HM Government

Today Lord Prior announces a new strategic partnership between HM Land Registry (HMLR) and Ordnance Survey (OS) to help propel the UK towards becoming a global leader in the land and property market.

The pilot partnership will see HMLR join OS at its Geovation Hub to encourage and support innovation and property technology (PropTech) businesses. Geovation is based at a dedicated location-data lab in London that supports and enables open innovation and collaboration across many sectors. The Geovation mission is to expand the use of location and land and property data in the UK’s innovation community.

Business Minister Lord Prior says:

The Geovation Hub is already making important contributions to a wide range of industries, including telecommunications, energy, transport and water management. Location-based data has a crucial role in future technology development and innovation from driverless cars to the internet of things.

The UK has a growing number of new entrants driving innovation in the housing sector. With HM Land Registry joining the Geovation Hub for the pilot scheme, the partnership offers great opportunities to further encourage and invest in the property-based technology (PropTech) start-ups of the future.

It also provides a platform to promote the use of data from both Ordnance Survey and HM Land Registry to deliver the Government’s housebuilding agenda as part of our Industrial Strategy.

Participants in the new pilot programme will receive up to £20,000 in grant funding and a range of resources and services that will help them develop their businesses. Geovation provides the support that participants need, including access to experienced software developers, geospatial expertise from OS and property expertise from HMLR. Business mentors are also available to assist with business proposals and investor relationships.

This is not the first time HMLR and OS have collaborated to support innovation. In 2015, they came together for the Geovation Challenge, an annual competition which looks to address issues facing communities by means of location information. The challenge resulted in over £100,000 being awarded to three new ventures which used HMLR and OS data to create positive change in the housing industry. It is hoped this exciting new partnership will inspire and uncover more businesses like:

• Land Insight, who have made it faster and easier to assess land development opportunities

• Cityseer, who provide real-time insight into urban planning decisions

• Urban Intelligence, who provide property professionals with a single platform for all relevant site appraisal and planning policy information

Graham Farrant, Chief Executive and Chief Land Registrar of HM Land Registry, says:

This is an exciting partnership. Through combining our geospatial and property expertise, HMLR and OS will be supporting and encouraging disruptive forces in the PropTech and GeoTech markets. We expect to see benefits of this investment across the legal, financial and property sectors, stimulating growth for the wider economy and bringing more opportunities to the UK.

Nigel Clifford, CEO of Ordnance Survey, says:

We’re delighted to welcome HMLR as a strategic partner in Geovation. Over the past decade, OS has led the way in making it easier for businesses to use its data and open data products. Through Geovation we’re developing new models to encourage innovators, entrepreneurs and companies that are building the next wave of ground breaking GeoTech businesses. We’re looking forward to collaborating with HMLR to develop the same for PropTech.

This month the Geovation Hub also celebrates two years of being open for business. In that time, 18 start-ups have been supported through the Geovation Programme, and more than 900 members have used the Hub’s space and resources. Strategic partners have included Intel, IBM, DSTL, Nominet, Springwise, OGC, KPMG, and Dorsey.

Shipamax, one of last summer’s programme companies, recently secured $2.5m in investment from the Founders Fund. Recent funding successes include Flock who raised £500,000 and Pedals Delivery who raised £130,000.

For further information, interviews and images contact Keegan Wilson:

About Ordnance Survey

Ordnance Survey is Great Britain’s mapping service. Our geospatial data serves the national interest by enabling a safe, healthy and prosperous society. Every day we support the delivery of efficient public services, support land management & planning, help protect our environment and underpin national security, infrastructure and emergency services.With our partners, we provide expertise and accurate location data and services to help create a resilient nation, ready for next-generation technology. We’re driven to ensure Britain can build a world-leading digital and connected economy of the future.

About HM Land Registry

Established in 1862, HM Land Registry keeps and maintains the Land Register for England and Wales. With the largest transactional database of its kind, detailing more than 24 million titles, HM Land Registry underpins the economy by safeguarding ownership of many billions of pounds’ worth of property.

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The government is bringing in a new regulatory regime for innovative FinTech firms which will transform the way people engage with their finances and make it possible to manage all of their finances at the touch of a button.

From January 2018, these FinTech firms will – at the request of the individual – be able to access data from all of their bank accounts.

This could lead to innovations like managing all bank accounts from one easy-to-use app, enabling people to budget more effectively, or helping consumers avoid unwanted overdrafts by making automatic payments between bank accounts when funds are running low.

New innovative apps could provide personalised product recommendations based on exactly how consumers spend their money, such as suggesting which savings product would suit best based an individual’s saving habits.

Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Stephen Barclay, said:

Thanks to the changes we’re making, new FinTech firms can enter the market and offer innovative and transformative banking services that are tailored to meet people’s needs.

New apps will empower people to take greater control over their finances. Whether that’s through managing all of their bank accounts in one place or helping to avoid unauthorised overdrafts when they have money elsewhere.

These changes stem from the EU’s second Payment Services Directive and will drive further innovation in FinTech in the UK.

Giving people the ability to know exactly which products are best for them at a touch of a button will also drive competition in the financial services market.

Consumers will switch to the best product for them, and this competition will compel firms to provide better products. More competition will drive further consumer choice, and better and cheaper services.

Chief Executive of UK Finance, Stephen Jones, said:

We are excited by the potential for these reforms to enhance competition and innovation in the financial services sector – and welcome the publication of these regulations which mark an important milestone on the journey towards implementing it.

The changes will allow customers to use details of their payments to help plan and manage their money better. What’s more, this is just the start. There are a whole host of benefits for customers, many of which we are just beginning to see.

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Sir Alan Duncan urges Turkey to uphold international standards following the arrest of human rights defenders in Turkey

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The scheme, which will help to improve journeys on this stretch, will involve replacing key components of the bridges to provide drivers with safer and more reliable journeys for years to come. The work will include 24/7 narrow lanes with overnight la… read more

Public Legal Education (PLE) will be given a new focus following the launch of a panel that will bring key representatives together to support and drive forward legal education initiatives.

Solicitor General Robert Buckland QC MP will chair the first meeting of the newly established PLE Panel later today.

The Panel, formed of key organisations, will promote the importance of teaching people about the law and their basic civil and criminal rights – from knowing if you’re entitled to a refund in a shop or whether you’ve been a victim of discrimination.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, the Solicitor General said:

Teaching people about their legal rights and responsibilities, together with helping them gain the confidence and skills to get access to justice can really make a difference to people’s lives – as well as our legal system.

The new Panel will help drive forward Public Legal Education so more people can reap the benefits.

There are many ways to teach people about the law, such as interactive presentations, mock trials and role play exercises to awareness raising campaigns or information in leaflets – which can be tailored to different groups, from educating primary and secondary school pupils to prison inmates, community groups and homeless people.

The Panel will provide a forum for the Law Officers to work with organisations in the field, enable public legal education to flourish and to encourage initiatives which improve legal capability.

The Panel will meet bi-annually is formed of key PLE representatives including those from the following organisations: Citizenship Foundation, Legal Education Foundation, The Law Society, Bar Council, CILEX, Magistrates’ Association, Ministry of Justice, Judicial Office, Solicitors Regulation Authority, Citizens Advice, Law for Life, Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law, Youth Access and Law Centres Federation.

Other participants may be invited to attend meetings on an ad hoc or permanent basis with the agreement of the Panel.

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