Tag: Department for Business and Industrial Strategy

The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 31 October 2022.

The government has today (Monday 31 October) decided to take no further action under its national security powers on the proposed increase in shareholdings by Vesa Equity Investment in Royal Mail.

The proposed acquisition of increased shareholdings in Royal Mail by Vesa Equity Investment was called in for a full national security assessment by the previous Business Secretary on 25 August 2022.

The government has powers under the National Security and Investment Act (2021) to scrutinise and, if necessary, intervene in qualifying acquisitions on national security grounds.

Following careful consideration, the government will take no further action on the acquisition of increased shareholdings by Vesa Equity Investment in Royal Mail and a Final Notification has been issued to parties.

The government will not hesitate to act to prevent risks to the UK’s national security where we judge action is necessary.  Under the National Security and Investment Act (2021) acquisitions are assessed on a case-by-case basis, so any future acquisition could be subject to a separate assessment under the Act if deemed necessary.

The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 29 October 2022.

An agreement was reached overnight between special administrators of Bulb and Octopus Energy, the UK government confirms today, in a move that will protect consumers and taxpayers.

Bulb’s special administrators have been running a competitive and extensive sale process within the market for Bulb in recent months and have now reached a final agreement which will see Bulb’s 1.5 million customers transferred to Octopus Energy.

The sale will be completed following a statutory process called an Energy Transfer Scheme (ETS), which will transfer the relevant assets of Bulb into a new separate entity that will protect consumers during the transfer process. The process is subject to approval by the Business and Energy Secretary and will take effect at a time ordered by the High Court, expected by the end of November.

Bulb customers will not experience any change or disruption to their energy supplies as part of this transfer. There is no change to either Bulb or Octopus customers’ supply arrangements, and credit balances are protected. This means customers do not need to take any action and all direct debits will automatically be transferred.

The government will work closely with Ofgem and Bulb’s special administrators to ensure the exit from special administration and transfer of customers to Octopus achieves the best outcome practicable for Bulb customers, taxpayers, and the industry. Last night’s deal comes alongside ongoing steps that the UK government and independent regulator, Ofgem, are taking to boost the financial resilience of the sector.

Business and Energy Secretary Grant Shapps said:

This government’s overriding priority is to protect consumers and last night’s sale will bring vital reassurance and energy security to consumers across the country at a time when they need it most.

This is a fresh start and means Bulb’s 1.5 million customers can rest easy, knowing they have a new energy home in Octopus.

Moving forward, I intend to do everything in my power to ensure our energy system provides secure and affordable energy for all.

Octopus will continue to use Bulb’s technology and brand for a transitionary period so that there is a smooth transfer for Bulb’s customers. In addition, customers will continue to benefit from Ofgem’s supply licence protections, such as ensuring energy suppliers provide advice for vulnerable customers through existing financial support schemes.

Greg Jackson, CEO and founder of Octopus Energy Group, comments:

We take our responsibilities very seriously. We will work unbelievably hard to deliver value for taxpayers and to look after Bulb’s staff and customers.

We started off as rivals but shared the same mission – driving a greener, cheaper energy system with people at the heart. We know how important this is to Bulb’s loyal customers and dedicated staff, and are determined that Octopus can provide them with a stable home for the future.

Matthew Cowlishaw, Senior Managing Director at Teneo and Special Administrator to Bulb Energy Ltd, said:

When the energy administrators were appointed in November 2021, our primary objectives were to enable Bulb to trade as usual while minimising the cost to the taxpayer. Following a thorough and extensive process over the course of almost a year, we examined all options and in conjunction with BEIS came to the conclusion that this transaction would provide the most value to the taxpayer.

We are pleased that we have achieved the objectives of the special administration, especially against the backdrop of wider energy market disruption, and that the transition of employees and customers will provide certainty for both going forward.

The government will provide the remaining funding necessary to ensure that the special administration is wound up in a way that protects customers’ supply. The government can recoup these costs at a later date, ensuring that we get the best outcome for Bulb’s customers and the British taxpayer.

The current increase in wholesale energy prices is driven by a number of factors including Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and weaponisation of energy, as well as the global recovery from the COVID pandemic. Recent volatile global gas prices have emphasised the need to ensure greater energy independence to protect households in the long-term through clean power generated in the country.

The Energy Price Guarantee remains in place and will continue at the same level this winter, saving the typical household around £700 this winter, based on what energy prices would have been under the current price cap – reducing bills by roughly a third. This is on top of the £400 energy bills discount for each household and additional targeted support that continues to be rolled out for the most vulnerable, including £1,200 in direct payments this year.

The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 27 October 2022.

UK national statement delivered at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) 5th Ministerial Conference on nuclear power in the 21st century, Washington DC, US.

Madam President,

It is a pleasure to be here today. On behalf of His Majesty’s Government, the United Kingdom expresses its gratitude to the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency and Secretary Granholm for hosting this important event.

Madam President, a secure and affordable supply of energy is the foundation of economic growth and prosperity. Without energy security, societies are less resilient and more exposed to sudden shocks affecting global energy markets, as the current crisis demonstrates. Sixty years ago, the United Kingdom was the first nation to harness the reliability of civil nuclear electricity to power our homes and businesses. Earlier this year, we put nuclear power right at the core of our Energy Security Strategy with an ambition to deliver 24 gigawatts of nuclear energy by 2050.

The United Kingdom is committed to nuclear not just because the energy supply which it provides is reliable – it is low-carbon, too. I’m proud of the United Kingdom’s leadership of COP26, where we ensured that nuclear energy and its contribution to achieving net zero were front and centre. Next month, at COP27, it will feature again at the UK Pavilion. The United Kingdom applauds the Director General and the IAEA for their role in promoting nuclear energy, and their commitment to championing the vast potential of nuclear technologies.

However, Madam President, it would be wholly wrong to ignore the situation at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant. The United Kingdom continues to condemn the Russian Federation’s unlawful invasion of Ukraine and its wicked actions against nuclear facilities. This includes the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, where each week we see flagrant disregard for core principles of nuclear safety and security by the Russian occupying forces, threatening the safety of millions. Their illegal and reckless actions include the abuse and mistreatment of the Ukrainian staff working at the site, raising the risk of human error in a potential nuclear incident.

The facts are clear – the only way to ensure the safety and security of Ukrainian nuclear facilities is for the Russian Federation to end its unprovoked invasion, unconditionally withdrawing all its troops and personnel both from Ukraine’s nuclear facilities and its internationally recognised borders.

I commend the bravery and resilience of the Director General, his team, and Ukrainian staff in their efforts to support nuclear safety and security in Ukraine.

We must also recognise, Madam President, that it is absolutely essential for the international community to work together to strengthen our nuclear safety frameworks. The United Kingdom recognises the Agency’s global leadership for nuclear energy and remains committed to supporting these efforts.

The United Kingdom will continue to work closely with the IAEA to ensure that the robust and effective standards which underpin the use of nuclear energy and nuclear technologies continue to deliver for all IAEA member states.

A secure and resilient supply of nuclear fuel will also be vital to the successful deployments of new nuclear projects. The United Kingdom is committed to working with likeminded and reliable international partners to ensure the supply of nuclear fuel to enable energy security through nuclear power. To support this, we are investing in our nuclear fuel supply chain, developing our longstanding capability built through many decades of expertise, to support current and future nuclear fuel technologies.

Madam President, for Nuclear Energy to flourish, we must create an environment which allows us to harness its potential. Safety, standards, and security of supply are all of paramount importance. And investment matters, too. Great British Nuclear will be the UK’s flagship vehicle for delivering our nuclear energy ambitions. It will work closely with the nuclear industry to help projects through every stage of the development process, enabling a resilient pipeline of new build projects, including megawatt and gigawatt scale reactors.

We must also ensure innovative regulation creates confidence for investors. That it is why, in March this year, the United Kingdom also passed The Nuclear Energy Financing Act. This establishes a new Regulated Asset Base (RAB) funding model as an option to finance small, large, and advanced nuclear projects. This model has successfully supported the development of large-scale infrastructure and we are confident that it will do the same for future nuclear projects.

As we do this, we cannot lose sight of the opportunities that Advanced Nuclear Technologies can offer. From the development of small modular reactors to meet our energy demands, ensuring that they meet the highest standards of safety and security, to pioneering nuclear techniques which promise to solve the most pressing global development challenges such as tackling plastic pollution, the United Kingdom will work with its international partners and the IAEA to make these opportunities a reality. In doing so, we are also exploring opportunities for regulatory harmonization, including through the IAEA’s ‘Nuclear Harmonisation and Standardisation Initiative’ (NHSI).

However, Madam President, the decision to include nuclear within a nation’s energy mix is not just for politicians and industry to take. Public acceptance is crucial and their views must be considered. In the United Kingdom, we fully recognise that early engagement with local communities is essential to build public support and inform policy making.

To that end, we are working with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to identify a location for a Geological Disposal Facility for nuclear waste. We have taken a consent-based approach, which requires a willing community to be a partner in the project’s development.

And it is the community that will have the final say. This is an integral part of the United Kingdom’s commitment to safe, secure and responsible management of radioactive waste.

Finally, Madam President, allow me to me reiterate. We know that the nuclear technologies of today, and indeed those of the future, will help to deliver the secure supply of low-carbon energy that is so vital to our collective interest. The Director General, and the Secretariat can count on the United Kingdom’s full and wholehearted support to achieve this vision.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 21 October 2022.

Pregnant women and new parents will receive greater protections from redundancy under new legislation backed by the government today (Friday 21 October).

Under current rules, before offering redundancy to an employee on maternity leave, shared parental leave or adoption leave, employers have an obligation to offer them a suitable alternative vacancy where one exists.

The Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination Bill, introduced by Dan Jarvis MP and backed by the government, will enable this redundancy protection to be extended so it applies to pregnant women as well as new parents returning to work from a relevant form of leave. This will help shield new parents and expectant mothers from workplace discrimination, offering them greater job security at an important time in their lives.

It follows a government consultation on these proposals which found evidence of new parents facing prejudice in the workplace, with an estimated 54,000 women a year feeling they have to leave their jobs due to pregnancy or maternity discrimination.

Business Minister Dean Russell said:

Being an expectant or new parent is already a hugely exciting yet anxious time without the added pressure of worrying whether your job is on the line.

By extending the UK’s world class workplace protections, today’s reforms will help to remove workplace discrimination and provide improved job security for employees at such an important and precious time in their lives.

The measures will be beneficial to businesses, helping to improve relations with employees and reducing a source of conflict that can be costly and time consuming.

Alongside these reforms the government is also working with the Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination Advisory Board to update guidance so that this type of discrimination in the workplace continues to be stamped out.

Dan Jarvis MP for Barnsley Central said:

I am delighted that my Private Members’ Bill, the Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Bill has passed its second reading in Parliament and is now a step closer to becoming law.

At the heart of this Bill are tens of thousands of women pushed out of the workforce each year simply for being pregnant. I’m proud this new legislation will go some way to providing pregnant women and new mums greater protections in the workplace. I want to thank all those who’ve supported the Bill and I look forward to working with them to ensure it passes into law.

The measures form part of the government’s efforts to ensure more people stay in work and keep more of their pay packet, particularly with global risings costs. It comes at a time when there are more employees on payrolls than ever before – and with unemployment at an all-time low.

The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 21 October 2022.

Millions of people across the UK who are currently providing unpaid care to dependant family members or friends will be entitled to unpaid leave under new laws backed by the government today (Friday 21 October).

Around 2 million of those providing unpaid care are thought to be doing so while balancing work alongside their caring responsibilities. With no dedicated statutory leave entitlement for these informal carers currently in place, many have to resort to taking other forms of leave to ensure they can care for those dependent on them.

The Carer’s Leave Bill, introduced by Wendy Chamberlain MP and backed by the government, will introduce a new and highly flexible entitlement of one week’s unpaid leave per year for employees who are providing or arranging care.

Carer’s Leave will be available to eligible employees from the first day of their employment, meaning unpaid carers will be supported regardless of how long they’ve worked with their employer. Staff will be able to take the leave flexibly to suit their caring responsibilities and will not need to provide evidence of how the leave is used or who it will be used for, ensuring a smoother process for both businesses and their employees.

Business Minister Dean Russell said:

Carers play a vital role in our society, and it is only right that we support them so they can balance their caring responsibilities with their working life.

These reforms will not only better the lives of millions of unpaid carers across the UK, but also the friends and family that are dependent on their compassion every day.

Employees taking their carer’s leave entitlement will be subject to the same employment protections that are associated with other forms of family related leave, meaning they will be protected from dismissal or any detriment as a result of having taken time off.

By making it easier for people to support their loved ones, employers are likely to benefit from less staff turnover and a reduction in recruitment and training costs by retaining employees who previously would have been unable to balance their caring responsibilities and working life.

Wendy Chamberlain MP for North East Fife said:

I am delighted that my Carers Leave Bill has passed its second reading today. When passed this will give millions of carers employments rights for the first time ever. It is a landmark change in how businesses support their employees.

I want to thank the carers and businesses who have spoken to me in support of Carers Leave. It is clear that this policy is a win-win. Carers, without whom our society wouldn’t function, are supported to better balance work and home without burning out; and businesses have happier, more motivated workers with higher retention rates.

Helen Walker, Carers UK Chief Executive said:

We are thrilled that the government has supported the Carer’s Leave Bill at its successful second reading. Having worked to support carers in employment for years, Carers UK’s evidence shows Carer’s Leave would make a significant difference to unpaid carers’ lives, helping them stay in work and improving wellbeing by giving time off to attend appointments, arrange or provide care. As well as supporting families, it also makes business sense, helping retain skilled employees.

Today’s reforms form part of the government’s wider efforts to ensure more people stay in work with more employees on payrolls than ever before – and with unemployment at an all-time low.

The government consulted on proposals for a Carer’s Leave Bill in 2020, with a response to the consultation being published in September 2021.

The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 21 October 2022.

The UK’s world-leading manufacturing industries will be boosted thanks to £211 million in new government funding for battery research and innovation, Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg confirmed today (Friday 21 October).

The record funding uplift will be delivered through the Faraday Battery Challenge, which began in 2017 and supports world-class scientific technology development and manufacturing scale-up capability for batteries in the UK. It will help to seize on opportunities for private investment and economic growth in industries where powerful, fast charging batteries will be essential – such as domestic energy storage and electric vehicles.

The funding, from last year’s settlement, will be delivered between 2022 and 2025 by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) with support from the Faraday Institution, Innovate UK and the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC).

It will help the sector deliver 100,000 jobs in battery gigafactories and the battery supply chain by 2040. Supporting the scale-up of these technologies and unlocking further private investment supports the sustainable growth of the economy, which will boost tax revenues and put public services on a more secure footing for the longer term, helping improve life for people across the UK.

Speaking on a visit to the £130 million UKBIC, which is the UK’s centre of excellence in battery manufacturing, Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg said:

Safe and powerful batteries are central to our plans to grow the industries of the future. From our world leading renewables industry, to our growing electric vehicle sector, secure supplies of batteries are key to delivering jobs and prosperity.

The Faraday Battery Challenge has brought the UK’s greatest minds and best facilities together to develop the innovations that will help us achieve this goal. The work it has done since 2017 has laid the groundwork for our future economic success and I am pleased to confirm this work will continue, supported by record funding.

The Faraday Battery Challenge combines:

• research and capability development to reduce battery weight and cost, increase energy and power, and ensure reliability and recyclability;
• collaborative business-led innovation in the UK battery sector, development of the wider network and skills needed to manufacture batteries through Innovate UK; and
• manufacturing scale-up & skills development at the UKBIC the national battery manufacturing development facility.

The Challenge has supported over 140 organisations working across the UK, attracting over £400 million in further private sector investment. It has enabled the Faraday Institution, the UK’s independent battery research body, to unite 500 researchers across more than 25 universities to improve current and develop future battery technologies.

Faraday Battery Challenge Director Tony Harper said:

This new funding allows us to strengthen the foundation we’ve created by consolidating and building on the UK’s position to become a battery science superpower. We now have an opportunity to ensure that our national industrialisation infrastructure remains world leading in this fast-evolving critical net zero technology.

With the support of the Challenge, the £130 million UKBIC in Coventry opened three years ahead of its nearest European competition. The Centre provides the link between battery research and successful mass production. So far UKBIC has supported over 140 UK battery developers, working on more than 80 research and innovation projects, to successfully scale their products to market.

Felicity Buchan, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, said:

The battery industry will play a pivotal role in the growth of our future economy. That’s why it’s so important that we are making this record investment in cutting-edge research, supporting businesses to become more innovative and productive, and creating high-skill, high-wage jobs across the UK.

UKBIC Managing Director Jeff Pratt said:

I am delighted with this announcement which demonstrates the government’s sustained commitment to supporting the development of advanced battery technologies across the UK. Since the Faraday Battery Challenge was launched in 2017, we have seen rapid change in the battery industry as it develops increased capacity across Europe; and this will continue over the coming decade.

For UKBIC, this additional funding will ensure that we retain our leading-edge manufacturing capability for the UK and can continue to support our industry in the next few years as novel chemistries and formats scale towards volume production.

UKRI Chief Executive Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser said:

Advanced battery technology will play a central role in our lives and the economy, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, creating new jobs and opening up new opportunities.

The Faraday Battery Challenge is at the forefront of the clean technology revolution, catalysing collaboration and innovation that will benefit society.

This exciting work and the further investment announced today underlines the ways in which research and innovation can help to create a sustainable future while driving economic growth.

Along with the Challenge, the UK government is helping to deliver a world leading electric vehicle industry for the UK through the Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF). Through the ATF the UK has secured major investments in battery production, including Envision AESC expanding their existing plant in Sunderland.

A further £4 million is also being announced through UKRI’s Driving the Electric Revolution Challenge to support skills, talent and training across Power Electronics, Machines and Drives (PEMD) manufacturing and supply chains. PEMD components are the parts that make things ‘go’, from cars to hairdryers, underpinning a wide range of high-value industries.

The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 20 October 2022.

The science, innovation and business community came together this week at London’s Royal Institution and Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum to launch the Government Office for Technology Transfer (GOTT).

GOTT, which forms part of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), has been established to unlock the value of public sector knowledge assets, estimated to be worth over £106 billion, delivering economic, social and financial outcomes for the UK economy and taxpayers.

Science and Investment Security Minister Nusrat Ghani said:

The UK is an exceptional research, knowledge and innovation base, cementing its position as a genuine global science superpower.

However, British discoveries are too often brought to market elsewhere, taking the expertise and financial benefits from UK research to foreign economies.

This is why the work of excellent new Government Office for Technology Transfer, launching today, will be so important. I look forward to seeing this new office work to commercialise the UK’s outstanding home-grown knowledge assets to benefit our country’s economy, society, and position as an Innovation Nation.

GOTT CEO Dr Alison Campbell said:

I’m delighted to be able to mark the launch of the Government Office for Technology Transfer – as a dedicated team with a cross-government remit, it’s a first of its kind.

Our purpose is to raise awareness across government of the value of intangible knowledge assets and to provide practical advice and support to enable such opportunities to be properly exploited.

There is a wealth of knowledge, resources and intellectual property across the portfolio of government investments that has the power to drive innovation across business and the public sector. There are already many exciting examples of how these are contributing to the British economy. We want to enhance the scale and pace of knowledge asset development across the public sector.

Headquartered in Salford, GOTT hosted the second of its 2 launch events on Thursday at Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum, where BEIS Non-Executive Board Member, Vikas Shah, joined Alison Campbell to welcome invitees from the innovation ecosystem in the North, as well as showcasing the city as a centre for government innovation.

The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 20 October 2022.

New UK subsidy regime comes fully into force on 4 January 2023

regime will enable public authorities to deliver subsidies that are tailored to local needs and to drive economic growth

new flexible approach to subsidies available due to the unique opportunity presented by Brexit

The new system to regulate subsidies to business will come into force from 4 January, Business Minister Dean Russell announced today (Thursday 20 October), providing a big boost for businesses and further impetus behind the government’s plans to supercharge economic growth.

Under the new rules, the devolved administrations and local authorities will be able to deliver subsidies that are tailored to local needs, with the new regime providing the flexibility needed to ensure that support quickly gets to where it is most needed.

Public authorities will be able to support viable businesses across their region quickly and simply, delivering good value for the British taxpayer while ensuring Britain’s businesses can help deliver economic growth.

The introduction of the new rules from January marks a major move away from the prescriptive EU aid regime that could stymie elected governments in Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh from delivering funds to businesses that needed it.

Business Minister Dean Russell said:
Our subsidy control regime is built to meet the needs of modern Britain, freeing UK authorities from the restrictive shackles of European bureaucracy and longwinded approval processes.

Our new rules are robust yet flexible, empowering public authorities to deliver money quickly, fairly and simply, to businesses that need it the most.

Under the EU system, all subsidies except those under a ‘Block Exemption Regulation’ had to undergo a lengthy bureaucratic process of being notified to and approved by the European Commission in advance, delaying vital funds from reaching viable businesses in good time.

The implementation of this regime comes after a full, extensive consultation on the proposed approach, with views gathered from stakeholders across the UK.

The new rules will help bolster the government’s plans to drive a vibrant free market economy, by banning unlimited government guarantees to businesses as well as subsidies granted to ‘ailing or insolvent’ enterprises where there is no credible restructuring plan.

The UK’s new regime will also contribute to meeting the UK’s international commitments on subsidy control, including its international commitments at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and in Free Trade Agreements.

BEIS is holding a series of events for public authorities to explain the main features and principles of the new regime.

In-person events are being held in:

Belfast
Cardiff
Glasgow
Manchester
Multiple online events are taking place too.

 

The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 18 October 2022.

This week (Monday 17 October), recently appointed Minister for Science and Investment Security Nusrat Ghani arrived at the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Centre for Earth Observation to meet with ESA’s Director General Josef Aschbacher, and Austrian Minister for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility and Technology, Leonore Gewessler.

Minister Ghani was joined by UK Space Agency CEO Paul Bate for the visit, the Minister’s first trip outside the UK since being appointed in her ministerial position within the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy.

The meeting with Dr. Aschbacher came ahead of this year’s ESA Council of Ministers (CMIN22), set to take place in November, at which member states look to invest in the next evolution of ESA missions and programmes, and at which the UK contribution to ESA will be confirmed.

November’s Ministerial council will present an exciting opportunity to help set the future direction of ESA, and to achieve an outcome for the UK that delivers on our National Space Strategy (NSS) objectives while driving growth and supporting safety and sustainability on Earth.

Minister for Science and Investment Security Nusrat Ghani said:

I am proud to be representing the UK space sector as we discuss our ambitions ahead of the ESA Council of Ministers next month. There are a series of important programmes on the table, and I want to harness opportunities in space to grow the UK economy, create jobs and inspire young people into STEM careers.

It was important to me that my first international trip was with ESA and I look forward to the Council of Ministers meeting in November and campaigning for 2025 UK Presidency.

We’re also making new funding available now to strengthen the UK’s position as a world leader in the satellite communications market, and I look forward to seeing the results of the competition.

Having committed £374 million per year over five years to ESA in 2019, the UK’s investment and collaboration with the agency is of significant value to the economy and domestic sector, illustrated by new UK Space Agency report findings published this week, which find that for every £1 invested, ESA will generate an overall return of £11.80 for the UK economy.

The visit to Italy also coincided with Minister Ghani’s unveiling of a new £15 million fund for UK businesses to revolutionise satellite communications technology. The competition will prioritise customer needs, support sustainable growth and catalyse further investment into the UK space sector, which already employs 47,000 people.

The trip was indicative of the UK’s strong commitment to the space and R&D sector both at home and across Europe. The UK’s European and global partnerships form an essential part of this government’s ambitions in the field as we begin to explore the possibility of bidding for the ESA presidency for 2025, continue to advocate for our association to the Horizon Europe research programme, and look ahead to a busy pipeline of bilateral engagements across R&D.

The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 18 October 2022.

The Permanent Secretary at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has today (18 October 2022) announced, with the approval of the Prime Minister, that Clive Maxwell has been appointed as the new second Permanent Secretary at BEIS. Clive is currently Director General, High Speed Rail, at the Department for Transport.

The second permanent secretary will provide leadership across the whole breadth of the department’s delivery portfolio, ensuring the department has the expertise and experience to deliver across a wide range of programmes, from energy support this winter to longer term investments.

The Secretary of State, Jacob Rees-Mogg, said:

Clive brings a wealth of experience to the new position of second permanent secretary at the department. BEIS has much to deliver for consumers and businesses, from vital support for energy bills to securing essential economic growth, and Clive will ensure this work is delivered successfully.

Permanent Secretary, Sarah Munby, said:

Clive is a fantastic addition to the team and will help ensure we’re successful in delivering one of the most challenging and diverse portfolios in government. His recent experience leading one of the government’s very largest delivery programmes, HS2, will be invaluable and I look forward to working with him and welcoming him to the team.

Clive Maxwell said:

I’m delighted and excited to be joining BEIS, and playing a part in its vital work supporting economic growth and reform of energy markets. I’m looking forward to using my experience to help the Department with one of the biggest delivery portfolios in government.