The Prime Minister has given further details of the Government’s Digital Charter which has been published today. The Charter sets the direction for the UK to become the best place to start and grow a digital business and the safest place in the world to be online.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Prime Minister set out how, through the Charter, the UK will ensure that innovative businesses in the tech sector can thrive and the public can have the confidence and trust in the development of new technologies.

The internet has changed the way people behave and interact online. Combined with new technology such as artificial intelligence (AI), it is set to change society – growing the economy, making us more productive and raising living standards.

Alongside these new opportunities come new challenges and risks. The internet can be used to spread terrorist material, can be a tool for abuse and bullying, and be used to undermine civil discourse, objective news and intellectual property.

The Digital Charter is the Government’s response to this. Its core purpose is to make the internet work for everyone. Through it the Government will agree new norms and rules for the online world and put them into practice.

DCMS Secretary of State Matt Hancock said:

The internet is a powerful force for good with the potential to benefit everyone’s lives. Not only does it make it easier to shop or check the weather, but it also underpins revolutionary technologies which allow new robotics to make difficult medical procedures easier.

But there are clear challenges and we need to protect people from the potential harms. Our Digital Charter responds to this challenge and through it we will agree new standards for online behaviour to make sure the UK continues to be an innovation friendly digital economy and haven for tech investment.

The Digital Charter will follow key principles, such as ensuring the internet remains free, open and accessible, that personal data should be respected and used appropriately, and the rights people have offline should be protected online.

It will not be developed by Government alone. It will look to the tech sector, businesses and civil society to own these challenges with Government.

Priorities for the Government include protecting people from harmful content and behaviour through our Internet Safety Strategy, ensuring data is used in a safe and ethical way, looking at the legal liability that social media companies have for the content shared on their sites, limiting the spread of disinformation and making sure that companies have suitable cyber security.

Julian David, CEO of techUK, said:

The tech sector fully supports the objectives of the Charter. There is much that we can achieve working together with Government on shared problems. Rapid and effective progress will depend upon genuine and open dialogue.

We have to ensure that proposed solutions are practical and deliverable and never lose sight of the twin objectives to have the world’s safest and most successful digital economy. The economic and social potential to the UK is huge and as a sector we are committed to helping deliver that promise.

Rachel Coldicutt, CEO of Doteveryone, a think tank for digital society said:

Doteveryone is glad to see the government responding to the dramatic transformations technology has brought to society through the Digital Charter announced today. Regulation of digital technologies must be not only good for business, but good for everyone.

It is vital that the digital technologies we all rely on are made responsible, fair and inclusive and serve the needs of everyone in our society. This is an important opportunity for a public debate on how we shape our digital society and Doteveryone will continue to champion responsible technology that is good for everyone as the Digital Charter develops.

The Digital Charter aims to boost our digital economy and follows other Government work where regulation done right unlocks growth and supports business. The Financial Conduct Authority’s Regulatory Sandbox scheme, for example, allows businesses to test innovative products, services and business models in a live market environment, while making sure appropriate safeguards are in place.

Attorney General Jeremy Wright QC MP

Cousins who raped 2 children have had their prison term doubled after Attorney General Jeremy Wright QC MP referred their original sentences to the Court of Appeal as unduly lenient.

David Jones, 32, and Daniel Woodbridge, 31, were both under 16 when they mounted a campaign of sexual abuse against their young victims. The attacks took place between 1998 and 2000 while they were babysitting. They forcefully raped their young charges, who were aged between 7 and 10. This turned into a regular occurrence whenever they babysat the children.

Both cousins were originally sentenced to 5 years in prison after being found guilty last November at Cardiff Crown Court. The Court of Appeal has increased their sentences to 10 years.

Speaking after the hearing, the Attorney General said:

This is an abominable case where the victims suffered systematic and sustained abuse in their own home, carried out by those they should have been able to trust.

Although the lasting and severe effects of the offending should not be underestimated, I hope the increased sentence will bring some comfort to the victims.

Published 25 January 2018

The next generation of digital specialists will be created through the new Institute of Coding, a consortium of more than 60 universities, businesses and industry experts set to receive £20 million to tackle the UK’s digital skills gap.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum 2018 in Davos, Prime Minister Theresa May spoke about how the Institute of Coding, a key part of the government’s efforts to drive up digital skills through the Industrial Strategy, will equip people of all ages with the skills they need.

The consortium is formed of businesses including IBM, Cisco, BT and Microsoft, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), 25 universities, and professional bodies such as the British Computer Society and CREST.

The 25 universities involved, led by the University of Bath, range from sector leaders in business and computer science (UCL and Newcastle University) to experts in arts and design (University of the Arts) to specialists in widening participation and outreach (Open University and Birkbeck, University of London).

Universities Minister Sam Gyimah said:

A world-class pipeline of digital skills are essential to the UK’s ability to shape our future. By working together, universities, employers and industry leaders can help graduates build the right skills, in fields from cybersecurity to artificial intelligence to industrial design.

The Institute of Coding will play a central role in this. Employers will have a tangible input to the curriculum, working hand-in-hand with universities to develop specialist skills in areas where they are needed most. As we have outlined in the Industrial Strategy, this is part of our ambition to embrace technological change and give us a more competitive edge in the future.

The Prime Minister also spoke about the £10 million investment in free and subsidised training courses to help adults retrain and learn new skills.

Launched as part of the Industrial Strategy, the pilot programmes, located in Leeds, Devon and Somerset, Lincolnshire, Stoke-on-Trent and the West Midlands, will test how to reach out and support people with the cost of retraining. The Government has also invested £30million to test the use of artificial intelligence and edtech in online digital skills courses.

The award follows a nationwide competition, run by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), to improve the way universities train people for digital careers.

The government’s £20 million investment will be matched by a further £20 million from industry, including in-kind contributions such as training and equipment.

The Institute of Coding is centred around five core themes:

1. University learners (led by the Open University) – To boost graduate employability through a new industry standard targeted at degree level qualifications. IoC programmes will incorporate learning which solves real-world business problems and develops business, technical and interpersonal skills in equal measure.

2. The digital workforce (led by Aston University) – To develop specialist skills training in areas of strategic importance.

3. Digitalising the professions (led by Coventry University) – To transform professions undergoing digital transformation (e.g. helping learners retrain via new digital training programmes provided through online and face-to-face learning)

4. Widening participation (led by Queen Mary University of London) – To boost equality and diversity in technology-related education and careers (e.g. tailored workshops, bootcamps, innovative learning facilities and other outreach activities). In 2017, female programmers and software developers made up just 3.9 per cent of tech and telco professionals in the UK.

5. Knowledge sharing and sustainability (led by the University of Bath) – To share outcomes and good practice, ensuring long-term sustainability of the IoC. This will include building up an evidence base of research, analysis and intelligence to anticipate future skills gaps.

Dr Rachid Hourizi, Director of the Institute of Coding, said:

The strength of the Institute of Coding lies in the fact that it brings together educators, employers and outreach groups to co-develop digital skills education at undergraduate and masters level for learners in universities, at work and in previously under-supported groups across the country.

In addition, we’ll work with our partners to target underrepresented talent through outreach activities, tailored and inclusive curricula, flexible delivery and removal of barriers to working in the industry.

BT, among others, will provide staff and training for the Institute of Coding’s undergraduate and masters programmes.

Gavin Patterson, BT Group Chief Executive, said:

Digital skills are crucial to BT’s current and future success, but no company can fix the UK’s digital skills shortage on its own. By working together across industry and academia, the Institute of Coding will unlock access to a bigger and more diverse workforce, and support skills development for people at different stages of their careers.

We are particularly pleased that industry will have the opportunity to build on its work within the Tech Partnership and our existing degree apprenticeship schemes, setting standards and promoting degrees that are aligned to employer needs.

Professor Madeleine Atkins, Chief Executive of HEFCE, said:

The benefits to students from the Institute of Coding are clear: exciting courses designed to meet the needs of employers; exposure to leading research; and increased work experience to support the development of their employability skills and transition to work.

I am delighted that the Institute also aims to encourage more women into the digital sector.

Kathryn Parsons, Founder of Decoded and Chair of the DfE Advisory Board, said:

I strongly believe the UK can be the best place for technology education in the world. This month London was named the top European city for tech investment and the UK’s digital sector is creating jobs twice as fast as the rest of the economy.

We are a nation of entrepreneurs, problem-solvers; of collaborators, and the Institute of Coding marks a further investment in this heritage. It has the power to bring together education and business to ensure we have the skills to drive innovation and be a global leader in the fourth industrial revolution.

Improving digital skills is a central part of the government’s new Industrial Strategy, which sets out a long-term vision for how Britain can build on its economic strengths, address its productivity performance, embrace technological change and boost the earning power of people across the UK.

Please see below for the full list of employers and universities involved in the Institute of Coding.

University partners

Aston University • Birkbeck, University of London • University of Birmingham • Birmingham City University • Cardiff University • Coventry University • University of Exeter • University of Gloucestershire • Lancaster University • University of Manchester • Manchester Metropolitan University • Newcastle University • Northumbria University • Open University • Queen Mary University of London • University of Bath • University of Sheffield • University of Southampton • University of Sunderland • Swansea University • University College London • University of the Arts • University of the West of England • University of Warwick • University of York

Industry partners

British Telecom • Accenture • Cisco • IBM UK Limited • Sky Betting & Gaming • QinetiQ • QA Limited • Tin Smart Social (employer group) • Unipart Manufacturing • Warwick Arts Centre • WANdisco • Waterstons Limited • Youmee • Target Information Systems • West of England combined authority • Sunderland Software City • Office for National Statistics • Orchard Information Systems • Printed.com • Proctor & Gamble • Parametric Technology (UK) Limited • Razor Ltd • Redemption Media • Sheffield Digital • Siemens • The Floow • FutureLearn • gfirstLEP • Gradbase Limited • High Tech Bristol & Bath • Hive IT • HMA Designed Solutions Ltd • Horiba MIRA • In2Science UK • IndigoBlue Consulting Limited • Information Risk Management (IRM) Information • JP Morgan • Kollider • Lightwork Design Ltd • Microsoft Limited • The National Cyber Skills Centre • Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK Limited • O2 • Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering • Arts Council England • BAE Systems • Bohemia Interactive • British Chambers of Commerce • Business West • Capgemini • CompTIA • Creative Sheffield • CREST (International) • Deloitte • Dynamo North East CIC • Emerald Business Communications • Evoluted New Media • FDM Group

We have uploaded guidance is in the form of a ‘quick guide’ called ‘Emergency Out of Hours Immigration Application Process’.

This is available on the Client and Cost Management System (CCMS) website. The new process starts on 1 February 2018.

What are the changes?

• a reference number will be provided when an application is granted

• you will then need to upload the application to CCMS quoting this reference number in the merits report

The date the application was granted will be backdated by CCMS to the date the reference number was granted. The case can then be progressed in CCMS.

Why are we making this change?

The previous process relied upon the Corporate Information System (CIS). This change will:

• reduce the number of new applications being processed using CIS
• bring emergency out of hours immigration applications in line with other areas of case processing

Further information

CCMS website: Provider Quick Guides – see ‘Making an Initial Application’ for new ‘Emergency Out of Hours Immigration Application Process’ quick guide

asylum-out-of-hours@justice.gov.uk – urgent enquiries about the out of hours service

A £21 million flood defence scheme to better protect hundreds of businesses in Sheffield’s Lower Don Valley