Ticket resale site viagogo must overhaul the way it does business to comply with a court order, secured after CMA enforcement action.

Five tech companies have been awarded contracts to use cutting-edge technology to tackle the problem of rural isolation and loneliness.

These businesses will create new technology platforms to match the supply and demand for transport in rural areas, as well as minimise the risk of digital exclusion among older people and those in more isolated, rural areas with limited connectivity.

Speaking at the Digital Leaders Innovation Conference in London, Cabinet Office Minister, Oliver Dowden, said:

I am delighted that our funding for innovative tech companies is helping to tackle loneliness and rural isolation – to improve people’s lives and enable them to feel a part of their local community.

The GovTech fund encourages firms to find innovative ways to address the big social problems we all face, including loneliness, plastic pollution and national security. Through emerging technologies, this fund will help to elevate British companies onto a global market while transforming the delivery of public services for people across the UK.

Councillor Sara Jones, Cabinet Member for Social Justice and Community Development at Monmouthshire County Council, said:

In Monmouthshire, we are blessed with beautiful, rural surroundings and thriving towns. Yet the diversity of our landscape has its challenges, where journey times on public transport to local services can exceed two hours. That is why we are determined to address this issue to ensure people feel connected and part of the community.

We are delighted to be working with innovative businesses who have developed a range of digital solutions for transport and rural isolation. Given the importance of the small business sector to the fabric of our country, it was great to see that sixty-five percent of the applications were from Welsh and UK-wide micro businesses with less than 10 employees.

In November 2017, the £20m Govtech Catalyst Programme was launched to help fund innovative tech firms, to solve public-sector challenges through innovation and emerging technologies.

As part of a wider commitment to use technology to improve lives and transform the delivery of public services, the government will publish an innovation strategy in spring 2019.

The five small tech-firms to win contracts are:

• Box Clever Digital Limited
• Enable International Ltd
• GPC Systems Ltd
• The Behavioural Insights Team
• Zipabout

These 5 companies are funded up to £50,000 each over 12 weeks, in phase 1, to prove the feasibility of their ideas. They are given contracts to conduct research and development.

In phase 2, up to two companies are then funded to develop their ideas and will be awarded up to £500,000 over 12 months.

The successful companies will retain all intellectual property and equity for what they develop.

Five tech companies have been awarded contracts to use cutting-edge technology to tackle the problem of rural isolation and loneliness.

Mr Hugh Philpott OBE has been appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Turkmenistan in succession to Miss Thorda Abbott-Watt. Mr Philpott will take up his appointment in Summer 2019.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Full Name: Hugh Stanley Philpott OBE

Married to:Janine Frederica Philpott

Children: One

2015 to present	Dushanbe, Her Majesty’s Ambassador
2014 to 2015	Temporary Assignments including as Charge d’Affaires in Astana and Crisis Manager and resilience Deputy Head of Mission in Kyiv
2012 to 2013	Language training (Russian)
2008 to 2012	FCO and Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, Head of Science & Innovation Network and Deputy Head of International Science & Innovation Unit
2007 to 2008	FCO, Deputy Head of Science & Innovation Group
2005 to 2007	FCO, Deputy Head of Overseas Territories Department
2001 to 2004	Muscat, Deputy Head of Mission
1999 to 2001	FCO, Head of Bermuda and Caribbean Section, Overseas Territories Directorate
1997 to 1999	Department for International Development, Programme Manager, Russia, East Europe and Central Asia Department
1991 to 1993	FCO, Desk Officer, Bermuda, Turks & Caicos Islands, Anguilla and the Cayman Islands
1990 to 1991	FCO, Assistant Desk Officer for Israel and Lebanon
1988 to 1990	Iraq, Third Secretary
1987 to 1988	Language training (Arabic)
1985 to 1987	Budapest, Vice-Consul
1984 to 1985	Language Training (Hungarian)
1982 to 1984	Oslo, Pro-consul
1980 to 1982	FCO, Assistant Desk Officer Security Dept
1980	Joined FCO

Further information

Published 27 November 2018

The Government has signalled its intention to deliver a landmark sector deal for the UK tourism industry to attract more domestic and overseas visitors and help drive major economic growth.