Tag Archives: HM Government

The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Canon Gulnar Eleanor Francis-Dehqani, MA, PhD, Curate Training Officer and Advisor for Women’s Ministry in the Diocese of Peterborough and Canon at Peterborough Cathedral, to the newly created Suffragan See of Loughborough, in the Diocese of Leicester.

Reverend Canon Dr Gulnar (Guli) Francis-Dehqani is aged 51. Originally from Iran, she has been in this country since the age of 14. She studied at Nottingham University for her BA in music, and then at Bristol University for her MA and PhD in theology. After working as a Studio Manager and Producer at BBC Radio, she trained for ordination at the South East Institute for Theological Education from 1995 to 1998.

Guli was Curate at Mortlake with East Sheen in Southwark Diocese from 1998 to 2002 before joining the University of London Chaplaincy team as Chaplain to the Royal Academy of Music and St Marylebone C of E Secondary School from 2002 to 2004. She resigned from stipendiary ministry in 2004 to raise her children, and held Permission to Officiate in the Diocese of Peterborough whilst also continuing to write, speak and lead retreats. After completing a one year project at the University of Northampton Interfaith Chaplaincy, in 2011 Guli took up her current role as Curate Training Officer for the Diocese of Peterborough and was additionally appointed Adviser for Women’s Ministry in 2012. She has been on General Synod since 2012 and an honorary Canon at Peterborough Cathedral since 2016.

Guli is married to Canon Lee Francis-Dehqani, currently Team Rector of Oakham and Rural Dean of Rutland. They have 3 children aged 17 and twins of 12.

Her interests include Persian culture and cooking, all kinds of music, reading, especially contemporary fiction, walking the dog, entertaining and spending time with family and friends.

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If you’re an innovative UK business or researcher who wants to collaborate with peers in Europe, you can apply for funding in areas including:

• aerospace
• critical infrastructure
• digital security
• high-performance computing (HPC)
• clean technologies

You can also take advantage of individual fellowships, which for the first time have been extended to non-academic organisations. This is to bridge the gap between academia and industry, facilitate career moves and open more attractive opportunities.

Funding is being released through the European Union’s Horizon 2020 work programme, which supports and removes barriers to innovation in Europe to produce world-class science.

EU funding and the UK

UK businesses and universities are encouraged to bid for EU funding while the UK remains a member. It has committed to underwriting payment of awards even when projects continue beyond UK membership.

The funding opportunities

Critical infrastructure

This topic area covers the prevention, detection, response and mitigation of the combination of physical and cyber threats to the critical infrastructure of Europe. The list remaining for the 2017 call for proposals are:

• communication infrastructure
• health services
• financial services

Total budget: 10 million euros
Close date: 24 August 2017

Digital security focus area

Under the work programme ‘Secure societies – protecting freedom and security of Europe and its citizens’, funding is available for 2 topics:

1. privacy, data protection and digital identities
2. addressing advanced cyber security threats and threat actors

Total budget: 36.5 million euros
Close date: 24 August

Security

There are various calls open under the header of security, including:

• big data and data analytics for risk management in the supply chain
• risk-based screening at border crossing
• broadband communications systems and networks

Total budget: 130.05 million euros
Close date: 24 August 2017

Bio-based industries joint undertaking

The annual call encourages all stakeholders (large industries, SMEs, technology providers, academia and other research and technology organisations) to take part and contribute to the deployment of a new and sustainable economy.

Indicative budget: 81 million euros
Close date: 7 September 2017

Horizon prize: engine retrofit for clean air

Current engines exhibit noxious emissions while driving. The prize aims to reduce the pollution produced by the existing fleet, by promoting the development of retrofittable technology, such as, devices or modification of existing engines that reduce emissions of pollutants in real driving conditions to the lowest level possible.

Total budget: 1.5 million euros
Closing date: 12 September 2017

Individual fellowships

The individual fellowships are designed to enhance the creative and innovative potential of researchers who wish to diversify their individual competence through advanced training, international and cross-sector opportunities.

This call will support placements for researchers into academic and non-academic organisations.

Total budget: 10 million euros
Close date: 14 September 2017

FET proactive: high-performance computing

By leveraging existing European strengths in high-performance computing, this competition aims to support and take advantage of the evolution from peta to exascale computing.

The latest calls are for the transition to exascale computing and exascale HPC ecosystem development.

Total budget: 40 million euros
Closing date: 26 September 2017

Horizon prize: materials for clean air

In the EU, the average life expectancy is estimated to be decreased by 8.6 months, because of exposure to particulate matter resulting from human activities.

This prize is for an individual or team that develops the best innovative design-driven material solution to reduce the concentration of particulate matter in urban areas.

Total budget: 3 million euros
Close date: 23 January 2018

Horizon prize: cleanest engine of the future

This prize aims at reducing the pollution produced by future new vehicles, using either gasoline or diesel fuels and their low biofuel blends available on the market.

The aim is to improve health impacts due to air quality issues in European cities.

The competition opens on 20 April 2017.

Total budget 3.5 million euros
Close date: 20 August 2019

Nightingale

The more than 5 million euros Nightingale project is aiming to help reduce death and disability from undetected deterioration. It will invite partners to apply for funding to develop innovative wireless, wearable technology that can be coupled with intelligent analysis software to monitor patients in the ward and at home.

Total budget: 5 million euros
Close date: TBC. The tendering process will start in November 2017

Competitive low-carbon energy

This competition focuses on demonstrating innovative renewable energy technologies. This includes:

• photovoltaic electricity
• solar heat
• wind turbines
• ocean energy devices

Total budget: 105 million euros
Close date: 7 September 2017

Competition information

• all competitions are open, and have varying close dates
• funding opportunities are open to everyone in an EU member state
• projects must be a consortium of at least 3 organisations and each member must have a legal standing such as registered business, partnership or charity
• get in touch with your national contact point for advice and to find consortium partners

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On 30 June at Hull Crown Court, 55-year-old Gert Meyers of Oxford Street, Bridlington was sentenced to 8 months in prison, after previously pleading guilty to possession of regulated substances without a licence, at Beverley Magistrates Court on Wednesday 29 March.

The charges relate to the unlawful possession of chemicals associated to a company called ‘Oxford Chem Serve’ that was run by Meyers. He was contacted about these substances by the North East Counter Terrorism Unit (NECTU) in November 2014 and advised that the substances he possessed would require a licence under new regulation by 3 March 2016.

Despite being contacted on numerous occasions after this initial contact he refused to engage with authorities. Enquiries into the business and Meyers highlighted that he didn’t show any consideration who he sold chemicals to, something that was concerning to the authorities.

NECTU’s investigation indicated Meyers was no longer selling chemicals online but he still possessed the substances and was committing an offence under The Poisons Act 1972.

The investigation was then taken on by Humberside Police and a warrant was executed at his home on Thursday 4 August 2016. Meyers was arrested and a number of chemicals recovered from his garden shed.

Due to the danger that the substances posed a large number of people were involved including police officers and staff, Humberside Fire and Rescue Service specialist staff, Yorkshire Ambulance, Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams, the local council and specialist scientists from the Home Office.

As a result of the risk posed by the chemicals a 200 meter cordon was put in place which led to large numbers of local residents and businesses being evacuated so that controlled explosions could be carried out.

Chief Inspector Iain Dixon from the East Riding Community Policing said:

Gert Meyers has failed to see the severity of what he has done wrong throughout his interactions with authorities and ignored warnings that he was possessing illegal substances. He was keeping these very volatile and explosive substances in his shed which could have seriously harmed or killed himself or neighbours. When we discovered the substances it became clear that we’d need to evacuate the area around his home to ensure the safety of the public. I hope now the circumstances are emerging the public support our action understand and why it was so vital.

I am sure the public affected by his selfish actions will be pleased to see that he has been sentenced to time in prison. It should serve as a warning to other people in possession of dangerous and unregulated substances that they will be identified and brought to justice.

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The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has been investigating the award of the franchise to FirstGroup and MTR since May, and concluded that there are no competition concerns on the vast majority of routes it would operate.

However, competition concerns have been raised on one route as FirstGroup already operates the Great Western Railway (GWR) franchise, which runs the only other train service between London and Exeter.

The CMA is concerned that FirstGroup having control of both services could reduce competition on the route, leading to higher fares or worse service for passengers.

Acting Chief Executive and Decision Maker, Andrea Coscelli, said:

This is a crucial rail route to the South West, used by around half a million passengers a year. It’s therefore vital that passengers do not suffer as a result of reduced competition.

The CMA believes that without its intervention, FirstGroup may be able to increase fares for passengers between London and Exeter, as it will be the only rail operator running all services on this route. We look forward to hearing from the companies involved about how they think they can overcome this.

FirstGroup and MTR now have the opportunity to offer proposals (known as ‘undertakings in lieu of reference’) to the CMA to address the concerns identified. If these undertakings are considered sufficient, the companies involved will be able to avoid an in-depth phase 2 investigation.

In previous cases, most recently the CMA’s decision on the award of the Northern franchise to Arriva, competition concerns have been resolved by the operator agreeing to price caps for the affected lines.

The CMA’s decision comes in advance of the start of the franchise, due on 20 August 2017. Further details about the CMA’s investigation can be found 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. For CMA updates, follow us on Twitter @CMAgovuk, Facebook, Flickr and LinkedIn.
2. Under the Enterprise Act, First MTR will now have 5 working days to propose undertakings in lieu (UILs) of reference to resolve the competition concerns raised by the CMA. If First MTR does not propose UILs or if the CMA is not satisfied with them, the merger will be referred to an in-depth (‘phase 2’) investigation.
3. The CMA will announce by 25 July its preliminary decision on whether any UILs offered by First MTR might be sufficient to resolve the competition concerns identitfied. If the CMA provisionally accepts UILs, a consultation will follow.
4. Media enquiries to the CMA should be directed to press@cma.gsi.gov.uk or 020 3738 6798.

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The UK will save the life of one woman every 90 minutes through its global leadership in supporting modern, voluntary family planning, International Development Secretary Priti Patel will announce today (Tuesday, 11 July) at a major international summit.

Today there are 214 million women around the world, who despite not wanting to get pregnant, aren’t using modern contraception. Progress has been made globally to reach more women with family planning services, but more needs to be done.

Voluntary family planning saves lives by enabling women to plan, and have fewer, pregnancies – reducing their risk of death through unsafe childbirth. This risk is very high in the world’s poorest countries, especially for adolescents.

At today’s Family Planning Summit, Ms Patel will set out an increased support package – boosting and extending the UK contribution until 2022 – to provide voluntary, modern family planning to women in the world’s poorest countries across Africa and Asia.

The UK’s total package of support until 2022 will every year:

• help save the lives of over 6,000 women by preventing maternal deaths – that’s one woman every 90 minutes
• support nearly 20 million women to receive voluntary contraceptives through family planning services
• help avert 6 million unintended pregnancies
• help prevent the trauma of 75,000 stillbirths and nearly 44,000 new-born deaths

The London Summit is co-hosted by Ms Patel, Melinda Gates (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation) and Natalia Kanem (UN Population Fund – UNFPA), and will look at practical measures to reduce costs and increase availability for the millions of women who want contraception, but can’t afford it or get hold of it.

Africa’s population is rising to unsustainable levels, with Sub-Saharan Africa passing the one billion mark this year. Giving people access to voluntary family planning helps slow population growth and makes real economic sense. For every £1 spent, governments can save over £4 which can in turn be spent on improving health, housing, water sanitation and other public services.

In her key note speech, Ms Patel will highlight the UK’s global leadership in responding to the urgent need for voluntary family planning; the innovative technology being used to reach women in the poorest communities across Asia and Africa and call on others – including businesses – to do more.

International Development Secretary Priti Patel said:

It’s truly astonishing that in today’s world there are still 214 million women around the world who do not want to get pregnant, but who are not currently using modern methods of family planning.

Britain is leading the world on sexual and reproductive health, helping millions more women in the world’s poorest countries to access and use desperately-needed family planning services.

This new UK aid support will provide 20 million women with voluntary contraception, change the lives of 6 million women by allowing them to avoid unintended pregnancies and prevent the trauma of 75,000 still births.

But this isn’t a job for the UK alone and that’s why at this global Summit governments from around the world have come together to make commitments on family planning to address the long term need and unsustainable population growth.

We are supporting the world’s poorest women to take control of their lives, so they can finish their education, get better jobs and in turn provide for their smaller, planned families rather than being trapped in a cycle of grinding poverty through unplanned pregnancies.

The Summit will address several pressing issues, including:

• addressing the need in emergency situations. Family planning remains one of the biggest gaps in humanitarian response, leaving women at risk of maternal death or having to resort to unsafe abortions. The Summit will address this so that women experiencing humanitarian crises can obtain the contraceptives that they need to protect their health

• blockages that mean that contraceptives that are supposed to be available simply don’t make it onto the shelves

• making sure women have a choice in contraceptives, along with accurate information, so they can opt for the product that suits them best be it short term, long lasting or permanent. More choice will lead to more uptake

• the specific barrier faced by adolescents – both married and unmarried – including a critical lack of access to accurate information and the cultural barriers around adolescent sexual activity, which can further restrict contraceptive provision for this group.

In addition to saving lives by stopping women from dying in childbirth, investing in family planning provides long term life-changing benefits for women and their families, communities and countries.

It means women can make their own decisions about their own lives and futures, and helps stop the cycle of grinding poverty, improving lives now and in the future. This means local economies can grow, in turn boosting global prosperity, which is in everyone’s interests.

The UK put family planning on the international agenda with the inaugural 2012 Family Planning Summit where a goal was established to help 120 million additional women and girls use modern, voluntary family planning by 2020.

Britain is the second largest bilateral donor of family planning in the world. Since the 2012 Summit, the UK has helped nearly 8.5 million additional women to access modern methods of contraception.

Notes to editors:

At the 2012 London Summit on Family Planning, the UK Government committed to spending £180 million per year on family planning until 2020. With this new commitment the UK Government’s support will be an average of £225 million per year until 2022, an additional £45 million a year‎ for 5 years. The £45 million is new funding for family planning.

A full programme for the summit can be found here. And the Summit’s livestream can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHlUFROblHw

For b-roll footage, photos and relevant documents visit the Summit’s Isebox

Follow the conversation on social media with the hashtag #HerFuture

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