[ad_1] Matt Hancock has defended government deals to buy personal protective equipment (PPE) during the pandemic, saying the country was in a "desperate situation" at the time.In a bad-tempered session at the Covid inquiry, the former health secretary repeatedly criticised the line of questioning describing it as "naive", "hostile" and "inappropriate".He said he was "not at all surprised" when a so-called VIP lane for PPE suppliers with a political connection
[ad_1] And did they have enough underwear? [ad_2] Source link
[ad_1] We need to be 40% more energy efficient to hit climate goals. Can the world do it? [ad_2] Source link
[ad_1] Getty ImagesChanges to the welfare system will save £5bn a year by 2030 and get more people into work, the government says.It will be harder to claim a key disability benefit called Personal Independence Payment (Pip) under the proposals.The basic level of universal credit for those seeking work will rise, but people under 22 will no longer be able to claim incapacity benefit. What is Pip and how are
[ad_1] Google has agreed to pay $28m (£21.5m) to settle a lawsuit that claimed white and Asian employees were given better pay and career opportunities than workers from other ethnic backgrounds, a law firm representing claimants says.The technology giant confirmed it had "reached a resolution" but rejected the allegations made against it.The case filed in 2021 by former Google employee, Ana Cantu, said workers from Hispanic, Latino, Native American and
[ad_1] Rebecca Morelle, Alison Francis and Greg BrosnanBBC ScienceWatch: Astronauts return to Earth after extended stay in SpaceAfter nine months in space, Nasa astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have finally arrived back on Earth.Their SpaceX capsule made a fast and fiery re-entry through the Earth's atmosphere, before four parachutes opened to take them to a gentle splashdown off the coast of Florida. A pod of dolphins circled the craft.After
[ad_1] Arguments about benefits always revolve around a single concept: fairness.There are timeless questions – who is deserving and who is not?It provokes sharp opinions and so is among the sharpest of domestic political decisions a government ever has to make.There is a direct if not immediate consequence of a decision taken in Westminster on the money in the pockets of millions of people, including many who have little or
[ad_1] How the US government’s crackdown on diversity deleted women’s military contributions. [ad_2] Source link
[ad_1] Sam FrancisPolitical reporterJoshua NevettPolitical reporterPA MediaKemi Badenoch has said it is "impossible" for the UK to meet its net zero target by 2050 - a goal set by a previous Conservative government.The UK is legally committed to reaching net zero by 2050 under a law passed by former Tory Prime Minister Theresa May in 2019. It means the UK must cut carbon emissions until it removes as much as
[ad_1] BBCWork and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has set out how the government plans to cut billions of pounds from the working-age welfare bill in the coming years.The focus will be on reducing spending on health and disability benefits.The bill is rising rapidly and many argue it needs to be curbed for the sake of the UK's public finances – as well as the economic and individual benefits of getting
