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Jessica’s Rural Words

Indispensable Bucolic Information

November 7 2023

Will the new Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act combat farm vehicle crime?

The Act has been being introduced to prevent the theft of machinery and equipment used by the agricultural sector, particularly quad bikes, and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). How will it help tackle equipment theft on farms, and what more can be done to support farmers struggling with both the fear of crime and being a victim […]

October 12 2023

How much capital investment is being made in new (rural) hospitals?

The New Hospital Programme was set up in 2020 to build 40 new hospitals in England by 2030. The Government allocated £3.7 billion in capital funding for this up to March 2025, with more to be provided for the following five years. How has the Programme been implemented so far, and what does it mean […]

September 27 2023

Do we need a new framework for managing land?

While land is one of our greatest assets, it is a finite resource. A number of commentators have suggested a land use framework would help tackle increasing pressures on land. It is also seen as a way of giving local communities and landowners greater security in making long-term decisions about land. But there are also […]

August 17 2023

What does the transition from analogue to digital landlines mean for rural communities?

Over the next few years, landline telephone services in the UK will switch to a fully digital network. This means phone calls will be carried over the internet rather than through the existing analogue telephone system. Telecom companies plan to do this by 2025. What is being done to ensure rural areas are ready for […]

July 22 2023

In the borderlands of transatlantic security – where next?

Security in our daily lives is key to our wellbeing. NATO’s purpose is to guarantee the freedom and security of its members through political and military means. Over more than 70 years NATO has grown to an alliance of 31 members. The recent NATO Summit in Vilnius has been hailed as an historic moment for […]

June 23 2023

How can we come together to address future pandemics?

The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response was set up by the World Health Organization (WHO) in September 2020. The Panel published its report, ‘COVID-19: make it the last pandemic’, in May 2021. In March 2021, 20 world leaders and senior figures from across the world called for a more joined-up approach to pandemics […]