Category: Gov Press Releases

A Downing Street spokesman said:

The Prime Minister spoke to President Macron of France to update him on the latest situation regarding the incident in Salisbury on 4 March.

She outlined the conclusion reached by the Government that it was highly likely that Russia was responsible for the act against Sergei and Yulia Skripal.

They discussed the wide pattern of aggressive Russian behaviour and agreed that it would be important to continue to act in concert with allies to address it.

President Macron condemned the attack and offered his solidarity with the UK.

They agreed that the French and British governments should coordinate closely as the investigation developed and following Russia’s response.

Minister Mark Field said:

This report by the UN Fact Finding Mission on human rights has reaffirmed the appalling human rights violations that so many in Burma have suffered and confirms that the Burmese military are primarily to blame for the widespread and systematic violence against the Rohingya.

These findings show the vital importance of an open and transparent investigation into these appalling events and I urge the Burmese authorities to reverse their decision not to cooperate with the Fact Finding Mission, and allow them immediate access so they can continue their work.

I call on the Burmese authorities to establish a credible and independent investigation into these horrifying accusations, and a judicial process to hold to account those responsible for abuses.

The UK is fully committed to help bring an end to this humanitarian crisis and I plan to update Parliament on the Government’s approach at the earliest opportunity allowed.

Further information

• Follow Foreign Office Minister Mark Field @MarkFieldUK
• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn

The Cabinet Office partnered with Changing the Chemistry, a Scottish peer to peer support network focused on improving board diversity, to promote UK Government public appointments opportunities at the Scottish National Gallery in Edinburgh last week (7 March 2018).

Attendees at the event included Edinburgh University, the Institute of Directors, Women on Boards and CEMVO Scotland – a strategic partner of the Scottish Government Equality Unit.

Guests heard from speakers from a wide range of UK public bodies, such as Lesley Sawers (Equality and Human Rights Commission), Muriel Gray (British Museum) and Susan Rice (Bank of England). They spoke about the benefits of being a public appointee which include:

• Using your expertise to help society and influence decisions that affect everyone’s lives
• Meeting people from all walks of life who also want to make a difference
• Developing your career, gaining board experience and boosting your skills

The government launched the Diversity Action Plan for Public Appointments in December 2017, which included a commitment that by 2022, half of all public appointees should be female and 14% should be from ethnic minorities.

Minister for Implementation, Oliver Dowden said:

We need to attract the brightest and the best from across the UK to serve on our public boards and to see them truly reflect British society.

A range of people from across the country bring new perspectives, different backgrounds, and diversity of thought, which strengthens decision-making and improves outcomes.

Serving on a public board is both exciting and rewarding – I encourage everybody to consider taking up a role.

Chair of Waverley Care, Scotland’s HIV and Hepatitis C Charity, Ian Arnot said:

It’s great to see the Cabinet Office, working with Changing The Chemistry, seeking out diverse groups of people to take up public appointments – especially in Scotland. The networking event helped to demystify the application process and the inspiring speakers encouraged me to consider applying for a non-executive role in the future.

It’s great to see so much support available to ensure our public appointment system has representation from across our communities.

A Llanelli man has been sentenced today for illegally supplying prescription drugs. Lee Daniels received a 40-month sentence for selling unauthorised versions of anti-cancer drugs such as Tamoxifen and Letrozole as well as steroids and pain killers across the EU.

More than 25,000 doses of unlicensed, prescription-only medicines and class C drugs were seized by Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency investigators including addictive benzodiazepines. Daniels conducted his illegal trade in medicines whilst also running a business selling vinyl records.

Investigators believe that Daniels made more than £270K from his illegal medicines business between 2013 and 2016. The profits were deposited into accounts held under variations of his own name and in to accounts in the name of his wife and a friend who it is believed were completely unaware of his illegal business.

Daniels worked full-time as a welder before branching out in to selling discs and diazepam. He was eventually uncovered when a raid at an associate’s warehouse resulted in hand-written notes being seized which led investigators to his address.

Daniels sold powerful medicines with potentially dangerous side effects directly to the public. He often sold cheap, untested, unlicensed versions of these medicines and did so without any form of medical supervision or prescribing. His customers were put at serious risk by his activities.

Alastair Jeffrey, MHRA Head of Enforcement said:

Selling medicines outside of the regulated supply chain is a serious criminal offence. These criminals are motivated by greed and have no concern about your safety or welfare.

Always seek professional help and visit your GP if you are ill. If you buy medicines online, you are trusting a criminal to look after your health.

MHRA is currently running the #FakeMeds campaign to warn people against buying potentially dangerous or useless unlicensed medicines sold by illegal online suppliers.
Visit www.gov.uk/fakemeds for tips on buying medicines safely online and how to avoid unscrupulous sites.

Around 80,000 cubic meters of soil, that’s enough to fill 32 Olympic sized swimming pools, is being reused to help form the embankments on a nearby scheme.

By reusing this material it will benefit both schemes by reducing vehicle movements and costs. Transporting the soil will involve more than 10,000 lorry movements totalling over 60,000 miles.

The A19 Coast Road scheme is digging deep to remove the earth to form an underpass, creating the first triple decker roundabout in the North East.

As the soil is removed it will be transported to a site in Wardley where it will be stored to create the embankments for the A19 Testo’s scheme.

Highways England’s project manager for the A19 Testos scheme Paul Ahdal said:

This is just one of the many examples where Highways England is re-using materials which will not only reduce costs but also provide environmental benefits for both schemes.

Both of the schemes will provide smoother journeys for drivers along the A19 as they will no longer needing to negotiate the roundabouts. Work on the A19 Coast Road involves digging out an underpass and the A19 Testo’s involves creating a flyover structure over the roundabout. The excess soil will be used to form the embankments for the Testo’s scheme which is due to start in 2019 in the same year Coast Road is due to be completed.

This is just one of the ways the A19 Coast Road team is re-using or recycling excess material from site in line with Highways England’s Sustainable Development Strategy.

Around 250 tonnes of the old road surface has been donated to Benton Quarry Park in Benton and 160 metres of steel fence from the central reservation has been donated to Stephenson Railway Museum in North Shields.

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.

Since 2001 UK newspaper circulation has halved and over 200 local newspapers have closed their doors since 2005. With a rapidly changing media world, news reaches people through many new channels, and existing publications have often had to compete with digital media.

Terms of reference published today outline how the Cairncross review will investigate the overall state of the market, threats to financial sustainability, the role and impact of digital search engines and social media platforms, how content and data flows are operated and managed and the role of digital advertising.

Speaking at the Oxford Media Convention, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Matt Hancock said:

Although the internet has been an immense force for good, it has torn apart the established order and raised real questions about the sustainability and profitability of traditional journalism.

Dame Frances Cairncross will bring her experience in journalism and academia to tackle these issues with a view to examine the press and protect the future of high quality journalism.

Dame Frances Cairncross said:

Having spent much of my working life as a journalist, and seen how the digital revolution has changed both the fortunes of newspapers and the opportunities for distributing news, I am excited to be undertaking this review.

This is both a challenging and an exciting time for the press, both locally and nationally, and I hope the review will clarify both ways to ensure the future of high quality journalism and the options for public policy.

Dame Frances Cairncross will be supported by a panel of experts which includes experts in the fields of journalism, academia, advertising and technology. The panel will act in an advisory capacity, with the review’s final report and recommendations being determined by and issued in the name of the chair. The panel includes: Peter Wright, Matt Rogerson, Ashley Highfield, Geraldine Allinson, Mimi Turner, Douglas McCabe, Stephen Woodford, Akshat Rathi, Polly Curtis, and Azeem Azhar.

As well as identifying challenges, the review will make recommendations on what industry and government action can be taken, with a final report expected later this year.

Note to editors:

Dame Frances Cairncross is a former economic journalist, author and academic administrator. She is currently Chair of the Court of Heriot-Watt University and a Trustee at the Natural History Museum. Dame Frances was Rector of Exeter College, Oxford University; a senior editor on The Economist; and principal economic columnist for the Guardian. In 2014 she was made a Dame of the British Empire for services to education. She is the author of a number of books, including “The Death of Distance: How the Communications Revolution is Changing our Lives” and “Costing the Earth: The Challenge for Governments, the Opportunities for Business”. Dame Frances is married to financial journalist Hamish McRae.

Advisory panel members:

Jo Adetunji

Jo Adetunji is a journalist and Deputy Editor at The Conversation UK, a comment and analysis website that delivers evidence-based, accessible journalism by experts from universities across the UK and Europe. The Conversation aims to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and the public via a newsroom of editors. Jo has worked in more traditional media as a reporter for The Guardian, covering stories from UK knife crime to live blogging the Arab Spring, and has also written for The Independent. She recently contributed to Philanthropic Journalism Funding in the UK, a report commissioned by the European Journalism Centre, and was an interviewer for the latest round of the Journalism Diversity Fund. She holds a degree in the History of Art from The Courtauld Institute of Art in London.

Geraldine Allinson

Geraldine is the Chairman of the KM Media Group, part of Iliffe Media. KM is a Local Multimedia business that serves the people and organisations of Kent through Newspapers, Radio, Online and more recently local TV. The company employs award winning journalists and has highly trusted brands within its stable of products. Through online, print and broadcast KM reaches over 1 million people each week. Geraldine has been with KM Media Group since 1993 and became its Chairman in 2006. Prior to this she worked for Northcliffe Newspapers and the Midland News Association. She is currently a Non-executive Director at the PA Group (parent company of the Press Association), Director of the Radiocentre and a Director of the News Media Association (NMA). Previous industry positions include: President of the Newspaper Society, Chairman of the Independent Publishers Forum and the Weekly Independent Newspaper Association.

Azeem Azhar

Azeem runs Exponential View, a newsletter looking at how our world is changing in the face of the accelerating pace of technology. This is built on the back of 20 years as an entrepreneur, corporate innovator and journalist. He is currently senior adviser to the Chief Technology & Innovation Officer at Accenture, focusing on frontier technologies. Azeem advises Harvard Business Review, the Huxley Summit and several founders of disruptive technology firms. He lives in London with his wife and three children.

Polly Curtis

Polly Curtis joined HuffPost UK in August 2017 as Editor-in-​Chief with 17 years of media industry experience. Immediate prior to joining HuffPost, Polly was director of media for British Red Cross during a time that included the organisation’s largest emergency response in decades, as they operationalised after the Manchester bombing, London Bridge and Finsbury Park attacks and at Grenfell. Prior to her position at British Red Cross, Polly was digital editor at The Guardian, where she led digital plans for the Scottish referendum, the EU referendum and the 2015 election as well as the live coverage of some of the biggest breaking stories in recent times. She has a background as a news editor and reporter, having served as the Guardian’s deputy national editor, Whitehall correspondent, education editor and health correspondent.

Ashley Highfield

Ashley Highfield is CEO of Johnston Press plc, one of the largest local media groups in the UK, and owner of the i newspaper. He has worked in high levels in companies including Microsoft – where he was UK Managing Director (Consumer & Online) – and the BBC, where as executive board director for New Media & Technology, he was responsible for the development and launch of BBC iPlayer. During his tenure there he oversaw a growth in the BBC’s online presence from 3.5m to 17m users. In June 2015 Culture Secretary John Whittingdale named Ashley as one the advisory board members tasked with working on the renewal of the BBC’s Royal Charter, which led to the local democracy reporter initiative. In October 2015 he was appointed Chairman of the News Media Association for a two year period. He has previously served on the boards of William Hill plc and the British Film Institute in non-executive roles.

Douglas McCabe

Douglas is a leading expert in tech and publishing media. He analyses supplier strategies and forecasts consumption, revenue and marketing expenditure. He is a former director of Fish4, the online advertising portal, and was director of sales development and market insights at Waterstones. Douglas holds a degree from Stirling University.

Akshat Rathi

Akshat Rathi has worked for both established publications and new media startups. He is a reporter for Quartz, covering science and energy, and previously worked for The Economist and The Conversation. His work has also been published in The Guardian, The Hindu, and Nature. He holds a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Oxford.

Matt Rogerson

Matthew Rogerson is the Head of Public Policy at Guardian Media Group​ (GMG)​. Matthew joined​ GMG in 2013 following 5 years at Virgin Media​,​​ where he worked on a range of issues, including responses to the Digital Britain report, the Government’s Communications Review, and broadband policy. Matthew’s work at GMG covers areas such as press freedom,​ media plurality​, digital advertising and brand safety, and the changing nature of digital news. Before ​working in the private sector, Matthew worked as a parliamentary researcher.

Mimi Turner

Mimi Turner is Founder of brand strategy consultancy Mimi Turner Associates and has more than twenty years experience in print and digital publishing. Mimi has been instrumental in growing some of the UK’s biggest digitally disruptive media brands including the Lad Bible, GIVEMESPORT and Vice Media, and has developed a deep understanding of millennial and Gen Z audiences. She is a board advisor to TRUTH, the media agency using blockchain technology to provide transparency in the advertising supply chain, and is an advisor to online video platform Suggestv, which helps publishers build brand context through video. Prior to transforming the Lad Bible, Mimi spent three years working for Richard Desmond as Group Director of Communications of Express Newspapers, Channel 5 and OK Magazine, and was also Sales and Marketing Director of The Health Lottery. Mimi spent over a decade in journalism with the Hollywood Reporter and began her career writing about science and technology for the Sunday Times and the Times.

Stephen Woodford

Stephen was appointed CEO of the Advertising Association in September 2016. Having held management roles in three agencies (Leo Burnett, WCRS/Engine and DDB/adam&eveDDB), Stephen currently chairs youth marketing agency Livity, a social purpose-driven business that seeks to transform young peoples’ lives, especially from BAME backgrounds. He was recently Chairman of Lexis PR and a founder and director of U, a challenger to conventional banks. Stephen is a past President of NABS and serves on the board of the History of Advertising Trust. He was IPA President (2003-05) where he led both their first ethnic diversity initiative and transformed its professional qualifications for new industry entrants, which over 15,000 people have now sat and passed.

Peter Wright

Peter Wright has been Editor Emeritus of Associated Newspapers, publishers of the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday, MailOnline and Metro, since 2012. He was Editor of The Mail on Sunday 1998-2012. He is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) Complaints Committee, and the News Media Association Legal, Policy and Regulatory Affairs Committee. He is also a member of the Thomson Reuters Founders Share Company Nominations Committee. Previously he was a commissioner and later director of the Press Complaints Commission (2008-14) and the Editors’ Code of Practice Committee (2004-8). He sat on the Defence, Press and Broadcasting Advisory Committee Review (2014-15).

• The terms of reference can be found here.
• Recent estimates suggest that current average annual revenue per digital media user is only c.£15, compared to c.£124 per print media user: “UK News Media: an engine of original news content and democracy – A study on the economic contribution of the UK news media industry”, Deloitte, December 2016.
• An estimated two thirds of Local Authority Districts in the UK now not served by a local daily newspaper: “Monopolising local news: Is there an emerging local democratic deficit in the UK due to the decline of local newspapers?”, Gordon Ramsay and Martin Moore Centre for the Study of Media, Communication and Power, May 2016.
• The review will not address politically motivated disinformation and propaganda.

An innovative dual camera system which can spot both road workers speeding through construction sites and road users who illegally drive through cones has been hailed a potential life saver.

This winning system, the first of its kind, is housed in one vehicle, and is currently being extensively tested across motorways and main A roads managed by Highways England. It is one of the winners at the prestigious Highways England Health, Safety, and Wellbeing awards.

The awards, open to Highways England and its supply chain, attracted 115 entries across six categories. The nine winning entries announced ranged from initiatives to improve the mental health and wellbeing of staff to improving the safe loading of lorries.

In the first trials, in the West Midlands, a 50 per cent month-on-month reduction was recorded in road workers driving 10mph above the signed limit through sites. And in Essex the number of roadworks incursions reduced by more than 80%.

The camera system – developed by Carnell Support Services and Kier Highways – was one of two winners in the Health & Safety Innovation category at Highways England’s inaugural Health, Safety and Wellbeing awards ceremony.

Jim O’Sullivan, Chief Executive of Highways England said:

It’s well known that safety is our first imperative and I am delighted that these awards highlight that. The camera system, for example, will ultimately save lives. This project and the other winners show how innovative ways of thinking will make things safer for those working on and using our strategic road network and these awards also highlight the mental health and wellbeing of staff is as important as feeling safe in the workplace. I look forward to seeing more achievements in years to come.

In addition (to the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Awards) there was a special overall Chairman’s Award. This is a discretionary award chosen from the winners of all the categories in the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Awards. The Chairman’s Award was awarded to Clancy Group, for their Work Related Safety Programme.

Highways England chairman Colin Matthews said:

I am delighted that colleagues in Highways England and partner organisations are finding ways to reduce injuries on our roads. Congratulations to Clancy Group whose success in making the roads safer for their drivers can be widely replicated by others.

The nine winners were:

1: H&S Innovation – two winners

Carnell Support Services and Kier Highways for SAFETYcam

Highways England’s Incident Prevention Team – Vehicle Load Security working with the Health & Safety Laboratory (HSL)

An initiative to improve the awareness and understanding around safely securing loads on lorries or for customers transporting large goods. Highways England’s Incident Prevention Team developed Police Load Security Training in partnership with the Health & Safety Laboratory (HSL) to help them better understand load security enforcement and how to help educate lorry drivers.

2: Road User Safety Achievement – two winners

Clancy Group for the Clancy Work Related Road Safety Programme.

Over 12 months, this driving programme saw a 20% reduction in insurance claims, a 20% improvement in driver performance score and a 3.6% reduction in fuel use per vehicle due to safer and more fuel-efficient driving practices. All drivers are proactively engaged in the Fleet Safety Management and Compliance Programme which is run by a dedicated team and supported by the Clancy Group Board of Directors.

Highways England Marketing team supported by George & Dragon (Advertising Agency) for the Vehicle Checks campaign.

The Vehicle Checks campaign identified the second largest cause of serious accidents can be attributed to drivers not carrying out basic vehicle checks in advance of long or significant journeys. Customer insight demonstrated a 15% increase in consumer awareness to performing vehicle checks.

3. Project of the Year (supply chain only) – one winner

Balfour Beatty Skanska Joint Venture for the M25 J30/A13 Corridor Relieving Congestion Scheme.

A targeted approach by the joint venture to improve health safety and well-being has resulted in a workplace where everyone can take responsibility for their own and their colleagues’ health, safety and wellbeing. The team’s efforts are also reflected in the schemes excellent all round safety statistics with a zero Accident Frequency Rate (AFR) when the project finished.

4: Graduate/Apprentice of the Year – two winners

Amelia Kirwan – Highways England’s Commercial Vehicle Incident Prevention Team.

Amelia Kirwan joined Highways England in November 2016 as a Project Manager Apprentice. Amelia was recognised for her approach to work and her passion to learn and expand her knowledge. She is seen as a real asset for the team and recently was successful with her application for a temporary role in the team.

Jessica Dunn – AECOM – Proactive approach to promoting good mental health.

Jessica, who is a graduate engineer in AECOM’s Strategic Highways team in Chesterfield, has undertaken various initiatives to tackle mental health stigmas and support at a local and national level for AECOM. These include working with colleagues to include wellbeing into weekly safety stand downs, liaising with local authorities and charities to provide line manager training and Lunch & Learn sessions in the local office, and campaigning for mental health first aiders to be provided in every office.

5: H&S Wellbeing Initiative – one winner

Graham Construction Ltd – CONNECT.

CONNECT, a programme to drive employee wellbeing, has significantly reduced staff turnover and increased employee engagement against all performance measures. This was achieved through initiatives such as in areas including personal diagnostics, personal coaching and mindfulness training. During 2018-19 Graham will invest over £1m during 2018/19 to roll the programme out to all employees.

6: H&S Performance – one winner

Mway Comms.

Following the death of a subcontractor in July 2015, Mway Comms put in place an action plan to improve the culture and support within the company. For two years Mway Comms implemented a progressive health and safety (H&S) Improvement programme that involved a new H&S system, an in-house H&S advisor and a commitment from managers, supervisors and operatives to comply with policies and procedures. In 2017 Mway Comms had zero RIDDOR’s, (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) making its Accident Frequency Rate (AFR) zero.

For further information about the Health, Safety and Wellbeing awards, visit our 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.

As part of this year’s British Science Week, 1,800 pupils from 10 schools across England are being given the opportunity to take part in interactive science workshops hosted by Public Health England (PHE) scientists.

From pupils extracting DNA from their own cells using household products, to a science and health-related game of Pictionary and quizzes on air pollution, the aim of these workshops is to inspire the young people to consider a career in science and showcase the variety of areas within science they could pursue.

British Science Week is an annual 10-day event, with this year being its 24th year running. It encourages organisations, professionals in the science sector, science communicators and the general public to hold events that get people involved in scientific activities.

This year, PHE is expanding its reach to 10 schools across 3 regions: the North (Manchester, Salford), South West (Bristol, Cheltenham and Torquay) and South East (Harlow). During the week, there will be 25 PHE scientists leading interactive science workshops for pupils aged 13 to 14 years old.

The scientists taking part specialise in a range of disciplines, including toxicology, microbiology, environmental public health, microscopy, vaccine research and epidemiology.

Duncan Selbie, Chief Executive of PHE said:

It’s important that the current generation of scientists informs and inspires the next generation, and shows young people the range of routes and opportunities they can pursue within world-leading UK science. We are thankful for the scientists taking part in British Science Week workshops across the country, and hope that their efforts encourage the pupils to consider a career in science as a viable and exciting option.

Sarah Robertson, Senior Environmental Health Scientist at PHE said:

I speak for all of the scientists involved when I say that we are excited to take part in British Science Week and showcase just a few of the many disciplines within science to the students. Although a large proportion of our time is dedicated to research, outreach work such as these interactive workshops is also our responsibility, particularly to highlight the breadth of our roles to young people. Science and research are imperative in our world and we must ensure that the future workforce continues to be made up of talented and passionate individuals.

PHE is in the process of creating a world-leading centre of excellence for public health research, improvement and protection, and a new headquarters, at the vacant GlaxoSmithKline site in Harlow. This will involve relocating facilities from Porton in Wiltshire and Colindale in north London, as well as the current central London headquarters. PHE Harlow is expected to be fully operational by 2024.

Background

1. British Science Week is an annual event and in 2018 takes place between 9 to 18 March.
2. Schools attending the sessions are:
   • Burnt Mill Academy
   • Forest Hall School
   • Mark Hall Academy
   • Stewards Academy
   • Passmores Academy
   • Torquay Academy
   • Fairfield School
   • All Saints’ Academy
   • All Hallows R.C. High School
   • Walkden High School
3. Public Health England exists to protect and improve the nation’s health and wellbeing, and reduce health inequalities. We do this through world-leading science, knowledge and intelligence, advocacy, partnerships and providing specialist public health services. We are an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care, and a distinct organisation with operational autonomy. We provide government, local government, the NHS, Parliament, industry and the public with evidence-based professional, scientific expertise and support. Follow us on Twitter: @PHE_uk and Facebook: www.facebook.com/PublicHealthEngland.

Rural communities will be given more options to convert agricultural buildings into family homes to better meet local housing needs through planning rule changes, announced Housing Minister Dominic Raab.

Changes to permitted development rights will mean up to 5 new homes can be created from existing agricultural buildings on a farm rather than the maximum of 3 currently permitted.

Currently several hundred new homes each year are created through conversions of agricultural buildings, and these changes are expected to boost these numbers further.

The changes will help communities make the best use of existing buildings to help meet local housing needs more efficiently, while at the same time ensuring they remain in keeping with the character of the area and safeguard people’s privacy.

Government is also giving applicants an extra year to convert further storage and distribution buildings into new homes that will help relieve local housing pressures.

Housing Minister Dominic Raab said:

We need to be more creative if we are to meet the housing needs of rural communities.

That’s why I’m changing planning rules so rural communities have more flexibility on how best to use existing buildings to deliver more much needed homes for families.

This is part of our comprehensive reform programme to build the homes Britain needs.

The new measures will also help farmers adopt the latest innovations in modern farming practices by increasing the size limit of new agricultural buildings on larger farms from 465 square metres to 1,000 square metres.

Further information

Permitted development rights are a national grant of planning permission which allow certain building works and changes of use to be carried out without having to make a planning application.

The rights are subject to conditions and limitations to control impact and to protect local amenity.

The amended development right for the change of use of agricultural buildings to provide up to 5 new homes will allow for:

• up to 3 larger homes within a maximum of 465 square metres or
• up to 5 smaller homes each no larger than 100 square metres or
• a mix of both, within a total of no more than 5 homes, of which no more than 3 may be larger homes

To further support housing delivery, applicants will have a further year in which to benefit from the temporary permitted development right for the change of use of buildings used for storage and distribution to residential use. The right will be extended by a year until 10 June 2019.

The regulations to come into force on 6 April support the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s focus on making the most effective use of land or buildings in the draft revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework, announced earlier this week.

• Today’s funding will support better diagnosis for UK patients through AI and new tech at new regional centres of excellence
• 500,000 Biobank volunteers will see their genome sequenced providing data that will help the UK lead the world in development of tools for early diagnosis and new pioneering therapies
• Extra £40 million invested in new hub for UK Dementia Research Institute
• New funding will develop new products and services which will help people live in their homes longer, tackle loneliness, and increase independence

As part of the government’s plan to build a Britain fit for the future, the Business Secretary Greg Clark has today (Monday 12 March) announced a £300 million competitive fund to develop the innovations and new technologies of tomorrow.

Through the ambitious Industrial Strategy, government is investing over £300 million from its Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) to bring together the UK’s world-class research expertise with business investment to develop technologies and industries that can help the UK prepare for the challenge of an ageing society.

To ensure taxpayer money is being invested in the right areas, the government set out four Grand Challenges in its Industrial Strategy – priority areas and industries the UK is determined to be at the forefront of in the future where we can lead the global technological revolution, creating more skilled jobs to boost the productivity and earning power of people throughout the UK. Through its Ageing Society Grand Challenge the government has committed to invest in harnessing the power of innovation to help meet the diverse needs of an ageing society.

More than 10 million people in the UK today can expect to see their 100th birthday, compared to the 15,000 centurions today. Ageing populations are a global phenomenon that are creating new demands for technologies, products and services, including new care technologies, different housing models and innovative savings products for retirement.

Today’s new allocation of funding will see the government invest over £300 million to ensure the UK is able to meet these demands, with £98 million for a ‘healthy ageing programme’ and £210 million for a ‘data to early diagnosis and precision medicine programme’ to improve diagnosis of disease and develop new medical treatments and technologies.

Welcoming today’s announcement, Business Secretary Greg Clark said:

Through our Industrial Strategy we will not only boost innovation and productivity across the UK, but we will also ensure that this government changes people’s lives for the better.

We are investing over £300 million into developing the treatments of the future, in new technologies that will revolutionise the way we age and provide everyone with the best possible chance to grow old with dignity in their own home.

By 2020 we want to be the best country in the world for dementia care and research and today’s announcement of £40 million for the Dementia Research Institute is a vitally important step on that journey.

Caroline Dinenage, Minister of State for Care said:

As a society we are living longer – a child born today can expect to live to 100 years – but now we must seize the opportunity to improve the quality of lives lived longer. With an increasingly ageing population we must transform the way we think about our work, our housing, our health, our finances and our communities.

These investments will not only help in our aims to make this the best country in the world to live with dementia but provide a revolutionary vital boost to develop and scale up products and services of the future, ensuring everyone can age well and live more independently throughout their lives.

Healthy ageing programme

The £98 million ‘healthy ageing programme’ will drive the development of new products and services which will help people to live in their homes for longer, tackle loneliness, and increase independence and wellbeing.

The programme will be investing in tackling one of the toughest medical challenges facing society today, dementia. With an estimated 850,000 people in the UK living with the disease, the government will be investing in the creation of innovative new treatments of the future to help tackle it.

An extra £40 million will be going into the UK Dementia Research Institute (UKDRI) to create a new hub in partnership with University College London (UCL) that will host 350 leading scientists, researching new treatments to improve the lives of millions.

Dr Rob Buckle, Chief Science Officer at the Medical Research Council, added:

Developing the UK Dementia Research Institute hub in partnership with UCL will bring tremendous benefits for science and for health.

The new building will provide state-of-the-art facilities for research and the development of new dementia therapies, and will be located alongside neurology clinics and have a dedicated space for engaging dementia patients and their families and carers.

Data to early diagnosis and precision medicine programme

The £210 million investment in the ‘data to early diagnosis and precision medicine’ challenge will see the UK lead the world in the development of innovative new diagnostic tools, medical products and treatments.

As part of the funding announced today, the government will be investing in genomics, ensuring the UK continues to lead the world in large scale whole genome sequencing. Genome sequencing can help those with rare diseases receive faster diagnoses and cancer patients gain better access to personalised treatment programmes.

Through the new investment, the UK will sequence the genomes of 500,000 Biobank volunteers. The data from each of these volunteers will provide a rich resource of data that UK researchers will use to build a greater understanding of disease processes and enable the development of tools for early diagnosis and a new wave of therapies.

Regional centres of excellence

Over £70 million is going to be invested in creating regional centres across the UK to offer UK patients better diagnosis using new technologies including Artificial Intelligence (AI).

This investment, as well as future funding from industry, in new centres of excellence will support industry collaboration with the NHS to help the UK lead the world in digital pathology and radiology, including using AI to analyse medical images.

Applying AI to medical images has the potential to diagnose disease more accurately and therefore provide more targeted treatment, and increase efficiency in the health system.

Each centre will enable companies, including SMEs, to rapidly develop, test and implement products and systems in partnership with doctors and academics, improving patient care and gaining early evidence of real-world product value.

Investing in these programmes will enable research that could result in globally significant advances in healthcare such as cures for some cancers. The different strands of the ISCF programme will create the data needed to enable research into better diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease.

Notes to editors:

What is the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund?

1. In the Industrial Strategy White Paper the Government committed to invest a further £725m in the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) over the next four years. The Government, through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), will invest in challenges through the ISCF. Through focusing on the big innovation challenges facing the UK, the ISCF will maximise the value of the new ideas being developed and capture the value of innovation in the UK.
2. The ISCF is a new mission orientated funding approach providing an opportunity to build on our competitive advantage in key areas of research and business sectors, and develop innovative ideas that will transform industries and create whole new ones. It will bring together the UK’s world leading research with business around a major industrial and societal challenge. Challenges have been aligned to the four ‘Grand Challenges’ set out in the Industrial Strategy White Paper.
3. The ISCF will borrow from the US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) model by placing the responsibility for delivering a challenge in the hands of a ‘Challenge Director’. Challenge Directors will be leading experts in the area and will coordinate across different delivery organisations to make the challenge a success.

Expressions of interest are now open for the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund Wave 3.