Skills for self employment

This small scale, explorative research study looks at the hitherto relatively under-researched question of the role of skills and training in the development of self employment. It draws on a literature review, data analysis from the Labour Force Survey, and a series of expert interviews. We summarise here the main findings from the research and, where appropriate, we highlight possible policy implications of those findings, although given the small scale, exploratory nature of the study, some of these issues would benefit from further investigation(and the report highlights possible avenues for new research to fill these gaps: see section 6.7). In thinking about policy we do not, for the most part, recommend specific interventions. Rather we highlight the kinds of considerations that policy-makers should be aware of when designing interventions" -- page i (Evidence Report). "This Annex presents an analysis of Labour Force Survey data, to provide descriptive statistics on the nature and extent of self-employment in the UK" -- page 1 (Annex)

Thieno[3,2-b]thiophene based conjugated polymers for high performance organic photovoltaic and field effect transistor applications

The design, synthesis and characterisation of thirteen new semiconducting polymers for use in organic photovoltaic (OPV) and field effect transistor (OFET) devices are reported. The rational design of each polymer is discussed and their structures related to their varying chemical and physical properties, which are further used to rationalise the specific device performances. Various structural modifications are investigated with a focus on the electron-deficient bis-lactam structures diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) and isoindigo, that are flanked by thieno[3,2-b]thiophene donor groups. Alkyl chain optimisation of thieno[3,2-b]thiophene diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPPTT) based co-polymers was thoroughly examined and it was found that increased alkyl chain size affords improved solubility and a wider range of accessible co-monomer units. Exploiting this improved solubility, the new DPPTT-T polymer was fractionated using recycling gel permeation chromatography (GPC). This gave fractions with increased molecular weights and narrowed mass distributions resulting in OPV power conversion efficiency (PCE) ehancements of greater than 50 %. Continuing with DPPTT-T alkyl chains, a new OPV structural design consideration is introduced in which the alkyl chain branching position is systematically moved further from the polymer backbone. This resulted in higher molecular weight polymers with stronger π - π interactions and significantly enhanced device performances due to increased intermolecular interactions, with PCEs in excess of 8 %. Using the new higher performing branched alkyl chains the role of differing chalcogenophene co-monomers OPV devices was also investigated and was found that increased heteroatomic size, from thiophene to selenophene to tellurophene, resulted in narrowed optical band gaps and increased heteroatom – heteroatom interchain interactions. When these differences are taken into consideration, thiophene is shown to be the highest performing chalcogenophene comonomer of the series. Moving to isoindigo, a new thieno[3,2-b]thiophene flanked structure (iITT) was designed and synthesised for the first time. The resultant narrow band gap co-polymers were shown to be excellent candidate materials for ambipolar OFET applications. Through a comparative literature and computational study, the new iITT unit is shown to be one of the highest performing units within this family of polymer structures.Open Acces

Gregson v HAE Trustees Ltd & Ors [2008] EWHC 1006 (Ch)

“DOG-LEG” CLAIMS KICKED INTO TOUCH: BENEFICIARIES EXPOSED?The recent decision of the High Court in Gregson v HAE Trustees Ltd & Ors (“Gregson”) represents a low point for the potential sustainability of what has become known as a dog-leg claim, a hitherto rarely utilised cause of action. The essence of the dog-leg claim is this. When a trust suffers loss as a result of a breach by a corporate trustee, and that corporate trustee cannot or will not pursue its own directors to recover the losses to the settlement, a dog-leg claim recognises the right of action available to the corporate trustee as being the property of the trust. In the event that the corporate trustee fails to pursue its directors the beneficiaries may do so because the claim belongs to the trust

What is it that is going on when children collaborate to make art What is it that is going on when children collaborate to make art in a primary school workshop? A frame analysis.

Abstract This thesis examines a collaborative imaginary drawing workshop for primary school children in which values such as improvisation, collaboration and imagination lead the pedagogy. This model of collaborative drawing is at odds with an underlying conceptual framework for the art curriculum which still foregrounds individuals making unique art objects. In recent years, a number of British art educators have questioned this fine-art approach and contrast it with developments in contemporary art. For example, relational art is championed by the curator and critic Nicolas Bourriaud. Relational artists believe that aesthetic form can be found in relations as well as objects. A creative workshop in a primary school is a complex social situation. In his book Frame Analysis (1974), the sociologist Erving Goffman develops an approach to illuminating what is going on in social encounters. Goffman looks very closely at micro-meanings embedded in social interaction. His methods are examined and interpreted in order to create a form for answering the question posed in the title of this thesis. Data is collected about the workshops using methodologies and methods suggested by visual sociologists and visual ethnographers. An adaption of auto-driven photo-elicitation is developed specifically with children in mind. A version of frame analysis, a frame assemblage, is applied to facilitate an interpretation of this data. The thesis also examines the conceptual underpinnings of both Goffman´s approach to frame analysis (1974) and Bourriaud’s conception of relational art (2002). It is argued that each depend on an ontology located in forms of radical empiricism championed respectively by William James (1842 – 1910) and Gilles Deleuze (1925 – 1995). An argument is presented which posits that both children´s collaborative imaginative drawings and what is going on in the workshop are most usefully understood from this radical empiricist frame. The potential implications for primary school art education pedagogy are unfolded

Work of the NHS England Youth Forum and its effect on health services.

©2018 RCN Publishing Company Ltd. All rights reserved. Not to be copied, transmitted or recorded in any way, in whole or part, without prior permission of the publishers.AIM: To examine the role of members of the NHS England Youth Forum (NHSEYF) and the strategies used to influence health service provision for children and young people. METHOD: An evaluative mixed-methods study was commissioned by NHS England and undertaken by the University of Hertfordshire between July 2015 and September 2016. Data collection comprised activity logs, a form of questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews. FINDINGS: The analysis of the activity logs revealed that the young people were undertaking a wide range of activities across England. Seven themes emerged from the interviews: the young people; motivation; commitment; community (the local area as well as a community spirit); knowledge experts; youth workers; and funding. In summary, the members of the NHSEYF were committed to their role and their work was having a positive effect on health service provision. CONCLUSION: The NHSEYF has developed rapidly and successfully. It is enabling the voice of young people to be heard.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Secondary sexual characteristics in codfishes (Gadidae) in relation to sound production, habitat use, and social behaviour

Little is known about the reproductive biology of the codfishes (Gadidae). Lacking direct observations, the study of secondary sexual characteristics can provide cues to their reproductive biology and behaviour. We reviewed here published accounts on sexual dimorphisms in 25 gadids in light of their general lifestyle, i.e. pelagic or demersal, and social behaviour. In addition, complementary data on fin lengths and drumming muscle size in haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus), saithe (Pollachius virens), blue whiting (Micromesistius potassou) and cod (Gadus morhua) are presented. Capacity for sound production occurred in almost half of the studied species, but was most prevalent in demersal species, where it is probably used in resource contests and to attract mates. For semi-pelagic gadids, we postulate that sound production may be linked to the formation of male-biased spawning shoals and the attraction of females towards such shoals; we identify candidate species to further test this hypothesis. Though rarely studied, sexual fin dimorphisms occur in several gadids. Cod, saithe and blue whiting males have longer pelvic fins than females, whereas no such dimorphism was observed in haddock. In cod and haddock, males use pelvic fins during courtship of females and agonistic encounters with other males. Pelvic fins probably have a similar function also in other gadids. The hitherto available information on sexually dimorphic traits and/or courtship behaviour in 7 gadid species suggests that complex mating systems and non-random mate choice occurs frequently in this important group of exploited fishes

Bycatch and strandings programs as ecological indicators for data-limited cetaceans

An integrated approach of using strandings and bycatch data may provide an indicator of long-term trends for data-limited cetaceans. Strandings programs can give a faithful representation of the species composition of cetacean assemblages, while standardised bycatch rates can provide a measure of relative abundance. Comparing the two datasets may also facilitate managing impacts by understanding which species, sex or sizes are the most vulnerable to interactions with fisheries gear. Here we apply this approach to two long-term datasets in East Australia, bycatch in the Queensland Shark Control Program QSCP, 1992–2012) and strandings in the Queensland Marine Wildlife Strandings and Mortality Program StrandNet, 1996–2012). Short-beaked common dolphins, Delphinus delphis, were markedly more frequent in bycatch than in the strandings dataset, suggesting that they are more prone to being incidentally caught than other cetacean species in the region. The reverse was true for humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae, bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops spp.; and species predominantly found in offshore waters. QSCP bycatch was strongly skewed towards females for short-beaked common dolphins, and towards smaller sizes for Australian humpback dolphins, Sousa sahulensis. Overall, both datasets demonstrated similar seasonality and a similar long-term increase from 1996 until 2008. Analysis on a species-by-species basis was then used to explore potential explanations for long-term trends, which ranged from a recovering stock (humpback whales) to a shift in habitat use (short-beaked common dolphins)