Press release: PM meeting with King Salman of Saudi Arabia: 5 April 2017

The PM and King Salman held talks on a wide range of subjects, including security and strengthening ties between businesses in Saudi Arabia and the UK. The Prime Minister pointed out that security relationships between the 2 counties had saved many lives in the UK.

They also discussed working together to address the humanitarian situation in Yemen.

During the meeting at the Royal Palace, King Salman awarded the Prime Minister the Order of King Abdulaziz. The Saudi Arabian Order of Merit was established in 1971 by King Faisal.

The honour has in the past been awarded to other G7 heads of state, including President Obama, Prime Minister Abe, and Prime Minister Modi.



Press release: Security Vetting Appeals Panel appointments: April 2017

The Prime Minister has approved the appointment of four new members to the Security Vetting Appeals Panel. They are James Barron CBE, Sally Berlin, Nicholas Griffin QC and Claire Stokes, who have all been appointed with effect from 1 April 2017.

The new appointments replace Sue Jarvis, Stephen Monk, Claire Smith and Robert Wright who recently retired from the Panel after several years of service. At the same time, the appointments of the Chair, Sir George Newman and Deputy Chair, Sir Stephen Silber have been extended to 31 March 2019 and 31 March 2018 respectively.

The Security Vetting Appeals Panel was set up in 1997 to provide an independent means of challenging a decision to refuse or withdraw national security vetting clearance. It is available to hear appeals from individuals in government departments, the armed forces and other organisations, or their contractors, who have exhausted the internal appeals process and remain dissatisfied with the outcome.

The Chair and Deputy Chair are retired members of the judiciary, with other members having relevant experience at a senior level both inside and outside government. They form a panel from which 3, including the Chair or the Deputy Chair, are normally selected on each occasion when the Panel is required to hear an appeal.

These appointments have been made in accordance with the Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies.



News story: Happy anniversary, payroll giving

Launched in 1987, payroll giving is a way to give to charity straight from your wages or pension without paying tax on it.

Over the course of three decades, the scheme has raised over £1.8 billion for good causes thanks to the generosity of employees. More than a million UK employees currently give in this way.

As part of the celebrations, the Association of Payroll Giving Organisations and the Institute of Fundraising Payroll Giving Special Interest Group are showcasing six individuals and what payroll giving means to them. From employee donors to HR managers, find out about their payroll giving stories.

How to get involved:

  • Find out more about how to donate through payroll giving
  • If you are an employer, you can find out how to set up a scheme
  • Show your support for payroll giving on social media by joining the Thunderclap and using the #PayrollGivingAt30 hashtag


News story: Control systems for wave energy generation: apply for funding

Organisations can apply for up to £47,000 to develop advanced control systems for cost-effective wave energy generation technology.

Up to £47,000 (excluding VAT) is available for businesses to develop advanced control systems for use in wave energy generation.

This funding call is for feasibility study proposals. It is the first of 3 stages in the Wave Energy Scotland (WES) control systems programme.

Up to 100% of project costs are available via a research and development contract. WES will invest further funding in successful projects which progress to design, development and demonstration stages.

The role of control systems in wave energy generation

Advanced control systems have the potential to play a vital role in the development of cost-effective wave energy generation technology.

WES aims to support collaboration between academia, industry, wave energy specialists and new entrants in this competition. There are relevant technology transfer opportunities in many industrial sectors including:

  • robotics
  • mechatronics
  • electrical engineering
  • aerospace
  • automotive
  • mining
  • offshore and sub-sea vessel stability and manoeuvring

Competition information

  • this competition opens on Wednesday 5 April 2017
  • there will be a webinar for potential applicants on Thursday 13 April 2017 (registration required)
  • individual companies can apply, but smaller businesses are expected to prefer to form a consortium for their bid
  • there will be a brokerage event in Edinburgh on Friday 12 May 2017 (registration required) to help businesses find partners
  • you must apply before midday on Monday 12 June 2017
  • projects can last up to 3 months

This is the fourth WES innovation funding call.



News story: Veterans’ Gateway

Veterans’ Gateway went live on 3 April 2017 and is the first point of contact for veterans seeking support.

There is a huge network of organisations supporting the armed forces community, so finding the right one for your needs can be tricky.

Veterans’ Gateway will make it quick and easy by being your first point of contact for whatever support you need, whether you are based in the UK or abroad.

Many of the team are veterans themselves so they understand the issues that people face after leaving the armed forces and they will work with people on a one-to-one basis, connecting them with the right support as soon as possible.

You can find out further information and contact the team via their website www.veteransgateway.org.uk .