Marking 100 years of the Royal Air Force (RAF), the RAF100 Baton Relay made its way to Edinburgh on Monday (28 May 2018) as part of its procession across 100 sites in 100 days. Lord Duncan was joined by serving RAF personnel, veterans and the Lord Provost in carrying the specially-created commemorative baton, following a Legion Scotland piper from Parliament to Edinburgh Castle.

UK Government minister for Scotland Lord Duncan said:

The RAF100 Baton Relay is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the rich history of the RAF and reflect on all it has achieved over the past 100 years. It was an honour to be part of the Edinburgh leg of this adventure and to join people from across Edinburgh and the whole of Scotland commemorating and celebrating the service of those who have selflessly defended the Nation’s interests – at home and overseas – over the past century.

Group Captain Clive Coombes, Chief of Staff and Assistant Air Officer Scotland, said:

The RAF is deeply proud of its Scottish heritage, and it’s fitting that Edinburgh’s own 603 Squadron will receive the high honour of the Freedom of the City in the RAF’s 100th year. Today was also a chance for the RAF to thank the people of Scotland, who have fully embraced our 100th anniversary celebrations over the last few weeks.

The RAF100 Baton Relay is part of a wider programme of centenary events to celebrate this milestone of the Nation’s military history. The centre-piece takes place on 10 July 2018 with a service in Westminster Abbey, a parade along The Mall and a mass flypast.

The RAF100 Campaign also supports the UK Government’s Plan for Britain, a Global Britain, a Stronger Economy, a Fairer Society and a United Nation.

Also taking place in Edinburgh, the RAF will take the lead at this year’s Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in August.

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The European Commission is proposing a new exception from infringement of supplementary protection certificates (SPC), which protect medicines. SPCs are national IP rights provided for by EU regulations. A draft proposal for a Regulation was published on 28 May 2018. This Regulation aims to amend Regulation (EC) No 469/2009 concerning the supplementary protection certificate for medicinal products.

The proposed waiver introduces a limited exception to the current system. It applies to SPC medicinal products manufactured in the EU. It allows their manufacture for export outside of the EU. Such activities would currently infringe an SPC. The draft Regulation also introduces measures intended to promote transparency and reduce the risk of diversion of IP-infringing products onto the EU market.

The European Commission has issued a press release outlining why there is a need for an SPC waiver.

The IPO welcomes views on the draft legislative proposal. For example, evidence on the possible impact of the legislation for the UK, views on the draft legal text and comments on the Commission’s impact assessment.

Evidence should be clear and verifiable in line with our Guide to Evidence for Policy.

It would be helpful to receive views before the end of June 2018 to help inform working group discussions on the proposal between EU member states which may take place midsummer. Initial views can be followed with more substantive detail at a later date.

Please send your views to patentspolicy@ipo.gov.uk.

Dr Martin Read, Sir Adrian Johns and Dr Peter Westaway have been reappointed to the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB), with Dr Read continuing in his role as Chair. The SSRB provides independent advice to the Prime Minister and senior ministers on the pay of many of the nation’s top public servants. The appointments are all for a further term of approximately 3 years with immediate effect.

Biographies

Dr Martin Read, CBE, MA, DPhil, FIET

Martin Read is Chairman of Laird plc, of the two government companies which manage contracts and payments under the electricity market reform programme (the Low Carbon Contracts Company and the Electricity
Settlements Company) and of the Remuneration Consultants Group. He is also a non-executive director of Lloyd’s of London. Martin was chief executive of international IT services company Logica from 1993 to 2007 and has served as a non-executive director on the boards of invensys, Aegis Group, British Airways, Siemens Holdings, Boots, ASDA and the UK Government Efficiency and Reform Board. He was chairman of the Remuneration Committees at Invensys, British Airways and Boots. He has been a senior adviser to private equity firms Candover and Actis and to Indian technology companies HCL and Zensar. He led UK government reviews on back office operations and IT across the public sector (2008/9) and management information (2012).

Sir Adrian Johns, KCB, CBE, DL

Adrian Johns served for 35 years in the Royal Navy specialising as a helicopter pilot and flying instructor but also commanding 5 times at sea in ships ranging from a minesweeper to HMS OCEAN, Britain’s largest warship
at the time. He was Head of the Fleet Air Arm for 5 years and retired from the Navy in the rank of Vice-Admiral as Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command in 2008. In his final appointment he was responsible for all aspects of HR, remuneration, recruiting, training, and career management for the naval service. Following retirement from active service he was Governor and Commander-in-Chief, Gibraltar from 2009 to 2013. He has a variety of charitable interests, is patron of a number of Veterans’ Associations, and is a Deputy Lieutenant for Greater London.

Dr Peter Westaway, DPhil

Dr Peter Westaway is chief economist and head of investment strategy for Vanguard Asset Management, Europe. He meets with clients and writes articles to provide Vanguard’s perspective on economic issues and longerterm investment strategy implications. Dr. Westaway was previously chief economist, Europe, for Nomura International and a senior official at the Bank of England where he conducted analysis on the economy and financial markets and the economy for the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England. He also provided analysis and input to HM Treasury’s “Five Tests Assessment” in 2002-2003 of whether the UK should adopt the euro.

Dr. Westaway earned a Ph.D. in economics and a Master of Philosophy in
control engineering and operational research from the University of Cambridge, and a B.Sc in mathematics and economics from the University of York.

Further information

Further details of the roles are available on the Centre for Public Appointments website.

The appointment process for these roles was in full accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ Code of Practice. The SSRB provides independent advice to the Prime Minister, the Lord Chancellor, the Secretary of State for Defence, the Secretary of State for Health and the Home Secretary on the pay of: the judiciary; senior civil servants; senior officers of the armed forces; certain senior managers in the NHS; Police and Crime Commissioners; chief police officers; and other such public appointments as may from time to time be specified.

The Regulator of Social Housing reports that Inclusion Housing Community Interest Company has been placed on its Grading under review list.

The regulator is currently investigating a matter regarding Inclusion’s compliance with the Governance and Financial Viability Standard. The outcome of the investigation will be confirmed in a regulatory judgement, once completed.

The GUR list is available on the website.

Further information

1. The GUR list includes providers being investigated for an issue that may result in non-compliant grades for the Governance and/or Financial Viability Standard.

2. The regulatory framework can also be found on the website.

3. Inclusion does not currently have a regulatory judgement as it previously held less than 1,000 homes. The regulatory judgement to be published at the end of the investigation will be its first regulatory judgement.

The regulation of social housing is the responsibility of the Regulation Committee, a statutory committee of the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). The organisation refers to itself as the Regulator of Social Housing in undertaking the functions of the Regulation Committee. Homes England is the trading name of the HCA’s non-regulation functions.

The regulator’s purpose is to promote a viable, efficient and well-governed social housing sector able to deliver homes that meet a range of needs. It does this by undertaking robust economic regulation focusing on governance, financial viability and value for money that maintains lender confidence and protects the taxpayer. It also sets consumer standards and may take action if these standards are breached and there is a significant risk of serious detriment to tenants or potential tenants.

For more information visit the RSH website.

Our About the Regulator of Social Housing page has contact details for media enquiries.

For general queries to RSH, please email enquiries@rsh.gov.uk or call 0300 124 5225.