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
Family sorting out waste for recycling

‘Simpler Recycling’ or recycled promises? Calling for a stronger approach to UK flexible plastic packaging recycling

By Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Energy and Environment, Environment Posted:

Thanks to the rollout of Simpler Recycling, in a little less than a year, flexible plastic packaging (such as bread bags, food pouches, chocolate bar wrappers and crisp packets) will be collected from homes and businesses for recycling across the UK. As things stand, the UK is ill-prepared to recycle what will be collected. If […]

A farmers field being irrigated with a centre pivot sprinkler system

Why ‘A New Vision for Water’ must consider the role of water for food security and economic growth

A profile picture of Dr Christopher Bowden. By and Filed Under: All posts, Environment, Science and Engineering Posted:

Farming and food security, in the UK, is increasingly exposed to drought and water scarcity. Yet, the UK government’s White Paper, ‘A New Vision for Water’, treats farming primarily as a source of water pollution, not as a sector whose productive capacity is closely linked to water security. The White Paper promises a once-in-a-generation reform […]

vehicle bridge crossing water

The Role of Data in Supporting Decision Making: Utilising Spatial Data and GIS for Informed Policy and Practice

Photo of Richard Kingston By Filed Under: All posts, Digital Futures, Environment, Health and Social Care, Research and development, Science and Technology Posted:

In an era marked by rapid technological advancement and ever-increasing complexity, the ability to make informed, timely decisions has never been more vital. Across government, industry, academia and the public sector, organisations are striving to integrate digital solutions that enable evidence-based policy and practical action. Here Professor Richard Kingston explores how data can lead the […]

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 […]

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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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