The Government Science and Engineering (GSE) profession is pleased to announce the appointment of a new cross-government Head of Geography for the profession, David Wood.

David will be helping to continue to implement the action plan of the GSE strategy and championing the breadth of work undertaken by geographers and recognising their contribution to analysis, delivery and policy formulation across government.

This appointment has been made by the Central Government Geographers Group with the support of the Interim Head of GSE profession and Interim Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Chris Whitty and the Royal Geographical Society (with Institute of British Geographers).

Our fisheries enforcement officers patrol rivers and lakes to check fishing licences

The IPO launched a consultation on its proposed approach to enforcement of the EU Portability Regulation which ends on the 31 January 2018.

From 1 April 2018, online streaming services will be required to allow EU based subscribers access to paid-for content when temporarily in another EU Member State, for example when on holiday. Free services and those tied to the payment of licence fees, (for example BBC iPlayer) can offer this service but are not obliged to. Service providers are not allowed to impose an additional charge to provide portable services or to take steps to decrease the quality of the service in other Member States.

The Regulation contains a number of safeguards to ensure copyright is protected. For example, providers must verify the Member State of residence of subscribers to ensure they are entitled to receive content. A failure to verify subscribers may result in copyright infringement.

Appropriate enforcement mechanisms need to be in place in UK law when the Portability Regulation comes into effect. We have considered how to provide this and our proposed approach is outlined in the technical consultation.

Questions on the consultation process should be directed to portability@ipo.gov.uk.

During his visit, Mr Field will chair the 6th UK-Vietnam Strategic Dialogue together with the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son. They are expected to discuss a broad range of issues, including bilateral trade and investment; cooperation in education, science and innovation; the UK-Vietnam defence relationship; and global issues such as the illegal wildlife trade.

Minister Field will separately meet Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh to discuss regional security and human rights as well as UK-Vietnam trade and investment and post-Brexit relations.

The Minister will also have a meeting with Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Ha Cong Tuan to discuss the illegal wildlife trade and the role which Vietnam can play to lead action in South East Asia and at the 2018 London Conference on IWT following the Hanoi IWT Conference in 2017

The Minister will visit the Hanoi Stock Exchange to promote UK financial services. He will also visit the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases to promote the UK’s research, innovation and education collaboration with Vietnam.

His programme will also include a visit to a bear rescue centre to witness first hand its work on combating the illegal wildlife trade, and where he will meet representatives of NGOs to talk about the upcoming 2018 illegal wildlife trade conference in London.

Minister Field said:

I am delighted to be here in Hanoi for the UK-Vietnam Strategic Dialogue, celebrating the forty fifth anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two countries. I hope this visit will help to deepen our already strong partnership and will identify areas for further cooperation.

There is much more we can do to work together in areas such as trade investment, defence links, research and innovation as well as important global issues such as combating serious and organised crime, the illegal wildlife trade and modern slavery

The Minister’s main focus, along with his Thai counterpart, His Excellency Mr Virasakdi Futrakul, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, was the third UK-Thailand Strategic Dialogue. They covered a wide range of topics including Brexit, trade and investment in Thailand, science and innovation, education and the illegal wildlife trade.

Minister Field said:

I am delighted to be back in Bangkok and to have the opportunity to meet my Thai counterpart for wide-ranging discussions. As Prime Minister Theresa May has said, the UK is a country that goes out into the world to build relationships with old friends and new allies alike, a great, global trading nation that is respected around the world.

Our relationship with Thailand is an important element of this, and spans a broad range of issues from bilateral trade and investment to regional security.

In Bangkok, Mr Field met with Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha to deepen the UK-Thailand relationship and to explore opportunities to increase our bilateral trade and prosperity.

Mr Field also met the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, General Surasak Karnjanarat, to discuss how the UK and Thailand can cooperate on tackling the illegal wildlife trade and climate change.

Following his visit to Bangkok, Minister Field travelled to Hanoi in Vietnam.