December 2018

Vote will coincide with 2020 general election; it follows legalisation of drug’s use for medicinal purposes New Zealand will hold a referendum on whether to legalise cannabis for recreational use at the general election in 2020, a week after legalising the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes.The governing Labour party Read more

Tobacco companies had claimed that anti-smoking measure would cause prices to dropThe introduction of plain cigarette packaging led to an increase in the sale price of leading brands, new research suggests.A study by Stirling University found that the price of top-selling cigarettes increased by almost 5% – or an extra Read more

Reforms under coalition were described as ‘toxic’ by Tory MPs at the time and NAO warns commissioners must now adapt to upcoming NHS reforms to prevent further waste Via: One in 10 NHS commissioning groups 'failing or at risk' five years after Lansley reforms, NAO finds

Surveyors body expects Brexit and affordability constraints to take toll on property marketHouse prices will stagnate in 2019 and the number of sales fall as a mixture of Brexit and affordability constraints takes its toll on the property market, according to Britain’s surveyors and valuers.The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Read more

Charity argues policy puts people who are in UK legally at risk of homelessnessAn attempt to overturn a key pillar of the government’s hostile environment policy that forces landlords to evict or turn away tenants they believe may be in the country illegally is due to begin in the high Read more

‘Can there be any justification for shooting a linnet, bullfinch or wren? Who in their right mind requests permission to shoot a skylark?’ Via: Nature officials grant licences to shoot some of Britain's most endangered birds