Tag: communications

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Press release: Government announces support for cyber security companies to protect UK and allies

International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox will launch the government’s new Cyber Security Export Strategy today (Monday 26 March) to promote the UK’s world-leading expertise and strengthen defence capabilities in the UK and allied countries.

With recent cyber attacks threatening NATO countries as well as large global and UK organisations, the government is urging businesses from both the UK and allied countries to ensure they have the best security possible.

Dr Fox said today’s strategy will help the UK’s 800 cyber security companies to win contracts that provide security for high profile international buyers and protect networks across the world.

UK cyber exports overall totalled £1.5bn in 2016, and global demand for software products to protect digital systems from vulnerabilities continues to grow, with total spend expected to exceed £759 billion by 2021.

This new cyber security export strategy supports the ongoing work of the 2016 National Cyber Security Strategy. The 2016 strategy provided £1.9 billion of transformative investment in cyber security, which is being used alongside more conventional land, maritime and air capabilities, to meet these threats head-on.

International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, said:

Recent events show that the UK faces a diverse range of threats from hostile state actors. So in an increasingly digital world, it’s vital that we improve our cyber capabilities, which are crucial for national security and prosperity.

The strategy I am publishing today will support UK companies to export our world-leading cyber security expertise, which will help strengthen our capabilities, and protect our country and our allies from those who wish us harm.

This new strategy has been developed with industry and comes with robust export control regimes which will safeguard human rights.

The launch is backed by ADS, the UK trade association for the security sector, who say the export strategy is an important step to help the UK’s world-leading cyber security companies reach new markets and continue to grow.

ADS Chief Executive, Paul Everitt, said:

Public and private organisations in the UK and around the world are facing rapidly evolving cyber security threats. In the UK we have a diverse range of companies able to provide world-leading expertise and innovation to combat these threats.

The UK’s cyber security exports are already worth £1.5bn a year and we expect this area of activity to continue offering the strongest export growth in the security sector in the years ahead.

This new strategy announced today can help the sector continue to grow, make a greater contribution to national prosperity, and protect the UK and our allies from threats in cyberspace.

-ENDS-

Background

The strategy follows the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s investment in 2 world-class cyber innovation centres in Cheltenham and London. The ground-breaking partnership between government and tech start-ups will develop world-leading technologies to protect the UK and organisations overseas from cyber attacks.

The Cyber Security Export Strategy sets out 3 commitments from the Department for International Trade (DIT) to UK cyber companies:

  1. Pursue: in priority markets DIT will act as a trusted advisor to support UK companies bidding for major opportunities, primarily selling to overseas governments and critical national infrastructure providers.
  2. Enable: DIT will curate bespoke offers for the top buyers in these sectors worldwide, running trade missions and pitching UK companies to address identified capability gaps.
  3. Respond: to showcase the best of UK cyber security updated branding and marketing will be developed and deployed around the globe alongside new cyber security content on great.gov.uk.

Link: Press release: Government announces support for cyber security companies to protect UK and allies
Source: Gov Press Releases

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The Higher Education and Research Act 2017 (Commencement No. 1) (Wales) Regulations 2018 / Rheoliadau Deddf Addysg Uwch ac Ymchwil 2017 (Cychwyn Rhif 1) (Cymru) 2018

These Regulations are made under section 124(2) and (3) of the Higher Education and Research Act 2017 (“the Act”). They are the first Regulations which bring specified provisions of the Act into force in relation to Wales.

Mae’r Rheoliadau hyn wedi eu gwneud o dan adran 124(2) a (3) o Ddeddf Addysg Uwch ac Ymchwil 2017 (“y Ddeddf”). Dyma’r Rheoliadau cyntaf sy’n dwyn i rym ddarpariaethau penodedig o’r Ddeddf o ran Cymru.

Link:

The Higher Education and Research Act 2017 (Commencement No. 1) (Wales) Regulations 2018 / Rheoliadau Deddf Addysg Uwch ac Ymchwil 2017 (Cychwyn Rhif 1) (Cymru) 2018

Source: Legislation .gov.uk

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The Enhanced Partnership Plans and Schemes (Objections) Regulations 2018

These Regulations prescribe processes whereby certain operators of certain local bus services may object to the making of enhanced partnership plans and enhanced partnership schemes by a local transport authority (LTA) under the Transport Act 2000 (c.38) and for determining whether a sufficient number of those operators have objected to the making of the plan or scheme.

Link: The Enhanced Partnership Plans and Schemes (Objections) Regulations 2018
Source: Legislation .gov.uk

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The Wireless Telegraphy (Mobile Repeater) (Exemption) Regulations 2018

These Regulations exempt the establishment, installation and use of certain wireless telegraphy stations or apparatus, known as “mobile repeaters,” which comply with certain terms, provisions and limitations, from the requirement to be licensed under section 8(1) of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 (c 36).

Link: The Wireless Telegraphy (Mobile Repeater) (Exemption) Regulations 2018
Source: Legislation .gov.uk

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Press release: Government action on councils failing to plan new homes

Housing Secretary Sajid Javid has today (23 March 2018) written to 15 local authorities in England to inform them of decisions on intervention following their continued failure to produce a local plan, which are key to setting out how and where they expect to meet residents’ needs for new homes, for more than a decade.

In November 2017, the government confirmed it would commence the consideration of intervention in 15 local authorities where there has been a failure to produce a local plan.

Local Plans are a key part of the government’s comprehensive programme of planning reform and targeted investment to ensure the homes local communities need are built.

The councils had until 31 January 2018 to explain why they hadn’t yet published a plan, providing any exceptional circumstances for why the government shouldn’t intervene.

Following their submission, the government is now setting out next steps.

Of the 15 local authorities:

  • in Castle Point, Thanet, and Wirral, the government’s Chief Planner and a team of experts will be sent in to assess if the government needs to take over the process of producing the local plan
  • in Northumberland the government has instructed the council to produce their plan earlier and to make the timetable clearer
  • in Basildon, Bolsover, Brentwood, Calderdale, Eastleigh, Mansfield, St Albans, which have all committed to publishing draft plans before the end of September 2018, the government has made clear it will monitor their progress and that any further significant delay to meet this timescale will lead to the case for intervention being reconsidered
  • 4 local authorities – Liverpool, North East Derbyshire, Runnymede, York – have since published their plans

Housing Secretary Sajid Javid has written to them to welcome this progress, but has made clear that should there be any further significant delays to their timetable to submit the plan, the government will not hesitate to act.

The government has abolished top-down regional planning. But a locally-led planning system requires elected local representatives to take the lead, listen to local residents and business, and set out a clear framework to build new homes, provide key infrastructure, support the local economy and protect the environment.

Most councils have seized the opportunity that localism presents – however a small minority have not and do not have a local plan in place. This can mean uncertainty for local people, have a negative impact on neighbourhood planning groups, result in piecemeal speculative housing development and communities having no plans in place for crucial local infrastructure and services.

Housing Secretary Sajid Javid said:

Whilst most councils rightly recognise their responsibilities and most have worked hard to meet the housing challenge, some have failed.

I expect those authorities we identified in November to continue to make progress. I’m also stepping it up with 3 councils in particular, sending in a team of experts to make a direct assessment, ensuring they plan properly for the future or we’ll have to do it for them.

The department has also commenced preparations to take over plan production so that work can begin as soon as possible, subject to decisions taken after the Chief Planner and his experts report back.

A procurement process is currently underway to secure planning consultants and specialists who will swiftly undertake the work on plan production should these councils not comply in the time required.

The department will also make contact with county councils and combined authorities in the areas concerned about the possibility of inviting those authorities to write plans.

Further information

See the letters sent to the relevant local authorities.

The housing white paper set out how the government would prioritise intervention – where:

  • the least progress in plan-making has been made
  • policies in plans had not been kept up to date
  • there was higher housing pressure
  • intervention would have the greatest impact in accelerating local plan production

The strategy also made clear that decisions on intervention will also be informed by the wider planning context in each area (specifically, the extent to which authorities are working cooperatively to put strategic plans in place, and the potential impact that not having a plan has on neighbourhood planning activity).

Planning experts – Castle Point, Thanet, and Wirral

The government’s Chief Planner, Steve Quartermain CBE and a team of experts will report back to the Secretary of State who will then take a final decision on formal intervention later this year.

In addition, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government will conduct formal discussions with relevant county councils and city regions to see if they could take over plan production on the Secretary of State’s behalf.

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Link: Press release: Government action on councils failing to plan new homes
Source: Gov Press Releases