Following stories in the media on the future of Help to Buy Equity Loan, the Department for Communities and Local Government has made the following statement.

We remain committed to the Help to Buy Equity Loan Scheme to 2021, ensuring it continues to support homebuyers and stimulate housing supply.

The Government also recognise the need to create certainty for prospective home owners and developers beyond 2021, so will work with the sector to consider the future of the scheme.

Additional information

The Department regularly reviews the Help to Buy Equity Loan Scheme, with the last review taking place in 2015. To infer from this that the Help to Buy Equity Loan scheme will be cancelled is simply incorrect.

UK Government in Wales Minister Guto Bebb will join the thousands of people set to descend on Anglesey to celebrate Wales’ culture, its language and its heritage at the National Eisteddfod (4-12 August).

The annual Welsh festival of music and arts will be held on the island for the first time since 1999 and will see over 6,000 people competing in various competitions throughout the week.

Mr Bebb – who is a fluent Welsh speaker – will visit the Eisteddfod on Monday (7) where he will meet with Chief Executive Elfed Roberts, watch performances in the pavilion and visit a range of exhibitors, including BBC Wales and the National Trust.

The Minister will also deliver a keynote speech at a reception at the S4C stand where he will take the opportunity to set out more detail on an independent review of the channel which will look at its remit, the way it is funded and its governance.

UK Government in Wales Minister Guto Bebb said:

The National Eisteddfod is a landmark event on the Welsh cultural calendar. It is one of the world’s greatest festivals and provides a prime opportunity for us to promote our language, our arts and the talents of our people to the rest of the UK and beyond.

Its economic impact on the local area cannot be underestimated. Not only do the businesses, hoteliers and campsites in the host town benefit, it also puts the spotlight on neighbouring areas, and the additional cultural attractions on offer to those planning on visiting Wales this summer.

I am looking forward to joining those heading to Anglesey to take part in the celebrations, and I hope the organisers and all those competing during the week have a very successful Eisteddfod.

The Eisteddfod attracts over 160,000 visitors to the area during the week, boosting the local economy by an estimated £6-8 million over the duration of the festival.

This year’s event will include events and performances to mark the centenary of the bloody battle of Passchendaele where Welsh poet, Ellis Humphrey Evans, known as Hedd Wyn – was killed during the first day of fighting. Hedd Wyn had submitted a poem in the Eisteddfod’s chair competition that year, but died before being told he had won. In the 1917 festival in Birkenhead – a month after his death – a black shroud was placed over the bardic Chair in his memory.

Taking its inspiration from the history of Hedd Wyn and the generation of men who never came home from the War, this year’s National Eisteddfod will open with a special performance commemorating the War, exactly a century later, and through the eyes of the people. The title, A Oes Heddwch? (Is There Peace?), is not only relevant to the War but also to the Eisteddfod and the Gorsedd ceremonies.

The 65,000-tonne Carrier, the biggest warship ever to be built in Britain, has been undergoing sea trials since setting sail from Scotland’s Rosyth dockyard in June. She is now set to make her historic arrival into Portsmouth, where she will be the latest in a long line of famous Royal Navy ships to call the port home.

Whilst weather conditions mean the exact date of the historic moment is yet to be confirmed, the window for entry will open next Thursday (17/08), with her arrival expected to be no later than the following Tuesday (22/08).

The Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon visited HMS Queen Elizabeth during sea trials last month.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said:

In just two weeks’ time, the most powerful warship ever built for Britain’s famous Royal Navy is set to sail into her proud new home in Portsmouth.

HMS Queen Elizabeth‎ will be the Royal Navy’s flagship for the next 50 years, keeping us safe by deploying across the seven seas, using her strike power to deter our enemies.

With only three other countries in the world building aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth will give Britain the capability to lead the way in tackling global issues in an increasingly uncertain world, from providing humanitarian relief to high-end warfighting.

The Defence Secretary addressed the Royal Navy crew and industry personnel on the deck of the new aircraft carrier last month.

And with the state-of-the-art F-35B Lightning fighter jets on track to make their first trial flights from the Carrier’s deck next year, the UK is now building towards delivering Carrier Strike capability.

Both aircraft carriers are being delivered by the Aircraft Carrier Alliance.

• Public to have greater control over personal data – including right to be forgotten
• New right to require social media platforms to delete information on children and adults when asked

In a statement of intent the Government has committed to updating and strengthening data protection laws through a new Data Protection Bill. It will provide everyone with the confidence that their data will be managed securely and safely. Research shows that more than 80 per cent of people feel that they do not have complete control over their data online.

Under the plans individuals will have more control over their data by having the right to be forgotten and ask for their personal data to be erased. This will also mean that people can ask social media channels to delete information they posted in their childhood. The reliance on default opt-out or pre-selected ‘tick boxes’, which are largely ignored, to give consent for organisations to collect personal data will also become a thing of the past.

Businesses will be supported to ensure they are able to manage and secure data properly. The data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), will also be given more power to defend consumer interests and issue higher fines, of up to £17 million or 4 per cent of global turnover, in cases of the most serious data breaches.

Matt Hancock, Minister of State for Digital said:

Our measures are designed to support businesses in their use of data, and give consumers the confidence that their data is protected and those who misuse it will be held to account.

The new Data Protection Bill will give us one of the most robust, yet dynamic, set of data laws in the world. The Bill will give people more control over their data, require more consent for its use, and prepare Britain for Brexit. We have some of the best data science in the world and this new law will help it to thrive.

Matt Hancock explains the Data Protection Bill

The Data Protection Bill will:

• Make it simpler to withdraw consent for the use of personal data
• Allow people to ask for their personal data held by companies to be erased
• Enable parents and guardians to give consent for their child’s data to be used
• Require ‘explicit’ consent to be necessary for processing sensitive personal data
• Expand the definition of ‘personal data’ to include IP addresses, internet cookies and DNA
• Update and strengthen data protection law to reflect the changing nature and scope of the digital economy
• Make it easier and free for individuals to require an organisation to disclose the personal data it holds on them
• Make it easier for customers to move data between service providers

New criminal offences will be created to deter organisations from either intentionally or recklessly creating situations where someone could be identified from anonymised data.

Elizabeth Denham, Information Commissioner, said:

We are pleased the government recognises the importance of data protection, its central role in increasing trust and confidence in the digital economy and the benefits the enhanced protections will bring to the public.

Data protection rules will also be made clearer for those who handle data but they will be made more accountable for the data they process with the priority on personal privacy rights. Those organisations carrying out high-risk data processing will be obliged to carry out impact assessments to understand the risks involved.

The Bill will bring the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) into UK law, helping Britain prepare for a successful Brexit.

Julian David, CEO of techUK, said:

The UK has always been a world leader in data protection and data-driven innovation. Key to realising the full opportunities of data is building a culture of trust and confidence.

This statement of intent is an important and welcome first step in that process. techUK supports the aim of a Data Protection Bill that implements GDPR in full, puts the UK in a strong position to secure unhindered data flows once it has left the EU, and gives businesses the clarity they need about their new obligations.

A new generation of internet-connected cars will have to be better protected from hackers, under tough new government guidance issued today (6 August 2017).

Smart vehicles are increasingly becoming the norm on British roads – allowing drivers to access maps, travel information and new digital radio services from the driving seat.

But while smart cars and vans offer new services for drivers, it is feared would-be hackers could target them to access personal data, steal cars that use keyless entry, or even take control of technology for malicious reasons.

Now new government guidance will ensure engineers developing smart vehicles will have to toughen up cyber protections and help design out hacking. The government is also looking at a broader programme of work announced in this year’s Queen’s speech under the landmark Autonomous and Electric Vehicles Bill that aims to create a new framework for self-driving vehicle insurance.

The legislation will put Britain at the centre of the new technological developments in smart and autonomous vehicles – but while ensuring safety and consumer protection remain at the heart of the emerging industry.

Measures to be put before Parliament mean that insuring modern vehicles will provide protection for consumers if technologies fail.

This comes alongside new guidance that means manufacturers will need to design out cyber security threats as part of their development work.

This will cement the UK as a world-leading location for research and development for the next generation of vehicles. And it forms part of the government’s drive to ensure the country harnesses the economic and job-creating potential of new tech industries.

Transport Minister Lord Callanan said:

Our cars are becoming smarter and self-driving technology will revolutionise the way in which we travel. Risks of people hacking into the technology might be low, but we must make sure the public is protected. Whether we’re turning vehicles into wifi connected hotspots or equipping them with millions of lines of code to become fully automated, it is important that they are protected against cyber-attacks.

That’s why it’s essential all parties involved in the manufacturing and supply chain are provided with a consistent set of guidelines that support this global industry. Our key principles give advice on what organisations should do, from the board level down, as well as technical design and development considerations.

Mike Hawes, Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Chief Executive, said:

We’re pleased that government is taking action now to ensure a seamless transition to fully connected and autonomous cars in the future and, given this shift will take place globally, that it is championing cyber security and shared best practice at an international level. These vehicles will transform our roads and society, dramatically reducing accidents and saving thousands of lives. A consistent set of guidelines is an important step towards ensuring the UK can be among the first – and safest – of international markets to grasp the benefits of this exciting new technology.

The government will continue to support and work collaboratively with industry to make sure vehicles are protected from cyber-attacks. The guidance principles published today will form a key part of these discussions .