In May Healthcare UK and NHS Digital helped build new relationships and trade openings in Brazil when they jointly led an 8 company mission to Sao Paulo to take part in Hospitalar, the biggest healthcare trade event in Latin America.

Following the event, a number of contract negotiations are currently close to completion. Hospitalar 2017 had a strong focus on digital health, and the 8 companies in the UK mission were selected for their strength in this highly innovative, competitive and fast-moving area:

Brazil’s healthcare market growth driven by digital

With the largest healthcare market in Latin America, and seventh largest in the world, Brazil is one of Healthcare UK’s priority markets. Despite the recent economic downturn, the market for healthcare imports is predicted to grow, reaching £52 billion by 2020.

As is the case around the world, demographic changes are driving demand for digital healthcare solutions in the Brazilian market. As the population becomes older and non-communicable diseases continue to rise, it is becoming increasingly urgent for Brazil to identify smarter investments to provide health services to the population.

The Brazilian constitution ensures that everyone must have access to healthcare, and digital and e-health systems are seen to a key way to achieve this without increasing cost.

UK healthcare exhibitors make an impact in Brazil

Headed up by Healthcare UK’s Managing Director, Deborah Kobewka and NHS Digital’s Director of Digital Transformation, Beverley Bryant, the UK presence made a significant impact at Hospitalar. Six of the UK organisations had speaker sessions on the main stage, helping to generate a strong flow of traffic and meetings on the UK stand.

The party had meetings with Brazilian government leaders and health officials at city, state and national level, visited the leading cardiothoracic hospital in Sao Paulo (InCor) and leading private hospital Sirio Libanes.

Contact us at healthcare.uk@trade.gov.uk for more information about UK digital health services and to discuss support with exporting.

UK Property Transaction statistics showed that in April 2017 the total number of seasonally adjusted property transactions completed in the UK with value of £40,000 or above increased by 20.3% compared to April 2016. The unusually low level of transactions in April 2016 was associated with the introduction of the higher tax rates on additional properties introduced in this month. Comparing April 2017 to March 2017, property transactions fell by 3.2%.See the economic statement.

Sales during February 2017, the most up-to-date HM Land Registry figures available, show that:

Today marks the first anniversary of publishing the UK House Price Index (UK HPI) that is calculated by HM Land Registry, the Office for National Statistics, Registers of Scotland and Land & Property Services Northern Ireland. This statistic shows the changes to the value of residential properties in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Throughout the year we’ve spoken to users and gathered their feedback. In September 2016, users were formally invited to evaluate the report, these responses are captured in the Summary of responses that is being used to plan index upgrades.

We have made a number of enhancements to the index during the year that is accessed by approximately 1,000 new users each month in addition to more than 6,600 regular users.

Enhancements made since review

In response to your feedback our December 2016 developments included:

• the provision of more details about our methodology in Calculating the UK HPI

• navigation improvements, such as a new link to our interactive tool from the UK HPI reports page

• new links to key sections of the About the UK HPI page, like the revision policy.

In addition February 2017, saw the first publication of our UK House Price Index annual review that compares the historic performance of the index with the UK HPI throughout 2016.

Today’s enhancements

Today’s enhancements are:

• we extending our revision period to 13 months from today, following a review of our revision policy (see Revisions to the UKI HPI data). This ensures the data used is more comprehensive, improving the capture of new builds.

• we will also introduce new revision tables for England and Wales within our downloadable data, so that you can easily identify and evaluate the impact of each change. Tables will be available in csv format.

• new functionality will allow you to toggle between a chart or table, depending on your preference for visual or textual information.

We’ve updated the information in About the UK HPI to keep you informed about the process we’re undertaking to remove our experimental status. These enhancements take us a step closer towards that goal. Once removed, we can progress with our second phase of assessment as a National Statistic.

Planned enhancements

We are committed to the continued improvement of the index and aim to introduce more enhancements over the coming months. In the meantime, thank you for your valuable feedback.To enable even greater engagement we will soon create an online forum to assist ongoing conversations. In the interim, you can contact us if you have any questions.

On 7 June 2017 Kafish B.V. a Dutch company which owns the UK registered trawler Margriet LT36 and its master, Dutch national Peter Kuyt, pleaded guilty to 14 breaches of the Sea Fish (Conservation) Act 1967 and the Fisheries Act 1981 at North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.

The court heard that during two separate investigations carried out by the MMO, Vessel Monitoring System data and logbook entries identified that the vessel had committed numerous offences between 2016 and 2017.

The first investigation showed that in 2016 the vessel had, on three occasions committed offences of fishing within a seasonal closure area and on one occasion fishing in a real time closure area.

The second investigation revealed that in 2017 a further eight offences of fishing within a seasonal closure area and another offence of failing to keep an accurate logbook were committed between January and March.

Sentencing the owner and master, District Judge Sarah-Jane Griffiths said “You have acknowledged that these were serious offences and it is surprising to me that after the offences in 2016 were brought to your attention in June you committed a further 8 offences. To me it is clear that by that time at least you knew you shouldn’t have been in those areas.”

Despite being registered in the UK and, therefore, being required to comply with a UK fishing licence, the vessel is owned by Kafish B.V., a Dutch company. They were fined £66,000, with an additional fine of £80,000 to cover the value of the fish illegally caught, £3,500 costs and a victim surcharge of £170.

The vessel master, a Dutch national named Peter Kuyt, was fined £8,536.33 with an additional fine of £15,000 to cover the value of the fish illegally caught, £741 costs and a victim surcharge of £170.

A spokesman for the MMO said:

“The court in this case has sent a clear message that these were serious offences which were aggravated by the fact that the offences were repeated on numerous occasions.

The size of the fines imposed by the court in this case shows both the scale of damage to the marine environment caused by offences of this nature and the profits made by the perpetrators of these crimes.

Fisheries offences like these are committed at the expense of the legitimate, law-abiding members of the fishing industry who rely on the sustainability of fishing grounds for their livelihoods and future.

The MMO will always take appropriate enforcement action including pursuing and bringing prosecutions to court to protect the long term viability of the marine environment for future generations.”

Innovate UK is making the funding available for robotics and artificial intelligence technologies in applications such as deep mining, nuclear energy, space and off-shore energy.

This is an Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund activity. It aims to develop robotics technologies that can take people out of dangerous work environments and go beyond human limits.

Demonstrator programme

There is up to £6 million available for projects that stimulate the development of robotics and artificial intelligence demonstrators.

This is the first phase of the competition. Projects should focus on technical feasibility studies of individual technologies, systems or subsystems in extreme or challenging environments.

Phase 2 will run in 2018. This will focus on experimental developments of fully-integrated systems that will be tested and demonstrated in realistic, extreme environments. To be considered to lead a project in phase 2 you must apply in phase 1.

Collaborative research and development

You can apply for a share of £10 million for collaborative research and development (R&D) that results in new and novel systems.

Projects should demonstrate a potential step-change in capabilities. Examples include:

• innovative materials or systems, for example, actuators, sensors and telecommunications
• improved robotic capabilities, such as structural and radiation tolerance
• improved machine vision systems
• improved situational awareness, navigation, localisation and mapping
• more energy-efficient devices and systems
• miniaturised systems, for example, sensors, components and integrated sub-systems
• systems engineering including verification and validation tools and methodologies
• mission planning and risk management

The focus is primarily on off-shore energy, nuclear energy, space and deep mining, however, other extreme and challenging environments may also be considered. We are particularly interested in projects that cut across sectors.

Part of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund

Robots for a Safer World – part of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund

The robots and artificial intelligence challenge is part of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.

By developing new technologies and systems that can be deployed in extreme environments, this challenge will create a safer working world for people, as well as supporting advances in industry and public services to make them more productive.

Government will invest £93 million in this challenge area over the next 4 years.

Competition information

• both competitions are now open for applications
• in the demonstrator competition, projects should last up to 12 months and range in size up to total project costs of £500,000. The competition closes on 19 July 2017
• in the collaborative R&D competition, projects should last up to 36 months and range in size up to total project costs of £2 million. The competition closes on 2 August 2017
• all projects must be led by a business
• businesses can attract up to 70% of their project costs