Policy@Manchester Articles

Expert insight, analysis and comment on key public policy issues

Policy@Manchester Articles
Expert insight, analysis and comment on key public policy issues
Article image - pregnant woman, egg donations

What the evidence tells us: research insights for reform in egg and sperm donation

Lucy Frith headshotPetra Nordqvist By and Filed Under: All posts, Health and Care, Health and Social Care, Science and Technology Posted:

The regulation of egg and sperm donation for reproductive purposes in the UK is covered by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 and subsequent amendments. It has long been regarded as a model of thoughtful, ethically grounded regulation. However, the landscape in which gamete donation operates is changing rapidly. New technologies, shifting social norms […]

Quantum technologies: a new frontier of the information age

Headshot of Jayadev By and Filed Under: Science and Technology Posted:

In recent decades, rapid progress in the development of quantum technologies has established their place as one of the next major technological frontiers. Future quantum technologies are expected to have a revolutionary impact on advanced materials, healthcare, finance and our national security, while also bringing with them substantial economic benefits. Previous UK governments have devoted […]

A close up image of a universal credit claim form on a phone or digital tablet screen.

The hidden health bill of welfare reform: Universal Credit and mental health in England

Headshot of Dr Silas Amo-Agyei By , and Filed Under: All posts, Health and Care, Health and Social Care, Work Posted:

First introduced in 2013, and rolled out in phases across England, Universal Credit (UC) now supports nearly one-in-five working age people. With welfare spending reform once again high on the policy agenda, what lessons can be learned from the rollout of UC? Here, Dr Silas Amo-Agyei, Dr Luke Munford, and Professor Matt Sutton present new […]

An exterior view of the main entrance to a GP surgery in England.

To each according to need: time to update how general practice payments are distributed in England

Headshot of Dr Laura Anselmi. By Filed Under: Health and Care, Health and Social Care Posted:

After years of criticism that the current distribution of primary care funding is not meeting the needs of deprived areas, the government’s 10 Year Health Plan has committed to reviewing how money is distributed. Here, Dr Laura Anselmi presents an updated approach which draws on patient data to more accurately reflect the prevalence of different […]

Close up image of hands, one pair clasped together, one pair open, over a religious text.

Integrating faith-based organisations into domestic abuse strategy

Dr Omolade Allen By Filed Under: All posts, Health and Social Care Posted:

In the UK, ethnic minority women face unique and compounding barriers to disclosing domestic violence and abuse and accessing support services. Here, Dr Omolade Allen provides critical insights into the lived experiences of ethnic minority women in the UK, the potential of faith-based organisations as support systems, and how policymakers can work with these organisations […]

Screen of codes

Improving the resilience of computer systems with software compartmentalisation

Headshot of Pierre OlivierHeadshot of Hugo LefeuvreJohn Kressel By , and Filed Under: All posts, On Critical Technologies, Science and Technology Posted:

Cybersecurity attacks are becoming more sophisticated, varied and persistent. Compartmentalisation is a defensive software design practice that can tackle many of the cyber threats faced by modern computer systems. However, implementing this practice widely faces obstacles, such as prohibitive engineering and performance costs and the difficulty to retrofit existing software. In this article, Dr Pierre […]

Reading for pleasure: from policy aspiration to classroom reality

author headshot By Filed Under: Growth and Inclusion, Health and Social Care Posted:

Children who read for pleasure achieve higher academic outcomes, experience better wellbeing and show greater long-term social mobility. Yet national and international evidence shows that enjoyment of reading among children in England is declining. Rebecca Simpson Hargreaves argues that if policymakers want to sustain literacy gains and reduce educational inequality, reading for pleasure must be […]

Image of young people sitting in a row on their phones and laptops

Getting ready for the 6G revolution

Emad Alsusa headshot By Filed Under: All posts, On Critical Technologies, Science and Technology Posted:

As the world continues to embrace what 5G networks can do, the next frontier in wireless communication – 6G – is rapidly moving from theoretical concept to active research and development. Expected to be standardised later this decade and rolled out in the 2030s, 6G promises a giant leap forward, enabling unprecedented speeds, near instantaneous […]

Rows of semiconductor/chip technology

Britain’s chip strategy: smart focus, but does it pack enough punch?

Headshot of John Goodacre By Filed Under: All posts, On Critical Technologies, Science and Technology Posted:

Semiconductors, or microchips, are akin to tiny silicon brains inside everything – from your phone and car to NHS scanners and the nation’s power grid. They are essential, yet Britain’s role in making them has been uncertain. In 2023, the Sunak government unveiled its National Semiconductor Strategy, identifying where the UK can compete in the market. […]

How the Policing White Paper can deliver for police productivity

Bart van Ark By and Filed Under: All posts, British Politics, Urban Posted:

The Public Accounts Committee recently painted a concerning picture of policing in England and Wales. Forces are drawing down reserves, spending a greater proportion of revenue on financing debt, and operating under an outdated funding formula. Into this fragile landscape comes the new Policing White Paper. It promises a radical structural overhaul, including a new […]

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Articles give the views of the author, and are not necessarily those of The University of Manchester.

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