Day: July 19, 2018

The ‘Space Exports’ campaign will see 2 of the world’s fastest growing markets targeted with trade missions, led by newly appointed Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner Antony Philipson. In India the Department for International Trade (DIT) will also increase its operation by recruiting British space sector experts to work in market.

The campaign comes as 40% of the entire globe’s small satellites are built in the UK, highlighting the huge capability in country. The International Trade Secretary will use the opportunity of leaving the European Union to make the most of global engagement with a sector that is growing 15 times faster than the rest of the UK economy.

The UK space industry’s growth has been quick, doubling in size since 2010, with exports growing to £5 billion in 2014/15, or 36.4% of total income. The campaign will seek to increase the number of nations that are using the specialist products British businesses produce ahead of the UK’s departure from the EU.

International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox MP, said:

Our space industry is thriving as years of strong growth has seen the UK secure its reputation as a leading space nation.

To sustain this, we need to be reaching new markets with huge potential like India and the USA. As an international economic department, we’ll achieve this through our new space exports programme, which will help meet the ambition of both government and industry to see space exports reach £40 billion by 2030.

With over a third of its business coming through overseas sales, the space sector is a great example of the benefits of seizing global opportunities which in turn create jobs back home.

Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner to North America, Antony Phillipson, said:

The space sector in the US presents tremendous opportunities for high-quality British goods and services. We are both nations with a rich heritage in space technology.

Through the UK government’s extensive and expert trade and investment network, British business will be well-placed to make a major contributions to jobs, just as US firms will be in the UK. Together we can boost jobs and economic growth in both countries.

Graham Peters, Chair of UK Space said:

The UK has a proud history of leveraging its space expertise to become a leader in commercial aspects of space. We are delighted to be working with government to promote UK capabilities overseas to underpin the continued growth of the sector.

Dr Jaime Reed Industry Co-Chair of the Space Growth Partnership’s Space Exports Group said:

Industry and DIT have been working closely to build a solid evidence base demonstrating the potential for significant new UK business in major global markets. It’s fantastic to see the government committing to growth through these new announcements.

The government is engaging with the sector to determine how best to create a sector deal with them that drives forward the modern Industrial Strategy. Low cost access to space is an important part of this, and there have been significant steps taken this week to enable small satellite launch from UK soil for the first time.

Case study

The space sector is not the only one that can benefit from expansion into the US and India. The UK’s aerospace companies carry a strong reputation around the globe and this has been exemplified by Derby-based Pattonair, who last week announced that they would expand their manufacturing operation to Bangalore.

By opening their factory in Bangalore, Pattonair are aiming to tailor their supply chain services to customers in the region. When the new facility opens it will be the latest in a succession of British based companies in the city, with Airbus and Rolls-Royce also operating there.

Further information

The government working with industry has a shared ambition to grow the sector to £40 billion by 2030 (10% of the forecast global market).

Media enquiries:

• Contact the DIT Media and Digital Team on 020 7008 3333
• Follow us: @tradegovuk or visit gov.uk/dit

For the first time, the UK Government will command a near 20-metre space at the four-day showpiece event in Builth Wells, giving rural industries and members of the public the chance to speak to Ministers and staff about what is important to them and find out more about how the UK Government delivers for people in Wales.

The Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns will host a ‘women in agriculture’ event at the UK Government stand on the showground, to celebrate the pivotal role women play as farmers & food producers in Wales.
Businesses will also be able to visit the Department for International Trade (DIT) Export Hub – a 32 tonne, 40ft long lorry with DIT’s regional International Trade Advisers on hand to set out the key steps that Welsh companies need to consider if they want to begin their exporting journey.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

The Royal Welsh Show is Wales’ biggest agriculture event and the UK Government will be there in force – taking this excellent opportunity to engage with the industry, underline the importance of the rural economy to Wales and wider UK and show how determined we are to get a good deal for the sector in our EU exit negotiations.

We need to be bold and ambitious and maximise the opportunities Brexit brings. To achieve this it is vital that the UK and the Welsh Governments work together – as well as with businesses – to ensure our rural economy can continue to grow.

Attracting over 240,000 visitors every year, the show also provides an important platform for show-goers to find out how the UK Government is delivering for people in Wales– including on provisions for childcare, pensions, defence and business start-up support. I look forward to meeting businesses and members of the public over the course of the show, to hear about their priorities over the coming months and years.

The Welsh Secretary will be joined at the Show by Environment Secretary Michael Gove on Tuesday where they will host a reception at the UK Government stand to meet industry leaders, businesses and show-goers.

UK Government Environment Secretary Michael Gove said:

The Royal Welsh Show is a real highlight of the summer calendar. From delicious Welsh lamb to Snowdonia Cheese, I am very much looking forward to celebrating the best of Welsh farming, food and rural life.

As we leave the EU there will be more freedom for Wales to support its farmers and enhance its beautiful landscapes. We are working hand-in-hand with the Welsh Government ahead of the Agriculture Bill, so we can deliver a Brexit that works for Welsh farmers and consumers.

UK Government departments attending the Show include:

• The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) who will be promoting the GREAT campaign: Food is GREAT
• The DVLA who will launch their number plate eyesight campaign with interactive displays at the stand.
• The Department for International Trade (DIT) who will be on hand to provide exporting advice to industry at their export hub truck throughout the week
• The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) who will provide ‘dream job’ interactive activities for younger and older children and provide advice on the Access to Work scheme
• The Department for International Development (DfID) will bring humanitarian situations that they support all around the world to life with interactive displays of life-saving equipment at the stand.
• The Home Office will be on hand to provide advice on the EU Settlement scheme that will protect the rights of workers in Wales post EU Exit.

UK Government Minister in Wales Stuart Andrew will attend the show on Wednesday. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster David Lidington MP, the Leader of the House of Commons, Andrea Leadsom MP and Minister without Portfolio, Brandon Lewis will also visit the Showground over the course of the week.

Visitors to the show are encouraged to visit the UK Government area on Avenue C, LC217 at the showground to find out how Westminster is delivering for Wales.

Sam Gyimah, Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation, today (Thursday 19 July) announced the appointment of Professor David Gann CBE as new Chair of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA). David will take up his post on 1 August 2018, taking over from Professor Roger Cashmore, who will complete his term as Chair at the end of July 2018.

UKAEA is responsible for leading the commercial development of fusion power and related technology. Nuclear fusion can play a big part in our carbon-free energy future. UKAEA manages the UK fusion programme at the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE), which is a global hub for scientific talent. In recent years UKAEA’s research has created emerging spin-out industries in areas such as robotics, material sciences and reactor design, reinforcing the UK’s position as a world-leader in fusion research and development.

The Chair of UKAEA is responsible for leading the Board’s strategy and ensuring that its objectives are achieved.

Minister for Research and Development Sam Gyimah said:

The UK is a world-leader in nuclear technology and innovation and I am delighted that Professor David Gann will be the new Chair of the UKAEA Board.

His extensive experience in growing businesses and academic institutions will be crucial to the continued success of our nuclear industry. I want to thank Professor Roger Cashmore for his outstanding service to UKAEA. His commitment and dedication to the mission since 2010 has been invaluable in our cutting-edge work towards commercial success in nuclear fusion.

Professor David Gann CBE said:

I look forward to working with the extraordinarily talented team at UKAEA, and with the wider science and technology community, with the UK positioned as a global leader in fusion technology, providing a future source of sustainable energy.

Coming from a highly collaborative academic institution, I am excited by the prospect of UKAEA enhancing its global ties with industry and academia. These are exciting times, with the UK’s expertise in atomic energy leading to innovation in a range of technologies in robotics and new materials, which also have a wider set of industrial uses.

Publication of UKAEA’s Annual Report

On Thursday 19 July UKAEA laid its 2017/2018 Annual Report before Parliament. This sets out UKAEA’s progress against its objectives.

UKAEA Annual Report and Accounts 2017/2018

More about Professor David Gann

David is Imperial College’s Vice President, leading on innovation, and is a member of Imperial’s President’s Board.

He has played a central role in substantial growth at Imperial College, notably in the new White City campus and new ventures such as ThinkSpace.

David is a chartered civil engineer with a PhD in industrial economics and was Deputy Principal at the Imperial College Business School. He retains roles as Professor of Innovation and Technology Management at Imperial College’s Business School. He is the author of 8 books on innovation, entrepreneurship and technology management, which have been published in 7 languages.