Author Archives: HM Government

In October 2016, the government selected a new north-west runway at Heathrow as its preferred scheme for delivering new airport capacity in the south-east.

In February a consultation on a draft Airports National Policy Statement (NPS) was launched, which set out the reasons for this preference, along with the mitigation and compensation measures the government expects the promoter to put in place if planning permission is to be granted.

The consultation closed on 25 May and the work to analyse the over 70,000 responses is progressing well. I would like to thank all of those who contributed their views.

This government is fully committed to realising the benefits that a new north-west runway at Heathrow would bring, in terms of economic growth, boosting jobs and skills, strengthening domestic links and – critically – increasing and developing our international connectivity as we prepare to leave the European Union.

The timing of the election, in particular the need to re-start a Select Committee inquiry into the draft Airports NPS means we now expect to lay any final NPS in Parliament in the first half of 2018, for a vote in the House of Commons.

I will provide a further update to the House after the summer recess on our next steps following analysis of the consultation responses.

Today (13 July 2017) I am also publishing a response to the consultation held earlier this year on a new night flight regime for Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted. I am fully aware that noise is a major concern for those living near these airports, and that night noise is widely regarded as the most disturbing impact of aviation. While advances in new technology mean that aircraft are generally getting quieter, the limits governing night noise at these airports has not kept pace with these developments.

The new rules we are publishing today will encourage the use of quieter aircraft at all 3 airports by reducing the amount of noise these airports are legally allowed to make, and will give local residents a 5 year guarantee about the level of noise that they will be exposed to. This decision strikes a balance between managing the impacts on local communities by locking in the benefits offered by recent technological developments, with the economic benefits of night flights.

This decision should be seen as a signal that this government takes this issue very seriously, which is why we expect a ban on scheduled night flights of 6.5 hours at an expanded Heathrow. We will also explore whether there is more we can do – including considering further legislation – to incentivise the industry more generally to invest in the quietest aircraft and operate them in the quietest way.

Strong international links are critical to the future prosperity of our country, with a world-class hub airport and thriving aviation sector central to this. We are committed to realising the economic and social benefits aviation has to offer, while taking seriously the need to balance this with managing the local and environmental impacts of aviation.

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Spain’s State Visit is an opportunity to celebrate our longstanding partnership with Spain and our shared, history, values and interests, the Prime Minister said today, as she prepared to host King Felipe VI at Downing Street.

The three-day visit by King Felipe and Queen Letizia is Spain’s first State Visit to the UK since 1986 and follows centuries of diplomatic relations. It highlights the close and vibrant links we have built through cooperation on trade and investment, security and defence, science and innovation, and on the world stage.

Ahead of the UK-Spain Business Forum at Mansion House today, the Prime Minister welcomed the scale of this investment as a sign of the depth of our commercial ties and Spain’s continued confidence in the strength of the UK economy.

Britain remains the number one European destination for Spanish investment.

Today’s business forum will highlight examples of Spanish investment in a range of sectors across the UK, including:

• today’s announcement by Spanish manufacturer CAF that it is to start building trains and trams at a new factory in South Wales. The company will invest £30 million in the facility near Newport, creating 300 jobs and giving a boost to UK manufacturing and the Welsh economy.

• today’s announcement by Spanish infrastructure company Sacyr that it will soon open a new London office close to Victoria Station, which will provide a base for further investment and job creation in the UK.

• the ongoing expansion of Luton Airport, whose majority shareholder is Spanish airport operator AENA. Over £100 million is being invested in this major redevelopment which aims to increase capacity by 50% to 18 million passengers and is expected to create thousands of jobs, with the first phase now complete.

• the construction of a £26 million factory on a Steel & Alloy Processing site in Oldbury, as Spanish steel producer Gonvarri Steel Services, part of the Gestamp Group, scales up its production capacity in the West Midlands. The project has been supported by the Department for International Trade and will create more jobs in the local area.

• the recent launch of new clinics in the West Midlands and London by Spanish fertility specialists IVI as they invest in their UK expansion, creating jobs and supporting research.

The Prime Minister also hailed the enduring friendship between Britain and Spain and pledged that our relationship will continue to go from strength to strength as the UK leaves the EU.

Prime Minister Theresa May said:

Britain’s longstanding relationship with Spain has been built over centuries on the deep and solid foundations of our shared history, values and interests.

Today, we work closely together in a range of areas to ensure the security and prosperity of our people, including through our military and law enforcement cooperation to fight international terrorism, our academic collaboration on science and innovation, and our growing trade and investment ties.

Indeed, the sheer scale of Spanish investment in Britain demonstrates Spain’s continued confidence in the strength of the UK economy, and shows that we can and will maintain the closest possible relationship.

This week’s State Visit is an opportunity to celebrate the historic bond between our countries and our citizens. We are firm friends, and I look forward to seeing our partnership go from strength to strength in the years ahead.

Speaking ahead of the UK-Spain Business Forum, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said:

As an international economic department over the past twelve months we’ve helped secure more foreign direct investment projects than ever before, supported thousands of UK businesses on their export journey, and continue to promote British trade values across the world.

I’m delighted to welcome further Spanish investment into the UK today, as we remain Spain’s number one destination in Europe for direct foreign investment.

Our diplomatic relations stretch back more than 500 years, and as we leave the EU we want to remain a good friend and neighbour to Europe and build a positive new partnership with each of its member states”.

There are over 300,000 Britons living in Spain, while over 130,000 Spaniards have made the UK their home. In today’s talks with King Felipe, the Prime Minister will welcome the valuable contribution that Spanish citizens make to Britain’s economy and society.

And she will pay tribute to the heroism of Ignacio Echeverría, the Spanish banker who was killed in last month’s appalling act of terror at London Bridge as he rushed to help someone who was being attacked.

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The ‘Health Profile for England’ report is the first time PHE has used its wealth of population health data to give an overall picture of the health of England.

People are living longer than ever – life expectancy in England has now reached 79.5 years for males and 83.1 years for females. However, much of the extra time is spent in poor health.

A major theme of the ‘Health Profile for England’ report is health inequalities; we are simultaneously publishing a focused report examining health inequalities between different population groups. In the richest areas, people enjoy nearly 20 more years in good health than people in the poorest areas.

The ‘Health Profile for England’ report covers life expectancy, major causes of death, morbidity trends, European comparisons, inequality in health, social determinants of health and current health protection issues.

Some of the report’s more notable findings include:

• life expectancy has increased more than years in good health and therefore the number of years lived in poor health has also increased
• diabetes makes the top 10 causes of ill-health and disability (morbidity) for the first time
• the 2 biggest risk factors behind levels of ill health are excess weight and high blood sugar
• lower back and neck pain are the biggest causes of ill health
• while deaths from heart disease and stroke have halved since 2001, it’s still the biggest killer of men
• the biggest killers for women are Alzheimer’s disease and dementia

‘Health Profile for England’ has been created with policymakers, both national and local, in mind. PHE wants them to use the report as a shared reference point and to think about the broader impact of their policies on health. The report also allows local policymakers to see how they compare with the national picture.

Duncan Selbie, Chief Executive of PHE said:

Good public health is not defined by health policy alone. Our health profiles show a high-quality education, a well-designed and warm home, a good job and a community to belong to are just as important.

The more we consider the impact of all policies on population health, the sooner we can focus on preventing poor health instead of only dealing with its consequences, especially for those from the most deprived communities.

1. Public Health England exists to protect and improve the nation’s health and wellbeing, and reduce health inequalities. It does this through world-class science, knowledge and intelligence, advocacy, partnerships and the delivery of specialist public health services. PHE is an operationally autonomous executive agency of the Department of Health. Follow us on Twitter: @PHE_uk and Facebook: www.facebook.com/PublicHealthEngland.
2. The ‘Health Profile for England’ and ‘Public Health Outcomes Framework: Health Equity Report, Focus on ethnicity’ are available on PHE’s website.
3. The ‘Health Profile for England’ report’s 7 chapters are:
   • life expectancy and healthy life expectancy
   • major causes of death and how they have changed
   • trends in morbidity and behavioural risk factors
   • European comparisons
   • inequality in health
   • social determinants of health
   • current and emerging health protection issues
4. The ‘Public Health Outcomes Framework: Health Equity Report, Focus on ethnicity’ was also published today. It provides analysis and commentary on how different ethnicities compare on 18 indicators and determinants of health.
5. The indicators have been chosen by PHE’s Health Equity Board, to help it monitor how PHE performs against its duty to reduce health inequalities and ensure it considers the needs of all individuals in day to day work in shaping policy and delivering services.

Contact:

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• Programme will be an integral part of developing UK cyber security capability
• UK cyber security sector is now worth more than £22bn

A groundbreaking initiative bringing together GCHQ and industry expertise to develop new cyber security technology is to be extended.

Cutting-edge cyber security entrepreneurs and start-up firms are now being invited to apply to join the second programme in the GCHQ Cyber Accelerator which will be extended from three to nine months.

The expanded programme will give start-ups more time with the world-class personnel and technological expertise of staff from across GCHQ, including the National Cyber Security Centre, enabling them to expand their capability, improve their ideas, and devise cutting-edge products.

The programme will be delivered by Wayra UK, part of Telefónica, and the selected startups will receive benefits to help them scale all aspects of their businesses, including office space, mentoring and contact with an extensive investor network.

The facility will specifically help new firms turn their ideas into commercial products and services and contribute to the booming UK cyber security sector which grew from £17.6 billion in 2014 to almost £22 billion in 2015.

The accelerator programme is a collaboration between the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), GCHQ, the NCSC, and Wayra UK.

Minister for Digital Matt Hancock said:

We are working hard to make Britain the best place to start and grow a digital business and the safest place to be online.

The GCHQ Cyber Accelerator is a vital part of this work and has already helped some of the most innovative cyber security startups develop cutting-edge new products and services.

I’m pleased to announce the programme is being extended and encourage the nation’s talented entrepreneurs to apply.

The accelerator is an important element of the Cheltenham Innovation Centre and a key commitment in the Government’s five-year, £1.9 billion National Cyber Security Strategy which aims to defend the UK in cyberspace, deter our adversaries and develop our cyber security skills and capabilities. DCMS is also planning to launch a second innovation centre – in London – at the end of the year.

The facility brings together experts in this field from government, academia and industry, and is a partnership which is vital to achieving the government’s aim of making the UK the best place to start and grow a modern digital business.

Earlier this year, seven start-ups graduated from the accelerator’s first programme and to date they have collectively raised more than £2.7m in investment, including follow-on contracts with major companies such as Cisco.

The firms which took part were CounterCraft, CyberOwl, CyberSmart, Elemendar, Spherical Defence, StatusToday and Verimuchme.

Chris Ensor, NCSC Deputy Director of Cyber Skills and Growth, said:

Cyber Accelerator represents a massive opportunity to collaborate with cutting edge companies to drive forward the government’s ambitious programme of innovation that is helping to protect the UK from evolving cyber threats.

Gary Stewart, Director of Wayra UK, said:

Improving cyber security is one of the most important challenges that we face, whether as large corporates, SMEs or individual citizens. We are eager to accelerate the growth of the next generation of cybersecurity startups, in partnership with GCHQ, DCMS and our colleagues at Telefónica. The goal is that the start-ups will scale up and we will all be more secure online.

Notes to editors

Wayra UK will deliver the accelerator programme.

Start-ups can apply via wayra.co.uk/gchq today. The closing date for entries is 9 August 2017. Successful start-ups will begin work in the accelerator in October 2017.

The accelerator programme will help start-ups boost and scale initial sales and business development with relevant partners and secure follow-on third-party investment. Start-ups will be given a grant by Wayra UK as well as a physical space to work in. Members will also have the opportunity to learn first-hand about cyber security best practices and gain Cyber Essentials accreditation.

The programme will include insights to Government procurement processes, IP management, export controls and information assurance architecture. There will be opportunities to pitch products and services to Government departments and GCHQ will also offer access to its national and international commercial partners across the cyber security sector.

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