Podcast Summary
UK education funding fell in real terms between 2010 and 2019: Despite the UK education secretary's claim, real terms funding per pupil in England dropped by about 9% between 2010 and 2019, and it is only expected to reach the 2010 levels again in 2022.
While the UK education secretary claimed that real terms funding per pupil in England is at a record high, a closer look at the numbers reveals that spending per pupil actually fell by about 9% in real terms between 2010 and 2019. The government has been pumping more money into schools since 2019, and it is expected to reach the 2010 levels again by next year. However, this is not much of an achievement when considering that spending on schools had been increasing almost every year since 1945 due to the country's increasing wealth. This means that the current funding level is not significantly higher than it was over a decade ago. The statement made by the education secretary can be seen as a bit misleading as it does not include certain expenditures and only becomes technically true in the near future.
IFS paints a different picture of school spending trends: Government data underestimates school spending cuts due to ignoring 6th form funding, capital spending, and shifting costs to schools
While the government's data shows broadly flat school spending from 2010 to 2019, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) paints a different picture when factoring in funding for pupils aged 3 to 19, including those in 6th forms and nurseries. The IFS argues that the government's measure ignores significant cuts to 6th form funding, which has led to a less positive picture of school spending trends. Additionally, the government's data does not include capital spending on school buildings and repairs, which have seen significant cuts over the last 10 years. Furthermore, schools have had to take on extra responsibilities and costs that were previously covered by local authorities, leading to a shift in funding burdens. Overall, the IFS's analysis provides a more comprehensive view of school spending trends and highlights the importance of considering all aspects of education funding.
UK Schools Face Increased Costs Amid Flat Funding; Excess Deaths Data Revised Down by ONS: The ONS has revised down its estimates for excess deaths during the pandemic due to changes in methodology, leading to debates about data accuracy and potential policy implications.
Schools in the UK are facing increased responsibilities and costs for various services, while overall funding has remained relatively flat over the past decade. Meanwhile, there has been controversy surrounding the measurement of excess deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revised down its estimates for excess deaths due to changes in the method used to determine the expected number of deaths. This has led to debates about the accuracy of the data and the potential implications for policy decisions. It's important to remember that excess deaths are simply a measure of the difference between the actual number of deaths and the number that was expected based on historical trends. However, this measure doesn't account for the causes of those deaths or other factors that might influence mortality rates. The ONS has updated its method to better reflect demographic changes and mortality trends, but this has led to significant revisions in the excess death estimates for previous years. This highlights the importance of understanding the limitations and complexities of data and statistical analysis, particularly in the context of major public health crises.
Measuring excess deaths during the pandemic: The ONS developed a new method to measure excess deaths during the pandemic, excluding periods where more than 15% of deaths were due to COVID-19, resulting in a significant decrease in estimated excess deaths for 2023.
During the pandemic, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) had to develop a more sophisticated method to measure excess deaths due to the skewed baseline caused by the high number of COVID-19 deaths. The new method excludes periods where more than 15% of deaths were due to COVID-19, allowing for a better estimation of excess deaths. This change resulted in a significant decrease in estimated excess deaths for 2023, from 31,000 to less than 11,000, as the expected deaths have increased due to the pandemic. The ONS had to make a judgment call about the impact of the pandemic on the baseline, as including COVID-19 deaths would have masked other excess deaths. The new method aims to spot short-term effects in terms of excess deaths more accurately.
Measuring the long-term health impacts of the pandemic: Excess deaths may not be the best method for measuring long-term health impacts of the pandemic. Retail crime, particularly shoplifting, is expected to rise as shopping patterns return to normal.
While there are concerns about the long-term effects of the pandemic on health, measuring these impacts through excess deaths may not be the most effective method. Excess deaths are better suited for measuring sudden crises or short-term trends. Meanwhile, in the retail sector, there have been conflicting reports on shoplifting and violence against staff. While some surveys suggest significant increases, others raise concerns about the transparency and reliability of the data. Overall, it seems likely that retail crime, particularly shoplifting, will continue to rise as shopping patterns return to pre-pandemic levels. However, more reliable data is needed to accurately assess the extent of these trends.
Retailers report significant increase in shoplifting, violence, and abuse against staff despite decreasing police statistics: Retailers face a rising issue of shoplifting, violence, and abuse against staff, contradicting decreasing police statistics, possibly due to differences in reporting, long-term trends, and pandemic's impact on retail staff.
While recorded police statistics show shoplifting returning to pre-pandemic levels, retailers are reporting significant increases in shoplifting, violence, and abuse against staff. Although there's a cost-of-living crisis, it's not a straightforward explanation for the increase in shoplifting, as crime generally doesn't increase in response to economic downturns. Instead, the reasons for the discrepancy between police statistics and retailers' reports might be due to differences in reporting, long-term trends, and the impact of the pandemic on retail staff. The large number of animals passing through Heathrow Airport in 2023, as mentioned in The Economist Magazine, is not 6.5 billion rhinos but a mix of various animals, likely including pets and livestock.
Heathrow processed 6.5 billion invertebrates in 2023, mostly mites: Heathrow handled 6.5 billion invertebrates, primarily mites, in 2023, with their origin remaining uncertain.
Heathrow Animal Reception Centre processed an astonishing number of animals in 2023, with a grand total of 6,506,500,000 invertebrates making up the majority of the arrivals. While many might assume these creatures are ants, the true culprits are mites, tiny eight-legged bugs that serve as a form of pest control. Despite this revelation, the exact origin of these mites remains uncertain, as most are imported via trucks from Europe rather than planes. The UK government department DEFRA, which oversees animal imports, also confirmed the predominance of mites among the invertebrate arrivals but could not yet provide a definitive list of sources.
The gap between men's and women's running speeds varies with race length: In shorter races, men usually run faster, but women catch up in longer ones. Women outperform men in races over 195 miles.
The difference in running speed between men and women depends on the length of the race. In shorter races, men tend to run faster, but the gap narrows as the race gets longer. Women typically run faster times than men for races over 195 miles. However, this fact is put to the test on the show "More or Less," so listeners are encouraged to tune in to find out if it's true. Additionally, the podcast "You're Dead to Me" on BBC Sounds is returning for a 7th series, where they will explore various historical topics with comedians and historians. UnitedHealthcare TriTerm Medical Plans offer flexible, budget-friendly health insurance coverage for those in between jobs or missed open enrollment, lasting nearly 3 years in some states. These plans provide access to a nationwide network of doctors and hospitals, ensuring coverage for whatever tomorrow brings.
