NewzIntel.com

Category: Great Britain

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New city bus service confirmed

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    A new bus service covering the Crown/Kingsmills area of Inverness as well as Wester Inshes is set to be launched on Monday 4 August.

    The new 100 bus service will be delivered by The Highland Council’s In-house bus team.

    Chair of the Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee said: “Following recent route changes by Stagecoach, our in-house team have stepped in to create this new service so residents and visitors can still enjoy regular and reliable public transport in and around Inverness.”

    The 100 service will operate Monday to Friday, providing an off-peak connection between the city centre, Crown. Kingsmills, Raigmore Hospital, Inshes Retail Park, the Stevenson Road area, the UHI Campus and Inverness Retail & Business Park, with three journeys each way per day.

    Cllr Gowans added: “I’d like to thank our team for their work to set up this service so quickly in response to the needs of communities. Having the ability to be flexible and to react to customer demands is one of main benefits of investing in council bus services.”

    The timetable for the 100 service will be made available on the Council’s website. 

    16 Jul 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: The government wants local authorities to embrace AI – here’s one way it could work in practice

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alex Lord, Professor, Lever Chair of Urban Planning, University of Liverpool

    Francesco Scatena/Shutterstock

    Few issues ignite communities more fiercely than what to do with land. The prospect of releasing small portions of green belt land for housing developments, a windfarm proposal or plans for a new road can transform mild-mannered citizens into passionate advocates overnight.

    This visceral connection between people and place perfectly illustrates the famous observation that “all politics is local”. In England, the principle that every citizen should be given the opportunity to “have their say” on planning matters is enshrined in law. Before any planning document is adopted, local authorities must give the public the chance to provide feedback.

    The logic for this is based on a common-sense morality: before binding decisions are made about how an area might change, the local people who have to live with those decisions should be given the opportunity to endorse or reject that plan.

    In practice this is a hugely cumbersome process. Local authorities have to make sense of thousands of comments. This prompted my colleagues and I at the University of Liverpool to begin thinking about how AI could be used to make this process more efficient.

    Once a local authority publishes the relevant local planning document, every citizen, company, public, private or third sector organisation has the right to submit a written response. These may address the entire document or focus on a specific issue.

    In all cases, the local authority is obliged to collate, comprehend and concisely summarise all public submissions. They will then decide whether the document requires amendments or if further evidence is needed to justify the proposals.

    This creates an overwhelming burden for planning departments up and down the country. In high-development areas, submissions often number in the tens of thousands. And individual submissions range from a few sentences to over 100 pages.

    Planners must read, absorb and synthesise all this information into a final report which will be used to make a decision. This report must fairly represent the aggregate views across all submissions.

    Beyond the sheer volume of responses, human cognitive limitations and biases further complicate the process. Some submissions may be given greater emphasis than others. Recently read submissions are likely to have a greater influence on the reader than those reviewed earlier.

    A digital solution

    These challenges prompted us to explore alternatives. We partnered with Greater Cambridge Shared Planning – the planning authority for Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire District Councils – to develop an AI-powered solution. Our tool, Plan AI, would read and summarise public submissions to the planning process.

    In 2025, my colleagues and I conducted a real-world experiment. Three live public consultation exercises were processed in parallel – once by planners and once by Plan AI.

    It took a planning officer just over 60 hours in total to download and process 320 submissions. Eighteen hours of this time was used to summarise each submission – a task that took Plan AI only 16 minutes. In that time, the AI tool was also able to create comprehensive reports identifying key themes, referenced sources and geographic analysis of the submissions.

    A subsequent qualitative assessment found there to be no discernible difference in the quality of the summaries produced by the human planning officer and those by Plan AI. In fact, the general overview document produced by Plan AI is a significant addition to what would normally be produced. It included a geographic analysis of the origins of submissions – crucial information for planners to understand which communities and demographic groups were participating in the consultation.

    Controversial planning proposals can attract tens of thousands of public comments.
    pjhpix/Shutterstock

    The future of planning

    The UK government has set out a vision for local authorities to embrace AI for reducing administrative burden and improving the efficiency of government. For example, it recently rolled out an AI tool, developed with Google DeepMind, to digitise planning records.

    The implications of experiments like these are far reaching. Planners can focus on their core expertise – assessing applications and supporting government priorities for housing, new towns and infrastructure renewal – rather than spending countless hours processing public comments.

    AI can process vast amounts of text more consistently and comprehensively than humans. It can also identify connections between submissions that might otherwise be missed.

    With the administrative burden drastically reduced, local authorities could potentially consult citizens more frequently across a wider range of planning issues, making planning even more democratic. Planners freed from paperwork could also dedicate more time to meaningful public engagement.

    Of course, one danger with AI is that it could be used on the other side of the consultation, to generate a large volume of submissions in an attempt to over-amplify a particular point of view. However, AI tools could be used to defend against this.

    PlanAI or similar programmes can generate an immediate summary of a comment submission, an ideal opportunity to insert a verification check that the submitter is indeed human. Putting the human back in the loop in this way reduces the potential for AI to be used to skew consultations.

    By building the right tools and systems, we can create planning processes that are both more efficient and more responsive to citizen input – a win for democracy and effective governance alike.

    PlanAI was developed under a paid contract with Greater Cambridge Shared Planning. At the time of publication, it is not sold or marketed to other governments or authorities, but may be so in the future. Alex Lord and the other researchers involved received funding from the UK government’s PropTech initiative and Greater Cambridge Shared Planning.

    – ref. The government wants local authorities to embrace AI – here’s one way it could work in practice – https://theconversation.com/the-government-wants-local-authorities-to-embrace-ai-heres-one-way-it-could-work-in-practice-258449

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: £390k boost for Acomb Explore library

    Source: City of York

    Acomb Explore library will receive a £390,000 boost to improve facilities for local residents.

    The plans, which were approved by City of York Council’s Executive yesterday [15 July], include creating a larger children’s library; increasing the capacity and accessibility of the indoor café area; new quiet spaces for work and study; improved toilet facilities; a larger area for books and improved meeting rooms and IT suite.

    The plans have been developed in response to direct feedback from local residents and have been funded in part by £100,000 from the council’s Future Libraries Investment Fund (£100k). The £7.7m fund was originally set up in 2022 to deliver three key library projects in order: creating a new library for Haxby & Wigginton, providing a new library learning centre in Clifton, and improving Acomb Explore.

    Additional funding for Acomb Explore – the first Library Learning Centre to open in the city, in 2007 – has been secured from the Arts Council, Libraries’ Investment Fund (£250,000); and a total grant of £40,000 from the Mayoral Renewables Fund for renewable energy generation projects (match funded with £14,000 from the council’s Climate Change budget).

    Local residents shared their views on what improvements were needed to the library space in 2023, citing bigger children’s space, more indoor café space and quiet space for work or study as their top three priorities, requests which have been matched by the plans.

    Jenny Layfield, Chief Executive, Explore York Libraries and Archives said:

    “Acomb was our first Explore centre and a blueprint for our vision of libraries shaped by and for their communities, so it is great news that, with this investment from the Arts Council, the Mayoral Renewables Fund and the Council we will be able to make the improvements to Acomb Explore in line with the priorities identified by local people.

    “Acomb Explore is already a vibrant place, well loved by its community, and supported by a committed team of staff and volunteers. These improvements will make a brilliant library even better!”

    Cllr Pete Kilbane, Deputy Leader of City of York Council and Executive Member for Economy and Culture, said:

    “The plans for Acomb form the third and final part of our Future Library Investment Programme, which has already delivered new libraries in Haxby & Wigginton and Clifton, bringing benefits for local communities and library users across the city.

    “Securing significant external grant funding for the Acomb project has made it possible to put forward plans which will enable us to meet the need and priorities set out by local residents.”

    Luke Burton, Director Libraries, Arts Council England said:

    “The Libraries Investment Fund enables library services to invest in the upgrade of buildings and technology, so they are better able to respond to the changing ways people are using them.

    “I’m delighted that investment of £250,000 will contribute to the redevelopment of Acomb Library resulting in the creation of a bigger children’s library and improved facilities so that everyone in the community can enjoy and benefit from what the library has to offer.”

    The delivery timetable will be finalised when plans have been approved and a construction partner appointed. It’s likely that the library will need to close for a 12-week period over the next 6-9 months for work to be completed, with options that minimise disruption to the public, prioritised.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: DfE Update: 16 July 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Correspondence

    DfE Update: 16 July 2025

    Latest information and actions from the Department for Education about funding, assurance and resource management, for academies, local authorities and further education providers.

    Applies to England

    Documents

    DfE Update further education: 16 July 2025

    HTML

    DfE Update academies: 16 July 2025

    HTML

    DfE Update local authorities: 16 July 2025

    HTML

    Details

    Latest for further education

    Article Title
    Information How to report fraud or financial irregularity
    Information Apprenticeships technical funding guide 2025 to 2026
    Information Interactive post-16 school census tool
    Information Grant funding for the early career teacher entitlement (ECTE) year 2 time off timetable and mentor support: conditions of grant
    Information Early career training programme for mentors (ECTPM): conditions of grant for 2025 to 2026 academic year
    Information R10 in-year qualification achievement rates (QARs) 2024 to 2025
    Information Enter learning data
    Information FE senior pay approval
    Information Further education mastery specialists programme

    Latest information for academies

    Article Title
    Information Grant funding for the early career teacher entitlement (ECTE) year 2 time off timetable and mentor support: conditions of grant
    Information Early career training programme for mentors (ECTPM): conditions of grant for 2025 to 2026 academic year
    Information How to report fraud or financial irregularity
    Information Interactive post-16 school census tool
    Reminder Budget forecast return: update to guidance and reminder
    Events and webinars Financial Management Service comparison matrix

    Latest information for local authorities

    Article Title
    Information Grant funding for the early career teacher entitlement (ECTE) year 2 time off timetable and mentor support: conditions of grant
    Information Early career training programme for mentors (ECTPM): conditions of grant for 2025 to 2026 academic year
    Information How to report fraud or financial irregularity
    Information Apprenticeships technical funding guide 2025 to 2026
    Information Interactive post-16 school census tool
    Information R10 in-year qualification achievement rates (QARs) 2024 to 2025

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 July 2025

    Sign up for emails or print this page

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Patient safety boost as PA review recommendations accepted

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Patient safety boost as PA review recommendations accepted

    The review looked into the safety of the roles of physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs) and how they support wider health teams

    Patient safety will be strengthened across the country, as the government accepts all the recommendations of an independent review into physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs).

    The review chaired by Professor Gillian Leng CBE – an experienced leader in the UK healthcare system – has made 18 recommendations aimed at providing clarity to patients and improving patient safety.

    Launched in November 2024, it looked into the safety of the roles of PAs and AAs and how they support wider health teams.

    Professor Leng sought evidence from a range of voices including patients, staff groups, employers within the NHS, professional bodies and academics. The review’s recommendations cover recruitment and training, supervision and professional regulation.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

    Patients should always know who they are being treated by and should always receive appropriate care.

    Legitimate concerns about patient safety have been ignored for too long – that’s why I sought out the very best clinical advice to review physician associates and anaesthesia associates’ roles in the NHS.

    I want to thank Gillian Leng, one of the UK’s most experienced healthcare leaders, for her comprehensive, thorough report.

    We’re accepting all of the recommendations of the Leng review, which will provide clarity for the public and make sure we’ve got the right staff, in the right place, doing the right thing. Patients can be confident that those who treat them are qualified to do so.

    Physician assistants, as they will now be known, will continue to play an important role in the NHS. They should assist doctors, but they should never be used to replace doctors.

    Our Plan for Change will build on its findings and we will work to implement these findings in the interests of staff and patients alike.

    Dr Claire Fuller, Co-National Medical Director (Primary Care) at NHS England, said:

    We welcome the publication of this review and the clarity it provides on how these vital and valued roles can best support high-quality care for patients as part of multidisciplinary teams.

    Following legitimate concerns raised, it is right this review has gathered expert insight and evidence from across the health service and internationally and we will now work with the service and government to fully consider and implement its recommendations.

    Professor Gillian Leng said:

    I’m pleased the government is implementing the recommendations in full.

    My review provides the opportunity of a reset, but this must be the start of the conversation, not the end.

    Now it’s time to focus on delivery: bringing clarity for patients, complementarity between doctors and assistant roles, collaboration across teams, focussed on ensuring safe and effective high-quality care.

    The Health and Social Care Secretary today confirmed he would accept all the recommendations and begin work to bring them in as quickly as possible, directing NHS England to write to systems leaders setting out the immediate actions for them to take. 

    Resident doctors have raised concerns about the safety and lack of clarity for PA and AA roles – and the government is listening to them.

    Implementing the review’s recommendations will provide clarity for the public and – crucially – improve patient safety and quality of care. PAs and AAs still have a vital role to play in wider teams and caring for patients, with many hard-working PAs and AAs making a vital contribution across the healthcare system. These recommendations will provide certainty and options for their career development.

    At the same time, clear guidance will be offered to other healthcare professionals and patients about the contributions and limits of these roles.

    PAs will in future be identified as physician assistants and AAs will be renamed as physician assistants in anaesthesia, reflecting their role as supportive members of medical teams. They will also not be able to treat undiagnosed patients, except within clearly defined cases.

    Permanent faculties will be established to provide professional leadership and set standards for PAs and PAAs. They will also form part of a clear team structure – led by a senior clinician – where everyone is aware of their roles, responsibilities and accountability.

    Doctors will receive training in line management and leadership, ensuring they can properly fulfil their supervisory roles.

    Collaboration will be vital in the face of increasing NHS demand and the recommendations should serve as a reset – encouraging greater teamwork across healthcare teams. These reforms all form part of the Plan for Change’s mission to build an NHS fit for the future, and one which works for patients and staff. 

    Lessons learned from the review will feed into the government’s upcoming workforce plan, ensuring the NHS has the right staff in the right place at the right time.

    The 10 Year Health Plan will also ensure that new and expanded roles are rolled out in a way which ensures that public, patient and professional confidence is maintained.

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Plans for 5,000 new homes in Stoke-on-Trent put forward to meet ‘urgent need’ for housing

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Published: Wednesday, 16th July 2025

    Councillors are set to approve plans to deliver nearly 5,000 homes in the city in the next three years.

    Stoke-on-Trent City Council has devised a housing development pipeline to help meet the government’s national target of delivering 1.5 million new homes a year.

    The programme will see the authority work with Homes England, developers and landowners to deliver 4,857 houses across 23 sites in the city.

    The sites include completed and near-completed developments such as Goods Yard and Chatterley Court in Chell Heath as well as sites under development such as Scotia Road and Bournes Bank in Burslem, Booth Street in Stoke, the former Doris Robinson Court site in Meir and the former Brookhouse Primary School site in Wellfield Road, Bentilee.

    The number of applicants on the council’s housing register has been climbing over the last three years – it now stands at over 3,138 households, a 41 per cent increase in the last 12 months.

    Over half of those households (57 per cent) are in urgent and high need for accommodation.

    At the same time, the council’s housing stock has fallen by 2,550 homes (13 per cent) over the last 10 years.

    Almost 1,800 homes (37 per cent) included in the council’s housing pipeline project are expected to be affordable homes for people on the housing register.

    In addition to this, the council is proposing to deliver an Empty Homes programme of around 100 new homes per year.

    Councillor Chris Robinson, cabinet member for housing, planning, improvement and governance, said: “We need to create a healthier standard of living for all of our residents, improve the quality of our homes and give residents more choice.

    “We recognise that there is an urgent need to deliver new homes in the city to meet the increasing demand and, while it will be challenging, we are committed to working closely with our partners to increase the pace and scale of house-building across Stoke-on-Trent.

    “We need to act quickly and take action to ensure all our residents can access decent homes in a city where they can stay, grow and thrive – and watch their children do the same.”

    The housing pipeline programme will continue to develop over time with completed sites being replaced with new locations, however, planning status is not guaranteed for any of the pipeline sites and all will be considered through the usual planning processes.

    The council’s cabinet is being asked to approve the plans at their next meeting in July. To see the full report, visit: Agenda for Cabinet on Tuesday, 22 July 2025, 1.00 pm | Stoke on Trent City Council

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Preston City Council signs up to National Skills Academy Framework

    Source: City of Preston

    Preston City Council has signed an agreement with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), committing to use the National Skills Academy for Construction (NSAfC) Framework across all its projects.

    The new agreement was confirmed at a formal award presentation in Preston and will see the local authority continue to embed NSAfC principles through the updated benchmarks into its planning process, creating opportunities for skills and employment.

    The framework is a way of working that enables partners to gain the skills they need on site, on time. Developed by CITB and approved by industry, it provides structure and direction to help deliver consistent, high-quality training on a live construction project.

    One of 19 National Skills Academies supporting UK industries by developing training infrastructure to address sector skills challenges, the NSAfC was launched in 2006 with the aim of providing dynamic onsite training and skills opportunities for suitable projects.

    The NSAfC has already successfully complemented more than 400 projects across the UK, enhancing skills throughout the industry and helping organisations demonstrate their commitment to creating social value in the community.

    Andrew Bridge, Head of Employer Delivery and Engagement (England) at CITB, said:

    “We are delighted to sign this agreement with Preston City Council which underlines their commitment to embedding the NSAfC Framework across all projects.We developed the framework together with the construction industry to improve productivity, promote skills, and create high-performing workplaces that can develop and harness talent.

    “For contractors or public sector authorities, the NSAfC gets the right skills to their people – from craft to technical to professional, from new recruits to experienced workers – wherever they are needed.”

    Councillor Valerie Wise, Cabinet Member for Community Wealth Building at Preston Council, said:

    “We were proud to welcome the Construction Industry Training Board to Preston and delighted to receive the award that recognises our ongoing commitment to delivering social value through construction.

    “By embedding the National Skills Academy for Construction benchmarks into our planning process, applicants are not only building homes and employment units but creating real opportunities for skills, employment, and community benefit.”

    For more information visit CITB – What is the National Skills Academy for Construction (NSAfC)?

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Apply for the 2026 Criminal Defence Direct Contract

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Apply for the 2026 Criminal Defence Direct Contract

    The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is inviting tenders for Criminal Defence Direct (CDD) Contracts to deliver 24/7 telephone-based legal advice.

    The LAA is inviting tenders for two new CDD Contracts to deliver 24/7 telephone-based legal advice from 4 May 2026. These services support individuals detained at police stations in England and Wales for non-indictable offences.

    Key Dates

    • Tender opens: 16 July 2025
    • Deadline for questions: 30 July 2025 (5pm)
    • TUPE data request deadline: 30 July 2025 (5pm)
    • Tender submission deadline: 28 August 2025 (11:59pm)

    Who Can Apply

    The tender is open to any organisation that meets the LAA’s Conditions of Participation.

    How to Apply

    Applicants must submit a complete tender via two platforms:

    1. Central Digital Platform (CDP) for supplier registration and core information,
    2. LAA eTendering System for the CDD Tender Response. A share code linking the CDP response must be included in the Qualification envelope of the CDD Tender Response.

    For full details of the procurement process please read the Application Guide which is available at 2026 Criminal Defence Direct (CDD) – GOV.UK

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to government’s Life Sciences Sector Plan

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Scientists comment on the Government’s Life Sciences Sector Plan. 

    David Seymour, Director of Data Partnerships, Health Data Research UK, said: 

    “The ambition in these new government plans is much needed, but it is colliding with a system full of potholes that disrupt, delay and damage vital health data research.

    “Our life sciences sector holds the key to faster discovery of treatments, better patient care, prevention of diseases and the essential economic growth required to fund a revitalised NHS.  Yet in access to health data, researchers and innovators are gridlocked by legal, governance and contractual complexity, coupled with a lack of people with the capacity and authority to unblock barriers and make decisions.  This is the harsh reality that undermines our boldest plans.

    “While major investments in the genomics revolution and Health Data Research Service are welcome, there is a real danger of ‘planning blight,’ where the focus on designing the future system stops us from improving the performance of the current system.  The most radical thing we can do is get the basics right.  This means a relentless focus on maximising the value of our existing world-class data assets – the likes of the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) research service, UK BioBank, Genomics England and Our Future Health – enriched through data linkage and novel data collection.

    “Fixing today’s ‘potholes’ isn’t a distraction from the long-term vision – it’s the only way to make it happen.  Anything less holds back the UK’s global competitiveness and fails patients and the public.”

    Prof Bryan Williams, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer, British Heart Foundation, said:

    “A thriving life science sector is key to unlocking the next generation of treatments and cures for some of the UK’s biggest killers, including cardiovascular disease. It’s great to see the Government recognising this in today’s plan, which will help researchers grasp this moment of immense scientific opportunity.

    “We welcome the pledge to continue investing in science which drives life-changing discoveries in medicine, whilst ensuring that patients benefit quickly from those discoveries.  The commitment to shift health research funding towards making advances in prevention is also very encouraging.

    “As key funders of UK research and development, charities like the British Heart Foundation are vital in helping to achieve this plan’s vision.  We look forward to working in close partnership with Government and the wider sector to fully deliver the improvements needed.”

    Prof Patrick Chinnery, Executive Chair, Medical Research Council, said:

    “The new Life Sciences Sector Plan sets out a bold vision to transform how one of the UK’s most dynamic and globally competitive sectors delivers for our economy and for people around the world.

    “The Medical Research Council is committed to playing a central role in realising this vision by accelerating the translation of curiosity-driven research into innovations that support disease prevention, earlier diagnosis and better treatments.

    “In partnership with researchers, charities and industry, we will help more people live healthier, more productive lives, and attract further investment to strengthen the UK’s life sciences sector.”

    Nicola Perrin MBE, Chief Executive, Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC), said: 

    “We’re pleased to see life sciences recognised as a priority sector for the UK.  This is a triple win for the economy, for the NHS and for patients.  It will benefit people across the country and unlock new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat disease.

    “We welcome the positioning of research at the heart of the Life Sciences Sector Plan, from the earliest stages of discovery science and beyond.  We also welcome the focus on ensuring that the NHS embraces new discoveries and innovations – these will only have an impact if they get to patients quickly and effectively.

    “It’s reassuring to see a clear focus on implementation and accountability in the plan.  This will help to ensure urgent action and real change.  Medical research charities must be key delivery partners – they support R&D that focuses on patients, addresses areas of unmet need and accelerates impact.”

    Dr Iain Foulkes, Executive Director of Research and Innovation, Cancer Research UK, said:

    “The Life Sciences Sector Plan sets out promising ambitions to make the UK a global leader in science, but it doesn’t do enough to tackle the challenges holding back clinical research.

    “We need government, industry and charities to work together so that people get faster access to the most promising new cancer treatments.

    “The Plan rightly highlights the delays in setting up commercial clinical trials in the UK, but it overlooks the fact that non-commercial trials – often led by charities or the NHS – are facing the same issues.  These trials are being held back by slow and complicated processes, excessive red tape, and a lack of capacity across the system.

    “Government action is needed to strip away these barriers and build more time for research in NHS staff contracts.”

    Prof Andrew Morris CBE FRSE PMedSci, President, Academy of Medical Sciences, said:

    “The Government’s Life Sciences Sector Plan delivers a robust framework that industry, academia and the NHS have long needed to help unlock the full potential of one of the UK’s most important sectors.

    “As we highlighted in our Future-proofing UK Health Research report, a coordinated and people-centred approach is essential to secure a sustainable future for life sciences research and deliver maximum health benefits for people everywhere.  With over £2bn of funding and clear accountability mechanisms, this plan provides actionable commitments that can drive economic growth, improve the UK’s standing on a world stage and transform health equity.

    “The six headline actions align closely with priorities the Academy of Medical Sciences has consistently championed, including cutting clinical trials times, strengthening health data infrastructure, and streamlining regulation and procurement.  These measures have the potential to transform how we develop and deploy new treatments, placing people at the heart of the UK health research system whilst maximising discovery science and the research potential of the NHS.

    “Recognising that the NHS must become a thriving site of research is key to improving health and prosperity in the UK and driving health outcomes globally.  The plan’s effectiveness will depend on sustained coordination across all sectors and funders, and engagement with patients and the public, to enable the UK’s life sciences sector to flourish and deliver health benefits for people everywhere.” 

    Plan: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/687653fb55c4bd0544dcaeb1/Life_Sciences_Sector_Plan.pdf; https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/life-sciences-sector-plan

    Press release: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/life-sciences-sector-plan-to-grow-economy-and-transform-nhs

    Declared interests

    The nature of this story means everyone quoted above could be perceived to have a stake in it. cAs such, our policy is not to ask for interests to be declared – instead, they are implicit in each person’s affiliation.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Zonal pricing is dead – here’s how the UK should change its electricity system instead

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Cassandra Etter-Wenzel, DPhil Candidate in Energy Policy, University of Oxford

    Marcin Rogozinski/Shutterstock

    The UK government has decided against setting different prices for electricity based on the locations of consumers.

    Zonal pricing would have categorised Britain into distinct zones, each with wholesale electricity prices that reflect how much power is generated locally, and how much demand there is for it. It would have raised prices in areas with lots of demand but low generation, like London, and lowered them where supply outstrips demand, such as in the turbine-rich Scottish Highlands.

    This might have caused an immediate increase in the energy bills of already vulnerable households in some high-demand, low-generation areas, such as Tower Hamlets in London and Blackpool in north-west England.

    But the idea was to encourage the construction of renewable energy to meet high demand in higher-priced zones, and prompt big electricity consumers to move to where electricity is cheaper. It was also intended to ease the need for new infrastructure to transmit electricity over long distances, like pylons. Australia, Norway and several EU nations already use this method.

    The ultimate goal of zonal pricing was to make the price of electricity more accurately reflect generation and transmission costs. However, one thing has significantly inflated electricity prices in recent years, which this pricing method wouldn’t have addressed on its own: gas.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    Gas is expensive, even more so since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Britain’s electricity system operator brings power plants onto the system to meet demand in order of the lowest to highest marginal costs.

    The point at which supply meets demand forms the wholesale price of electricity. Renewable sources, like wind and solar, have zero or very low marginal costs. But most of the time the wholesale price is set by gas plants, because they can readily fill a gap in supply but have high and erratic marginal costs (largely tied to what they pay for fuel).

    We need another, cheaper technology to set the wholesale price of electricity. Batteries, which can store electricity over several hours, and options capable of storing energy for longer, such as compressed air and low-carbon hydrogen, could be just the thing.

    The idea is simple: batteries can be charged at times when there is a lot of surplus electricity generation (on a bright, windy day, for example) and discharge it at times of peak demand (or when the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow). This would entail grid operators (and ultimately, consumers) not having to pay gas plants to fire up when renewable generation cannot meet the shortfall.

    Unfortunately, batteries comprised just 6% of Britain’s total electricity capacity in 2024. Investment in energy storage has lagged behind what the government forecasts is necessary to meet its 2030 clean power goals, but it is at least increasing.

    Research shows that the more money that is invested in batteries, the more associated costs come down. If used instead of gas to stabilise the grid, energy storage could significantly lower the wholesale cost of the UK’s energy over time, and with the right balance of policies, household bills too. This would require subsidies to cover some of the cost of making and installing batteries, and planning mandates to build new renewables alongside new batteries.

    Affordable and fair

    The government could also try alternatives to zonal pricing. Wholesale electricity prices could reflect the “strike” price in renewable energy contracts. This is the price at which developers have agreed to build clean electricity generation projects, like wind farms. This would mean that gas no longer sets the wholesale price, but stable, predictable prices agreed years in advance, which would help to regulate the retail costs consumers pay.

    Solar arrays installed on farmland in Devon, southern England.
    Pjhpix/Shutterstock

    These types of reforms can help set efficient energy prices, which the government usually talks about as the price needed to encourage investment in new energy technologies. But just because prices are efficient, it doesn’t mean they’re fair. Some households struggle to afford their energy bills even when markets are working efficiently. So, when prices change to encourage cleaner energy, it can hit them harder.

    The government should implement new policies and expand eligibility for existing measures to take the burden off energy-poor households. These include social tariffs, which offer discounted rates to vulnerable consumers, and discounts for blocks of electricity use when renewables are generating a lot of it.

    Transition funds could help poorer households meet bills, while schemes to encourage home insulation and other improvements could see more homes with rooftop solar panels and battery storage.

    This support, combined with increasing investment in energy storage and renewables, will lower the wholesale price of electricity over time – and make energy more affordable (and fair) for everyone.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Anupama Sen has previously received funding from the Quadrature Climate Foundation and Children’s Investment Fund Foundation.

    Cassandra Etter-Wenzel and Sam Fankhauser do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Zonal pricing is dead – here’s how the UK should change its electricity system instead – https://theconversation.com/zonal-pricing-is-dead-heres-how-the-uk-should-change-its-electricity-system-instead-260985

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Town Hall restoration work set to get underway

    Source: City of Oxford

    Oxford City Council is pleased to announce a significant step forward in the restoration of one of the city’s most iconic landmarks.

    The historic Town Hall is set to undergo essential cleaning and stone repair works to preserve and enhance its impressive façade. 

    Following detailed planning and behind-the-scenes progress, the Council has now appointed PAYE Stonework & Restoration Ltd as the principal contractor to carry out the work. Recognised for their expertise in heritage restoration and holding a Royal Warrant, PAYE brings a wealth of experience from high-profile conservation projects across the UK. Work on site is due to begin later this year. 

    The restoration, guided by heritage specialists Jessop and Cook Architects, will focus on cleaning the stonework—an essential first step that will enable thorough assessment and repair of structural and surface condition issues. The project is scheduled for completion by spring 2026. 

    Comment

    “Oxford Town Hall is a landmark building, a valued community space and a source of great pride. This restoration project will help ensure that its historical and architectural legacy is safeguarded for future generations and will maintain it at the heart of our community.”
    Councillor Ed Turner, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Management

    The historic Town Hall is set to undergo essential cleaning and stone repair works to preserve and enhance its impressive façade. 

    Following detailed planning and behind-the-scenes progress, the Council has now appointed PAYE Stonework & Restoration Ltd as the principal contractor to carry out the work. Recognised for their expertise in heritage restoration and holding a Royal Warrant, PAYE brings a wealth of experience from high-profile conservation projects across the UK. Work on site is due to begin later this year. 

    The restoration, guided by heritage specialists Jessop and Cook Architects, will focus on cleaning the stonework—an essential first step that will enable thorough assessment and repair of structural and surface condition issues. The project is scheduled for completion by spring 2026. 

    The Town Hall serves a wide range of functions: it is home to Oxford City Council’s municipal offices, houses the Museum of Oxford, and hosts concerts, weddings, and civic events throughout the year, bringing a substantial income stream to support frontline services. Its neo-Jacobean architecture and storied past, dating back to its opening by the then Prince of Wales, make it a cherished fixture in the city’s urban fabric. 

    This restoration will not only improve the building’s appearance but will also extend its lifespan, ensuring it remains a cornerstone of Oxford’s heritage and civic life and that income from hiring out its rooms can continue to support frontline services. 

    For more information about the project and the history of Oxford Town Hall, visit: www.oxfordtownhall.co.uk 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Aurora Antrim and Jane Hurst have been reappointed to The Royal Parks, and Bronwyn Hill’s second term extended.

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Aurora Antrim and Jane Hurst have been reappointed to The Royal Parks, and Bronwyn Hill’s second term extended.

    The Secretary of State has reappointed Aurora Antrim and Jane Hurst as Trustees of The Royal Parks and has extended Bronwyn Hill’s second term as Trustee.

    Aurora Antrim

    Reappointed for a 4 year term commencing 14 August 2025 to 13 August 2029.

    Aurora Antrim is an award-winning arts documentary filmmaker who, as Aurora Gunn, spent many years working on The South Bank Show for ITV and Sky making films on subjects ranging from Shakespeare to Tracey Emin to Herbie Hancock.

    Aurora has over 20 years’ experience managing an historic landscape, with a focus on income diversification and sustainability, while overseeing the running of the Glenarm Castle estate in Northern Ireland. Her horticultural experience includes the complete restoration and replanting of an historic walled garden which won, by public vote, the Historic Houses Garden of the Year Award in 2023.

    This is Aurora’s second term on the Board of The Royal Parks where she serves on the HR Committee. She also sits on The Regent’s Park Store Yard Programme Board, responsible for the creation of a brand new garden in The Regent’s Park due to open in 2026.

    Jane Hurst 

    Reappointed for a 4 year term commencing 14 August 2025 to 13 August 2029.

    Jane is a Chartered Accountant and currently CFO of a health tech business. Prior to this she was a partner in KPMG UK with 20 years’ experience of complex restructuring, performance improvement and turnaround. She has worked in a wide range of businesses- from the very large and global to the very small. She has also supported multiple public sector entities undergoing change. 

    Jane has been a trustee at the Royal Parks for four years, she chairs the Audit and Risk Committee and is a member of the Investment Committee.

    Bronwyn Hill CBE

    Second term extended for 9 months from 15 June 2025 to 14 March 2026.

    As Permanent Secretary at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 2011 to 2015, Bronwyn led a complex organisation through transformational change and a series of crises, including the 2012-13 flooding. A CBE for transport services was in recognition of her contribution to national transport strategy, major projects and transport in London. 

    Her interest in the environment and the importance of green spaces for people led to her joining The Royal Parks Board. Bronwyn contributed to its transformation into a successful charity, and on projects like Greenwich Park Revealed which has restored the historic landscape, created a new education space and welcomes more people to events and activities in the park.

    Remuneration and Governance Code

    Trustees of The Royal Parks are not remunerated. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments.

    The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Aurora Antrim, Bronwyn Hill and Jane Hurst have not declared any significant political activity.

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • Archer keen to play remaining India tests, Ashes; Dawson replaces injured Bashir in England squad for fourth test

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    After missing four years of test duty due to injury, England speedster Jofra Archer is keen to make up for lost time and says he wants to play the final two tests against India and prove he deserves a place in the squad for the Ashes series in Australia.

    Archer made his test comeback at Lord’s in the third test, bowling at full tilt to claim five wickets, including three in the second innings as England clinched a 22-run victory to go 2-1 up in the five-match series.

    England management, men’s managing director Rob Key in particular, have been careful about Archer’s workload since his recovery from elbow and back injuries but the bowler is raring to go.

    “I can play the other two (against India) if they let me,” Archer told Sky Sports.

    “I don’t want to lose this series. I told ‘Keysey’ I wanted to play the test summer and I wanted to play the Ashes.

    “I think one tick is already there and I will do everything possible in my power to be on the plane in November.”

    It was Archer’s first test since coach Brendon ‘Baz’ McCullum and captain Ben Stokes took the helm in 2022 and implemented an exciting result-oriented approach.

    Archer was happy how his reintegration into the test squad had been handled.

    “Obviously it would have been the format which would have taken the most time to come back to. So I played 50-over and T20 for the last year and a half, two years,” he said.

    “The guys have played some really exciting cricket since Baz took over. I think the mentality of the team under Baz suits the way I like to play my cricket.

    “I just couldn’t wait to get back and actually do it without having to be prompted to do it.”

    Meanwhile, Left-arm spinner Liam Dawson has replaced injured Shoaib Bashir in England’s 14-player squad for the fourth test in the five-match series against India, the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Tuesday.

    Bashir suffered a fracture to his finger in his non-bowling left hand while attempting a low catch during his own bowling during the third test on Saturday. He is set for surgery later this week.

    The 21-year-old came back to bowl on Monday, taking India’s last wicket to ensure a thrilling 22-run victory for the hosts at Lord’s, securing a 2-1 lead in the series.

    Dawson has not played a test match since July 2017 but has represented England in white-ball cricket since then, last appearing during the Twenty20 series against West Indies last month.

    The 35-year-old has played five matches for Hampshire in the T20 Blast this month, taking five wickets.

    The fourth test against India begins on July 23 in Manchester.

    England squad: Ben Stokes (Captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ8: Measures to encourage childbirth

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

         Following is a question by the Hon Shang Hailong and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (July 16):

    Question:

         It has been reported that Hong Kong’s fertility rate has remained persistently low in recent years, with the total fertility rate for 2023 standing at only 0.8, which is significantly below the replacement level of 2.1 required to maintain the population level. This situation presents profound challenges to Hong Kong’s future economic development, public service demands and workforce structure. The latest report published by the United Nations Population Fund indicates that the primary cause of the global decline in fertility rates is insufficient “reproductive autonomy”, which includes structural barriers such as economic pressure, gender inequality, lack of partner support and want of comprehensive reproductive health services. There are views that Hong Kong’s current pro-natalist policies largely focus on providing short-term economic incentives (e.g. allowances and increased maternity leave) without formulating long-term strategies to address the aforementioned structural barriers. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

    (1) whether it will conduct a comprehensive review of the effectiveness of the existing pro-natalist measures, and propose ground-breaking policies to address the current structural economic issues faced by citizens (such as high housing costs, intense educational competition, and job instability); 

    (2) given that a survey has reportedly indicated that only 22 per cent of enterprises offer family-friendly measures beyond those required by law, whether the authorities will consider implementing a “family-friendly workplace certification” programme, through which enhanced subsidies would be provided to enterprises to offer more flexible working arrangements and childrearing support; 

    (3)whether the authorities will consider drawing on overseas and the Mainland experiences to actively expand the childcare service network, such as by exploring the introduction of a “neighbourhood childcare voucher scheme”, subsidising parents to use qualified private childcare services within their communities, or making better use of idle government sites or community facilities in commercial areas to establish more childcare service centres; and 

    (4) whether the authorities will consider allowing “top talent”, “quality migrants” and “professionals” admitted under various talent admission schemes to apply for the Newborn Baby Bonus scheme, with a view to encouraging more talent to stay in Hong Kong and contribute to its development?

    Reply:

    President,

         The issue of childbearing straddles across a number of policy areas and bureaux, including the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration’s Office, the Labour and Welfare Bureau, the Education Bureau, the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the Health Bureau and the Housing Bureau. A consolidated reply by relevant government bureaux and departments is as follows:

    (1) Childbearing is a major life decision which involves different considerations. Fertility cannot be boosted substantially by Government’s policies alone. Various government bureaux and departments have adopted a range of measures to encourage fertility.

         In respect of child care, the Government has been supporting parents who cannot take care of their children temporarily through subsidising NGOs to provide a variety of day child care services, including Child Care Centre (CCC) services for children aged from birth to under three, After School Care Programme and Neighbourhood Support Child Care Project (NSCCP). To strengthen support for working families in childbearing, the Social Welfare Department (SWD) is setting up 11 aided standalone CCCs in phases over the three years starting from 2024, doubling the total number of service places to reach around 2 000. The SWD is also extending the After School Care Programme for pre-primary children to cover all districts in phases, and increasing the number of service places under the NSCCP to 2 500 with the estimated number of beneficiaries increasing to 25 000. The Government has also launched the School-based After School Care Service Scheme to provide focused support for students in need (particularly those from single-parent families) to stay in school after school hours for care and learning support, thereby allowing their parents to take up jobs. Over 120 primary schools covering 18 districts across the territory participated in the scheme in the 2024/25 school year, providing about 6 000 places. We will encourage more schools to participate in the scheme in the 2025/26 school year without imposing any quota. Meanwhile, the Government reviews the Working Family Allowance (WFA) Scheme from time to time. The rates of the household and child allowances under the WFA Scheme have been increased by 15 per cent across the board with effect from April 2024, benefiting all households receiving the WFA. The WFA Scheme provides additional allowances for relevant childbearing families, and increasing the rates of the WFA helps further alleviate the burden of grassroots working families. Taking a four-person household with two eligible children as an example, the maximum monthly WFA they may receive have increased from the original amount of $4,200 to $4,830 at present.

    Hong Kong’s education system values equity and diversity. The government provides 12 years’ free primary and secondary education through public sector schools, and ensures the provision of sufficient public sector school places for students eligible for receiving education in Hong Kong. Regardless of students’ backgrounds, all are given access to quality education. Diversified support mechanisms are in place to cater to individual differences and promote whole-person development. Our competitive edge is clearly reflected in the excellent performance of Hong Kong students in international studies and assessments. The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 results underscore Hong Kong’s outstanding performance in educational equity. Hong Kong ranked second among countries or economies with high academic achievements, indicating that the family socio-economic status of Hong Kong students, including occupation and education level of their parents, had minimal bearing on their performance. This demonstrates that, under our education system, schools are able to provide ample and appropriate education support services for students with different socio-economic backgrounds. The results reaffirmed the merits of the Hong Kong education system in providing all students with quality and equal education opportunities, thereby facilitating social mobility. Besides, the Government has launched the Kindergarten Education Scheme since the 2017/18 school year with the objectives of providing good quality and highly affordable kindergarten education, and enhancing the accessibility of students to different modes of services that suit their specific needs. About 90 per cent of half-day kindergartens are currently free of charge, while the school fees for whole-day kindergartens are maintained at a low level. Families with financial needs may apply for fee remission under the Kindergarten and Child Care Centre Fee Remission Scheme (KCFRS). At present, parents can receive full level of fee remission under the KCFRS.

         The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) has been supporting the work of the Family Council (the Council) in promoting a culture of loving families to the general public through organising different publicity programmes and activities. In October 2024, the HYAB and the Council launched the five-year Funding Scheme on the Promotion of Family Education (the Scheme). With annual funding of $8 million, the Scheme subsidises non-profit-making community projects in promoting family education to meet the needs of different families. For the 2024-25 round of applications, a total of 12 projects have been approved. On the other hand, the Council has been encouraging the wider adoption of more diversified and flexible family-friendly employment practices (FFEPs) in the community. These measures will also help promote a childbearing-friendly environment. Since 2023-24, the Council has been launching promotional videos entitled “Family-friendly Workplace” featuring various FFEPs adopted by local companies with sharings by employers and employees. The FFEPs presented include breastfeeding-friendly arrangements, allowing employees to bring their children to work during summer vacation, work-from-home arrangement and flexible work hours, etc. The Council has also collaborated with the Radio Television Hong Kong to produce radio programmes to promulgate different FFEPs. The Council will continue the relevant promotion work.

         In terms of tax measures, the basic child allowance and the additional child allowance for each child born during the year of assessment (YA) have been raised to $130,000 starting from YA 2023/24. Moreover, starting from YA 2024/25, for taxpayers who live with their children born on or after October 25, 2023, and meet the prescribed conditions, the deduction ceiling for home loan interest or domestic rents may be raised from $100,000 to $120,000 for a maximum of 19 YAs. These measures help alleviate the financial burden of taxpayers from raising children.

         As regards healthcare services, the Government has been committed to supporting assisted reproductive (AR) services and promoting healthy fertility, to assist those who wish to have children. Currently, nine public hospitals under the Hospital Authority (HA) offer assisted reproductive services, among which Queen Mary Hospital, Prince of Wales Hospital, and Kwong Wah Hospital provide in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) services. The HA is gradually increasing the publicly subsidised service quotas of assisted reproductive services for IVF treatment starting from 2024-25, from the previous 1 100 per year to 1 800 per year in 2028-29, and in parallel enhancing the training for relevant professionals. Achievement of the relevant target is underway, where the HA provided 100 additional subsidised service quotas in 2024-25 as planned, and 300 more quotas will be in place in 2025-26, followed by an additional service quota of 100 places per year in the three years that follow. In addition, the HA repositioned seven AR drugs from self-financed items to special drugs in the HA Drug Formulary in late April this year, whereby patients are only required to pay standard fees if prescribed these seven drugs under specified clinical applications, reducing the financial burden on patients receiving the relevant AR drug therapies. Aside from public AR services, starting from the year of assessment 2024-25, the Government is providing tax deductions for expenses on AR services under salaries tax and personal assessment, to relieve the financial burden from the relevant expenditure and encourage couples faced with fertility difficulties to seek medical assistance as necessary. In the meantime, the Department of Health will also revamp maternal and child health and family planning services, providing new pre-pregnancy health services to reproductive age group women at the Maternal and Child Health Centres in phases, as well as review and adjust the scope of the subsidised family planning service currently provided by non-government organisations, to promote healthy fertility. Furthermore, the Council on Human Reproductive Technology plans to lift the statutory maximum storage periods of gametes and embryos for own use within this year, to allow the members of the public to make their own decisions on the storage duration of gametes and embryos depending on their health and other conditions, so as to better realise reproductive autonomy.

         In respect of housing, the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) has implemented the Families with Newborns Allocation Priority Scheme and the Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme to encourage childbearing by giving incentives to family applicants of public rental housing (PRH) and subsidised sale flats (SSF) sale exercises. Regarding the allocation of PRH, the HA has implemented the Families with Newborns Allocation Priority Scheme since April 1, 2024. PRH family applications with babies born on or after October 25, 2023, and aged one or below are credited one year of waiting time. As at end-June 2025, about 5 000 PRH applications have been credited one year of waiting time under the scheme, of which about 420 families have already been successfully housed to PRH. As for SSF, starting from the Sale of Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) Flats 2024 (HOS 2024), the HA has implemented the Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme which was announced in the 2023 Policy Address. A quota of about 40 per cent of the new flats for sale (i.e. 2 900 flats) under HOS 2024 were set aside for eligible applicants under the Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme and the Priority Scheme for Families with Elderly Members for balloting and priority flat selection. Family applicants of HOS with babies born or after October 25, 2023, are eligible if their children are aged three or below on the closing day of the application. During the application period of HOS 2024, the HA received a total of around 106 000 applications. Among them, around 50 000 were family applicants, of which around 19 000 (i.e. about 40 per cent) applied under the Priority Scheme for Families with Elderly Members and Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme. Among these 19 000 applicants, 800 applicants have successfully purchased flats through the Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme. If eligible families applying under the Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme fail to purchase a flat under HOS 2024, they may still apply under the Scheme for priority flat selection as long as their children are aged three or below on the closing day of the application in subsequent SSF sale exercises.

    (2) Through publicity and promotional activities, the Labour Department (LD) motivates employers to adopt employee-oriented good human resources management measures and implement family-friendly employment practices, including allowing flexible work arrangements, granting special leave approval to cater for family needs of employees and providing relevant support to employees’ family life, etc. Implementing FFEPs enables employees to balance the needs of taking care of their family, and also helps employers recruit and retain staff. Considering the diverse circumstances of enterprises, it is more appropriate to adopt an approach that motivates and encourages enterprises to flexibly implement FFEPs. The LD will continue to take forward relevant work by launching publicity and promotion through various channels, including organising activities on the Good Employer Charter.

    (3) As regards the network of child care services, the SWD is setting up 11 aided standalone CCCs in phases over the three years starting from 2024. The SWD has been continuously reviewing the service planning for CCCs and would consider the overall situations of child care services and the characteristics of individual districts so as to take follow-up measures in a timely manner, including enhancing service promotion, and adjusting the planned provision of CCCs and the distribution of service places, etc., to better meet the service demand of the community.

         Regarding the planning for child care facilities, the Government has incorporated the population-based planning ratios into the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines in respect of aided standalone CCCs, with a view to reserving necessary sites and space for these facilities early in the planning process of new and redeveloped areas. The SWD has been maintaining close contact with relevant departments to identify suitable sites in various development or redevelopment of public housing estates and urban renewal projects for the provision of child care facilities. In addition, the SWD will make the best use of vacant government accommodation/premises and vacant non-domestic premises in public housing estates to explore whether they are suitable for the use of child care facilities. The SWD will also provide relevant information and assistance to private organisations applying for registration to operate CCCs, and encourage private organisations to provide child care support for their employees.

    (4) The Government announced in the 2023 Policy Address that a cash reward of $20,000 will be provided to eligible parents for each baby born from October 25, 2023, for a period of three years. Starting from October 25, 2023, parents can submit an application for the bonus at the same time when registering the birth of their baby and applying for a birth certificate. As of end-June 2025, a total of 49 567 qualified applications have been received, and the bonus has been distributed to 48 984 applicants, at a total amount of approximately $979 million. The Office of the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration is carrying out a review of the Newborn Baby Bonus Scheme. In the review, suggestions which have been raised in the community, including whether to cover families under different talent schemes, will be considered. 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Transcript – Afternoon Briefing with Patricia Karvelas

    Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

    PATRICIA KARVELAS, HOST: Let’s get some immediate political reaction, not just to this story, but of course the broader child care crisis too and go straight to the Education Minister Jason Clare. 

    Jason Clare, lovely to have you on the show. 

    JASON CLARE, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: Thanks, PK, great to be here. 

    KARVELAS: Two child care workers have been charged with assault of a toddler in Western Sydney. New South Wales Police have said the child sustained significant bruising and injuries. Of course, this is one case being handled now by the legal system, as it should be —

    CLARE: Yes. 

    KARVELAS: — but does this latest case show that we have a broader crisis? 

    CLARE: What it underlines is if you don’t care about our kids, you shouldn’t be there working in early education and care. 

    In that report you mentioned that those workers are no longer there, that’s a good thing. But we do need to put in place the sort of measures to help to weed people out that aren’t there for the right reasons, whether it’s the sort of penalties that you impose on centres that don’t act when this evidence comes to light, or naming and shaming centres, giving information to parents about the conditions that are in the centres where their children are, or putting in place things like CCTV. 

    I want to make the point if I can, PK, that 99.9 per cent of the people who care for our kids every single day in these centres love them, they care for them, they educate them, they’re great people that are doing really, really important work, and at the moment they’re as shocked and angry as everybody else in Australia. Their jobs are on TV for all of the wrong reasons. They want to make sure that we do everything we can to weed out the people that shouldn’t be there too. 

    KARVELAS: We also learnt today that the alleged Melbourne paedophile, Joshua Dale Brown, worked at an additional daycare centre that has not been listed by authorities online. That brings the total number of centres he’s worked at to 24. I mean, Minister, why – I know this a state issue in terms of the investigation, but why are we still finding out about child care centres several weeks after the first allegations? 

    CLARE: It’s a bloody good question. This is a nightmare for hundreds more parents, mums and dads who now have to go through the wringer of working out whether their kids are sick or not. And for their little kids, they’ve got to go through the trauma of testing – blood tests and urine tests – to find out whether they’ve got an infectious disease or not. 

    It strikes me when I saw this yesterday that this is another reason why we need an educator register, a database that tells us where people are working and where they have been working. The company responsible here should know this at the click of a button. But so should we. This shouldn’t be the sort of information that comes out in drip feed form, it should be information that’s easy to access quickly. 

    KARVELAS: It seems that there might be more centres. I mean, have you been briefed about whether there are even potentially more that we might find out about? 

    CLARE: No, I haven’t. The Victorian Police would be briefing the Victorian Government specifically on that. But I just make the general point, this is the sort of information that police should have at their fingertips, it’s the sort of information that we should have right now. We don’t have it, but we should do. 

    KARVELAS: Is your legislation on child care changes that you’ve been talking about ready to table into the Parliament and have you briefed the Opposition? 

    CLARE: Yeah, the legislation is almost finalised. I’ll introduce that legislation into the Parliament next week, and we held our first briefing with the Opposition on the legislation today. I want to take this opportunity to thank Sussan Ley, the Opposition Leader, and Jonno Duniam, the Shadow Minister, for the really constructive way in which they’re working with us on this legislation to make sure we get it right. You know, it’s not always the case that Labor and Liberal work together the way we should. We are here, and that’s really important with legislation like this. 

    So, as I said, I’ll introduce the legislation next week. What the bill will do is give us the power to cut off funding to child care centres where they’re not up to scratch when it comes to safety. 

    At the moment a state regulator can shut a centre down tomorrow if they think there’s an imminent threat to safety. But where they’ve identified centres that aren’t meeting the standard and repeatedly they’re not meeting that standard, this will give us the power to issue a condition to that centre, and say that if you don’t meet the standards that we’ve set for you as a nation over the course of, it might be a couple of months, then we will suspend your child care funding or we’ll cancel it. 

    And there’s nothing more important in running a child care centre than the taxpayer funding that runs it – it’s about 70 per cent of the funding that runs a child care centre, it can’t run without it. This is the biggest stick that the Commonwealth has to wield here, and putting a condition on a centre that we would provide publicly, so parents know about it, I think is the sort of thing that hopefully will lift standards to where they need to be. 

    If we get this legislation right, it won’t mean that we’re shutting centres down, it will mean that we’re lifting standards up where centres aren’t meeting the standards at the moment. 

    KARVELAS: Okay, that’s really interesting. So, you’ll issue essentially a warning that will then be publicly shared, would that be like on a central website where people can look to see ‑‑ 

    CLARE: That’s right. 

    KARVELAS: ‑‑ if this has been – and what’s the timeframe? ‘Cause that must be all articulated, it has to be in the legislation, for which they have to respond ‑‑

    CLARE: Yeah. 

    KARVELAS: ‑‑ before that money is suspended?  

    CLARE: The legislation won’t set out the specific timeframe. There will be discretion provided to the Secretary of my Department, but we’re anticipating, depending on circumstances, you’re talking about a couple of months. 

    But let me just make the point again, if we’ve identified a centre where there’s a threat to kids right now, state regulators can shut it down. This is about centres where over a period of time they’re just not meeting the National Quality Framework standard to say, unless you get there soon, the centre is not going to be funded by the taxpayer. 

    KARVELAS: So, at the moment “Working Towards,” as you know, is a rating given to a centre that doesn’t meet quality rating standards. I’m just confused about how that will work still. These centres, are they allowed to keep operating? For how long will you be able to keep operating if you’re just “Working Towards”? 

    CLARE: At first instance what we’re intending to do if we get this legislation passed is to work with the state governments and the state regulators on the centres that they’re most concerned about, that are under that category that you’ve just described where they’re concerned that they’re repeatedly not working hard enough to get to the standard they need to be under the National Quality Framework. 

    So we’ll work with states and territories on the centres that we think need to be the subject of this legislation first and set those conditions for them, set a timeframe for them, and if they don’t meet those conditions within that timeframe, then suspend the child care subsidy payment that helps that centre to operate or cancel it altogether. 

    KARVELAS: And you said this is about lifting standards rather than shutting child care centres down. Of course that would always want to have that aim, because you need children in care —

    CLARE: Indeed. 

    KARVELAS: — or the system would collapse, right? 

    CLARE: That’s right. 

    KARVELAS: But do you envisage that inevitably some child care centres will have to close down? You would think that would have to be an inevitability of a tough system.  

    CLARE: It is a tough system, and that may very well happen. We’re not putting this legislation into the Parliament as an idle threat. But these centres run – 70 per cent of the funding is based on the child care subsidy that the taxpayer provides to help child care centres run. This is the biggest stick we have to wield, to say to centres that if you want to continue to receive this support from the Australian taxpayer, then you have to meet that standard, and if you don’t, then funding will be suspended or cancelled. 

    And what I’m hoping is that that threat is going to be strong enough to get the boards of these companies or the investors in these companies to sit up and listen and realise that we’re serious here and if you don’t meet the standard, then the funding will be cut off. 

    KARVELAS: Spot checks by your Department is another issue that you’ve raised. Are they only going to be deployed for fraud, or will it be child safety as well? 

    CLARE: Principally fraud but not exclusively fraud. At the moment I’ve got a team of investigators in the Department of Education that can do checks on child care centres for fraud. Unfortunately it’s the case that this exists, that child care centres might claim a child is there for three days but they’re only there for two days, and they’re claiming funding from the taxpayer for three days. This legislation will give my officers the power to be able to go in without a warrant or without the AFP to do those checks. 

    But while they’re there, they’ll be able to also examine the safety of centres and share that information with state regulators that do the lion’s share of this work. 

    The Federal Government sets the standards, the state governments do the lion’s share of the work in terms of regulating the system and making sure that it’s safe. 

    KARVELAS: Should there be a national regulator though? Because that’s part of the issue, isn’t it, that we’ve got state-based regulation, it’s quite inconsistent across states. Is there an option for a national regulation? 

    CLARE: There’s a national authority at the moment, ACECQA, that helps to set that standard, and they work closely with the states and territories in the work that they do. 

    There’s a separate question that’s posed by the Productivity Commission’s report last year about whether we set up an Early Education and Care Commission that would look at how we reform the system over the next decade and beyond. That recommendation wasn’t principally about safety; it wanted government to look at a steward for the system to make it more accessible and more affordable. I’ve got an open mind to that recommendation, Patricia, it’s something that we’ll look at over the medium term. It wasn’t intended to be something specifically about safety, but that’s something that it could potentially include.

    KARVELAS: Oh, that’s really interesting. So, you think you could take the Productivity Commission’s recommendation and sort of morph it into something broader?  

    CLARE: Potentially. It’s the sort of thing it’s my job as a Minister to sit down with smart people and pick their brains about how this would work best in practice, people like Georgie Dent at The Parenthood I spoke to the other day about this. 

    I want to make sure that we get this right, I want to make sure that our system is affordable for mums and dads, that it’s accessible everywhere around the country, but most importantly that it’s safe. That’s what this legislation is fundamentally about. But it’s not the only thing that we need to do. 

    The other things that have got to be on the table here are this register so we can track people across the system, identify when people are moving from centre to centre to centre and whether that should be a red flag that something is wrong here, that people are just moving people on rather than reporting them to a regulator or to the police. Proper mandatory child safety training for everybody who works in our centres. 

    I said a moment ago that 99.9 per cent of people who work in our centres are fantastic people. We’ve got to equip them with the skills they need to identify the bad person that might be up to the most horrific of crimes in our centres. And then CCTV as well, which can potentially play a role in deterring somebody from getting up to no good but also help police with their investigations as well. 

    KARVELAS: Minister, if I could just ask you about the Antisemitism Envoy’s report, which of course has been handed to the government. You’ve been talking about this as well. As you know ‑‑ 

    CLARE: Yeah. 

    KARVELAS: ‑‑ your colleague Ed Husic is critical of some parts – not all – but some parts of the report, including the very definition of antisemitism that it’s using. Are you troubled by this definition? 

    CLARE: No, I’m not. I had a quick look at what Ed had to say. I think Ed was fundamentally making the point that any definition of antisemitism shouldn’t stop somebody from criticising the Government of Israel, and I think he’s right in that respect. I don’t think the definition does, by the way.

    But I’ve been critical of the Government of Israel. I think as long as you can make that point very, very clear, you’re on pretty good ground.

    KARVELAS: But it does actually, and I’m just looking at the words here, it does actually refer to the State of Israel by claiming that the existence of the State of Israel is a racist endeavour. Do you think that’s antisemitic? 

    CLARE: No, I think what Ed was saying is it’s a little bit different to then be called an antisemite for criticising the Government of Israel. That’s the fundamental point I think ‑‑ 

    KARVELAS: The existence of Israel is really at the heart of the question, isn’t it? That’s what some people criticise. 

    CLARE: You know my view, the view of the Government, the view I think of the overwhelming majority of people watching the tele today is that we want two countries in the Middle East that sit side by side, one’s called Israel, one’s called Palestine, and they can live together in peace and security behind secure borders and have the sort of safe life that we take for granted here in Australia and in many other parts of the world. 

    KARVELAS: How did the part of the report – this is something that Ed Husic definitely mentioned in relation to younger Australians holding views that are antisemitic. Do you think that – are you witnessing that younger Australians have higher rates of antisemitism? 

    CLARE: I was asked this question today. I said certainly social media plays a role here, and I’m hoping that the ban on access to social media for young people under 16, when that comes into force later this year, is going to have a positive impact on that, but also the mental health and wellbeing of younger Australians. 

    I was also asked about the recommendations in the report about universities. We’re considering those at the moment. We’re not making any announcements about that at the moment. But antisemitism is real, it’s a poison that we’ve seen infect parts of the community. There’s no place for it in our universities, there’s no place for it anywhere in Australia, but it’s just one type of the sort of racism that we see in our community and in our universities. 

    I made the point today that we’ve established a Student Ombudsman that provides a vehicle for students to make complaints, whether it’s about antisemitism, Islamophobia or sexual assaults, or any concerns that they’ve got about the way their university has dealt with them. 

    TEQSA, which is the federal regulator of our universities, has certain powers to intervene here and works closely with universities on this. It has the power to put conditions on universities or to go to court and issue fines. I think there’s an open question there about whether TEQSA needs more powers in this area. 

    And I also made the point today that we will shortly receive a report from the Special Envoy Combating Islamophobia, and we want to see their report as well, as well as the report that we received a few weeks ago. 

    KARVELAS: So, will they be considered together? 

    CLARE: I think that’s the way in which we should consider it, that’s probably the best way to go about this. I’ll also receive a report in a couple of months’ time from the Race Discrimination Commissioner about racism in all its ugly forms in our universities, and I’m sure there’s Indigenous Australians and Asian Australians and international students watching today that are saying, “Don’t forget about me, this affects me too”.

    We don’t necessarily need to wait for that report before we take action. You can do this step‑by‑step. But I just flag, I want to see that report from the Special Envoy on Islamophobia, and there’s also a piece of work that I’ve commissioned around the governance, improving the governance of our universities, that I’ll receive too. And I also want to think about what more powers we should properly give TEQSA, the Tertiary Education Regulator here. 

    KARVELAS: That’s really interesting. Jason Clare, Minister, it’s been great to speak to you. Thanks for joining us. 

    CLARE: Thanks PK.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New Perth and Kinross Apprentice Awards open for nominations

    Source: Scotland – City of Perth

    The Perth and Kinross Apprentice Awards 2025, developed in partnership by Perth and Kinross Council, Skills Development Scotland (opens new window), Developing the Young Workforce Tay Cities (opens new window), Perthshire Chamber of Commerce (opens new window) and UHI Perth (opens new window), opened for entries on Monday 14 July and will close on Friday 8 August 2025.

    The awards aim to highlight the value of apprenticeships to individuals, businesses and the wider economy, and to encourage more local nominations for the national Scottish Apprenticeship Awards later this year.

    Award categories include:

    • Foundation Apprentice of the Year
    • Modern Apprentice (SCQF Level 5) of the Year
    • Modern Apprentice (SCQF Level 6+) of the Year
    • Graduate Apprentice of the Year
    • Apprenticeship Employer of the Year

    Winners will be announced at a celebration event in early September, ahead of the national awards.

    As of 31 March 2025, there were 981 Modern Apprentices in training across Perth and Kinross. In the past year alone, 654 new apprenticeships were supported by Skills Development Scotland, with nearly 60% of those aged 16-24. The local Modern Apprenticeship achievement rate stands at an impressive 84.1%.

    Thomas Glen, Chief Executive of Perth and Kinross, said: “The Perth and Kinross Apprenticeship Awards are a fantastic opportunity to shine a light on the achievements of our local apprentices and the employers who support them. Apprenticeships offer young people a valuable route into rewarding careers, and these awards allow us to celebrate that success and the positive impact apprenticeships have on individuals, businesses and our wider community.”

    A spokesperson for Skills Development Scotland said: “Apprenticeships support individuals, employers and Perthshire’s economy offering high quality opportunities for people to gain valuable skills that support them throughout their career and meet local industry demands now and for the future.”

    Vicki Unite, Chief Executive of Perthshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “Apprenticeships are a powerful force for growth – for individuals, for businesses, and for our region as a whole. These new awards are a brilliant opportunity to shine a spotlight on the talent, dedication and potential that exists right here in Perth and Kinross. We’re proud to be part of a partnership that’s committed to celebrating the achievements of our apprentices and the employers who support them.”

    Lesley English, Regional Lead, Developing the Young Workforce Tay Cities, said: “Developing the Young Workforce (DYW), is delighted to be a key partner in driving these awards forward. DYW’s continued commitment to connecting young people with meaningful career opportunities is integral to the event’s mission: to recognise and reward those making a difference across the apprenticeship landscape. This event is about more than just awards, it’s about celebrating the impact apprenticeships have—not just on individuals, but on the businesses and communities they serve. We’re proud to support the next generation of skilled professionals.”

    Sarah-Jane Urquhart, National Training Programmes Manager, UHI Perth, said: ”UHI Perth is proud to be part of the strong partnership supporting the Perth and Kinross Apprenticeship Awards, celebrating the achievements of apprentices and their employers across the region. This partnership reflects our commitment to skills development and lifelong learning, and we are excited to help shine a light on the value of apprenticeships. These awards highlight how apprenticeships not only equip individuals with practical, career ready skills but also strengthen local businesses and communities.”

    To enter the awards complete the simple online nomination form:

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Don’t lose your vote – residents in Highland and Western Isles urged to check voter registration details

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Issued on behalf of the Electoral Registration Officer for Highland and Western Isles

    Highland and Western Isles residents are being urged to check their electoral registration details or risk losing their chance to vote on decisions that affect them.

    The Electoral Registration Officer will be getting in touch with every household to check that the electoral register is up to date, and to identify any residents who should be registered but are currently missing.

    Frank Finlayson, Electoral Registration Officer for Highland and Western Isles, said: “Keep an eye out for important updates from the Highland & Western Isles Electoral Registration office. The annual canvass is our way of making sure that the information on the electoral register for every address is accurate and up to date. To make sure you don’t lose your say at upcoming elections, simply follow the instructions sent to you.

    “If you’re not currently registered, your name will not appear in the messages we send. If you want to register, the easiest way is online.”

    Electoral Commission research shows that as many as 1 million people in Scotland are missing from the register or incorrectly registered at their current address.

    Sarah Mackie, Head of the Electoral Commission in Scotland, said: “It’s really important that everyone who is eligible to vote is able to do so, especially ahead of the Scottish Parliament election next year. We urge people to check for updates from their Electoral Registration Officer on this year’s canvass. You might receive an email, a letter, or a phone call, or someone might knock on your door.

    If you are not registered to vote, make sure you provide the necessary information to your Electoral Registration Officer when asked and register to vote online.”

    Information on registering to vote is available on the Electoral Commission website.

    Residents with questions about their registration status can contact their local electoral registration office by calling 0800 393 783.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: NUKES: Funding for military gimmicks insult to the people of Scotland say Greens

    Source: Scottish Greens

    16 Jul 2025 External Affairs

    More in External Affairs

    A new £250 million investment from the UK Government into the Faslane nuclear weapons base is an ‘insult’ to local families in poverty, says the area’s Scottish Greens MSP Ross Greer.

    The United Kingdom’s nuclear weapons are housed on the River Clyde at HMNB Clyde, encompassing the Faslane and Coulport sites only 20 miles from Glasgow.

    In recent years, the cost for these weapons of mass slaughter has skyrocketed, with a report in 2023 uncovering “costs increased by £38.2 billion to £99.5 billion” a 62% increase for the Defence Nuclear Organisation.

    UK Labour Ministers Ian Murray and Maria Eagle will visit HMNB Clyde (Faslane) today to announce the funding for new nuclear infrastructure at the same time as their Government refused to lift thousands of children out of poverty by scrapping the Tories’ cruel two-child benefit cap and its associated ‘rape clause’.

    Reacting to the visit Scottish Greens MSP for West Scotland, Ross Greer said:

    “Pouring hundreds of millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money into military gimmicks won’t make us any safer. It will only take money away from the urgent work needed to lift children out of poverty and tackle the climate emergency. The only winners here are the arms companies who will make a fortune.

    “The UK Government continues to use Scotland as a dumping ground for their weapons of mass slaughter. This new funding isn’t going to reduce the risk of living near Faslane nor the totally unacceptable risk of transporting nuclear and explosive materials by road through Scotland’s towns and cities.

    “Even if these weapons had no cost implications, they would still be totally immoral and a huge risk to the people of Scotland. There can never be justification for weapons which are only capable of indiscriminate mass killing. The terrible legacy of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is all the warning we need from history in that regard.

    “Our communities in the West of Scotland need sustainable, safe jobs and a decent safety net in the social security system. This money could have been used for that, but instead it will go straight to some of the world’s biggest arms manufacturers.

    “Faslane could be a conventional naval base, meeting our defensive needs on the west coast for a fraction of the cost of this nuclear arsenal, with the rest of that money used to make this a fairer and greener country. But yet again, it will instead be thrown into the bottomless pit of money that is the Trident nuclear weapon programme.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Communities across the country to benefit from ‘innovation squads’ to re-build public services

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Communities across the country to benefit from ‘innovation squads’ to re-build public services

    Working people across England are set to benefit from better public services, with ‘innovation squads’ sent in to back community ideas and work with the frontline as part of a £100 million ‘Test, Learn and Grow’ reform programme.

    • 10 communities across England will get ‘innovation squads’ as part of £100 million government reform programme to deliver the Plan for Change.
    • Flagship reform will end ‘Whitehall knows best’ and focus on testing solutions directly in local areas with frontline workers and communities who know best.
    • Policy officials, tech specialists and other experts will be deployed to directly test new ways of fixing some of the biggest local problems. 

    Working people across England are set to benefit from better public services, with ‘innovation squads’ sent in to back community ideas and work with the frontline as part of a £100 million ‘Test, Learn and Grow’ reform programme to deliver the Plan for Change. 

    The teams, deployed to the places from central government will work alongside local government and service users to tackle the biggest challenges directly affecting local communities and people.

    Challenges the teams will look at will include increasing the uptake of Best Start Family Hubs to support parents and young children, establishing neighbourhood health services, better supporting children with special needs, getting more people into work, rolling out breakfast clubs, and tackling violence against women and girls. 

    The squads, working with tech specialists and other experts will have an explicit mandate to try new things and be creative, collaborating directly with frontline workers and people using services. 

    Cabinet Office Minister, Georgia Gould said:

    For too long residents and frontline workers have had to navigate fragmented and underfunded public services, people feeling like they have to arm up to battle to get the support they need. 

    We are going to end this. The test, learn and grow programme will bring the centre of government out of Whitehall and into communities, working with those who deliver and use public services to solve problems together, as part of our Plan for Change. We will reform public services from the ground up so people always come first.

    The programme is a flagship part of the government’s reform programme. Instead of trying to devise perfect solutions from Whitehall, the teams will work directly with affected communities to test out what works. 

    The ‘test and learn’ approach – outlined by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in December – will help tackle our biggest national challenges and make better policy across the board. 

    The approach has already been trialled successfully in four areas across England. Earlier this year, ‘innovation squads’ tested new ways to get more families through the door of local family hubs in Sheffield, resulting in many more local families using the hubs. In Liverpool they worked with the council to build an innovative data-led platform to manage temporary accommodation. 

    The news comes following the launch of a new partnership for the programme, working with external experts, academics and local authority networks to further enhance and spread learnings from the programme across the country.

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Ken Henry urges nature law reform after decades of ‘intergenerational bastardry’

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phillipa C. McCormack, Future Making Fellow, Environment Institute, University of Adelaide

    Former Treasury Secretary Ken Henry has warned Australia’s global environmental reputation is at risk if the Albanese government fails to reform nature laws this term.

    In his speech to the National Press Club on Wednesday, Henry said reform was needed to restore nature and power the net zero economy.

    Speaking as chair of the Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation, Henry said with “glistening ambition”, Australia can “build an efficient, jobs-rich, globally competitive, high-productivity, low-emissions nature-rich economy”.

    The speech comes at a crucial time for nature law reform in Australia. The new Environment Minister Murray Watt has committed to prioritise reform, after the Albanese government failed to achieve substantial changes to these laws in the last parliament.

    On Wednesday, Henry condemned previous failed attempts to reform the laws. He described delays in improving environmental management as “a wilful act of intergenerational bastardry”.

    The need for fundamental reform

    The Albanese government abandoned efforts to pass important reforms in its first term.

    Environment Minister Murray Watt has committed to achieving reforms within 18 months, acknowledging “our current laws are broken”.

    In his speech on Wednesday, Henry agreed with this sentiment. He described the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act as “a misnomer, if ever there was one”.

    Henry is both a former Treasury Secretary and former chair of National Australia Bank. He also wrote Australia’s most important white paper on tax reform.

    Henry has previously said environmental law reform could be a template for other essential, difficult law reform, such as fixing Australia’s broken tax system.

    He understands Australia’s broken environmental laws. In 2022-23, he led an independent review into nature laws in New South Wales. That review found the laws were failing and would never succeed in their current form.

    At the start of his speech on Wednesday, Henry came close to tears when he acknowledged Greens Senator Sarah Hansen-Young’s support for those who look after injured and orphaned native animals.

    As a bureaucrat in Canberra, Henry also used to rescue injured animals and nurse them back to health.

    Logging and land clearing for development destroys koala habitat.
    Pexels, Pixabay, CC BY

    Big challenges ahead

    As Henry noted on Wednesday, Australia faces enormous challenges. These include the need to rapidly build more housing and triple renewable energy capacity by 2030.

    But before building suburbs, wind farms, transmission lines, mines and roads, projects need to be assessed for their potential to harm the environment.

    Henry on Wednesday called for sweeping changes, drawing on Graeme Samuel’s 2019-20 review of the EPBC Act. The changes include:

    • genuine cooperation across all levels of government, industry and the community
    • high-integrity evidence to inform decision making
    • clear, strong and enforceable standards applied nationwide
    • an independent and trusted decision-maker, in the form of a national Environment Protection Authority
    • a natural capital market, which – if well-designed – could provide a financial incentive for nature restoration and carbon storage in the form of tradable credits.

    Without the reforms, Henry said, Australia would not “retain a shred of credibility” for two global commitments: reaching net zero emissions, and halting and reversing biodiversity loss.

    The net zero commitment is at risk because existing laws are not sufficient to protect carbon sinks, such as forests. The roll out of renewable energy is also being slowed by inefficient approvals processes.

    Henry said the concept of “ecologically sustainable development”, which seeks to balance economic, social, and economic goals, needs serious rethinking. This concept has been the foundation of environment policy in Australia, including the EPBC Act, for the past 30 years.

    Henry wrote the first Intergenerational Report for the federal government in 2002. He has criticised governments for allowing environmental destruction that will leave future generations worse off.

    He has variously described Australia’s failure to steward our natural resources as an intergenerational tragedy, as intergenerational theft, and a wilful act of intergenerational bastardry – claims he repeated on Wednesday.

    Making money grow on trees

    Henry grew up on the Mid North Coast of NSW where his father, a worker in the timber industry, helped log native forests.

    Land clearing is the main threat to Australian biodiversity, and preventing native vegetation loss would also cut greenhouse gas emissions.

    The foundation Henry chairs advocates for the protection and restoration of Australia’s native forests. Henry has previously backed a plan to store carbon in native forests, which would mean trees were protected and not cut down.

    In his Press Club address, Henry lamented ongoing land clearing, poor fire management in remnant forests, and logging of habitat for endangered species such as the koala and the greater glider. He also called for nature laws that enable projects to be delivered in a way that not only protects but also restores nature. For instance, he said carbon credits could help fund the Great Koala National Park proposed for NSW.

    Logging continues in old growth native forest.
    Chris Putnam/Future Publishing via Getty Images

    What’s the Australian government doing?

    Despite Murray Watt’s stated commitment to nature law reform, there are signs the environment may again come off second-best.

    At a recent meeting with key stakeholders, including industry and environment groups, Watt said compromise was needed. He warned environmental protections must come with streamlined project approvals “to improve productivity”.

    Henry on Wednesday acknowledged faster approvals were needed, saying:

    We simply cannot afford slow, opaque, duplicative and contested environmental planning decisions based on poor information mired in administrative complexity.

    But he said faster approvals should not come at a greater cost to nature. In his words:

    with due acknowledgement of the genius of AC/DC, there is no point in building a faster highway to hell.

    Henry said the current parliament has time to put the right policy settings in place. The remedies also enjoy broad stakeholder support. “We’ve had all the reviews we need,” he said. “All of us have had our say. It is now up to parliament. Let’s just get this done.”

    Phillipa C. McCormack receives funding from the Australian Research Council, Natural Hazards Research Australia, the National Environmental Science Program, Green Adelaide and the ACT Government. She is a member of the National Environmental Law Association and affiliated with the Wildlife Crime Research Hub.

    – ref. Ken Henry urges nature law reform after decades of ‘intergenerational bastardry’ – https://theconversation.com/ken-henry-urges-nature-law-reform-after-decades-of-intergenerational-bastardry-261167

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Ken Henry urges nature law reform after decades of ‘intergenerational bastardry’

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phillipa C. McCormack, Future Making Fellow, Environment Institute, University of Adelaide

    Former Treasury Secretary Ken Henry has warned Australia’s global environmental reputation is at risk if the Albanese government fails to reform nature laws this term.

    In his speech to the National Press Club on Wednesday, Henry said reform was needed to restore nature and power the net zero economy.

    Speaking as chair of the Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation, Henry said with “glistening ambition”, Australia can “build an efficient, jobs-rich, globally competitive, high-productivity, low-emissions nature-rich economy”.

    The speech comes at a crucial time for nature law reform in Australia. The new Environment Minister Murray Watt has committed to prioritise reform, after the Albanese government failed to achieve substantial changes to these laws in the last parliament.

    On Wednesday, Henry condemned previous failed attempts to reform the laws. He described delays in improving environmental management as “a wilful act of intergenerational bastardry”.

    The need for fundamental reform

    The Albanese government abandoned efforts to pass important reforms in its first term.

    Environment Minister Murray Watt has committed to achieving reforms within 18 months, acknowledging “our current laws are broken”.

    In his speech on Wednesday, Henry agreed with this sentiment. He described the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act as “a misnomer, if ever there was one”.

    Henry is both a former Treasury Secretary and former chair of National Australia Bank. He also wrote Australia’s most important white paper on tax reform.

    Henry has previously said environmental law reform could be a template for other essential, difficult law reform, such as fixing Australia’s broken tax system.

    He understands Australia’s broken environmental laws. In 2022-23, he led an independent review into nature laws in New South Wales. That review found the laws were failing and would never succeed in their current form.

    At the start of his speech on Wednesday, Henry came close to tears when he acknowledged Greens Senator Sarah Hansen-Young’s support for those who look after injured and orphaned native animals.

    As a bureaucrat in Canberra, Henry also used to rescue injured animals and nurse them back to health.

    Logging and land clearing for development destroys koala habitat.
    Pexels, Pixabay, CC BY

    Big challenges ahead

    As Henry noted on Wednesday, Australia faces enormous challenges. These include the need to rapidly build more housing and triple renewable energy capacity by 2030.

    But before building suburbs, wind farms, transmission lines, mines and roads, projects need to be assessed for their potential to harm the environment.

    Henry on Wednesday called for sweeping changes, drawing on Graeme Samuel’s 2019-20 review of the EPBC Act. The changes include:

    • genuine cooperation across all levels of government, industry and the community
    • high-integrity evidence to inform decision making
    • clear, strong and enforceable standards applied nationwide
    • an independent and trusted decision-maker, in the form of a national Environment Protection Authority
    • a natural capital market, which – if well-designed – could provide a financial incentive for nature restoration and carbon storage in the form of tradable credits.

    Without the reforms, Henry said, Australia would not “retain a shred of credibility” for two global commitments: reaching net zero emissions, and halting and reversing biodiversity loss.

    The net zero commitment is at risk because existing laws are not sufficient to protect carbon sinks, such as forests. The roll out of renewable energy is also being slowed by inefficient approvals processes.

    Henry said the concept of “ecologically sustainable development”, which seeks to balance economic, social, and economic goals, needs serious rethinking. This concept has been the foundation of environment policy in Australia, including the EPBC Act, for the past 30 years.

    Henry wrote the first Intergenerational Report for the federal government in 2002. He has criticised governments for allowing environmental destruction that will leave future generations worse off.

    He has variously described Australia’s failure to steward our natural resources as an intergenerational tragedy, as intergenerational theft, and a wilful act of intergenerational bastardry – claims he repeated on Wednesday.

    Making money grow on trees

    Henry grew up on the Mid North Coast of NSW where his father, a worker in the timber industry, helped log native forests.

    Land clearing is the main threat to Australian biodiversity, and preventing native vegetation loss would also cut greenhouse gas emissions.

    The foundation Henry chairs advocates for the protection and restoration of Australia’s native forests. Henry has previously backed a plan to store carbon in native forests, which would mean trees were protected and not cut down.

    In his Press Club address, Henry lamented ongoing land clearing, poor fire management in remnant forests, and logging of habitat for endangered species such as the koala and the greater glider. He also called for nature laws that enable projects to be delivered in a way that not only protects but also restores nature. For instance, he said carbon credits could help fund the Great Koala National Park proposed for NSW.

    Logging continues in old growth native forest.
    Chris Putnam/Future Publishing via Getty Images

    What’s the Australian government doing?

    Despite Murray Watt’s stated commitment to nature law reform, there are signs the environment may again come off second-best.

    At a recent meeting with key stakeholders, including industry and environment groups, Watt said compromise was needed. He warned environmental protections must come with streamlined project approvals “to improve productivity”.

    Henry on Wednesday acknowledged faster approvals were needed, saying:

    We simply cannot afford slow, opaque, duplicative and contested environmental planning decisions based on poor information mired in administrative complexity.

    But he said faster approvals should not come at a greater cost to nature. In his words:

    with due acknowledgement of the genius of AC/DC, there is no point in building a faster highway to hell.

    Henry said the current parliament has time to put the right policy settings in place. The remedies also enjoy broad stakeholder support. “We’ve had all the reviews we need,” he said. “All of us have had our say. It is now up to parliament. Let’s just get this done.”

    Phillipa C. McCormack receives funding from the Australian Research Council, Natural Hazards Research Australia, the National Environmental Science Program, Green Adelaide and the ACT Government. She is a member of the National Environmental Law Association and affiliated with the Wildlife Crime Research Hub.

    – ref. Ken Henry urges nature law reform after decades of ‘intergenerational bastardry’ – https://theconversation.com/ken-henry-urges-nature-law-reform-after-decades-of-intergenerational-bastardry-261167

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: University comic takes readers ‘through the looking glass’ to highlight invisible symptoms of MS A University of Aberdeen student has come up with a creative way to educate the public about the ‘invisible symptoms’ of a condition that affects more Scots than almost anywhere else in the world.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Claire wanted to support support families, children and loved ones of those with MS. Artwork by CHIP Collective.

    A University of Aberdeen student has come up with a creative way to educate the public about the ‘invisible symptoms’ of a condition that affects more Scots than almost anywhere else in the world.
    Postgraduate student, Claire Robertson, and a team of health professionals and comic artists designed a comic to raise awareness of multiple sclerosis (MS), a condition that is estimated to affect more than 17,000 people in Scotland.
    Inspired by her dad’s experience of living with the condition, Claire used the unique medium to describe the everyday struggles faced by people with MS.
    The comic, titled ‘Through the MS Looking Glass: Navigating the Unseen’, highlights the ‘invisible’ or hidden symptoms of MS, told through an Alice in Wonderland-style narrative, where familiar characters represent different symptoms.
    “I wanted to create a health comic on multiple sclerosis because my dad has MS and was diagnosed in 2011,” says Claire, a third year PhD student from the School of Psychology. “As my PhD project is all about how to make effective and engaging health information through the use of comics, I really wanted to be able to make my own health comic during the project process that can have a dual purpose – be used as an experimental material in my research but also can get people engaged with health information.”
    Determined to support other families, children and loved ones of those with MS, Claire wanted to tell a story that would inform others about the hidden aspects of the condition.
    She explains: “I was conscious that I didn’t just want to make the comic about my family’s experience with MS, so I reached out to MS charities to ask them which health topics they felt were either underrepresented or poorly communicated.
    “One of the topics on the shortlist was ‘invisible’ symptoms of MS, and I felt as though a comic could do a really nice job of making these invisible symptoms concrete and visible through visual metaphors and raising awareness of the impact that these symptoms can have on daily life for people with MS.”
    Invisible symptoms describe aspects of MS that people struggle with but aren’t immediately apparent to others. They include pain, fatigue, brain fog, bladder and bowel difficulties, dizziness and mental health challenges.
    Following the Alice in Wonderland narrative, the invisible symptoms are embodied by characters akin to the ones from Wonderland.
    “The reasoning for this is embedding unfamiliar concepts in a story that is likely familiar to the majority will hopefully make it slightly less daunting and ‘new’.”
    Claire continues: “I am very aware that if someone hasn’t heard of MS before, the health information may seem quite abstract and confusing – like if you were picking up a leaflet about a health condition you didn’t really know about.
    “So, throughout the comic, I have tried to use accessible language and avoid unnecessary jargon. I hope this will make it a bit easier for the reader to understand and enhance their engagement through storytelling and impactful visuals.”
    Claire adds: “The comic’s main message is that everyone’s MS journey is unique and it is important to be supportive and understanding of the struggles people are going through.
    “Even if you can’t visually see what symptoms someone is dealing with, it doesn’t mean they aren’t there and having a big impact on daily life.”
    The comic is supported by the University of Aberdeen, University of Dundee, the MS Trust, and the Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic at the University of Edinburgh. The artwork was created by Cat Laird and Ashling Larkin from CHIP Collective. You can download ‘Through the MS Looking Glass: Navigating the Unseen’ here.
    Claire’s PhD is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Joint letter from Ofqual and UCAS to students, summer 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Correspondence

    Joint letter from Ofqual and UCAS to students, summer 2025

    A letter to students, explaining how exam marking and grade boundaries work, what to do if results aren’t what you expected and how to prepare for results day.

    Applies to England

    Documents

    Joint letter from Ofqual and UCAS to students, summer 2025 (accessible)

    Ref: Ofqual/25/7237

    HTML

    Details

    What you need to know at a glance: 

    • The tried and tested process for marking and grading continues – the standard of work needed to achieve any particular grade is the same each year.
    • Your grade will be determined by your performance in your exams and assessments.
    • Most people get their first university choice, your UCAS ‘firm choice’. If you don’t, or you change your mind, there are plenty of options available, with around 28,000 courses in Clearing offering you choice and flexibility.

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 July 2025

    Sign up for emails or print this page

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK House Price Index for May 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    UK House Price Index for May 2025

    The UK HPI shows house price changes for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

    Boris Stroujko/Shutterstock.com

    The May data shows:

    • on average, house prices have risen 1.1% since April 2025
    • there has been an annual price rise of 3.9% which makes the average property in the UK valued at £269,000

    England

    In England the May data shows, on average, house prices rose by 1.3% since April 2025. The annual price rise of 3.4% takes the average property value to £290,000.

    • Yorkshire and the Humber  experienced the most significant monthly increase with a movement of 2.4%
    • London saw the biggest monthly price fall, with a reduction of -1.4%
    • The North East experienced the greatest annual price rise, up by 6.3%
    • The South West saw the lowest annual price growth, with a rise of 1.9%

    The regional data for England indicates that:

    Price change by region for England

    Region Average price May 2025 Annual change % since May 2024 Monthly change % since Apr 2025
    East Midlands £242,000 5 1.9
    East of England £340,000 4.2 2
    London £566,000 2.2 -1.4
    North East £159,000 6.3 2.2
    North West £209,000 3.3 2
    South East £381,000 2.1 0.4
    South West £304,000 1.9 1.5
    West Midlands £244,000 3.5 2.2
    Yorkshire and the Humber £204,000 5.1 2.4

    Repossession sales by volume for England

    The lowest number of repossession sales in March 2025 was in the East of England.

    The highest number of repossession sales in March 2025 was in the North East and North West.

    Repossession sales March 2025
    East Midlands 5
    East of England 2
    London 12
    North East 20
    North West 20
    South East 17
    South West 6
    West Midlands 6
    Yorkshire and the Humber 8
    England 96

    Average price by property type for England

    Property type May 2025 May  2024 Difference %
    Detached £473,000 £451,000 4.8
    Semi-detached £285,000 £273,000 4.3
    Terraced £239,000 £232,000 3.1
    Flat/maisonette £226,000 £225,000 0.7
    All £290,000 £281,000 3.4

    Funding and buyer status for England

    Transaction type Average price May 2025 Annual price change % since May 2024 Monthly price change % since April 2025
    Cash £276,000 2.5 1.4
    Mortgage £296,000 3.8 1.3
    First-time buyer £243,000 3.2 1.6
    Former owner occupier £353,000 3.6 1

    Building status for England

    Building status* Average price March 2025 Annual price change % since March 2024 Monthly price change % since February 2025
    New build £463,000 31.6 3.2
    Existing resold property £290,000 5.8 1.4

    *Figures for the 2 most recent months are not being published because there are not enough new build transactions to give a meaningful result.

    London

    London shows, on average, house prices decreased by 1.4% since April 2025. House prices have shown an annual price increase of 2.2% meaning the average price of a property is £566,000.

    Average price by property type for London

    Property type May 2025 May 2024 Difference %
    Detached £1,156,000 £1,106,000 4.5
    Semi-detached £716,000 £682,000 5
    Terraced £633,000 £615,000 3
    Flat/maisonette £453,000 £451,000 0.6
    All £566,000 £554,000 2.2

    Funding and buyer status for London

    Transaction type Average price May 2025 Annual price change % since May 2024 Monthly price change % since April 2025
    Cash £614,000 2.3 -1.9
    Mortgage £555,000 2.1 -1.2
    First-time buyer £483,000 1.5 -0.8
    Former owner occupier £708,000 3.3 -2.3

    Building status for London

    Building status* Average price March 2025 Annual price change % since March 2024 Monthly price change % since February 2025
    New build £620,000 23.8 3.3
    Existing resold property £552,000 0.4 -1.2

    *Figures for the 2 most recent months are not being published because there are not enough new build transactions to give a meaningful result.

    Wales

     Wales shows, on average, house prices rose by 0.5% since April 2025. An annual price increase of 5.1% takes the average property value to £210,000.

    There were 5 repossession sales for Wales in March 2025.

    Average price by property type for Wales

    Property type May 2025 May 2024 Difference %
    Detached £330,000 £312,000 5.7
    Semi-detached £209,000 £198,000 5.7
    Terraced £166,000 £158,000 5
    Flat/maisonette £130,000 £128,000 1.9
    All £210,000 £199,000 5.1

    Funding and buyer status for Wales

    Transaction type Average price May 2025% Annual price change % since May 2024 Monthly price change % since April 2025
    Cash £208,000 4.2 0.9
    Mortgage £210,000 5.6 0.3
    First-time buyer £180,000 5.3 0.5
    Former owner occupier £251,000 5 0.4

    Building status for Wales

    Building status* Average price March 2025 Annual price change % since March 2024 Monthly price change % since February 2025
    New build £385,000 26.5 1.4
    Existing resold property £206,000 3.4 1

    *Figures for the 2 most recent months are not being published because there are not enough new build transactions to give a meaningful result.

    UK house prices

    UK house prices rose by 3.9% in the year to May 2025, up from the revised estimate of 3.6% in the 12 months to April 2025. On a non-seasonally adjusted basis, average house prices in the UK increased by 1.1% between April 2025 and May 2025, compared with a increase 0.8% from the same period 12 months ago (April 24 and May 2024).

    The UK Property Transactions Statistics showed that in May 2025, on a seasonally adjusted basis, the estimated number of transactions of residential properties with a value of £40,000 or greater was 81,000. This is 11.8% lower than a year ago (May 2025). Between April 2025 and May 2025, UK transactions decreased by 25.1% on a seasonally adjusted basis.

    House price monthly increase was highest in Yorkshire and the Humber where prices increased by 2.4% in the year to May 2025. The highest annual growth was in the the North East, where prices increased by 6.3% in the year to May 2025.

    See the economic statement.

    The UK HPI is based on completed housing transactions. Typically, a house purchase can take 6 to 8 weeks to reach completion. As with other indicators in the housing market, which typically fluctuate from month to month, it is important not to put too much weight on one month’s set of house price data.

    Access the full UK HPI

    Background

    1. We publish the UK House Price Index (HPI) on the second or third Wednesday of each month with Northern Ireland figures updated quarterly. We will publish the June 2025 UK HPI at 9:30am on Wednesday 20 August 2025. See calendar of release dates.
    2. We have made some changes to improve the accuracy of the UK HPI. We are not publishing average price and percentage change for new builds and existing resold property as done previously because there are not currently enough new build transactions to provide a reliable result. This means that in this month’s UK HPI reports, new builds and existing resold property are reported in line with the sales volumes currently available.
    3. The UK HPI revision period has been extended to 13 months, following a review of the revision policy (see calculating the UK HPI section 4.4). This ensures the data used is more comprehensive.
    4. Sales volume data is available by property status (new build and existing property) and funding status (cash and mortgage) in our downloadable data tables. Transactions that require us to create a new register, such as new builds, are more complex and require more time to process. Read revisions to the UK HPI data.
    5. Revision tables are available for England and Wales within the downloadable data in CSV format. See about the UK HPI for more information.
    6. HM Land Registry, Registers of Scotland, Land & Property Services/Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency and the Valuation Office Agency supply data for the UK HPI.
    7. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) and Land & Property Services/Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency calculate the UK HPI. It applies a hedonic regression model that uses the various sources of data on property price, including HM Land Registry’s Price Paid Dataset, and attributes to produce estimates of the change in house prices each month. Find out more about the methodology used from the ONS and Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency.
    8. We take the UK Property Transaction statistics  from the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) monthly estimates of the number of residential and non-residential property transactions in the UK and its constituent countries. The number of property transactions in the UK is highly seasonal, with more activity in the summer months and less in the winter. This regular annual pattern can sometimes mask the underlying movements and trends in the data series. HMRC presents the UK aggregate transaction figures on a seasonally adjusted basis. We make adjustments for both the time of year and the construction of the calendar, including corrections for the position of Easter and the number of trading days in a particular month.
    9. UK HPI seasonally adjusted series are calculated at regional and national levels only. See data tables.
    10. The first estimate for new build average price (April 2016 report) was based on a small sample which can cause volatility. A three-month moving average has been applied to the latest estimate to remove some of this volatility.
    11. The UK HPI reflects the final transaction price for sales of residential property. Using the geometric mean, it covers purchases at market value for owner-occupation and buy-to-let, excluding those purchases not at market value (such as re-mortgages), where the ‘price’ represents a valuation.
    12. HM Land Registry provides information on residential property transactions for England and Wales, collected as part of the official registration process for properties that are sold for full market value.
    13. The HM Land Registry dataset contains the sale price of the property, the date when the sale was completed, full address details, the type of property (detached, semi-detached, terraced or flat), if it is a newly built property or an established residential building and a variable to indicate if the property has been purchased as a financed transaction (using a mortgage) or as a non-financed transaction (cash purchase).
    14. Repossession sales data is based on the number of transactions lodged with HM Land Registry by lenders exercising their power of sale.
    15. For England, we show repossession sales volume recorded by government office region. For Wales, we provide repossession sales volume for the number of repossession sales.
    16. Repossession sales data is available from April 2016 in CSV format. Find out more information about repossession sales.
    17. We publish CSV files of the raw and cleansed aggregated data every month for England, Scotland and Wales. We publish Northern Ireland data on a quarterly basis. They are available for free use and re-use under the Open Government Licence.
    18. HM Land Registry is a government department created in 1862. Its vision is: “A world-leading property market as part of a thriving economy and a sustainable future.”
    19. HM Land Registry’s purpose is: “We protect your land ownership and provide services and data that underpin an efficient and informed property market.”
    20. HM Land Registry safeguards land and property ownership valued at £8 trillion, enabling over £1 trillion worth of personal and commercial lending to be secured against property across England and Wales. The Land Register contains more than 26.5 million titles showing evidence of ownership for more than 89% of the land mass of England and Wales.
    21. For further information about HM Land Registry visit www.gov.uk/land-registry.
    22. Follow us on @HMLandRegistry, our blog, LinkedIn and Facebook

    Contact

    Press Office

    Trafalgar House
    1 Bedford Park
    Croydon
    CR0 2AQ

    Email HMLRPressOffice@landregistry.gov.uk

    Phone (Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:30pm) 0300 006 3365

    Mobile (5:30pm to 8:30am weekdays, all weekend and public holidays) 07864 689 344

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Portsmouth’s Victoria Park awarded coveted Green Flag Award and officially recognised as one of the country’s best parks

    Source: City of Portsmouth

    Portsmouth’s ‘People’s Park’ has been granted a Green Flag Award, making it officially one of the best parks in the UK.

    And that’s not all – three other popular areas of Portsmouth – Southsea Rock Garden, Milton Park in Southsea, and Baffins Pond – have also retained a Green Flag status – the international mark of quality for parks and green spaces in the UK.

    Portsmouth’s historic Victoria Park has recently had a £2.9m refurbishment, carried out by Portsmouth City Council and funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

    Council Leader Cllr Steve Pitt said:

    “A huge amount of work has gone into reinvigorating Victoria Park into Portsmouth’s ‘People’s Park’, so it can continue to be enjoyed by families and people of all ages for years to come.

    “Green Flag status is the benchmark for parks and green spaces in UK, so this award is recognition of the hard work to create a park where people and nature come together in harmony. Retaining the award in our other areas also underlines our commitment to maintaining the highest standard of outdoor spaces for our residents.”

    Victoria Park was first opened in 1878, and in 2021, a four-year project began to revitalise the park. The fountain and memorials were fully restored, a new under-fives play area created, the aviary restored and new community-use building the ‘Green House’ built in the park’s centre.

    Stuart McLeod, Director of England – London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said:

    “We’re delighted to see Victoria Park receive the prestigious Green Flag Award, recognising it as one of the country’s best-loved green spaces. Thanks to National Lottery players, this historic park has been restored to its former glory while creating new opportunities for the community to connect with nature and heritage in their city.

    “This award is a testament to the dedication of Portsmouth City Council and the local community in making Victoria Park a vibrant, inclusive and sustainable space for generations to come.”

    The four Portsmouth areas are among the 2,250 in the UK to achieve the award.

    Southsea Rock Garden offers a quiet retreat for visitors and rich habitat for wildlife, and the Friends of Southsea Rock Garden volunteers play a vital role in maintaining and improving it.

    Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, Paul Todd MBE, said:

    “Congratulations to everyone involved in Victoria Park who have worked tirelessly to ensure that it achieves the high standards required for the Green Flag Award.

    “Quality parks and green spaces like Victoria Park make the country a heathier place to live and work in, and a stronger place in which to invest.

    “Crucially, Victoria Park is a vital green space for communities in Portsmouth to enjoy nature, and during the ongoing cost of living crisis it is a free and safe space for families to socialise. It also provides important opportunities for local people and visitors to reap the physical and mental health benefits of green space.”

    The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Life Sciences Sector Plan to grow economy and transform NHS

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Life Sciences Sector Plan to grow economy and transform NHS

    The government has today (Wednesday 16 July) launched a bold new Life Sciences Sector Plan as part of the government’s flagship Industrial Strategy.

    The government has today (Wednesday 16 July) launched a bold new Life Sciences Sector Plan as part of the government’s flagship Industrial Strategy, setting out a ten-year mission to harness British science and innovation to deliver long-term economic growth and a stronger, prevention-focused NHS.

    The UK is already a global leader in life sciences, with the sector worth around £100 billion to the economy, and employing around 300,000 people. This plan, developed in close coordination with the government’s 10 Year Health Plan, doubles down on that strength – turning cutting-edge research into real-world results: new treatments, faster diagnoses, and more lives saved. It’s about making sure breakthroughs happen here – and stay here – creating jobs, improving lives in every part of the country, and driving growth.

    Life sciences’ critical importance to both driving economic growth and improving our health – 2 of the core elements of the Plan for Change – has been shown through the government’s action to date to support the sector. The Chancellor re-committed up to £520 million for the Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund at the Spending Review to pull investment into the UK, and red tape is being slashed to speed up clinical trials, while an up to £600 million investment will deliver a Health Data Research Service that will be unmatched globally – bringing the power of data to bear to unlock breakthroughs in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

    The plan sets out a comprehensive roadmap built around 3 core pillars:

    1. Enabling World-Class R&D – strengthening the UK’s leadership in science and discovery
    2. Making the UK an outstanding place to start, scale and invest – growing homegrown companies and attracting global capital
    3. Driving Health Innovation and NHS Reform – delivering better outcomes for patients and a more modern, preventative healthcare system

    6 bold actions to kickstart change

    The Life Sciences Sector Plan will be supported over the lifetime of the Spending Review by government funding of over £2 billion, alongside funding from UKRI and NIHR. Actions include:

    1. Unlocking NHS data to find new cures

    Up to £600 million investment to build the world’s most advanced health data system – helping scientists develop better treatments faster.

    2. Speeding up clinical trials

    Cutting red tape so patients can join trials sooner – and get access to life-changing medicines quicker.

    3. Backing British manufacturing

    Up to £520 million to invest in life sciences manufacturing projects – creating high-skilled jobs and making more treatments and medical devices here at home.

    4. Getting new treatments to patients faster

    Making regulation simpler and faster by boosting departmental support for the MHRA with additional investment – so doctors can use safe, effective innovations without delay.

    5. Helping doctors use cutting-edge tech

    A new NHS ‘passport’ to roll out proven tools faster – like AI cancer scanners or wearable devices that detect disease early.

    6. Backing brilliant UK firms to grow

    Helping fast-growing companies raise investment, scale up, and stay in the UK – with at least one major industry partnership secured every year.

    Built for delivery

    This Plan was shaped with input from over 250 organisations including doctors, scientists, NHS leaders and industry experts to ensure it delivers real impact. It builds on the strong foundations of the 10-Year Health Plan, extending its ambition by uniting health and growth interventions into a single, coherent strategy for the Life Sciences sector. Every action has clear goals and named leads. This is a Plan designed to deliver, not in isolation but as a vital part of the government’s broader Plan for Change.

    Early momentum 

    The plan builds on the Chancellor’s commitment to reduce regulatory costs by a quarter, with increased investment in the MHRA to accelerate approvals and improve efficiency. It aims to streamline MedTech market entry through closer coordination between the MHRA and NICE.  

    The government is also focused on strengthening the UK’s clinical research infrastructure by improving trial delivery, expanding patient access, and embedding research more effectively within the NHS. 

    We have already started delivering on key actions, from investing up to £600 million in the Health Data Research Service alongside Wellcome, through to committing over £650 million in Genomics England and up to £354 million in Our Future Health, while the rollout of ‘innovator passports’ will help speed up the adoption of new tech and treatments on the NHS. This is clear evidence of our commitment and confidence in life sciences as a driver of both economic growth and better health outcomes. 

    Why life sciences matter

    • Life Sciences is one of 8 priority sectors in the government’s Industrial Strategy – reflecting the sector’s high growth potential.
    • Life sciences companies employ over 300,000 people, with more than three-quarters of jobs outside London and the Southeast, supporting opportunity in every part of the UK.
    • The sector improves economic productivity by improving health. With long-term illness a major drag on workforce participation, better health leads directly to a stronger, more resilient economy.
    • The Life sciences sector attracts record levels of private investment. In 2023, the UK raised the third highest amount of life sciences equity finance in the world, behind only the US and China.
    • It is a UK export powerhouse -medicines and medical technologies were the UK’s third largest goods export by value in 2024.
    • And it is innovation-intensive, with 17% of all UK business R&D spend is in pharmaceuticals, the highest of any sector.
    • Artificial Intelligence (AI) is also revolutionising the Life Sciences sector across research, diagnostics, treatment, and manufacturing, reshaping how we prevent, treat, and manage disease. The potential economic impact is substantial, with McKinsey Global Institute estimating that AI could generate $60–110 billion annually for the pharmaceutical and medical-product industries alone .

    Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said:

    Our world-leading life sciences sector employs hundreds of thousands of people and is a powerhouse for economic growth that puts more money in people’s pockets. Our Plan for Change is ramping up this success story even further.

    The ten-year life sciences plan we have released today as part of our Industrial Strategy will cut red tape and deliver the investment we funded at the Spending Review so it can stay ahead of the curve globally and we can reap the economic rewards for years to come.

    Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:

    The life sciences sector is one of the crown jewels of the UK economy. It sits at the heart of both our Plan for Change, and our Modern Industrial strategy, as a unique catalyst for both economic prosperity, and better health outcomes for people across the UK.

    Moving in lockstep with industry, academia and our NHS, we will unleash this sector as a force for good and for growth. The suite of measures we’re announcing today will unlock its full potential — attracting global investment, accelerating innovation, and delivering breakthroughs that will make the UK healthier, wealthier, and even more open for business.

    Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

    We’re committed to making the UK a life sciences superpower, and our modern Industrial Strategy has earmarked it as one of 8 priority sectors so it can double down on our strengths and keep us at the cutting edge of innovation.

    This government is taking the bold action needed to help this £108 billion industry flourish and create new high-skilled, well-paid jobs right across the country, making our Plan for Change a reality.

    Health Secretary Wes Streeting said:

    This Life Sciences Sector Plan represents a pivotal moment in our mission to rebuild the NHS and shift our healthcare system from one that treats illness to one that prevents it.

    By bringing together the brilliance of British science with the power of our NHS, we’re not just improving healthcare outcomes – we’re building a stronger economy and creating jobs across the country.

    The £2 billion investment will help us make the most of our world-leading health data, speed up access to innovative treatments, and transform the experience of patients. This is how we deliver a health service fit for the future – by embracing innovation that saves lives, cuts waiting times, and makes the NHS sustainable for generations to come.

    The plan comes just days on the same day as the fourth “Made in the UK, Sold to the World” Roadshow, a government-led initiative designed to boost SME exports in the Life Sciences sector.

    The roadshow focuses on the 8 sectors highlighted in the modern industrial strategy, forming part of the government’s commitment to supporting high-growth industries with the greatest potential to create jobs, increase productivity, and drive long-term economic growth.

    Support for the Life Sciences Sector Plan

    Professor Sir John Bell, President of the Ellison Institute of Technology and UK Government Life Sciences Champion said: 

    With our world-leading science base, genomics capabilities and industrial heritage, our Life Sciences sector can truly be among the best globally, ensuring the UK is developing and benefiting from the technologies of the future. We must however move past high level ambitions. This plan, with an inbuilt, relentless focus on delivery, provides the vehicle to take us there.

    Deepak Nath, CEO of Smith+Nephew, said:  

    Smith+Nephew welcomes the publication of the government’s Life Sciences Sector Plan and its clear recognition of the critical role that medical technology plays in building a sustainable, high-performing NHS.  

    We are encouraged by the plan’s focus on the full life cycle of medical technologies – from research and development, and manufacturing, through to regulation, evaluation and adoption – and by the continued engagement with industry throughout its development.  We look forward to supporting the plan’s implementation.

    Dr Tony Wood, Chief Scientific Officer, GSK, said: 

    We welcome the government’s Life Sciences Sector Plan – in particular, the reforms to incentivise more UK clinical trials, establish a new Health Data Research Service and create a network of translational labs and clinics to accelerate drug discovery and development. These changes can bring unique competitive advantage to the country and make the UK a leader in future life sciences research.

    Tim Sheppard, SVP & GM, North Europe, IQVIA, said:

    IQVIA welcomes the Life Sciences Sector Plan and its bold ambition to realise  more investment in commercial R&D than any other country in Europe by 2030.

    Human data science and AI technology underpin our global leadership in commercial clinical research, we recognise the potential in the Plan for the Health Data Research Service to be a catalyst in the UK Government’s  commitment to create the  world’s most advanced and secure health data platform, enhancing the UK’s attractiveness for global trials and AI investment.

    The Life Sciences Sector Plan will strengthen IQVIA’s ability to offer its global life sciences sponsors a seamless and efficient development pathway from early phase trials to regulatory approval and enhance patient access to innovative treatments – improving patients’ lives and driving further economic growth in the UK.

    Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: 

    The Liverpool City Region has a proud history of innovation and is fast becoming recognised as a powerhouse in health and life sciences – from pioneering infection and disease control to cutting-edge manufacturing.  

    This plan is a welcome step towards unlocking the sector’s full potential, and I’m confident our region will play a central role in delivering that ambition. With our world-leading assets in biomanufacturing, digital health and infectious disease research, we’re already demonstrating how innovation in our region can improve lives, create highly skilled jobs, and attract global investment. Backed by the right partnerships and investment, we can help cement the UK’s place as a global leader in life sciences.

    Lord Ara Darzi, Paul Hamlyn Chair of Surgery, Imperial College London, Consultant Surgeon, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and Independent Member of the House of Lords said: 

    This plan is a detailed blueprint for implementation. It marks a profound change not just in how we go about enabling discovery but also in the way we deliver it. It sets the United Kingdom up to lead not just in trialling innovation but in making such innovations have real world impact for the benefit for patients, the National Health Service, and economic growth.

    Dr. Vin Diwakar, Clinical Transformation Director at NHS England, said:

    The Life Sciences Sector Plan is a major step forward, accelerating patient access to the latest health innovations through better industry partnerships, solidifying the NHS’s role in economic growth. Through initiatives like the Health Data Research Service and ‘innovator passports,’ we’re unlocking data’s potential for cures and fast-tracking proven health technologies, ultimately transforming patient care and making the NHS fit for the future.

    Peter Ellingworth, Chief Executive of the Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI) said:  

    ABHI welcomes the publication of the Life Sciences Sector Plan. Developed with meaningful engagement from the HealthTech industry, it recognises the critical role that HealthTech will play in driving innovation and supporting the NHS to deliver the reforms needed to ensure its long-term sustainability. We are particularly encouraged by the commitments to regulatory reform, investment in research infrastructure, and measures to accelerate the adoption of innovation. To succeed, this strategy must be delivered in genuine partnership with industry and the NHS, and focused on removing the persistent barriers that prevent patients from benefiting from the best technologies. ABHI and our members are committed to playing an active role in translating these ambitions into tangible improvements for patients, the NHS and the economy.

    Paul Tredwell, Executive Vice President of Accord Healthcare said: 

    It is very encouraging to see a Life Sciences Sector Plan which for the first time recognises the immense contribution of the off-patent industry, a sector which provides around 80% of all the UK’s medicines. As one of the largest manufacturers supplying medicines to the NHS, and a company currently applying to the government’s LSIMF scheme, we welcome this Sector Plan as a positive step and look forward to working with government on policies that will support future growth and investment.

    Nicola Perrin MBE, Chief Executive of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) said: 

    We’re pleased to see life sciences recognised as a priority sector for the UK. This is a triple win for the economy, for the NHS and for patients. It will benefit people across the country and unlock new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat disease. 

    We welcome the positioning of research at the heart of the Life Sciences Sector Plan, from the earliest stages of discovery science and beyond. We also welcome the focus on ensuring that the NHS embraces new discoveries and innovations – these will only have an impact if they get to patients quickly and effectively.  

    It’s reassuring to see a clear focus on implementation and accountability in the plan. This will help to ensure urgent action and real change. Medical research charities must be key delivery partners – they support R&D that focuses on patients, addresses areas of unmet need and accelerates impact.

    Dr Samantha Walker, Director of Research and Innovation at Asthma + Lung UK, says:    

    We are pleased to see the Life Sciences Sector Plan setting out an array of opportunities for action to accelerate the growth of the UK’s respiratory research and innovation sector.   

    There has been too little scientific progress for people living with lung conditions – the third biggest killer in the UK. This plan for investment, with its focus on innovation and access to health data for research, could help drive desperately needed improvements to the diagnosis and treatment of lung disease, which affects 1 in 5 people in the UK.  

    With effective implementation, this plan could lead to research investment that will save lives and significantly reduce the number of preventable A&E visits due to asthma attacks and COPD exacerbations. Furthermore, it has scope to increase the growth of the life sciences sector and will benefit the UK economy by cutting days lost to sickness.

    Louis Taylor CBE, CEO of the British Business Bank, said:  

    In the UK, we are very good at starting high-potential companies and creating breakthrough innovation, but what’s often lacking is the capital to scale these startups. The British Business Bank has been at the heart of growing the UK innovation economy for the last ten years. Today, the Bank is the largest investor in UK venture and venture growth capital funds and the most active late-stage investor in life sciences and deeptech. We welcome today’s Life Sciences Sector Plan and will continue to support the growth of this critical sector.

    Mike Fairbourn, Vice President & General Manager, UK & Ireland for Becton Dickinson said: 

    Becton Dickinson welcomes the UK government’s publication of the Life Sciences Sector Plan. The plan’s focus on accelerating regulatory approvals, streamlining procurement pathways and investing in innovative manufacturing underscores the crucial role of medical technology in driving better health outcomes and economic growth. We strongly support these commitments and stand ready to work hand-in-hand with government, the NHS and regulators to deliver on these ambitions. Together, we can unlock the full potential of the UK’s medical technology industry to bolster the UK life sciences sector and the wider economy, and to benefit patients across the country.

    Dr Daniel Mahony, Chair of the UK BioIndustry Association said:  

    Making the UK an outstanding place in which to start, grow, scale and invest in life science companies is key to driving UK economic growth.  The life science sector plan is right to focus on getting substantially more public and private investment in early-stage companies, improved access to data, trials and skills to help companies grow, and more streamlined regulation and market access pathways to get innovative medicines to NHS patients. We particularly welcome the focus on unlocking pension funds to increase investment in scaling life science companies. In this parliament, the UK has the opportunity to create a truly-world leading life sciences ecosystem that works for start-ups, scale-ups and established global companies alike.

    Dr Kevin Lee, CEO of Bicycle Therapeutics said:  

    Bicycle Therapeutics welcomes the government’s vision to make the UK a Life Sciences superpower as part of its bold and ambitious Industrial Strategy. We support the strategy’s aspiration to accelerate the growth of UK companies by encouraging investment in the sector, simplifying the regulatory environment, and leveraging the UK’s unique healthcare ecosystem to innovate in clinical trial design. At Bicycle, we view this plan as an opportunity to support the advancement of our work to unlock the potential of our Nobel prize-winning science and create new medicines for a wide variety of diseases, starting with cancer. We are excited by the prospect of working in an ever more innovative and productive sector that will see British scientific breakthroughs transform the lives of patients across the globe.

    Professor Sir Rory Collins, Principal Investigator and Chief Executive of UK Biobank, said: 

    The Life Sciences Sector Plan shows how, with long-term thinking, the UK can build on its many world-leading institutions and facilities to deliver a world-class base for science. UK Biobank is living proof of the value of long-term thinking and the impact it can have on life sciences, with projects like our recent decade-long work scanning 100,000 volunteers that is transforming health research and helping the NHS. 

    The UK government continually supports UK Biobank as shown by its £20 million investment for our project to measure proteins in the blood of our half a million volunteers. This investment is helping generate the world’s most comprehensive health data and, by making it so accessible, we’re effectively able to crowdsource the minds of the planet’s greatest experts. That accessibility is why philanthropists and industry from around the world keep amplifying the government’s investment, leading to more data that drives even more research.

    Professor Ugur Sahin, Managing Director, CEO and Co-Founder of BioNTech said:  

    We believe that innovative treatments reach patients faster when sectors collaborate towards a common goal. The renewed Life Sciences Plan reflects this spirit and has the potential to transform medicine through real progress in cancer care and beyond – both in the UK and globally.

    Helen Dent, CEO of British In Vitro Diagnostic Association (BIVDA) said: 

    This plan reflects the government’s understanding of the challenges facing the life sciences industry and their commitment to driving investment, growth, and innovation across the sector. 

    Pledges which reduce the cost and streamline the adoption of diagnostics, MedTech and genomics are hugely welcome, as are measures to introduce low-friction procurement and contracting mechanisms. 

    Ultimately, success will depend upon continued collaboration between government, industry, and the healthcare system to ensure its ambition is matched by delivery. BIVDA looks forward to supporting this process and bolstering the UK’s position as a world-leader in life sciences.

    Hyoungki Kim, CEO and Vice Chairman of Celltrion, said: 

    As a South-Korea based company with a global outlook, we are committed to adapting to the long-term dynamics of the markets we serve. The UK is a key supply destination for us, and we remain committed to supporting the NHS through the increased availability of biosimilar medicines in the coming years. The UK is an important supply destination for us, and we are planning substantial investments to expand our biosimilar medicine supply in the coming years. We therefore welcome the recognition in the life sciences plan that biosimilars are a critical means of delivering value to the NHS and, importantly, expanding patient access. This acknowledgement reinforces our confidence in prioritising the UK as a central focus of our global efforts.

    Massimiliano Collela, Chief Executive Officer of CMR Surgical, said: 

    We are grateful to the government for their support of leading UK Tech and Life Sciences scale-ups like CMR Surgical through the government’s Industrial Strategy, the 10 Year Health Plan and the Life Sciences Sector Plan.  With the government’s support, the UK innovation sector continues to flourish.

    Lars Petersen, President & Chief Executive Officer of FUJIFILM Biotechnologies, said: 

    FUJIFILM Biotechnologies warmly welcomes the UK government doubling down on its commitment to life sciences with this timely and ambitious new Sector Plan. 

    The UK has long been a global powerhouse in life sciences R&D – but what truly excites me about this plan is its potential to supercharge the life sciences ecosystem. By combining world-class discovery, cutting-edge development, and advanced manufacturing under one cohesive vision, the UK is positioning itself to not just lead in innovation but ensure the entire life sciences value chain flourishes. 

    I’m especially pleased to see the critical role of innovative medicines manufacturers, like FUJIFILM Biotechnologies, recognised as essential to the UK’s future growth. This isn’t just about planning; it’s a clear roadmap to unlocking our potential to fuel economic growth, spark groundbreaking innovation, and improve patient outcomes across the board. 

    The government’s pledge of £520 million in grants to expand the UK’s medicines manufacturing sector can also be a game-changer. Remaining globally competitive requires action, and this is exactly the kind of commitment needed to kickstart a new era for the UK’s life sciences. Combined with ongoing private-sector investment and the support of an empowered Life Sciences Sector Council, we’re looking at the foundation of a win-win scenario for government, business, patients, and innovators alike. 

    As one of the UK’s largest investors in innovative medicines manufacturing, FUJIFILM Biotechnologies stands ready to seize this opportunity. We look forward to helping turn this vision into a reality and build a stronger, more sustainable future for life sciences in the UK.

    Richard Stubbs, Chair of the Health Innovation Network said:  

    The UK is now in a race to the top to become a global powerhouse for the life sciences sector. To achieve this, we will need to go further to find, test and implement health innovations at pace and at scale. It is right that place-based innovation capacity and capabilities have been identified in the Life Science Sector Plan as a key enabler for the sector. 

    The Health Innovation Network is proud of the impact that we deliver with our partners in the NHS, academia and industry – from SMEs to multinationals – to improve patient outcomes, release capacity in the NHS to cut waiting lists and to drive economic growth, all priorities that are rightly recognised in this plan. The contribution the life sciences sector has to improve the health and wealth of the country is more evident now than ever. Through working locally with our vibrant life science sector, our health innovators, and our NHS staff we will deliver real change on the ground that has a national impact, and that supports the bold ambitions set out in the Life Sciences Sector Plan.

    Yamin Mohammed Khan, CEO of hVIVO said: 

    We were pleased to establish a working partnership with the Office for Life Sciences in support of their sector plan. The UK has a remarkable and longstanding legacy in life sciences, something which we at hVIVO are proud to be a part of as the world leading provider of human challenge trials. The UK has a proven track record of innovation that continues to thrive. As a global pillar in health research and life sciences, the UK plays a vital role in shaping the future of healthcare and scientific advancement. We’re excited to see how this 10-year plan unfolds, helping the UK maintain its global reputation and further strengthen its leadership in the life sciences sector.

    Mark Robinson, Vice President and General Manager, UK and Ireland, and North Europe at Illumina, said: 

    Illumina strongly supports the UK government’s ambition, outlined in the Life Sciences Sector Plan, for genomics to contribute to half of all healthcare interventions by 2035. The plan’s focus on integrated health data, streamlined clinical trials, and expanded genomic infrastructure aligns with Illumina’s mission to unlock the power of the genome to improve human health for all. Illumina’s longstanding partnerships in the UK have played a key role in advancing our understanding of the genome, and we look forward to continuing these collaborations to support the UK’s leadership in global genomic research and innovation.

    Dr Stella Peace, Interim Executive Chair of Innovate UK said: 

    The Life Science Sector Plan positions innovation as a critical engine with the potential to power breakthroughs, drive economic growth and transform lives. The plan sets out how we will unlock the full potential of UK life sciences by backing the businesses, researchers and technologies shaping the future of healthcare and delivering real societal impact.  Innovate UK look forward to being part of bringing this plan to life.

    David Marante, Vice President UK and Ireland at Intuitive, said: 

    We know how important equity of access to innovation is to improve patient care in the NHS.  For the last 2 decades we’ve worked together with NHS Trusts in England to implement da Vinci robotic-assisted surgery programmes, harnessing our innovations to help enhance patient and care team experience, and reduce waiting lists through increased productivity to ultimately improve patient outcomes. 

    With health innovation as a key pillar of the government’s vision for the UK’s Life Sciences sector, we’re excited to continue supporting NHS care teams to improve equity of access to minimally invasive care with da Vinci RAS, enabling patients to get back to what matters most.

    Mark Samuels, Chief Executive of Medicines UK, said:   

    Generics and biosimilars account for 4 in every 5 NHS prescriptions, making them a cornerstone of patient care and an essential part of the UK’s life sciences ecosystem. We welcome this plan’s recognition of their vital role.   

    The off-patent sector operates in a highly competitive global environment. To maintain supply and attract sustained investment, the UK must offer a policy and operating landscape that is both supportive and internationally attractive.   

    We are encouraged by the strategy’s ambition and clarity – particularly its objective to make the UK a world leader in the adoption of off-patent medicines, with a strong emphasis on biosimilars.

    A thriving off-patent sector delivers access and value for the NHS and forms the foundation for future pharmaceutical innovation and investment. We look forward to working with Government to deliver on this important agenda.

    Lawrence Tallon, Chief Executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, said:  

    I welcome the publication of the Life Sciences Sector Plan and fully support its ambition to make the UK a global leader in life sciences and a country where innovation delivers for everyone. 

    It’s great to see the MHRA is recognised as a pivotal partner in delivering the plan’s vision – by supporting innovation, protecting public health, and making the UK a global destination for innovators to research, develop and launch cutting-edge medical products. 

    Working with our partners across the sector, we will continue to enable safe and effective innovation that benefits patients, the public, and the economy.

    Kit Erlebach, Chairperson of the UK’s Medicines Manufacturing Industry Partnership (MMIP) and Senior Director, Engineering at FUJIFILM Biotechnologies UK said: 

    The UK government’s new Life Sciences Sector Plan signals a clear and ambitious commitment to the future of life sciences in the UK. This plan provides a unique opportunity to build upon our nation’s strengths in research, development, and manufacturing, creating a fully connected and world-leading life sciences ecosystem, with innovative large and small medicines producers. 

    By articulating a clear vision for medicines manufacturing alongside discovery and development, the UK is laying the foundation for a thriving sector that benefits patients, drives innovation, and delivers economic growth. The focus on medicines manufacturing as a key component of this strategy is vital, providing the necessary support to strengthen the UK’s position on the global stage. 

    The allocation of £520 million in grants for expanding medicines manufacturing capabilities demonstrates the government’s dedication to fostering a competitive and sustainable industry. Combined with continued private-sector investment and collaboration across the sector, this targeted support will create new opportunities for innovation, employment, and improved health outcomes. 

    The Medicines Manufacturing Industry Partnership (MMIP) is proud to have contributed to support the development of this Sector Plan. In a rapidly changing international context, today’s announcement is a key step on the journey to enhance the UK’s international competitiveness. We are committed to working with Government to drive implementation of this plan, and the other necessary steps set out in the MMIP’s 10-year vision to deliver on our shared ambition.

    Darius Hughes, UK General Manager for Moderna, said:   

    Moderna welcomes the UK government’s Life Sciences Sector Plan as a bold and timely commitment to strengthening the UK’s position as a global leader in healthcare innovation and adoption.   

    Through our strategic partnership, we’ve invested in UK-based mRNA R&D and manufacturing, because we believe in the UK’s ability to turn scientific excellence into real-world impact.   

    This Plan gets the fundamentals right — from smarter regulation to investing in talent and unlocking the potential of health data — and we look forward to continuing our work together to deliver meaningful outcomes for patients, the NHS, and the economy.

    Professor Patrick Chinnery, Executive Chair of the Medical Research Council, said: 

    The new Life Sciences Sector Plan sets out a bold vision to transform how one of the UK’s most dynamic and globally competitive sectors delivers for our economy and for people around the world. 

    The Medical Research Council is committed to playing a central role in realising this vision by accelerating the translation of curiosity-driven research into innovations that support disease prevention, earlier diagnosis and better treatments. 

    In partnership with researchers, charities and industry, we will help more people live healthier, more productive lives, and attract further investment to strengthen the UK’s life sciences sector.

    Matthew Taylor CBE, Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation, said: 

    Health leaders will welcome the publication of the life sciences sector plan which will play a crucial role in building an NHS that’s fit for the future. Having a thriving UK life sciences and innovation sector is key to ensuring patients get access to the treatments and innovations they need and at the best value to the health system.  

    For the government’s NHS reforms to succeed a successful life sciences programme is key, and the sector benefits from using the NHS as a testbed and delivery partner for new innovations. We look forward to working with the Office of Life Sciences, the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to ensure the views of health system leaders are reflected in the implementation of the plan so that it can deliver for both the health system and life sciences sector.

    Dr Sam Roberts, Chief Executive of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), said: 

    We warmly welcome the publication of the government’s Life Sciences Sector Plan, which sets out how NICE will ensure patients get faster, fairer access to transformative new medicines and life-changing healthtech, while supporting a thriving life sciences industry in the UK.  

    This comprehensive plan establishes a clear vision for how NICE, the NHS, and industry can collaborate to truly transform people’s lives through better, more equitable access to innovation. At NICE, we are committed to playing our part in ensuring that the UK remains at the forefront of life sciences innovation while delivering a sustainable and effective health service for all.

    Ros Deegan, CEO of OMass Therapeutics, said:  

    The new Life Sciences Sector Plan outlines ambitions that fit the UK’s world-leading capabilities and should help small and medium sized Life Sciences businesses scale, grow and keep innovation within the UK. As a growing biotechnology company with products approaching the clinic, we are encouraged to see actions designed to cut clinical trial approval times and improve access to capital – 2 critical factors that will benefit the sector and the wider economy.

    Dr. Lucinda Crabtree, Chief Financial Officer of Oxford Biomedica, said: 

    The UK government’s Life Sciences Sector Plan sets out a clear commitment to making the UK a global hub for health innovation. At OXB, we have experienced first-hand how targeted government support — including funding from Innovate UK — can help unlock growth and build globally competitive capabilities. The plan’s focus on accelerating clinical trial processes, streamlining regulatory pathways, and investing in manufacturing, genomics, and health data infrastructure will support innovation and improve access to breakthrough treatments. These initiatives are vital to establishing the UK as a key market to scale life sciences businesses, attract investment and world-class talent, and drive long term economic growth.

    Gordon Sanghera CBE, CEO and Co-founder of Oxford Nanopore Technologies, said: 

    The UK’s ambition to further expand the integration of genomic and molecular data into health systems and the economy – at scale – is exactly the kind of bold infrastructure investment that can improve lives and drive economic growth. In that system, being able to move quickly from innovation to implementation is essential to translating UK science into global health and economic impact.

    Roland Sinker CBE, Chief Executive of Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:  

    As I outlined in the Innovation Ecosystem Programme report, there is a significant opportunity to deliver meaningful benefits to the NHS and patients through innovations developed by UK life sciences companies. I fully support the Life Sciences Sector Plan and its clear commitments to advancing research, enabling UK life sciences to thrive, and accelerating health innovation. These actions are essential to ensuring that NHS staff and patients are among the first to benefit from the latest breakthroughs.

    Richard Saynor, CEO of Sandoz said:  

    We welcome the government’s commitment to becoming a world leader in the uptake of off-patent medicines. The target of £1 billion of savings from biosimilars is both realistic and achievable. Increasing their use will unlock greater worker productivity and increase the health of the UK population – a major contribution to the government’s growth imperative. As a committed partner to the NHS and government, Sandoz will dedicate resources and expertise to realise the goals for the off-patent sector within the Life Sciences Strategy.

    Neil Daly, CEO and Founder of Skin Analytics, said: 

    We welcome the clear action plan in the Life Sciences Sector Plan for streamlining and speeding up the adoption of proven healthcare technologies and feel the plan will make a meaningful difference to UK health innovators. In skin cancer, this means that the NHS can move much more swiftly to establish appropriately regulated autonomous AI triage as standard practice for all patients. This will find more cancers, free up clinician time and save taxpayers’ money.

    Dr Michael Spence, University College London President and Provost said: 

    Universities will be at the heart of making the UK the leading life sciences economy in Europe. With its backing for world-class research and clinical trials, the Life Sciences Sector Plan will help us achieve even more. 

    London is a global centre for innovation, with Euston already a leading area for life sciences where world-class universities, healthcare, and life science companies come together. With new investments in Oriel at St Pancras Way with Moorfields Eye Hospital, and a state-of-the art neuroscience facility at Grays Inn Road, UCL is at the heart of making the area a global leader. The new Life Science Hub at Euston station is a step towards realising the huge potential in this area and achieving the government’s ambitions 

    John-Arne Røttingen, CEO of Wellcome, said: 

    The ambition set out in the Life Sciences Sector Plan is hugely welcome. Life sciences are a historic strength of the UK, and this strategic vision is important to cement the country’s advantage in the future. The plan’s emphasis on the importance of early-stage research is particularly shrewd. Basic discovery science underpins later health breakthroughs and clinical trials, making it the essential bedrock for a thriving research economy.  

    The focus on speeding up trials and on data infrastructure for research will not only lead to real impact for patients but also strengthen the UK’s attractiveness to innovative researchers and businesses.  

    If the level of ambition in the plan is matched by meaningful action and investment, the UK will be well on its way to securing its place as a global life sciences leader.

    Notes to editors

    The full collection of Industrial Strategy sector plans can be found here.

    DSIT media enquiries

    Email press@dsit.gov.uk

    Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm 020 7215 3000

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Seven Leeds parks awarded as some of the best in the country

    Source: City of Leeds

    Some of Leeds’ most popular parks have been awarded the Green Flag Award after being recognised as being of international quality.

    Golden Acre Park, Kirkstall Abbey, Middleton Park, Otley Chevin Forest Park, Pudsey Park, Roundhay Park and Temple Newsam Estate are all managed by Leeds City Council and have yet again been listed among the best in the country.

    The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.

    Some of the Green Flag parks in Leeds have received the award every year for at least 15 years.

    Councillor Mohammed Rafique, Leeds City Council’s executive member for climate, energy, environment and green space, said: “Our teams and volunteer groups work very hard to keep these sites to a high standard and for them to be spaces that people can enjoy every single day. We’re thrilled that we have once again received the prestigious Green Flag Award for these seven green spaces and that they are deemed of international quality.”

    Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, Paul Todd MBE, said: “Congratulations to everyone involved at Leeds City Council who have worked tirelessly to ensure that these parks achieve the high standards required for the Green Flag Award.

    “Quality parks and green spaces like these seven make the country a healthier place to live and work in, and a stronger place in which to invest.

    “Crucially, these parks are vital green spaces for communities in Leeds to enjoy nature, and during the ongoing cost of living crisis it is a free and safe space for families to socialise. It also provides important opportunities for local people and visitors to reap the physical and mental health benefits of green space.”

    Notes to editors

    The Green Flag Award Scheme (http://greenflagaward.org/) is run by the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, under licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, in partnership with Keep Scotland Beautiful, Keep Wales Tidy and Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful.

    Any green space that is freely accessible to the public is eligible to enter for a Green Flag Award.  Awards are given on an annual basis and winners must apply each year to renew their Green Flag Award status. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • England fined, docked two WTC points for slow over rate at Lord’s

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    England were docked two World Test Championship (WTC) points and fined 10% match fees on Wednesday for their slow over rate in the third test against India at Lord’s.

    The hosts went 2-1 up in the five-test series with a thrilling 22-run victory but were found two overs short of target in a match where the Dukes ball went out of shape several times and had to be replaced.

    “England captain Ben Stokes pled guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing,” the International Cricket Council said in a statement.

    Players lose 5% of their match fees for every over their team fail to bowl in the allotted time. It also costs the team one WTC point.

    England slipped from second to third in the WTC standings behind Sri Lanka following the points deduction. Australia, who completed a 3-0 sweep of West Indies earlier this week, lead the standings in the new 2025-2027 cycle.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government investment for mentoring, funding access and skills development to spark tech innovation outside capital

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Government investment for mentoring, funding access and skills development to spark tech innovation outside capital

    Tech entrepreneurs outside London will get support to grow their businesses, as the government launches a £1 million programme which is set to ignite innovation and bolster growth beyond the capital.

    Government investment to boost tech innovation across the UK.

    • New programme to supercharge tech growth in UK regions including Scotland, the North East, Humber and East, and South Yorkshire, and bolster local economies.
    • £1 million government investment will provide mentoring, funding access and skills development for entrepreneurs outside of London.
    • Programme launched as government looks to drive economic growth and prosperity in every part of the UK, under the PM’s Plan for Change.

    The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has today (Wednesday 16 July) announced the launch of the Regional Tech Booster programme, aimed at accelerating the growth of tech clusters and early-stage digital startups in regions including Scotland, the North East, Humber and East, and South Yorkshire.

    While London remains Europe’s leading tech hub, the new programme will help close the gap between the capital and regional tech ecosystems by addressing key challenges including entrepreneur support, access to finance, and skills development.

    It will do so by delivering tailored support programmes for tech founders, such as mentoring, investment promotion events, and workshops to share best practices across regional tech communities.

    Minister for Tech and Future Digital Economy, Baroness Jones said:

    Tech innovation doesn’t stop at the M25 and we’re choosing to invest in the talent and ideas flourishing across the UK.

    This investment forms an important part of our Plan for Change to kickstart economic growth in every part of the UK. By supporting regional tech entrepreneurs, we’re creating the conditions for innovation and prosperity to flourish.

    The initiative complements existing government support for regional development, including Project Gigabit, the Local Innovation Partnership Fund, AI Growth Zones, and digital skills programmes. It demonstrates a strategic choice to invest in regional tech ecosystems as part of the government’s wider Industrial Strategy.

    Katie Gallagher, chair of the UKTCG and managing director of Manchester Digital, said:

    The UK’s nations and regions are home to a diverse and growing network of tech ecosystems. They already make a vital contribution to the economy and with the right support, they can do even more.

    We’re pleased that DSIT has selected the UK Tech Cluster Group to pilot a new approach. This programme will focus on collaboration, connecting clusters, sharing best practice, supporting founders and entrepreneurs and creating a practical playbook for building strong, sustainable regional tech economies.

    With members from across the UK’s nations and regions, UKTCG is uniquely placed to deliver this work ensuring every part of the country benefits from the UK’s thriving tech sector.

    UK Tech Cluster Group will focus on ensuring the programme delivers sustainable benefits that continue beyond the initial funding period, working closely with industry, academic institutions and local tech leaders to strengthen regional tech communities. Information on how regional tech clusters can apply for the programmes will be announced later this year.

    DSIT media enquiries

    Email press@dsit.gov.uk

    Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm 020 7215 3000

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UNESCO report warns of extracting activities near World Heritage sites

    Source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre

    UNESCO, the Church of England Pensions Board, Greenbank, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and the World Wildlife Fund call on investors to adhere to industry commitments and ensure World Heritage Site protection.

    UNESCO and its partners today released a report which shows the extent to which extractive industries are encroaching upon UNESCO World Heritage sites.

    The report, “Extractive Activities in UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Commitments, Risks and Investment Implications”, offers the most comprehensive analysis to date on the presence and proximity of areas licenced for oil, gas, and mineral exploration and production in and around some of the world’s most treasured cultural and natural heritage sites.

    Jointly released by UNESCO, the Church of England Pensions Board, Greenbank, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the report also emphasizes the critical role investors can play in assessing their risk exposure and influencing extractive companies’ practices. The data and analysis in the report help investors identify and manage the risks, aligning their investment decisions with global heritage protection commitments.

    In addition, the report outlines several ways investors can identify, assess, and respond to risks arising from operations within and near UNESCO World Heritage sites. These guidelines rely on UNESCO policy standards, focusing on how investors can integrate these standards into their own processes.

    “World Heritage sites support millions of livelihoods through tourism, agriculture, and other vital sectors. Oil, gas, and mining companies – and their investors – have a crucial role to play in safeguarding these irreplaceable places from harm.”

    Extractive activities in UNESCO World Heritage sites

    Commitments, risks and investments implications

    Dowload the full report

    English

    Protected, but not safe

    According to the report, companies currently hold oil, gas, and mining assets – licensed areas for exploration or production – in 97 of the 266 assessed natural UNESCO World Heritage sites, representing 36 per cent of sites. These include mining claims in 58 sites, oil and gas wells in 27, awarded oil and gas blocks in 25, oil and gas bid blocks in 14, and mining projects in 10. More than 800 individual assets overlapping with natural and mixed sites have been identified worldwide, impacting every region.

    Updating a similar spatial analysis conducted by WWF in 2015, the report finds that more than half of the sites previously identified as affected by extractive overlaps remain so today, indicating persistent and unresolved pressure.

    The risks extend beyond the boundaries of sites themselves. Nearly half (48 percent) of natural sites lie within one kilometre of extractive activity, and 73 per cent are within 20 kilometres, placing them at increased risk of pollution, habitat destruction, and cultural disruption.

    For the first time, the report also evaluates risks to cultural World Heritage sites and  reveals that 17 per cent of them – 158 out of 925 – are within 500 metres of extractive activity. Oil and gas activities are found near 124 cultural sites, while mining activities affect 45.

    “Natural World Heritage sites are among nature’s most precious gifts to humanity yet, despite their status, they are still coming under ongoing pressure from oil, gas and mining companies. As hotspots of biodiversity and culture, these sites can help support sustainable development and tackle climate change – we should not put them at risk.”

    Extractives in World Heritage sites is an investment risk

    The overlap between extractive activities and World Heritage sites presents a serious investment risk as companies operating in sensitive locations face growing scrutiny from regulators, shareholders, civil society and the public. This can lead to project delays, fines, reputational damage, and even operational shutdowns, all of which can impact profit margins and undermine long-term investment value.

    The report urges investors and extractive companies to avoid operating in or near these high-risk areas and to ensure that their activities comply with internationally recognized environmental and social standards, including UNESCO’s guidance supporting the World Heritage ‘no-go’ commitment.

    “Investors must act as responsible stewards of capital by ensuring the companies they finance do not put World Heritage sites at risk. This is not just a conservation issue – it’s a matter of long-term financial and reputational risk investors need to manage.”

    A critical opportunity and a shared responsibility

    Despite the risks, a window of opportunity remains. Most of the identified extractive assets are still in the forms of claims and concessions rather than active mines or oil and gas wells. This provides a crucial chance to take preventive action before operations begin and irreversible damage occurs.

    Strong national legal protections, comprehensive impact assessments, and greater transparency of extractive licensing processes are essential. Licences that overlap with or threaten areas of high conservation value should be responsibly phased out.

    “Extractive activities have long been recognized as fundamentally incompatible with World Heritage status. It is essential that governments, investors, and companies respect these sites as off-limits to oil, gas and mineral concessions and operations.”

    To prevent harm to World Heritage sites, investors must integrate spatial, financial and reputational risks into their investment policies and decision-making. A growing number of companies and organizations have already taken this step, following the example of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), which was the first to adopt a World Heritage ‘no-go’ commitment.

    “We believe investors have a responsibility to recognise where clear limits to economic activities must be drawn and to support companies that operate with care and responsibility. At its heart, this is about protecting what cannot be replaced.”

    UNESCO thanks the Government of Flanders (Kingdom of Belgium) for its support in strengthening corporate sector engagement in the protection of World Heritage. Learn more at: https://whc.unesco.org/en/no-go-commitment/

    About UNESCO and the World Heritage Convention

    The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to strengthening our shared humanity through the promotion of education, science, culture, and communication. It seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.

    About the Church of England Pensions Board

    The Church of England Pensions Board provides retirement services to those who serve or work for the Church, managing pension schemes for over 43,000 members across 700 Church organizations. Managing around £3.4 billion in funds, it invests responsibly and sustainably for the long term to meet pension commitments. Guided by the ethics of the Church of England, it actively engages with companies and sectors to drive positive change alongside other investors, focusing on issues important to its members and their future. Find out more on their investment policy here.

    About Greenbank

    Greenbank provides investment management services for private investors, trusts and charities, and has been helping to drive change in finance, business and society through ethical and sustainable investment for over 20 years. As the sustainable investment specialists within Rathbones Group, Greenbank strives to be the natural home for investors seeking to align their investments with their values, providing sustainable investment as a standard, not an add on.

    About IUCN

    IUCN is the global authority on the state of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. IUCN brings together 1,500 government and civil society members, over 17,000 affiliated experts, while also helping businesses implement practices that conserve nature and benefit people. Since 1972, IUCN has served as the official Advisory Body on nature under the World Heritage Convention, leading the technical evaluation of new nominations, monitoring existing sites, and supporting conservation action through our global network and granting tools. Learn more about IUCN’s World Heritage work here.

    About WWF

    WWF is an independent conservation organization, with over 35 million followers and a global network active through local leadership in over 100 countries. Its mission is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which people live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. Find out more at wwf.panda.org.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –