Category: Gov Press Releases

An innovative cloud profiling radar is 1 of 7 exciting new projects whose funding was announced this morning by the UK Space Agency.

The cloud radar (being developed by the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s RAL Space facility) to improve the accuracy of weather forecasting, won a share of a £4.7 million funding pot to develop highly innovative sensors that could be used to monitor climate change, improve mapping and co-ordinate disaster relief efforts from space.

Dr Graham Turnock, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency, said:

The UK is a world leader in earth observation technology, which not only allows us to better understand the planet that we live on, but also has outstanding potential for export – providing highly skilled jobs and economic growth across the UK.

This new funding is fundamental in our mission to grow the UK’s space economy and maintain our leadership in these science and technology areas, and I am keen to see the results.

From world-leading science in orbit to innovative satellite technology and services, space is a fundamental part of Britain’s future. The UK space sector is growing, worth £13.7 billion (2014 to 2015) to the economy and employing more than 38,000 people across the country.

In November 2017 businesses and organisations were invited to bid for UK Space Agency funding to match their own investments in developing new EO technologies that could create export opportunities for the UK and match the ambitions of the newly released EO Technology Strategy

Following a hotly contested competition run by the Centre for Earth Observation Instrumentation (CEOI) and extensive peer review, the 7 winning projects were announced today.

These will work to:

• design a cloud profiling radar, able to provide enhanced scientific data that can improve the accuracy of weather prediction
• develop a new optical sensor and high-resolution multispectral camera system to provide sub-meter ground resolution, with good image quality, low mass and low recurrent cost
• implement, test and demonstrate new image analysis techniques to substantially reduce the amount of data a satellite needs to store and downlink
• demonstrate a novel single-pixel imaging technique for a multispectral instrument suitable for nanosatellite deployment, providing high capability at low cost
• develop the mechanisms, optics and interfaces to build a new, steerable video and still camera system in order to form the basis for a low-cost family of commercial products
• develop large format infra-red light detectors for use in a range of future imaging and hyperspectral instruments, in a collaboration with the Australian National University
• develop the next generation black-body calibration system, essential for delivering highly accurate data from infrared sensing space missions which measure land and sea surface temperatures

Notes to editors

• the open competition EO-11 for the £4.7 million funding was run by the Centre for Earth Observation Instrumentation (CEOI) on behalf of the UKSA
• CEOI was set up in April 2007 and is funded by the UK Space Agency to support UK industry and universities to develop new technologies for space, to collaborate, and to maintain its position as a world-leader in Earth Observation satellite technology
• the CEOI recently prepared the UK Earth Observation Technology Strategy on behalf of the UK Space Agency

Technical information about the 7 winning bids:

1. GRaCE: G-band Radar for Cloud Evaluation
   A consortium led by STFC RAL Space and including Thomas Keating Ltd, the University of Leicester, and the University of St Andrews has been awarded £609K to build and demonstrate a 200GHz, 1.5mm wavelength cloud profiling radar, able to provide enhanced scientific data that can improve the accuracy of societally important numerical weather prediction models.
2. Development of a new high-resolution multispectral camera system for EO applications using a new TDI CMOS image sensor
   A consortium led by Teledyne e2v and including Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) and the Open University has been awarded £968K to develop and demonstrate a novel very high resolution imaging system incorporating Time Delay and Integration (TDI) CMOS image sensor technology. The new design will provide a new entry level for customers looking to take advantage of sub-metre ground sampling grid using a smaller, lower-cost imager system than would normally be required, positioning UK industry to take advantage of the rapidly growing international market.
3. OVERPaSS: On-board VidEo Rapid ProceSSing
   Optimising data processing on-board a satellite can substantially reduce the amount of data the satellite needs to store and downlink, increasing the satellite’s overall utility. A consortium led by Earth-i Ltd and including SSTL, Cortexica Vision Systems, and University College London has been awarded £820K to implement, test and demonstrate ultra-high-resolution optical image analysis techniques (including super-resolution enhancement of images; retrieval of sub-pixel 3D point clouds; cloud detection and image quality assessment; change detection and moving object extraction; video compression), involving both innovative software techniques and dedicated hardware such as Graphical Processing Units (GPUs).
4. Compact Multispectral Imager for Nanosatellites II
   A consortium led by the University of Strathclyde and including Wideblue Ltd has been awarded £719K to demonstrate the application of an innovative single-pixel sensing technique to multispectral imaging instruments. The resulting payload is very compact and suitable for nanosatellite deployment, providing high capability at low cost.
5. Fast Slew Gimbaled Optics for Real-time Earth Observation Applications
   A consortium led by the Surrey Space Centre at the University of Surrey, and including In-Space Missions Ltd has been awarded £867K to develop the mechanisms, optics and interfaces to deliver a protoflight model of a zoomable, fast slew, gimbaled video and still camera system. This will address an upcoming flight opportunity in 2020, and form the basis for a low-cost family of commercial products.
6. Characterisation of Leonardo MCT APD arrays in the ANU hyperspectral instrument
   Leonardo MW Ltd will develop and characterise large format Mercury Cadmium Telluride (MCT) Avalanche PhotoDiode (APD) arrays for use in future infra-red instruments for export and operational space missions. The project is a collaboration with the Australian National University, who will develop a system to test and characterise the devices.
7. Next Generation Infrared calibration Sources (NGENIRS)
   A consortium led by STFC RAL Space and including Surrey Nano Systems Ltd and the National Physical Laboratory has been awarded £594K to combine a range of technologies funded through previous CEOI and NSTP programmes in order to build and characterise a fully functional prototype flight black body demonstrator, which is a key enabling technology for delivering high-performance and accurate data from infrared sensing missions.

The independent Committee on Standards in Public Life today published its annual report for 2017 – 18. The report details the reviews and reports conducted this year, sets out the Committee’s ongoing programme of work and the standards issues on which it intends to maintain a watching brief in 2018-19.

Lord Bew, Chair of the Committee, who completes his five-year term on 31 August, said:

This year, we have considered a range of important, topical issues, from MPs’ outside interests to the continuing importance of ethical standards for those private companies providing public services – all the more timely given the collapse of Carillion early in 2018. We are now six months into a review of local government ethical standards. Amongst all this, we have contributed to consultations by others including on pre-appointment scrutiny of public appointments, local public accounts committees and the draft Behaviour Code for Parliament and have worked with others to highlight and promote a wide range of standards issues.

Perhaps most notably this year, we looked at the growing problem of intimidation in public life. The Committee felt that we were at a turning point in our political culture and that an urgent and concerted response was required. We welcomed the Government’s positive response to our report, which accepted almost all of our recommendations, in March this year.

There is always a risk that concerns relating to standards remain under the radar for a long period, and later emerge to public prominence, as is the case with the allegations of bullying and harassment at Westminster. It is critical that Parliament has fair and timely processes in which those who have made complaints, and those who are the subject of complaints, as well as the public, can have trust. We await the outcome of the various reviews commissioned by Parliament to address these serious issues.

To that end, in 2018/19, the Committee intends to maintain a close watching brief on culture and behaviour in Westminster, as well as other standards issues, including lobbying, and the operation of the Business Appointment Rules.

Since its creation in 1994, the Committee has made recommendations for reform to promote and uphold high standards of conduct across public life. Lord Nolan’s Seven Principles have been the widely accepted cornerstone of ethical standards for people working across all areas of public life for almost 25 years and are now fundamental for those in the private sector who are providing services funded by the taxpayer too.

The last five years have convinced me that the Seven Principles remain as relevant today as they were a quarter of a century ago. They may have their detractors – it is true that levels of public trust do not always respond precisely to high standards, and that transparency in itself, whilst still essential, is perhaps not the cure-all originally envisaged. Notwithstanding this, the Nolan Principles clearly articulate the public’s expectations of those that serve them and must be promoted, understood and reinforced across public life.

Notes to Editors

1. Interview requests and media enquiries should go to Maggie O’Boyle on 07880 740627.
2. The independent Committee on Standards in Public Life advises the Prime Minister on ethical standards across the whole of public life in the UK. It monitors and reports on issues relating to the standards of conduct of all public office holders. To find out more about the Committee’s work click here.
3. The current members of the Committee are: Lord (Paul) Bew, Chairman, Rt Hon Dame Margaret Beckett DBE MP (Labour), Simon Hart MP (Conservative), Dr Jane Martin CBE, Dame Shirley Pearce DBE, Jane Ramsey, Monisha Shah and Rt Hon Lord (Andrew) Stunell OBE (Liberal Democrat).
4. In line with the Committee’s Code of Practice the three political members did not take part in the conclusions or recommendations made in the report on MPs’ outside interests.
5. You can follow the Committee on twitter @PublicStandards.

A £4.2 million challenge fund to support people with mental health or musculoskeletal conditions to stay in work has been launched by the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, Sarah Newton, and the Minister for Mental Health and Inequalities, Jackie Doyle-Price.

The fund is the latest in a range of government measures that are part of a 10-year strategy which aims to see 1 million more disabled people in work by 2027.

The challenge fund, run by Rocket Science on behalf of the government, is aimed at testing new approaches to help people experiencing mental ill health or musculoskeletal issues to remain in employment.

They might be at risk of losing employment because of the effects of their condition, or may already be temporarily off work through ill health.

Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work Sarah Newton, said:

We know there is a gap between disabled people who want to work and those who have the opportunity to do so.

With 78% of people acquiring their disability or health condition during their adult life, it’s crucial that we support disabled people who want to work to stay in or return to employment.

The joint initiative between the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department of Health and Social Care will fund projects that help people to stay in work by:

• increasing their ability to self-manage their conditions
• helping people access advice and support about what sort of work they might be capable of doing

Minister for Mental Health and Inequalities Jackie Doyle-Price, said:

For too long if you had a disability or serious mental health issue the world of work was off limits, potentially affecting the lives of millions of people across the country.

This fund will help people overcome the barriers that so many still face when trying to get into and progress in the workplace.

Other areas to be tested will include new approaches to help employers and employees develop workplace solutions, and developing ways of working that facilitate greater participation of those with mental health or musculoskeletal conditions.

Applications are welcome from organisations in any sector, including employers, charities, social enterprises, local authorities, health bodies and others, with applications from smaller organisations particularly welcome.

More information

Visit the Challenge Fund website for information on how to apply.

The challenge fund is open for applications until 5pm on 17 August 2018.

Share your thoughts about the fund on social media using #WHChallengeFund and #WorkandHealth.

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Communities Minister Lord Bourne has announced £250,000 to give more young people from diverse backgrounds across the country the opportunity to join national youth groups like the Scouts, Police Cadets and Guiding.

This will give more youngsters the confidence, skills and experience they need to realise their potential.
Youth United Foundation, a charity established to support a coalition of 11 uniformed youth volunteering organisations has already offered over 1.5 million young people the opportunity to develop teamwork, leadership, self-confidence and communication skills through a series of activities.

Government funding to date has helped train thousands of new volunteers with their member organisations including the Scout Association, Girlguiding, and St John’s Ambulance.

The new funding will be used to promote integration through building a national network of youth integration champions and rolling out long-term approaches to developing lasting relationships between young people from different backgrounds.

This complements the government’s ongoing work to improve integration including the recent launch of the Integrated Communities Innovation Fund, announced by Communities Secretary the Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP. Working in partnership with Sport England, the Innovation Fund will support projects that encourage integration including sport.

Communities Minister Lord Bourne said:

This government is determined to ensure young people from all backgrounds have the opportunity to go as far as their talents take them.

Organisations such as the Scouts Cadets and Girls Brigade give young people unique and challenging experiences that help them unlock their full potential.

With this funding, Youth United Foundation will be able to ensure that more young people have the opportunity to gain the skills and confidence to become great citizens of the future.

Youth United Foundation Chief Executive, Samantha Hyde said:

The Youth United Foundation are delighted that funding of £250,000 has been awarded to support the work of the Integrated Communities Strategy in targeted areas of England.

It will allow us to continue our work setting up new units and groups to which will contribute to the achievement of the government’s vision for building strong, integrated communities.

We look forward to working closely with our Network and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to build on this success.

Further information

Youth United Foundation is a charity established to support the Youth United Network, founded by HRH The Prince of Wales. The Network is a coalition of 11 uniformed youth volunteering organisations, including Girlguiding, the Scout Association, the Volunteer Police Cadets, and St John’s Ambulance.

This announcement comes in the same week as the launch of new research from Youth United, “Social Integration: the role of uniformed youth groups”, which provides powerful evidence of that participation in uniformed youth groups increases integration.

Funding for Youth United Foundation will support the objectives identified in the government’s Integrated Communities Strategy Green Paper, which closed on 5 June 2018. This includes encouraging social mixing amongst different groups and increasing opportunities for all young people to boost their talents.

MHCLG provided £10 million for the Youth United Foundation’s Supporting Inclusion Programme which ran from April 2012 to September 2014 to increase the number of places in youth organisations in deprived areas, and £400,000 to the Youth United Foundation in 2017 to 2018 to support the Foundation’s core costs and test approaches to social mixing for young people.

We, the G7 foreign ministers, of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, are united in our condemnation, in the strongest possible terms, of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, a civilian aircraft flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on July 17, 2014.

MH17 was carrying 298 crew and passengers, nationals of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, Romania, South Africa, Vietnam, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

We fully support the work of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), an independent criminal investigation led by the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine. The JIT’s findings on Russia’s role in the downing of MH17 are compelling, significant and deeply disturbing. The G7 recalls that UN Security Council Resolution 2166 demands that all states cooperate fully with efforts to establish accountability. We are united in our support of Australia and the Netherlands as they call on Russia to account for its role in this incident and to cooperate fully with the process to establish the truth and achieve justice for the victims of MH17 and their next of kin.

In a rules-based international order, those responsible for unacceptable actions, such as the firing or launching of the BUK missile of Russian origin, which intercepted and downed a civilian aircraft, must be held accountable. To this end, we call on Russia to immediately engage with Australia and the Netherlands in good faith to explain and to address all relevant questions regarding any potential breaches of international law.

We express once again our deepest condolences to the families of the victims of MH17. We stand together against the impunity of those who engage in aggressive actions that threaten the rules-based international order, anywhere, anytime, and under any circumstances.

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This aim of the exercise has been to invite feedback on ways to manage lorries when there is extraordinary cross-Channel disruption. The solution could be on or off-road, at one site or a number of sites. No sites or solutions have been chosen yet. Views are also welcomed on the possible provision of cross-channel border facilities for lorries and 24-hour lorry parking facilities for everyday use by lorry drivers, which could help with lorry parking problems in Kent.

Seven public information exhibitions have been held across Kent over the last five weeks, in Maidstone, Dover, Ashford, Canterbury and Folkestone. This week, members of the project team are visiting motorway service areas and truck stops in Kent to meet the public. People wanting to have their say can also do so on the website, or via the questionnaire, which can be picked up at over 30 locations across Kent.

Highways England project director John Kerner said:

The response to the listening exercise has been very positive, and we have spoken to many people with lots of interesting ideas. It is important to note that no sites or locations have yet been decided, and this exercise has enabled us to take a completely fresh look at what a permanent solution to Operation Stack could be. With less than one week to go, I encourage anyone with an interest to get involved.

The next step when the listening exercise has finished is for Highways England to analyse responses. If a scheme is progressed, Highways England will consult on more detailed options and proposals this winter. Any scheme that is taken forward will involve extensive public consultation and will require a full environmental impact assessments.

When extraordinary levels of disruption occur, Operation Stack is activated to queue lorries on the M20 until they can catch their ferry or train. In summer 2015, Operation Stack was in place for over 30 days. As a result, the Government asked Highways England to investigate options for management and handling of lorries caught up heading to Dover.

Without action, existing and likely future issues will continue to put pressure on the roads and motorways in Kent. With traffic levels due to increase, this would likely mean Operation Stack being activated more frequently.

The listening exercise started on 11 June and runs until 22 July 2018. While drop in sessions have now finished, information will be available at 30 locations countywide until 22 July.

Anyone interested in the scheme can sign up to receive updates via the project page on the Highways England 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.

Today (16 July) Lord Ahmad, the Minister for Human Rights Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, publishes the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s 2017 Annual Human Rights and Democracy Report.

The report is a barometer for the global human rights picture with particular emphasis on the FCO’s 30 Human Rights Priority Countries*. The report also focuses on how the UK is working to protect and promote human rights across the world.

It covers the period from January to December 2017.

The Minister for Human Rights, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, said:

50 years ago the UK played a vital role in drafting the seminal text that remains the cornerstone for human rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

However, the ongoing repression of people’s rights reminds us that our work to defend them is as pressing and urgent as ever.

This report is vital in documenting the serious concerns we have about the human rights situations in a range of countries.

Standing up for human rights is not only the right thing; it helps to create a stable more prosperous world.

The report also focuses on how the UK is working to protect and promote human rights across the world.

Read the Human Rights and Democracy 2017 report.

*Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Burma, Burundi, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Libya, Maldives, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Yemen and Zimbabwe.

Further information

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Mr Govett is vastly experienced, having worked in leadership roles across the public, private and charitable sectors including as Group Chief Executive at Ixion Holdings, a not-for-profit skills and employment group of companies, Managing Director of Surrey County Council, Shaw Trust Charity Board Executive and P&O Ferries Commercial Board Director. He has a strong track record of driving transformational change, delivering outstanding services and leading successful growth.

A deputy chairman of Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, he will take up his new post in October 2018. His appointment, for a four-and-a-half year term, follows an open and competitive recruitment process overseen by the Office for the Commissioner of Public Appointments.

The government is bringing together 3 well known and respected organisations, the Money Advice Service, Pension Wise and the Pensions Advisory Service to create a new Single Financial Guidance Body offering UK-wide guidance on pensions and money, and debt advice in England.

SFGB is a fantastic opportunity to improve provision of free and impartial money and pensions guidance and debt advice so that people can make informed choices about their finances. This is a challenging but rewarding opportunity to lead on improving financial capability in the UK.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Esther McVey, said:

I’m delighted to welcome John Govett as the first Chief Executive Officer of the Single Financial Guidance Body.

John has extensive experience and knowledge from across a range of public and private organisations which make him the ideal candidate to establish this crucial new body, heralding a new era of excellence for financial guidance and debt advice in the UK. I look forward to working with John.

John Govett said:

I am honoured to be appointed the Chief Executive of the Single Financial Guidance Body. The new organisation will become a leader in its field, where we will strive to equip those in need of help with the money and pensions guidance and debt advice that they need to engage confidently with financial services. The key for the SFGB will be to focus on those services our customers need, with a joined-up partnership approach with the wider industry.

I very much look forward to this exciting new combined service offer for the public and our staff.

The Chair of the Single Financial Guidance Body, Sir Hector Sants, said:

The new organisation has a clear mission to help everyone manage their personal finances as well as their circumstances allow. My vision is of an organisation which is seen as transparent, accountable, effective and above all respected by all.

I am delighted that John is joining us and I look forward to supporting him over the coming years.

More information

John’s most recent role was as Group CEO of Ixion Holdings. His career has been in transformational change, partnership working, delivering outstanding services and leading successful growth. John has worked in the public, private and charitable sectors, with previous posts including Managing Director at Surrey County Council, Shaw Trust Charity Board Executive and P&O Ferries Commercial Board Director. John is also Deputy Chairman/Non-Executive Director of an NHS Foundation Trust acute hospital.

The department announced Sir Hector Sants as the new Chair of the SFGB in May 2018. Sir Hector spent his executive career in financial services and regulation, including as the Chief Executive of the Financial Services Authority, European CEO of Credit Suisse and a partner of stockbrokers Phillips & Drew. Since retiring from full time work, his focus has been helping people manage their money, and promoting a fairer financial system. Sir Hector is a trustee of Just Finance, a charity which collaborates with the Church of England to promote a fairer financial system, and a member of the UK’s Financial Capability Board. He is also Chairman of StepChange Debt Charity, the UK’s biggest debt advice charity, but will step down before joining the SFGB.

The SFGB will replace the 3 existing providers of government-sponsored financial guidance – the Money Advice Service, the Pensions Advisory Service and Pension Wise – bringing together the provision of debt advice, money guidance and pensions guidance for the first time. A new, single body provides an opportunity to deliver a more streamlined service to members of the public providing easier access to the information and guidance people need to help them make effective financial decisions throughout their lives.

We expect the SFGB to be established as a legal entity in October 2018 and start preparing for its official launch in January 2019 when the body takes on its delivery functions and staff will transfer to the new organisation. It will have 5 core functions:

• the pensions guidance function – to provide information and guidance to the public on matters relating to occupational and personal pensions
• the money guidance function – to provide information and guidance designed to enhance people’s understanding and knowledge of financial matters and their ability to manage their own financial affairs
• the debt advice function – to provide members of the public in England with information and advice on debt
• the consumer protection function – enabling the SFGB to work with government and the Financial Conduct Authority in protecting consumers from detriment
• the strategic function – to work with others in the financial services industry, the devolved authorities, and the public and voluntary sectors to develop a national strategy to improve the financial capability of members of the public, the ability of members of the public to manage debt, and the provision of financial education to children and young people

The body will also provide advice to the Secretary of State on establishment of a debt respite scheme.

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