News story: Infected blood scheme reform

The government announced reforms to payments supporting people who received infected blood during NHS treatment in the 1970s and 1980s.

The Department of Health published its response to the recent consultation on infected blood support and the special category mechanism on 28 September.

As part of this response, the government announced new payment ‘uplifts’ and a new special category mechanism (SCM) to improve financial support for those affected by the infected blood tragedy of the 1970s and 1980s.

At least 2,400 people died and thousands more were exposed to Hepatitis C and HIV, with life-changing consequences, as a result of receiving infected blood.

The following measures will now be introduced:

  • a new SCM will be introduced so more people with hepatitis C stage 1 can claim financial support with no distinction between severities of illness suffered

  • the SCM will consider any significant and sustained adverse impact of Hepatitis C infection or its treatment on the ability of an individual to carry out routine day-to-day activities

  • administration of the current 5 payments schemes will be given to a single body – the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). The NHSBSA will start on 1 November 2017

  • ‘uplifts’ to annual payments from 2018 to 2019 and increasing the amount of discretionary funding available

  • adding membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) to the list of stage 2 Hepatitis C conditions.

The discretionary payment scheme has been changed so that all groups can get the support they need quickly, both financial and otherwise

The department has increased annual spend on support payments to record levels since 2015, committing an additional £125 million in funding for support.

The changes concern people who were infected in England.



Research and analysis: Natural Capital Committee advice on government’s 25 year environment plan

Updated: Advice document: minor revision 31 January 2018 for formatting and typographical issues.

This report sets out the NCC’s advice to government on the development and implementation of the 25 year environment plan.

It includes the NCC’s thoughts on what the plan should aim to achieve, how it will do that and what success will look like.

You can read more information about the work of the Natural Capital Committee.



Press release: Further extreme right-wing groups banned in the UK

An order laid in Parliament today will proscribe Scottish Dawn and NS131 (National Socialist Anti-Capitalist Action) as aliases of National Action which was proscribed in December 2016.

As a result, from tomorrow (29 September 2017) when the order comes into effect, being a member – or inviting support for – the organisations will be a criminal offence, carrying a sentence of up to 10 years’ imprisonment.

The neo-Nazi group National Action was banned last year following an assessment that it was ‘concerned in terrorism.’ The order laid today means that it cannot operate as Scottish Dawn or NS131, which have been identified as alternate names the group has used.

Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, said:

National Action is a vile racist, homophobic and anti-semitic group which glorifies violence and stirs up hatred while promoting their poisonous ideology and I will not allow them to masquerade under different names.

By extending the proscription of National Action, we are halting the spread of a poisonous ideology and stopping its membership from growing – protecting those who could be at risk of radicalisation.

Our priority as government will always be to maintain the safety and security of families and communities across the United Kingdom and we will continue to identify and ban any terrorist group which threatens this, whatever their ideology.

National Action’s online propaganda material featured violent imagery and language, inferring that violent acts, including the attack on the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando and the murder of Jo Cox should be emulated.

Decisions about proscribing or extending the proscription of a particular organisation are taken after extensive consideration and in light of a full assessment of available information.



News story: UK-Shanghai collaborations: pioneering businesses win funding

Innovate UK and the Science and Technology Department of Shanghai Municipality (STCSM) will fund UK and Shanghai companies to work together on joint innovation projects. This is to create new collaborations in global growth sectors and support further business development opportunities between the 2 countries.

The funding comes from a joint UK-Shanghai competition for:

  • future cities solutions relating to rapid urbanisation, demographic and social change, resource scarcity and climate change
  • new and novel products, processes or services drawn from any technology, engineering or industrial area. There was a particular interest in healthcare and life sciences, advanced manufacturing and green technology

Smart overseas collaboration

Winning projects include:

  • Worcestershire-based Teer Coatings Ltd and Shanghai Aerospace Equipments Manufacturer, who are working together on coatings to prevent fungal and microbial growth on the surfaces of manned spacecraft
  • Oxford-based Genefirst and Fosun Med-Tech, who are developing a non-invasive test for cancer gene mutations
  • MatSurf Ltd, from Cumbria, and Xinke Environmental Protection Science & Technology Company, who are creating a range of intelligent filter systems to tackle air pollutions. This includes exhaust and factory emissions

Dr Ruth McKernan, Innovate UK’s Chief Executive, said:

Collaboration is essential to innovation. Smart overseas collaboration can greatly accelerate its impact and benefits.

We have taken the lead in working with Shanghai to help exceptional UK businesses build the partnerships they need to shape the future of global technology.

Working together

The projects were given the go-ahead this week during a joint signing by senior officials. This included Innovate UK’s Deputy Chief Executive, Kevin Baughan, and STCSM’s Zhang Weimin, Vice Chairman, He Shangyan, Deputy Director – International Cooperation Department and Xu Jin, Director of Administrative Office.

Also in attendance were He Jun, Director General of Shanghai Consulting & Academic Activities Center for Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Ma MingGeng, First Secretary (Science and Technology) at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, and Shao Sili, Deputy Director of Shanghai Technology Market Management Office.

Innovate UK’s Ewa Bloch Kevin Baughan and Katrina Heyter.

Understanding the market

The UK and China are increasingly working together as strategic partners. In September 2016, the UK was chosen as Country of Honour at the Pujiang Innovation Forum, China’s leading innovation conference. Science Ministers of the UK and China, Jo Johnson and Wan Gang, both attended.

One of the world’s largest ‘super cities’, Shanghai has a population of 22.7 million and GDP of 320 billion. It is home to 55 major universities and colleges, 33 State Key Laboratories, 11 Chinese Academy of Science Institutes and 2 high-tech industrial zones.



Press release: New ministerial appointments September 2017: DfE and DIT

Rona Fairhead CBE is new Minister for the Department of International Trade and Sir Theodore Agnew DL is Parliamentary Under Secretary for the Department for Education.

The Queen has been pleased to approve the appointment of Rona Fairhead CBE as an unpaid Minister of State at the Department for International Trade. This follows the recent departure from Government of Lord Price CVO.

Her Majesty has also been pleased to approve the appointment of Sir Theodore Agnew DL as an unpaid Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Education on the departure from Government of Lord Nash.

Her Majesty has been pleased to signify Her intention of conferring peerages of the United Kingdom for Life on Rona Fairhead and Sir Theodore Agnew.