Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : International Women’s Day celebrated at Downing Street [March 2024]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 11 March 2024.

Inspirational women from across the country were invited to Downing Street last week to celebrate International Women’s Day 2024.

Last week began with a reception at No10 to celebrate inspirational female leaders, attended by over 100 guests across a wide range of industries from businesses to civil society and the NHS.

The event featured a showcase of female-led small businesses, including family-run jewellery company Loel & Co, curly hair products by Bouclème and boxed wine from Laylo.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

I am committed to delivering the long-term change needed to build a brighter future for women and girls.

And we’ve made huge progress since I became Prime Minister – investing millions to ensure women feel safe on our streets, ensuring girls receive a world class education by boosting standards and championing STEM careers, giving women more choice with the largest ever childcare expansion in England’s history and launching the Women’s Health Strategy and Pharmacy First, making it easier for women to get the care they need more quickly.

But I know there is more to do. Whether it’s making our NHS faster, simpler and fairer for women, or backing female-led businesses, I am determined to deliver the long-term change needed to grow our economy and ensure women across the whole country can succeed.

Minister for Women, and Minister for Women’s Health Strategy, Maria Caulfield said:

International Women’s Day is about celebrating women, but also demanding more for women in every part of their lives. Our Women’s Health Strategy sets out our ambitions to make our healthcare system faster, simply and fairer for women.

We are delivering for women up and down the country by rolling out women’s health hubs, bringing all the services women will need across their life under one roof. We have also saved women going through the menopause £15 million a year via new Hormone Replacement Therapy prescription prepayment certificates. This year we’re focusing on improving maternity, care for menstrual problems and conditions like endometriosis and supporting more research into women’s health.

We must also be wise. Closing the gender pay gap between women and men could add an additional £250 billion to the UK economy, so we are using evidence-based actions to tackle inequalities and empower women to flourish.

Last week, the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work Mims Davies convened a roundtable at Downing Street with female business leaders, health professionals, charities and academics to better understand how the government and business can support women experiencing menopause in the workplace.

Mims Davies MP, Minister for Disabled People, Health & Work, said:

It was an honour to bring women, and businesses, together for Downing Street’s first menopause employer roundtable this week to discuss what more can be done to support women in the workplace.

With one in ten women between 40 and 60 considering quitting their job due to a lack of employment support, we are working with sectors, businesses and the Government’s Menopause Employment Champion Helen Tomlinson to break the menopause taboo and help women thrive throughout their careers.

On Friday, Mrs Murty hosted a special mentoring session with female role models and business leaders for girls and young women at Downing Street. This is part of the ‘Lessons at 10’ programme, which provides children from across the country with the uniqueopportunity see behind the scenes of the famous black door and with the help of special guests, industry experts and incredible charitable organisations, Lessons at 10 hopes to bring education to life, encourage a love of learning and inspire children fromacross the UK.

The event was delivered together with The Girls’ Network, a charity that partners with secondary schools and colleges across England to offer girls, aged 14-19, a year-long mentoring programme to support their ambitions.

Akshata Murty said:

I’m so pleased to be marking this International Women’s Day by celebrating women in business. It is fantastic to host a special mentoring session with female role models and business leaders for girls and young women at Downing Street.

I know the phenomenal work that goes into running a business. My mother’s endeavours in science, technology, engineering and maths allowed her to push boundaries both academically and professionally and gave her a ringside seat to the technological revolution.

I hope other women and girls are inspired by role models around them to pursue their own passions.

Katie Thiselton, Co-Executive Director, The Girls’ Network said:

This is such a great opportunity for our young women to speak with incredible women from a wide range of backgrounds and professions about their careers, the challenges they have faced and what inspires them.

At The Girls’ Network we often say ‘if you can see it, you can be it’ so giving girls access to women, from so many different walks of life will hopefully show them that anything is possible.

We hope that by being invited into No10, girls will see that spaces like this are just as much for them as anyone else. It will be a memorable experience for all involved and I’m sure the girls will come away feeling inspired and motivated in their own journeys.
The Government has a strong track record of supporting women, including through:

Health
- We’ve made huge progress to improve healthcare for women.
- Through our Women’s Health Strategy, we are enabling almost half a million women access cheaper HRT, alongside supporting women through the agony of pregnancy loss and opening new women’s health hubs.
- The government also recently introduced baby loss certificates to support parents who have experienced a loss of pregnancy before 24 weeks, which will recognise the devastating loss of a baby during pregnancy.
- We have also made it easier for women to get oral contraception – whether for the first time or on repeat – through Pharmacy First.  And this year, Health and Social Care Secretary has named problem periods, women’s health research and support for domestic and sexual abuse victims among our priorities for women’s health.
Employment
- We recognise that high-quality affordable childcare is a pivotal factor in ensuring that women’s careers can thrive.
- That’s why we are rolling out the single biggest investment in childcare in England ever, providing 30 free hours from nine months to the start of school from September 2025. This is set to save eligible working parents using 30 hours a week an average of £6,500 per year.
- We are backing business and supporting female-led enterprises of all sizes to thrive. At Autumn Statement 2023 we announced an extension to the 75% business rate relief for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties for 2024-25, a tax cut worth £2.4 billion. The Spring Budget goes further to support SMEs by increasing the VAT registration threshold from £85,000 to £90,000 to cut their taxes and help them grow.
- Pensions automatic enrolment has helped millions more women to save into a pension, with pension participation rates among eligible women in the private sector rising from 40% in 2012 to 86% in 2022.
- The Taskforce on Women-Led High-Growth Enterprise is helping to increase the number of female entrepreneurs by half by 2030.
- We passed legislation which safeguarded and enshrined key equalities protections, rights and principles, including those related to breastfeeding and maternity leave.
Safety
- We are determined to ensure women and girls feel safe on our streets.
- Progress continues to be made to strengthen the way officers are vetted, scrutinised, managed and disciplined and laws are being introduced to ensure those charged with serious offences are automatically suspended from service.
- Our Domestic Abuse Plan has invested over £230 million in tackling domestic abuse and builds on a series of measures which prioritise tackling violence against women and girls, and we also passed the landmark Domestic Abuse Act in April 2021.
- We’ve also allocated over £150 million through the Safer Streets Fund and Safety of Women at Night funds.
- We have criminalised virginity testing and introduced FGM protection orders – of which over 840 have now been issued – and introduced mandatory reporting for FGM.
- Clare’s Law has introduced new offences to tackle forced marriage, as well as a scheme allowing women to check if their partner has a violent history.
- In the End-to-End Rape Review Action Plan, we committed to returning the volumes of adult rape cases reaching court back to 2016 levels – and we exceeded our ambition by 20% in July to September 2023.
Education
- We are continuing to deliver on our plan to give every child a world class education, regardless of gender.
- Education standards have risen sharply across the country, with 89% of schools now rated good or outstanding by Ofsted, up from just 68% in 2010 – and pupils’ performance is some of the best globally.
- The latest data shows the gender gap between boys and girls across most headline measures is narrowing across all key phases.
- We have transformed apprenticeships to ensure there is something for everyone, enabling women to start great careers in high-skilled sectors. We’ve introduced almost 700 high-quality apprenticeships designed by employers, and the success of the apprenticeship levy has allowed us to increase investment in apprenticeships to £2.7 billion by next year.
- The Government is backing The Open University to offer high-quality higher education and training, targeting cold spots across the country, supporting women to upskill wherever they live.
Sport
- We are completely committed to delivering equal access to sport for girls in schools, alongside an unprecedented £400 million investment in grassroots facilities outside of school.
- We are also committed to supporting the FA and NewCo in the full professionalisation of women’s football, and equal access to sport in schools for girls. And we are establishing a Board of Women’s Sports this year to accelerate the growth of women’s sport.
April 5, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : International agreement to fight fraud secured [March 2024]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 11 March 2024.

The Home Secretary has secured a new agreement with world leaders to tackle fraud.

All G7 and Five Eyes nations, as well as Singapore and South Korea, have agreed a communiqué which recognises fraud as an organised, transnational threat that has become one of the most prevalent global issues.

The document, released on day 1 of the world’s first Global Fraud Summit, sets out a 4-point framework to combat fraud together.

Under this framework, signatories have pledged to enhance law enforcement cooperation, improve victim support and bolster intelligence sharing.

Nations have also set out a clear requirement for collaboration with the private sector to prevent fraud.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said:

We’ve been clear that the global community needs to unite to fight fraud head on and this communique is a massive step forward.

The United Kingdom and our friends at this summit possess the finest law enforcement agencies in the world.

We have already reduced fraud by 13% in England and Wales. New action from the international community will help reduce that even further.

Security Minister Tom Tugendhat said:

Fraud is a cruel crime that wrecks lives around the world.

This communiqué will strengthen and step up international joint working to fight fraud, showing our Fraud Strategy continues to deliver.

The communiqué recognises the impact of fraud is devastating and universal across the world, even if specific crime types may vary in different regions.

It paves the way for closer working practices between international law enforcement agencies.

Intelligence sharing between law enforcement agencies will be ramped up, with operational resources also enhanced. This will help ensure a comprehensive threat picture is maintained, and that action is taken against criminals operating across borders.

Nations will also to explore ways to improve the repatriation of fraudulently acquired funds from bank accounts across jurisdictions and recover illicitly gained assets.

The use of all diplomatic levers, including sanctions and visa bans, to disrupt organised crime groups will also be further explored.

Separate to the communiqué, a new operational arrangement between the UK and the US was confirmed by the Home Secretary. That agreement was a new way of working between the NCA, FBI, United States Secret Service and Homeland Security Investigations to specifically tackle call centre fraud.

The communiqué also outlines the necessity of preventing fraud.

Global citizens are spending an increasing amount of time online, which has provided fraudsters with an opportunity to target victims through digital platforms. Around 80% of fraud experienced in the UK is estimated to be cyber-enabled.

Nations have therefore made it clear that industry, including social media companies and online messaging platforms, are expected to take further action to prevent fraud. This includes an increased effort to identify and remove fraudulent posts.

The UK has led the way in this approach, with the launch of the Online Fraud Charter in November 2023. The charter sees leading tech companies committing to a series of preventative fraud measures including requiring dating sites to allow their users to opt to interact with verified people only, verifying new advertisers and swifter take down of fraudulent posts.

The summit will continue tomorrow (Tuesday), with a series of working level meetings between government officials, the private sector, law enforcement and civil society organisations.

April 5, 2024

PRESS RELEASE : Over £180m of investment fast-tracked to prevent sewage spills [March 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 11 March 2024.

Fast-tracked investment of £180m over the next 12 months is expected to prevent more than 8,000 sewage spills polluting English waterways, the Environment Secretary announced today (Monday 11 March).

It follows the Secretary of State directing water and sewage companies last December to measurably reduce sewage spills over the next year by accelerating commitments and delivering new funding.

Examples of measures include investment in AI systems to help manage storm loads, the installation of thousands of new in-sewer monitors to check flows and spot blockages early, the recruitment and training of specialist staff, and accelerated wetland construction programmes.

These new funding commitments are in addition to water companies’ existing £3.1 billion investment into storm overflow improvements for this price review period (2020-2025), as well as their ongoing annual investment to maintain the performance of the existing network.

The accelerated improvements, which will be delivered by April 2025, support the targets under the government’s Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan. This is driving the largest infrastructure investment in water company history, estimated at £60 billion over the next 25 years.

It also follows the recent ban on bonuses for water company executives where firms have committed serious criminal breaches, subject to Ofwat consultation, and the quadrupling of the Environment Agency’s regulatory capacity, enabling them to carry out 4,000 water company inspections by the end of the next financial year.

Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said:

The amount of sewage being spilled into our rivers is completely unacceptable and the public rightly expects action. This £180 million of accelerated investment, which will stop more than 8,000 sewage spills over the next year, is a welcome step forward as we continue to push for better performance from water companies and hold them to account.

This money will mean more cutting-edge technology, including artificial intelligence, and more specialist staff to detect and reduce spills.

Today’s announcement builds on significant work by this government to protect and strengthen our waters with increased investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement action.

Further information

Company	New funding (£m)	Expected outcomes
Anglian	£50m	The new funding will support Anglian’s commitment to having less than 20 spills per overflow by 2025, in line with their Get River Positive commitments and Ofwat Performance Commitments. It will deliver: 8000 additional sewer monitors to check flows and spot blockages early (building on the 22,000 new monitors already being installed); additional planned preventative maintenance in 100 catchments using insights from the new sewer monitors; additional teams across the East of England focussed on early response to spills to further reduce their duration and frequency; and the completion of a second ecological digital twin for the River Wensum in Norfolk to take a catchment-based partnership approach to spill reduction.
Severn Trent	£41m	The new funding commitment will deliver an estimated 2500 fewer spills and will enable the following: recruitment of staff and improving equipment in waste network teams; installing EDM dual monitors to provide a back-up data source; doubling the number of Network Technicians; investing in a new AI solution to manage storm load by automatically adjusting water levels in storage tanks; and asset improvement
Southern	£10m	The new funding commitment will deliver an estimated 120 fewer spills from storm overflows and will enable the following: expansion of optimisation activity; a real-time digital wastewater catchment control; an additional surface water pathfinder catchment; an additional programme of ground water infiltration reduction of both customer and public sewers; and an accelerated construction programme for wetlands benefitting Chichester Harbour.
South West	£32m	The new funding commitment will deliver an estimated 4000 fewer spills from storm overflows and will enable the following: significantly increasing Sewer Level Monitors by 31 March 2025; increasing sewer network cleansing in 2024 (already doubled in 2023); increasing structural defect repairs from 55 to 85 per month (Jan to June 2024); doubling installation of power relays at pumping stations; diverting groundwater at 30 key wastewater treatment works (£25m); doubling WwTW generator services (Jan to April 2024); enhanced inspections at all wastewater treatment works; and increasing storm storage by adding over 6,000m3 additional capacity to the network.
United Utilities	£39m	The new funding commitment will deliver an estimated 1700 fewer spills from storm overflows and will enable the following: AI analysis of networks to direct proactive maintenance; following a pilot this year, deploying interim solutions at 29 sites; rainwater separation, including industrial sized smart butts at schools; further improvements to their wastewater network; and ‘quick win’ improvements to existing assets, such as changing weir heights, removing infiltration and optimising pumping stations to reduce spills.
Wessex	£8m	The new funding commitment will deliver an estimated 200 fewer spills from storm overflows and will enable the following: a further 3500 sewer depth monitors; new smart network for sewer management; and infiltration reduction.
Totals	£180m

Some companies have already announced that they are taking forward additional investment to tackle storm overflows this year and are therefore not included in the overall investment figure. This includes Northumbrian investing an additional £29.8m this year to accelerate their spill reduction programme, and Yorkshire Water investing an additional £99m.

April 5, 2024

PRESS RELEASE : New laws to cut migration and tackle care worker visa abuse [March 2024]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 11 March 2024.

Reforms to restrict care workers from bringing family members are now in force, while care providers are required to register if they are sponsoring migrants.

New rules to radically cut net migration and tackle visa abuse are now in force as part of the government’s plan to bring down unsustainable levels of legal migration.

Care workers will now be restricted from bringing dependants, after a disproportionate 120,000 dependants accompanied 100,000 workers on the route last year.

Care providers in England acting as sponsors for migrants will also be required to register with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) – the industry regulator for Health and Social Care – in order to crack down on worker exploitation and abuse within the sector.

It forms part of a wider package of measures, which is being implemented as soon as possible, which means a total of 300,000 people who were eligible to come to the UK last year would now not be able to do so.

Home Secretary, James Cleverly MP, said:

Care workers make an incredible contribution to our society, taking care of our loved ones in times of need. But we cannot justify inaction in the face of clear abuse, manipulation of our immigration system and unsustainable migration numbers.

It is neither right nor fair to allow this unacceptable situation to continue. We promised the British people action, and we will not rest until we have delivered on our commitment to bring numbers down substantially.

Our plan is robust but fair – protecting British workers while ensuring the very best international talent can work and study here, to add value to our society and grow the economy.

There is clear evidence that care workers have been offered visas under false pretences, travelling thousands of miles for jobs that simply don’t exist or to be paid far below the minimum wage required for their work, exploiting them while undercutting British workers.

These changes come into force as the government is set to lay rules in Parliament later this week (14 March) to prevent the continued undercutting of British workers, which includes raising the salary threshold that a skilled worker must meet in order to get a visa and removing the 20% ‘going-rate’ discount for migrant workers in shortage occupations.

Minister for Social Care, Helen Whately MP, said:

International care workers make an invaluable contribution caring for our loved ones, but international recruitment and more immigration are not long-term solutions to our social care needs. These rules provide a more ethical and sustainable approach.

We are boosting our homegrown workforce by reforming social care careers. These include the first ever national career path for care workers and a new care qualification.

Our reforms will grow the domestic workforce and build on our success over the last year that saw more people working in social care, fewer vacancies and lower staff turnover.

The Home Secretary will also, today, commission a review of the graduate route for international students to prevent abuse, protect the integrity and quality of UK higher education, and ensure it works in the best interests of the UK.

He will ask the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to ensure that demand for the graduate route, through which a total of 175,872 visas have been granted since it was established, is fit for purpose and focused on attracting the best and brightest to the UK.

This follows concerns raised after analysis by the MAC revealed that the number of international postgraduate students attending institutions with the lowest UCAS entry requirements has increased by over 250% between 2018 and 2022.

This follows reforms to student visas which came into force at the start of January, ending the ability of nearly all postgraduate students to bring dependants to the UK. The government expects to see a drastic fall in student dependant applications this year, with early indications already of this downward trend.

In further changes, the Shortage Occupation List (SOL) will be abolished, to be replaced with a new Immigration Salary List on 4 April. This follows a recommendation from the independent MAC, which has also advised the government on which occupations should be temporarily added to the new list initially.

The government has been clear that roles should only be included where they are skilled and in shortage, and that no sector should be permanently reliant on immigration. Inclusion on the list must not serve to reduce pay and undermine the recruitment of British workers.

From 4 April, the minimum salary required for those arriving on the Skilled Worker visa will increase from £26,200 to £38,700 – a 48% increase. This will further drive down numbers, reduce pressure on public services and prevent the undercutting of British workers by employers who look to recruit cheap labour from overseas. The government’s robust approach will prioritise the most talented and highly-skilled people from abroad who will add value and contribute significantly to growth of the economy, whilst encouraging employers to invest in training, upskilling, and recruiting domestic workers.

The minimum income requirement for family visas will also rise, starting at £29,000 from 11 April. By early 2025 this will be increased to £38,700, helping to ensure dependants brought to the UK are supported financially.

The government has been clear that immigration is not the long-term answer to social care needs and care providers should hire more British workers. The Department for Health and Social Care is leading a programme of work to grow and support the domestic social care workforce. This includes better training, clearer career paths and improved job prospects through a new accredited qualification.

The Department for Work and Pensions is taking decisive action in one of the biggest employment interventions in a generation through its £2.5 billion Back to Work plan, which will help 1.1 million people who are long-term unemployed or long-term sick or disabled break down barriers to work.

April 4, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Will Quince MP appointed to conduct review into food procurement [March 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 11 March 2024.

Will Quince MP appointed to conduct review into public sector food procurement.

Environment Secretary Steve Barclay has today (Monday 11 March) appointed Will Quince MP as an independent advisor to support the government’s ongoing work to improve food procurement in the public sector.

His review will:
- seek ways to make the system more accessible to small- and medium-sized businesses and farmers, as well as boosting animal welfare and environmental standards.
- look at how the government can further promote high standards for food and catering services, for example in hospitals or local authority settings, such as residential care.
- consider opportunities to extend the reach of the existing framework, the Government Buying Standard for food and catering services, particularly to education settings.
- explore how we can ensure more compliance with the GBSF, or have institutions go above and beyond in areas like nutrition or waste prevention.
Will Quince MP worked in the food and drink industry prior to becoming an MP, and has since held ministerial roles at both the Department for Education and the Department for Health and Social Care.

Mr Quince will engage with stakeholders across the public sector food and catering supply chain and will also examine international practices.

Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said:

I’m pleased to appoint Will Quince to conduct a review of our public sector food procurement.

We will ensure our schools, hospitals and armed forces are using their budgets to support sustainable food produced to the high animal welfare standards we have here in Britain, which are some of the best in the world.

Will Quince is ideally placed to lead this work given his wealth of experience in numerous departments, including DHSC and DfE.

Will Quince MP said:

Public bodies spend around £5bn on food every year so it’s right that we look at opportunities to boost the impact food procurement has on the environment and the local community.

Whether it’s schools, our armed forces, hospitals, prisons or local councils, I look forward to working with all those involved in the production, buying, cooking, serving and consumption of food in public bodies to identify the ways in which we can deliver on our commitments on climate, nature and health and considering the benefits of, and barriers to delivering food that is fresh, local and sustainable.
April 4, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : British investors targeted in first government advertising push for scale-up boost [March 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 11 March 2024.

A new campaign aimed at driving up investment opportunities in scale-ups was launched by the Technology Secretary today.
- New push to get investors to back science and tech, or risk missing out on huge returns
- focussed on growth-ready scale-ups, the ‘Science and Tech is our superpower’ campaign aims to raise the profile of British companies to investors to boost their growth and create jobs across the country
- at the launch, Tech Secretary stresses that investors are missing out on great British investment opportunities and encourages them to look closer to home to supercharge growth
A new campaign aimed at driving up investment opportunities in scale-ups was launched by the Technology Secretary today, with podcast adverts, billboards and more showing off science and technology scale-ups to British investment hubs.

The ‘Science and Tech is our Superpower’ campaign aims to make sure science and technology firms in the UK that are ready for growth can access the funding they need from the UK to boost long term economic growth and create jobs.

While the UK continues to outpace the rest of Europe in raising venture capital funds, securing more than France and Germany, last year saw a substantial drop in investment globally. In the UK, this particularly impacted science and technology scale-ups.

Britain has produced 152 ‘unicorns’ or companies valued at over $1 billion, which is more than France, Germany and Sweden put together. These companies, including Darktrace and Monzo have pushed forward global innovation in a range of areas – and help grow our economy.

But, without venture capital funding, the next generation of UK unicorns may be forced to look abroad for funding and even move away from the UK – or risk placing a cap on their growth, which hinders innovation and puts a lid on new jobs in the UK.

While British leadership in fintech, AI and life sciences is well recognised by investors domestically and around the world, but emerging strengths in deeptech are yet to receive the same support and recognition.

Science and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan said:

The UK has built a £1 trillion tech sector with a thriving start-up scene. With further capital, there is no limit to where British start-ups can take their ideas.

There has never been a better time to invest in British tech companies – with the UK leading on every key European metric and leading the world on emerging technologies like safe AI.

Our Science and Tech Superpower campaign drives home the message to investors that we need to seize the extraordinary opportunities here on home turf – or risk promising companies travelling to international competitors for funding.

The new push to promote private sector investment in high-growth companies comes after the Chancellor’s Mansion House Reforms, which are unlocking up to £75 billion for high growth businesses like tech start-ups, underpinned by a commitment from UK pension funds and the venture capital community to work together to drive even more finance into scale-ups.

Targeting investors in key financial hubs across the country in cities such as London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Belfast and Cardiff, the campaign will run on billboards strategically placed 200 metres within investor offices and on key commuter routes. Wrapped copies of The Times will also be delivered to venture capital offices, and digital adverts will run online and across podcasts.

The marketing push will show off regional ‘clusters’ of innovation excellence from across the UK, including spin-out companies that were started from research at leading universities.

Norwich-based Colorifix was created following discoveries at the University of Cambridge, and has now developed ways using bacteria to produce, deposit and fix dyes onto textiles, helping the clothing industry to dramatically reduce its environmental impact in a cost-effective way.

Spurred by earlier InnovateUK funding, Colorifix raised £18 million in one of its early stage funding rounds, securing the support of fashion giant H&M. This was in addition to being nominated for an Earthshot prize.

Orr Yarkoni, CEO and Co-Founder of Colorifix, said:

Since starting Colorifix as a spinout from the University of Cambridge, we have received important grants and support from governmental institutions to finance our scale-up journey, as well as valuable collaborations with world-class institutions.

More so, locating our sites in Norwich and Cambridge has given us access to brilliant minds and enabled us to build a stellar team, which has been fundamental for the success of our company.

We hope the government and investors will continue to address challenges such as inadequate funding and supporting networks to scale world-changing solutions and further strengthen the UK’s position in engineering biology.

Science and technology hubs outside of London have seen huge increases in venture capital investments since 2019, with Liverpool, Sheffield and Glasgow all seeing more than 500% growth.

Far exceeding all other cities, Birmingham saw 1183% increase in venture capital funding raised, driven by a specialist ecosystem surrounding autonomous vehicle technology.

Close to the city, Coventry based ‘Aurrigo’ makes self-driving vehicles that are used to transport passengers, baggage and cargo in airports all over the world.

Aurrigo’s recent growth journey was kickstarted by £16 million in funding from Innovate UK, where the company also received direct support through the organisation’s Scale up Programme in 2021. Here, it began to consider a flotation on the London Stock Exchange which initially listed Aurrigo at 48p per share, with a market capitalisation of £20 million.

Since listing on Alternative Investment Market (AIM), Aurrigo has almost doubled in value, reaching a market capitalisation of £42 million. Commenting on his company’s growth journey, Aurrigo’s CEO and Founder, David Keene, added that:

“Aurrigo International plc is very proud to be disrupting the global aviation market with autonomous solutions designed, developed, and built at our Advanced Engineering Centre in Coventry.

We have tapped into outstanding support from the government for commercialising our innovation and leveraged every bit of academic collaboration we can from universities, including Aston, Coventry, and Warwick.

This has aided us in getting to market quicker with our Auto-DollyTug product, an all-electric autonomous vehicle that is moving baggage and cargo around six international airports. The outstanding graduates they produce have also been crucial to our recruitment plans as we expand at pace.

I’m delighted to put the Aurrigo International name fully behind the campaign to promote the UK as a Science and Tech Superpower.

Michael Moore, Chief Executive of the BVCA, said:

The UK has a thriving science and tech ecosystem built on world-class research and development, a strong talent pool and connectivity. These key factors position the UK as a global Hub for technological advancement.

Our research shows that private equity and venture capital (private capital) invests billions in the UK science and tech sector. It’s vital that the UK remains the best place in the world to start and grow a business, and the British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA) welcomes the drive to encourage further private capital investment in these sectors in the UK.
April 2, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Tech leaders to make latest fuel prices available on top apps [March 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 11 March 2024.

Tech companies collaborate on the government’s Pumpwatch scheme to bring down road fuel prices for drivers.

Leaders from top comparison sites, RAC and The AA will be among those meeting the Energy Affordability Minister today (11 March), to help share new fuel price data and keep costs down for motorists.

Price comparison sites and map apps will have access to this new data as part of the government’s PumpWatch initiative, which aims to drive down prices at the pumps. The scheme will look to make fuel prices, updated within 30 minutes of changes, available to the public by the end of this year. The move will further drive competition and place even more power back into hands of consumers and motorists to get the cheapest fuel available in their area.

The latest step follows the government’s plans and support for motorists in the Spring Budget 2024, as fuel duty is frozen for a further 12 months, extending the 5p fuel duty cut and cancelling any increase with inflation. This has saved the average car driver around £250 over the past 3 years and is worth £13 billion.

Minister for Energy Affordability and Skills Amanda Solloway said:

The government is already working to bring down fuel prices and we will all see the difference of the 5p fuel duty cut extension at the pumps.

We want fuel prices at your fingertips, refreshed within 30 minutes of changing, so everyone can save when filling up their tank – even when visiting an area they don’t know.

The government and tech firms are working together to make sure PumpWatch is a success, so we can put hard-earned pounds back in families’ pockets.

PumpWatch will increase transparency to give consumers better information to shop around for cheaper fuel and reignite competition in the market to drive prices lower.

Working with The AA, Confused.com, Go.Compare, PetrolPrices.com and RAC, the government is making sure the freely available data will be simple and easy to understand. The data could be used by journey planning sites and in-car devices too, to help over 41 million drivers to help save money wherever they live in the UK.

The government presses on with work to keep bringing down costs for hardworking families. The fuel duty cut extension, alongside maintaining fuel duty rates at their current levels for another year, will save families 7p a litre for petrol and diesel compared to previous plans.

Head of Roads Policy at The AA, Jack Cousens, said:

What the government and the CMA is achieving with its pump-price transparency scheme is fast on the road to what the AA has called for and envisaged for more than a decade. For years, European countries have provided their motorists with the ability to check pump prices wherever they go and thus spur competition. The UK is now getting there.

Bringing tech firms into the picture will help that process and lead to innovative use of the price data. An example of innovation is the Fuel Price Checker in Northern Ireland that allows drivers to see the towns offering the cheapest fuel. However, there is so much more that can be done with the data and bringing in the digital experts will hopefully unlock that.

CEO of Confused.com, Steve Dukes, said:

Fuel has become one of the biggest expenses for drivers as prices have remained high for the past few years. This, paired with rising insurance and maintenance costs, along with the general cost of living increasing has made it harder for many drivers to run their car. In fact, recent Confused.com research shows that 1 in 5 (19%) UK drivers are using their car less due to the cost of living.

Encouraging fuel retailers to share up-to-date pricing information through the PumpWatch initiative will make a huge difference to drivers who are trying to manage costs. Naturally they may be tempted to go to their closest station. But being able to research cheaper pumps nearby could save a considerable amount of money when filling up. We hope that drivers having this transparency will only encourage retailers to be more competitive with their prices where they can.

Managing Director of PetrolPrices.com, Andrew Watson, said:

We welcome the news earlier in the week to continue the 5p cut in fuel duty rates for a further 12 months supporting UK drivers with rising prices. The upcoming Pumpwatch legislation scheme, coupled with this fuel duty support is much needed for motorists up and down the country.

We’ve been helping drivers save money at the pumps since 2005. I know our 2 million users will welcome the changes PumpWatch will bring in making fuel prices more up to date, allowing consumers to make the best decision for themselves.

The meeting comes as the public have their last chance to provide their views on new rules that would mean fuel retailers must share fuel prices within 30-minutes of changes. The consultation closes at 11.59pm on 12 March 2024.

April 2, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin extended in post [March 2024]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 11 March 2024.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Defence Secretary Grant Shapps confirm that Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin will be extended in post until autumn 2025.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Defence Secretary Grant Shapps are pleased to confirm Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin will be extended in his post until autumn 2025.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said:

Admiral Sir Tony Radakin has the expertise and leadership we need in an increasingly dangerous world.

I’m pleased he will remain as Chief of the Defence Staff and I look forward to continuing our work together to keep our nation and our allies safe and secure.

From our support for Ukraine to security in the Red Sea, we’re committed to ensuring our Armed Forces have what they need as they defend our interests and support our prosperity.

Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said:

I am grateful for the opportunity to continue as Chief of the Defence Staff. The abiding impression from my first two-and-a-half years in post is the quality of our people, alongside the strength of the United Kingdom’s network of allies and partners. This has enabled the Armed Forces to serve our nation’s interests time and again, from our early and pivotal role supporting Ukraine, the evacuation from Sudan, our magnificent contribution to the Coronation, and the ongoing defence of international trade in the Red Sea.

This is a critical time for Europe, and the world. President Putin is desperately hoping the West loses interest in Ukraine, and it is vital we prove him wrong. Ukraine’s heroic resistance is sending a message to autocrats everywhere that aggression does not pay. Having just returned from visiting Kyiv, I am even more convinced that if we stick together and stick with Ukraine, Putin will fail, Ukraine will win, and the values we cherish in the world will endure.

I want to use the coming years to continue modernising the British Armed Forces, learning the lessons of Ukraine by strengthening our nuclear enterprise, recapitalising the British Army and our stockpiles and being much more ambitious in embracing drones and other technology. Most of all, I want to help streamline and focus the Ministry of Defence, unlocking the potential that exists for our military and civilian personnel to make an even bigger contribution to the security and prosperity of the nation.

The Chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the Armed Forces and the principal military adviser to the Defence Secretary and the Prime Minister.

Admiral Sir Tony Radakin has been in post since November 2021, and his time in post to date has been dominated by efforts to shape the international response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He regularly meets with his counterparts in Kyiv, Washington and Brussels and he has worked alongside the Defence Secretary to coordinate military assistance to Ukraine and to strengthen the United Kingdom’s contribution to NATO.

Prior to his appointment as Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin was First Sea Lord (Head of the Navy) for two and a half years, during which time he instigated a renewed Royal Navy presence around the globe, secured an expanded shipbuilding programme and helped broker the AUKUS agreement between the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States.

Commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1990, he has served in numerous command and staff appointments, both ashore and afloat, and in command of UK and international forces. Operational tours have included the Iran/Iraq Tanker War, security duties in the Falklands, NATO operations in the Adriatic, countering smuggling in Hong Kong and the Caribbean, and three tours in Iraq – each in command.

April 2, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Crack down on long term empty homes [March 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 11 March 2024.

Strengthened 100% council tax premium on long term empty homes comes into force on 1 April, with councils able to spend the money from the next financial year.

Sharpened rules to double council tax on long term empty properties will come into force from 1 April, supporting local people in areas where high numbers of empty homes are preventing them from finding affordable housing.

The rules will apply when a property has been empty for 12 months, rather than the current two years. Councils will be given new powers to introduce the tax premium on second homes in their area from next year, bringing in millions more for public services or keeping overall council tax bills down.

The Department for Levelling Up today confirmed a very limited number of exceptions have been set out following a public consultation, which will ensure the changes are fair to homeowners. These will apply to empty properties that are uninhabitable due to extensive renovation, second homes that are not available for use year-round due to planning restrictions or for up to a year on homes that have been inherited to prevent families who are grieving from having to pay.

The consultation response gives homeowners clarity so they can plan for the changes before they take effect, while councils will be able to budget for millions more to spend on public services.

Minister for Local Government Simon Hoare said:

“Long term empty properties are shutting local families and young people out of the housing market as they are being denied the opportunity to rent or buy in their own community.

“So, we are taking action as part of our long-term plan for housing. That means delivering more of the right homes in the right places and giving councils more powers to help give local people the homes they need.”

This follows reforms to give councils greater power to control short-term lets by making them subject to the planning process which will protect people from being pushed out of their local areas, preventing a “hollowing out” of communities and ensuring local people can continue to live in the place they call home.

The changes are part of the government’s long term plan for housing, unlocking more of the homes this country needs and meeting the target to deliver one million homes this Parliament, backed by £10 billion investment.

April 2, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Government commits more funding to protect UK Muslims [March 2024]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 11 March 2024.

The government has committed to providing UK Muslims with more than £117 million of protective security funding over the next 4 years.

The funding announced today (11 March) will be used to protect mosques, Muslim faith schools and other community centres.

This year the government has made up to £29.4 million available, including an uplift of £4.9 million following the events in Israel on 7 October.

This follows the Prime Minister’s pledge to provide more than £70 million over the next 4 years to the Community Security Trust to protect Jewish community sites, as part of the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant. The funding will increase security at a range of locations across the country, including schools, synagogues and other facilities used by the Jewish community.

Funding was allocated to reflect the number of community sites used by each faith, with British Muslims making up 14 times more of England and Wales’ population than British Jews.

Concerningly, recent events in the Middle East since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict have been used by some as an excuse to stir up indefensible hatred against both faith groups.

Today’s announcement marks a package of longer-term support to provide reassurance that anti-Muslim abuse, threats or harassment or any form of hate crime will not be tolerated.

The funding will provide protective security measures to ensure the UK’s Muslim community can be, and just as importantly, can feel safe. Measures include technology such as CCTV, alarm systems and secure perimeter fencing at mosques, Muslim faith community centres, and Muslim faith schools.

This comes alongside the extension of the deadline for the Protective Security for Mosques Scheme, and the government continues to invite mosques and Muslim faith community centres to register for protective security measures.

The government will continue to work closely with policing and community partners to ensure the safety and security of Muslims.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said:

Anti-Muslim hatred has absolutely no place in our society. We will not let events in the Middle East be used as an excuse to justify abuse against British Muslims.

The Prime Minister has made clear that we stand with Muslims in the UK. That is exactly why we have committed to this funding, giving reassurance and confidence to UK Muslims at a time when it is crucially needed.

Security Minister Tom Tugendhat said:

This funding demonstrates that this government stands firmly against hate crimes, abuse, threats or harassment against British Muslims.

We continue to work closely with policing and community partners to ensure the safety and security of British Muslims.

Some £31 million will also be made available to protect democratic processes and institutions in response to growing extremist threats.

The government condemns the recent rise in reported anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish hatred. Ministers have made it clear they expect the police to fully investigate all hate crimes and work with the CPS to make sure the cowards who commit these appalling offences feel the full force of the law.

April 2, 2024

Tag: Press Release

Further information

Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said:

Will Quince MP said:

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said:

Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said: