Tag: Department for Science Innovation and Technology

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 6 June 2023.

Government announces appointment of Simon Fell MP as UK’s first Rural Connectivity Champion.

• Simon Fell MP announced as new Rural Connectivity Champion, supporting rural communities and businesses in benefiting from greater digital connectivity
• announcement comes as the government pledges £7 million to testing out new ways to bring together satellite, wireless and fixed line internet connectivity for rural communities

Following the launch of the government’s Rural Statement today, the government has also announced the appointment of Simon Fell MP as the UK’s first Rural Connectivity Champion.

Taking up the role which was announced as part of the Wireless Infrastructure Strategy earlier this year, Mr Fell will support rural businesses to access and adopt the digital connectivity they need to encourage commercial investment in 5G and support economic growth.

The Champion will convene rural businesses and the telecoms industry to support adoption of digital connectivity in sectors such as agriculture and develop, in partnership with rural businesses, a clear understanding of what connectivity is needed to drive innovation and growth up and down the country.

Simon Fell MP, Rural Connectivity Champion said:

I am honoured to have been asked to take up the role of Rural Connectivity Champion. Poor connectivity is holding back too many rural communities and businesses, as my own farmers and businesses in Barrow and Furness will attest.

If we hope to unlock growth, and to ensure that our rural communities are sustainable, then the government has got to work hand in glove with local government and the private sector to deliver better connectivity. I look forward to leading that work across government and the country.

As a key proponent for digital connectivity in rural areas, Mr Fell will also support rural communities and businesses in removing local barriers for the deployment of 5G, gigabit broadband and more, while driving local leadership and coordination into the local authorities that make development decisions.

Mr Fell comes to the role with a background in telecoms, and cyber security, representing a largely rural constituency in Cumbria, and is well placed to engage with rural businesses and support them in understanding how adopting new technology can make a real difference to their productivity, and help them continue to innovate.

The new Champion will jointly report to the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology and Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The announcement of Simon Fell as Rural Connectivity Champion comes as the Government announces a new £7 million fund to test out new ways to bring together satellite, wireless and fixed line internet connectivity, helping support farmers and tourism businesses to access lightning fast, reliable connectivity in remote areas for the first time.

The results of the new approaches will also help rural businesses in trial areas make the most of new agricultural technologies by improving connectivity on their land, for example using new drone technology to monitor crops and livestock in real-time, support landscape and wildlife conservation efforts, or develop interactive experiences for tourists.

The new fund comes alongside the government’s commitment earlier this year to deliver improved, high-speed broadband via satellite connectivity for up to 35,000 homes in the most remote parts of the UK through an £8 million grant scheme, giving them a broadband connection that will be up to ten times faster than what is currently available to them.

It also builds on the progress made over the last decade to support connectivity in rural areas. Over 75% of UK premises can now access gigabit-capable broadband, up from 6% at the beginning of 2019, and over 730,000 premises have already been upgraded in hard-to-reach rural areas as part of the government’s £5 billion Project Gigabit investment. Today government also confirmed plans to procure all regional contracts in England under Project Gigabit by the end of 2024.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 6 June 2023.

Technology Secretary Chloe Smith visits Paris today to chair talks, bringing together like-minded countries to discuss the development of emerging technologies.

As part of the United Kingdom’s ambitions to become an international technology superpower, Technology Secretary Chloe Smith will today (Tuesday 06 June) visit Paris to chair talks at the world’s first Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Global Forum on Technology.

Announced last year by the UK and OECD, the Global Forum on Technology has been set up to give like-minded OECD members and non-members a forum with technology industry and academia. The inaugural event will foster greater international cooperation on the rapid development of a number of scientific and technological advancements.

The UK is a strong proponent for the Global Forum on Technology, having already committed £2 million in funding, with additional funding coming from other nations such as the US and Spain. The UK’s funding will help organise and host further events and build the evidence and analysis needed to foresee the long-term opportunities and risks that are presented by emerging technologies.

The Technology Secretary will formally open the inaugural event, before chairing a high-level panel on shaping our future at the tech frontier between government representatives from the US, Spain, Ukraine, and OECD.

She will discuss how to achieve a responsible, values-based and rights-oriented approach to technology, with a special focus on emerging technologies. This includes developments such as the metaverse, engineering biology, immersive technologies, and the role of artificial intelligence’s role within all of these areas.

Technology Secretary Chloe Smith said:

Closely collaborating with our allies on technology is the only way we will truly harness its potential for the greater good, while putting in place the cross-border guardrails required to manage the risks that could come with it.

Today, the UK will take a driving seat at the inaugural Global Forum on Technology, giving us and other like-minded countries an unprecedented platform to shape the world’s future in technology.

Participants will not only include OECD members, but also include non-OECD members and organisations from around the globe, including emerging and developing economies. Countries participating in the discussions include Australia, Brazil, Senegal, Israel, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Ukraine, the USA and Turkey, with the European Union also participating. They will also be joined by representatives from global businesses, trade unions and civil society groups.

With challenges across the world in areas such as food, climate change, biodiversity, security and the economy, the forum will look to ensure the world can better make use of the opportunities new technologies can delivery. From improving food security and enabling affordable and clean energy that will lower consumer bills, to enhanced healthcare and improved education and training – all while avoiding the risks that come with them.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 2 June 2023.

Chloe Smith meets with a number of leading senior AI leaders at Downing Street for roundtable.

The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Chloe Smith has hosted senior (AI) leaders at Downing Street for a roundtable on the opportunities and risks faced by the UK’s rapidly-evolving AI industry.

The Secretary of State began by thanking attendees for their work in the sector and support on the development of the recently published AI Regulation White Paper, and invited their views on how the UK can lead in tackling AI risks while promoting innovation and growth.

Discussion centred around three key themes:

1. the risks and opportunities presented by AI technologies, and the guardrails required to ensure safe and responsible AI
2. the aspects of AI where the UK should play a greater role, including global leadership in AI governance and regulation
3. the non-regulatory measures which could help to support growth and innovation by AI companies in the UK

Discussion points included greater access to open datasets, growing regional centres of excellence to connect SMEs with researchers, and helping SMEs to scale through greater access to capital and resources. The group also discussed the need to regulate in a proportionate way and protect innovation and with the challenges of the future in mind as the technology evolves at rapid speed.

The Secretary of State noted that, although the window of opportunity to act is narrow, the UK must strike a careful balance between setting regulation that effectively manages AI risks and encouraging innovation and growth. The Secretary of State also made clear the UK’s desire to take a leading role globally in the regulation of AI, and to collaborate closely with the sector in doing so.

Attendees:

• Secretary of State for Science, Technology and Innovation, Chloe Smith MP
• Minister for AI and Intellectual Property, Viscount Camrose
• Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Dame Angela Mclean
• Baroness Joanna Shields, BenevolentAI
• Matt Clifford, ARIA
• Alex White, SambaNova
• Dr Nikolay Baldin, Synthesized
• Nicola Mrkšić, PolyAI
• Alex Kendall, Wayve
• Simon Proffitt, Faculty
• Louis Mosley, Palantir
• Mohammad Emad Mostaque, Stability AI
• Irene Solaiman, Hugging Face
• Nigel Toon, Graphcore
• Emma Wilkinson, Adarga
• Tim Gordon, Best Practice AI
• Vishal Marria, Quantexa
• Ryan Donnelly, Enzai
• Karim Beguir, InstaDeep
• Brian Mullins, Mind Foundry

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 15 May 2023.

UK and Japan today signed a renewed science and technology deal, building on decades of close cooperation.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 12 May 2023.

UK science and research facilities will receive £103 million for upgrading the UK’s world class research infrastructure and opening the doors for new breakthroughs.

UK science and research facilities will receive a share of £103 million in government funding, aimed at upgrading the UK’s already world class research infrastructure and opening the doors for new scientific breakthroughs – Science and Technology Secretary has announced.

The investments will ensure UK researchers have access to the best labs and equipment they need to keep producing world-class science, helping to support world-changing scientific breakthroughs that can benefit us all while also meeting the PM’s priority to grow the economy and create jobs across the UK.

Funding recipients will use the investment to provide new state-of-the-art equipment for their world-leading scientists or upgrades to existing facilities, and they are based across the country, including in Cambridge, Durham, Edinburgh, Leicester, Bristol, Hull, Nottingham, Glasgow, London, Manchester, Belfast, Warwick and Southampton.

The funding demonstrates the government’s continued backing for the UK science community, taking forward vision of the UK’s Science and Technology Framework published earlier this year to ensuring we have the infrastructure needed to attract talent and investment, and support world-leading science and innovation.

The £103 million additional funding support is comprised of £79.3 million as part of the £150 million in funding announced to address the impacts of the ongoing delay in UK association to the EU’s Horizon Europe programme and £23.7 million as part of the £370 million announcement to forge a better Britain through investment in science and technology.

Science and Technology Secretary Chloe Smith said:

Our world-class science and technology sectors are the engine for growth in the UK economy, and the basis for scientific and technological advancements that will improve everyone’s lives.

These sectors need continued, concentrated backing from the government and I am determined to provide it during my time as Science and Technology Secretary, through funding such as this, which will ensure our world class labs have the infrastructure and equipment to match their status.

This comes alongside the first official visit conducted by Science and Technology Secretary Chloe Smith, who took over on 28 April as maternity cover for Michelle Donelan, ensuring the department’s work could continue in earnest over the next few months.

She was visiting the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) in Cambridge, benefiting from the funding, where the Nobel prize-winning scientists have been pioneering electron cryomicroscopy (cryo-EM), a technique that allows scientists to study the structures of biological molecules, such as proteins and viruses, at extremely high resolution. They do this by freezing molecules to very low temperatures, then using a special microscope that shoots beams of electrons through the sample, which produces an image of the molecule.

The funding provided to the lab is being used on new state-of-the art equipment, enabling the scientists to see proteins in even greater detail, potentially giving them a much greater understanding of human diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.

This could in turn revolutionise our approach to these preventable diseases, providing the basis for scientists to design more powerful drugs to prevent them, potentially improving and saving thousands of lives.

Some examples of funding recipients include:

• the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) for new equipment to enable a much greater understanding of human diseases and the design of powerful drugs against them
• the National Oceanography Centre’s state-of-the-art deep-sea research facility for a new sediment core scanner
• UK Digital Heritage Centre at the University of Liverpool to fund cutting edge facilities that will pioneer a new approach to preserving, promoting and progressing cultural heritage through technologies such as AI, Blockchain and the Metaverse

UKRI International Champion, Professor Christopher Smith, said:

This crucial support for UK research infrastructure is part of the package of support provided by government so that our research and innovation communities can carry on with their essential work notwithstanding the delay to association with Horizon Europe.

The investments, made across the UK, will provide UK researchers with advanced equipment, facilities and technology, and help maintain the UK’s position as a leader in research and innovation.

This support will ensure the UK is an attractive place for scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs to live, work and innovate.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 10 May 2023.

Thousands of homes and businesses in Shropshire will benefit from high-speed full-fibre broadband after a £24 million government contract was awarded to Freedom Fibre.

• Major broadband upgrade for Shropshire
• Freedom Fibre wins government-funded Project Gigabit contract to roll out lightning-fast connectivity to around 12,000 homes and businesses in Shropshire

Thousands of homes and businesses in Shropshire will benefit from high-speed full-fibre broadband after a £24 million government contract was awarded to Freedom Fibre.

This new three-year contract is part of the UK government’s £5 billion Project Gigabit, which aims to provide lightning-fast gigabit-capable broadband to hard-to-reach communities across the UK.

Freedom Fibre’s network will be rolled out in many communities across North Shropshire including Cockshutt, Hinstock, High Ercall, Bomere Heath, Hadnall, Cheswardine and Clive, transforming broadband speeds and reliability for local residents and businesses.

Freedom Fibre is expected to start network construction in February 2024, with the first properties potentially connected to lightning-fast broadband as early as October 2024.

The award supports the government’s priority to grow the economy, creating better-paid jobs and opportunity across the country.

Freedom Fibre will invest thousands of pounds in a broad range of socio-economic and environmental projects across North Shropshire including running its ‘Freedom Fund’ that offers funding for good and green community-led projects within its build areas.

Minister for Data and Digital Infrastructure, Sir John Whittingdale said:

Thanks to £24 million in government support, thousands of rural homes and businesses across North Shropshire will benefit from Freedom Fibre’s lightning-fast, reliable broadband.

Delivering the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy, Project Gigabit is equipping regions like North Shropshire with state-of-the-art connectivity infrastructure and preparing them for the digital age, ushering in a new wave of opportunity and economic growth.

Freedom Fibre CEO Neil McArthur said:

We are delighted to be selected to deliver the latest full fibre broadband technology as part of the North Shropshire Gigabit project. Freedom Fibre is already delivering these services to rural homes and businesses across North West Shropshire and is pleased to be expanding our services to 12,038 homes and businesses in North Shropshire.

The project forms part of the government’s initiative to ensure a UK-wide rollout of full fibre to replace ageing copper networks. Investing £24m in the latest fibre technology, the project will end over 100 years of copper-based services and enable the delivery of high-speed full fibre to the UK.

Freedom Fibre is a network builder and will be working with several internet service providers and the local authorities over the next few years. Wherever possible we will be using existing underground ducts and overhead poles to minimise disruption.

Councillor Robert Macey, Shropshire Council cabinet member with responsibility for Culture and Digital, said:

This £24m investment is great news for communities and businesses in Shropshire as gigabit-capable broadband further enhances our ability to be a digital county. Improved digital infrastructure remains a top priority for Shropshire Council given its significant economic and social benefits and we look forward to seeing Freedom Fibre progress this exciting infrastructure project. In addition, Freedom Fibre has committed to deliver significant Social Value through the contract; examples include upskilling and employing local people, tree planting schemes, and a £25,000 Freedom Fund for local community projects.

Premises set to be reached by the contract are subject to change following detailed planning by the supplier or due to technical reasons during the lifetime of the contract.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 3 May 2023.

People living and working in the Lockerbie area in Scotland are to benefit from significantly improved mobile phone connectivity as the first UK government-funded rural mast upgrade is completed.

• First UK government-funded phone mast upgrade activated in Lockerbie, Scotland, to give a major 4G mobile coverage boost to the community
• Part of UK government’s £1 billion Shared Rural Network programme, with more than 120 similar masts in Scotland in line for upgrades
• Four major mobile network operators collaborate for the first time and share the mobile mast, offering customers in the area more choice

People living and working in the Lockerbie area in Scotland are to benefit from significantly improved mobile phone connectivity as the first UK government-funded rural mast upgrade is completed.

The mast will deliver strong and reliable 4G coverage to residents in the east of Dumfries and Galloway, benefitting people living in Boreland, Eskdalemuir, Lochmaben and other neighbouring villages.

This is just the first of more than 120 planned mast upgrades across Scotland, with more to follow over the next year, through a £75 million UK government investment from the Shared Rural Network, a £1 billion project with the UK’s four mobile network operators (MNOs) – EE, VMO2, Three and Vodafone – to improve 4G coverage and level-up connectivity across the UK.

Through both public and private investment, the Shared Rural Network is seeing new and existing phone masts built or upgraded across the UK to close down rural mobile ‘not spots’. These are areas of poor or patchy coverage that cannot receive a 4G signal from all four MNOs, or any signal at all, which holds back rural communities from experiencing the full benefits of digital technology.

Chloe Smith, UK Science and Technology Secretary said:

We are investing in the things that matter to the people of the UK, and this includes funding strong, reliable 4G signal for rural communities struggling with poor coverage.

Our £75 million investment means people across Scotland will benefit from upgraded infrastructure that is fit for the future, starting with the first mast upgrade in Dumfries and Galloway.

Growing our economy is one of the Prime Minister’s top priorities and this includes bringing fast, reliable mobile signal to wherever people are, giving them all the connectivity they need to work, shop and keep in touch online.

The mast, located in the Boreland area to the north of Lockerbie, is part of the Home Office’s Emergency Services Network (ESN), which will give first responders faster, safer and more secure voice, video and data on the 4G network, for better access to life-saving information in emergencies.

But upgrading the mast also makes it usable by the four MNOs, meaning they can host and share equipment on it for the first time, offering improved signal and greater choice of provider for residents and businesses. This will enable people in the area to better seize the benefits of the internet at home and on the go in order to stay connected with friends and family, work remotely, shop and bank online and stream entertainment.

The investment is a further example of how the UK government is growing the economy by helping people set up and run businesses from anywhere in the country and creating more job opportunities in even the most rural areas.

UK Government minister for Scotland John Lamont said:

A reliable phone signal is one of the biggest issues faced by our rural communities around Scotland and I am pleased the UK Government has committed £75 million to upgrade 120 masts across the country. The public and private sector are coming together to make sure people are better connected.

The upgrade in Lockerbie is just the start and I look forward to other rural communities benefiting as part of our £1 billion Shared Rural Network programme in the UK.

Ben Roome, CEO of Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited (DMSL) said:

Today’s news is only possible thanks to meaningful collaboration by the government and mobile operators. This site will benefit local people and businesses, but is also a major milestone heralding the rollout of hundreds of similar shared sites across the UK.

Councillor Gail Macgregor, Leader of Dumfries and Galloway Council, said:

This is great news as good connectivity is now critical for citizens and businesses in our region. We all need a reliable service, from keeping in touch with friends and family to ordering online. This is part of our modern way of life and is an essential requirement, particularly in our rural area of Dumfries and Galloway.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 29 April 2023.

Countdown begins for new minimum security standards regime for all consumer products with internet connectivity.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 26 April 2023.

UK and India sign a landmark agreement on science, research and innovation at the UK-India Science and Innovation Council in Parliament, launching a raft of joint research programmes.

The UK and India will today (Wednesday 26 April) sign a landmark agreement to collaborate on science and innovation, following a meeting between UK Science Minister George Freeman and Indian Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh.

The memorandum of understanding on research between the two countries will be signed at the in Parliament this afternoon, enabling quicker, deeper collaboration on science between the two science powerhouses that will drive economic growth, create skilled jobs and improve lives in the UK, India, and worldwide.

The agreement will remove red tape standing in the way of major collaborations, while unleashing a raft of new joint research schemes aiming to deliver progress on some of the biggest issues facing the world, from climate change and pandemic preparedness through to AI and machine learning.

Programmes include the establishment of a new UK-India Net Zero Innovation Virtual Centre focusing on industrial decarbonisation and launching the first ever UK-India scientific deep sea voyage.

Minister of State for the new Department for Science, Innovation and Technology George Freeman said: “India is rapidly building on its phenomenal software and innovation sectors to become a global powerhouse in science and technology.

“With our extensive trading and cultural links, shared democratic values and interest in urgent global issues from green technology and agri-tech to biosecurity and pandemic preparedness, we have very strong platforms for deepening research collaboration.

“Today’s agreement is part of our program of deepening UK collaboration with other global science superpowers on ground-breaking innovation and research, to help tackle shared global challenges. This partnership will grow the sectors, companies and jobs of tomorrow for the benefit of both our countries and the globe.”

The UK is determined to work with partners across the globe in delivering world class science and research. Other recent announcements include the launch of the International Science Partnerships Fund in Japan, an MoU on science with Switzerland, and agreements on closer collaboration on agri-tech with South Africa.

Alongside this momentous agreement, today’s announcement also sees India named as a partner for the UK’s International Science Partnerships Fund, carrying forward the UK-India science partnership built through the Newton-Bhabha fund. This renewed partnership will kick off with two new joint UK-India research programmes:

• £5 million UK funding, matched by India, for research into Farmed Animal Diseases and Health
• £3.3 million UK funding, matched by India, towards a technology and skills partnership programme that will enable UK and Indian researcher to develop skills, technologies and knowledge in areas such as AI, machine learning and bio-imaging

Other UK-India agreements to be made at the Science and Innovation Council today include:

• The creation of UK-India Net Zero Innovation Virtual Centre, hosting the Hydrogen Valley and Industrial Decarbonisation Living Lab – to help decarbonise manufacturing and transport
• Several UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Indian Department for Science and Technology (DST) joint research calls, including programmes on sustainability and solid earth hazards
• An intention to launch a partnership for decarbonising India’s pharmaceutical and fine chemicals industries
• A programme of UK-India university partnerships, including one between Aston University and CSIR Dehradun on sustainable biofuels.
• The Fourth annual meeting (and second in-person meeting) of the RS/INSA Yusuf Hamied programme, a scheme designed to promote relationships and knowledge exchanges between UK and Indian researchers

The collaborative activities carried out under the MoU will be supported by joint funding agreed by both sides, with finances for each programme determined between the UK and India on a case-by-case basis.