All posts tagged: regulator

Conflict questions as Labour moves to single regulator

Conflict questions as Labour moves to single regulator

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More from this theme Recent articles Ministers face questions about how they will maintain independent financial oversight of academies after announcing they will close the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) and beef up the role of powerful regional directors. The government announced this week that the ESFA will be “integrated into the core Department for Education” by March next year. The two-stage move will give schools a “single point of contact for financial management and support”, the government said. But the announcement has prompted concerns that regional directors could be overly influenced by ministers. For instance, regional directors were tasked with growing the academy agenda, while the ESFA was tasked with independently investigating cases of financial mismanagement in schools. Scrapping ESFA ‘bad news for transparency’ One former ESFA official, who wanted to remain anonymous, said it was “bad news for transparency and fairness in education”.  “The ESFA was a key, rational bulwark against the cronyism of regional directors. This government stripping away of the checks and balances of executive agencies does nothing for pupils.” …

Homerton Fertility Clinic has its suspension extended by regulator

Homerton Fertility Clinic has its suspension extended by regulator

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HFEA chief executive Peter Thompson said: “The Committee decided that the Homerton Fertility Clinic’s licence should remain suspended until August, while investigations continue. “The clinic remains under enhanced regulatory oversight and the HFEA will not lift the suspension of the clinic’s licence until we are certain that patients can be treated safely. “Serious incidents in fertility clinics in the UK are rare, but each one is distressing for those patients involved, which is why we take them very seriously. The HFEA investigates what clinics do in response to incidents to make sure that everything is done to understand what went wrong and, crucially, to take steps to ensure it does not happen again. “The UK model of fertility clinic regulation is internationally regarded. By having special laws, setting best practice through our Code of Practice, and sharing learning on incidents the HFEA promotes safe practice to minimise the risk of incidents.” Source link

Tesla Autopilot feature was involved in 13 fatal crashes, US regulator says | Tesla

Tesla Autopilot feature was involved in 13 fatal crashes, US regulator says | Tesla

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US auto-safety regulators said on Friday that their investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot had identified at least 13 fatal crashes in which the feature had been involved. The investigation also found the electric carmaker’s claims did not match up with reality. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) disclosed on Friday that during its three-year Autopilot safety investigation, which it launched in August 2021, it identified at least 13 Tesla crashes involving one or more death, and many more involving serious injuries, in which “foreseeable driver misuse of the system played an apparent role”. It also found evidence that “Tesla’s weak driver engagement system was not appropriate for Autopilot’s permissive operating capabilities”, which resulted in a “critical safety gap”. The NHTSA also raised concerns that Tesla’s Autopilot name “may lead drivers to believe that the automation has greater capabilities than it does and invite drivers to overly trust the automation”. Tesla said in December that its largest-ever recall, covering 2.03m US vehicles – or nearly all of its vehicles on US roads – was to better …

Auto Safety Regulator Investigating Tesla Recall of Autopilot

Auto Safety Regulator Investigating Tesla Recall of Autopilot

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The federal government’s main auto safety agency said on Friday that it was investigating Tesla’s recall of its Autopilot driver-assistance system because regulators were concerned that the company had not done enough to ensure that drivers remained attentive while using the technology. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in documents posted on its website that it was looking into Tesla’s recall in December of two million vehicles, which covered nearly all of the cars the company had manufactured in the United States since 2012. The safety agency said that it had concerns about crashes that took place after the recall and results from preliminary tests of recalled vehicles. The investigation adds to a list of headaches for Tesla, the dominant electric vehicle maker in the United States. The company’s sales fell more than 8 percent in the first three months of the year compared with the same period a year earlier, the first such drop since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. Tesla announced in December that it would recall its autopilot software …

MPs Eye Giving Football Regulator More Power To Distribute Premier League Funds

MPs Eye Giving Football Regulator More Power To Distribute Premier League Funds

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Wembley Stadum (Alamy) 4 min read1 hr MPs and football sector figures are looking to amend the Football Governance Bill to give the newly established regulator more power to force elite clubs to distribute money to smaller teams. The Government introduced the Football Governance Bill to the House of Commons on Tuesday. The legislation will finally pave the way for an independent regulator which will aim to reform the Game. A Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) source told PoliticsHome they were relieved the Government found Parliamentary time to table the legislation for its first reading this week after concern that any further delay would limit its chances of passing in the remaining parliamentary session. Both the Conservative Party and Labour are keen for the Bill, which commands bi-partisan support across the House, to be implemented before the next election. But now the details of the proposed legislation have finally been confirmed, football fans’ groups are divided over whether the legislation has “teeth” to protect the financial sustainability of the game. Kevin Miles, …

Plans for regulator illustrate inherently political nature of football | Football

Plans for regulator illustrate inherently political nature of football | Football

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Mustafa Suleyman’s timely book The Coming Wave discusses the combinational technologies that will define our future. One quote particularly stood out: “I’ve often heard it said that technology is ‘value neutral’ and that its politics arise from its use. This is so reductive and simplistic that it’s almost meaningless.” I agree and was thinking similarly that football extends beyond the pitch, weaving itself into the very fabric of our societal, cultural and, most unmistakably, political realities. The notion that sports can exist in a vacuum, devoid of the world’s complexities and challenges, is not only implausible but naive. Football, as exemplified by the controversies surrounding the World Cup in Qatar, encompassing debates over workers’ rights, environmental practices and discrimination based on sexual orientation, has proven a catalyst for a larger global discourse. The bill for an independent regulator in English football was brought to parliament this week and highlights the inherently political nature of the sport. This debate goes beyond the scope of administrative oversight; it probes deeper, challenging the essence of the game’s existence …

French regulator fines Google €250 million

French regulator fines Google €250 million

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French regulators said on Wednesday, March 20, that they were fining Google €250 million ($272 million) for breaching an agreement on terms for paying media companies for reproducing their content online. France’s Competition Authority said in a statement the fine was for “failing to respect commitments made in June 2022” and accused it of not negotiating in “good faith” with news publishers on how much to compensate them for use of their content. Google and other online platforms have been accused of making billions from news without sharing the revenue with those who gather it. To tackle this, the EU created a form of copyright called “neighbouring rights” that allows print media to demand compensation for using their content. France has been a test case for the rules and after initial resistance Google and Facebook both agreed to pay some French media for articles shown in web searches. In 2022, French regulators accepted commitments from Google to negotiate fairly with news organisations. Under the agreement, the US tech giant has to provide news groups with …

Explainer-How will an independent football regulator change the English game

Explainer-How will an independent football regulator change the English game

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LONDON : An independent football regulator (IFR) for the English game took another step closer to becoming reality on Tuesday as the Football Governance Bill was introduced in Parliament. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hailed it as an ‘historic moment’ for the game but what exactly will change when it becomes law? WHAT WILL BE THE ROLE OF THE INDEPENDENT FOOTBALL REGULATOR? The IFR will have powers to operate a licensing scheme for the top-five levels of the English pyramid from the Premier League down to the National League. Licences will be subject to clubs meeting requirements with regard to financial stability, owners’ suitability, fan engagement and the protection of clubs’ heritage such as club badges, kit colour and stadiums. It will also have backstop powers to impose an agreement between the Premier League and Football League on how wealth is redistributed if no agreement can be reached. Clubs will also be barred from joining “closed shop” leagues such as the proposed European Super League. WHY IS IT NEEDED? While the Premier League is regarded as …

Government Introduces “Historic” Football Regulator Legislation

Government Introduces “Historic” Football Regulator Legislation

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Culture secretary Lucy Frazer launches the Football Governance Bill at Leyton Orient Football Club (Alamy) 4 min read1 hr The Government has introduced the much-anticipated Football Governance Bill to the House of Commons, finally paving the way for an independent regulator which will aim to reform the financial flow of football. The Bill aims to give powers to a new independent body which will manage and discipline the top five leagues of English football.   The announcement of the legislation follows the Conservative Party’s 2019 manifesto pledge to implement one, and the subsequent fan-led review by Tracey Crouch which was published in 2021. Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer, who will introduce the Bill to the Commons on Tuesday, said the government was always prepared to bring the legislation forward even if the country’s elite clubs and lower league teams had not reached an agreement on how the new system should work. “The best outcome is that the Premier League and the EFL come to a deal that works for them, because then they can negotiate …

British government to introduce independent football regulator

British government to introduce independent football regulator

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LONDON :The British government is planning to establish an independent football regulator to oversee the sport and encourage financial stability via a bill introduced in parliament on Tuesday. The regulator will be independent of government and football authorities with the power to fine clubs up to 10 per cent of their turnover for non-compliance with financial regulations, the government said in a press release. The legislation will strengthen tests of the suitability for those running clubs and would also block “closed-shop competitions” such as the frequently proposed European Super League. Clubs will also be obliged to consult fans over matters such as strategic direction and anything that impacts their heritage. “For too long some clubs have been abused by unscrupulous owners who get away with financial mismanagement, which at worst can lead to complete collapse,” Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said. “This bill is a historic moment for football fans – it will make sure their voices are front and centre, prevent a breakaway league, protect the financial sustainability of clubs, and protect the heritage of …