The Department for International Trade (DIT) has announced 6 British FinTech companies have been chosen for the third trade mission to Finnosummit, the largest FinTech conference in the Latin America and the Caribbean region.

The conference, which will have over 3000 entrepreneurs, financial services innovators, financial executives, and international investors in attendance, will take place in Mexico City from 9-13 September, and will offer UK FinTech firms the opportunity to:

• Participate in a Mexico FinTech immersion day, allowing them to have a clear understanding of the Mexican FinTech ecosystem

• Network with senior executives in banking, insurance, technology and finance and attend bespoke one-to-one meetings

• Attend presentations from industry insiders which will outline the main issues and considerations of doing business in Mexico

• Attend workshops to help them showcase their expertise to business audiences

The businesses were chosen for their cutting- edge financial solutions expertise, in a rigorous recruitment process, which prioritised companies which could meet the market demands and needs specific to Mexico. Mexico City was chosen to host the conference as it is home to the largest FinTech ecosystem, including hundreds of businesses, in the region.

Liz Truss, Secretary of State for International Trade, said:

The companies chosen for this year’s mission to Mexico showcase the best in class of our world-leading FinTech industry, which continues to attract the highest levels of capital in Europe.

Whether it’s our comprehensive State of the Nation report, partnerships with FinTech Alliance, or the launch of our new Pilot Bridge Programs, DIT continues to be a firm ally to the UK’s FinTech industry and I am delighted we are supporting this mission to Finnosummit.

Joanna Crellin, Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner (HMTC) for Latin America, said:

The strength of the UK’s thriving FinTech sector is rapidly receiving great interest around the world. We are delighted to be supporting these FinTech firms as they offer their innovative solutions to one of the fastest growing ecosystems in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Mexico has taken significant steps in providing an open and collaborative market for FinTech to flourish in supporting underserved businesses and helping to meet the needs of the financially excluded.

The UK Government is supporting the FinTech industry in Mexico with initiatives such as the Prosperity Fund Mexico programme. This will reach £60 million over 8 years and seeks to support growth in the country/ region, such as through the bolstering of technology and innovation through digital financial services, including the FinTech sector. £11 million of the fund has been allocated for this specifically.

An overview of some of the UK delegates:

Boseman specialises in money management technology through custom FinTech products in the investment and credit sectors, moving away from the use of robo-advisors.

ComplyAdvantage helps firms make intelligent choices when complying with regulations relating to sanctions, money laundering (AML) and terrorist financing (CFT). Using Artificial Intelligence and machine learning to produce higher quality AML risk data on individuals, organizations and associated entities. ComplyAdvantage works globally with some 200 firms in the financial markets and other regulated high-risk sectors.

Duesday seeks to make recurring payments easier through their mobile app. The streamlined platform allows users to view, pay and organise their bills in one place, rather than struggle with many different direct debit payments. Users can even change their date of payment and split bills with others, as well as unlock rewards for paying bills earlier.

Tokenise provides regulatory hosting services to the financial services sector, working with companies in the UK, Europe and Asia. Their services allow for fast and cost-effective listing of debt securities, open and closed-ended funds, securitisation cell companies, specialist investment vehicles, cryptocurrencies and other exchange-traded instruments for capital raising and investor diversification.

Paymentology works alongside banks and program managers to provide a seamless processing experience. Identifying gaps in the financial market, the company aims to help their clients in the areas of security, flexibility and reconciliation through digital processing platforms.

Rhisco Solutions Limited works internationally with banks and insurers in Latin America to provide risk management and capital services solutions through bespoke technology platforms. Examples include their TEGRA® data management, ALLGOOD® compliance, IBM Algo Credit Management solutions and more.

The runways at RAF Lossiemouth will be resurfaced following the award of a £75 million contract to VolkerFitzpatrick Ltd by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO). This work will prepare the Moray base for the arrival of 9 P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft, the first of which is expected to arrive in the UK in 2020.

Home to 4 fast-jet squadrons flying the Typhoon, it has been some time since RAF Lossiemouth has regularly operated a larger aircraft such as the P-8A Poseidon. Resurfacing works are one of many improvements being made, future-proofing the Moray base for years to come. Other improvements include:

• accommodation for personnel
• a new Air Traffic Control Tower
• upgrades to drainage and electrical supplies
• upgraded facilities for IX (Bomber) Squadron, which moved to RAF Lossiemouth this year

Russ Liddington, DIO’s Project Manager for the resurfacing works, said:

It’s exciting to be part of the start of a new era for RAF Lossiemouth.

The improvements to the runways will make them suitable for use by the new Maritime Patrol Aircraft, and continue to enable Typhoon operations which are essential to the UK’s Defence capabilities.

It represents a significant investment in Scotland and secures the future of RAF Lossiemouth status as a main Operating Base.

Group Captain Simon Strasdin, Director of the Lossiemouth Development Programme, said:

Resurfacing our airfield operating surfaces represents the next stage towards operating the fleet of P-8A Poseidon from RAF Lossiemouth, and I am glad to welcome VolkerFitzpatrick Ltd onto the team which will help to deliver it.

The Lossiemouth Development Programme is a complex series of projects which is set to transform RAF Lossiemouth into a modern, high-tech Station, equipped to face a range of evolving challenges. It represents an infrastructure investment of over £400m in Moray, the creation of around 550 additional military posts, and employment opportunities for many local contractors.

Group Captain Jim Walls, Station Commander RAF Lossiemouth, said:

Already delivering on operations in the UK and around the world, RAF Lossiemouth is only to get busier in the coming months and years. At this very moment, live-armed Typhoons are on standby as part of our Quick Reaction Alert commitment, ready to scramble against airborne threats the UK faces.

The P-8A Poseidon aircraft and its crews will also be operating 24/7 to safeguard our seas. Poseidon is world-class in its roles of maritime surveillance and submarine hunting, and crews from our NATO allies including the United States and Norway will operate the platform from Moray, strengthening the collective security of the Alliance.

Richard Offord, Managing Director of VolkerFitzpatrick, said:

We are delighted to have been awarded this key contract at RAF Lossiemouth, which will benefit from our significant in-house airfield and infrastructure capabilities. We look forward to collaborating with the DIO on these important works, over the coming months.

It is anticipated that the resurfacing work will be completed by spring 2021. While these improvements are underway, aircraft and crews will continue to operate from RAF Lossiemouth. There will be a short period of relocation while the runway intersection is completed.

The second edition of the Polish-British Science Forum will take place on 20 September in London. It will bring top scientists and innovators from the UK and Poland to showcase scientific collaboration between the countries and discuss the challenges and opportunities for Women in STEM.

The event will consist of thematic workshops and blocks, led by high-level representatives of research and innovation institutions. Among others, participants will discuss the issue of gender equality in STEM, and whether AI and new technologies will improve gender inclusion in the field.

The Science Forum provides a platform for researchers, scientists and universities from the UK and from Poland to connect with each other, learn about new opportunities, discuss the issues of the day and share experience of doing research in Poland and the UK. Selected edtech companies from both countries will also display their innovative solutions.

The Forum is a joint initiative of the British Embassy Warsaw, the Polish Embassy UK, the UK Science and Innovation Network and the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education. The first edition of the Forum, which took place in September 2018 in Warsaw, brought together over 200 participants to discuss Polish-British cooperation in science and innovation.

Registration to the Science Forum is now open – registration is free but places are limited.

The 2 year, £30,000 project, which is part of a fish improvement programme, is being funded by the Environment Agency and the Severn Rivers Trust. The Banister Charitable Trust has also provided an additional £9,000.

The project sees Environment Agency fisheries officers using different coloured dye markings on fish for different stretches of the river above Alcester. Anglers are being asked to record catching fish with their dye colour, so data can be compiled by the Environment Agency showing where fish are migrating to on the river. Local angling clubs have been given LED flashlights to help with the identification process.

In addition, to improve water quality and geomorphology, new fencing and stiles are being put up along parts of the river to prevent cattle entering the water, 1,000 trees are being planted along embankments, and there are plans for removing a weir.

Environment Agency Fisheries Officer, Darin Alberry, who is leading the project, said:

We’ve responded to concerns of anglers about declining fish stocks and plan to run this project over a few years so that we’ve got really good data to monitor fish populations.

The project will help anglers to increase their knowledge of fish populations in the river and just how far up and downstream they migrate.

Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers has today thanked Professor Sir Ian Boyd on his last day as Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Sir Ian, who has been in the post for seven years, has been responsible for ensuring the department’s policies – on everything from air quality to plant health – have been underpinned by sound, scientific advice.

Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers said:

Sir Ian Boyd’s work for the department over the last seven years has been crucial to ensuring we continue to protect the environment with the very best science available.

I am immensely thankful for his service and wish him all the best in future endeavours.

Some of Sir Ian’s key accomplishments while in post include leading the scientific input into key government strategies like the 25 Year Environment Plan, Resources and Waste Strategy and the Clean Air Strategy.

Sir Ian also dealt directly with the threat of ash dieback, driving the use of underpinning research into operational practice, and chaired the Decontamination Science Assurance Group in response to the Salisbury nerve agent attack in 2018.

Commenting on his time in post, Sir Ian Boyd said:

I’m very grateful for the opportunity and privilege to have served as Defra CSA. The role is immensely varied, but ultimately it involves putting science at the heart of all decision making at the department, whether responding to an unexpected event, or long term policy decisions to improve the environment.

I’ve had the pleasure to serve under several Secretaries at State with different priorities, but I’m proud to say we have ensured science remains top of the agenda.

In terms of science, he has championed innovation in the department, leading to the use of satellite Earth Observation and the creation of the Defra Earth Observation Centre of Excellence. Most recently, he was responsible for establishing the Systems Research Programme, an initiative putting Defra in the lead in using systems approaches to inform policy decisions

Tamara Finkelstein, Permanent Secretary at Defra said:

I’d like to thank Sir Ian for his dedication and contributions to Defra during his time as CSA, and his commitment to bringing the best scientific advice to bear on the department’s decision making.

We are indebted to him as the longest serving CSA, and look forward to seeing his ongoing influence in the scientific community.

Sir Ian has BSc and DSc degrees for the University of Aberdeen, a PhD from Cambridge University and has received prizes for his research including the Scientific Medal of the Zoological Society of London, the Bruce Medal for Polar Science from the Royal Society of Edinburgh and The Polar Medal awarded by Her Majesty The Queen. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

He is expected to continue in his role as Professor in Biology at the University of St Andrews. He is also Chair of the UK Research Integrity Office and will also be pursuing research extending from his experiences as CSA at Defra.

Sir Patrick Vallance, Government Chief Scientific Adviser said:

Ian has been a champion of the use of science to improve government, not just in Defra, but more broadly.

His broad knowledge and fearless challenging has been an example of how a CSA can really make a difference.

The CSA sits on Defra’s Board and is responsible for overseeing the quality of evidence that the department relies on for policy decisions. They also provide Ministers with scientific advice and sets the priorities for scientific research and evidence-gathering.

Professor Gideon Henderson is due to take over the post in October.