In order to alleviate the shortage of personnel, the government recommended secondary school graduates to participate in train driver training
The minimum age for train applicants could be lowered from 20 to 18, pending negotiations, in order to reduce reliance on existing employees to work overtime on their own initiative. Secondary school graduates will be eligible to become train drivers to help alleviate the chronic driver shortage.
British officials plan to reduce the age at which training operating companies recruit drivers from 20 to 18 to strengthen the industry's resilience. There is a severe shortage of drivers needed to operate the service, resulting in an over-reliance on voluntary overtime from existing employees, and more than 5,000 drivers are expected to reach retirement age in the next five years.
The government will hold consultations on plans to lower the age as early as this summer. The move was supported by Aslef, the drivers' union and the train operating company.
Rail Secretary Huw Merriman said: "This proposal will mean more opportunities for young people to gain the skills they need for the job, while also serving UK passengers. With the average age of active train drivers at 48, it is likely that we will see a significant contraction in the workforce in the coming years, meaning more driver jobs are in short supply and more reliant on existing employees to work overtime to sustain themselves. ”
The minimum age to drive the London Underground has been lowered to 18, and industry insiders say mainline operators should follow suit.
The cost of training for rail companies is as high as £65,000, and it takes between 12 and 18 months to complete the training of a driver. Students must pass medical, mental, physical and ability exams.
Mick Whelan, secretary general of Aslef, supports the plan. "We strongly believe that there should be enough drivers to cover all available shifts and do not agree to rely on rest day work and overtime," he said. We have always agreed with train operators that lowering the age of drivers allows training to begin, which will help the industry grow. ”
Over the past two years, the reliance on voluntary overtime has been laid bare, with a 64-day rest day work ban imposed across the train network as part of a dispute over driver pay. Due to the ban, some commuter lines were reduced to one hour on weekdays, and some were forced to cancel at the last minute.
Being a train driver is attractive to young people because of the good salary. In January last year, the Office for National Statistics said that the median salary for train drivers, including overtime pay, was £63,807.
In comparison, the median annual salary in the UK is £29,669. Base salaries for train operating companies vary widely, with LNER train drivers earning £70,715 per annum for East Coast Main Line and £39,126 for East Midland rail drivers.
The UK fines offshore entities that ignore property registration
The UK has fined more than 400 overseas entities for failing to provide proof of wealth hidden in UK assets, although they have paid less than 3% fines so far, according to new data.
Companies House, Britain's public registrar of public companies, told Reuters that it has so far fined about 423 unregistered overseas entities a total of £21.86 million, using the new powers it gained in June last year to help investigate ties to Russian-linked funds.
The unaudited Companies House figures, first disclosed here, show that only £580,000 in fines were received, representing about 2.65% of the total fines, reflecting the challenges faced by the Registrar in tracking down the offending companies.
The United States and the European Union are urging the United Kingdom to do more to address money laundering in its financial system and overseas territories. A report by the British parliament in April said that the cost of new economic crime costs Britain as much as £350 billion a year.
Since the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022, the UK has launched the Overseas Entity Register (ROE) in an attempt to expose holding entities that are often anonymous and prevent corrupt oligarchs and foreign criminals from using UK property to launder money.
On Thursday, the register listed 30,931 entries, 1,509 fewer than the government's estimate of the 32,440 offshore companies that own property in the UK.
Reuters has learned that some entities may have changed their names but not updated their land registers, or may no longer exist. But those entities that are not registered — and the officials behind them — will face civil penalties, criminal prosecution and property restrictions, including sales.
If the fine is not paid within 28 days, the registrar can also use the court to file a charge and make a new registration of the property.
Companies House declined to comment on whether legal action had been filed, but said it was using its enhanced powers to share data with other government departments and law enforcement agencies.
"This helps support the UK's efforts to combat and reduce economic crime," said Martin Swain, Director of Intelligence and Law Enforcement Engagement at Companies House.
Ben Kadok, senior head of investigations at anti-corruption campaign group Transparency International, said the registrar's actions so far looked "very promising" despite the low level of fines received.
Legislators and anti-corruption groups have welcomed two Economic Crimes Acts that introduce registers and other measures to address the UK's role as a haven for illicit funds.
Some have called for the law to be broadened to ensure property ownership is not overshadowed by opaque trusts, transferred to jurisdictions such as friends and family or the BVI to avoid transparency.
Portraits of the British royal family from the last 100 years are on display in London
From Andy Warhol's colourful portrait of Queen Elizabeth II to Cecil Beaton's portrait of his sister Princess Margaret, a new exhibition in London looks at portraits of the British royal family over the past 100 years.
"Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography" opens this Friday at King's Gallery at Buckingham Palace and features more than 150 photographs, proofs and documents from the Royal Collections and Royal Archives, some of which have never been released or seen to the public.
Allesandro Nasini, Senior Curator of Photographs and Curator of Exhibitions at the Royal Collection Trust, said: "This exhibition depicts the evolution of royal portrait photography over the past century, from ...... The high society charm of the 20s of the 20th century until the coronation of King Charles III in 2023. ”。
The exhibition begins with an engagement portrait of Prince Albert and Madame Elisabeth Bose Lyon, who later became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, in 1923, which hangs near the official coronation portrait of King Charles in 2023.
"[They] are exactly 100 years apart. We have analog technology on the one hand, digital technology on the other, monochrome, color, and a private commission and official. I think that gives the scope of the exhibition...... From very private to very official. ”
One of the highlights is Warhol's 1985 color silkscreen print of Elizabeth II, based on a portrait of a monarch featuring "diamond dust" or broken glass particles.
Here are wartime photographs of the royal family, including some taken by social photographer Beaton, who took many portraits of the royal family over the decades.
A portrait of Kate, Princess of Wales, Prince William's wife, on her 40th birthday, hangs near a painting inspired by Alexandra of Denmark, the former Princess of Wales.
The exhibition also features royal photographs taken by renowned photographers including Anne Leibovitz, David Bailey, and Rankin.
According to the report, 40% of universities in the UK are at risk of closure
According to the higher education regulator's annual health ratings, a growing number of universities in England are at significant risk of closure unless they slash costs or merge in the coming years.
The UK Student Office (OfS) report paints a bleak picture, with universities over-reliant on international students to fill the gap left by falling domestic student tuition fees, with the UK Student Office warning that 40% of UK universities are expected to run budget deficits this year.
Susan Lapworth, chief executive officer of OfS, said: "The financial performance and strength of different institutions vary widely, and our analysis shows that in the near future, more and more institutions will need to make significant changes to their funding models to avoid facing the significant risk of failure. Many universities have already started this important work to ensure its sustainability. They are making difficult but necessary decisions about the shape and size of the school. They are working with other universities to consolidate or centralize services. They do all this while protecting the quality of the curriculum and the interests of the students. ”
Mr Lapworth said the report was "a signal" that universities were questioning their assumptions about future student recruitment, both domestic and foreign, saying: "The industry-wide data reported to us is not credible." ”
While ESB says it is not concerned about the "short-term viability" of most universities, its modelling of a reasonable worst-case scenario predicts that four out of five UK universities will run a fiscal deficit by 2027.
Alex Bols, GuildHE Group, which represents 60 universities and colleges, said: "As the financial situation of the higher education sector becomes more challenging, the need for long-term funding solutions is becoming more urgent. ”
The government's recent restrictions on student visas — such as banning accompanying family members on student visas — have led to a significant drop in applications from international students, with one survey reporting a 27 percent drop in applications for graduate programs next year.
Home Secretary James Cleverly is still considering restricting the postgraduate visa pathway, which allows international students to stay and work in the UK unconditionally for two to three years after completing their studies, which the university says is crucial compared to competitors with similar offers such as the US and Australia.
The drop in the number of applicants and the ongoing freeze on domestic undergraduate tuition fees – which have been set at £9,250 since 2017 – until 2025-26 have triggered a wave of university course closures and redundancies.
Data compiled by the Union of Universities and Colleges (UCU) shows that more than 50 universities and colleges are already laying off staff and other layoffs.
Joe Grady, secretary general of the University Association of London, said: "The funding model for higher education has been broken and needs to be radically changed to give the industry a solid financial footing. Unfortunately, the Conservatives seem intent on making the situation worse by constantly attacking immigrant students and workers. ”