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UK Edition
4th April 2025
 
THE HOT STORY
UK finance industry makes slow progress on female representation
The UK financial sector is struggling to improve female representation in senior roles, with analysis showing that women working in finance held 36% of senior positions last year, up from 35% in 2023 and 34% in 2022. The HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter report, compiled by New Financial, attributes this slow progress to factors like restructuring and hiring freezes. Dame Amanda Blanc, CEO of Aviva, described the pace of change as "frankly unacceptable." The charter, initiated in 2016 and signed by around 450 companies, aims to boost female representation in leadership. However, many firms are unlikely to meet their targets, with 44% of those with deadlines this year admitting they will fall short. The report also highlights that 95% of companies have adopted hybrid working models, which may benefit women with caregiving responsibilities.
TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
Scholarships soar as firms step up
As debate intensifies over the defunding of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in workplaces on both sides of the Atlantic, a growing number of companies are turning to scholarship programmes as a forward-looking alternative. Coinciding with the UK’s National Scholarship Week, major firms including Amazon and Kantar are backing financial bursaries designed to broaden access to higher education and meet environmental, social, and governance goals. The week is backed by the student finance firm Blackbullion, which reports an average £365 gap between what students feel they need and what they have. "A world-class knowledge economy doesn't happen by accident - it's built on access, opportunity, and bold solutions, which ensure students can thrive and drive the UK forward," said Blackbullion chief executive Vivi Friedgut, adding "National Scholarships Week is rewriting the playbook on educational access and breaking down financial barriers for students nationwide."
Online exams 'threaten academic honesty'
The rise of online remote exams poses significant challenges to academic integrity, according to Philip Newton and Michael Draper from Swansea University. Their research revealed that 78% of 119 universities still employ this model, and many lack proper invigilation. Newton said: "Students are forced to choose – do they cheat or risk getting lower marks than peers who did cheat, with consequences for employability?" The situation creates a perverse incentive for students to cheat, undermining the value of degrees, the research says. It calls for urgent action from Jacqui Smith, the Minister for Higher Education, to address these concerns and ensure that examinations maintain their integrity.
WORKFORCE
British Steel plant could close
Unions have warned that British Steel's Scunthorpe plant may be forced to shut within weeks because the plant's Chinese owner, Jingye, has yet to secure the raw materials to keep it in operation. Alasdair McDiarmid, assistant general secretary of the union Community, said: "The situation is extremely concerning, and it would be an abject disaster if the business was allowed to close by default due to a lack of raw materials." Charlotte Brumpton-Childs, the GMB's national officer, said a union meeting with workers had shown that ''Jingye has no intention of running the plant responsibly," and that "nationalisation is now the only option to save UK steel-making." British Steel last week launched a consultation on the proposed closure of its two blast furnaces at Scunthorpe, putting up to 2,700 jobs at risk.
Phillipson says male teachers needed to counter 'toxic influences'
Bridget Phillipson is advocating for an increase in male teachers to provide positive role models for boys. In her speech at the Festival of Childhood, the education secretary highlighted that "the behaviour of boys, their influences, and the young men they become is a defining issue of our time." Phillipson emphasised the importance of strong male figures in both homes and schools, noting that only one in four teachers are men, with even fewer in early years education. She added: "Through our review of the relationships, sex and health education curriculum, we will ensure young people learn about healthy relationships, boundaries and consent right from the start." Meanwhile, in an article for the Times, primary school teacher Guy Pewsey reflects on the impact of being a male role model for children. He writes: "If I can show them one version of manhood, one way in which a man can act and speak and care, then it's worth my best shot." The author discusses the challenges faced by male teachers, including being assigned to the most difficult classes and the need to model positive masculinity to combat harmful stereotypes.
Teacher union reports ‘surge' in members' concerns
NASUWT general secretary Dr Patrick Roach says the teacher union has reported a “surge” in requests for support from members facing redundancies, and warned funding cuts will precipitate further ballots on industrial action in individual schools and trusts. Roach said the union had seen “an uptick, in fact, a bit of a surge, actually, in members coming for support around restructure and redundancy.” He said “two sets of issues, finance and demographics, are having a significant impact on the job security of teachers at a time when the government wants to recruit 6,500 more teachers. The government needs a plan to address some of this, because at the moment, schools are not being offered any alternative in many respects than to consider cutting their cloth in the context of the funding pressures that they're under.”
LEGAL
Gender pay gap widens at big Whitehall departments
Several of Whitehall’s largest departments reported wider gender pay gaps last year, despite an overall narrowing in the amount men in the civil service are paid over their women colleagues.
ECONOMY
Business groups warn of 'deeply troubling' tariffs
British companies and business groups have expressed concern over US President Donald Trump's 10% tariff on UK goods entering the US. Confederation of British Industry chief executive Rain Newton-Smith said the plans are "deeply troubling for businesses," while the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) said the tariffs were "a major blow" to SMEs, as 59% of small UK exporters sell to the US. The FSB's policy chair, Tina McKenzie, said the charges "will cause untold damage to small businesses trying to trade their way into profit while the domestic economy remains flat," adding that "the fallout will stifle growth." Meanwhile, industry body Make UK said the 25% tariffs on cars, steel and aluminium would be devastating for UK manufacturing. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said the taxes were a "deeply disappointing and potentially damaging measure."
Wages and work expectations unchanged
According to the Bank of England's Decision Maker Panel, British businesses' expectations for wages and employment remained stable in March. Companies anticipate modest employment growth of just 0.1% over the next year, unchanged from previous months and significantly lower than the 1% forecasted last October. Additionally, businesses expect wage growth to be 3.9% in the coming year, consistent with earlier predictions.
INTERNATIONAL
DOGE issued inaccurate USAID firing notices and must correct, sources say
Termination notices sent to US Agency for International Development (USAID) employees by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) were so error-strewn that corrected versions are being issued to avoid affecting pensions and pay, according to sources. Errors included inaccurate start dates, lengths of service and salaries. DOGE "did this so quickly that they screwed lots of stuff up," said a US official, who requested anonymity. Human resources staff at USAID, most of whom have been on paid administrative leave and face termination, have returned to send out accurate notices, said the official. "My letter was completely wrong," said one USAID worker. "The only thing correct was my name."
Australian wage growth surges under new law
New research from the McKell Institute reveals that the Australian government's "Same Job, Same Pay" framework has significantly increased wages across the country. Introduced in 2023, this amendment to The Fair Work Act aims to eliminate the "labour hire loophole," ensuring that labour hire workers receive equal pay to their permanent counterparts. Ed Cavanough, CEO of the McKell Institute, said: "This report shows it is doing exactly that, and on a far greater scale than many expected." The report highlights that wage growth is already surpassing government forecasts, with potential annual wage impacts estimated to reach up to $920.3m. Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt emphasised the importance of fair pay, warning that any repeal of the law could harm workers' earnings and the economy, particularly in regional areas.
Minister cracks down on Shabbat work
Israeli labour minister Yoav Ben-Tzur has launched an operation enforcing working hours and rest laws at businesses which employ Jewish workers on their weekly rest day. "Labour laws in the State of Israel are not a recommendation; they are a civic duty to preserve workers' rights," Ben-Tzur posted on social media. The Labor Ministry's Regulation and Enforcement Administration investigated a number of businesses at the BIG Fashion Glilot mall, and found that 21 workers had experienced rights violations, including 13 Jewish workers who were found to be employed on their weekly rest day. "The Working Hours and Rest Law in the State of Israel clearly state that it is strictly forbidden to employ Jewish workers on Shabbat without special permission,” Ben-Tzur said. Opposition politicians have challenged the crackdown as unnecessary.
Tea workers protest in Tinsukia
In Tinsukia, a city surrounded by sprawling tea estates in Assam, northeast India, hundreds of workers from the Rangagora tea estate have participated in a protest march, part of a larger statewide demonstration organised by the Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha (ACMS) trade union. Led by Raju Sahu, the workers voiced their demands, including an increase in daily wages from Rs 250 to Rs 500 due to rising inflation. Other key demands included granting Scheduled Tribe status to the adivasi tea community, removal of smart meters, and better medical and housing facilities. Sahu said: "Tea workers have been the backbone of Assam's economy for generations, yet they continue to struggle for basic rights and dignity." The protesters submitted an 11-point charter to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Labour Minister Rupesh Gowala.
OTHER
Government names first 300 schools splitting £37m nursery cash
The government has named 300 schools that will receive a share of £37m in capital funding for new or expanded nursery provision. The Department for Education said it had “more than doubled” its investment from the £15m previously announced. Of the 300 successful schools, 174 already have some form of nursery provision. The nurseries will offer an average of 20 places per site and up to 6,000 new places in total, with “up to” 4,000 set to be available by the end of September, the DfE said. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Delivering on our promise of a better early years system is my top priority, which is why we've more than doubled our investment in this first phase so thousands more children can benefit from a high-quality early education from this September.”
 


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