This is the England share of the £37 million additional funding for the UK which was announced by Treasury.

The fund is open to applications to develop port and harbour infrastructure, processing and marketing of fisheries products, productive investments in aquaculture and to support lifesaving vessel safety measures, among other areas which can be viewed on our website.

Any applications that are over £100,000 in total project cost are considered by the MFF panel. The panel are responsible for reviewing applications and recommending projects for approval in line with the objectives of the scheme.

The 2020 panel dates are as follows:

• The first panel will be held on 04 March 2020. The deadline for applications has passed.
• A second panel will take place week commencing 08 June with a deadline for applications of 10 April.
• A third panel will convene week commencing 24 August with an application deadline of 26 June.
• A fourth panel will take place week commencing 09 November with an application deadline of 11 September.

In order to be considered for the panel, it is recommended that applicants ensure their fully formed, completed applications are submitted to MMO before the set deadlines. The MFF has a short time frame so projects must be fully formed and ready to progress and spend quickly.

The panel dates are subject to funding availability. You can contact the MMO Grants Team on 0208 026 5539 to discuss any potential panel application or visit the MMO website for guidance and information on how to make an application.

Ofqual’s Chief Regulator has written to heads of schools and colleges in England with information to help them run a smooth, incident-free exam series.

The letter contains links to resources which schools and colleges can use to communicate with students, parents and carers. It gives important reminders about the security of exam packages, and ways in which exams officers can be supported. It also provides information about where to find guidance about planning for disruption and emergencies.

During the week the Company will also welcome three new apprentices to its Glasgow offices, bringing the total number of apprentices working with SLC in Scotland to 14.

Celebrations kicked off on Friday (28 February) when SLC apprentices met with CEO, Paula Sussex, and other members of the leadership team to share their thoughts of working as an apprentice at SLC.

SLC employs both Modern and Graduate apprentices in Glasgow, and has worked with partners including the University of Glasgow, Glasgow Caledonian University, Skills Development Scotland and People Plus to develop its apprenticeship programme.

Apprentices split their time between work and study, gaining both practical work experience and a recognised qualification. The Modern Apprentices are based in SLC’s Finance Team and are studying for AAT Level 3 in Accounting. While the Graduate Apprentices are based within SLC’s Commercial Team and Technology Group and are studying for degrees in Business Management and Software Engineering respectively.

The programme has attracted a diverse range of people at various stages of their careers – including people who are new to SLC, and existing staff who have recognised it as an opportunity to develop their careers.

Modern apprentice Aidan McCrae (17) joined SLC as a Finance Assistant after leaving school at the end of 5th year. He said the experience was both exciting and daunting: “Since joining SLC I have learned a lot about management accounting. I have improved my database skills massively and have also gained experience of using accounting programmes. Leaving school and going straight into work was challenging as I had no idea what to expect but SLC is a great place to work and I was made to feel very welcome.”

Paula Sussex, CEO said: “Developing and nurturing talent is key to ensuring that SLC has a workforce equipped with the skills needed. I firmly believe apprentices bring the diversity of thought and fresh perspective that will enable us to deliver an outstanding experience to our customers.”

“I am delighted that our apprenticeship programmes have attracted not only new recruits who are excited by the opportunity to work with a major Glasgow employer, but also current staff who want to upskill and develop their careers. I’m really looking forward to finding out more about their experiences during Scottish Apprenticeship Week.”

More information on apprentices, including current vacancies can be found at www.apprenticeships.scot.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will today (Monday 2 March) chair a meeting of the government emergency COBR committee on the coronavirus outbreak.

The Committee will discuss, finalise and sign off a battle plan containing a detailed set of countermeasures.

The Prime Minister will tell the meeting, which will be attended by senior ministers as well as Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Advisor:

The number of coronavirus cases around the world is rising every day – and the UK is no exception.

There now seems little doubt that it will present a significant challenge for our country.

But we are well prepared, and the government and the NHS will stop at nothing to fight this virus.

This battle plan lays out in detail the measures we could use – if and when they are needed.

COBR has been meeting regularly on this issue since January and will be held as often as needed.

As the number of cases in the UK is expected to rise, the action plan will help ensure Government is doing everything it can and can adapt quickly to changing circumstances.

Over the past few days, the Prime Minister has been in regular contact with the Chief Medical Officer and Cabinet Ministers at the heart of monitoring and responding to the virus here in the UK, including the Health Secretary and Foreign Secretary.

The Prime Minister has also been visiting NHS staff who may be on the frontline, such as those in Kettering General Hospital last week, where he saw their new coronavirus pod, a special sterile cabin outside the hospital, where people can come to be checked.

Yesterday, he saw Public Health England’s lab in Colindale, one of a number of labs across the UK where tests are carried out to confirm or rule out coronavirus. He then headed to Royal Free Hospital to meet with staff who are treating patients with the virus.

The PM and Health Secretary thank the NHS staff and healthcare professionals for their tremendous work and dedication in responding to this.

A war room will also be up and running in the Cabinet Office, bringing together communications experts from across government and the NHS to roll out the public information campaign and respond quickly to cross-cutting issues.