WIREDGOV NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
| Smaller UK companies find space for £bns in growth |
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UK has a thriving space & satellite community that many countries are envious about. While the big players (like Airbus, BAE & Inmarsat) are well known, 7 out of 10 organisations in the sector are SMEs, each with their own niche, making them successful and being able to thrive in a very competitive market. Back in 2010, the UK government in conjunction with the UK space industry launched the Space Innovation and Growth Strategy (IGS), which defined a 20-year vision & strategy for the future growth of the UK space industry. A recent update of the IGS roadmap to review the progress has identified that the UK space industry is on target to achieve £40bn turnover by 2030. Space directly supports an estimated 37,000 jobs, distributed across the UK and they are highly skilled (3 in 4 hold a higher education qualification) and highly productive (labour productivity of £140,000 – over 3‐times the UK average of £46,000). techUK's Satellites Applications & Services conference will be held on the 2 October 2015, aimed at signposting the innovations in satellite technologies & services and their applications in the traditional and an ever expanding range of new markets. Working in conjunction with techUK's Electronics Network the conference will also incorporate a 'Space Electronics’ strand at the same time, allowing interactions across the entire value chain. |
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techUK: The contribution of Space & Satellite industry to the UK economy UK Space Agency: PM announces space partnerships with Southeast Asia Innovate UK: 9 UK companies get set for Space Mission to the United States An opportunity that is ‘out of this world’ New Space science laboratory offers £27.7m boost to UK's space industry British entrepreneurs invited on space mission Using Satellites to connect Africa UK to deliver secure communications with new satellite move Satellite receiver technologies: £1m for feasibility studies Spacecraft propulsion: £2m for collaborative R&D UK Space Agency to invest up to £32m in global space industry partnerships UK joins new space partnership FM praises Scottish satellite’s maiden voyage STFC RAL Space team is Ground Control for Newly Launched UK Satellite Ignition, Lift-off....New Satellite Launches Next Generation of UK Scientists UK Astronomy Technology Centre is key partner in new Scottish Satellite Applications Centre EC approves £21m aid to UK spacecraft manufacturer SSTL for development of low-cost radar satellite UK space sector a real success story Harwell Oxford selected to host new centre for satellite applications |
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| Why should it cost so much and take so long to access one’s ‘pension pot’? |
| The Treasury is launching an immediate consultation & online survey to look at what may be stopping people enjoying the benefits of increased flexibility over their pension pot. The consultation will look at how best to remove barriers and, in particular, will investigate options to address excessive charges for early exit penalties and how the process for transferring pensions from one scheme to another can be made quicker & smoother |
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HMT: Government takes action to support pension savers – (closes on 21 October 2015) |
| If there is no dignity in care, people might go to Dignitas; Register & contribute |
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The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published a draft guideline to support the NHS in providing high quality & compassionate care for people who are dying. It also provides guidance about the management of some common symptoms that may be experienced at the end of life, and places the individual and their loved ones at the heart of decisions about their care. The draft NICE guideline, which has been published for consultation, follows the abolition of the Liverpool Care Pathway, a protocol for looking after people at the end of their life. This was phased out last year after a government-commissioned review found serious failings in how the pathway was being implemented. The NICE guideline begins to provide some guidance around clinical care in the last days of life in its place. The consultation for the draft NICE guideline will remain open until Wednesday 9 September 2015. Comments will then be reviewed before the final guideline is published for NHS use. Only organisations & groups with a registered interest in the guideline will be able to participate in the consultation, but they can register to become a stakeholder at any time during the development of the guideline. NICE expects to publish its final guideline in December 2015. |
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NICE consults on draft guidance to help the NHS care for us in our last few days of life After decades of practice the NHS should be getting it right by now! NHS England: New draft guidelines to help transform the care of people with learning disabilities NHS England: NHS launches next step of urgent care review DH: NHS Constitution and Handbook updated |
| Before you have ‘a place of safety’ one needs ‘a system that identifies a need for safety and then acts to meet that need’ |
| NHS England’s Director of Nursing looks back on the 8 months since the Child Protection – Information Sharing system was launched |
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| For the sake of the children? |
| A campaign to find a new generation of councillors with a commitment to represent local residents and a passion for change was launched in Rotherham last week. The ‘Be a Councillor' campaign, led by the Local Government Association in partnership with Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, is calling for local people who are enthusiastic about improving their community to stand to be a councillor in the next round of elections in May 2016. |
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LGA: Campaign to find new councillors launches in Rotherham Somehow the term ‘The Great & the Good’ no longer seems to be appropriate for our ‘Civic Leaders’ |
| Illegal dumping levels reach tipping point |
| The Local Government Association, which represents over 370 councils in England & Wales, wants more manufacturers & retailers of bulky items to voluntarily provide 'take back' services – where people can hand in their old mattresses & furniture when they buy new items. They are also urging firms to contribute to the clear-up costs – as councils have to fork out almost £50m annually. Councils dealt with 850,000 fly-tipping incidents in 2013/14 – up 20% from the previous year. |
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LGA: Fly-tipping: Councils call for urgent action to save the nation's countryside Fly-tipping and the Law - Keep Britain Tidy Government announces crackdown on illegal fly-tipping New GPS system to help Welsh Government crack down on fly-tipping Working towards a fly-tipping free Wales Ministers challenge back-door bin tax that would fuel fly-tipping Environmental Offences Guideline: Consultation report published |
| Should the cost of National Cyber Defence be classified as part of the Armed Services? |
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The UK government will be able to keep to its commitment to spend 2% of national income on defence through to 2020 as a result of both an annual real term increase of 0.5% a year, and significant changes in the UK’s calculation of its defence budget for NATO reporting purposes, according to a new RUSI Briefing Paper. This has been achieved by adding several new items to the UK’s NATO return: war pensions (some £820m); contributions to UN peacekeeping (some £400m); pensions for retired civilian personnel (perhaps around £200m); part of the MoD’s income (in total, about £1.4bn). The paper suggests that maintaining the 2% commitment through to 2020 ‘is likely to require yet further adjustments in the UK’s counting methodology’. |
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Defence Expenditure is no longer just about ‘hardware’ Will ‘beefing up support for NATO’ necessitate ‘re-beefing’ the armed forces in general? Do we still have a big enough stick to defend the UK’s interests? |
| It’s so essential, the Government is helping to pay for it |
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Businesses can get an Innovation Voucher worth £5,000 to pay for an external expert to give them advice on protecting their business against cyber attacks and potential accreditation to Cyber Essentials. They can also use this advice to protect new business ideas & intellectual property in cyber security. The Cyber Essentials programme helps organisations develop a secure platform for their business activities. They can also get accreditation to show that they’ve taken these precautions. Suppliers bidding for a government contract may need this accreditation. Since 2014, all suppliers handling certain sensitive & personal information need Cyber Essentials accreditation. |
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Innovate UK: Cyber security - apply now for business funding |
| Global trade requires global standards of security |
| CESG, the Information Security arm of GCHQ, has responded to calls to extend its successful, UK-based Certified Professional scheme (CCP) to non-UK residents. CCP will be available as a pilot to information security professionals resident in the US, Australia, Canada & New Zealand in two of the most popular roles; the Security and Information Risk Advisor (SIRA) and the IA Architect. The pilot will run until 31 March 2016. |
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BCS: CESG extends the CESG Certified Professional scheme overseas techUK: UKTI’s export figures show a 15% increase for a vibrant UK cyber security sector |
| Urgent requirement for views |
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techUK is compiling a detailed position of the UK tech industry on cross-border portability, a key proposal in the European Digital Single Market package. Cross-border portability is a proposal that would allow UK consumers to access their content & services in another EU member state. techUK has received highest level requests from UK Government to input to the UK Government position on cross-border portability. If you are techUK member and would like to inform techUK's position please get in touch with Laura Weidinger by Wednesday 5 August 2015. Policy proposals on cross-border portability of licenses to copyrighted content are part of the European Commission's 16 proposals for a Digital Single Market. |
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| Don’t get ‘bitten’ by demand for coins |
| The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) is warning the public to be wary of emails that appear to come from the Ministry of Justice or the Home Office because they may infect your computer with the TorrentLocker ransomware. The email – which does not come from any government department – contains a link or attachment which contains information about an upcoming ‘court case’. |
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| Help required to ‘think outside the civil service box’ |
| The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) is working on a reform programme and they want the best people to help them reach their goals. They are establishing a policy fellowship scheme to ‘widen our pool of people who contribute to making and delivering government policy’. As a Policy Fellow, you will bring a set of transferable skills developed within your ‘home’ sector or field to continue to drive these reforms. Your time could range from spending a day a week in the department for 3 or 6 months, through to a full-time secondment of up to 18 months. |
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| Even more exciting than the Tour de France! |
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Santander Cycles has teamed up with the Science Museum to offer twilight cycling tours through the museum's collections, galleries & exhibitions after hours. Taking place on 12, 13 & 14 August, the cyclists will be able to hear from curators as they take part in a VIP tour on two wheels. The cycling festivals will be happening this summer at some of London's unique locations including ZSL London Zoo, Lambeth Palace and at riverside settings during the Totally Thames festival in early September. To find out more and for a chance to pedal around the Science Museum, enter the prize draw on the Santander Cycles website before 4 August 2015. |
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| Funding for youth social action |
| Organisations working with young people in lower socio-economic areas in England can apply for funding through the new Youth Social Action Fund. The Fund received £1m from the Cabinet Office, as part of the government’s pledge to support Step Up To Serve’s ‘#iwill’ campaign. The #iwill campaign aims to increase participation in youth social action (volunteering, fundraising & campaigning) by 50% by 2020. The government is encouraging charities, community interest companies and social enterprises to apply by 5pm on Friday 28 August 2015. |
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Cabinet Office: Applications open for Youth Social Action Fund |
| Help recognise those who put in extra effort |
| Communities Minister, Lesley Griffiths, is encouraging people to nominate those who make the biggest contribution to their vibrant local high streets for a new national award before voting closes on 10 August. 2015. The High Street Heroes awards are part of the Support Your High Street campaign, which showcases the vast range of shops and services available on Wales’ diverse high streets & town centres. |
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More news, opinions, documents, claims & counter-claims; |
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