We’ve announced deals with 13 supply chain partners to collaborate regionally to carry out up to £8.7 billion of work on England’s motorways and major A roads.

The deals have been set up using a new industry-leading approach, the Routes to Market Regional Delivery Partnership, which incentivises companies to improve safety and journeys on our roads. It contains incentives for results which include:

• shorter duration and more accurate management of roadworks to help drivers better plan their journeys and experience predictable journey times
• buying more efficiently and buying locally – using the capability of a region to benefit the region
• encouraging innovation, for example lighting and signs designed to need less maintenance, reducing disruption and improving road worker safety
• reduced road noise and increased environmental benefits

Our Chief Executive Jim O’Sullivan said:

Routes to Market represents a fundamental change in the way we deliver road projects. It will be performance rather than price based, focusing on building the right projects with the best outcomes for road users and the communities we serve.

It demands a major step up in our supply chain to embrace innovation and team work, and in their ability to deliver value.

The 13 companies – known as Delivery Integration Partners – will be part of the Regional Delivery Partnership working with us. They will develop, design and construct highway projects across England from 2019 through to 2024.

Until now, we’ve procured work on a scheme by scheme basis. This new approach provides a secure pipeline of work, instilling confidence to invest in skills and employment. Driving value for money, innovation and delivery certainty, the Regional Delivery Partnership model has been designed to start a long overdue transformation within the infrastructure construction sector.

The value of work allocated across the 13 companies is as follows – the values mentioned are shared between suppliers on the lot over a six-year period (includes RIS1 budget and RIS2 estimate):

Lot 1 – South West and Midlands – £200m – two partners: Geoffrey Osborne Ltd; and Griffiths / Farrans Joint Venture (Alun Griffiths (Construction) Ltd and Northstone (NI) Limited trading as Farrans Construction)

Lot 2 – South East and East – £350m – two partners: John Graham Construction Ltd; and Volker Fitzpatrick Ltd

Lot 3 – North West, North East, Yorkshire and Humber – £200m – two partners: Amey Sir Robert McAlpine Joint Venture (Amey OW Ltd and Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd); and North Midland Construction Plc

Lot 4 – South West – £800m – two partners: Galliford Try Infrastructure Ltd; and Taylor Woodrow

Lot 5 – Midlands – £1,250m – two partners: BAM Nuttall Ltd; and Skanska Construction UK Ltd

Lot 6 – South East – £1,100m – two partners: BAM Nuttall Ltd; and Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering Ltd

Lot 7 – East – £2,800m – three partners: Costain Ltd; Galliford Try Infrastructure Ltd; and Skanska Construction UK Ltd

Lot 8 – North West, North East, Yorkshire and Humber – £2,000m – three partners: Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering Ltd; Costain Ltd; and Kier Highways Ltd

The work is arranged into 18 packages of schemes, awarded to Delivery Integration Partners in bands of up to £100m (lots 1 to 3) and over £100m (lots 4 to 8).

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

Specialist rape and sexual abuse support services will receive a £800,000 (10%) boost to help more victims across England and Wales under government plans announced today (Wednesday 7 November 2018).

Over 150,000 sexual offences were recorded by police last year with 1 in 5 women having experienced some type of sexual assault in their lifetime and a 200 per cent increase in the number of men and boys accessing support*.

The additional funding – now totalling £24 million over the next 3 years – will go towards vital services providing advice, support and counselling to help victims cope with and, as far as possible, recover from these devastating crimes. It will also increase the resilience of the wider sector supporting vulnerable individuals to provide timely, wrap-around support.

In addition, dedicated support organisations will now benefit from longer-term funding with government extending the funding period from 1 to 3 years. Ministers have acted to provide support organisations with greater stability and security to ensure they can focus on delivering their essential services.

Justice Minister Edward Argar said:

Rape and sexual violence are devastating crimes, so I am encouraged that more victims are coming forward to get the support they need.

By providing additional and longer-term funding we are ensuring that victims can access these vital practical and emotional services, so that fewer are left to suffer in silence.

Today’s announcement builds on the government’s commitment to further devolve justice powers. Five Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) (Greater London, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hampshire and Nottinghamshire) are to be given full commissioning responsibilities for sexual violence and abuse services as government recognises the importance of identifying local need when providing support.

In 2018/19 the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) allocated around £7.2 million towards independent, specialist support to female and male victims of sexual violence, including victims of child sexual abuse. This will now increase to £8 million annually over the next three years and is part of £96 million funding towards victim support services which has doubled since 2012/13.

Faye Maxted OBE, Chief executive of the Survivors Trust, said:

The announcement of this funding is very welcome and the fact that it will be awarded for a three-year period will allow specialist agencies to plan ahead and feel some security in offering support for victims and survivors. Rape and sexual abuse can have a devastating impact on someone’s life, affecting their health and wellbeing for years and impacting on their ability to live a fulfilling and happy life. Security and safety are such vital elements in recovery for victims and survivors and this means that specialist support agencies themselves need to be sure the services they offer are well supported too.

Duncan Craig, CEO of Survivors Manchester & Co-Founder of Male Survivors Partnership, and survivors of childhood sexual abuse:

The government’s announcement of the investment it’s making in tackling rape and sexual abuse is more than welcome. Increasing the amount of money available for organisations to access and extending the grants to three years gives a clear message that the Minister is taking our needs as survivors seriously. Organisations like mine, those members of networks such as Male Survivors Partnership or Rape Crisis England and Wales are struggling to meet the increasing demand on our services from people who often, are speaking out for the first time. This announcement feels like help is on its way and gives me hope that we will be able to not only continue to provide the support services to men and women, boys and girls who have been sexually violated, but in doing so give people hope that healing is possible.

Katie Russell at Rape Crisis England & Wales said:

Demand for independent, specialist sexual violence and abuse support services is at unprecedented levels and continues to rise each year.

In 2017-18, our member Rape Crisis Centres provided over 650,000 sessions of specialist support, counselling and advocacy to more than 78,000 victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, rape and all forms of sexual violence.

This is the only dedicated, central government funding for sexual violence and abuse organisations and recognises the significant need for these vital services, and the considerable expertise and experience of our specialist sector.

Three-year core grants also provide some much-needed stability for centres like ours, enabling them to focus more energy on service delivery and further development, and less on survival.

APCC Victims Lead, Dame Vera Baird QC said:

I welcome the 10% increase, and it is particularly positive that funding for rape support will now be for a three-year period. Longer-term funding will provide these vital organisations with the stability they require, and free them from the burden of making fresh bids every year, so they can devote their time and resources on better serving victims.

Notes to editors

• A grant funding competition will allow providers to compete for grant funding for 3 years, rather than the one-year grants previously awarded, providing greater long-term security.
• MOJ funding for victim support services has almost doubled since 2012/13 (by increasing revenue raised from offenders). This year, we plan to spend about £96 million on these services.
• MOJ provides a contribution to 97 rape support services across England and Wales and the level of grant funding varies. In 2018/19 we allocated around £7.2 million to these centres to provide independent, specialist support to female and male victims of sexual violence, including victims of child sexual abuse. This will now increase to £8 million annually.
• In 2018/19 we allocated Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) around £68 million funding to locally commission emotional and practical support services for victims of crime as they are best placed to respond to local need.
• In 2017/18 PCCs reported spending £8.40 million from the MOJ grant in supporting victims of sexual violence and abuse and £4.86m supporting victims of child sexual abuse (recent and non-recent)
• *The Crime Survey for England and Wales estimated that 20% of women and 4% of men have experienced some type of sexual assault since the age of 16, equivalent to an estimated 3.4 million female victims and 631,000 male victims.

Each council will aim to meet three times a year, twice with the Prime Minister and once with a senior cabinet minister, to provide high-level advice and policy recommendations on the critical issues affecting business. The councils will also be a forum for government to share developing policy ideas and seek the views of members.

Co-chaired by two business leaders, each council will have around ten members representing core sectors of the UK economy, as well as a representative from the UK’s key business groups.

The Prime Minister, Theresa May, said:

The UK has always been one of the best places in the world to do business and is a leader in sectors from advanced manufacturing to the creative industries.

Brexit presents a huge opportunity to build a better, stronger economy for people all over the country.

So I’ve asked these new councils to advise us on the opportunities and challenges facing business as we shape the UK for the future.

The Prime Minister will welcome the co-chairs at Downing Street for the first time on Wednesday 7 November, where she will set out their objectives and they will discuss cross-cutting issues such as productivity and international investment. Going forward, the co-chairs will be responsible for preparing agendas, ensuring all members are briefed, and driving outcomes and progress on the key enabling opportunities for the businesses represented by their council:

• Jan du Plessis (Chairman, BT Group) and Carolyn McCall (CEO, ITV) will co-chair the Telecoms, Creative, Technology and Media Council. John Allan (President, CBI) and Stephen Martin (DG, IOD) will be the business group representatives
• Roger Carr (Chairman, BAE Systems) and Ian Davis (Chairman, Rolls Royce) will co-chair the Industrial, Infrastructure and Manufacturing Council. Stephen Phipson (CEO, EEF) will be the business group representative
• James Timpson (CEO, Timpson), Brent Hoberman (Co-Founder and Chairman, Founders Forum) and Emma Jones (Founder, Enterprise Nation) will co-chair the Small Business, Scale ups and Entrepreneurs Council. Mike Cherry (National Chairman, Federation of Small Business) will be the business group representative
• Paul Manduca (Chairman, Prudential) and Shriti Vadera (Chairman, Santander UK) will co-chair the Services – Financial, Professional and Education Services Council. Carolyn Fairbairn, (DG, CBI) will be the business group representative
• Dave Lewis (CEO, Tesco) and Emma Walmsley (CEO, GSK) will co-chair the Consumer, Retail and Life Sciences Council. Adam Marshall (DG, British Chambers of Commerce) will be the business group representative

Emma Jones, Founder, Enterprise Nation said:

The overwhelming majority of businesses in the UK are small and they are the heart of our economy – so I’m pleased that their voice is formally being recognised in these councils. I’m looking forward to representing these entrepreneurs and innovators and discussing their unique perspective with the Prime Minister.

Carolyn McCall, CEO, ITV said:

Our creative industries are a £92bn sector, growing at twice the rate of the economy and setting trends around the world. The UK exported nearly £1bn of TV programmes and formats alone in 2016/17 and film and high-end TV by themselves attracted over £2bn of inward investment to the UK in 2017, creating jobs, boosting tourism and attracting global talent to the UK. I’m delighted to co-lead with Jan Du Plessis, Chairman of BT, the Telecoms, Creatives Industries, Technology and Media council to continue to nurture this for the future.

Sir Roger Carr, Chairman, BAE Systems said:

Companies in the Industrial, Manufacturing and Infrastructure sectors are the backbone of the economy and amongst our largest employers. We are a vital part of the wealth creating machinery of the country where improved training, productivity and exporting will be the cornerstones of our global success. Engaging with the Prime Minister to tackle these issues in a focused and practical manner is a welcome and important step forward in achieving our collective growth ambitions.

The launch of five business councils is a new initiative and forms part of a comprehensive, sector-focused approach, enabling the Prime Minister and government to engage directly with more businesses in the different sectors of our economy.

Business council terms of reference

The role of each business council will be to provide the Prime Minister and her ministerial team with regular, high-level advice and policy recommendations on critical issues affecting business that will enable companies to invest, grow and succeed in the UK once it leaves the European Union. The councils are to be formed as follows:

Services – Financial, Professional and Education Services:

• financial services
• professional and business services
• education and research

Industrial, Infrastructure and Manufacturing:

• materials
• aerospace
• defence
• advanced manufacturing
• automotive, aviation, ports and rail
• infrastructure, construction and housing
• energy
• environmental services

Consumer, Retail and Life Sciences:

• life sciences
• agriculture, food and drink
• consumer goods and retail
• tourism

Telecoms, Creative Industries, Technology and Media:

• digital and telecoms
• media and broadcasting
• creative industries

Small Business, Scale ups and Entrepreneurs

The business councils will be advisory, will hold no decision making powers and will report to the Prime Minister.

The investment is set to offer a boost to the company who created 50 jobs in London following assistance from the Department for International Trade’s Global Entrepreneur Programme.

Engineer.ai’s ‘Builder’ is an AI-powered Software Assembly line which breaks projects into small re-usable features that can be customised with human interaction from around the world. In turn, this allows for the customisation of high-quality software packages in a low-cost, and time-effective manner.

DIT’s Global Entrepreneur Programme helps overseas companies set up in the UK with the offer of expert guidance and introductions to key investors within industry. Since its beginnings, the programme has generated over 5,000 jobs in the UK and raised over $1 billion of private investment for companies.

Engineer.ai’s founder, Sachin Dev Duggal will announce the investment from the Web Summit in Lisbon, where he will meet Margot James, the Minister for Digital and Creative Industries.

International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox MP said:

The UK is known across the globe for cutting edge innovation and our world-class tech companies. It is because of companies like Engineer.AI that last year the UK secured more tech venture capital investment than Germany, France, Spain and Ireland combined.

My international economic department is working hard to help firms go from startup to scale-up through initiatives like the Global Entrepreneur Programme which gives guidance to budding entrepreneurs around the world. The Programme has seen 900 entrepreneurs invest in the UK since 2005 – creating more than 5,000 high quality jobs and raising more than £1bn in venture capital.

Sachin Dev Duggal, Founder of Engineer.ai said:

We created Engineer.ai so that everyone can build an idea without learning to code. This investment round validates our approach of making bespoke software effortless. The capital comes at a time of rapid growth and will propel the platform into the mainstream, allowing Builder to open the door for entire categories of companies that could not consider it before.

Engineer.ai launched in June 2018 and before the end of 2020, is projected to pass the $100m revenue mark.

Minister for Digital Margot James MP said:

The UK is a haven for investment and Europe’s leading tech hub. It’s fantastic to see another one of our innovative digital firms raise the funding it needs to take a step to the next level.

We are working tirelessly to make the UK the best place in the world to start and grow a digital business.

The sustainable scheme is designed to capture and filter water runoff from the A38, nearby industrial sites and farmland before it enters the lake. The water can carry pollutants such as oil and metal residue into the lake and this has contributed to the poor water quality and reduced diversity of wildlife.

We’re joining forces with Stover Country Park and Devon County Council to deliver the project, which is also supported by Natural England.

Around 3,800 square metres of reedbed will be planted upstream of the lake to act as a natural barrier and filter pollutants. It will also provide varied habitat for a range of wildlife. At the same time the park, which is designated a Local Nature Reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), will be improving sustainable drainage at the site.

Highways England Project Manager Darren Painter said:

We are delighted to be able to work with our partners on such a worthwhile environmental scheme. When completed, this work will make Stover Park more enjoyable for visitors as well as tackling pollution and providing valuable habitat for wildlife.

The twin reedbed system starts by providing a physical barrier to polluted water, then following absorption, microbes work to break down even more pollutants resulting in clearer water which will help the lake to regenerate and flourish.

It is hoped that by reducing pollution, white-water lilies, not seen at the lake since 2007, will once again cover the lake surface providing suitable habitat for a variety of dragonflies and damselflies. The reedbeds themselves will also support a range of birds, insects, reptiles, amphibians and mammals such as water rail, hairy dragonfly, grass snake, Daubentons bat and otter.

Rob Ballard, Ranger at Stover Country Park, said:

The construction of the reedbed system will help the regeneration of the lake, its water plants and waterfowl. The creation of this new habitat will enhance biodiversity, the landscape and improve the SSSI status. Visitors and school groups will be able to view the reed bed creation from a special interpretation viewing area.

Councillor Roger Croad, Devon County Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for Environmental Services, added:

The County Council is rightly proud of Stover Country Park. It’s an important habitat for wildlife and is extremely popular with visitors so we want to ensure it provides the best possible environment. This scheme will make a huge difference to the water quality of the lake at Stover which will benefit everyone.

Work at the site will start in late November 2018 and is expected to continue for up to seven months. To create the reed bed 6,000 tonnes of soil will be removed, and four varieties of reed native to the area will be planted.

For most of the construction work it will be necessary to close the cycle path running through the park. Closures will be publicised in advance and posters showing a diversion route will be on display.

Some of the existing on road drainage will be modified to connect with the reed beds which will involve an expected eight nights of closures on the A38 or the roundabout slip roads.

We’re committed to a national Biodiversity Plan which is being supported by a £30 million national investment programme over the next five years.

The plan recognises road verges and associated land can be managed to provide areas of habitat, relatively free from human access, that may be scarce in the surrounding landscape.

These road verges can also be used to connect fragmented habitats in the wider landscape, enabling plant and animal populations to move and interact, and so become stronger and more resilient.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.