Tag: Department for Science Innovation and Technology

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 12 September 2024.

Data including vital NHS, financial, and personal smartphone data is set to be safer from cyber attacks, environmental disasters, and IT blackouts as part of government’s drive for economic growth.

Today (Thursday 12 September), the Technology Secretary Peter Kyle, has announced the government has now classed UK data centres – the buildings which store much of the data generated in the UK – as ‘Critical National Infrastructure’. It is the first Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) designation in almost a decade, since the Space and Defence sectors gained the same status in 2015.

It means the data housed and processed in UK data centres – from photos taken on smartphones to patients’ NHS records and sensitive financial investment information – is less likely to be compromised during outages, cyber attacks, and adverse weather events. Putting data centres on an equal footing as water, energy and emergency services systems will mean the data centres sector can now expect greater government support in recovering from and anticipating critical incidents, giving the industry greater reassurance when setting up business in UK and helping generate economic growth for all.

CNI designation will, for example, see the setting up of a dedicated CNI data infrastructure team of senior government officials who will monitor and anticipate potential threats, provide prioritised access to security agencies including the National Cyber Security Centre, and coordinate access to emergency services should an incident occur.

It comes as the government today welcomes a proposed £3.75 billion investment in Europe’s largest data centre, as plans have been submitted to Hertsmere Borough Council for construction in Hertfordshire by data company DC01UK which will directly create over 700 local jobs and support 13,740 data and tech jobs across the country.

Critical National Infrastructure status will also deter cyber criminals from targeting data centres that may house vital health and financial data, minimising disruption to people’s lives, the NHS and the economy.

In the event of an attack on a data centre hosting critical NHS patients’ data, for example, the government would intervene to ensure contingencies are in place to mitigate the risk of damage or to essential services, including on patients’ appointments or operations.

The new protections will also boost business confidence in investing in data centres in the country, an industry which already generates an estimated £4.6 billion in revenues a year.

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:

Data centres are the engines of modern life, they power the digital economy and keep our most personal information safe.

Bringing data centres into the Critical National Infrastructure regime will allow better coordination and cooperation with the government against cyber criminals and unexpected events.

The huge £3.75 billion private investment announced today in Hertfordshire is a vote of confidence in those plans and a clear example of my determination to ensure technological advancements are helping to grow our economy and create wealth across the country.

The Crowd Strike incident earlier this summer, affecting 60% of GP practices with disruption to software holding patients’ appointment details, prescriptions, and health records showed the catastrophic impact of IT and cyber threats on people’s lives.

Awarding Critical National Infrastructure status shows the fundamental importance of data centres for the government, and today’s measures renew the Prime Minister’s commitment to ensuring the UK data industry remains secure and stable.

The move will provide greater reassurance the UK is a safe place to invest in data centres to businesses such as DC01UK, the company behind today’s a planning application for an investment of nearly £4 billion in Europe’s largest datacentre in Hertfordshire.

Currently, the UK is home to the highest number of data centres in Western Europe. Boosting the resilience of the sector will help the country top the global leagues for data security and support the UK government in its mission of achieving sustained economic growth.

Earlier in the summer, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) also announced its intention to introduce the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill and strengthen the country’s cyber defences by mandating that providers of essential infrastructure protect their supply chains from attacks.

Bruce Owen, UK Managing Director of digital infrastructure provider Equinix, said:

We welcome today’s announcement by the government which recognises the critical nature of data centres and digital infrastructure to the economy and society.

The internet, and the digital infrastructure that underpins it, has rapidly grown to be as fundamental to each one of our daily lives as water, gas, and electricity, and is now a service that people and the UK economy can no longer live without.

Equinix is happy to have played an important role in the consultation process to bring about today’s critical national infrastructure status, which we believe will help safeguard the industry by ensuring the stability and growth of the UK and global economy and lay the groundwork for the UK’s bright digital future.

Matthew Evans, Director of Markets and Chief Operating Officer at techUK, said:

techUK welcomes the government’s pivotal decision to designate the data centres sector as Critical National Infrastructure and the recognition of the critical role they play in the UK’s modern economy.

Data centres are fundamental to our digitising economy and are a key driver of growth. We look forward to collaborating closely with the government and our stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of these new measures and their impact on the sector. Continued engagement and partnership will be key in advancing our shared objectives of a secure, resilient, and thriving digital economy.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 5 September 2024.

Researchers at the University of Dundee are receiving a government funding boost to continue their vital work for a further 5 years.

Dundee-based researchers with a track record of devising treatments for deadly diseases like cancer and Parkinson’s – whose work has crowded in £60 million in investment to date – are receiving further backing from the government to continue their vital work for a further 5 years, Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle will announce today (Thursday 5 September).

The Medical Research Council’s Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit (MRC PPU) will receive nearly £30 million of funding allocated from UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) to bolster its cell biology research centre as it continues its vital work over the next 5 years.

Currently, the 200-strong scientific community of staff and students based at the University of Dundee are using cutting-edge technology and biochemistry to explore how signals transmitted within the body’s cells are disrupted. Working closely with industry, Dundee’s unit has been a fundamental part of the development and clinical approval of over 40 drugs that are now widely used to treat patients, attracting almost £60 million in private investment. It is just one example cementing Scotland’s place at the forefront of the UK government’s plans to make Britain a powerhouse for life sciences that attracts international investment and drives forward the deployment of discoveries that grow the economy, create prosperity across the country and improve lives and public services.

Improving our understanding of the processes within cells could be the key to unlocking the scientific basis of innovative treatments for a range of diseases – from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s to Crohn’s and coeliac disease.  Their work has already delivered a drug that is now widely used to treat skin cancer.

The new funding comes ahead of the Science and Technology Secretary addressing higher education representatives at the Universities UK conference at the University of Reading, where he will reflect on his personal experience in higher education and will give his full-throated backing to the sector as a vehicle for much-needed economic growth.

He will also outline his vision for DSIT, and the crucial role universities can play in this, harnessing discoveries and innovations for novel therapies and technologies, like those developed in Dundee, that could transform patients’ lives and drive economic growth.

Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:

“I went to university later in life than most, but when I did it changed everything for me. It was the first time in my life that people saw potential in me that I never knew I had, and gave me the support and focus I needed to build something from it. The value of our universities, to the economy and to the whole of society, cannot be overstated.

“As we embark on a decade of national renewal, the higher education sector has a profound role to play in every piece of work we’ll need to do, to build a Britain that delivers for working people: from seizing the potential of clean energy to rebuilding the NHS. I will always champion our universities. They are society’s most powerful engines for innovation, aspiration, economic growth and the creation of better lives for all – which is why investing in their work, like this £30m in funding, is so important.”

Science Minister Lord Vallance said:

“The work at the University of Dundee, which we are announcing support for today, is proof of how deep expertise, effective links with industry, and the power of curiosity can deliver meaningful improvements to people’s lives, while also driving economic growth across the UK.

“This funding puts the unit on track to strive for still more health breakthroughs, that could help more patients live longer and healthier lives.”

Working with other companies, including GlaxoSmithKline, the team was central to developing a drug now widely used to treat melanoma, and a promising new drug for Parkinson’s disease is in clinical trials as a result of the team’s globally recognise work, investigating the condition to discover potential causes and treatments.

Universities are vital to the government’s mission to boost our economy and transform healthcare services with world-class science and research. They are at the heart of our research strengths, underpinning key sectors including life sciences. Backing university-based researchers, like the team at the University of Dundee, will ensure that they can continue unlocking the technologies and therapies that could be life-changing to patients, and which drive economic growth and productivity.

Professor Dario Alessi, Director of the MRC PPU said:

“We are incredibly grateful for the long-term support that our Unit has received from the MRC over the last 34 years. This has enabled our researchers to tackle the most important questions and greatly contributed to our understanding of how derailment of biological pathways causes human diseases including neurodegeneration, diabetes, cancer, and immune dysfunction.

“Our mission for the next 5 years will be to work with leading research centres, clinicians, and pharmaceutical companies to translate our discoveries into clinical progress and accelerate drug discovery. Whilst doing this research we aim to provide our staff with a unique training opportunity working in a collaborative multidisciplinary environment paying attention to improving culture and development best practices.”

Professor Patrick Chinnery, Executive Chair of the Medical Research Council, said:

“The MRC are proud to be investing for a further 5 years in the exceptional research of the MRC PPU in Dundee. They are leaders in conducting rigorous fundamental research and then working with industry to translate those breakthroughs for patient benefit. The MRC PPU have an outstanding culture of collaboration and sharing their leading research expertise, products and techniques with the wider scientific community.”

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 31 August 2024.

Researchers across the UK to use latest tech and major data bank to provide better flood and drought warnings.

Predicting where future flooding and droughts will strike next in the UK will be made easier under a new project for scientists using the latest tech and real-time data, Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle has announced today (Saturday 31 August).

It will help key bodies, like local authorities and the Environment Agency, to stem the worst of extreme weather’s impact on communities, saving lives, homes, and businesses, and helping to cut the devastating cost of such events to the UK economy, estimated at £740 million a year.

The Floods and Droughts Research Infrastructure, led by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) and backed by £40 million, will be the first UK-wide network focused on understanding the impact of extreme weather conditions across the country, pinpointing where incidents are likely to occur and planning to limit their impact.

The complexity of Earth’s climate makes forecasting floods and droughts a major challenge, with climate change only further complicating the picture. Researchers will use the latest technologies including sensors and real time computer monitoring, plus a huge bank of data including river profiles and near real-time monitoring of information including on atmospherics, ground saturation, water movement, abstraction and storage – taken together, this will form a clearer impression of where and when extreme weather will strike.

Floods wreak havoc on communities by destroying homes, public infrastructure, and livelihoods like farming which in turn costs consumers. Similarly, droughts have a major impact on the water supply and UK eco-system, harming wildlife and their natural habitats which rely on regular rainfall.

Researchers will be based at UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology’s offices throughout Great Britain, with further input from researchers in the British Geological Survey, University of Bristol and Imperial College London.

Findings from the project will be shared with key bodies like the Environment Agency to steer the UK response to extreme weather. It will also act as a hub for researchers to pursue new innovations with discoveries shared across the world and marking the UK as a leader in the field.

Science and Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, said:

Flooding and droughts can devastate UK communities, from leaving people stranded, to destroying homes, gardens, roads and businesses, and even claiming lives.

With climate change sadly making extreme weather events more common and adding an eye-watering cost to the economy, there is no time to waste in backing our researchers and innovators to ensure we are better prepared for floods and droughts striking.

This project will help drive that progress, with dedicated teams using the most advanced tech to crunch data gathered from our rivers and paint a clear picture of its likely impact – using the power of science and tech to keep the public safe.

The new measures build on £5.6 billion of government investment into flooding from 2021 and 2027, with over 100 and coastal risk management projects helping to better protect thousands of people and properties from flooding from the sea, rivers and reservoirs.

We will also shortly launch a new Flood Resilience Taskforce to turbocharge the delivery of new flood defences, drainage systems and natural flood management schemes, which will ensure we’re prepared for the future and help grow our economy.

Floods Minister Emma Hardy said:

In the case of extreme flooding and drought, preparation and prediction are everything.

Our new institute will bring together a team of world-leading researchers and the latest technology to ensure our communities, businesses and farms are protected from these devastating events.

Today’s funding also builds on wider UKRI projects tackling extreme weather in the UK and abroad, including support for businesses to ensure against its risks.

It includes a project sponsored by the NERC linking the frequency and intensity of storms over Northern Europe using mathematical models that enable more accurate pricing of storm-related risks. Meanwhile the Lisflood-FP computer model developed by the University of Bristol has helped over one million Zambian farmers to insure themselves against drought risk through daily rainfall estimates for the continent of Africa.

Another team at Bristol has pioneered the development of high-resolution flood prediction models, which has resulted in Fathom: a spin-out company with an annual turnover of more than £4 million. Its work includes protecting infrastructure valued at over $1 trillion, thanks to improved flood risk management in the UK and across the world.

Executive Chair of NERC, Professor Louise Heathwaite, said:

Earth’s changing climate means the number of extreme floods and droughts will increase in the UK, impacting homes, businesses and services. But predicting their location and measuring their intensity and impact needs the sort of scientific advances that this programme will bring to overcome the data and analytical constraints that are currently very challenging.

The project will transform the way we understand the impact of these events by building a significant bank of data and improving our monitoring capability, and so helping to protect those affected.

This is an example of how NERC is responding to climate challenges with research and innovation investments that will accelerate the green economy and deliver solutions to national priorities.

Notes to editors

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) has awarded £38 million from the UKRI Infrastructure Fund to establish the new institute.

A further £1.2 million of funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council will go towards a three-year project to slash the time and cost involved in running computer models of projected flooding out to the year 2100. This will enable detailed assessments of a much wider range of potential scenarios than currently possible, taking into account the nature and extent of the impact on extreme weather in these areas, informing solutions much better matched to the specific needs of different parts of the UK.

Between April 2022 and March 2023, the government worked with other risk management authorities to complete around 120 flooding and coastal risk management projects.

These projects better protected people and properties from:

• sea and tidal flooding (16,800 properties from 27 projects)
• river flooding (6,500 properties from 59 projects)
• surface water flooding (900 properties from 21 projects)
• coastal erosion (1,100 properties from 7 projects)
• reservoirs (1,100 properties from 1 project)
• groundwater (35 properties from 2 projects)

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 26 August 2024.

Ramblers, hill climbers, and wildlife watchers in dozens of UK tourist hotspots will enjoy faster, more reliable mobile coverage to explore the Great British countryside this bank holiday.

Four masts providing 4G coverage in some of Britain’s most visited national parks have now been switched on following UK Government funding, improving safety for tourists and local residents, and reducing the number of signal losses in these remote areas.

The key locations targeted by the programme include areas of outstanding natural beauty across England and Wales, such as Snowdonia, the Shropshire Hills, the Wye Valley, and the Brecon Beacons, which are benefitting from improved connectivity without new infrastructure being installed. It will mean residents and visitors who previously struggled to fulfil basic tasks on their mobiles, such as finding routes via online maps, uploading pictures on social media, and using messaging platforms to text and make calls, will no longer face frustrating mobile dropouts.

The boost comes as the UK Government seeks to fix the digital divide to ensure Britons up and down the country can have the same opportunities and are not held back by lack of connectivity.

Minister of State for Telecoms Chris Bryant said:

We want everyone to be able to enjoy the breath-taking views of our mountains, parks, and lakes and this connectivity boost without any impact on scenery will give visitors the peace of mind to be able to call a friend should they get lost, or find their way to enjoy a much-needed lunch break in a local pub.

The upgrade is also set to reduce the risks of tourists needing emergency assistance, easing pressures on the emergency services who normally receive higher number of calls during bank holidays.

Where people do find themselves at risk, the masts will give first responders immediate access to life-saving data, images and information – making it quicker and easier for them to rescue anyone in danger.

Mike Park, Chief Executive Officer of Mountain Rescue England and Wales said:

Teams across the country are seeing a year-on-year increased demand for our unpaid, voluntary services. This announcement means that we are being given the best chance to be alerted when people require our life-saving services.

Thirty years ago, when mobile phones and network coverage were in their infancy, it was typical that simply getting off the mountain to a telephone to alert Mountain Rescue could add more than 2 hours before a rescue could be initiated. Because of the improvement in the mobile phone networks in these remote areas, mountain rescue teams are now able to be alerted so much quicker, which is a benefit to all of us – casualty and rescuer.

The boost is the latest milestone of the Shared Rural Network programme, a £1 billion funding project geared towards improving connectivity in rural areas of the country. This part of the programme upgrades existing masts so that the impact on the surrounding environment is kept to a minimum.

Beyond national parks, the upgrade will also benefit tourists visiting historic landmarks, such as the UNESCO world heritage site Blaenavon Industrial Landscape and the Norman-era Caldicot Castle and Country Park in South Wales.

The Shared Rural Network has already led to an additional 14,800 square kilometres – an area roughly the size of Northern Ireland or two million football pitches – receiving coverage from all four operators.

The UK government is investing in upgrades to the Home Office’s Emergency Service Network mobile masts to provide coverage from all four mobile operators – mostly in Scotland and Wales. To date, 16 Extended Area Service (EAS) mast upgrades have been switched on – including 13 in Wales, one in Scotland and two in England.

Mobile operators are also investing over £500 million to target partial ‘not spots’, where customers can only access 4G if they are signed up with a mobile network operator that is active in the area. This part of the programme has already delivered significant coverage improvements across the UK, including in the areas of Shetland, Yorkshire, Fermanagh and Devon.

Bryn Jones, Director of SRN at Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited which represents the four major mobile operators, said:

With 16 publicly funded mobile sites now live, residents, businesses and tourists across the UK are benefitting from the sharing of existing infrastructure. The Shared Rural Network will continue to deliver improved 4G coverage as more upgrades go live.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 22 August 2024.

Hazel Hobbs has been appointed by the UK government as the interim Chair of Building Digital UK (BDUK), starting on 1 September 2024. BDUK is an executive agency of DSIT with responsibility for delivering the government’s two major digital infrastructure programmes, Project Gigabit and the Shared Rural Network.

Hazel has also been reappointed as a non executive director of BDUK, having been a member of the Board since the organisation became an executive agency in March 2022. She will serve as interim Chair whilst an exercise is launched to recruit a permanent Chair.

Hazel previously chaired BDUK’s Audit and Risk Committee. Her wider experience includes being former job-share Director at the Government Digital Service where she led on implementing the transformation strategy for digital government and championed innovation to bring modern, digital services to every community in the UK. Hazel is an Associate at the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) and regularly leads assurance reviews of the highest profile major projects in government. She consults widely on governance and public service reform and has led three public body reviews for Cabinet Office and Northern Ireland Ministers. She is an Associate Fellow at the Oxford University Said Business School and teaches and coaches on a range of programmes, including the Major Projects Leadership Academy.

Commenting on her appointment, Hazel Hobbs said:

I’m delighted to have been appointed as BDUK’s interim Chair and will continue working with DSIT, the Board and Chief Executive to drive forward the Government’s commitment to achieve full gigabit coverage by 2030.

As a citizen, independent business director and parent, I know how critical our work is to power economic growth and ensure nowhere is left behind. My priority will be to build on the hard work and brilliant foundations established by BDUK staff and prepare for the forthcoming Spending Review. We remain focused on collaborative working with the telecommunications industry and devolved governments to secure fast, effective and good value digital infrastructure for the taxpayer.

More information on Project Gigabit can be found here and information on the Shared Rural Network can be found here.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 13 August 2024.

Hundreds of thousands of rural homes and businesses will receive major internet speed upgrades, as the UK Government fixes the digital divide and powers up all regions of Britain.

• Up to £800 million in UK Government funding to end the plight of poor broadband for around 300,000 across Great Britain
• For the first time, Wales is included in the initiative to enhance connectivity, expanding the reach of improved infrastructure to homes and businesses
• Marks start of UK Government’s ‘renewed push’ to reach full gigabit coverage by 2030 to plug connectivity black holes across the country

Hundreds of thousands of rural homes and businesses struggling to fulfil basic online tasks due to outdated broadband infrastructure will receive major internet speed upgrades, as the UK Government fixes the digital divide and powers up all regions of Britain.

Up to £800 million in government investment will be made available to modernise broadband infrastructure in rural areas of England, Scotland and Wales, ending the plight of buffering so people can fulfil everyday online tasks, such as streaming films, video calling, or downloading large files, which is currently particularly challenging in some areas of Wales and Scotland.

The deal will provide access to lightning-fast gigabit-capable broadband to around 312,000 homes and businesses across Great Britain. It is the first time Wales, the region with the lowest percentage of gigabit coverage, will benefit from this programme.

It will mean residents and businesses in remote areas of Britain, such as the South Wales Valleys, Exmoor National Park and the Forest of Bowland will finally gain access to the fastest connection on the market. This will help deliver improved productivity, as part of the government’s mission to kickstart economic growth.

The landmark deal with telecoms provider Openreach represents one of the biggest milestones in the rollout of Project Gigabit, which targets places too expensive for providers to reach in their commercial build and which would otherwise be left behind with poor digital infrastructure. It will help meet the growing demand for reliable connectivity, stimulating local rural economies and reducing regional disparities, by enabling remote working and attracting new businesses.

The announcement follows this Government’s vow to redouble its efforts to achieve full gigabit coverage by 2030 and harness the enormous potential of technology to grow the economy, accelerate innovation and improve people’s lives.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Peter Kyle said: 

Over the past decade, the UK’s broadband rollout has clearly not happened fast enough and has overlooked too many areas, especially in Scotland and Wales. Robust digital infrastructure is essential for growth, productivity and competitiveness and this shortfall not only poses risks to our economic stability, but also entrenches existing inequalities across the country.

We are fixing this by delivering for hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses up and down the country, focusing on the areas that were not prioritised by the previous government, such as Wales.

Today marks a significant milestone in delivering on our promise to redouble our efforts to achieve full gigabit coverage by 2030 and lay the foundations for a more inclusive, dynamic and prosperous future for all citizens.

Today’s announcement will also improve learning opportunities for students, who will be able to gain better access to online resources and remote learning platforms, as well as healthcare patients, who will be able to further rely on remote consultations – as the UK Government continues its mission to improve public services and grow the economy.

Contracts worth £288 million have already been signed with Openreach under the agreement to connect approximately 96,600 homes and businesses in England and, for the first time, Wales. Areas to benefit include Lancashire, North Wiltshire, South Gloucestershire, West and Mid-Surrey, Staffordshire, West Berkshire and Hertfordshire, West and North Devon, and North West, Mid and South East Wales.

Talks are now underway with Openreach to agree further contracts to benefit around 215,800 more premises across England, Scotland and Wales, with more announcements expected in the coming months. Areas expected to benefit from these future contracts include Central and North Scotland, North and South West Wales, Mid and South Devon, East and South Shropshire, North Herefordshire, North Somerset, Essex, North East England and Worcestershire.

Minister for Digital Infrastructure Chris Bryant said:

Far too many rural citizens and businesses are still stuck with outdated internet infrastructure, not being able to fulfil day-to-day tasks as easily as people living in our towns and cities.

We have been clear we want to achieve sustained economic growth in every corner of Britain, and this starts by ensuring our communities have the infrastructure they need to thrive.

This monumental deal with Openreach will make a real difference to communities – such as staying in touch with loved ones or being able to do business no matter where you are.

Project Gigabit will support the government’s plans to kickstart economic growth, creating and supporting thousands of high-paid, high-skilled jobs, empowering industries of all kinds to innovate and increasing productivity by taking up digital technology. It will also ensure people can access vital services they need now and, in the future, from giving patients improved access to healthcare through virtual appointments and remote health monitoring to helping pensioners combat loneliness by catching up with loved ones over higher quality video calls.

For households, gigabit-capable broadband delivers faster speeds and fewer dropouts. Unlike traditional copper-based networks, gigabit connections won’t slow down at peak times, meaning no more battling for bandwidth with the neighbours. Gigabit networks can easily handle over a hundred devices all at once with no buffering, meaning the whole family can seamlessly surf, stream and download at the same time.

Clive Selley, CEO of Openreach said:

Research shows that full fibre provides a host of economic, social and environmental benefits – and I believe we’re the best in the business at delivering it.

I’m proud we’ve been chosen, through a fiercely competitive process, and we’re already cracking on with the job.

This is a British infrastructure success story. Our network already reaches more than 15 million urban and rural premises and, wherever we build, we bring the widest choice of providers for customers. I’m confident we can reach as many as 30 million homes by the end of the decade if the conditions remain supportive.

Trinity House, a charity dedicated to safeguarding lighthouses and maritime navigation aids in England and Wales is set to benefit from this investment. Chief Executive Rear Admiral Iain Lower welcomed the rollout:

As an organisation that works in remote parts of the nation, we applaud this rollout by Openreach and Government. This rollout will, among other things, help our operational teams work, connect and live better at our remote lighthouses, an invaluable improvement for when they are away from their homes and families.

Looking at the wider benefits, improved working conditions help ensure that our lighthouses work exactly as expected for the tens of thousands of mariners in our waters that rely on our aids to navigation. Safer seas make for a more prosperous island nation, as we depend on merchant shipping to carry 95% of the goods we use daily.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 13 August 2024.

Tens of thousands of Welsh homes and businesses struggling to fulfil basic online tasks due to outdated broadband infrastructure will receive major internet speed upgrades, as the UK Government fixes the digital divide in Wales.

Tens of thousands of Welsh homes and businesses struggling to fulfil basic online tasks due to outdated broadband infrastructure will receive major internet speed upgrades, as the UK Government fixes the digital divide in Wales.

Around £170 million in UK Government investment will be made available to deliver top-of-the-range ‘gigabit-capable’ broadband for around 70,000 hard-to-reach premises in Wales, as figures show the nation records the lowest levels of gigabit connectivity in Great Britain.

It will apply to some of the most remote parts of the country from the South Wales Valleys to the Llyn Peninsula – so residents and businesses have access to the fastest connection on the market.  This will help deliver improved productivity, as part of the government’s mission to kickstart economic growth.

It is the first UK Government contract under Project Gigabit to boost connection in Wales which had until now not benefitted from the support.

The deal, which is part of a wider UK Government plan which will make up to £800 million available to deliver gigabit connection across Great Britain, is set to provide lightning-fast gigabit-capable broadband to Welsh communities that would otherwise be left behind with poor digital infrastructure. It will help meet the growing demand for reliable connectivity, stimulating local rural economies and reducing regional disparities, by enabling remote working and attract new businesses.

The announcement follows this Government’s vow to redouble its efforts to achieve full gigabit coverage by 2030 and harness the enormous potential of technology to accelerate innovation and improve people’s lives.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Peter Kyle said:

Within weeks of taking office, we have already taken the steps to begin providing faster broadband to tens of thousands of people across Wales. The signing of this major contract with Openreach ensures we are on track to achieve full gigabit coverage by 2030.

Robust digital infrastructure is vital for competitiveness, productivity and growth, and we are committed to delivering for hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses, focusing particularly on areas that have been left behind, such as Wales.

Minister for Digital Infrastructure Chris Bryant said:

Communities across Wales are set to benefit from our deal with Openreach, from young pupils having an easier time completing their homework to seafarers in the Vale of Glamorgan feeling more connected personally and professionally.

This Government is determined to address the regional disparities we have inherited and provide the necessary infrastructure for all communities to prosper, including the digital infrastructure vital in today’s world.

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:

I’m delighted that so many people in harder to reach areas in Wales will be benefitting from this deal between the UK Government and Openreach. We are all increasingly dependent on high-speed broadband to work efficiently, access vital services and enjoy our leisure time.

At the moment we have too many people, especially in the more remote areas, of Wales who can’t properly access the online world, and I’m pleased that thanks to this substantial investment from the UK Government work, on fixing that is starting now.

Project Gigabit will support the government’s plans to kickstart economic growth, creating and supporting thousands of high-paid, high-skilled jobs, empowering industries of all kinds to innovate and increasing productivity by taking up digital technology. It will also ensure people can access vital services they need now and, in the future, from giving patients improved access to healthcare through virtual appointments and remote health monitoring to helping pensioners combat loneliness by catching up with loved ones over higher quality video calls.

For households, gigabit-capable broadband delivers faster speeds and fewer dropouts. Unlike traditional copper-based networks, gigabit connections won’t slow down at peak times, meaning no more battling for bandwidth with the neighbours. Gigabit networks can easily handle over a hundred devices all at once with no buffering, meaning the whole family can seamlessly surf, stream and download at the same time.

Clive Selley, CEO of Openreach said:

Research shows that full fibre provides a host of economic, social and environmental benefits – and I believe we’re the best in the business at delivering it.

I’m proud we’ve been chosen, through a fiercely competitive process, and we’re already cracking on with the job.

This is a British infrastructure success story. Our network already reaches more than 15 million urban and rural premises and, wherever we build, we bring the widest choice of providers for customers. I’m confident we can reach as many as 30 million homes by the end of the decade if the conditions remain supportive.

This announcement builds on work already underway through other Project Gigabit contracts to build faster networks for up to 910,000 hard-to-reach premises across England. Dozens of contracts representing more than £1.9 billion investment have now been signed with 11 suppliers to deliver the upgrades, including many smaller, independent broadband providers.

Trinity House, a charity dedicated to safeguarding lighthouses and maritime navigation aids in England and Wales is set to benefit from this investment. Chief Executive Rear Admiral Iain Lower welcomed the rollout:

As an organisation that works in remote parts of the nation, we applaud this rollout by Openreach and Government. This rollout will, among other things, help our operational teams work, connect and live better at our remote lighthouses, an invaluable improvement for when they are away from their homes and families.

Looking at the wider benefits, improved working conditions help ensure that our lighthouses work exactly as expected for the tens of thousands of mariners in our waters that rely on our aids to navigation. Safer seas make for a more prosperous island nation, as we depend on merchant shipping to carry 95% of the goods we use daily.

Notes to editors

Data provided by Think Broadband shows Wales lags behind all other nations in Great Britain, with only 74% of its landmass covered by gigabit-capable connection. This is compares with 84% in England, 78% in Scotland and 95% in Northern Ireland.

All figures are based on the latest available data provided by Ofcom and broadband suppliers, which the government’s broadband delivery agency Building Digital UK uses to calculate which premises will not be connected through commercial rollout and will therefore require subsidy. All figures are subject to change as existing rollout plans develop and discussions on the scope of future contracts continue.

Welsh constituencies in line to benefit from the contract (call off 2) announced today include: Arfon, Clwyd South, Dwyfor Meirionnydd, Ceredigion, Montgomeryshire, Brecon and Radnorshire, Monmouth, Torfaen, Newport West, Caerphilly, Blaenau Gwent, Cardiff North, Cardiff Central, Cardiff West, Cardiff South and Penarth, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, Ogmore, Islwyn, Pontypridd, Cynon Valley, Rhondda, Vale of Glamorgan, Bridgend, Neath, Aberavon, Swansea East, Swansea West, Gower.

The new agreement will make up to £800 million government investment available from funding which was already committed to Project Gigabit.

Under the agreement, Openreach has now signed contracts valued at around £280 million to connect around 96,000 homes and businesses.

Talks are happening now with Openreach to agree further contracts to connect more remote areas across Britain, and we’ll have more to say on these in the coming months.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 7 August 2024.

Government unveils AI projects to improve productivity and public services supported by a share of £32 million.

Companies developing artificial intelligence (AI) to improve safety on construction sites, reduce time spent repairing the railways and cut emissions across supply chains are amongst a number of projects set to receive a share of £32 million in UK Government funding.

Announced today (7 August), almost 100 ground-breaking projects have been awarded financial backing as the government continues its mission to boost productivity and kickstart growth across the economy through AI so everyone is better off.

A total of 98 projects from Southampton to Birmingham and Northern Ireland will receive funding, involving more than 200 businesses and research organisations spanning a range of sectors including public services, driving efficiencies and reducing administrative tasks.

Minister for Digital Government and AI Feryal Clark said:

AI will deliver real change for working people across the UK – not only growing our economy but improving our public services.

That’s why our support for initiatives like this will be so crucial – backing a range of projects which could reduce train delays, give us new ways of maintaining our vital infrastructure, and improve experiences for patients by making it easier to get their prescriptions to them.

We want technology to boost growth and deliver change right across the board, and I’m confident projects like these will help us realise that ambition.

Among the projects is V-Lab Ltd, which has received £165,006 to further develop software powered by AI to help people train in the construction sector. Their system offers immersive, scenario-based virtual simulations of real construction sites to efficiently train workers on risk assessments and safety protocols – helping to ensure the UK has a skilled workforce to deliver the infrastructure the country needs.

As part of the government’s mission to build an NHS which is fit for the future, pharmacies that deliver prescriptions across the country are also set to benefit from this new financial support. A project led by Nottingham-based Anteam will see them working alongside retailers and the NHS to improve the efficiency of their deliveries using AI algorithms. This technology will match the delivery needs of retailers and hospitals to existing delivery journeys, unlocking under-utilised capacity, cutting carbon emissions and delivering a better experience for patients.

In a transformational change to how our railway network is maintained and inspected, Hack Partners will also lead on the development of an entirely autonomous system which can monitor, manage, and identify defects on rail infrastructure across the country. This represents a significant step forward for the British public, boosting the efficiency and safety of our railway network to deliver a better service for rail users.

The funding announced today will specifically support solutions in ‘high growth’ industries, ensuring AI is at the heart of driving forward greater productivity and efficiency across key areas of the economy. Cambridge-based Monumo are part of a team awarded £750,152 to develop improved designs for motors in electric vehicles – their 3D Generative-AI Tool is set to improve sustainability across sectors spanning commercial transportation, flight and power generation.

Work on bringing these new innovations to life is already underway as the winning teams begin to develop their solutions to deliver the cost-cutting, efficiency boosting benefits across the UK.

In the field of logistics, Robok Limited are setting to work on their SeeGul AI tool, which uses AI to monitor efficiency, improve resourcing, and identify bottlenecks which hamper productivity for businesses operating warehouses and storage facilities. Meanwhile, Kelp Technologies are collaborating with fashion retailers Depop and Selfridges to develop real-time pricing and market trend analysis to address the complexity of pricing second hand apparel. The results of the project will save time and money for retailers and play an important role in growing the second-hand clothing market, reducing waste and greenhouse emissions.

Dr Kedar Pandya, UKRI Technology Missions Fund Senior Responsible Owner and Executive Director of Cross-Council Programmes at UKRI’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council said:

These projects will drive AI innovation and economic growth in a diverse range of high-growth industry sectors in all nations of the UK.

They complement other investments made through the UKRI Technology Missions Fund, which are already helping to boost growth and productivity across the UK by harnessing the power of AI and other transformative technologies.

The support announced today places UK AI innovation at the heart of the government’s plans to spark economic growth through a productivity revolution. The winning projects are funded through the UKRI Technology Missions Fund to secure the UK’s global leadership in emerging and future AI technologies. The projects are delivered through the Innovate UK BridgeAI  programme, whose additional support also includes access to training and scientific expertise, expert AI advice and guidance, and greater collaboration between businesses and developers.

It follows the King’s Speech where the government committed to ‘take the brakes off Britain’ through a raft of new Bills, including generating sustainable growth by encouraging investment in industry, skills and new technologies.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 1 August 2024.

Eleven semiconductor start-ups working on chips that make AI more efficient and create new lifesaving healthcare tech have joined a government-backed support service to help turn their research into business realities.

Eleven semiconductor start-ups working on chips that make AI more efficient and create new lifesaving healthcare tech have joined a government-backed support service to help turn their research into business realities.

Semiconductor chips are fundamental to the technology that we interact with daily, underpinning everything from smartphones to AI and advanced medical devices.

The companies will be the second group to go through ChipStart, an incubator programme launched in October 2023 with £1.3 million of backing to nurture a new generation of chip designers and crowd in investment totalling nearly £20 million in commitments from private investment and grants to help drive economic growth.

POM Health is among the companies joining the second round of the programme. It is pioneering the use of semiconductors to create a wearable patch for continuous hormone monitoring. This technology could transform healthcare by enhancing fertility treatments, offering women precise, real-time insights into their hormonal health.

HeronIC, another new joiner to the programme, has developed a software design tool that quickly creates custom chips for AI applications, boosting their energy efficiency and increasing performance for complex tasks.

Minister for Science, Patrick Vallance said:

Innovation in semiconductors can underpin technological advancements in every field, from AI to consumer devices and healthtech. British researchers across the country are leading in R&D in this essential field and the support we are delivering through ChipStart is helping their ideas become reality.

As well as the commercial success of the first cohort, the innovations ChipStart is supporting could help to change lives, from helping to develop new fertility treatments to optimising AI and extending the battery life of devices we use every day. We are making sure British science leadership converts to help address critical global challenges and drive economic growth.

Following a first round that saw participants close over £10 million of funding from private investors and grants, with a total of nearly £20 million in commitments being finalised, ChipStart will continue to provide these early-stage semiconductor companies with:

• access to commercial design capability: Including the full Silicon Catalyst ecosystem, design tools, IP, and prototyping capability
• commercial expertise and mentorship: Startups receive guidance from experienced semiconductor industry executives and connections to Silicon Catalyst’s global network
• exposure to private capital: Access to over 270 Silicon Catalyst advisors, Strategic Partners, and an extensive network of investment groups

On completion, the pilot will provide the UK’s semiconductor industry with a pipeline of new startups that have an innovative product, route to market, and are a foundation for future growth, including routes to future seed funding.

Sean Redmond, Managing Partner, Silicon Catalyst UK said:

ChipStart UK is leveraging the UK’s position as a global centre of semiconductor research to transform academic innovations into market-ready technologies.

Nine of the eleven firms in the next group come from UK universities and are set to build on the success of the first cohort, which secured a strong position in the international semiconductor supply chain through private funding and global partnerships. After nine months of rigorous training, ChipStart has created over thirty new UK semiconductor executives, ready to scale their businesses towards global success.

Dorian Haci, CEO and Co-Founder, MintNeuro said:

The ChipStart UK programme, along with the Silicon Catalyst ecosystem, has equipped MintNeuro with essential design and manufacturing tools and a network of semiconductor-focused mentors and advisors, crucial for our go-to-market strategy.

Since joining the programme, we have secured additional funding and formed key partnerships. These developments accelerate the commercialisation of our pioneering neural implant technologies, aimed at improving the lives of millions suffering from neurological conditions.

After receiving this support over the last year, Vaire Computing raised $4.5 million to develop their revolutionary chips that use nearly no power at all. This innovation in energy efficiency has the potential to significantly extend smartphone batter life. With Vaire’s semiconductors, smartphones could soon only need charging once a month.

Another cohort member, Wave Photonics, closed an early funding round at £4.5 million for their tool which simplifies the design of highly complex photonic chips, chips that use light instead of electricity, meaning they operate at much faster speeds and use much less power. This technology could transform a wide range of industries by enabling faster, more energy-efficient communications, improving diagnostic capabilities in healthcare, and enhancing data processing in everything from data centres to autonomous vehicles.

Rodolfo Rosini, cofounder and CEO, Vaire Computing said:

As any founder will tell you, building a company in one of the most dynamic technology industries requires a tremendous amount of grit, ingenuity and support.

The networking opportunities provided by the Silicon Catalyst.UK ChipStart programme enabled us to execute on our vision and helped to set our company on a trajectory for long-term success. I strongly believe that expanding the program’s role in the near term would be extremely beneficial for the UK chip industry.

James Lee, CEO, Wave Photonics said:

Having raised funding during the programme, Wave Photonics is now deploying its technology to enable an explosion of integrated photonics applications beyond datacoms, including biosensing and quantum computing.

The ChipStart programme, run by semiconductor industry experts from Silicon Catalyst UK, helped us to learn from the development of the semiconductor industry and apply these lessons to the young, but growing, integrated photonics industry. The individual mentors and in-kind partnerships gave us easy access to expertise and tooling that would be difficult to find elsewhere.

Notes to editors

Companies that were members of the first cohort include:

• Blueshift Memory
• Finchetto
• HIDRA Vision
• HyperCIM
• Literal Labs
• MintNeuro
• RED Semiconductor
• SECQAI
• Singular Photonics
• Vaire Computing
• Wave Photonics

Companies that have joined the second cohort include:

• Apitronix Semiconductor
• Chevin Technology
• HeronIC
• KuasaSemi
• Metahelios
• Nanomation
• PhovIR Technologies
• POM Health
• Qontrol
• Rigpa
• Visionchip

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 26 July 2024.

UK Science Secretary Peter Kyle has commissioned an Action Plan to identify how AI can drive economic growth.

New UK Science Secretary, Peter Kyle, has put AI at the heart of the government’s agenda to deliver change, sustained economic growth and improved public services.

The Secretary of State has today (26 July), appointed Tech entrepreneur and Chair of Advanced Research And Invention Agency (ARIA), Matt Clifford, to kickstart this work. He will deliver a new AI Opportunities Action Plan to identify ways to accelerate the use of AI to improve people’s lives by making services better and developing new products.

As well as exploring how to build a UK AI sector that can scale and compete on the global stage, the plan will also set out how to boost take up of the technology across all parts of the economy, and consider the necessary infrastructure, talent, and data access required to drive adoption by the public and private sectors.

The Action Plan will play a vital role in driving up productivity and kickstarting economic growth. Estimates from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) show that while the exact economic impact hinges on the wider development and adoption of AI, and realisation could be gradual, the UK could ultimately see productivity gains of up to 1.5 percent annually.

Matt Clifford will deliver a set of recommendations to the Science Secretary in September. Alongside this, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) – acting as the digital centre of government – will also establish an AI Opportunities Unit to bring together the knowledge and expertise to take full advantage of AI and implement recommendations from the Action Plan.

Science Secretary Peter Kyle said:

We’re putting AI at the heart of the government’s agenda to boost growth and improve our public services.

Matt Clifford brings a wealth of experience and shares my ambition when it comes to realising the opportunities of AI, using it to drive growth and improve people’s lives.

Together we will use AI to drive productivity and economic growth in every part of the country so we can make everyone better off.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:

Growing our economy and rebuilding Britain to make everyone better off is our number one mission – and artificial intelligence has the potential to raise productivity and help us do that.

Our AI Opportunities Unit will unlock its full potential to grow a more productive economy, create good jobs across the country and deliver the excellent public services that people deserve whilst saving taxpayers money”.

Matt Clifford said:

AI presents us with so many opportunities to grow the economy and improve people’s lives. The UK is leading the way in many areas, but we can do even better.

I’m excited to start work and develop an ambitious road map to identify the biggest opportunities and support the new government as it makes important choices about where to focus its efforts.

The action plan starts today and will engage key figures across industry and civil society to help in its development.

The Action Plan will also consider key enablers such as the UK’s compute and broader infrastructure requirements by 2030, how this infrastructure is made available for start-ups and scale-ups and how to develop and attract top AI talent in the public and private sector.

The announcement follows the Science Secretary making his first visit since being appointed to the role, where he recently met staff at the Government Digital Service (GDS) and Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO), who have newly become part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.