Tag Archives: HM Government

Energy Trends and Energy Prices publications are published today 28 September 2017 by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. The publications cover new data for the second quarter of 2017. Energy Trends covers statistics on energ… read more

This week saw the launch of a suite of new tools developed by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO). The new toolkit will help students, teachers and lecturers explore the relevance of IP in their lives and future careers.

The Future Innovators Toolkit (FIT) provides Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) teachers with the resources they need to introduce IP at any point in the curriculum.

Focussing on developing enterprise and employability skills, FIT consists of lesson plans, case studies, research scenarios and PowerPoint slides. These resources raise understanding of managing and exploiting IP and prepare STEM students for Higher Education or their careers.

IP Tutor Plus has also been launched to support university lecturers and deliver consistent messaging on IP. IP Tutor Plus explains what IP is and how it fits into their students’ future careers. It includes slides, lecture notes, FAQs, case studies and wider talking points. The Law, Business & Accounting module is currently available. The Creative, Humanities and STEM modules are coming soon.

The IPO recently launched IP for Research for PhD students and researchers to understand the importance of IP in maximising the impact of their research. The IP for Research programme includes 6 quick guides on the commercialisation process, face-to-face workshops and an IP skills lens.

With IP Tutor, Intellectual Asset Management Guide for Universities and Lambert Toolkit already supporting students, management and collaborations. These new tools complete the comprehensive support for students, lecturers and researchers.

Future Innovators Toolkit, IP Tutor Plus and IP for Research are all available on the Cracking Ideas portal.

Solicitor General Robert Buckland QC MP is in Nottingham today where he will visit the recently reopened National Justice Museum to see how it is helping to educate people about the law.

The Solicitor will observe students taking part in a debate about whether capital punishment should be reintroduced in the UK, and he will also participate in a mock trial on gang violence with students from Nottingham University.

The Museum has devised a program of interactive activities to teach people about the law in an interesting and enjoyable way. Aligned to the national curriculum, the sessions use authentic courtrooms, museum spaces, objects and archives to help pupils gain a practical understanding of the law and justice system

The Solicitor General, Robert Buckland, QC MP said:

Gaining an understanding about how our legal system works and our rights and responsibilities within it is a valuable skill that we can use throughout our lives.

Public legal education gives everyone the opportunity to develop an understanding of the law. Not only does it have a practical and beneficial effect on people’s lives, but also it has a positive effect on our legal system as well. That is why these sessions are so important.

I am really pleased to be visiting the National Justice Museum in Nottingham to see its work in action.

Tim Desmond, Chief Executive, National Justice Museum said:

We are delighted to welcome the Solicitor General to the newly refurbished National Justice Museum, he is a great champion of Public Legal Education and as part of his visit he will have the opportunity to take part in a ‘Gang Violence Trial’ courtroom workshop with students from Nottingham University.

The Solicitor General will also visit the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) East Midlands office where he will commend the Area for its work in tackling serious crime.

The CPS Area’s rape and serious sexual offences team has sustained significant success over recent years, and had the highest conviction for rape in the country, at 64.6% and the third highest conviction rate for all sexual offences. Recent figures show that recorded crime has dropped by 12% in the East Midlands.

The Area covers five police force areas: Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire.

The Ministry of Defence has today [28 September] announced that Tony Douglas, CEO of Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), will stand down from the role at the end of this year. After more than two years in post, he will return to the private sect… read more

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has been carrying out an initial investigation (phase 1) into the merger of the companies, which are both retail optician chains with stores located throughout the UK.

As part of its initial investigation, the CMA has looked at more than 200 local areas where Vision Express and Tesco Opticians both have stores. The CMA has identified 3 local areas where Vision Express would not face sufficient competition after the merger, which could lead to price increases or a worsening in the quality or choice of the products and services on offer in-store. These areas are Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria; Helston in Cornwall; and Ryde on the Isle of Wight.

Adam Land, CMA Senior Director and decision maker in this case, said:

Opticians provide a vital service for millions of people in the UK and it is therefore important that any competition concerns are addressed. In this case, we have looked carefully where Vision Express and Tesco Opticians compete at present and identified 3 areas of the country where we believe this merger could result in a worse deal for eye care customers.

Vision Express now has the opportunity to offer undertakings to address the competition concerns identified by the CMA. If Vision Express does not offer undertakings, or if the undertakings offered do not sufficiently address the concerns that the CMA has identified, the merger will be referred for an in-depth phase 2 investigation.

All information relating to the merger is available on the case page.

Notes for editors

1. The CMA is the UK’s primary competition and consumer authority. It is an independent non-ministerial government department with responsibility for carrying out investigations into mergers, markets and the regulated industries and enforcing competition and consumer law.
2. The Reference Test: under the Enterprise Act 2002 (the Act) the CMA has a duty to make a reference to phase 2 if the CMA believes that it is or may be the case that a relevant merger situation has been created, or arrangements are in progress or in contemplation which, if carried into effect, will result in the creation of a relevant merger situation; and the creation of that situation has resulted, or may be expected to result, in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services.
3. Under the Act a relevant merger situation is created if 2 or more enterprises have ceased to be distinct enterprises; and the value of the turnover in the United Kingdom of the enterprise being taken over exceeds £70 million (‘the turnover test’) or as a result of the transaction, in relation to the supply of goods or services of any description, a 25% share of supply in the United Kingdom (or a substantial part thereof) is created or enhanced (‘the share of supply test’).
4. The CMA’s duty to refer the merger for a phase 2 investigation under the Act is not exercised whilst the CMA is considering whether to accept undertakings (if offered) in lieu of a reference. Vision Express has until 5 October 2017 to offer undertakings to the CMA that might be accepted by the CMA. If no undertakings are offered and accepted, then the CMA will refer the merger.
5. All the CMA’s functions in phase 2 merger inquiries are performed by inquiry groups chosen from the CMA’s panel members. The appointed inquiry group are the decision-makers on phase 2 inquiries. The CMA’s panel members come from a variety of backgrounds, including economics, law, accountancy and/or business. The membership of an inquiry group usually reflects a mix of expertise and experience (including industry experience).
6. The full text of this decision will be placed on the merger case page as soon as is reasonably practicable.
7. Enquiries should be directed to the Press Team, on 020 3738 6191.
8. For information on the CMA see our homepage, or follow us on Twitter @CMAgovuk, Flickr and LinkedIn. Sign up to our email alerts to receive updates on merger cases.