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tag:www.gov.uk,2005:/government/announcements Announcements on GOV.UK HM Government 2017-02-27T00:15:02+00:00 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352382 2017-02-27T00:15:02+00:00 2017-02-27T00:15:02+00:00 Press release: Campaign launched to increase low paid workers' knowledge of national minimum and national living wage rights Government advertising campaign launches today to raise lowest paid workers' knowledge of their rights ahead of the National Minimum and National Living Wage rates rise on 1 April

Government advertising campaign goes live across the country today to raise lowest paid workers' knowledge of their rights ahead of the National Minimum and National Living Wage rates rise on 1 April

New poll shows lack of understanding when it comes to being paid, including for travel time and security searches at the start or end of shifts

Business Minister Margot James: "We are determined to make sure everybody in work receives a fair wage"

The Government has today launched a nationwide campaign to increase low paid workers' understanding of their rights around pay.

The national advertising campaign - which will be carried on public transport, in shopping centres and other public places - is being rolled out ahead of the Government's National Minimum and National Living Wage rates rising on 1 April.

It comes as a new poll for the Government shows many people in low paid work are confused about when they should be paid and what deductions from their pay packets can legally be made.

The poll of more than 1,400 workers earning less than £15,000 found:

69% didn't know they should be paid for travel time between appointments

57% didn't know having money deducted from their wages to cover the costs of their uniform is unlawful if it takes their earnings under the National Minimum or National Living Wage

48% didn't know that tips can't be used to top up pay to the legal minimum

Some of the most common excuses given to HMRC by employers for underpaying workers include using tips to top up pay to the minimum wage, making staff pay for their uniforms out of their salary which takes them below the legal minimum, not paying for shutting up shop or for time waiting for security checks, or the time spent travelling from one appointment to another.

In light of this, the campaign highlights some of the most common examples when a worker may be underpaid the legal minimum in a bid to encourage workers to check their pay.

Business Minister Margot James said:

"We are determined to make sure everybody in work receives a fair wage and while most employers get it right, there are still a small number who fail to play by the rules. This campaign will raise awareness among the lowest paid people in society about what they must legally receive.

"Anyone who thinks they may be paid less than the legal minimum should contact Acas as soon as possible."

Jennie Granger, Director General for Customer Compliance at HMRC, said:

"Paying the National Minimum Wage is the law – it's not a choice. Employers must pay their workers what they're entitled to and follow the rules.

"We will act to ensure ripped-off workers receive their proper pay and hardworking businesses are not losing out to dodgy dealers who cheat their staff."

Ahead of 1 April, when the national minimum and living wage rates go up, workers are encouraged to check their pay, speak to their boss about the rate rise and report underpayment to Acas, the independent workplace advisory service.

Stewart Gee, Head of Guidance at Acas, said:

"We welcome this new Government awareness campaign as it is important for employers to stay within the law and for workers to be fully aware of the pay that they are legally entitled to.

"Acas has free and impartial advice for both employers and employees on the correct national minimum and living wage rates and advice for workers on what they can do if they feel that they are not being paid correctly."

Information on the Government's National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage and to report underpayment.

Notes to editors:

From 1 April 2017: The Government's National Living Wage rate for those aged 25 and over will increase by 30p to £7.50 per hour.

For the Government's National Minimum Wage:

the rate for 21 to 24 year olds will increase by 10p to £7.05 per hour

the rate for 18 to 20 year olds will increase by 5 to £5.60 per hour

the rate for 16 to 17 year old will increase by 5p to £4.05 per hour

the apprentice rate will increase by 10p to £3.50 per hour

The new rates were been recommended by the independent Low Pay Commission after careful consideration of evidence from both workers and employers.

HMRC enforces the Government's National Minimum and Living Wage law and over the next year will spend a record £25.3 million on making sure the country's lowest paid people get the pay they are entitled to.

On 15 February, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy named and shamed a record 359 employers for underpaying workers nearly £1 million.

Polling methodology statement: Populus interviewed a random sample of 1,435 UK adults who are currently working aged 16+ earning less than £15,000 a year from its online panel between 14 and 20 February 2017. Surveys were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to the profile of all adults. Populus is a founder member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352094 2017-02-27T00:15:02+00:00 2017-02-27T00:15:02+00:00 Press release: Drop in poor children's progress at secondary school Research finds that progress made by poor pupils in primary school is all but wiped out during secondary school.

Children from poor backgrounds experience a worrying drop off in progress at secondary school, new research by the Social Mobility Commission reveals today (Monday 27 February).

It finds that the gap between poor pupils' attainment at the end of primary school and the end of secondary school has widened. Since 2012, low-income families have been making less progress year on year, compared to their more affluent peers.

Even when bright pupils from low-income families outperform their more advantaged peers at primary school, they are likely to be overtaken at the next stage of their education.

The report warns that the secondary school drop off means that poor children are failing to finish school with the qualifications that will create opportunities for them to succeed in life.

The research, which was conducted by LKMco and Education Datalab using data from the National Pupil Database, finds that most of the gap (88%) in progress stems from differences in achievement between children at the same school, rather than variations between schools (12%).

The report suggests that this is partly due to the treatment of children on free school meals. These children are more likely to be placed in lower sets, have access to less qualified teachers and have lower expectations set for them by the school.

Home life can also have a big impact on progress with children from low-income families less likely to benefit from effective homework routines, access to books and computers, or cultural and sporting experiences.

Outcomes for children from low-income backgrounds are also affected by the fact that they are more at risk of behavioural issues and exclusion from school.

The research finds that poor pupils located in cities make more progress relative to their more affluent peers than those in rural areas and that the gap is greatest in large schools with average levels of pupil disadvantage.

It also finds that ethnic minority pupils make better progress at secondary schools than poor white children – partly because some evidence suggests that low-income ethnic minority parents seem to provide support that is more effective for their children at home.

The largest gaps in progress are between poor white children and their more affluent peers. Most low-income ethnic minority groups make progress that is in line with the national average for all pupils.

Head teachers interviewed as part of the research said that lower funding was already putting pupils progress at risk and that the prospects for improvement were bleak despite the new funding formula proposed by the government.

With health and social care funding streams also under pressure, schools are facing reductions in external support for children with mental health disorders or Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) who make the least progress in secondary schools.

The Rt Hon Alan Milburn, chair of the Social Mobility Commission, said:

One of the shocking features of our education system is that the gap between poor pupils and their better-off peers increases during their time in school rather than reducing.

This new research suggests that the progress poor pupils make in primary school is all but wiped out during secondary. The consequence is that successive generations of poor children are being let down by a school system that is supposed to be there to help them move up and get on.

This is not just an issue for the government. If social mobility is to improve, schools need to do more to bridge the education attainment divide between poorer children and their better-off classmates. Closing the gap needs to be top of mind for every teacher in every school.

The government can help by setting an explicit target for narrowing the attainment gap at CGSE and by doing more to get the best teachers into the toughest secondary schools.

Lead author Bart Shaw, from education think tank LKMco said:

Whilst we should be concerned about the high attaining pupils from low-income families who get overtaken at secondary school, it is at least as important to focus on low and middle-attaining pupils from poorer backgrounds.

These children will continue to achieve poorly at GCSE and have diminished life chances unless more is done to accelerate their progress at secondary school.

Our research has found that teacher expectations and actions taken by schools can have a profound impact on outcomes. Parents also have an important role to play by creating an effective home learning environment and taking an active interest in their children's education.

Key findings:

children on free school meals achieve almost half a GCSE grade less progress in 'Attainment 8' core subjects than better-off pupils

88% of this gap is due to differences between pupils at the same school, meaning that only 12% is due to variations between schools

school culture: pupils from low-income families are most likely to make progress in secondary schools that focus on them, both in terms of setting and sharing high expectations for pupils

successful schools use data to rack pupils' progress and intervene swiftly and flexibly when pupils fall behind

high-quality teachers who believe that poor children are capable of making progress are key to ensuring progress

the teaching of pupils with SEND needs should be prioritised and specialist provision should be easily and promptly accessed where needed.

pupils from low-income families are less likely to make progress when they are grouped by ability from an early age

Key recommendations:

For government:

ensure funding cuts do not exacerbate the problem of poor pupils failing to make good progress at secondary school

make additional funding available for schools to buy-in high-quality specialist provision for SEND pupils

tackle teacher recruitment issues in areas where pupils from low-income families make low progress

halt plans to increase selection to prevent further segregation of pupils from low-income backgrounds

set up an exclusion fund for specialist provision to reduce the changes of 'at risk' children being excluded

review the quality of specialist provision for looked-after children and make more funding available to offer high-quality support for these children

For secondary schools:

head teachers must ensure that resources are targeted at KS3 and year 7 pupils making the transition from primary school to the same level or beyond the resources targeted at KS4

head teachers should develop a school culture of universally high expectations and promote practices that support those expectations

schools should make regular use of data to analyse progress in order to intervene as early as possible when pupils' progress, especially those from low economic backgrounds, stagnates or drops off.

heads of departments and senior leaders should exercise great caution in using setting and streaming practices that can negatively impact on pupils from low-income backgrounds

all staff in schools, particularly school leaders, should prioritise support for pupils with SEND, for example, by providing continuing training which improves teachers' skills and confidence in providing 'quality first' teaching in every classroom

all school staff should improve their understanding of teaching approaches that support low prior attainers and pupils from low-income backgrounds

senior leaders should reduce exclusion rates, particularly of pupils from low-income families.

secondary schools should provide early and regular careers guidance that makes clear the links between progress at school and the freedom to choose from a wide range of careers

Notes for editors

The Social Mobility Commission is an advisory, non-departmental public body established under the Life Chances Act 2010 as modified by the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016. It has a duty to assess progress in improving social mobility in the United Kingdom and to promote social mobility in England. It currently consists of 4 commissioners and is supported by a small secretariat.

The commission board currently comprises:

Alan Milburn (chair)

Baroness Gillian Shephard (deputy chair)

Paul Gregg, Professor of Economic and Social Policy, University of Bath

David Johnston, Chief Executive of the Social Mobility Foundation

The functions of the commission include:

monitoring progress on improving social mobility

providing published advice to ministers on matters relating to social mobility

undertaking social mobility advocacy

For further information, please contact Kirsty Walker at the Social Mobility Commission by:

phoning 020 7227 5371 or 07768 446 167

emailing firstname.lastname@example.com

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/347783 2016-12-23T16:12:00+00:00 2017-02-27T00:00:05+00:00 News story: Avian influenza (bird flu) in winter 2016 to 2017 The latest situation on avian influenza (bird flu) in the UK and advice on how to reduce the risks.
Updated: Updated because of removal of the Protection Zone restrictions at two of the sites near Pilling, Wyre, Lancashire.

Avian influenza (bird flu) is a disease of birds. The H5N8 strain of the disease has been found in wild and farmed birds in the UK. A number of measures are in place to reduce the risk of the disease spreading.

Public Health England advises that the risk to public health is very low and the Food Standards Agency has said there is no food safety risk for UK consumers.

Where avian influenza has been confirmed, we put restrictions in place to limit the spread of disease, and investigate the source of the infection.

Latest situation

The H5N8 strain of the disease has been confirmed at a farm in Northumberland, a poultry farm in Suffolk, in three linked premises on a commercial game farm in Lancashire, in three separate poultry farms in Lincolnshire, and in backyard flocks in North Yorkshire and Carmarthenshire. Protection and Surveillance Zone restrictions remain in place at the following sites:

Haltwhistle, Northumberland (confirmed on 24 February)

Redgrave, Suffolk (confirmed on 14 February following introduction of a Temporary Control Zone on 13 February)

Wyre, Lancashire (restrictions remain on the case confirmed on 30 January)

Surveillance Zone restrictions remain in place at the following sites:

Wyre, Lancashire (confirmed on 27 January 2017)

Wyre, Lancashire (confirmed on 24 January 2017)

Boston, Lincolnshire (confirmed on 26 January 2017)

Use our interactive map to check if you live within the Protection or Surveillance zones around any infected premises, or within the 'Higher Risk' areas which will be in place from 28 February 2017.

The same strain has also been found in wild birds in England, Scotland and Wales. We publish a list of cases where we find avian influenza in wild birds.

H5N8 has been circulating in wild birds in Europe for several months – we publish details of the situation in the latest veterinary outbreak assessment.

If you keep poultry and captive birds

Read a guide for keepers of backyard flocks on how to reduce the risk to your birds from Avian Flu.

If you keep poultry you are required to take action to reduce the risk of avian flu spreading.

All poultry keepers – whether commercial farmers or those with a small backyard flock – are currently required by law to house poultry or otherwise keep them separate from wild birds. This is because a Prevention Zone is currently in force across the UK. This applies until 28 February 2017.

We have done this to reduce the risks of the disease spreading, and to help protect poultry and captive birds from avian flu.

All poultry keepers are required to take steps to reduce the risk of infection via the environment, for example in wild bird droppings, by practising good biosecurity. You should do this even if your birds are inside. You should read our detailed guidance on what you need to do.

If you have a backyard flock, you should read our short, simple advice on how to comply with these rules and how to protect birds' welfare when they're housed.

We have also banned gatherings of poultry across the UK. This applies to birds including chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese, and restricts events such as livestock fairs, auctions and bird shows.

Advice on rearing game birds and shooting whilst the Prevention Zone is in force is available from The National Gamekeepers Organisation.

After 28 February

From 28 February we will adopt a more targeted approach, with mandatory biosecurity measures across the country and continued housing or range netting in higher risk areas. Anyone planning to allow their birds outdoors from 28 February must take action now to reduce the risk of infection from birds being let outside by following Defra guidance. You can find out whether, based on current risk levels, you will be affected using our interactive map.

Video: advice for keepers of backyard flocks

Bird flu advice for poultry keepers

Reporting suspicion of disease in your poultry

For advice and guidance on what to do if you keep poultry or to report suspicion of disease in animals, call the Defra Rural Services Helpline on 03000 200 301 or read our detailed guidance on avian influenza.

Reporting dead wild birds

Members of the public should report dead wild birds - such as swans, geese, ducks, gulls or birds of prey - to the Defra helpline on 03459 33 55 77. Defra will then collect some of these birds and test them to help us understand how the disease is distributed geographically and in different types of bird.

Advice from the Chief Vet

Chief Veterinary Officer Nigel Gibbens has issued the following statement:

The Government has taken swift action to limit the spread of the disease, with restrictions around affected premises and wider measures in place across the country.

To reduce the risk of bird flu spreading from bird to bird there is currently a legal requirement for all poultry keepers – even those who just keep a few birds as pets – to keep their birds housed or otherwise separate from wild birds. There is also a ban on poultry gatherings.

Bird flu is also transmitted via the environment, for example in wild bird droppings, and it is vital that keepers practice strict biosecurity. This means taking precautions such as putting up netting, keeping food and water inside and disinfecting footwear and equipment after contact with birds.

Further information

 Detailed guidance on avian influenza (bird flu): latest situation; how to spot it and report it

Specific advice on biosecurity requirements

Food Standards Agency advice

Public Health England advice

Health and Safety Executive advice on protecting workers from avian influenza

Latest veterinary outbreak assessment on H5N8 in the UK and Europe

Results of findings of H5N8 in wild birds in Great Britain

Government announcements on avian influenza

24 February 2017: Avian flu confirmed at a farm near Haltwhistle, Northumberland

24 February 2017: New measures to protect against Avian Flu

13 February 2017, updated on 14 February 2017: Avian Flu confirmed at a farm near Redgrave in Suffolk

8 February 2017: Update on on biosecurity measures to protect against Avian Flu

27 January 2017: Avian flu confirmed at a farm in Wyre, Lancashire

26 January 2017: Avian flu confirmed at a farm near Boston, Lincolnshire

24 January 2017: Avian flu confirmed at a farm in Wyre, Lancashire

16 January 2017: Avian Flu confirmed at a farm in East Lindsey, Lincolnshire

6 January 2017: Avian flu confirmed in backyard flock in Yorkshire

4 January 2017: Avian flu prevention zone extended

4 January 2017: Extension of Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (Scottish Government)

4 January 2017: Cabinet Secretary declares extension of Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (Welsh Government)

3 January 2017: Avian influenza H5N8 in a backyard flock of chickens and ducks in Carmarthenshire (Welsh Government)

23 December 2016: Avian influenza (bird flu) in wild birds in England and Scotland

23 December 2016: Avian influenza in wild bird in Scotland (Scottish Government)

22 December 2016: Poultry keepers urged to maintain biosecurity as avian influenza (bird flu) is found in wild duck in Carmarthenshire

22 December 2016: Avian influenza in wild duck in Carmarthenshire (Welsh government)

20 December 2016: Poultry gatherings suspended

16 December 2016: Avian influenza (bird flu) at Lincolnshire farm

6 December 2016: New measures to protect poultry against avian flu

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352394 2017-02-26T12:38:42+00:00 2017-02-26T12:38:42+00:00 Press release: £17 million boost for the UK's booming artificial intelligence sector Leading experts to carry out major review on the development of artificial intelligence in a sector which could add an additional £654 billion to the UK economy

New measures to support Britain's world-leading AI sector are set to be announced as part of a bold Digital Strategy to boost growth and deliver a thriving, outward-looking digital economy that works for everyone.

Accenture has estimated AI could add in the region of £654 billion ($814 billion) to the UK economy by 2035. So the Strategy, due to published by Culture Secretary Karen Bradley MP on Wednesday (March 1), builds on the plan set out in the Government's Industrial Strategy to capitalise on Britain's existing strengths and back new technologies where the UK can take a lead.

Britain already has a competitive advantage in Artificial Intelligence, with some of the world's most innovative AI companies based here and a rich ecosystem of investors, employers, developers and clients. It is a fast-growing area for research and commercial investment, including by major global digital companies, and was identified as one of the technologies that could be supported through the Government's new Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund and the Challenger Business Programme.

AI is already making a huge positive difference in people's lives - every day. This ranges from the obvious uses, such as smartphone voice and touch recognition technology and virtual digital assistants like Siri, to less well-known benefits such as online customer services which make it easier to get help when things go wrong and fraud detection tools used by banks to protect against theft. It also the bedrock of video games and music and movie recommendation services.

The Digital Strategy's proposals are expected to include:

A major AI review led by Wendy Hall and Jérôme Pesenti to identify the critical elements for the exciting technology to thrive and grow in the UK. It will consider how Government and industry could work together to back this technology, which could inform a sector deal. The UK is already a world-leader in the science underpinning this technology and the sector has the potential to grow further, from early research to commercialisation.

Government is also expected to confirm a funding boost of £17.3m from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to support the development of new Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (RAI) technologies in universities across the UK.

The moves are part of the strategy's ambition for Britain to build on areas of strength and develop a global lead in technologies, including cyber security, connected and smart devices, autonomous vehicles as well as AI. These technologies will drive future economic growth and productivity across the economy.

Culture Secretary Karen Bradley said:

Britain has a proud history of digital innovation - from the earliest days of computing to Sir Tim Berners-Lee's development of the World Wide Web.

We are already pioneers in today's artificial intelligence revolution and the Digital Strategy will build on our strengths to make sure UK-based scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs continue to be at the forefront.

Technologies like AI have the potential to transform how we live, work, travel and learn, and I am pleased that Professor Dame Wendy Hall and Jérôme Pesenti will be leading this review. It's great that Government and industry will be working together to drive growth in the sector, to realise all the economic and social benefits for the UK.

Backing our thriving digital economy to expand and grow by putting the best foundations in place to develop new technology is a vital part of this Government's plan to build a modern, dynamic and global trading nation.

Business Secretary Greg Clark said:

Investment in robotics and artificial intelligence will help make our economy more competitive, build on our world-leading reputation in these cutting-edge sectors and help us create new products, develop more innovative services and establish better ways of doing business.

Innovation is at the heart of our Industrial Strategy and the launch of the Government's Digital Strategy underlines our commitment to this vital sector. By supporting British businesses and investing in dynamic fields such as robotics and AI, we will help put the UK at the forefront of global innovation.

Dame Wendy Hall, Regius Professor of Computer Science at the University of Southampton, said:

Our scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs are at the forefront of the development of artificial intelligence and I'm looking forward to exploring how industry and government can work together to support the technology in the UK.

Media enquiries and interview requests - please contact the DCMS News and Communications team on 020 7211 2210.

Notes to editors

Professor Dame Wendy Hall FRS FREng is Regius Professor of Computer Science at the University of Southampton. Wendy is an entrepreneur, and one of the world's leading computer scientists. She was a founding director of the Web Science Research Initiative, now the Web Science Trust, and is the Executive Director of the Web Science Institute at Southampton . She was president of the British Computer Society from 2003-04 and was the first person from outside North America to be elected President of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) from 2008-10. Since 2014, she has served as a commissioner for the Global Commission on Internet Governance and is a non-executive director of Dstl and the Digital Catapult.

Jérôme Pesenti is the CEO of BenevolentTech, the technology division of BenevolentAI, a British technology company using artificial intelligence to accelerate scientific discovery. He is a world-leading pioneer in the commercialisation of AI. He co-founded Vivisimo, a tech firm specialising in text mining and enterprise search engines, which was acquired by IBM. At IBM he became chief scientist of big data, and created and led the development of the Watson Platform - the first comprehensive cloud platform for artificial intelligence.

The funding boost from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) will support pioneering research including a project by the University of Manchester to develop robots capable of operating autonomously and effectively within hazardous environments such as nuclear facilities, while researchers at Imperial College London will use funds to make major advances in the field of surgical micro-robotics.

AI refers to computers and software that support behaviour comparable in some ways to human capabilities. It can interpret complex data to enable better decision making, and can work with large amounts of information to improve its own performance.

Source: https://www.accenture.com/gb-en/insight-artificial-intelligence-future-growth

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352383 2017-02-26T00:15:43+00:00 2017-02-26T00:15:43+00:00 News story: FinTech Week 2017: celebrating Britain's status as global Fintech hub Chancellor announces the date of Fintech Week 2017 which will showcase the sector's successes and aim to attract more investment into Britain.

Announced by the Chancellor today (26 February 2017), FinTech Week 2017 will take place in April and showcase the sector's successes, aim to attract more investment into Britain and share global regulatory expertise. Planned events include:

Innovate Finance's Global Summit (April 10-11)

the government's first International FinTech Conference (April 12)

Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) International Innovate Seminar (April 12)

Designed to bring together industry, government and regulators, the second UK FinTech Week will build on the success of last year's event, and focus of the issues affecting Britain's world leading sector, including investment, access to skills and business support to FinTech start-ups.

As part of the week, the Chancellor will host the first International FinTech Conference on 12 April in London. He will be joined by the Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Simon Kirby and other market leading industry voices.

The conference, which will connect hundreds of FinTech companies from across the UK with investors from all over the world, will also include expert led discussions and panels as well as workshops from the government, FCA and financial services organisations. UK FinTech firms will have an opportunity to showcase themselves in an exhibition space and during a pitch session.

The Innovate Finance Global Summit on the 10th-11th April will convene the start-ups, investors, regulators and institutions shaping the global FinTech agenda. With over 2000 expected attendees, 100 speakers, the inaugural Pitch360 demos and Innovate Finance's 300+ member companies, the summit will bring the global FinTech community together in London.

The two-day summit will focus on the themes driving innovation in financial services, such as the blockchain, digital identity, cyber security, financial wellness and inclusion.

The FCA will also be hosting an International Innovate Seminar on 12 April, which will bring together regulators from around the world who are working on, or have an interest in, the regulation of positive innovation and technological developments in financial services.

The seminar will provide an opportunity for regulators to share experiences, approaches and perspectives on a range of different issues and challenges related to the regulation of FinTech.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond said:

The FinTech sector is one of our fastest growing sectors, adding more than £6.6 billion into the UK's economy and attracting more than £500 million of investment.

FinTech Week 2017 is an opportunity for Britain to build on these successes and attract further investment in our world-leading sector, ensuring we remain at the cutting edge of financial innovation.

HM Treasury's special envoy for FinTech, Eileen Burbidge said:

The UK is already the best place in the world to start, grow and scale a FinTech company thanks to our strong financial services heritage, leadership in digital technology, strong investment landscape and progressive and innovative regulators.

This second annual UK FinTech Week will showcase all of the many strengths of the UK, and highlight the reasons why even more entrepreneurs and investors should look to the UK for value creation and market opportunities.

CEO, Innovate Finance, Lawrence Wintermeyer said:

The UK has developed a blueprint for the best FinTech ecosystem in the world through progressive government policy, an innovative regulator, and a global pool of FinTech talent that is the envy of the world. We have invited the world to the UK in April to showcase our community and share with entrepreneurs and investors why this is the place to do FinTech.

Further events taking place on April 13 will be announced nearer the time.

Register here to attend the government's International FinTech Conference on 12 April 2017

Register here to attend Innovate Finance's Global Summit

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352387 2017-02-25T09:00:00+00:00 2017-02-25T09:00:00+00:00 Press release: Foreign Secretary to visit Egypt Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson will meet with President Sisi and his counterpart Foreign Minister Shoukry today during his visit to Egypt.

In his first visit to Egypt as Foreign Secretary, Mr Johnson will also host a reception with British investors and some of Egypt's best and brightest entrepreneurs. During the trip the Foreign Secretary will also meet with representatives of civil society and Human Rights activists.

Speaking ahead of the visit, the Foreign Secretary said:

I am looking forward to my first visit to Egypt as Foreign Secretary and meeting both President Sisi and Foreign Minister Shoukry to discuss a wide range of issues and deepen the strength of our bilateral relationship.

The UK is a longstanding friend of Egypt. We are Egypt's top economic partner and strong allies against terrorism and extremist ideas. The UK is a champion of a renewed Egypt, because stability, peace and growth in this region are the bedrock of opportunity and security for British people and people in the region.

Cairo, Egypt

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Egypt

Further information

Follow the Foreign Secretary on Twitter @BorisJohnson and Facebook

Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice and Facebook

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Media enquiries

 Email firstname.lastname@example.com

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 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352386 2017-02-24T19:24:35+00:00 2017-02-24T19:24:35+00:00 News story: Two-year university courses come a step closer Government proposes amendments to the Higher Education and Research Bill that will make real flexibility in learning a reality.

The government has today, Friday 24 February, tabled amendments to the Higher Education and Research Bill to encourage more flexible learning and increased choice for students.

These include a key amendment to enable universities to offer more accelerated courses, including 2-year courses, where content is condensed into a shorter period.

This amendment would enable a higher annual fee limit to be set for accelerated courses, subject to Parliamentary approval. This amendment responds to evidence which shows that inflexible fee structures are seen as a major barrier to the availability of accelerated courses, with many universities unable to deliver their traditional 3-year courses in two years because of the existing limit on annual fees.

This delivers on a manifesto commitment to encourage universities to offer more 2-year courses and extends the opportunity to study at England's world-class universities to even more people.

The government intends to consult on the detail of how to deliver higher annual fee limits for accelerated courses ahead of tabling secondary legislation. The proposals will include clear measures to ensure the limit would only apply to accelerated courses.

Other important amendments to the bill tabled today include:

an amendment which will help students to store up academic credits and to switch institution more easily

an amendment which will place a requirement on the new sector regulator - the Office for Students - to have regard to institutional autonomy in everything that it does

amendments that will guarantee that the standards against which providers are assessed are determined by the higher education sector

an amendment that enshrines in law for the first time the Haldane Principle, which dictates that decisions on individual proposals should be reviewed and made by experts in their fields; this means with that all governments will, in the future, need to have regard to the Haldane Principle when making a grant or giving directions to UK Research and Innovation - the government's single strategic research and innovation funding body

Speaking at the Universities UK conference in London, Jo Johnson, the Minister for Universities and Science, said:

Change is long overdue and this bill gives us the chance to introduce new ways of learning. Students are crying out for more flexible courses that enable them to get into and back into work more quickly, and courses that equip them with the skills that the modern workplace needs.

I absolutely recognise that for many students the classic 3-year model will remain the preferred option but that cannot be the only option. That is why we have tabled amendments that give real flexibility in learning.

These changes will not mean any compromise in quality, or an increase in overall degree costs for students. The tuition fees for a student taking an accelerated degree will never be more, in total, than those for the same degree over a longer time period. It is also likely that students will end up paying less overall because they will have fewer years of maintenance costs and a real chance of entering the workforce more quickly.

Read the entire speech.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352384 2017-02-24T17:54:05+00:00 2017-02-24T17:54:05+00:00 News story: Current outage of online applications We are currently experiencing an outage to a number of our online systems.

This includes the Insolvency Register, ISCIS Online, Find an Insolvency Practitioner, Find an Official Receiver, the Debt Relief Order web app, CHAMP and IP Upload.

Technicians are investigating the issue and are working to resolve the outage as quickly as possible.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused by this temporary disruption to our services.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352366 2017-02-24T16:41:04+00:00 2017-02-24T16:41:04+00:00 Press release: Planned roadworks in Kent and Sussex: weekly summary for Monday 27 February to Sunday 5 March 2017 Summary of planned new and ongoing road improvements over the coming week.

The following summary of planned new and ongoing road improvements over the coming week is correct as of 24 February but could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. All our improvement work is carried out with the aim of causing as little disruption as possible.

M2 junctions 2 to 3, Kent: structure inspections

Work to improve safety begin this week on the M2. There will lane closures in both directions between junction 2 and 3 on Monday 27 February for 5 nights between 8pm and 6am. Inspections are expected to be complete by mid March.

M20 junctions 3 to 5, Kent: smart motorway surveys

Work to improve journeys continue this week on the M20 between junctions 3 and 5. There will be various lane closures in both directions on Monday 27 February for 5 nights, between 8pm and 6am. Surveys are scheduled to be complete in April 2017.

M20 junctions 9 to 13, Kent: litter clearance

Work to improve journeys take place this week on the M20 by undertaking litter clearance. There will be various slip road closures each night from Monday 27 February for 5 nights between 8pm and 6am. Traffic will be diverted via the next junction of the motorway.

M23 junctions 8 to 10a, South Nutfield to Crawley: smart motorway surveys

Work to improve journeys continue this week on the M23 between junctions 8 and 10a. There will be various lane closures in place in both directions overnight on Monday 27 February for 5 nights, between 8pm and 6am. Surveys are scheduled to be complete in April 2017.

A2 Darenth to Bean, Kent: carriageway resurfacing

Work to improve journeys continue this week on the A2. There will be a full closure between the Darenth A282 junction and the Bean B255 junction on Monday 27 February for 5 nights between 10pm and 6am. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the M25 Junction 1a, A206 and B255. Works are scheduled to be complete in early March 2017.

A2 Canterbury, Kent: resurfacing

Work to improve journeys take place this week on the A2 between Wincheap and Brenley. There will be a full closure in place on the westbound carriageway between Whitfield A256 junction and the Brenley junction A299 on Monday 27 February for 4 nights between 8pm and 6am. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the A256, and the A299.

A21 Battle, Sussex: tree works

Work to improve safety commence this week on the A21 between Robertsbridge and Hastings. There will be a full closure in place between Johns Cross and Westfield on Monday 27 February for 4 nights between 8pm and 6am. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the A2100.

A21 Tonbridge to Pembury, Kent: major improvement

Work to improve journeys on the A21 between Tonbridge and Pembury continues this week. A 40mph speed limit remains in place 24/7 between the Vauxhall interchange and the A228. Two way traffic lights will be in place on the A21 overnight between 8pm and 6am from Monday 27 February for five nights.

Tonbridge Road will remain closed after Pembury Hospital up to and including Longfield Road roundabout until Spring 2017. A clearly signed diversion route will be in place via the A228 and the A21.

The scheme is due to be completed in Summer 2017. For further information, visit the scheme website.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352372 2017-02-24T16:38:46+00:00 2017-02-24T16:38:46+00:00 Press release: Highways England awards new South West design contract worth up to £40 million Kier Highways Limited has been awarded a £40million contract as part of Highways England's new delivery arrangements in the South West.

This is the first of a number of Asset Delivery contracts in the South West which sees Highways England changing its way of working and delivering the Government's record £15 billion investment to improve and maintain the country's motorways and major A roads.

Highways England will now take direct responsibility for managing both routine maintenance and the delivery of capital renewal and improvement schemes.

The new arrangements will bring a number of key decision-making functions in-house and see Highways England taking greater control over the future of the network, ultimately ensuring the smooth functioning of its South West major roads.

The award of this and future contracts allows Highways England to directly engage with our supply chain, to drive down cost and waste, whilst providing the best possible value for money for tax payers, and service for our customers.

The contract will run for up to five years and focusses on design – it will see Kier taking design briefs and turning them into well-defined packages of work.

Duties will include preparing technical designs and undertaking supporting work for capital renewal projects and improvements to produce a solution that is ready for construction, and to design briefs to repair major roads and get them back running as normal after incidents will also form part of the work.

David Poole, Executive Director for commercial and procurement at Highways England, said:

We are delighted that Kier Highways Limited will be part of our new Asset Delivery supply chain community across the South West.

This contract not only builds on the new way of working already taking place in the East Midlands and North of England but also demonstrates our ongoing commitment to increasing Highways England's capability and control over the whole road network.

Andrew Page-Dove, Regional Director for the South West, said:

Kier Highways currently operates a number of key support contracts and we are confident that this award will build upon our existing successful relationship and deliver a high quality service throughout the South West. We look forward to working with them.

Future awards will include a range of suppliers being appointed in April to the new framework for delivering construction works and a contract will be awarded in March for the maintenance and response contract, both of which will help to deliver the designs provided by Kier Highways.

Highways England will now begin working with Kier Highways to ensure that they are ready to begin delivering key design services from 1 July 2017.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352373 2017-02-24T16:32:36+00:00 2017-02-24T16:32:36+00:00 Press release: Planned roadworks in the North West: summary for Monday 27 to Sunday 5 March 2017 Summary of planned new and ongoing road improvements over the coming week.

The following summary of planned new and ongoing road improvements over the coming week is correct as of Friday 24 February and could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances.

All our improvement work is carried out with the aim of causing as little disruption as possible. Drivers looking for roadworks information (such as overnight carriageway closures) for individual schemes should now visit Traffic England. Some of our larger schemes have project pages giving other information. These can now be accessed from a dedicated regional page.

M53 junction 1 to junction 2 (Wallasey to Upton)

Work to upgrade the safety barrier in the central reservation between junctions 1 and 2 on the M53 started on Monday 6 February. Lane closures will be in place overnight, with some full carriageway closures later in the project. The scheme is expected to take around a month to complete.

M53 junction 9 to junction 10

Overnight, 10pm to 5am, Monday to Friday work to renew the safety barrier in the central reservation started on Monday 20 February for 5 weeks. This work will require overnight carriageway closures with clearly signed diversion in place.

M56 junction 10 to junction 11 (Stretton to Preston Brook)

Work to upgrade the safety barrier and paint new road markings on the M56 near Warrington started on Monday 30 January. Lane closures will be in place overnight between 8pm and 5am, Monday to Friday. The project is due to be completed by the end of March.

M6 junction 16 to junction 19 (Cheshire smart motorway)

Work is underway to upgrade the M6 to a smart motorway between Crewe and Knutsford, converting the hard shoulder to an extra lane and introducing new variable speed limits. Narrow lanes and a temporary 50mph speed limit are in place for the safety of drivers and workers.

M6 junction 19 (Knutsford) roundabout resurfacing

A £75,000 project to resurface the junction roundabout will be delivered overnight during week nights over the next week. The work started on Monday night 20 February with nightly overnight closures of the roundabout between 10pm and 5am.

M6 Junction 21 and junction 21a (cycle improvements with A574 Birchwood Way)

We're improving pedestrian and cyclist access across the M6 with improvements to the existing overbridge and along the bridge's links with the A574 Birchwood Way. The project will also improve the bridge parapet. Works started Friday 17 February for 2 weeks.

Cycleway improvement work is taking place between 9.30am and 3.30pm Monday to Friday, requiring a 24 hour closure of the footway along the southern side of the A574 Birchwood Way with a localised pedestrian diversion route. A lane closure will also be required on the A574 Birchwood Way westbound carriageway between the same hours.

Bridge improvement works will follow between 10pm and 4am, Monday to Friday. The M6 between junction 21 and junction 21a will be closed overnight Friday 3 March (both northbound only) and Wednesday and Thursday 1 and 2 March (all southbound). Clearly-signed diversions will be in place.

M6 junction 21a and /M62 junction 10 (Croft Interchange)

Construction work on a major project to tackle congestion and improve the flow of traffic between the M6 and M62 at Croft Interchange has now started. While the work is taking place, a 50 mph speed limit, backed by average speed cameras, will be in place along main carriageways of both the M6 and M62 and interchange link roads. Some overnight slip road closures will also take place.

M6 junction 26 to junction 27 (Orrell to Wigan)

We're renewing the boundary fence and carrying out drainage repairs in the verge alongside the northbound M6 between Junctions 26 and junction 27 in a 2 week project that starts on Monday (20 February). The work is taking place between 8am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

M6 junction 33 to junction 32 (Lancaster to M55 interchange)

Resurfacing work on the southbound carriageway started on Monday 6 February. 2 lanes will remain open during the day and 1 lane will remain open overnight. The scheme is due to be completed by early March.

M6 junction 33 to 34 Lancaster

Lancashire County Council's new link road between junction 34 of the M6 and Heysham has now opened but finishing work will require lane and hard shoulder closures along the M6 through junction 34 to continue for the time being.

The following closures will take place:

Northbound from junction 33 to 34 Thursday 2 March 2017 from 10pm to 6am.

Southbound from junction 35 to 34 Friday 3 March 2017 from 10pm to 6am.

M6 junction 39 to junction 38, north of Tebay Services

Resurfacing is taking place north of Tebay Services with 1 lane closed during the day and 2 lanes closed overnight on the southbound carriageway. The work is due to be completed by March and a temporary 50mph speed limit in place. Tebay services entry slip Southbound road will be closed on the 28 Feb for 1 night 10pm to 6am.

M60 junction 8 to M62 junction 20 (Sale to Rochdale)

A major smart motorway scheme is taking place to cut congestion and improve journey times on parts of the M60 and the M62 in Greater Manchester. The scheme involves overnight slip road and carriageway closures, with narrow lanes and a temporary 50mph speed limit in place for the safety of drivers and road workers.

M66 junction 1 to junction 4 (Ramsbottom to Simister Island)

Resurfacing work is continuing and 4 nights of closures of the southbound carriageway between junction 1 and junction 2 are scheduled to take place before Friday (24 February) between 9pm and 5am – with clearly signed diversions in place. The scheme is due to be completed by March.

A5103 Princess Parkway

Drainage repairs along the northbound exit slip road from the A5103 onto the M60 will start on Monday (20 February) with one lane of the slip road closed and re-positioning of the bus stop. Work will take place in several phases between 8am and 6pm and midnight and 5am.

A556 Knutsford to Bowdon

Construction work to provide a £192 million dual carriageway linking junction 19 of the M6 at Knutsford and junction 7 of the M56 at Bowdon, has entered its final phase. It is due to open on 6 March. On the existing A556, another full 56 hour weekend closure will run from 9pm next Friday night (3 March) and 5am on the following Monday morning (6 March).

Other work relating to the scheme:

Monday to Friday commencing 27 February:

A556 northbound will be closed from Mere to Bowdon roundabout overnight (9pm to 5am)

A556 southbound will be closed from Bowdon roundabout to Bucklow Hill overnight (9pm to 5am) as above

M56 junction 7 eastbound and westbound exit slip roads will be closed

M56 junction 8 will be closed. Junction 7 eastbound access slip will be closed

A56 Lymm Road to Dunham Road will be controlled by traffic signals allowing access from Lymm to Altrincham and vice versa over the same periods as above

A585 West Drive to Fleetwood Cycleway

Work is taking place on a new shared footpath and cycleway between West Drive and Fleetwood. Narrow lanes and a temporary 30mph speed limit are being used along the route to help provide a safe space for workers constructing the new shared paths. Work will take place between 7am and 7pm each day with occasional overnight work. The project is due to be completed by the end of March.

A590 Lindal in Furness

Work is being carried out to tackle flooding between Pennington Lane and Bank End Cottages. 24hr temporary traffic lights are now in place until late March.

A595 Egremont

Repairs are taking place to the safety barriers adjacent to Wyndham Place on the A595 and are due to be completed by the end of February. A contraflow system is in place on the southern approach to the Main Street/East Road roundabout.

A66 Bassenthwaite Lake

A contraflow system is in place while work is carried out on the embankment in the central reservation next to Bass Lake. The scheme is due to be completed in the spring.

A66 Thornthwaite (Osprey Site)

Flood resilience work is continuing. Full overnight – 8pm to 6am - closures of the carriageway nightly until the end of March started on Monday 6 February. Clearly-signed diversions are in place. During the day, Temporary traffic lights are in place along with a 40mph speed limit.

A66 Marron Bridge

Maintenance is underway on Marron Bridge, between Broughton Cross and Bridgefoot. Nightly overnight – 9pm to 5am - closures, with a clearly-signed diversion are in place. Due to the temporary bridging plates, a 30mph speed limit backed by speed cameras is required during the day. The project is due to be completed by March.

A66 Brough

Resurfacing and drainage work is taking place on the eastbound carriageway at Brough. Overnight lane closures will be in place, between 8pm and 6am, with traffic led through the roadworks by a contractor's vehicle. There will also be some lane closures in place during the day.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352343 2017-02-24T16:32:12+00:00 2017-02-24T16:32:12+00:00 Press release: Planned roadworks in East Midlands: weekly summary for Monday 27 February to Sunday 3 March 2017 Summary of planned new and ongoing road improvements over the coming week.

The following summary of planned new and ongoing road improvements over the coming week is correct as of 24 February but could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. All our improvement work is carried out with the aim of causing as little disruption as possible.

M1 junction 28 to 35a, Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire/Yorkshire: smart motorway

There are various restrictions in place on the M1 between junctions 28 and 35a to allow for the construction of the smart motorway. These include lane closures, speed restrictions, hard shoulder running and overnight slip road or carriageway closures.

Monday 27 February

The northbound entry and exit slip at Tibshelf servics, southbound exit slip at junction 28, the northbound entry slip at junction 30, the southbound entry slip road at junction 34 and the southbound exit slip road at junction 33 will all be closed overnight from 8pm until 6am.

Tuesday 28 February

The northbound entry and exit slip at Tibshelf services, the southbound entry and exit slip at junction 28, the southbound exit slip at junction 33 and the entry slip road at junction 34 will be closed overnight from 8pm until 6am.

Wednesday 1 March

The northbound entry and exit slip at Tibshelf services, the entry and exit slip at junction 28, the southbound entry slip road at junction 34 and the southbound exit slip road at junction 33 will all be closed overnight from 8pm until 6am.

Thursday 2 March:

The southbound entry slip at junction 28, the northbound exit slip at junction 32, the entry slip at junction 34 and the southbound exit slip road at junction 33 will all be closed overnight from 8pm until 6am.

On Friday 3 March the northbound exit slip at junction 28, the southbound entry and exit slip road at Tibshelf services, the entry slip at junction 34 and the southbound exit slip road at junction 33 will all be closed overnight from 8pm until 6am.

Saturday 4 March

The northbound up and over at junction 33, the southbound entry slip at junction 34 and the exit slip road at junction 33 will all be closed overnight from 8pm until 6am.

Sunday 5 March

The M18 southbound to M1 northbound link road and the southbound entry slip road at junction 34 will all be closed overnight from 8pm until 6am.

M1 junction 19 to 16, Northamptonshire: smart motorway

Monday 27 February

There will be a full southbound carriageway closure between junction 18 to 16, the entry slip road at junction 18, the entry and exit slip road at Watford Gap services and the exit slip at junction 16 will all be closed overnight from 9pm to 6am. There will also be lane closures on the northbound side.

Tuesday 28 February

There will be a full carriageway closure between junction 16 to 18, the entry slip road at junction 16, the entry and exit slip roads at Watford Gap services and the exit slip road at junction 18 will all be closed overnight from 9pm to 6am. There will also be lane closures on the southbound side.

Wednesday 1 March

There will be a full northbound carriageway closure on the northbound side, the entry slip road at junction 16, the entry and exit slip road at Watford Gap services and the exit slip road at junction 18 will all be closed overnight from 9pm to 6am. There will also be lane closures on the southbound side.

Thursday 2 March

There will be a full northbound carriageway closure on the northbound side, the entry slip road at junction 16, the entry and exit slip road at Watford Gap services and the exit slip road at junction 18 will all be closed overnight from 9pm to 6am. There will also be lane closures on the southbound side.

Friday 3 March

There will be lane closures on the northbound and southbound carriageway between junctions 18 and 16.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352342 2017-02-24T16:29:32+00:00 2017-02-24T16:29:32+00:00 Press release: Planned road works in West Midlands: weekly summary for Monday 27 February to Sunday 5 March 2017 Summary of planned new and ongoing road improvements over the coming week.

The following summary of planned new and ongoing road improvements over the coming week is correct as of 24 February 2017 but could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. All our improvement work is carried out with the aim of causing as little disruption as possible.

A38 – Claymills to Wood End lane: carriageway repairs

The southbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am from 27 February until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

A38 – Alrewas to Toyota: carriageway repairs

The northbound carriageway and all associated slip roads will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am from 27 February until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

A449 – Gailey roundabout to Brewood road, carriageway repairs

The northbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am from 27 February until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

A449 – Gailey roundabout to Brewood road, carriageway repairs

The southbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am from 27 February until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

A45/A46 Tollbar roundabout underpass: street lighting repairs

The eastbound carriageway will be closed overnight for one night from 8pm on 2 March until 6am the following morning (3 March). A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

A46 – Salford Priors to Oversley: carriageway repairs

The northbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am from 27 February until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

A5 – Gledrid roundabout and all approaches: carriageway resurfacing

The roundabout and all approaches will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 27 February until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

A5 – Wall Island to Muckley Corner: carriageway resurfacing

The westbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 7pm and 6.30am from 27 February until 4 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

A50 – Meir Tunnel to Stanley Matthews Way: carriageway repairs

The westbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am from 27 February until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

A50 – Heron Cross to Stanley Matthews Interchange Burton Road entry slip: carriageway repairs

The westbound carriageway will be fully closed from 6am 8 February ongoing until 8pm on 7 July. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

A50 – Foley Road exit slip road to Trentham road: carriageway repairs

The eastbound carriageway and all associated slip roads will be closed overnight for one night from 8pm on 27 February until 6am the following morning (28 February). A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

A50 – Heron Cross exit slip road to Meir Tunnel: carriageway repairs

The eastbound carriageway and all associated slip roads will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am from 27 February to 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

A500 – Talke Island including exit slip roads and approaches: carriageway repairs (SRW: 3852911)

The eastside of the gyratory including all associated slip roads and approaches will be fully closed from midnight on 11 January until midnight on 30 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

A500 – Talke junction: carriageway repairs

The southbound carriageway will be closed overnight for one night from 8pm on 28 February until 6am the following morning (1 March). A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

A500 – Talke junction: carriageway repairs

The northbound carriageway will be closed overnight for one night from 8pm on 1 March until 6am the following morning (2 March). A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M40 – junction 3a M42 to M40 link road: carriageway works

The southbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 10pm and 6am from 27 February until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M40 – junction 15 entry slip road: carriageway works

The northbound entry slip road will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 27 February until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M40 – junction 16 entry slip road: carriageway work

The Northbound Entry Slip Road will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 27th February until 5th March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted

M40 – junction 15 to M42 junction 3a: carriageway works

The northbound carriageway and associated slip roads will be closed overnight between 10pm and 6am from 27 February until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M42 – junction 5 exit slip road: carriageway work

The northbound exit slip road will be closed overnight between 10pm and 6am from 27 February until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M42 – M6 junction 4a to M42: carriageway works

The southbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 10pm and 5am from 27 February until 4 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M42 – junction 3a to junction 5 including junction 4 entry slip: carriageway works

The northbound carriageway including junction 4 entry slip road will be closed overnight between 10pm and 6am from 27 February until 3 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M42 – junction 5 entry slip to junction 6: carriageway works

The northbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 10pm and 6am from 27 February until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M42 – junction 6 exit slip road: carriageway work

The northbound exit slip road will be closed overnight between 10pm and 6am from 27 February until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M42 – junction 1 exit and entry slip road: carriageway work

The entry slip and exit slip roads will be closed overnight in both directions between 9pm and 5.30am from 27 February until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M42 – junction 4 exit slip road: carriageway work

The southbound exit road will be closed overnight from 9pm 2 March until 6am the following morning (3 March). A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M42 – M6 junction 4a southbound to M42 junction 8 northbound: carriageway work

The link will be closed overnight between 10pm and 6am from 2 March until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M5 – junction 4a to junction 5: carriageway works

The southbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am on 27, 28, 1, 2 and 3 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M5 – junction 5 to junction 4a northbound: carriageway works

The carriageway will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am on 27, 28, 1, 2 and 3 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M5 – junction 6 to junction 5: carriageway works

The northbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am on 27, 28, 1, 2 and 3 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M5 – junction 5 to junction 6: carriageway works

The southbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am on 27 and 28 February. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M54 – junction 5 to junction 6: carriageway repairs

The westbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am from 27 February until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M54 – Junction 6 entry slip road: carriageway repairs

The westbound entry slip road carriageway will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am from 3 March until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M6 – junction 10 to junction 7 including junction 10 and 9 entry slip roads and link from M5: carriageway works

The southbound carriageway and associated slip roads will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 27 February until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M6 – junction 11 entry slip road to junction 10 exit including M54 junction 1 entry slip road: carriageway works

The southbound carriageway and associated slip roads will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 27 February until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M6 – junction 7 to junction 10 including junction 9 entry slip and link from M5 northbound: carriageway works

The northbound carriageway and associated slip roads will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 27 February until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M6 – junction 10 entry slip road to junction 11 exit slip road: carriageway works

The northbound carriageway and associated slip roads will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 27 February until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M6 – M5 to M6 junction 8 northbound (western arm): carriageway works

The northbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 27 February until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M6 – junction 9 exit slip road: carriageway works

The northbound exit slip road will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 27 February until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M6 – junction 8 to M5 southbound (western arm): carriageway works

The southbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 27 February until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M6 – junction 9 entry slip road: carriageway works

The northbound entry slip road will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 27 February until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M6 – junction 9 entry slip road: carriageway works

The southbound Entry Slip Road will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 27th February until 5th March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M6 – junction 5 to junction 6: carriageway works

The northbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 10pm and 6am from 27 February until 4 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M6 – junction 12 entry slip road: carriageway works

The southbound entry slip road will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 28 February until 2 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M6 – junction 12 to junction 11: carriageway works

The southbound entry slip road will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 28 February until 2 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M6 – junction 16 to junction 15: carriageway works

The southbound entry slip road will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 2 March until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M6 – junction 7 entry slip road: carriageway works

The northbound entry slip road will be closed overnight between 9pm and 9am from 3 March until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

M6 – junction 7 to junction 8: carriageway works

The northbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 9pm and 9am from 3 March until 5 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352374 2017-02-24T16:29:00+00:00 2017-02-24T16:29:00+00:00 News story: Open Day at HM Revenue and Customs Information on how to apply for places at HM Revenue and Customs Solicitor's Office Open Day in April.

Introduction

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will host an Open Day in April. The event is for graduates and undergraduates who want to find out more about the work of lawyers and trainees in HMRC.

The Open Day will include:

an introduction to HMRC Solicitor's Office and its role in the wider government legal community

workshops demonstrating the work of litigation and advisory lawyers within HMRC

a panel discussion with legal trainees and qualified lawyers in HMRC

Date and location

The Open Day will take place on Friday 7 April 2017 from 12:30pm to 5pm in central London.

Who can apply

To be eligible to apply for a place at the Open Day, you must be:

a law student currently in the penultimate or final year of your undergraduate degree

a student of any non-law discipline currently in the final year of your undergraduate degree

currently studying for the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)

currently studying for the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) or Legal Practice Course (LPC).

How to apply

In no more than 250 words, explain why you would like to attend an Open Day at HMRC. Along with this paragraph send an email with your name, contact details, university and student status to HMRC Events by 5pm on Friday 17 March 2017.

Allocation of places

Your application will be assessed and successful candidates will be invited to attend the Open Day. It will not be possible to provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants.

Applications will be assessed according to the motivation demonstrated for attending the Open Day, and interest in the work of HMRC and / or public law more generally.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352375 2017-02-24T16:00:00+00:00 2017-02-24T16:11:38+00:00 News story: New digital framework attracts thousands of small and medium-sized businesses The new Digital Outcomes and Specialists 2 framework from Crown Commercial Service and Government Digital Service is giving almost 2,000 SMEs the chance to become suppliers to the public sector.
Updated: Image added in

The framework, which launches today (24 February 2017), has attracted 2,018 suppliers in total, with 94% of them small and medium-sized enterprises.

Digital Outcomes and Specialists 2 helps the public sector to find suppliers that can provide teams or specialists to help deliver digital projects.

How it will work

The framework replaces Digital Outcomes and Specialists 1, and has over 800 more suppliers signed up.

Digital Outcomes and Specialists 2 is split into four lots; digital outcomes, digital specialists, user research studios and user research participants.

The framework goes live today for 12 months, with a 12 month extension option.

How it meets government priorities

The government has a target of spending £1 in every £3 with small businesses by 2020.

This is equivalent to around £15 billion worth of purchases each year; a big opportunity for small businesses.

For more information about Digital Outcomes and Specialists 2, visit the Digital Marketplace at www.gov.uk/digital-marketplace.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352237 2017-02-24T15:36:00+00:00 2017-02-24T15:36:00+00:00 Press release: Lord McNally's response to the Youth Justice Reform announcement Lord McNally's response to the Youth Justice Reform announcement

The Rt Hon Lord McNally, Chairman of the Youth Justice Board for England & Wales (YJB) said:

" The Government's next steps for youth justice reform seek to address, among other things, the concerns about weaknesses in the current youth custodial estate which have been previously raised by the Youth Justice Board and major stakeholders.

" Moving the youth secure estate into a new 'Youth Custody Service', which will maintain a child-focussed ethos and a new specialist workforce, is a welcome step. The real test of the efficacy of this and associated reforms will be whether the new structure delivers what the Youth Justice Board has always aspired to – a welfare-based and therapeutic approach towards addressing a child's offending behaviour, so that they are given every opportunity to go on to live fulfilled and crime-free lives.

" There could be no better indication that the Government endorses this direction of travel than the appointment of Charlie Taylor as my successor. I am handing over to him a strong Board, dedicated staff and a YOT structure which will continue to deliver holistic and cross-disciplinary services to young offenders at local level.

" Charlie will be building on the successes of the YJB over the last 17 years; but will bring to the task personal qualities and experience, the better to meet the formidable challenges youth justice still faces going forward."

Notes to editors

Read the ministerial statement on the MoJ website

Youth Justice Board media enquiries

 Youth Justice Board press office
 102 Petty France
 London
 SW1H 9AJ

 Email firstname.lastname@example.com

 Press office 07900 052607

 For out-of-hours queries 07900 052607

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352332 2017-02-24T15:20:24+00:00 2017-02-24T15:20:24+00:00 Press release: Flood protection options being presented to Yate and Chipping Sodbury Residents will learn more about different ways to protect their homes at a drop-in event at Chipping Sodbury Town Hall.

The Environment Agency is holding a public consultation in Chipping Sodbury to explain how it plans to reduce flood risk to local homes and businesses.

The Environment Agency is keen for local people to share their views on its proposals and any experiences they have of local flooding.

The consultation will take place at the Town Hall on 1 March 2017 between 2.30pm and 7.30pm.

Fiona Geddes of the Environment Agency said:

This event is an ideal opportunity for people to study the flood alleviation options. There will be officers from the Environment Agency and South Gloucestershire Council on hand to explain the thinking behind each option and the steps people can take to prepare themselves against flooding.

We'd really like to hear the views of local residents and look forward to sharing ideas on how best to reduce flood risk in Yate and Chipping Sodbury.

The last major floods in Yate and Chipping Sodbury occurred in 1968. The Environment Agency estimates up to 100 homes and 40 businesses could be at risk of flooding from the River Frome and its tributaries. There's a 1 per cent chance of serious flooding each year. The risk is expected to increase as a result of higher river flows and climate change.

Flood warnings are issued to low-lying properties in both communities. In Yate these include:

Bennetts Court

Station Road

Swan Field

Treeleaze

Orchard Close

Milton Road

Tyndale Avenue

Celestine Road

Blenheim Drive

Whitley Close

In Chipping Sodbury the part of the town most at risk is the Blanchards Farm area.

Flooding occurs because the River Frome has insufficient capacity. Improvements have been made over the years alongside new developments in the river corridor, but these haven't kept pace with the growing flood risk. Surface water run-off from heavy rain has added to the flooding problem.

The Environment Agency has carried out a preliminary study that identifies 3 options: flood storage, river channel widening and property flood-proofing. As well as exploring each option separately, a combination of all 3 is also under consideration. This final, most expensive, combined option would increase the cost of the scheme to approximately £4 million. The cost of the individual options are £3.7 million, £300,000 and £100,000 respectively.

An earlier option that involved the construction of 1.8km of flood walls was rejected on the grounds of being too expensive (£10 million). It also raised sustainability concerns.

For a successful scheme to go ahead, any benefits must outweigh the costs. In addition to reducing flood risk to a significant number of homes and businesses, the final scheme should reduce flooding on 3 local roads (A432, B4569 and B4060) and prevent flood damages estimated at £10 million.

Flood storage schemes are an effective way of providing flood alleviation. The Environment Agency has built several in recent years. Examples include Tubbs Bottom, that reduces flood risk downstream of Yate and Bruton in Somerset. Schemes are also being considered for Taunton and Wrington near Bristol.

The Yate and Chipping Sodbury scheme is still in its early stages. The Environment Agency must carry out a more detailed study before selecting a preferred option. It is hoped a scheme could be in place by 2021, but that will depend on the Environment Agency securing the necessary funding from the Government and other sources.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352335 2017-02-24T15:08:52+00:00 2017-02-24T15:08:52+00:00 News story: SJFHQ undertake valuable maritime familiarisation visit to HMNB Devonport Personnel from the Standing Joint Force Headquarters visit HMNB Devonport to expand their knowledge of how the Royal Navy and Royal Marines operate.

Standing Joint Force Headquarters (SJFHQ) was established under the last Strategic Defence and Security Review and is a new deployable, operational 2* Joint Headquarters intended to command Joint forces in response to a crises or contingency worldwide.

SJFHQ personnel come from all 3 services and the purpose of the visit to HMNB Devonport was to widen the experience of SJFHQ staff from the British Army and the Royal Air Force in particular, so they can better appreciate the significant contribution the navy can play in any future operations. This will help them to plan more effectively and understand how the Royal Navy can best be utilised in SJFHQ led Joint operations.

Lt Col James Fuller, RM, briefs SJFHQ personnel on the capabilities of HMS Bulwark. Crown Copyright/MOD 2017. All rights reserved

The team spent 2 days at HMNB Devonport, where they received briefs on a range of topics, from amphibious operations to naval logistics and the new Type 26 Global Combat Ship. They toured the assault ship HMS Bulwark and travelled in Offshore Raiding Craft for a coxswain demonstration from 1 Assault Group Royal Marines. After a briefing from the Navy's Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) team, the SJFHQ team then split into groups to visit 2 vessels currently undergoing FOST training and assessments. The first group travelled to HMS Duncan and watched her crew on an air assault exercise, while the second watched a damage control exercise on Norwegian frigate HNOMS Otto Sverdrup.

SJFHQ personnel ready to experience a ride on Offshore Raiding Craft, courtesy of 1 Assault Group Royal Marines.Crown Copyright/MOD 2017. All rights reserved

Lt Col Nick Morton RA, SJFHQ, said:

As a Joint Headquarters, it's essential that we all have a good understanding of the capabilities and specialisms of each of the 3 branches of the armed forces, not just our own. Visiting Devonport has really helped me to develop and embed my knowledge of the Royal Navy and the reality of how it operates.

SJFHQ also has embedded staff officers from the UK's partner nations in the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, and the Anglo-French Combined Joint Expeditionary Force, several of whom took part in the visit. The visit to HNOMS Otto Sverdrup therefore also provided an opportunity to see a JEF partner nation in action.

Captain Peter Olive RN, Assistant Chief of Staff (Operate Branch), SJFHQ said:

Our visit was enormously valuable to the team, especially those from the army and RAF. It has really brought the Royal Navy to life for the staff and helped them to understand more about the limitations and difficulties of maritime operations, as well as the enormous benefits maritime power can provide to any future deployments.

Everyone here at HMNB Devonport and on HMS Bulwark, HMS Duncan and HNOMS Otto Sverdrup has been extremely helpful and accommodating, so thank you to them.

The visit followed an earlier familiarisation visit to the Army's Land Warfare Centre and plans are underway for a similar event with the RAF.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352266 2017-02-24T15:01:26+00:00 2017-02-24T15:01:26+00:00 News story: UK troops on NATO mission join Estonian national celebration UK Armed Forces in Estonia have taken part in celebrations to mark the country's Independence Day.

Ahead of the deployment of 800 British troops to lead part of NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence in Estonia, an advance team from 5th Battalion the Rifles already in country today joined the Estonia Independence Day Parade, marching through the capital of Tallinn to a crowd of thousands.

The event marks the Estonian Declaration of Independence in 1918, after Britain played a key role in helping the Estonians to gain their independence.

The UK and Estonia have a long history of working together across Defence, including standing side by side in Afghanistan, and next year marks 100 years since the earliest co-operation between the Royal Navy and Estonia.

In November 1918, to support the independence of the Baltic States, a Royal Navy Squadron was deployed to the region. This close relationship continues today, and in January this year, HMS Ramsey joined NATO's maritime group, commanded by ENS Admiral Cowan, an Estonian ship named after the Royal Navy commander in the Baltic in 1919.

The ENS Admiral Cowan, a former Royal Navy mine hunter, was formally handed over to the Estonian Navy in 2007, and is now the lead vessel of its division.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said:

Today's landmark in Estonia's history is an opportunity to celebrate our defence ties that stretch back over a century to when they gained independence.

Britain is playing a leading role in European security by deploying forces to Estonia, alongside our allies, to defend NATO.

Backed by a defence budget rising every year, our deployment will be defensive but fully combat capable, from armoured fighting vehicles to communications specialists who can deal with cyber threats.

Photo Source: EESTI KAITSEVAGI Credit:TKE

At the NATO Warsaw Summit last year, the UK committed to leading one of four battlegroups in NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence in the Baltic States and Poland. In addition to the 800 UK troops, France and Denmark will also deploy personnel to Estonia.

The main body of UK troops are due to arrive in April and will arrive with Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicles and Challenger II tanks. British personnel have been exercising with Estonian, French and Danish colleagues in Germany recently to prepare for the deployment. The UK will also be deploying troops to Poland in support of the US-led battlegroup there.

The Defence Secretary discussed the deployment with NATO Defence Ministers in Brussels recently and also called on NATO to modernise its structures to be able to deal more effectively with current and future threats, including the threats from terrorism and cyber.

Earlier this week, Colonel Giles Harris, Commander British Forces in Estonia, met with Prime Minister Juri Ratas, who personally welcomed him to Estonia. During their meeting Col Harris and the Prime Minister discussed the historic deployment of a multinational NATO contingent to the region.

Col Harris said:

It is great to have NATO troops parading here on Estonian Independence Day. It reminds us of our shared history and values.

Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid also attended the celebrations, which in addition to the parade, included a formal flag-raising ceremony at the Tall Hermann tower, wreath-laying at the Monument of War of Independence on Vabaduse Square, and a church service.

Photo Source: EESTI KAITSEVAGI Credit:TKE

To find out a bit more about the NATO enhanced Forward Presence mission, watch the short explainer video below:

NATO eFP answered

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352322 2017-02-24T14:53:00+00:00 2017-02-24T14:53:00+00:00 Statement to Parliament: Youth justice update Written Ministerial Statement made by The Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice.

In December 2016, we set out our plans to reform our approach to youth justice which will help drive forward improved outcomes for young offenders both in custody and in the community.

We are today announcing the next steps of our reforms with a package of measures which will create stronger, clearer governance for the youth justice system.

I have appointed Charlie Taylor as the new Chair of the Youth Justice Board. He is uniquely well placed to take on this role: he has led changes in government policy on the education of children who have been excluded from school, is a former head teacher of an outstanding school for children with complex behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, and his youth justice review set out a compelling vision for reform. As the Chair of the Board, it is this vision that he will work with my department to drive forward.

We will create a new Youth Custody Service as a distinct arm of HM Prison and Probation Service, with a dedicated Director accountable directly to the Chief Executive and working closely with the Chair of the Youth Justice Board.

The Director will have operational responsibility for the day-to-day running of the youth estate, will keep a firm grip on performance, and will be a board-level member of HM Prison and Probation Service. The Youth Custody Service will have its own workforce separately recruited and trained to work in the youth estate, and we will create distinct career pathways for those wanting to work with children and young people in the secure estate, including a new Youth Justice Specialist Worker role.

We will bring responsibility and accountability for commissioning youth custody services into the Ministry of Justice. Working closely with the Chair of the Youth Justice Board, the Department will be responsible for setting clear standards for the provision of youth justice and will be responsible for intervening decisively to address poor performance.

These changes will enable the Youth Justice Board to build on its strong track-record and focus on its statutory function of providing vital independent advice on, and scrutiny of, the whole system, advising the government on what standards to set for the youth justice system and monitoring delivery of those standards. It will continue to work closely with Youth Offending Teams to promote early intervention in the community and share best practice across the system.

The youth justice system covers England and Wales and the majority of services for children and young people in Wales are devolved. We will continue our collaborative approach with the Youth Justice Board Cymru and the Welsh Government under these new arrangements.

We are very grateful to Lord McNally, whose term as Chair ends shortly, for his dedicated leadership of the Youth Justice Board over the past three years, and thank him for the drive and passion he has shown.

Charlie Taylor will become the new Chair of the Youth Justice Board when Lord McNally's term ends. Under the Governance Code on Public Appointments, which came into effect on 1 January this year, ministers can, in exceptional circumstances, make an appointment without a competition. I have decided to appoint Charlie Taylor as the new Chair of the Youth Justice Board on these terms and, in accordance with the Code, have consulted the Commissioner for Public Appointments who has accepted the decision.

We are also publishing today the findings and recommendations of the Youth Custody Improvement Board. The Board was set up to explore and report on the current state of the youth custodial estate and recommend how the system could be improved, particularly focusing on any current risks to safety and well-being. We are very grateful to its members for their work.

The Board's report underlines the importance of reforming the youth custody system. Many of their recommendations are reflected in our plans, and we will consider all their recommendations as we implement our reforms.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352304 2017-02-24T14:35:17+00:00 2017-02-24T14:35:17+00:00 Speech: Jo Johnson: Higher Education and Research Bill Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation addresses the Universities UK members' conference.

I'm delighted to be here to address the UUK members' conference and invited guests and am very grateful to Julia [Professor Dame Julia Goodfellow, President of UUK] for her kind words of introduction.

Today I would like to talk about the next phase of our HE reforms, as the Higher Education and Research Bill approaches report stage in the House of Lords. Specifically, and having listened carefully to the debate in Parliament, I want to talk about the new amendments that we are today laying before the House, which seek to underpin and support values that sit at the heart of the UK's HE system, in particular opportunity, autonomy, excellence and innovation.

Many of you have long acknowledged that the current regulatory framework is simply not fit for purpose. We must do more to ensure that young people from all backgrounds are given the opportunity to fulfil their potential and the information they need to make good choices about where and what to study. The bill provides stability and puts in place the robust regulatory framework that is needed.

The Parliamentary scrutiny process

I have always been clear that our approach to these reforms is a collaborative one. We have sought to listen and reflect, and to engage on our proposals with the sector and with experts - including many of you who are in this room today. Indeed, the original vision of the need for a new form of regulation for the sector was outlined in UUK's report 'Quality, Equity and Sustainability', led by Professor Simon Gaskell, This itself was preceded by the 2013 Higher Education Commission Report, led by Lord Norton.

We have endeavoured to continue in this spirit of partnership as the bill goes through Parliament. I have spent happy hours in the Lords Chamber listening to the views raised; and have held many fruitful meetings with peers from all sides of the House.

This has been time well spent. We are fortunate to have, in the House of Lords, deep and respected expertise on higher education and research. Indeed, there is probably no sector better represented in our upper chamber than Britain's universities. By my count, there are some 215 peers with university interests. This bill has unsurprisingly benefited from unparalleled scrutiny and debate.

I'd like to extend my thanks in particular to Labour peers: Lord Stevenson, Lord Watson and Lord Mendelsohn, along with Lord Winston and Viscount Hanworth, Baroness Blackstone, Baroness Kennedy, Baroness Warwick, Baroness Chakrabarti, Baroness Royall of Blaisdon, Lord Liddle, Lord Blunkett, Baroness Bakewell, Lord Giddens – who have engaged constructively thus far in proceedings. To Baroness Garden who has campaigned tirelessly for diversity and flexible forms of learning to enjoy the prominence they deserve in the bill, along with other Lib Dem peers including Lord Willis of Knaresbourgh, Lord Wallace of Tankerness, Lord Storey, Baroness Brinton. And to my distinguished Conservative colleagues, Lord Willetts, Lord Jopling, the Earl of Selborne, Lord Lucas, Baroness Neville Jones, Lord Waldegrave, the Duke of Wellington and Lord Renfrew. And to crossbench peers, including the convenor Lord Hope, Lord Kerslake Baroness Brown of Cambridge, Baroness Wolf of Dulwich, Baroness Deech, Lord Rees, Lord Bilimoria, Lord Lisvane, Baroness O'Neill, Lord Judge, Lord Mair, Lord Broers, Lord Patel, Lord Krebs, Lord Cameron and Lord Smith who have engaged thoughtfully and with deep expertise throughout the debate.

And I would like to thank those of you here today, and all those who work to make this sector so strong, who have worked collaboratively with us on this bill. You will recognise many of the points that follow, as many are inspired by your suggestions. I am particularly grateful for feedback and suggestions from our hosts, UUK, from GuildHE, the Russell Group, University Alliance, Million Plus and Independent HE.

Amendments to the bill

I am delighted today to set out how we are responding to the views that we have heard. I will shortly turn to our proposals to deliver excellence in the system, to enshrine autonomy, and to encourage innovation. Increasing opportunity.

But let me first focus on creating opportunity for all, a theme which sits at the heart of this government's programme. Higher education has long been one of the most powerful sources of opportunity, broadening students' minds and expanding graduates' career options.

We should celebrate the fact that more young people are going to higher education than ever before, including more from disadvantaged backgrounds. With the latest UCAS figures showing the entry rate for 18 year olds from England rose to 32.5% in 2016 and the rate for disadvantaged 18 year olds increased to 19.5%, the highest ever levels. But access remains uneven, and we need to do more to fulfil our university system's potential as an engine of social mobility.

An important way to do this is by increasing the flexibility of how and where people can access HE. Although there is more flexibility now than in the past, there is ample scope for improvement: the traditional 3-year undergraduate model remains the overwhelming norm, and is in fact becoming progressively more entrenched in the system, increasing from 68% of provision to 79% of undergraduate students in HE in just 4 years. For anyone concerned about diversity in the sector, this is a worrying development.

And so, today, I am delighted to announce that we will be bringing forward amendments to the bill which will mark a step change in the ability of the system to respond to needs for more flexible provision.

Accelerated degrees

I absolutely recognise that for many students the classic 3-year residential model will remain the preferred option. But it clearly must not be the only option.

In our 2015 manifesto, we set out a commitment to encourage universities to offer more 2-year courses. I am grateful for the over 4,500 responses to the call for evidence that we held on this issue last summer, which demonstrated that the main barrier to accelerated courses is the inflexible fee structure which current law dictates.

We know that accelerated courses appeal especially to students who may not otherwise choose to pursue a degree. This includes mature students who want to retrain and enter the workplace faster than a traditional full-time 3-year degree would permit, those from non-traditional or disadvantaged backgrounds, or those who want to get into the workplace faster.

I have been pleased to see that this is an issue on which there is cross-party support, with the Opposition also tabling amendments to enable this change in both the Commons and the Lords. And many of you in this room today have lobbied long and hard for changes to the law to enable you to offer more accelerated courses - courses which our economy and our workforce need, and which can help people into good jobs.

By giving the Secretary of State the ability to set higher annual fee limits in respect solely of accelerated courses that are higher than their standard equivalent, this amendment will mark a step change in how students in this country can learn, increasing choice in our system, and opening up opportunities to more people than ever before.

But let me be absolutely clear. The higher annual fee limit will be only - let me reinforce - only for accelerated courses, which will be tightly defined on the face of the bill. And make no mistake, this will not mean an increase in degree costs for students. I can confirm today, that the cost for a student taking an accelerated course which is subject to the new fee caps will never be more, overall, than that of the same course over a longer time period. And in most cases it is likely to be less.

Our clear intention is that accelerated degrees will cost students less than an equivalent degree, not least because students will certainly claim less overall in maintenance loans too. Students undertaking an accelerated course borrow less money over a shorter period and forgo less in terms of earnings, as they are able to enter the workplace more rapidly. This should mean they are likely to repay a greater proportion of their loans than equivalent students on full length courses, meaning the costs should be lower for government as well.

We are delivering what we promised in our manifesto, supporting lifelong learning, and helping the HE sector to continue to innovate and contribute to economic opportunity and productivity.

Credit transfer

In addition to offering greater choice in terms of intensity of study, we want students to have more flexibility in where and what they study. Key to this is a system where students can move between HE providers while retaining credit for learning already undertaken.

Our call for evidence last summer highlighted a lack of information and awareness on credit transfer.

So I am also pleased to announce today that we have tabled amendments to the bill that will drive real change in the way in which providers and students consider the issue of switching university or course. Credit transfer can provide flexibility for the balance of work, life and study, and can offer new opportunities for part-time and mature learners.

These amendments will place a duty on the OfS to monitor and report on the provision of arrangements for student transfer and will confer a power on the OfS to facilitate, encourage, or promote awareness of, arrangements for student transfer.

Diversity of choice

We have heard loud and clear the views that 'choice' doesn't automatically mean 'diversity'. As Gordon McKenzie of GuildHE has stated: "Students aren't homogenous; institutions shouldn't be either." So we have tabled, [with Baroness Garden], an amendment to the OfS's duties which specifies that the choice duty includes choice amongst a diverse range of types of provider, higher education courses, and means by which they are provided (such as accelerated courses, part-time study or distance learning).

This means that the OfS will be expected to consider, for example, specialist institutions and providers with distinctive characteristics, such as those of a denominational character, in making its decisions. And for the first time ever, the higher education regulator will have an explicit duty, set out in law, to consider different forms of learning.

All these measures will contribute to our goal of increasing opportunity and promoting social mobility. I am proud these are at the heart of this bill. The amendments I have outlined will strengthen the opportunities for those students from disadvantaged or non-traditional backgrounds to fulfil their potential. They will build on the important measures already in the bill on this important issue which do not always receive the attention that they perhaps deserve.

For example, through this bill, we are taking steps to meet our ambition to double the proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds entering higher education and to increase the number of BME students by 20%, both by 2020.

We are already:

mainstreaming consideration of equality of opportunity by the OfS, as one of its core duties

extending the powers of the Director for Fair Access to ensure that universities are doing all they can to support students throughout their courses, not just in accessing higher education, by helping to tackle drop-out rates and support disadvantaged students into employment

enabling an alternative student finance product for the first time, consistent with the principles of Islamic finance, to ensure that participation and choice are open to all

putting a statutory duty on certain providers to publish application, offer, acceptance and completion rates by gender, ethnic background and socio-economic background.

Transparency will be an important driver of access and participation. And today I can announce that we want to go further still and ensure that this duty also looks at the full student lifecycle. That is why we have tabled an amendment this morning which will also require providers to publish attainment data, broken down by these characteristics.

Autonomy

I now want to turn to institutional autonomy, the bedrock of the sector's success. There has never been a difference of opinion about the importance of institutional autonomy. The values of autonomy and academic freedom are paramount if universities are to remain engines of scientific discovery, bastions of free speech and educators of tomorrow's citizens.

I have heard the strength of feeling on this in the House of Lords, and we have supported an amendment tabled by Lord Stevenson, which will place on the sector regulator a requirement to have regard to institutional autonomy in everything that it does. This is a significant shift, and one that signals the strength of our commitment to the autonomy of HE Institutions. I am delighted that this important measure has secured support across the whole chamber.

We therefore believe that it should replace the bill's new clause 1, which is manifestly unfit for purpose, as has been widely recognised in the sector. As universities are rightly autonomous institutions they must continue to be free to determine how best to meet the needs of their students, employers and support wider society. It should not be for government to define a university's characteristics and impose wide-ranging obligations in statute.

Indeed, new clause 1 would exclude a number of respected existing institutions, notably specialist HEIs that do not provide the 'extensive range of subjects' it prescribes. I hope that you will agree with me that the amendment that has now been proposed on institutional autonomy is a far more apt safeguard, and that this clause must be removed if we are to maintain the reputation and diversity of the sector, and not take away universities' autonomy by imposing on them a rather retro one-size-fits-all model.

We have also heard concerns about some of the specific powers of the OfS, and I want to reassure you that we have listened carefully and want to address these.

Firstly, in relation to the role that both the Secretary of State and the OfS will play with regard to standards. We are in fierce agreement that standards are, and should continue to be, set by the sector as set out in the Quality Code. I can therefore confirm that we have, today, tabled amendments that will guarantee amongst other things that the standards against which providers are assessed are the standards that are determined by, and command the confidence of, the higher education sector.

Secondly, we have heard concerns that the OfS will be able to revoke degree-awarding powers and university title at will. We have always regarded the power of revocation as a last resort power. It is needed to protect students, value for money, and uphold the reputation of English higher education.

I am today announcing government amendments which will clarify, on the face of the bill, the specific conditions - such as serious quality concerns - that would need to be met before the OfS can revoke a provider's degree awarding powers or university title.

We have also tabled an amendment which clarifies that, powers to amend a Royal Charter as a result of revoking or varying degree awarding powers or university title, could not be used to revoke that Royal Charter in full.

Through these measures introduced today, we have further strengthened the protection within legislation for institutional autonomy and reflected this in the powers of the OfS. However, it is not solely about the legal protections, and is also about the people who will have the responsibility for exercising these powers that matter. That is why I am pleased to confirm that, following his successful scrutiny hearing at the Education Select Committee, Sir Michael Barber will become the first Chair of the OfS. The committee recognised the wealth of experience that Sir Michael will bring of global education systems. In his evidence to the committee, he spoke with passion about the opportunities for our universities and colleges to compete on the global stage and how institutional autonomy and academic freedom should be the pillars of a successful regulatory framework.

Excellence

The third core value of our university system that these reforms will promote is excellence. I hardly have to remind this audience of the reputation for excellence of the UK's HE sector - nor that such a reputation is maintained only by constant vigilance and hard work.

In this connection, I would like to talk about the Teaching Excellence Framework, and about degree awarding powers for new providers.

TEF

The Teaching Excellence Framework is essential to driving up standards of teaching. It was excellent to see that 299 institutions chose to take part in year 2 of the TEF, including all English Russell Group institutions, and a huge vote of confidence in the leadership role being played by Professor Chris Husbands and HEFCE.

I would like to confirm our commitment to a genuine lessons-learned exercise from this trial year. Amongst other things, we will be reviewing: how the metrics are flagged and used to form hypotheses; the balance between metrics and provider submissions; and the number and names of the ratings. I have always been clear that we want the TEF to develop over time and will keep it under regular review. And this is an important first step in that process.

We have also been thinking carefully about subject-level TEF. I would like to thank the sector for your full and generous participation in the co-design process. It is clear that moving to subject-level TEF is a complex task, the challenge of which is equalled only by the importance of getting this right for students.

I am therefore pleased to announce today that I have decided to extend the pilot phase of subject-level TEF by an additional year, putting back the commencement of subject-level TEF assessments to TEF year 5.

Two full years of piloting is in line with the best practice demonstrated in the development of the REF. As with the REF pilots, these will be genuine pilots, involving a small number of volunteer institutions, with no public release of individual results and no impact on fees or reputation.

Promoting excellence in teaching is of the utmost importance to students and to the long-term success of the sector. That is why we are committed to a genuine dialogue with HE institutions in the TEF's development, and will ensure that the bill continues to allow the flexibility for this to happen.

Market entry

An important driver of excellence in the system is new institutions. We have been clear that we will create a level playing field for new providers with a direct route to entry into the sector that does not depend on competitors chaperoning them via validation arrangements and introduce a proportionate, risk-based approach to regulation.

I am equally adamant that the quality threshold for new providers will be set high. We will not risk the reputation of the sector as a whole and the livelihoods of students by permitting poor-quality providers.

Recognising the value of diverse and informed perspectives in determining whether a provider is competent to award its own degrees, we have tabled amendments today which make clear on the face of the bill that the OfS must take expert advice into account when awarding, varying or revoking DAPs.

You have also rightly argued that excellence in the system is achieved through meaningful collaboration between providers. We have therefore today tabled an amendment that clarifies the OfS should, when having regard to the need to encourage competition between providers, also have regard to the benefits for students and employers resulting from collaboration between such providers.

Innovation and research

Finally, let me reiterate our commitment to innovation, knowledge and research, and mention in particular part 3 of the bill.

I was pleased at the warm welcome from the community to the recent announcement of Sir Mark Walport as the first Chief Executive of UKRI. With his unique range of experience, Sir Mark is exceptionally placed to lead the establishment of UKRI.

The economic benefits of investing in research and innovation should not be downplayed. This is why we are putting the UK's strengths in science, research and innovation at the heart of our industrial strategy. And it explains why making Britain the best place for science and innovation is one of the Prime Minister's 12 objectives for the EU exit negotiations. The success of UKRI is vital to delivering the change we need to put the UK and British companies at the forefront of innovation, developing new products and addressing the challenges of the future. And with the amendments that the government has laid today I am confident we have a firm foundation on which to build UKRI.

To maintain our global leadership position, we have announced a further £4.7 billion by 2021 in R&D funding - the largest increase by any government since 1979 and made possible by the creation of UKRI. By the end of this Parliament, the government will invest an additional £2 billion a year in research and innovation, including a new Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund overseen by UKRI once established.

We have already in this bill enshrined dual support in legislation for first time. But I am keen that we do more to reinforce our commitment to the independence of research. The government is unwavering in its commitment to the Haldane Principle; we have consistently stated that decisions on individual research proposals are best taken by researchers through a process of peer review. I am therefore delighted to announce that we have today laid an amendment to enshrine it in law for the first time, using the definition articulated by David Willetts in 2010, with the result that all governments will, in future, need to have regard to the Haldane Principle when making a grant or giving directions to UKRI.

We are also clear that UKRI and its councils will operate at arm's length from government, and that they will have the delegated authority and autonomy to make key decisions. We have reinforced this today by tabling an amendment which commits the government to making and publishing separate budget allocations to each of the councils.

We know that it is important that the research community is consulted on key decisions relating to UKRI. We are now proposing to put on the face of the bill our commitment to consult if, in the future, the government decided to make changes to the names or the scope of the research councils. As is the case currently, these changes would then have to be undertaken through regulations that would be subject to the affirmative resolution procedure - requiring the explicit approval of both Houses of Parliament.

We have also tabled some amendments which clarify our intentions around the governance of UKRI. Recognising the vital role that charities play in the UK research endeavour - we are making it clear that experience of the charitable sector should be on the list of criteria government must consider when making appointments to the UKRI Board. We have also tabled an amendment to increase the upper limit for council members from 9 to 12 (in addition to the Executive Chair), which will allow for greater flexibility in managing the breadth of activity required by each council.

One of the strengths of UKRI is that it will bring together academic research with the business-led research funded by Innovate UK. To clarify and underscore Innovate UK's distinctive business-facing mission, we are introducing a new requirement for the organisation to have regard to the need to promote innovation by businesses and strengthening the existing requirement to support those engaged in business activities. We are also making it clearer that UKRI can with permission enter into joint ventures, invest in companies and other innovative financial arrangements, all of which will help researchers and innovative businesses develop their ideas.

Some researchers have been concerned that the description of the research councils' objectives is focused too narrowly on economic aims and direct commercial application. It was clear to me that we should acknowledge the importance of advancing the frontiers of human knowledge on the face of the bill and we have tabled an amendment to do just that.

Conclusion

I am immensely grateful to all of those here who have given their time to work with us to shape and improve these reforms. The Parliamentary process that will conclude in the weeks to come will not be the end, but rather the end of the beginning. We will need to work together on a wide range of issues, from the ongoing design and implementation of the TEF, to the set-up of the OfS and UKRI. But it is my hope that the measures and amendments that I have set out today will position us well for the future.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352265 2017-02-24T14:33:14+00:00 2017-02-24T14:33:14+00:00 News story: CMA consults on Mastercard/VocaLink undertakings The CMA is consulting on undertakings offered by Mastercard to address competition concerns arising from its purchase of VocaLink.

Last month, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced it would look in detail at whether the undertakings offered by Mastercard UK Holdco Limited, an affiliate of MasterCard International Incorporated, (Mastercard) and VocaLink Holdings Ltd (VocaLink) remove the need to carry out an in-depth merger investigation.

The CMA is now consulting formally on whether the proposals are sufficient to address its competition concerns before reaching a final decision. Interested parties are invited to submit their responses by 11 March 2017.

Mastercard and VocaLink have offered a package of measures which consists of:

VocaLink making its existing network connectivity available to a new supplier of infrastructure services to LINK. This could allow a competitor to use VocaLink's connectivity to members of the LINK ATM network, rather than having to build their own.

VocaLink transferring to LINK the intellectual property rights relating to the LINK LIS5 messaging standard, which members of the network use to communicate when customers use cash machines.

Mastercard contributing to the cost to LINK members of changing to a new supplier of infrastructure services to LINK.

The CMA has until 15 March 2017 to consider whether to accept the undertakings, or a modified version of them.

The consultation on the undertakings and all other information relating to this merger investigation can be found on the case page.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352306 2017-02-24T12:57:30+00:00 2017-02-24T12:57:30+00:00 Press release: Government to extend Public Lending Right scheme to e-book authors A Government fund that compensates authors for loaning their works for free from public libraries in Great Britain will be extended to include e-lending.

The change to the Public Lending Right scheme is being introduced in the Digital Economy Bill and will mean authors of e-books and e-audiobooks are eligible for payment in the same way as those whose physical books are borrowed from libraries.

The UK is one of the first countries to extend its library lending compensation scheme to remote e-lending.

E-book lending has jumped 38% in the last year alone, with more than four million e-book loans and almost one million e-audiobook loans in Great Britain in the twelve months to April 2016.

Rob Wilson, Minister for Civil Society and responsible for libraries, said:

"We want to help public libraries embrace the digital age by improving access to e-lending and wifi services.

"This important change will put e-book authors on the same footing as those writers, illustrators and photographers whose physical books are borrowed for free.

"This legislation fulfils a manifesto commitment and underlines our support for the growing e-book sector, while ensuring that appropriate protections for rights holders are maintained."

The Public Lending Right scheme is managed by the British Library on behalf of the Government, with more than £6 million of payments made to 22,000 authors, illustrators, photographers, translators and rights holders each year.

Roly Keating, Chief Executive of the British Library, said:

"With the rapid rise in popularity of ebooks and e-audiobooks in recent years, it's fantastic news that authors' PLR payments will now reflect remote ebook loans of their books from public libraries as well as the borrowing of hard copies.

"Over 22,000 writers, illustrators, photographers, translators and editors who have contributed to books lent out by public libraries in the UK receive PLR payments each year, so we look forward to working with even more new authors who are now eligible."

The change comes after the Government funded a wifi roll-out across England, which benefitted more than 1,000 libraries, helping to increase access to digital services and e-lending.

Government has also launched a £4 million library fund to help disadvantaged communities and promote new digital and literacy projects. The Libraries Taskforce's Libraries Ambition: Ambition for Public Libraries in England 2016 to 2021 also provides local authorities with practical and innovative options to help improve and develop services across the country.

Media enquiries - please contact the DCMS News and Communications team on 020 7211 2210.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352250 2017-02-24T12:49:59+00:00 2017-02-24T12:49:59+00:00 News story: Government publishes Custody Image Review The review sets out the government's view on the use and retention of custody images by the police.

The Home Office has today recommended to police chiefs that people not convicted of an offence should be given the right to request that their custody image is deleted from all police databases, with a general presumption that it must be removed.

That is one of a series of recommendations included in the Home Office's report, published today (Friday 24 February) on the Review of the Use and Retention of Custody Images by police in England and Wales, as well as the current legal and operational framework by which they are governed.

Following consultation with key policing partners, the principal recommendation is that an individual not convicted of the offence in relation to which their custody image was taken may apply for it to be deleted. There should be a presumption that police will remove it from their databases unless retention is necessary for a policing purpose, and there is an exceptional reason for it to be retained. For those under the age of 18 when the image was taken, the review sets out there should be a strong presumption that police will remove it unless there is a highly exceptional reason to retain it.

Brandon Lewis, Minister for Policing and the Fire Service, said:

Custody images and facial searching play an important role in the detection and prevention of crime but there is a clear need to strike a careful balance between protecting an individual's privacy and giving the police the tools they need to keep us safe.

I believe the recommendations of this important review strike the right balance. They will now be passed to the NPCC and the College of Policing to take forward, and I expect the changes to guidance to come into effect in the near future.

The report also recommends that police should automatically review all custody images held after specified periods to ensure that they are only retaining those they need to keep - without the need for the individual to apply for them to be deleted. It also recommends that – when undertaking these reviews – police should generally delete images of unconvicted individuals, those whose image was taken when they were under 18 and persons convicted of a non-recordable offence. The Home Office recommends that the specified period after which reviews should be undertaken vary according to the seriousness of the offence which the individual had been accused.

The review's key recommendations include:

giving unconvicted people (i.e. persons who are not convicted of the offence in relation to which their image is taken) the right to request that their image is deleted

a presumption that chief officers will delete images following such an application, except where retention is necessary for a policing purpose and there is an exceptional reason to retain it, or a highly exceptional reason in the case of individuals whose image was taken when they were under 18

that the police should automatically review after specified periods all of the custody images that they hold to ensure that they are only retaining those they need to keep

that under certain, limited circumstances (for example, if a conviction is very old or is for a minor offence) it may be appropriate for the police to delete the custody image related to that offence. However, other than where the conviction was for a non-recordable offence (or the image was taken when the person was under 18), there would be no presumption in favour of deletion.

The review also considered whether it would be possible to require all forces to undertake a weeding out exercise to identify custody images which should no longer be retained but concluded that such an approach would not be practical. The Police National Database does not link custody images to individual crime records. Therefore such an exercise would require forces to review all of the images that they hold which we would be extremely lengthy and resource intensive. It would also cost a very considerable amount of taxpayers' money and would unnecessarily take funding away from other areas of policing, potentially weakening the police's ability to protect the public.

You can read the Report on the Review of the Use and Retention of Custody Images.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352263 2017-02-24T12:39:51+00:00 2017-02-24T12:39:51+00:00 News story: Avian flu confirmed at a farm near Haltwhistle, Northumberland H5N8 avian flu had been confirmed at a farm near Haltwhistle in Northumberland

The UK's Chief Veterinary Officer has confirmed H5N8 avian flu in a small flock of chickens at a farm near Haltwhistle, Northumberland.

A 3km Protection Zone and a 10km Surveillance Zone have been put in place around the infected premises to limit the risk of the disease spreading. We have published full details of the controls in place.

The flock contains about 35 birds. A number have died and the remaining live birds at the premises are being humanely culled. A full investigation is under way to determine the source of the infection.

Public Health England advises that the risk to public health from the virus is very low and the Food Standards Agency is clear that bird flu does not pose a food safety risk for UK consumers.

Read the latest advice and information on avian flu in the UK, including actions to reduce the risk of the disease spreading, advice for anyone who keeps poultry or captive birds and details of previous cases. Journalists with queries should contact Defra press office.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352259 2017-02-24T12:28:31+00:00 2017-02-24T12:28:31+00:00 Press release: Boeing to open new production facility in Sheffield Sheffield selected as site of Boeing's 1st manufacturing facility in Europe, working closely with the AMRC to develop new techniques.

Boeing Sheffield will enable the aerospace company to bring the manufacture of key high-tech actuation components and systems in-house. These include components for Boeing's next-generation 737, 737 MAX and 777 aircraft. This should enhance production efficiency and reduce costs.

Locating the plant alongside the University of Sheffield's world-class Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) will also allow Boeing to initiate a major research and development programme. Specifically the aerospace company will look to innovate new techniques in manufacturing.

New jobs are also expected to be created in 2018.

Boeing is a co-founder of the AMRC. It is a member of the high value manufacturing (HVM) Catapult Centres, supported by Innovate UK.

Find out how the Catapult Centres can help your business.

Sir Michael Arthur, President of Boeing Europe and Managing Director of Boeing UK and Ireland, said:

The UK provides Boeing with the talent and infrastructure we need to grow and maintain a high level of productivity and quality to meet our significant order book.

We are proud to expand our relationship with the UK still further with Boeing Sheffield. Our decision to start manufacturing high-value components in the UK is a step-change in our engagement and a further example of Boeing's commitment to grow here, supporting the UK's long-term prosperity.

The Boeing Sheffield news follows the recently announced partnership between the AMRC and McLaren Automotive.

See how other businesses have benefitted from Innovate UK support.

Ruth McKernan, Innovate UK's Chief Executive said:

This significant further investment and partnership by Boeing in Sheffield and the AMCR is excellent news for the region. It is testament to world-class expertise and facilities provided by the AMRC, and the high value manufacturing Catapult, supported by Innovate UK.

It comes off the back of McLaren Automotive's recent announcement that it will open a £50 million composites technologies centre next to the AMRC, illustrating the strength of advanced manufacturing innovation in the UK.

Read about Innovate UK's work in manufacturing and materials.

Apply for innovation funding.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352224 2017-02-24T10:49:00+00:00 2017-02-24T10:49:00+00:00 News story: Warm welcome for UK diabetes prevention programme in Dubai UK's approach to prevention through targeted lifestyle changes generates interest at Arab Health 2017.

Healthcare UK secured the first commercial Letter of Intent to participate in a new diabetes prevention programme in the Middle East. The programme has been developed in partnership with NHS England, Public Health England, and Diabetes UK.

Diabetes is an urgent public health challenge shared by the UK and the Gulf countries. A commercial organisation in Qatar is now working with UK health organisations to scope and roll out the prevention programme in Qatar.

Our approach with the diabetes programme has been to take an existing UK capability and make the learning from it available overseas. This is a model that we are looking to replicate in other areas.

Growing demand for UK healthcare in the Middle East

Arab Health is an important event for Healthcare UK as there is growing demand for healthcare in the Middle East. Healthcare UK has now widened its strategic focus to include Qatar and Oman, alongside Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.

The Healthcare UK team works closely with:

our partners in UK embassies and consulates across the region

the International Healthcare Management Association (UKHIMA) - established by Healthcare UK to help UK suppliers respond to high-value opportunities by bringing together consortia of exporters

Minister Blackwood puts the spotlight on mental health and innovation

The UK presence at Arab Health was headed up by Nicola Blackwood, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health.

The minister had a packed programme, leading a large number of high-level discussions with ministries of health in the region. Several of these discussions were about mental health and innovation, areas in which the minister has a particular interest.

The minister highlighted the NHS digital health initiative, Improving Access to Psychological Therapies, and also attended a demonstration of 3D tools that can be used for surgical training.

Value of building strategic partnerships

Through seminars, meetings and the HealthCare UK stand, we established several new links between UK suppliers of healthcare services and interested buyers at Arab Health 2017.

Together with UKHIMA, we ran a series of seminars showcasing the best of UK healthcare in fields that are in greatest demand in the Middle East: disease prevention and healthcare innovation. Sessions included breakthroughs in gene therapy and the latest advances in paediatric radiology.

Healthcare UK worked with the investment company, Ashmore, to run an event aimed at promoting the value of strategic partnerships to the UK organisations attending Arab Health. The event highlighted the benefits of partnerships between funders, NHS organisations, and local organisations in ensuring business success.

The Healthcare UK team at their stand in the heart of the Arab Health trade show.

Arab Health

Arab Health is the largest gathering of healthcare professionals in the MENA region with:

4,400 of the world's leading healthcare companies

exhibitors from 70 countries

102,000 visitors over the 4 days

attendees mainly from the Gulf and the Middle East region, with significant numbers from China, India, and South America

Further information

For more information about healthcare opportunities in the Middle East, contact Healthcare UK

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352254 2017-02-24T10:49:00+00:00 2017-02-24T10:49:00+00:00 News story: The Insolvency Service newsletter: winter 2017 In our Winter newsletter we look how insolvency forms are changing, welcome our newly appointed chairman, directors and criminal enforcement team, and put the spotlight on our work with the Home Office to disqualify the directors of companies employing illegal workers.

The Winter 2017 edition of our quarterly stakeholder newsletter is now available.

The newsletter explains what we are doing to strengthen the insolvency regime, improve our services and provides updates on important developments.

You can also:

 subscribe to future editions of the newsletter (distributed by email)

 view previous editions of the newsletter

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352253 2017-02-24T10:46:00+00:00 2017-02-24T10:46:00+00:00 Press release: Defence Secretary confirms £1.7bn investment in Scottish military bases The Defence Secretary today (Friday 24 February 2017) confirmed £1.7 billion will be invested to upgrade Scottish military bases as the MOD's Defence Board convened in Edinburgh for the first time.

Sir Michael Fallon outlined how Scotland will be home to several additional key Defence capabilities by 2020 to the Board and recognised its unique contribution to UK national security.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said:

Scotland is on the frontline of defending the United Kingdom from growing threats at sea, in the air, and on land. Our commitment to the future of defence in Scotland is underlined by increasing investment in better infrastructure for the Armed Forces helping to keep us safe.

Scotland's 14,000 military regular and reserve personnel and 3,930 MOD civilians are set to benefit from:

· £1.3 billion investment into upgrades to HM Naval Base Clyde's waterfront, engineering support, accommodation and physical security ahead of the Dreadnought class of deterrent submarines arriving in Scotland from the early 2030s;

· £400 million investment at Lossiemouth as one of the RAF's three fast jet bases - upgrading its runways, taxiways and accommodation for the nine new Poseidon P-8 Maritime Patrol Aircraft and an additional Typhoon squadron;

· Being home to a versatile Army Adaptive Force Brigade, which specialises in operations, works alongside partner nations abroad, and provides resilience support to Scottish civil authorities and communities. Further, Leuchars Station will be expanded to become the main 'hub' for Army activity in Scotland.

The £178 billion Defence equipment programme supports 11,000 Scottish industry jobs and accounts for over 10% of the country's industrial base.

Scottish business is developing key military capabilities: the Queen Elizabeth Carriers being built in Rosyth; Offshore Patrol Vessels and Type 26 Global Combat Ships being built in Govan and Scotstoun; a new Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar for RAF Typhoons being built in Edinburgh.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352251 2017-02-24T10:44:03+00:00 2017-02-24T10:44:03+00:00 Press release: Payback for illegal waste crimes A skip hire boss is ordered to pay back cash after he was found to have profited from illegal waste crime by almost £1million

A skip hire boss has been found to have benefited from his illegal activity by almost £1million.

Raymond Shepherd could have to pay back £980,207 under the Proceeds of Crime Act – the agreed sum of his criminal activities – if he comes into future assets.

It's a debt for life for the 61-year-old, of Rookhope in County Durham. He ran Albert Hill Skip Hire in Darlington and was jailed for 18 months when he appeared at Teesside Crown Court for sentence on December 12, 2013.

He was also disqualified from being a company director for 10 years.

He was convicted following two separate trials of operating a waste facility without a permit, depositing waste without a permit and failing to comply with a suspension notice.

Environment Agency officers then began proceedings to make him pay back a sum of money which reflected the gain from his criminal activities.

Court hearing

On Thursday 23 February, following a 4-day confiscation hearing at Teesside Crown Court under the Proceeds of Crime Act, Shepherd was given a confiscation order to pay back £14,000 of available assets.

He could face up to six months in prison if he fails to pay.

And if he comes into future assets he will have to pay back more of the near £1million agreed benefit sum.

Shepherd contested the application arguing that the activities at the sites were carried out lawfully.

The result comes on the back of a large-scale investigation by the Environment Agency, called Operation Bachelor, which started in 2008. It has also resulted in two other men receiving suspended prison sentences and Albert Hill Skip Hire Ltd being fined £100,000.

A previous Proceeds of Crime hearing in August 2015 in relation to the same investigation saw Shepherd's son, Tony Shepherd, 41, of Winston, Darlington, ordered to pay back £350,000.

He was subsequently jailed for 3 years in May 2016 for failing to pay the sum. He still has to pay back the money, and potentially up to £1.2 million if he comes into future assets.

Debt 'will follow' Shepherd

Oliver Harmar, Area Director for the Environment Agency in the North East, said:

This is a debt that will follow Raymond Shepherd around for the rest of his life. It sends out a message to the industry that waste crime does not pay and not only will we hit people with court action but we'll then hit them in the pocket.

Shepherd's illegal waste operations were carried out in the interests of profit, unfortunately at the expense of the environment. Not to mention by not complying with regulations, he undermined legitimate businesses.

And the impact on the community must not be overlooked, including two major fires which took place at Dodsworth Street. The site is now cleared of waste.

It's been an extensive and long-running investigation by our officers and shows just how seriously we take waste crime. We'll continue to take action against those operating outside of the law and the regulations.

Long-running investigation

The Environment Agency worked closely with other organisations including Durham County Council, Darlington Borough Council, Durham Police, Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service and the Health and Safety Executive during the long-running investigation.

The jurors at Raymond Shepherd's trials heard how the company's premises at Dodsworth Street were full with illegally-held waste.

Between July 2008 and May 2010 he and his company, Albert Hill Skip Hire Ltd, operated an illegal waste transfer station at Whessoe Road in Darlington.

He did the same at Dodsworth Street from July 2008 until the site got a permit in April 2009, but by November 2009 the first enforcement notice had been served on the company requiring that he operate legally within the terms of his notice.

In 2010 enforcement notices were served, in 2011 a suspension notice was served and in 2012 the permit was revoked. Investigations found the company had been depositing and storing waste on an access road, and cement-bound asbestos was also found on the site.

Following conviction, the waste carrier's registration was revoked. The site is now clear of all waste.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352143 2017-02-24T10:00:23+00:00 2017-02-24T10:00:23+00:00 News story: Regulator warns charities against the use of cash couriers Commission and police strongly advise charities against the use of cash couriers.

The Charity Commission, the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, is issuing this alert to charities as regulatory advice under section 15(2) of the Charities Act 2011 - it is particularly relevant for trustees of charities and charitable appeals which are operating overseas.

Following a number of recent cases involving the seizure of charitable funds held as cash by the police and officers of UK ports, the Charity Commission ('the Commission') has published this alert. The Commission has done this in collaboration with its partner SO15 Counter Terrorism Command, Metropolitan Police Service ('SO15'). This alert is being published so as to raise awareness amongst charities - including their trustees, employees and volunteers - of the risks regarding cash couriering.

Over the last 2 years SO15 seized in the region of £4 million at ports under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 ('POCA') and the Terrorism Act 2000 ('TACT') and continue to be very active in the detection and seizure of illicit cash. These totals include a number of seizures of cash being carried by representatives of charities, and individuals claiming that cash was charitable; in recent months the Commission has received an increased number of enquiries from the police regarding individuals who have stated that they are carrying cash on behalf of a charity.

Michelle Russell, Director of Investigations, Monitoring and Enforcement, said:

The Commission has seen an increase in the number of charities having cash seized from their fundraisers, agents and representatives at the UK border. The effects of a cash seizure include the charities' beneficiaries losing out, an impact on the charities' activities and the loss of donor money - including the permanent loss of funds. The Commission's advice is simple: don't use cash couriers unless there is no other possible means of moving money - follow the regulatory advice issued today.

Commander Dean Haydon, SO15 Counter Terrorism Command, Metropolitan Police Service said:

I welcome the Commission's alert - cash couriering is a high risk activity for any organisation or individual to undertake, and is a method known to be used by terrorists and criminals. My advice to all charities is to send money safely and not to use a cash courier; if you do there is a real risk that without proper documentation and a clear explanation of the source and destination of the cash, the cash will be seized by the police and ultimately lost to the charity.

The Commission strongly advises charities against the use of cash couriering as a method to transfer charitable cash due to the risks involved. These include:

Cash couriering is known to be used by terrorist and criminal organisations to move money.

If the police or ports officers are not satisfied that the source or end use of the cash being couriered can be accounted for it is likely to be seized under TACT or POCA. Cash seized can then be forfeited by the courts on successful application.

Even if, after cash has been seized, a charity manages to secure the return of the seized cash it will likely take a significant amount of time, inconvenience and cost, to a charity's detriment.

Carrying a significant amount of cash on their person is likely to make a cash courier a target for criminals, risking both the loss of a charity's cash, and the safety of the individual carrying the cash. Insurance to cover these risks would be essential but costly.

Cash couriering is difficult to audit and to have adequate records and evidence of expenditure.

There is no requirement for cash couriers to be registered as a Money Service Business with HMRC so there is less assurance about their quality and reliability.

The Commission recognises that charities which work or support activities internationally need to move money across international borders. Most countries have formal banking systems in place. Using formal banking systems is a prudent and responsible way to ensure that charity funds are safeguarded, and that there are appropriate audit trails of the sort which trustees must keep for the receipt and use of money. This is the case even if transferring funds through such channels incurs an administrative cost to the charity. The Commission's position is that formal banking systems should always be used where they exist as they provide the safest and most auditable means of transferring charitable funds. The Commission would remind trustees considering the use of a cash courier of their duty to account for their charity's income and expenditure by maintaining and preserving accounting records and to act prudently and responsibly to safeguard their charity's assets.

The Commission accepts that in exceptional circumstances, where other means of transferring funds are not available, that cash couriering may be the only option available. In such circumstances, the Commission expects as a minimum that the trustees will have put in place the following safeguards:

Obtaining insurance in the event of loss of the cash being couriered – individual travel insurance may not provide adequate cover.

The cash courier carries documents evidencing the source and destination of the funds and their association with the charity.

Charity records such as trustee meeting minutes recording the trustees' decision to use a cash courier and a detailed risk assessment including the use of a cash courier, the particular context such as the country the cash will be transferred to, and the value of cash to be transferred in relation to the size of the charity's total income are maintained.

Ensure that cash being transferred with a value of €10,000 or above is declared to the authorities. This can now be done before you go, online at https://www.gov.uk/bringing-cash-into-uk. Alternatively, it must be declared at the port. Amounts of cash being carried under €10,000 can still be seized by the police or ports officers even though they legally do not have to be declared.

Contacted the police for advice as appropriate, including notifying the police in advance of plans to courier cash. SO15 officers working at ports are available on 07775036444.

That the safety of the individual carrying the funds has been considered, assessed and managed.

When using an agent or partner ensure that appropriate due diligence is carried out on the cash courier, and that reasonable steps are taken to safeguard the money. As a minimum, we would expect trustees to have agreed in writing what is expected from the agent, how much money is being carried and in what currency, when it is to arrive by, and who it is to be paid to and how at the end destination. This should be in place and agreed before the money is handed over. The Commission produces a template Cash Courier agreement form.

Reporting concerns to the Commission

The Commission expects trustees to ensure that any loss or seizure of their charity's cash is reported to it under the Commission's Serious Incident Reporting framework.

In summary, the Commission's regulatory advice for charity trustees is:

do not use cash couriers; they should only be used if there are exceptional reasons for doing so

promptly report any loss or seizures of charity cash to the Commission as a Serious Incident

if cash couriers are used the trustees must have clearly recorded their decision making and completed a thorough, documented, risk assessment, and have an agreement in place with the cash courier

if you use a cash courier you must have clear documentation about the origin and destination of the cash or risk it being seized by the police or ports officers

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352218 2017-02-24T09:49:38+00:00 2017-02-24T09:49:38+00:00 News story: Propofol Emulsion for Injection 1.0% w/v - Product defect recall alert Product defect recall alert for Propofol Emulsion for Injection manufactured by Norbrook Laboratories Ltd.

We wish to make wholesalers and veterinary surgeons aware that the VMD has been notified that Norbrook Laboratories Ltd has issued a recall of all batches of Propofol Emulsion for Injection 1.0% w/v currently on the market.

 UK Brand Name	 Licence No

 Inductofol	 02000/4274

 Vetofol	 02000/4244

 Norofol*	 02000/4275

Not marketed in the UK

An issue of coring has been reported, where the shearing off of a portion of the 20mm bromobutyl bung occurs as the vial is pierced to withdraw the product. This may result in particles from the bung entering the product and potentially being drawn up into the syringe upon extraction of the product from the vial. It may also result in the bung not resealing fully after use.

If you have any queries in relation to the recall or require details of the product in other markets, contact Mrs Deborah Curran Tel. +4428 30264435 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352176 2017-02-24T09:38:00+00:00 2017-02-24T09:38:00+00:00 Press release: New measures to protect against Avian Flu Plans confirmed to reduce the risk of avian flu in England after 28 February.

The Government Chief Vet has confirmed new measures to protect against avian flu that take a more targeted approach to controlling the disease.

Following plans set out earlier this month, all poultry keepers across England must continue to observe strict biosecurity measures, with housing or netting required in higher risk areas.

This approach is based on the current situation and the latest veterinary advice, which concludes that it is the best option to control disease, protect birds' welfare and ensure consumers can buy free range products.

This new approach will apply from 28 February, when the current prevention zone expires. It gives most keepers the option to let birds outside whilst still taking reasonable precautions against avian flu. The ban on poultry gatherings remains in force.

All poultry keepers - whether they keep a commercial flock or a few chickens in their back garden - must continue to practise strict disease prevention measures, following Defra's guidance to take steps to reduce the risk of infection via the environment.

Chief Veterinary Officer Nigel Gibbens said:

Effective disease control will always be our priority. H5N8 continues to circulate in wild birds and we must all continue to do everything we can to reduce the risk of disease. All keepers across the country must follow strict mandatory disease prevention measures.

Based on clear scientific evidence, the risk from wild birds is too high in some areas of England to rely on biosecurity measures alone. That's why we are requiring birds in Higher Risk Areas to be housed or protected from wild bird contact by netting.

We believe this is the best approach to control disease, protect birds' welfare and ensure consumers can buy free range products. As with any disease control measures these will be kept under review based on the latest situation and up-to-date scientific advice.

The risk of disease across the country remains high and measures are likely to be in place until at least the end of April.

The advice from Public Health England is that the risk to public health is very low and the Food Standards Agency has said there is no food safety risk for consumers.

What poultry keepers must do

H5N8 is spread from wild birds, as well as from infected kept birds, which is why people who keep poultry are currently required to take action to try to avoid contact between poultry and wild birds – either direct, bird-to-bird contact, or indirect contact via the environment, where disease can be spread through things like contaminated bird droppings.

The best way to avoid contact between poultry and wild birds is to keep them housed in a suitable building. However, the new targeted approach is designed to give keepers options and allow free range production to continue.

Keepers in higher risk areas must continue to keep birds housed or netted. This is because, based on extensive scientific advice, we believe the risk from wild birds in these areas to be higher. These areas are close to large bodies of water where wild waterfowl congregate. We have published a paper outlining the rationale behind these areas and you can see if you are in one using our interactive map.

All other keepers can choose to continue to house birds or let birds outside into fenced areas, but must follow strict Defra guidance to reduce the risk of infection. This includes a risk assessment to check that outside areas are not contaminated and the risk of contact with wild birds is low. If you have any concerns you should continue to house your birds or keep them in covered runs or netted areas.

The H5N8 strain of the disease has been confirmed at a poultry farm in Suffolk, three linked premises on a commercial game farm in Lancashire, three separate poultry farms in Lincolnshire and in backyard flocks in North Yorkshire and Carmarthenshire. Where avian flu is confirmed, we take swift action to limit the spread of disease with restrictions around affected premises and full investigations to determine the source of infection. Further details of these cases are available in our rolling news story.

Background

This announcement follows plans set out earlier this month.

Keepers can find out if they are in a Higher Risk Area using our interactive map.

Keepers should read our guidance on what they must do under the new Prevention Zone.

Read Defra's rationale for Higher Risk Areas in England from 28 February.

For further information on what the new Prevention Zone means for poultry keepers, contact the Defra helpline on 03459 33 55 77.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/342993 2016-11-02T10:15:00+00:00 2017-02-24T08:48:11+00:00 News story: Intellectual property clinics Free intellectual property (IP) advice from an IP Attorney.
Updated: New Intellectual Property clinic date added.

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) in Newport is running regular clinics with the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys. These clinics are for individuals seeking free advice on patents, trade marks and designs.

What will you get?

You can discuss your ideas or problems with one of the duty Chartered Patent Attorneys for half-an-hour at no charge. An Examiner from the IPO will also take part in the clinic.

Venue

 Intellectual Property Office
Concept House
Cardiff Road
Newport
South Wales
NP10 8QQ
United Kingdom

Date

4 April 2017
 (1pm to 3pm)

How to register

Email us to register for the event and find out what information is required prior to attending. A £25 deposit must be received by the IPO before appointments will be confirmed. The deposit will be returned when you attend the clinic. The cheque will not be returned if you don't attend without giving us sufficient notification.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352216 2017-02-24T08:16:37+00:00 2017-02-24T08:16:37+00:00 News story: Innovative natural ingredient could help prevent diabetes Innovate UK-supported life science company Phynova finds further evidence that its plant-based food ingredient promotes healthy blood sugar.

In a clinical trial run in conjunction with the University of Southampton and Oxford Brookes University, Phynova found clinical proof that its ingredient Reducose™ is effective at maintaining healthy blood glucose levels.

The study was funded through an Innovate UK grant. It demonstrated that Reducose™ could significantly suppress blood glucose and insulin rises after eating.

Find out more about Innovate UK's work in health and life sciences.

Reducose™ is a patented natural functional food ingredient. Derived from mulberry leaves, it can be incorporated directly into foods and drinks or used on its own in supplements to prevent sugar being absorbed by the body.

See how Phynova is targeting global markets.

Dr. Mark Lown, lead author and clinical investigator, said:

It has been estimated that as much as a third of the UK population are prediabetic, where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be classed as diabetes. Excess calories from sugar and carbohydrate can increase the risk of developing diabetes.

The results of this study are positive and suggest that this herbal extract may have a role to play in regulating blood sugar levels. Further studies are required to evaluate the long-term effects.

Read about Phynova being shortlisted in our SME Innovation Awards.

The findings of the study are published on open access journal PLOS ONE and can be read for free.

Apply for innovation funding.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/350736 2017-02-07T15:11:00+00:00 2017-02-24T06:19:55+00:00 Government response: DFID in the News The facts behind media stories about DFID's work.
Updated: New entry

UK support to South Sudan

In response to the declaration of famine in parts of South Sudan on Monday 20 February, Priti Patel announced on Wednesday 22 February new packages of UK aid for South Sudan and Somalia and called on the international community to step up as well.

The Guardian newspaper and The Times are suggesting that in the case of South Sudan, this is not new money and had already been reserved for the country.

Here is DFID's response to those articles.

A DFID spokesperson said:

We have urgently pulled forward our support for South Sudan to ensure that more can happen now to meet the desperate humanitarian need. When famine strikes, speed is of the essence for people left to die from hunger which is exactly why we have had to act now.

The UK is the first major donor to respond to the UN's appeal to South Sudan and confirming the scale of our humanitarian response gives our partners certainty so they can start delivering desperately needed help immediately.

Facts behind the headlines

This money was originally planned for 2017/18 and could have been allocated to a wide range of activities. Instead, we are allocating this all to our UN and NGO partners to start providing food, water, shelter and respond to emergency medical needs now and in the coming months.

DFID's money just gets siphoned off by corrupt Government officials.

DFID does not give money to the Government of South Sudan. We work directly with the UN, NGOs and other partners.

Specifically which partners does DFID work with in South Sudan?

Due to the security situation in South Sudan, we do not disclose individual NGOs that we work with on the ground.

If you've pulled funding forward, you'll be left with a gap in years to come?

This action will not undermine the UK's long-term support to the crisis in South Sudan. DFID will address any future shortfall caused by bringing funding forward, but the priority is to get money to enable us to respond to the famine today.

General media queries

 Email firstname.lastname@example.com

 Telephone 020 7023 0600

Follow the DFID Media office on Twitter - @DFID_Press

Famine in South Sudan

Following the declaration of famine in parts of South Sudan yesterday (Monday 20 February) – the first famine in the world for six years – there has been widespread media coverage including by the BBC, ITV, Sky, Guardian, Times, Financial Times and the Independent highlighting the worsening humanitarian crisis.

International Development Secretary Priti Patel said:

This is an urgent and severe crisis, with almost half the population in desperate need.

Almost 5 million face the daily threat of going without enough food and water and 3 million people have been forced from their homes because of ruthless violence and widespread use of rape.

The UK is ensuring millions of people in South Sudan get urgently needed food, water and medicine, as well as longer term support.

The UK will not look the other way while people of South Sudan suffer: the Government of South Sudan must put an end to ethnic violence, allow humanitarian access and deliver long-lasting peace.

The international community now needs to step up alongside Britain to stop famine spreading and help support stability in South Sudan and the region, which is firmly in all our interests.

To find out more about how UK aid is already helping in South Sudan, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/famine-in-south-sudan

General media queries

 Email firstname.lastname@example.com

 Telephone 020 7023 0600

Follow the DFID Media office on Twitter - @DFID_Press

CDC – The Government's Development Finance Institution

Today (17 February 2017) the Mail has written a story about the potential rise in business rates in the UK, in which the newspaper claims that the development budget has been given to shopping malls and retail chains across the world through CDC.

What is CDC?

CDC is the UK's and world's oldest Development Finance Institution – making pioneering investments in the poorest and most fragile countries in order to open up the hardest to reach markets and create jobs and opportunities for the world's poorest people.

Every penny of profit generated by CDC is reinvested – this makes every penny of UK taxpayers' money go even further.

DFID has radically transformed CDC over the last 5 years to ensure their investments are targeted where they are needed most and have greatest impact for the world's poorest. CDC uses its expertise to support over 1200 businesses in over 70 developing countries.

How does CDC help reduce poverty?

No country can defeat poverty and leave aid dependency behind without sustainable economic growth, jobs, trade and investment and CDC has been a cornerstone of the UK's efforts to boost economic development and global prosperity for almost 70 years.

CDC delivers significant development impact while at the same time generating a financial return, every penny of which is re-invested. In 2015, the businesses that CDC invested in helped to create over one million new jobs, and over the past three years they have generated over $7 billion worth of local tax revenue, helping support improvements to public services like health and education.

Development investments via CDC complement our other work, and allow us to fight the scourge of poverty on all fronts. And their work is fundamentally about people: improving life prospects by helping individuals find work and earn money so they can feed their families and send their children to school; empowering girls and women to determine their own future; and giving people hope so they don't feel pressures to migrate or turn to extremism.

The facts behind the article:

Today's Mail article listed a subset of CDC investments completely out of context. It included seven that CDC has now completely or partially exited and 14 that were made more than 5 years ago.

Since 2012 all of CDC's investments have been focused in developing countries in Africa and Asia - where 80% of the world's poorest live - and where it can have the greatest impact for the world's poorest and deliver value for money for UK taxpayers. This includes focusing on sectors with the potential to create the most jobs - such as infrastructure, agribusiness and financial services. This ensures CDC invest responsibly and transparently, create jobs and promote good governance.

Investments in retail and construction actually only represent around 2% of CDC's portfolio. The retail and construction industry is a sector that creates large numbers of jobs that are typically open to the poorest people in developing countries.

A DFID spokesperson said:

We have radically transformed CDC to ensure their investments are targeted where they have greatest impact for the world's poorest. In the last year alone CDC invested in businesses that have created over one million jobs across the poorest countries in South Asia and Africa.

Every penny of profit generated by CDC is reinvested – this makes every penny of UK taxpayers' money go even further.

General media queries

 Email firstname.lastname@example.com

 Telephone 020 7023 0600

Follow the DFID Media office on Twitter - @DFID_Press

UK Family Planning Summit

Today's (17 February 2017) Guardian features an article about the UK's intention to host an international summit on family planning this year. Below are more details of the summit and what it will achieve.

Why do we need a summit?

Countries will not lift themselves out of poverty until women are able to decide for themselves whether and when they have children, and how many.

Huge progress has already been made, but there are still 225 million women around the world who do not want to get pregnant and are not currently using modern methods of family planning.

Voluntary family planning enables women and girls to complete their education and take up better economic opportunities: it transforms lives, creating more prosperous, stable societies, which is in the UK's interest.

That is why International Development Secretary Priti Patel is stepping up the UK's global leadership through an international summit on family planning in London this summer.

What will the summit achieve?

Together with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the UK will bring together leading figures, civil society and private sector to secure commitments that increase access to family planning services for women and girls in the world's poorest countries, fix problems with supply chains and prioritise the needs of women and girls in humanitarian crises.

What has been achieved globally on family planning already?

The 2012 London Summit on Family Planning kick-started an international movement (FP2020) to increase investments in voluntary family planning. Since then, the FP2020 movement has driven considerable progress: by 2016, an unprecedented 300 million women in the world's poorest countries were using voluntary modern contraception.

UK investments alone have resulted in nearly 7 million more women using safe, modern contraception and helped halve the price of a long-acting contraceptive implant, generating over £300 million in savings.

Clear progress has been made, but more needs to be done if we are to reach our global ambition of reaching an additional 120 million women and girls by 2020.

International Development Secretary Priti Patel said:

The UK is a global leader on family planning, women's rights and sexual and reproductive health.

Huge progress has already been made, but as there are still 225 million women around the world who do not want to get pregnant and are not currently using modern methods of family planning, I am pushing hard for more action globally.

That's why the UK will host a major international summit to secure commitments that increase access to family planning services for women and girls in the world's poorest countries, fix problems with supply chains and prioritise the needs of women and girls in humanitarian crises.

General media queries

 Email firstname.lastname@example.com

 Telephone 020 7023 0600

Follow the DFID Media office on Twitter - @DFID_Press

UKIP report on reducing foreign aid budget once the UK leaves the EU

Today's (16 February 2017) Sun and Express cover a UKIP report which claims the UK's exit from the EU should lead us to "scrap the foreign aid target" of spending 0.7% of GDP on international development.

In fact as we prepare to leave the EU it is more important than ever that all our resources are used to ensure we remain a power on the world stage. If we reduced our investment in international development we would find it harder to have:

provided 3.3 million Syrian refugees with access to clean water

saved thousands of lives by eradicating the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone and preventing it spreading to other countries

vaccinated over 67 million children to stop them dying of preventable diseases

allowed 11.3 million children across the world go to school

helped create over one million jobs across 70 developing countries

enabled 162 million people to vote in freer, fairer and more democratic elections

We do not have to choose between supporting economic growth and providing humanitarian aid, the UK is already doing both.

We are securing trade agreements with developing nations, which will not only help end the need for aid in the long run, but also boost the interests of British businesses. At the same time, we are also helping the millions of people unfortunate enough to be afflicted by poverty, disease and conflict.

Tackling the root causes of global problems that affect us here. Take the example of Syria. We know that helping Syrians to stay in their home region means they are not forced to risk their lives by attempting the dangerous crossings into Europe. Or look at what happened with the terrible Ebola epidemic. By fighting the disease at source we were able to stop it spreading to our shores and taking British lives.

DFID responded to UKIP's report with the following statement:

"The UK aid budget invests in our security and prosperity and is a key part of Global Britain's international leadership as we leave the EU.

"All DFID programmes and partners are subject to rigorous checks and scrutiny to ensure we reach the world's poorest and most vulnerable, while also achieving the best value for UK taxpayers."

General media queries

 Email firstname.lastname@example.com

 Telephone 020 7023 0600

Follow the DFID Media office on Twitter - @DFID_Press

International Development Committee investigation into Adam Smith International

This morning's media (12 February 2017) reported on the International Development Committee's (IDC) investigation into allegations that Adam Smith International (ASI) falsified submissions about its work to the committee. Following the allegations, the Secretary of State commissioned a fundamental review into supplier practices and wrote to DFID's suppliers reiterating the standards we expect of them and setting out the new safeguards we have put in place.

The IDC's inquiry concluded that ASI had 'acted improperly' by submitting testimonials about its work from aid beneficiaries without making clear the extent of its involvement in those submissions and without making sure the beneficiaries were aware they were submitting evidence to a parliamentary committee. The IDC found no evidence that DFID commissioned, or was involved in, the preparation of the testimonials ASI submitted to the IDC.

DFID responded to the report as follows:

Like the committee, we are very concerned about the culture and behaviour of Adam Smith International.

DFID has conducted its own forensic investigation into the allegations that ASI falsified submissions to the IDC and made use of improperly obtained DFID documents for commercial gain.

Since these allegations came to light, we have frozen awards of new contracts to ASI and we are taking detailed advice on next steps.

General media queries

 Email firstname.lastname@example.com

 Telephone 020 7023 0600

Follow the DFID Media office on Twitter - @DFID_Press

National Audit Office report on DFID's approach to tackling fraud

This morning's media (9 February 2017) reported on the National Audit Office's (NAO) report on DFID's approach to fraud.

The NAO rightly recognises that DFID has a zero tolerance approach to fraud, and acknowledges the comprehensive and strengthened measures DFID has in place to tackle and eliminate it.

International Development Secretary, Priti Patel, responded to the report as follows:

The UK operates in the most fragile countries because these are the places where the poorest are dying from starvation, drought and disease; these are the places where conflict and economic failure drive mass migration; and these are the countries where it is in the UK's direct national interest to keep them stable and secure.

In the last 3 years DFID has overhauled its approach to fraud, meaning our robust systems are better at preventing and detecting fraud, and better at getting taxpayers' money back. We expect all international agencies to have the same zero tolerance approach to fraud that we have if they are to receive taxpayers' money.

It is time for the global aid community to be honest about the challenges it faces to increase the transparency and accountability of the international aid system.

Facts behind the headlines

You may have seen the reporting in today's media (9 February 2017) of the National Audit Office's report on DFID's approach to fraud. Some of the headlines were misleading and inaccurate, and we would like to explain the truth behind them.

Britain loses £300m in foreign aid to fraud without noticing: The Times

It is factually wrong to say that DFID has lost £300 million to fraud. The NAO report itself stated that DFID lost £3.2 million to fraud, not £300 million. We have recovered two thirds of the £3.2 million.

The NAO report found that 0.03% of DFID's aid spend is identified as fraudulent, which is in line with the level of reported fraud in other international development organisations. The report did not attempt to quantify the level of unreported fraud and so the £300m figure in The Times' headline is an extrapolation based on fraud in other organisations. The article does not reflect that the NAO recognises that DFID's counter fraud team has an established process in place for investigating the allegations of fraud that it receives.

As Secretary of State for International Development Priti Patel stated in her response to the NAO report, DFID will not provide funding to any organisations who do not meet the same high standards concerning fraud. The NAO report highlights that DFID requires all of its partners to carry out investigations to the necessary standards when potential fraud is reported, and that DFID's dedicated Counter Fraud team will also provide support.

Revealed: huge rise in foreign aid fraud but officials still only detect £3.2m of missing funds: The Telegraph

The NAO report recognises that DFID has a zero tolerance approach to fraud, and acknowledges the comprehensive and strengthened measures we have in place to increase the reporting of fraud, tackling and eliminate it. The rise in the number of fraud cases reported is due to DFID's improved approach to identifying and stamping out the practice.

Number of fraud cases involving Britain's foreign aid budget quadruples in 5 years since David Cameron set spending target: Daily Mail

The Daily Mail article claims that £1.1 billion has been channelled into the 20 most corrupt counties in Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index. In fact, DFID does not provide any direct funding to the top 20 most corrupt countries.

Giving aid to a country with high levels of corruption is not the same as giving aid to that country's government. We ensure that our aid goes directly to poor people or to organizations that are working with poor people to reduce poverty.

The UK government is directing more funding to fragile and conflict affected states, including Syria and other countries in the Middle East and North Africa region, to address current crises, the root causes of migration, and the threats posed to the UK by the ongoing conflict, but that does not mean we're prepared to lose taxpayers' money to fraud.

Corruption and fraud in developing countries is a major factor perpetuating poverty and conflict. Rather than bypassing the challenge of systemic corruption, DFID is helping reform and address the underlying causes of poor governance in many different countries.

What is DFID doing to protect UK tax payers money against fraud?

DFID only works with organisations that have a strong track record of delivering humanitarian aid in difficult and dangerous places. We have rigorous controls to ensure that aid reaches those for whom it is intended and delivers results.

As acknowledged in the NAO report, all of our programmes are designed with a range of safeguards to mitigate the risk of fraud. We use monitoring visits, financial spot checks and forensic and strict independent audits to ensure all funding is used for the purpose it was intended.

DFID's dedicated specialist Counter Fraud Unit investigates all allegations of fraud and always seeks to recover funds. The whistleblowing hotline and e-mail account – referenced on the DFID website, Development Tracker and in all our partner agreements, allows all allegations of fraud to be reported and investigated.

All DFID staff undertake mandatory training on fraud and on risk and control and we have fraud specialists across our country offices to advise staff and partners.

We work in partnership with a number of UK and international law enforcement agencies, such as the National Crime Agency and the Serious Fraud Office in the UK, and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) in our multilateral partners to develop and enhance our intelligence information.

General media queries

 Email email@example.com

 Telephone 020 7023 0600

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The Prosperity Fund

You may have read about the Prosperity Fund in this morning's papers (8 February 2017).

This is a cross-government fund designed to create economic growth in middle-income countries, where more than 60% of the world's poorest live, so they can stand on their own 2 feet and become our trading partners of the future.

The Prosperity Fund will provide expertise and technical assistance to promote economic reform and remove barriers to trade, tackle corruption, strengthen policy capacity and build strong, effective and accountable institutions.

The Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) has just published a report on the Prosperity Fund. Here is the government's response to it.

A UK government spokesman said:

Sustained economic growth is the only long term solution to poverty and the Prosperity Fund supports the vital economic development needed to help middle-income countries – where more than 60% of the world's poorest live – to stand on their own 2 feet and become our trading partners of the future.

Overseas Development Assistance spend under the Fund is and will continue to be fully consistent with UK law under the International Development Act and OECD DAC criteria.

As ICAI acknowledge the Fund has made significant progress in a short time frame and we are already implementing the vast majority of ICAI's early recommendations, including on transparency.

Why does the Prosperity Fund focus on countries like India and China?

More than 60% of the world's poor live in middle income countries such as China and India and it is vital that they have access to expertise and private sector investment to help the poorest people lift themselves out of poverty

The UK ended its traditional bilateral aid programmes with China (March 2011) and India (Dec 2015). Instead UK relationships now focus on trade and investment, providing expertise to support economic growth and development and working on global issues in a mutually beneficial way

India is a critical global economy. Supporting economic development will help global prosperity. This brings direct benefits from greater trade and investment opportunities – including for UK businesses. It is only right that UK companies should contribute to and share in that prosperity

How is it being delivered?

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) embassies and high commissions play a key role identifying opportunities, developing project proposals and overseeing local delivery, working both at country and regional levels. Cross-government teams work with a wide range of UK business and civil society partners to help identify how the Fund can deliver the greatest added value

A cross government Ministerial Board, supported by a cross government Portfolio Board gives strategic direction and manages the overall portfolio. The governance of the Fund will help ensure full coherence with other cross government funds, including the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF), Empowerment Fund and International Climate Fund.

Overseas Development Assistance spend under the Fund is and will continue to be fully consistent with UK law under the International Development Act and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC).

What is each government department's role in the programme?

The Department for International Development (DFID), Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), HM Treasury (HMT), Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Department for International Trade (DIT) are represented on the Portfolio Board and Ministerial Board. Each department can bid into the Fund to deliver programmes.

The Prosperity Fund has been designed through a consultative process which draws in particular on DFID experience and expertise. Many elements of the Fund including the concept note and business case process and multi-year programming are modelled on DFID processes.

The Prosperity Fund Management Office (PFMO) that administers the Fund is staffed from across government.

General media queries

 Email firstname.lastname@example.com

 Telephone 020 7023 0600

Follow the DFID Media office on Twitter - @DFID_Press

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352227 2017-02-23T19:30:06+00:00 2017-02-23T19:30:06+00:00 News story: Manchester seminar: Can small changes make a big difference? Applying behavioural insights to public services (6 Aprl, 2017) Felicity Algate, Director of the Behavioural Insights Team will introduce 'behavioural insights' and talk through examples behavioural insights approaches to public service design

6 April, 2017

featuring

Felicity Algate

Director, Behavioural Insights Team North

Please see the attched flyer for details and how to book.

Can small changes make a big difference? Applying behavioural insights to public services - seminar flyer

 PDF, 322KB, 1 page

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 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352226 2017-02-23T18:52:00+00:00 2017-02-23T18:52:00+00:00 Press release: PM meeting with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi: 23 February 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May met His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and they discussed regional security, defence and trade.

A Downing Street spokesperson said:

The Prime Minister welcomed His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, to Downing Street today for their first formal bilateral meeting.

They discussed a range of international defence and security matters, and agreed on the importance of efforts to combat terrorism and bring stability to the Middle East. The Prime Minister reiterated the message she gave to the Gulf Co-operation Council Heads of State in December, that Gulf security is fundamental to our security, and that we remain a committed partner on this agenda.

On regional issues, they agreed on the need to find solutions to the conflicts in Syria and Yemen, and stressed the importance of inclusive political settlements as the only way to deliver long-term stability.

The Prime Minister talked about the conference on Somalia that the UK will host this year, and welcomed the Crown Prince's commitment to work together to ensure Somalia's recent progress can continue.

They also committed to build on the close and historic bilateral relationship between the UK and United Arab Emirates, including by stepping up our already strong trade and investment ties.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/351088 2017-02-13T16:36:00+00:00 2017-02-23T18:09:33+00:00 News story: £170 million plan to dual vital Somerset road Drivers will see quicker, safer and more reliable journeys in Somerset under government plans to tackle congestion on the A303.
Updated: Public information event dates updated

The key route between Sparkford and Ilchester is being upgraded to relieve the over-congested road and create 30 miles of dual carriageway between Mere and South Petherton.

The £170 million plan is part of the government's £15 billion investment in our motorways and major A roads between 2015 and 2020 – the biggest in a generation.

More than 26,000 vehicles use this stretch of road a day, double the number it was designed for. Dualling the route will cut journey times and new junctions will enhance safety.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said:

Almost 4 million trips are made on the A303 every year and we are investing more than £2 billion to improve these motorists' journeys, making them quicker and safer.

Tackling congestion on this vital road will also help boost the economy in the south-west, unlock thousands of jobs and homes and promote tourism.

Work will include making junctions safer as well as providing better links for pedestrians and cyclists.

Highways England is consulting on the 2 routes and is urging residents to have their say on the plans. The consultation runs from 15 February to 29 March 2017.

The preferred route between Sparkford and Ilchester is due to be announced in autumn this year. Work is expected to start in 2020.

Highways England chief executive Jim O'Sullivan said:

This scheme will be really good news for people travelling to and from the south-west, particularly during the busy summer months.

Our consultation and public exhibitions will provide an excellent opportunity to explain further our plans and to hear feedback from people on our proposals to deliver the scheme.

A separate consultation on building a tunnel for the A303 near Stonehenge is also underway. This will further improve journeys on the main road between London and the south-west.

Further details on upgrading the A358 between Taunton and Southfields will also be revealed shortly.

Have your say on the A303 Sparkford to Ilchester upgrade.

Highways England is holding the following public information events:

12.00 noon to 8.30pm, Thursday 23 February: Sparkford Inn Function Room, Sparkford

10.00am to 5.00pm, Queen Camel Memorial Hall, High Street, Queen Camel, Yeovil

10.00am to 6.00pm, Friday, 10 March: Davis Hall, Howell Hill, West Camel, Yeovil

Roads media enquiries

 Press enquiries 020 7944 3021

 Out of hours 020 7944 4292

 Switchboard 0300 330 3000

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/352217 2017-02-23T16:57:31+00:00 2017-02-23T16:57:31+00:00 News story: New electricity connection to France gets go-ahead The foundation stone for the £490m project, capable of powering up to 2 million homes, was laid today by UK Energy Minister Jesse Norman.

The new ElecLink electricity connection between Britain and France will provide greater access to the continental electricity market, and help to reduce consumer bills as electricity can be flexibly imported and exported to take advantage of cheaper prices.

The project will run through the Channel Tunnel between Sellindge in the UK and Les Mandarins in France. It will have the capacity to power up to 2 million homes and provide further resilience for Britain's electricity supply.

A combination of domestic electricity generation including new nuclear power, gas and renewables, as well as increased access for importing and exporting electricity supplies from Europe, means homes and businesses will have reliable power at the lowest possible price all year round.

Thanks to the Government's supportive regulatory framework, including allowing interconnectors to participate in the Capacity Market, and innovative solutions from the developer, this major new piece of infrastructure will be financed on a purely commercial basis, with no risk to British tax and bill payers.

UK Energy Minister Jesse Norman said:

As a government we are strongly supportive of greater electricity trading with our European partners in order to lower household bills and deliver energy security as part of our modern industrial strategy.

We've created the right environment for cooperative projects like ElecLink to attract investment and compete in the market without needing financial support from our tax and bill payers.

The ElecLink interconnector is one of the most advanced new interconnection projects across Europe and the first of its kind between Britain and France since 1986, when the existing IFA (Interconnexion France-Angleterre) interconnector was commissioned.

ElecLink has said that the new interconnector will:

Provide a gigawatt (1000MW) of electricity connection between the UK and France, enough capacity to power up to 2 million homes

Reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 6 million tonnes over the period 2020-2030, by enabling electricity demand in Britain and France to be met by the most efficient generating plants

Create approximately 300 new jobs during the construction phase

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Groupe Eurotunnel Jacques Gounon said:

ElecLink further underlines how important the Channel Tunnel is to Britain and France. Not only is it a vital transport link, it is set to play an instrumental part in the supply of electricity to the UK, France and continental Europe.

With the debate over the future of energy security brought into focus recently, ElecLink delivers a smart, low-cost and environmentally friendly way to secure the electricity supply. We are proud to be inaugurating ElecLink and delighted to mark the official start of this great project which will significantly benefit the economies and consumers in both France and the United Kingdom.