowded places is to be enhanced, it is vital for built environment professionals, particularly architects, developers and local authority planners, to be aware of the various terrorist threats. Based on interviews with police Counter-Terrorism Security Advisers (CTSAs) and a range of built environment professionals (N = 42) working on the design and development of crowded places in England, this paper demonstrates that, although some counter-terrorism security awareness initiatives for built environment professionals exist, many of these professionals have little or no experience in, or awareness of, incorporating counter-terrorism measures (CTMs) into their developments. Greater efforts are needed to encourage built environment professionals to incorporate CTMs into new and refurbished crowded place developments, and that efforts need to be increased to help raise awareness of the range of terrorist threats facing them. The paper concludes that clearer planning policy and guidance on the security of urban spaces is necessary to better inform built environment professionals. • The UK currently faces an unprecedented threat from terrorism. • Crowded places are susceptible to terrorist attack. • Many cities have undergone have enhanced protective security since the 9/11 attacks. • Architects, developers and planners have an important role to play in the security of the built environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are an increasing number of articles and publications that attempt to define resilience in the face of numerous drivers of risk. Most of this work has tried to identify the values and virtues that are encompassed within a resilient approach in relation to the fragile relationships between the social, natural and built environments (including, for instance, abilities to prevent, react, transform and adapt). However, much less attention has been paid to identifying the practical implications of these values and virtues once a paradigm of resilience has been adopted. In order to address this gap, this study examines what institutions in the UK have actually done when they attempt to enhance resilience. Instead of defining what resilience is, this paper focuses on what local and national governments and other stakeholders do when something is called (or is attempted to be made) ‘resilient’. The analysis of 30 key policy documents, a review of 20 formal meetings of a Local Resilient Forum, and 11 interviews with stakeholders confirm that different (and often competing) understandings of resilience coexist; but this work also reveal that two rather different approaches to resilience dominate in the UK. The first responds to security risks, based on a protectionist approach by the State, the other responds to natural risks, and prescribes the transfer of responsibilities from the State to other stakeholders. The analysis illustrates the extent to which resilience has become a highly complex, malleable and dynamic political construct with significant implications for the ways in which policy is enacted and enforced, often with unexpected consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since its inception in the 1980s, the growing body of Therapeutic Jurisprudence scholarship has continued to challenge and optimise not only our understanding of what the law "is", but also how we can leverage its agency to improve the ways in which we apply, observe and evaluate the law. By focusing on the emotional, human and psychological consequences of legal processes, Therapeutic Jurisprudence empowers practitioners to design emotionally intelligent and remedial strategies to either minimise harmful consequences or enhance restorative legal goals and outcomes. As the influence of Therapeutic Jurisprudence scholarship and its practical applications has continued to gain traction in rapid and organic growth, collaborations brokered with a wide range of social science disciplines have called for a more robust focus on validated measurement scales. To that end, there is a clear and growing need for a suite of Therapeutic Jurisprudence specific tools for empirical evaluation. As there has been no formal attempt within the Therapeutic Jurisprudence research community to begin this process, this paper breaks new ground by providing a validated tool for empirical measurement of the therapeutic quality of judicial officers' behavioural and interactional styles in problem-solving court jurisdictions. Using original empirical data recently collected at a problem-solving court in England, the paper takes the reader through the journey of statistically validating the levied scaling systems by performing Principal Component Analysis and Cronbach's Alpha. In doing so, the paper offers an original contribution to Therapeutic Jurisprudence methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published data on hospitalisation rates tend to reveal marked spatial variations within a city or region. Such variations may simply reflect corresponding variations in need at the small-area level. However, they might also be a consequence of poorer accessibility to medical facilities for certain communities within the region. To help answer this question it is important to compare these variable hospitalisation rates with small-area estimates of need. This paper first maps hospitalisation rates at the small-area level across the region of Yorkshire in the UK to show the spatial variations present. Then the Health Survey of England is used to explore the characteristics of persons with heart disease, using chi-square and logistic regression analysis. Using the most significant variables from this analysis the authors build a spatial microsimulation model of morbidity for heart disease for the Yorkshire region. We then compare these estimates of need with the patterns of hospitalisation rates seen across the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The paper investigates the energy use behaviour of a specific demographic and ethnic group, that of British Indian households. • A housing survey is deployed to gather self-reported information about British Indian households' energy use behaviour across a range of indicators. • In the Indian context, the house is used as a means of projecting wealth, whereas they give more importance to cultural values in the UK. • There is a consistency in attitudes towards energy conservation between indigenous and diaspora communities in the UK but with significant exceptions. • This research provides a strong base for additional research to understand user's energy behaviour and consequent energy conservation. The notional benefits of more efficient use and effective retrofit to existing housing is both sensible and attractive. Unlike new build, performance improvements cannot be pursued purely by legislation and regulation. Instead, householders need to be persuaded of the material benefits of better energy practices. In improving energy efficiency in the home, providing relevant and useful guidance is critical. Current guidance rarely takes account of specific cultural and ethnic circumstances. The research examines the relationship between cultural values and the energy use behaviour of diaspora households in the UK. The paper presents the results of two surveys that seek to measure energy use practices in the British Indian community. The first, conducted by the authors in England, seeks to understand attitudes and habits in relation to energy consumption in the home for British Indians. This is compared to a wider survey of British attitudes using an identical question set as undertaken by the EnerGAware project. The second survey researches cultural perspectives on the home in a British Indian community. This is compared to an identical survey conducted by the authors with comparative Indian households. The results of the research highlight where behavioural characteristics between the two contexts diverge. The paper suggests there are key areas for future research using ethnographic as well as quantitative techniques to produce tailored strategies for energy conservation in British Indian communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farmer-led innovation brings farmers together with other stakeholders in a collaborative endeavour that recognises multiple forms of expertise. Critical engagement with mainstream models of agricultural science and technology (AST) development has drawn attention to the isolation of farmers as technology adopters within a compartmentalised model of AST development and dissemination. Academic, government and non-governmental actors and organisations are increasingly supporting facilitated processes in which farmers, scientists and engineers develop new knowledge, learning together about the nature of the problems being faced and the potential of different solution pathways. Despite the centrality of learning to farmer-led innovation, its role has yet to be systematically explored. In response, this paper looks to understand the forms of learning and their contribution to farmer-led innovation during a three-year action-research project involving two groups of farmers from northern England and the Scottish Borders in the UK. A researcher-facilitator convened a structured process of twenty meetings that together created opportunities for interaction, deliberation and re-framing of problems and solutions among groups of farmers, a university-based engineer, and wider stakeholders. Multiple qualitative methods were used to build understanding of the different farming contexts and to explore the issues the farmers wanted to work on. Meeting transcripts and fieldnotes were subject to thematic analysis, informed by the analytical framework of cognitive, normative and relational learning derived from the social learning literature. Cognitive, normative and relational learning were found to be mutually interdependent and equally significant, building iteratively rather than linearly: the farmers and engineer assessed new information and reappraised existing situations; they did so informed by and informing a shift in understanding of their goals for new technology; and in so doing they relied on and developed the trust and confidence needed to acknowledge or challenge each other's perspectives. By orientating the group engagement process around the space to explore and challenge histories and contexts of AST, and by drawing on social learning principles to facilitate interaction between the different expertise of farmers and between farmers and engineers, learning emerged that interleaved technology co-design with incremental refinement of the shared norms and values embedded in the process itself. A focus on learning helps deepen understanding of key mechanisms and processes that define and deliver innovation, and the findings suggest that priorities for farmer-led innovation process design should focus on modalities that open up spaces to negotiate both the purpose and products of innovation. [Display omitted] • Farmer-led innovation is increasingly supported, relying on farmers and stakeholders learning together. • The forms of learning and their contribution to innovation are overlooked in research and practice. • Cognitive, normative and relational learning were mutually interdependent and equally significant in two farmer groups. • Learning was iterative, interleaving technology co-design with refinement of shared norms and values. • Opening spaces that recognise power and context allows negotiation of purpose and products of innovation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching grammar has been mandated in statutory curriculum documents in England since 1988. Yet despite this, research evidence continues to suggest that metalinguistic knowledge is an area of challenge for many teachers. Drawing on data from a larger study, this paper considers the role of teachers' grammatical knowledge, both content and pedagogical content knowledge, in mediating learning about writing in the classroom. It also illustrates how students' learning about writing is influenced by teachers’ metalinguistic knowledge. The study highlights that grammatical pedagogical content knowledge is more significant than grammatical content knowledge in supporting meaningful teaching and learning about writing. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the light of the UK Government''s call for efficiency savings across all departments, including the Criminal Justice System, this paper attempts to shed some light on how cost savings can best be secured in the running of Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) in England and Wales. It does this by identifying ‘best practice’ YOIs using recently-developed Data Envelopment Analysis that caters for both good and undesirable outputs (such as assaults and testing positive for illicit drugs by inmates), thereby allowing policymakers to deliver cost savings through the spread of management techniques adopted by benchmark YOIs. The study also analyses the size-efficiency relationship for YOIs in England and Wales and finds that, although the smallest institutions are typically the most efficient, the size-efficiency relationship is quite complex. This calls into question the Government''s wisdom of building ‘titan’ prisons in England and Wales which, perversely, might decrease the efficiency of rehabilitating young offenders. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Previous research suggests that, despite a desire to introduce environmental concerns into New Product Design, many companies in the northwest of England have not done so. In order to understand more about why companies do or do not take on sustainability methodologies, an entirely new and rigorous approach was taken. This paper therefore presents the results of a questionnaire investigating the up-take of Eco/Sustainable Design in manufacturing companies in Sweden – a country that might be considered more environmentally progressive than the UK – and discusses them alongside the results of an identical questionnaire in the UK. The results are presented in the context of risk and risk aversion/management – in particular the risk associated with taking on board Design for Sustainability as a design method or a company strategy. It is found that there is no clear “winner” in sustainability between UK and Swedish engineering companies; there is encouraging news in both countries, with a desire to practice sustainability, but some that is not so good with the number of companies that actually implement relevant methodologies. It is apparent that there are still hindrances and perceived risks preventing companies taking sustainability fully on board, despite the recognition that sustainability is a “good thing”; the importance of the implementation of sustainability has not yet been fully grasped by industry and by those with the responsibility required to effect any changes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Objectives: The Typhoid and Paratyphoid Reference Group (TPRG) was convened by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) and the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) to revise guidelines for public health management of enteric fever. This paper presents the new guidelines for England and their rationale. Methods: Methods include literature reviews including grey literature such as audit data and case studies; analysis of enhanced surveillance data from England, Wales and Northern Ireland; review of clearance and screening schedules in use in other non-endemic areas; and expert consensus. Results: The evidence and principles underpinning the new guidance are summarised. Significant changes from previous guidance include: • Algorithms to guide risk assessment and management, based on risk group and travel history; • Outline of investigation of non-travel cases; • Simplified microbiological clearance schedules for cases and contacts; • Targeted co-traveller screening and a “warn and inform” approach for contacts; • Management of convalescent and chronic carriers. Conclusions: The guidelines were launched in February 2012. Feedback has been positive: the guidelines are reported to be clear, systematic, practical and risk-based. An evaluation of the guidelines is outlined and will add to the evidence base. There is potential for simplification and consistency between international guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Today in the England there are around 60,000 children and young people in public care, more than one in 200 of the child population. Over the last 12 months about 100,000 children and young people spent some time in public care, almost one in 100 of the child population and the best estimates are that around 3.4% of adults spent some time in public care during their childhood; this is a relatively common experience. So what are the health and other issues for these children and young people during public care and on into adulthood? This paper uses the Every Child Matters outcomes; being healthy, staying safe, enjoying and achieving, making a positive contribution and achieving economic well-being to organize the evidence from the UK and abroad to answer this question. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The numbers of children in kinship care in England has been thought to be substantial, but it is only recently that research has begun to illuminate the circumstances and needs of carers and children. This paper describes the findings of an analysis of the 2001 UK Population Census. For the first time, the numbers of children in kinship care were estimated, as was the proportions of children living in formal and informal kinship care. As expected many children were being brought up by grandparents but surprisingly, large numbers of children were living with an older sibling. This group of kinship carers has not been previously identified by researchers or policy makers and their circumstances and needs may differ from grandparent kinship carers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Concerns about the sustainability of an ageing farming population have brought interest in so called entry-exit issues in policy circles. Policy interventions to date have offered limited scope in stimulating farm transfer in UK, however, the increase in unconventional tenures which include partnerships, share farming and contract farming (collectively called joint ventures) would appear to offer new opportunities for those wishing to enter or leave farming. In recognition of this the Fresh Start initiative in Cornwall set up a matchmaking element with the aim of identifying and facilitating potential joint ventures agreements between new entrants and older farmers. The emphasis was on setting up long-term arrangements that would enable the new entrant to ‘buy into’ an existing farm business, gradually taking over managerial control. This paper examines the processes of matching partners for the possible formation of farm joint ventures, using qualitative data derived from interviews with the participants, deliverers and stakeholders involved in the matchmaking element of this initiative. The results reveal that there is a deep rooted reluctance amongst participants in the initiative to enter formal long term joint ventures due to differing motivations, expectations, and concerns about their respective responsibilities in the working relationship and about the validity of the legal framework. Only where a relationship had already been informally established was there a commitment to formalise a joint venture agreement. Future emphasis in policy should therefore be on helping to facilitate and formalise existing partnerships, rather than trying to artificially orchestrate matches where the parties do not know each other. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ever since the United Kingdom published its second sustainable development strategy in 1999, the legitimacy-governing construct of quality of life has been refashioned in the English policy context to accommodate a novel intergenerational dimension. This paper examines the magnitude of this sustainability transformation by examining the operationalisation and reported outcomes of formally established sustainable quality of life data in conjunction with commensurate quality of life information compiled twenty years previously, amongst 63 matched city locations. Conceptually, we find that although the sustainable quality of life data is comparatively more sophisticated in its environmental connotation it has not managed to reconcile this effort with the social and economic domains of sustainability, tending instead to neutralise the distributive, class-based tenor of its predecessor. Empirically, meanwhile, we find that whereas Northern-based city locations perform comparatively worse on the sustainable quality of life rankings Southern ones do much better. We also find that while the lowest scoring localities tend to be afflicted by similar types of quality of life deficiencies the top ones shine on a diverse range of issues. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The recognition of the economic value of nature and the services it provides to humanity has become increasingly essential in the context of coastal zone management. In this paper we review the progress to date on both the necessary conceptual framework and empirical valuation studies required to bolster decision support systems (DSS) targeted at integrated coastal zone management goals. We highlight the importance of using an ecosystem services approach and recommend some basic sequential, although overlapping, analytical steps for appropriate environmental valuation and policy assessment: spatial explicitness; marginal changes; double counting; non-linearities; and threshold effects. We illustrate the practical use of the DSS by reviewing an existing UK case study on managed coastal realignment along the Eastern coast of England, and a new UK case study on managed realignment implemented in a southern area on the same coast. Comparing the two studies, the importance of spatial explicitness and the need for a sequential decision support system when dealing with ecosystem services valuation and project policy appraisal become particularly evident. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Reducing avoidable inequalities in health is a priority in many health care systems, including the NHS in Great Britain. Evidence suggests that lifestyle factors may play a role in explaining socioeconomic inequalities in health. In this paper we measure the contribution of smoking and obesity to income-related inequality in health. We use the corrected concentration index to measure inequality across time and areas of England, and decomposition methods to quantify directly the contribution of smoking and obesity to income-related inequality. Instrumental variables regression is used to test the endogeneity of smoking and obesity. We use data from nine rounds of the Health Survey for England (1998–2006). The results show that there are significant income-related health inequalities in England, that the extent of the inequality varies by area, and that in some areas it has increased over time. Nationally, smoking and obesity make a significant but modest contribution to income-related inequality in health (2.3% and 1.2%, respectively). Despite the reduction in smoking prevalence, the contribution of smoking has slightly increased over time, due to its increasing concentration among the poor and its negative effect on health. While the prevalence of obesity is increasing, it is more equally distributed across society. The prevalence of these problems varies between areas, and so does the contribution they make to income-related inequalities in health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]