The Department for International Trade (DIT) and Invest Northern Ireland will today (18 October) launch a portfolio of exciting property investment opportunities worth more than £1.3 billion in Northern Ireland.

The 7 projects will be unveiled at the MIPIM UK property conference being held in London this week and will include opportunities for UK and international investors in a range of sectors.

The portfolio includes Belfast projects such as the £365 million development in the Titanic Quarter offering film production facilities, 2,000 residential units and offices as well as the opportunity to play a part in the comprehensive regeneration of the city’s train station at Weavers Cross.

The launch of the portfolio comes against a backdrop of positive indicators for Northern Ireland with recent research by CBRE identifying Belfast as the third fastest growing office market in the world. The combination of a young population, high quality education and thriving tourism is clearly an attractive offer for international investors with 75% of the 900 overseas companies in Northern Ireland choosing to reinvest in the country.

Minister Garnier will launch the portfolio at MIPIM this afternoon and Minister for Trade and Export Promotion, Rona Fairhead will open the HMG stand earlier in the day. The conference will run until Thursday with the HMG stand showcasing new projects that are ripe for inward investment.

Minister for Investment, Mark Garnier, said:

There has never been a better time to invest in Northern Ireland and these projects give investors the opportunity to do just that.

As an international economic department our message is loud and clear: the UK is open for business, and we can help find the right investment for you.

Steve Harper, Invest NI’s Executive Director for International Business, said:

We are delighted to be able to showcase Northern Ireland’s strong proposition and the genuine commercial opportunities which are currently ripe for investment in conjunction with the Department for International Trade.

The 7 projects in the portfolio are:

• Titanic Quarter: further phases of development to include studios and post-production facilities as well as offices and residential
• Weavers Cross: potential for phased development of offices, residential, hotel and retail
• Sirocco Quays: mixed use development of offices, hotel, residential, retail and leisure
• One Bankmore Square: grade A offices with full planning permission
• 21-2 Corporation Street: £92 million development including hotel, offices and residential
• Norwich Union House: c. 17,000 sq m of offices, hotel and retail in the city centre
• Baptist Church: grade A offices close to the proposed new transport hub

The portfolio has been put together by the DIT’s Capital Investment team which leads the government’s drive to attract and support international investment into large scale property, regeneration, infrastructure and energy projects across the UK, working in collaboration with Invest NI, Northern Ireland’s regional economic development agency.

During the most recent financial year, DIT’s Capital Investment Team was involved in more than £13 billion of capital investment in British infrastructure and real estate, with 14% of global commercial property investment transactions occurring in the UK during the first half of this year, second only to the USA.

Contact the DIT Media and Digital Team on 020 7008 3333.

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The Solicitor General Robert Buckland QC MP has today given consent for the family of Carole Patricia Myers to apply to the High Court for a fresh inquest into the circumstances surrounding her death.

Carole Myers, 41, was found dead by the Metropolitan Police on 29th June 2005. The first inquest took place on 4 July 2005 and the Coroner recorded an open verdict. A second inquest took place on 30 September 2015 and an open verdict was given again.

The Solicitor General said:

Having considered the application, I have given consent to the family of Carole Myers to apply to the High Court for a new inquest into her death. I am satisfied that it is in the interests of justice for the application for a new inquest to be heard by the High Court.

The Solicitor General has the authority to decide whether an application can be made to the High Court for a new inquest to be opened. He has no power to order a new coronial inquest himself. A new inquest can only be ordered by the High Court on an application made either by the Attorney or by a third party with the consent of the Attorney.

Before an application can be made, the Attorney or Solicitor have to be satisfied that there is a reasonable prospect that the Court would be persuaded to open a new inquest. These decisions are made as part of his public interest function, independently of Government and strictly on the basis of the evidence. The Solicitor concluded, in this case, that there was sufficient grounds of challenge set out in the applications to have a reasonable prospect of success.

The Prime Minister has approved the appointment of 13 Judicial Commissioners under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016. These Commissioners will work with the Investigatory Powers Commissioner Lord Justice Fulford. The Commissioners are all appointed for a 3 year term.

Biographical Notes

Sir Nicholas Blake was called to the Bar (M) in 1974, took Silk in 1994 and was elected a Bencher in 2002. He was appointed an Assistant Recorder in 1999, a Recorder in 2000 and a Deputy High Court Judge in 2002. He was a High Court Judge assigned to the Queen’s Bench Division from 2007 to 2017 and was the President of the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) from 2010 to 2013.

Lord Bonomy, before his appointment to the Bench, was a solicitor in litigation-oriented practice from 1970 to 1983, an advocate from 1984 to 1993 and Queen’s Counsel from 1993 to 1996. He also served as an Advocate Depute between 1990 and 1993 and Home Advocate Depute from 1993 until 1996. He was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Courts in January 1997. From 1998 until 2004 he held office as a Surveillance Commissioner. Between June 2004 and August 2009, he served as a judge of the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. Following his return to Parliament House on 1 September 2009, he was again appointed a Surveillance Commissioner, and with effect from 16 August 2010 was appointed to the Inner House.

Lord Bracadale was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in 1985 and served as an Advocate Depute from 1990 to 1993. He was Standing Junior Counsel in Scotland to HM Customs and Excise in 1995. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1995. He served as Home Advocate Depute from 1997 to 1998 (Principal Crown Counsel). In 2000-2001 he was senior Crown Counsel at the trial and appeal at the Scottish Court at the Netherlands of Abdel Basset Al Megrahi for the Lockerbie bombing. He was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Courts in 2003 and appointed to the Inner House in April 2013.

Dame Linda Dobbs was called to the Bar (G) in 1981, elected as a Bencher in 2002 and took silk in 1998. She was appointed a part time Special Adjudicator of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal in 1999, Chairman of the Criminal Bar Association in 2003, a Judge of the High Court assigned to the Queen’s Bench Division from 2004 to 2013, and was appointed Chairman of the Magistrates’ Committee at the Judicial Studies Board in 2006.

Lord Gill lectured in the Faculty of Law of Edinburgh University before being admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in 1967. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1981. He is a member of the English Bar (Lincoln’s Inn, 1991; Bencher 2002). He was an advocate depute 1977 to1979; Standing Junior Counsel to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (1974 to1977), the Home Office (1979 to1981) and the Scottish Education Department (1979 to1981); and Deputy Chairman of the Copyright Tribunal (1989 to1994). He was Keeper of the Advocates Library from 1987 to 1994. He was appointed a Judge in 1994. Lord Gill was Chairman of the Lands Valuation Appeal Court and was Chairman of the Scottish Law Commission from 1996 to 2001. Lord Gill was appointed Lord President and Lord Justice General in June 2012 having held the position of Lord Justice Clerk and President of the Second Division of the Inner House from November 2001.

Lord Justice Gillen was called to the bar (G) in 1970 and took Silk in 1983. He was appointed as a High Court Judge in the Court of Judicature Northern Ireland in 1999 and was assigned as the Family Judge in 2001, holding this position and that of Chairman of the Children Order Advisory Committee until 2006. In 2008, he was assigned as the Senior Judge of the Queen’s Bench Division. He was sworn in as a Lord Justice of Appeal in September 2014. In September 2015, Lord Justice Gillen was invited by the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland to lead a major Review of Civil & Family Justice in that jurisdiction and the final reports from that review, which set out a comprehensive set of proposals for fundamental reform, were launched in September 2017.

Sir Henry Globe was called to the bar (M) in 1972, elected as a Bencher in 2005.He was appointed an Assistant Recorder in 1987, a Recorder in 1991, a Circuit Judge in 2003 and a Senior Circuit Judge the same year. He was Hon. Recorder of Liverpool 2003 to 2011.He was appointed to the High Court (Queen’s Bench Division) in 2011 and was a Presiding Judge of the North Eastern Circuit from 2013 to 2016.

Sir John Goldring was called to the Bar (L) in 1969 and took Silk in 1987. He was elected a Bencher in 1996. He was appointed a Recorder in 1987, a Deputy Senior Judge, Sovereign Base Areas, Cyprus from 1991 to 1999, a Deputy High Court Judge in 1996 and a Judge of the Courts of Appeal of Jersey and Guernsey in 1998. He was a High Court Judge assigned to the Queen’s Bench Division from 1999 to 2015; he served as a Presiding Judge for the Midland Circuit from 2002 to 2005 and Commissioner for the Judicial Appointments Commission from 2006 to 2008. He became a Lord Justice of Appeal in 2008, Deputy Senior Presiding Judge of England and Wales from 2008 to 2009 and Senior Presiding Judge of England and Wales from 2010 to 2012.He was appointed as an Assistant Coroner for South Yorkshire (East) and West Yorkshire (West) on 13 February 2013 to conduct the fresh inquests into those who died as a result of the Hillsborough disaster.

Sir John Griffith-Williams was called to the Bar (G) in 1968, took Silk in 1985 and elected as a Bencher in 1994. He was appointed a Recorder in 1984, a Member of the Bar Council from 1990 to 1993, a Deputy High Court Judge in 1993 and an Assistant Commissioner for the Boundary Commission for Wales from 1994 to 2000. He was appointed Leader of the Wales and Chester Circuit from 1996 to 1998, a Member of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board from 1999 to 2000, Chancellor for the Diocese of Landaff in 1999 (Deputy Chancellor from 1996 to 1999), a Circuit Judge in 2000 and a Senior Circuit Judge and Honorary Recorder of Cardiff in 2001. He was appointed the Resident Judge for Cardiff Crown Court from 2001 to 2007, Judge of the High Court assigned to the Queen’s Bench Division from 2007 to 2015, Presiding Judge for the Wales Circuit from 2010 to 2013 and a Chairman of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission in July 2014

Sir Kenneth Parker was called to the Bar (G) in 1975, took Silk in 1992 and was elected as a Bencher in 2002. He was appointed an Assistant Recorder in 1999 and a Recorder in 2000. He was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Information Tribunal and National Security Appeals Tribunal in 2001 (now known as Deputy Judge of the Upper Tribunal (Administrative Appeals Chamber) and Judge of the First Tier Tribunal (General Regulatory Chamber)). He was appointed a Recorder in 2005. He was appointed a Law Commissioner and approved to sit as a Deputy High Court Judge in 2006. He was a Judge of the High Court assigned to the Queen’s Bench Division from 2009 to 2015 and appointed a Judge by Request (Upper Tribunal (Immigration Appeals Chamber)) in 2010

Sir John Saunders was called to the Bar (G) in 1972 and took Silk in 1992. He was appointed a Recorder in 1990 and a Legal Member of the Restricted Patients Panel in 1999. He was appointed a Senior Circuit Judge and the Recorder of Birmingham in 2004.He was a Judge of the High Court assigned to the Queen’s Bench Division from 2007 to 2016. He was appointed a Presiding Judge of the South Eastern Circuit from 2009 to 2012 and a Member of the Sentencing Council for England and Wales in 2013.

Sir Stephen Silber was called to the Bar (G) in 1968, elected as a Bencher in 1994 and took Silk in 1987. He was appointed an Assistant Recorder in 1982, a Recorder in 1987 and approved to sit as a Deputy High Court Judge in 1995. He was a Judge of the High Court, assigned to the Queen’s Bench Division from 1999 to 2015. He was appointed Legal Member of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission in 2002, Judge of the Employment Appeal Tribunal in 2004, Deputy Chairman of the Security Vetting Appeal Tribunal in 2009 and Judge by Request of the Upper Tribunal Administrative Appeals and Immigration and Asylum in 2011.

Sir Alan Wilkie was called to the Bar (I) in 1974, took Silk in 1992 and was elected a Bencher in 2001. He was appointed an Assistant Recorder in 1992, a Recorder in 1995, a Circuit Judge in 1997 and a Law Commissioner in 2000. He was a Judge of the High Court, assigned to the Queen’s Bench Division from 2004 to 2017, Presiding Judge for the North Eastern Circuit from 2007 to 2010 and was appointed a Member of the Judicial Appointments Commission in 2012.

Background

Section 227 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 provides for the Prime Minister to appoint the Investigatory Powers Commissioner (IPC) and Judicial Commissioners. The role of the IPC is to authorise and oversee the use of Investigatory Powers by public authorities.

Public Health England (PHE) has seen a recent increase in the number of cases of Legionnaire’s disease in people who have travelled to a town called Palmanova, in Mallorca, Spain.

Since mid-September, 17 British travellers have returned from the area with the infection. Legionnaire’s disease is an infection from the local environment and does not pass from person to person.

There are some groups who are at increased risk of Legionnaire’s disease, including people:

• aged 50 or over
• with underlying medical conditions (such as diabetes, kidney disease, or a pre-existing lung condition)
• with weakened immune systems (for example, people on certain types of cancer treatment)
• who smoke or have smoked heavily in the past and heavy alcohol drinkers

Nick Phin, Deputy Director at PHE said:

At this time, the source is under investigation and the Spanish authorities are leading the response to this outbreak. We are active in responding to any requests for information on UK cases from the Spanish authorities.

We are advising people who have travelled or are planning to travel to Palmanova in Mallorca to be aware of the signs and symptoms of Legionnaire’s disease, which are initially flu-like. This is particularly important if you are in a group at increased risk of infection such as those with underlying medical conditions, smokers or people aged 50 or over.

Once infection starts in the lungs, symptoms may become pneumonia-like, such as a persistent cough. If you do experience symptoms, speak to your GP as soon as possible and inform them of your travel.

PHE is advising people who have already travelled to Palmanova, Mallorca to be aware of the symptoms of Legionnaire’s disease. If they develop these symptoms, they should alert their GP, telling them about their recent travel.

Initial symptoms are usually flu-like and include:

• mild headaches
• muscle pain
• high temperature (fever – usually 38C or above)
• chills tiredness and changes to your mental state, such as confusion

Once infection starts in your lungs, you may also experience symptoms of pneumonia, such as a persistent cough. This is usually dry at first, but as the infection develops, you may start coughing up phlegm or (in some rare cases) blood, whilst experiencing shortness of breath and chest pains.

If you plan to travel to Palmanova, Mallorca and are at increased risk of contracting Legionnaire’s disease (as above), we advise that you look out for the symptoms of the infection. Contact your GP or another health professional immediately if you think you have been affected, telling them about your recent travel.

Reminder that Crown Court Defence online billing is mandatory for AGFS and LGFS work after 31 October 2017.