Tag Archives: HM Government

Science Minister Jo Johnson and Wellcome have announced £13 million of funding for science centres, through a new fund to encourage more of the public to engage with STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) learning.

The funding has been awarded through the Inspiring Science Fund, a partnership between the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Wellcome. The awards will enable the centres from England, Scotland and Northern Ireland to reinvigorate their visitor experience, develop new STEM learning activities and develop business models that will provide long-term financial sustainability for the centres.

The fund is part of the government’s Industrial Strategy to encourage more young people to consider STEM careers, and create a strong skills system to ensure the UK has the necessary experts to continue being a global leader in science.

Universities and Science Minister Jo Johnson said:

Exhibitions are often our first experience of science and have a vital role in bringing the subject to life to encourage more young people to embrace science and engineering careers.

This fund will provide vital support to help centres across the UK attract a new audience, supporting our Industrial Strategy to increase the diversity in the science sector and ensure we have the technical skills for the future.

Simon Chaplin, Director of Culture and Society at Wellcome, said:

Wellcome believes that everyone should have the opportunity to explore, debate and shape research. Science centres across the UK provide welcoming spaces that ignite curiosity and enable visitors to explore the role of science in culture.

We are delighted to be supporting the creation of exciting and inclusive new science experiences as well as helping to sustain these science centres for the future.

The successful centres in this first round of funding are:

• At-Bristol
• Aberdeen Science Centre
• International Centre for Life (Newcastle)
• Thinktank (Birmingham)
• W5 (Belfast)

The fund aims to support centres to better understand the needs of under-served and under-represented audiences, and deliver STEM learning that is accessible and enticing for all. All 5 successful applicants presented innovative plans to connect with audiences who don’t currently visit science centres or engage with STEM learning:

• Working with community partners across the city, At Bristol’s Curious City is an exhibition where the design and experiences are based on science questions gathered from the diverse communities of Bristol
• International Centre for Life’s Creative Explorations will combine new interactive exhibitions, a regional outreach programme and 3 pilot engagement projects to work closely with underserved communities, supported by an over-arching organisational review
• Thinktank will develop a new, 1000m2 interactive gallery for under 8s to explore, play and learn in a STEM-based dynamic learning environment, reaching new audiences and promoting emotional, intellectual and physical wellbeing; this will be supported by a programme of community co-production and early years research
• Aberdeen Science Centre will transform the UK’s most northerly science centre into a future-looking hub; it will be accessible for all, for learning and discovery inspired by life-long journeys with science through play, education, daily life and engagement with topical issues
• In Belfast, W5 will create new immersive exhibition areas and experiences where visitors can become fully absorbed and engaged; new approaches to technology will enable dynamic new content and create more flexibility in how the space can be used

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All remaining Portal users are scheduled to upgrade to the new Portal from 11 September 2017.

From 11 September, you will need to use the new Portal to access:

• Client and Cost Management System (CCMS)
• Contracted Work and Administration (CWA)
• Crown Court Litigator Fee online (CCLF)
• Management Information
• eForms

You will need to apply for legal aid and complete your monthly submissions using the new Portal from 11 September. This means it is crucial you are prepared.

Access to these systems via the current route will not be available after 11 September.

The upgrade will require an IT outage to the Portal and all the applications accessed through it. From 8 September:

• CWA will be unavailable from 3pm
• The Portal, CCMS, CCLF, Management Information and eForms will be unavailable from 5pm

Following the upgrade, the new Portal and all the applications listed above will be available to use from 7am on 11 September.

If legal aid is required during this IT outage, delegated functions are to be used for urgent civil applications. Crime applications will be backdated as required to cover the period where a date stamp cannot be obtained.

Once the work has been finalised you should see the following improvements:

• increased stability
• quicker log-in times
• more user-friendly password reset process
• status bar for all applications, providing up-to-date information on any issues affecting performance

Updating your password

You will need to reset your password once the upgrade has been completed.

It is vital that that you know your password for the current Portal in order to do this.

If you cannot recall your current password, you will need to use the ‘Password Resets’ link before 5 September 2017.

If you know your password, you will not need to reset it at this stage.

Further information

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Track worker struck by a train between Wimbledon and Raynes Park stations, Greater London, 22 August 2017.

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Mr Green will be in Cardiff with the Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns for discussions with the First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones on arrangements under the EU (Withdrawal) Bill for distributing powers returned from the European Union.

The Secretaries of State will also visit Cardiff University and host the first meeting of the Expert EU Exit Implementation Panel for Wales at Caspian Point.

There is a need to identify policy areas where common UK frameworks will be required as well as those areas that can be devolved to the Welsh Assembly. The EU (Withdrawal) Bill is scheduled to begin its 2nd Reading in the House of Commons on Thursday (September 7th).

Speaking ahead of the meeting with the First Minister, Mr Green said there was a lot of common ground between the UK and Welsh governments. He said both governments agreed on the need to protect the benefits of the UK single market and to see more EU powers transferred to Cardiff. He said this was ‘a recipe for progress’ in these important talks.

Damian Green, First Secretary of State, said:

This is about ensuring we are ready for leaving the EU. The UK single market is one of our biggest assets, ensuring different parts of the UK can trade easily with each other.

The Welsh Government agrees that we will need a UK-wide approach in certain areas to maintain the benefits of the UK market.

The UK Government has a strong record on devolving powers to Wales and we have said repeatedly that Wales will likely end up having more powers at the end of this process.

I am confident that we can make progress through these talks. I want us to agree on a way to take things forward and I believe that should be readily achievable.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

The European (Union) Withdrawal Bill will deliver the certainty and continuity on exit day that businesses across Wales and the rest of the UK need. It is also our expectation that the outcome of this process will provide a significant increase in the decision-making power of each devolved administration.

The UK Government is committed to positive and productive engagement going forward and I look forward to a constructive meeting with the First Minister on these important matters today.

The Secretaries of State will later gather representatives from the business, agriculture and third sectors in Wales together for the first meeting of the Expert Implementation Panel for Wales.

The Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns has established the group to work with him to deliver a smooth and orderly exit from the EU in Wales.

The panel will provide direct, two-way lines of communication – from the panel directly into the heart of UK Government through the Welsh Secretary, and from the UK Government to stakeholders throughout Wales who have an interest in ensuring a successful EU exit for all sectors across Wales.

The Ministers will also take the opportunity to underline the UK Government’s commitment to supporting the burgeoning compound semiconductor industry during a visit to the Institute of Compound Semiconductors at Cardiff University.

Last year, the UK Government announced that it will invest £50million to establish a new Compound Semiconductor Catapult Centre of Excellence in South-East Wales. This new Catapult will be delivered as part of the £1.2 billion City Deal to unlock significant economic growth across the Cardiff Capital Region.

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The Environment Agency is holding a public drop in session on Friday 15 September, 2pm to 7pm at:

The aim of the drop in is to speak to local residents and answer any questions about the environmental permit application which has been submitted to the Environment Agency by A&C Poultry to operate a free range poultry farm in Upton Snodsbury, Worcestershire.

The environmental permit application is separate from the planning application process and focuses on the technology used, how the site is to be operated, the emissions from the operation and any direct impact the site has on human health and the environment. The Environment Agency are not able to consider the suitability of the location (other than the impacts of emissions on local receptors), visual impact, the need for the facility, where the waste comes from and any infrastructure impacts such as transport, power lines and utilities, as these are part of the planning process.

Dane Broomfield, Environment Management Team Leader, said:

It is important that we obtain and consider the views of the public before we make any decision regarding the application. We would like to invite communities close to the site to forward any comments on the application as part of our consultation process. The consultation period started on 14 August 2017 and will end on 29 September 2017.

Copies of the permit application and supporting documents are available online.

Or you can view the documents on the public register free of charge at the following location:

Any comments should be made in writing by 29 September 2017 to:

Or by emailing pscpublicresponse@environment-agency.gov.uk, quoting reference EA/EPR/HP3433YU/A001 in any correspondence.

Dane explained:

The Environment Agency will consider any issues raised, and will produce a draft decision on whether we are ‘minded to’ issue to the environmental permit. We will announce our draft decision and there will be another period of public consultation at this stage.

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