News story: Border Force seizes rare live lizard at Heathrow

The juvenile monitor lizard (Varanus Bengalensis), which was about 30cm long, was seen scurrying around the staff area of Terminal 4’s baggage sorting area. It is not known where the reptile’s journey started, but it is believed to be a Bengal variety of monitor lizard.

Officers from the Border Force Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) team were contacted following the discovery on Wednesday, 17 January and the reptile was seized under CITES regulations.

Border Force CITES team Higher Officer Jan Sowa said:

Baggage handler staff were probably quite amused when they saw this lizard on the loose, but this could easily have ended tragically.

We don’t know for sure, but we think the reptile may have been placed in luggage in an attempt to bring it into the UK illegally. This must have caused it considerable distress so it’s a miracle it did not die from shock, the cold or being run over.

Border Force’s specialist CITES team takes its role in preventing illegal wildlife trafficking very seriously and, working together with our partners in the UK and internationally, we are determined to bring it to an end.

The reptile is being housed at a specialist centre near Heathrow while the CITES team make efforts to find a suitable home for it.

Monitor lizards take several years to reach adult size but once fully grown they can be up to 2 metres long. Juveniles are usually fed on a diet of crickets.

The Border Force CITES team, based at Heathrow but covering the whole of the UK, are highly regarded specialists in the field of endangered species and work closely with the National Wildlife Crime Unit, National Crime Agency and police forces on investigations and provide expert advice on import and export issues.

They also act as the main point of contact for other enforcement agencies and non-governmental organisations in endangered species-related issues.



Press release: Prime Minister to host Burns Supper in Downing Street

Scots from a variety of business sectors, food and drink suppliers, educational institutions and politics will join the Prime Minister and Mr May, the Secretary of State for Scotland and others for a three-course meal in the State Dining Room.

Glasgow-based ‘MasterChef: The Professionals’ winner Gary Maclean will take over the Downing Street kitchen for the day to prepare the menu, made up of fresh produce from a range of Scottish suppliers.

Guests will be welcomed into Downing Street by a piper from the Scots Guards.

The Prime Minister, who will give a welcome address to guests this evening, said:

Scotland is a greatly valued part of our United Kingdom and its contribution to the UK is immense – economically, socially, and culturally.

And Robert Burns is a great example of that, as one of our finest poets, famous world-wide.

I’m very much looking forward to this evening and the chance to celebrate a great poet, a great nation and an enduring Union.

Some of the courses being prepared by the head chef, who is also a senior lecturer at Glasgow City College, are the very ones that impressed the judges during the BBC2 cookery show.

Mr Maclean said:

I’m incredibly honoured to cook for the Prime Minister and showcase the best Scottish produce, sourced from local farms and dairies for this evening’s Burns Supper.

A Burns Supper is an institution in Scottish life and it’s wonderful to be able to be part of such a celebration of the works of our national bard in Downing Street.

Mr Maclean will be joined in the kitchen by his team, which includes his fellow MasterChef contenders, Matthew Healy and James Villiers, and James McGuire, who works for Braehead Foods.



Press release: Dame Judith Hackitt hosts industry summit

Hackitt review summit of industry leaders

Issued on behalf of Dame Judith Hackitt

Around 50 senior industry figures met today (22 January 2018) to inform the next phase of the Independent Review into Building Regulations and Fire Safety.

Dame Judith Hackitt today hosted a summit kick-starting the next phase of the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety.

At the summit, Dame Judith issued a ‘call to action’ to all those involved in the building system to bring about changes that will enable residents to be assured that their buildings are, and will continue to be, safe to live in.

The event was attended by around 50 senior industry figures, reflecting the full scope of the Independent Review which was commissioned in July 2017 following the Grenfell fire.

At the summit, industry leaders committed to work aimed at creating a new system that will work effectively and coherently. Working groups will be established to develop innovative solutions in the following key areas:

  • design, construction and refurbishment – establishing what industry and regulators need to do to fully embed building safety during the design and construction phase

  • occupation and maintenance – identifying what building owners, landlords and regulators need to do differently to ensure that building safety is prioritised when a building is occupied and throughout its life cycle

  • products – determining how the product testing and marketing regime can be improved

  • competency – establishing how competency requirements for key individuals involved in building and managing complex and high-risk buildings should change

  • residents’ voice – determining the best way for residents to be given a clear, quick and effective statutory route for raising concerns on fire safety

  • regulation and guidance – resolving whether central government ownership of technical guidance is the most appropriate model for complex and high-risk buildings

Hackitt review summit of industry leaders

Speaking at the summit, Dame Judith Hackitt said:

I have been greatly encouraged by the wide ranging support which my Interim Report received. I can now say with confidence that there is widespread agreement that the current system of regulation for high-rise and complex buildings is broken and that we need a radical overhaul and a change in culture.

I was greatly encouraged by the positive tone at the summit and the recognition of the common challenge. We now need to agree both the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ of delivering the transformational change which is needed.

Today we have invited people from a wide range of organisations to join with us not just in agreeing the way forward but in making it happen.

Further information

The government announced an independent, forward-looking Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety on 28 July 2017.

The Review is being led by Dame Judith Hackitt, an experienced engineer, and is looking at current building regulations and fire safety, with a particular focus on multi-occupancy, high-rise residential buildings.

The Review’s final report will be published in the spring.

Organisations and experts wishing to contribute proactively to this next phase of work should contact the Independent Review at BuildingRegulationsandFireSafetyReview@communities.gsi.gov.uk.

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Published 22 January 2018
Last updated 23 March 2018 + show all updates

  1. Added a list of participants in Dame Judith Hackitt’s January summit.
  2. First published.


News story: Emerging and enabling & health and life sciences: apply for funds

Robopod’s configureable robotics, on display at Innovate 2017. By Adam Gasson.

Innovate UK has up to £19 million to invest in innovative ideas for new products, processes and services in the fields of emerging and enabling technologies and health and life sciences.

You can apply to either industry sector, so long as your project meets the specific competition scope.

A further £12 million is available in Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP), which allows businesses to recruit graduates that can help them on an innovation project.

New and novel, emerging and enabling technologies

Emerging and enabling technologies have the potential to transform a wide range of markets and generate significant economic growth.

Projects should be in one of 4 priority areas:

  • emerging technologies, which have either recently developed or are starting to come out of the research base. It includes biofilms, energy harvesting, graphene and cutting-edge imaging technologies
  • digital technology, specifically in the areas of machine learning and artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, big data, distributed ledger, Internet of Things, 5G and virtual and augmented reality
  • enabling capabilities, such as electronics, sensors and photonics, robotics and autonomous systems, as well as opportunities in the creative industries
  • space applications including satellite communications, positioning, navigation and timing and Earth observation

All projects should provide business growth, productivity or an export opportunity for at least one SME and be applied in more than one industry, sector or market.

Competition information

  • the competition is open, and the deadline is at midday on 28 March 2018
  • projects must be led by a business or a research and technology organisation and must include an SME
  • we expect projects to range in size from £35,000 to £2 million and to last from 3 months to 3 years
  • businesses could attract up to 70% of their project costs
  • briefing events will be held in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Leeds in January and February

Addressing health and life sciences challenges

We are seeking projects that lead to increased agricultural productivity, better food quality and sustainability or improved health.

These could be in:

  • agricultural productivity, such as advanced and precision engineering, novel genetics and breeding, or fighting agro-chemical and antimicrobial resistance
  • enhancing food quality, for example, through better authenticity and traceability, modern manufacturing, new ingredients and smarter packaging
  • precision medicine, including accurate decision-making for patient management and choice of therapy
  • advanced therapies, including development of innovative cell and gene therapies
  • medicines discovery, including development and validation of technologies, models and test systems
  • advanced biosciences, such as the development of tools, platforms and techniques

Competition information

  • the competition is open, and the deadline for applications is at midday on 28 March 2018
  • projects must be led by a business or a research and technology organisation and must include an SME
  • we expect projects to range in size from £50,000 to £2 million and to last between 6 months and 24 months
  • businesses could attract up to 70% of their project costs
  • briefing events will be held in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Leeds in January and February

Applying for KTPs

Up to £12 million is available to fund KTPs across emerging and enabling technologies and health and life sciences.

The scheme can help businesses to grow by linking them with an academic or research organisation and a graduate with relevant skills.

We particularly welcome KTPs that meet the competition scope, however, we will consider disciplines and applications that span across the sectors.

Projects can last between 12 and 36 months. Businesses should speak to a knowledge transfer adviser before starting an application.



News story: Funding available for student placements

Credit: Stefan Stefancik.

The funding from the Agency’s Space Placement in INdustry (SPIN) scheme, is for Earth Observation projects at small and medium size businesses, universities, charities, not-for-profit or government agencies within the space sector.

There is a total of £30,000 funding available, with a maximum of £3,000 for each award.

The aim of the scheme is to fulfill the skills and careers objectives of the UK Space Agency education programme, as set out in its Education, Skills and Outreach Strategy. This in turn supports the aims of the UK Space Agency by providing a context for students to experience the breadth of opportunities that the sector can offer, developing skills crucial to the success of the sector, supporting the growth of businesses within the sector and raising awareness of the UK’s space programme and STEM subjects in general.

What projects are suitable?

Your project may be targeted at a student or graduate of a specific discipline, or simply describe the skills you are looking for. It should outline a piece of work or role which will take a minimum of 8 weeks and be designed to enhance the skillset of the successful applicant whilst providing them with a business context in which to apply their skills. Projects submitted for this round of SPIN funding should have an Earth Observation focus.

The placement will vary from organisation to organisation and may involve:

  • a piece of research or a small project that would otherwise not be done
  • working as part of a team on a product or client-focused project, or something more independent

Placements may be extended beyond 8 weeks, by mutual agreement between the host organisation and the successful applicant.

We anticipate the following schedule:

  • opening of award scheme – 22 January 2018
  • deadline for placement proposals to be received – 5pm on 30 January 2018
  • panel meeting 31 January 2018
  • projects to be advertised to students on the SPIN website for no more than 2 weeks
  • successful applicants to be notified no later than 21 February 2018
  • placements to be started no later than 7 March 2018
  • invoice to be submitted no later than 12 March 2018

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