Major UK employers are expecting to hire thousands of apprentices in 2010 and the government is encouraging all businesses to take up the new Apprentice Grant for Employers (AGE) scheme offering a £2,500 grant for each 16 or 17-year-old apprentice taken on.

Business Minister Pat McFadden visited a Morrisons supermarket in Camden, London, to congratulate the firm for its commitment to make 5,500 Government-funded Apprenticeship places available by July 2010. Morrisons will be creating more than 20,000 Apprenticeships in the next year, and offers training in Bakery, Butchery and Retail Skills, at level 2 (equivalent to five good GCSEs).

Pat McFadden said:

“For so many businesses to be planning to recruit in 2010 is good news for the whole economy. It shows employers increasingly recognise the benefits they get from hiring apprentices. Undertaking an apprenticeship is a great way of learning a trade and gaining vocational experience.

“Skills will be crucial to a strong economic recovery and I urge employers across the country to take the chance apprentices give them to boost their competitiveness, innovation and growth this year.”

Full press release: Government celebrates apprenticeships and urges business to recruit in the recovery

Go to the Apprenticeships website

Become a fan of Apprenticeships on Facebook

View images of Pat McFadden’s visit on Flickr

At its heart will be the creation of Therapeutic Capability Clusters. These will be made up of a small number of selected academic and NHS centres of excellence, which will work with industry to harness UK capabilities in specific therapeutic areas and work on early stage clinical development and experimental medicine.

Read Life Sciences 2010: Delivering the Blueprint (PDF)
Go to the Office for Life Sciences website

Watch Lord Mandelson’s Speech here

The new Life Sciences Super Cluster will be kick-started later this year with a pilot in immunology and inflammation focussing on disease areas such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. The announcement caps off a year of action for UK Life Sciences. In July 2009, the OLS published the Life Sciences Blueprint (PDF) setting out an ambitious and comprehensive set of measures to transform the UK operating environment. In the six months since publication, much has been achieved:

• A Patent Box, applying a 10% rate of corporation tax to patent-related income from April 2013. This will strengthen incentives for companies to invest in innovative activity and locate in the UK. Government will consult with business on the detailed design of the Box in time for Finance Bill 2011;
• A £21.5 million RegenMed programme managed by the Technology Strategy Board (TSB), which will support our growing and strategically-important regenerative medicine industry. The TSB launched two competitions, involving over 40 companies, in 2009 and will hold further competitions in 2010;
• An Innovation Pass, which will give patients earlier access to promising licensed medicines. A consultation on this three-year initiative began in November 2009. A one-year pilot will start in April 2010 with funding of £25 million;

Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills Lord Mandelson said:

“Our Life Sciences industry is exactly the type of high-tech, high-value industry, where Britain has real strengths and the potential for growth in the future.

“The Government has demonstrated that we are prepared to take real action to support Life Sciences and this is already having an impact on investment decisions, but this is just the beginning. we will maintain this momentum and continue to build a thriving environment for UK Life Science”

Read the full press release: Life Sciences Super Cluster announced as support for Life Sciences is bolstered

BIS economics and social research strategy 2009-10: an overview of economic and social research (PDF)

As part of our overall approach to economic and social research the aim of this strategy is to clarify how BIS research is in line with its policy objectives; to increase awareness of the research we are currently undertaking; and to outline the areas in which the Department will continue to have an interest.

BIS is at the heart of the Government’s response to the recession, with a clear role to play in helping businesses navigate today’s pressures and plan for recovery, growth, innovation and success in a changed economic landscape. The role that economic and social research can play in this is fundamental. By ensuring that our policies are clear, transparent, targeted and evidence-based we can create the right conditions for business success; promote innovation, enterprise and science; and give everyone the skills and opportunities they need to succeed.

(Flickr image by Robert Thomson )

The course, ‘Winning the Contract’, shows participants how to identify business opportunities to supply goods and services to the public sector, explains the public procurement process, and demonstrates how to submit tenders. It has helpful hints and tips to guide and inform businesses on the bidding process, and where to find public sector contract opportunities.

Trade, Investment and Small Business Minister Lord Davies said:

“Small and medium-sized businesses already sell their goods and services to the public sector, but many more could do so. Opening up public sector procurement to a wider range of suppliers provides new opportunities for small businesses as the UK economy heads towards growth.”

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liam Bryne, MP said:

“Small and medium-sized businesses are the engine-room of our economy. We want them to harness the spending power of government to grow their businesses and create jobs. This new free course will help those businesses to compete effectively for government contracts, locking in the recovery and strengthening businesses throughout the country.”

Winning the Contract is nationally available online training course which all businesses, regardless of size and sector, can access free of charge. It is part of a series of joint initiatives by the Office of Government Commerce and Department for Business, Innovation and Skills aimed at making the procurement market clearer and simpler.

Businesses can register to access the ‘Winning the Contract’ course by clicking through to learndirect on the Business Link website at www.businesslink.gov.uk/procurement

The Government’s ambitious response to Unleashing Aspiration, the final report from the Panel on Fair Access to the Professions, agrees to implement the vast majority of the panel’s 88 recommendations.

View the responses and leave your comments

Download the report (PDF)

The Panel, led by the Rt Hon Alan Milburn MP, challenged Government to do more to ensure that people with ability, creativity and talent can succeed in the professions, regardless of their social or economic background. Achieving this aspiration calls for reform in schools, in colleges, in universities and in the professions themselves.

The measures announced today look to harness activity across Government and the professional associations. They include:

• The creation of an online National Internship Service, building on success of the ‘Graduate Talent Pool’. This free, nationwide service will help undergraduates and graduates access opportunities and information to develop their employability skills and establish quality standards to benefit both interns and employers. Bursary funding will be available for students from low income backgrounds lacking the means to support themselves. This follows the commitment in the Pre-Budget Report to deliver £8m funding for up to 10,000 new undergraduate internships.
• A guarantee, building on the New Opportunities White Paper published last year, for around 130,000 of the brightest young people from low-income backgrounds to benefit from structured assistance at secondary school. Beginning in 2012, this package should include experience of Higher Education, mentoring and access to high quality information, advice and guidance.
• A new Social Mobility Commission to provide expert evidence on trends and policy on social mobility, and produce an annual report on progress made towards a fairer, more socially mobile society.
• The launch of an expanded Gateways to the Professions Collaborative Forum with an increased remit covering a wider range of professions. Chaired by David Lammy, the Minister for Higher Education and involving senior representatives from 60 key professions. The Forum will advise on and implement many of the panel’s recommendations and will ask professional organisations to report on and share work done to improve access in each of their fields.

Today’s response builds on measures already announced in key strategy documents published last autumn, including:

• Higher Ambitions – measures to ensure wider and fairer access to Higher Education, a high-quality experience for all students and more flexible courses to reflect the reality of modern working lives.
• Skills for Growth – measures to give people greater choice in their training including the national roll out of Skills Accounts and offer apprentices alternative routes into higher education and the professions.
• Department for Children, Schools and Families’s Quality, Choice and Aspiration: A strategy for young people’s information, advice and guidance – measures to modernise careers education to make it accessible for today’s generation of young people and ensure they have equal access to the careers of their choice.

Full press release: Government acts to break through glass ceiling on social mobility

“I’m very grateful to Fiona and her group for producing this Action Plan. The quality of journalism by the UK’s specialist press is excellent, so it’s great these actions are targeted at protecting and building on it.

“The plan contains a number of initiatives to raise the profile of science journalism and programming and improve their operating environment.

“I’m particularly pleased by how many organisations, from the BBC to the Wellcome Trust and RCUK, have committed to actions. Government will now consider the proposed actions and recommendations.”

Read more on the Science and the Media Expert Group.

Full press release: BIS Responds to Science and the Media Expert Group Report

Guidance made available from today on BusinessLink informs employers of their obligations 12 weeks before the right to request time to train begins on 6 April 2010.

Guidance is also being published today on the DirectGov website to inform employees about how they make a request under this new right.

Skills Minister Kevin Brennan, said:

“Now, more than ever, we need learning and training opportunities in place that empower people to gain the skills and training they need to get on.

“Many businesses and organisations are really good at training their staff and already recognise the benefits of having a highly skilled and motivated workforce. While two-thirds of businesses do train their staff, we need to encourage employers and employees who do not to speak about training opportunities.”

The right to request time to train was included in the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act, which received Royal Assent in November 2009.

The introduction of the right will be phased and will be made available to employees in organisations with 250 or more employees from April 2010 before being extended to all employees from April 2011. This will give smaller organisations and businesses more time to prepare for the introduction of the new right.

A new strategy to boost strong, sustainable, long-term economic growth in the UK has been announced today by Lord Mandelson.

The strategy, Going for Growth, outlines seven key areas where the Government will build on the foundations of New Industry New Jobs. They include:

• Supporting enterprise and entrepreneurial activity
• Fostering knowledge creation and its innovative application
• Helping people develop the skills and capabilities to reach their personal and economic potential
• Investing in the infrastructure to support a low carbon modern economy
• Ensuring open and competitive markets allowing business to grow
• Building on our industrial strengths in sectors where we have expertise and investing to foster new comparative advantage
• Understanding and employing the right strategic role for government in markets enabling us to capitalise on new opportunities.

Visit the Going for Growth page here to read the strategy and view related announcements, video and links.

News Releases:
Government sets out strategy to get Britain Going for Growth
£70m boost for UK Manufacturing

Lord Mandelson’s speech launching the strategy:

The investment will upgrade the UK’s digital infrastructure to bring super-fast broadband to 90% of the country, essential if the UK is to remain globally competitive as estimates suggest that private investment will only reach up to 70% of the population by 2017.

The Next Generation Fund will provide the UK with a world class communications network to bolster innovation and services in digital content.

The Government is now consulting on the most effective way to deploy the investment – read the consultation document.

The Treasury is also consulting on how the fund will be raised through a new Landline Duty.

Next Generation Fund objectives:

• To support Digital Britain’s objective to roll out next generation networks to at least 90% of the UK by 2017;
• To support economic growth by incentivising market investment in communications infrastructure to meet the needs of businesses and households;
• To maximise links with the Government’s Universal Service Commitment – a parallel broadband investment programme to ensure every community has access to 2Mbps broadband connection by 2012.

Lord Mandelson said:

“This investment is about bridging the gap between the current and future broadband networks. We cannot underestimate the opportunities this will bring for homes and businesses which is why we are taking action to make sure everyone benefits.

“By upgrading our networks we will put the UK at the fore of rapidly developing technologies which will bring jobs, boost business potential and grow our digital economy.”

Full press release – Next generation fund launched: UK to benefit from £1 billion investment in super-fast broadband

HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) new Dynamic Response Team will work on the most high profile and complicated National Minimum Wage cases faced by HMRC, particularly in areas where employers are using migrant labour to undercut competitors by paying below the minimum wage.

The team is funded from a £70 million Government fund, paid for by a levy on migrant workers, to support those communities that are feeling the impact of migration most strongly.

The team will be made-up of highly-trained specialist officers who are committed to providing a rapid response to cases across the UK ensuring that everyone who is entitled to the minimum wage receives it.

Business minister Pat McFadden said:

“The Government and HMRC are doing more than ever to make sure that those entitled to the Minimum Wage are receiving it. Evasion hurts both workers and responsible employers who play by the rules, so we are stepping up our fight against non payment of the minimum wage.

“The Minimum Wage is a key part of the Government’s strategy to establish fairness in the workplace and the benefits of the minimum wage are felt by about one million workers every year, especially women and part-time workers.

Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Stephen Timms, said:

“The Government’s priority is to ensure that all workers are paid at least the National Minimum Wage, and HMRC enforce this robustly.

“This new Dynamic Response Team will respond quickly and effectively to National Minimum Wage non-compliance, making sure that employees are paid what they are legally entitled to.”

Communities Secretary John Denham said:

“Tackling the abuse of migrant workers is an important part of building a fair society.  Employers undercutting the wages of local workers put unfair pressure on businesses struggling to compete and cause resentment in the community.”

The new team will work with other Government departments and Local Authorities to ensure the most effective action is taken to deal with non-compliant employers, including civil and criminal prosecutions where appropriate.

There are around 1 million low paid workers who benefit from the minimum wage and since April HMRC have helped around 14,000 workers re-coup over £3.5 million of wage arrears. This included more than £640,000 alone in the hospitality sector, a sector noted for low levels of pay.

HMRC already tackle serious breaches of minimum wage law, such as the Jacksons Butchers case in Sheffield, which was closed in 2009. Pauline Smout and David Jackson were prosecuted for wilfully neglecting to pay the National Minimum Wage and were both fined and ordered to pay compensation because they could not pay staff the arrears they were entitled to.

Read the full BIS press notice here.

Download the guide

With the New Year approaching, many graduates will refocus efforts on their job search and the Government-backed Graduate Talent Pool website is a great place to start.

With around 6578 vacancies and two thirds offering payment, the site matches talented graduates to internship opportunities. Internships allow graduates the opportunity to develop their knowledge, skills and experience in a real working environment and give an insight into what a particular career has to offer as well as being one of the best ways for graduates to improve their employability.

Denise, author of How to Get a Job in a Recession, says: “Now six months on from their graduation, many graduates may be in need of some family support in their job search. Despite their children being grown up, many parents of graduates are still naturally concerned about their prospects and want to be able to help.”

Minister of State for Higher Education David Lammy said:

“Internships can help graduates kick-start their careers and are part of a package of measures to support them and improve their chances of getting a long term and well paid career.

“The guide explains all of the opportunities available so that parents and graduates can discuss the options together.

“Higher education is a long term investment that pays back big dividends over a working lifetime and even in these difficult times graduates do better than those with lower qualifications.”

The ‘Parent Motivators’ guide is available to download for free at www.direct.gov.uk/graduates.

The Know Your Consumer Rights website has useful information to help you. It sets out the key rules that you should know, when looking for a bargain or taking something back, such as:

• Anything you buy must be accurately described
• Products must be of satisfactory quality
• Anything you buy must be fit for purpose, and if goods are faulty it is the retailer’s responsibility not the manufacturers
• If you buy something off the internet, in most cases, you have a cooling-off period when you can cancel your order without giving a reason and receive a full refund

The campaign is part of a major initiative by the Government to make sure that you know how to get a fair deal when you’re shopping and to make sure that you know what to do if things go wrong.

Consumer minister Kevin Brennan said:

“Just because you’ve bought something in a sale, it doesn’t mean that you don’t have the same rights as someone who paid full price.

“About a third of people have said that they felt their consumer rights had been ignored at some point, and I want to do everything possible to make sure this doesn’t happen in the future. Consumers deserve better.

“If you know your rights, and are confident in what you can ask for, you’re much more likely to get the right result when things go wrong.”

Visit the ‘Know Your Consumer Rights’ website

This is BIS’s first SDAP, previous Plans having been published for BERR and DIUS prior to their merger in June 2009. The new SDAP reflects the linkages between the work of the former BERR and former DIUS and how BIS’s activities contribute to sustainable development.

The SDAP not only brings into one document the Department’s work on innovation, science, universities, skills and businesses in relation to sustainable development, but also addresses how it will improve sustainability across its operations on its own estate.

• Creating a more diverse higher education landscape, by increasing the range of alternatives to the full-time three year degree;
• Maximising the impact that higher education makes to the economy by supporting the programmes with highest economic and social value;
• Supporting research concentration to underpin our world class ranking, while continuing to support excellence in research;
• Developing a standard set of information about higher education, so that all students can exercise informed choice about courses and institutions.

Download the letter 280KB

Higher Education Minister David Lammy said:

“Over the past decade, the Government has invested record amounts in Higher Education – around 25% more than 1997 – and there are now more students than ever before in our history attending university.

“It is right that universities, in common with all other areas of public spending, play a part in helping manage the pressures on public finances brought about by the impact of the financial downturn. Tough choices are inevitable but we are minimising the effect on the frontline by making savings on capital budgets, asking the sector for further efficiency savings and by asking HEFCE to look to reduce funding which will not impact on teaching.

“We are absolutely clear that a high quality student experience with excellent teaching is vital to maintaining the world class Higher Education we enjoy in this country today.”

Download the plan 4.8MB

It contains good news for the UK as we are already meeting key elements of European best practice in the four areas covered by the National Action Plan on Researcher Mobility and Careers (NAP): open recruitment, pensions and social security, attractive working conditions and skills.

Compared with most of our EU partners, the UK has built a very open research environment. Approximately 20 percent of our academics come from abroad, roughly evenly split between EU and non EU in origin. At researcher level, the percentage is even higher – up to 50 percent in some disciplines.

As a result, the NAP restates current UK practice along with a number of case studies showcasing national and local initiatives.

It also identifies future actions so that we can continue to build on our good practice and remain an important destination for top quality research.

These include developing and strengthening the implementation of the UK Researchers’ Concordat. This Concordat, developed by the research community, aims to increase the attractiveness and sustainability of UK research careers and to improve the quantity, quality and impact of research for the benefit of UK society and the economy.

Minister for Science and Innovation Lord Drayson said:

“We are investing record amounts into research. This investment is vital to make sure that the UK, and Europe, is to fulfil our economic potential and address the great challenges ahead. That includes creating an environment which encourages the brightest young people to choose research careers.”

The NAP highlights how the UK is the most popular destination for researchers supported by various elements of the European Framework programme for funding research. These include:

• The Marie Curie programmes which explicitly set out to fund mobile researchers
• The European Research Council which fund the best researchers throughout the continent so that they can take their research outside their home country.

It also highlights several other initiatives which demonstrate UK good practice including a scheme run by the Wellcome Trust – a major UK research funder – to support outstanding medical or science researchers as they establish their academic careers in selected Eastern European countries, i.e. Croatia, Hungry or Poland.

Download the plan 4.8MB

(Image: Creative Commons)

A Consultation on a Direction to Ofcom to implement the Wireless Radio Spectrum Modernisation Programme

That Consultation Document set out various directions which the Secretary of State proposes to  give to Ofcom in accordance with his power to give directions under section 5 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006. The directions proposed were set out at Annex G to that Consultation Document.

Since that consultation was commenced, one organisation that has received the Consultation Document has raised two matters concerning the contents of that document. So that the position is beyond any doubt, a Supplementary Document has been published which deals with each of them.

Please note that the Secretary of State has now extended the time within which all responses to this consultation exercise need to be received. The deadline for responses is now 5pm on Friday 5 February 2010.

This increase of 27.4 per cent compared to 2007/08 means the Government has met its target to increase the number of apprenticeship completions two years early.

The overall success rate for apprenticeships was 70.9 per cent in 2008/09, significantly higher than the target success rate of 65 per cent, and the 37 per cent pass rate in 2004/05.

Apprenticeships Minister Kevin Brennan said:

“It’s great news that we’re seeing the highest ever number of people completing an apprenticeship, and that the success rates have jumped to over 70 per cent. I’d like to congratulate all the people who have successfully completed an apprenticeship, and all the businesses who continue to offer apprenticeships, even in difficult economic times.

“We know that business values the apprenticeship highly because this training is providing the skilled workers British businesses need for the future and Government remains committed to making it easier for businesses to offer them.”

Other figures show that in the academic year 2008/09:

• People started 817,400 qualifications through Train to Gain, and successfully completed 543,100 qualifications;
• Overall, over 1.4 million Train to Gain courses have been started since the scheme was launched in April 2006 and over 850,000 people so far have gained a qualification; Train to Gain is the Government’s flagship service to help employers improve the skills of their employees and the productivity of their businesses.

Press release: Record numbers of people successfully completing apprenticeships

Read about ‘Skills for Growth’ – a strategy that includes creating a modern class of technicians through a dramatic expansion of advanced apprenticeships, creating 35,000 new places over the next two years.

- Launch date: 15th December 2009
- Closing date: 10th February 2010
- Response:     Spring 2010

A new review and a call for evidence to identify and address barriers to investment created by consents for development, other than planning permission, was announced on 15 December by Business Minister, Ian Lucas. The Penfold review, headed by Adrian Penfold – the current head of Planning and Environment at British Land and board member of British Land Corporation Ltd, will look at consents for development made alongside or after planning permission for all sizes of projects.

A well functioning planning and consents environment is an essential component in encouraging and facilitating investment in development. Striving for a regime that seeks to minimise the cost, time, bureaucracy and uncertainty attached to planning and consent applications has been, and continues to be, a key priority for government.

Submissions should be sent to penfoldreview@bis.gsi.gov.uk by 10 February 2010, though earlier responses would be helpful.

Full details

• The Penfold Review of Non-Planning Consents: Call for Evidence (Word, 69KB)
• Penfold Review – Terms of Reference (Word, 47KB)

Questions

1. How important do you consider non-planning consents are in making decisions about whether to invest in development proposals?
2. When applying for non-planning consents, what obstacles do developers encounter in terms of a) administrative burdens; b) costs; c) uncertainty and risk in applying for; and d) the length of time associated with obtaining such consents? Do any obstacles encountered have a particular impact on a specific sector, type of development or size of business? Which obstacles cause most difficulty and why?
3. How do those seeking consents go about identifying what additional consents are needed alongside or after planning permission? What difficulties do they encounter in doing so?
4. Can you give examples of investment options which have not been pursued, have been delayed or have otherwise significantly changed because of non-planning consents? Which consents were integral to the decision to stop, delay or change the development? Can you quantify the impact of the changes for the business affected?
5. What opportunities do you see for reducing a) the administrative burden; b) the cost; c) the uncertainty and risk in applying for; and d) the length of time associated with obtaining non-planning consents? What action can regulators take to improve the service they give to developers when dealing with non-planning consents? Which actions would bring greatest benefit and why?
6. Are there other relevant issues that the review should take into account?

Transcript of Podcast: Federation of Small Businesses’ John Wright

The summary report, published by the Better Regulation Executive, detailed how more than 280 changes to regulations have helped save UK businesses around £2.9 billion a year so far.  Read the full summary report here: Summary of Simplification Plans 2009 (PDF, 825KB) 

Ian Lucas, Minister for Business and Regulatory Reform, said:

“Simplification is making a real difference to the everyday lives of businesses, helping to make things as simple as possible, saving more than £8 million a day, every day.

“Individual measures may look small but it is overall impact that adds up to real savings. And support from the business community has helped make sure that savings to businesses are felt on the ground.

“But the programme also shows real change across government in its attitude towards regulation. Delivering the right business environment to promote growth relies on creating a flexible regulatory framework that minimises costs to business but ensures essential protections and rights are in place. Better regulation, with simplification at its core, is making that possible.”

An independent panel including representatives from the business community has tested whether simplification measures were effectively communicated to businesses and were felt in the ground.  In May this year, this Panel again scrutinised the Government’s delivery and validates 77.5% of the Programme’s gross savings.  

The Government is on track to meet its target of cutting the administrative burden on businesses by 25% by May 2010 that will deliver an expected £3.3 billion in annual net savings.

The report also details how government has delivered more than 30 per cent net reduction of the amount of information requests from central government on front-line public sector workers, such as nurses and police, and how it has cut more than £1.3 billion in wider costs of complying with regulation.

The Government recently announced a new commitment to cut the costs of regulation further, by £6.5 billion by 2015. This was part of a package of measures to strengthen the management of regulation with the publication of the Government’s regulatory programme until April 2011 and the creation and set up of a new independent scrutiny body to advise on the costs and benefits of new regulation. 

The Government announced in the Pre-Budget Report that it has already identified potential savings of over £1 billion towards the new target.  Recognising the importance of ensuring that the programme focuses its attention on the areas which are of greatest concern for business, the Government is today launching a call for evidence, to enable business and other interested parties to feed in suggestions of which regulatory activities place disproportionate costs on business, compared to the benefits delivered, and to propose action that will reduce or remove these costs.

If you’ve paid for something and you’re not happy, establishing your rights is the first step towards claiming the refund, repair or replacement you may be entitled to.

The key rules to be aware of are:

• Goods must fit the description given
• Goods must be of satisfactory quality
• Goods must be fit for purpose

Consumer Direct is a government-funded advice service for consumers and should be your first port of call for practical help with how to complain. For more information visit the Consumer Direct website or call the helpline on 08454 04 05 06.

Later today Kevin Brennan will tell the National Consumer Federation’s Consumer Congress in London that: “There’s a lot of of protection in place to support consumers, but we want to see a big improvement in awareness of this protection and of consumer rights in general.

“You are much more likely to get a fair deal, save money and get the right result if you are aware of your rights. This is especially important at Christmas when most people are spending money both on gifts and in the sales.”

Watch the ‘Know Your Consumer Rights’ video

BIS is playing a key role in the Government’s plans announced as part of today’s Pre-Budget Report (PBR). Only if the economy returns to strong and sustainable growth can we reduce public borrowing and protect frontline public services.

That’s why we are prioritising and targeting our actions to ensure that they support recovery and drive longer term economic growth.

We’re building on the work we’ve done already, with the latest statistics showing Real Help for Businesses is getting through and initiatives under way to invest in growth as part of our active industrial strategy, New Industry, New Jobs.

Extra funding to invest in growth through the Strategic Investment Fund

The Strategic Investment Fund (SIF) has been expanded with an additional £200 million, bringing the value of the fund to £950 million. This will extend the targeted support for investments across the UK economy to strengthen its capacity for innovation, job creation and growth.

New investments announced are particularly targeted at low carbon and emerging technology projects around the country.

Support for small businesses extended

While most firms report that they can get the finance they need we recognise that closing our support schemes too early could risk derailing the recovery by stifling the investment plans of the businesses that create growth and jobs.

The Enterprise Finance Guarantee facility will continue for another year, supporting up to £500 million of bank loans to viable businesses between April 2010 and March 2011.

The Government also announced that the Time to Pay scheme, which helps businesses spread their tax payments, will be extended for as long as necessary and the increase in corporation tax for smaller companies will be deferred until April 2011.

Incentivising Innovation

To strengthen the incentives to invest in innovative industries and ensure the UK remains an attractive location for innovation, a 10 per cent corporation tax rate will be introduced on income which stems from patents. This will benefit all businesses that develop patents – in particular innovative industries such as pharma, biotech, aerospace, automobiles, and telecomms.

Key announcements

10 Dec 2009

• 1.07pm Government Welcomes GSK’s Response to Patent Box
• 12.57pm Consumer Minister Welcomes Additional £5m For Citizens Advice Bureaux
• 12.27pm Cutting edge computing institute for Wales

9 Dec 2009

• 4.13pm Investing for Growth
• 3.20pm New £24m Boost to Life Science Sector in Edinburgh
• 3.15pm Government Extends Loan Guarantee Scheme
• 3.05pm Government to Create Europe’s Largest Technology Venture Capital Fund
• The Chancellor’s speech in full
• How the PBR will affect you

Useful links

• Watch the Chancellor’s statement at BBC Democracy Live
• Visit the Treasury’s PBR website
• Follow the Treasury on Twitter
• Consultation on Implementing a Landline Duty (’broadband tax’)

IMAGE: Josh Hallett, licensed under Creative Commons 2.0

On 14th October David Lammy, the Minister of State for Higher Education, and John Goodfellow, Chair of the SLC, jointly commissioned Professor Sir Deian Hopkin, supported by Bernadette Kenny of HMRC, to provide external scrutiny of the lessons learned exercise undertaken by the Company

David Lammy, the Minister of State for Higher Education, and John Goodfellow, Chair of the Student Loans Company have now been presented with a report by Professor Sir Deian Hopkin on the recent problems surrounding applications for student support.

The Recommendations have been accepted in full.

The Minister made a Written Statement to the House of Commons on Tuesday 8th December.

Read the statement

Download the report 276KB

SLC letter to David Lammy 40KB

The SLC have delayed the opening of student finance applications for academic year 2010/11 to ensure that they are fully able to take the recommendations of the report into consideration.

Applications are expected to open shortly, and this date will be publicised via www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance

To show your support, please sign the Back the Bid pledge. By signing up you’ll also receive daily morning updates from the summit.

The pledge forms part of the Act on Copenhagen website, from the Department of Energy and Climate Change. Other site features include:

• Ten facts on why climate change is happening
• An interactive map showing the effect of a 4℃ rise in temperature
• DECC’s Twitter stream and RSS feeds to keep in touch with summit news

Below is a taster from the Act on Cophenhagen site – a timeline showing key events en route to the summit.

The Autumn Performance Report shows there has been progress across all the PSAs and DSOs that have been assessed, showing that the Department is performing well in difficult economic conditions.  Of the five BIS-led PSAs, one is showing strong progress, three are showing some progress, and one is yet to be assessed.  Of the eleven DSOs the Department has inherited from BERR and DIUS, eight are showing strong progress and three are showing some progress. 

Also included in the Autumn Performance Report are an update on delivery of BIS’s value for money savings targets, and assessments of outstanding PSAs from the 2004 Spending Review.

Work, Recovery & Inclusion (PDF, 1.4MB)

It sets out a long term vision to radically increase the number of people from this group in employment by 2025, and to narrow the gap between their employment rate and that of disabled people generally.

Mental ill-health is the most common reason for claiming health-related benefits and costs the economy between £30bn and £40bn through lost production, sick pay, NHS treatment as well as the personal and financial costs that result from being out of work.

Skills Minister Kevin Brennan said:

“Today is a landmark in bringing together our long-held collective aspirations for a better deal for people with mental health conditions. Two years ago, the Foresight Project on Mental Capital and Wellbeing set out how we could achieve the best possible mental wellbeing for everyone in the UK. We have worked to develop a strong, cohesive set of services that will support those out of work, employees and employers to manage mental health. For our part, we are making sure that our learning and skill systems are part of that solution. “

Notes:

1. Download Work, Recovery & Inclusion (PDF, 1.4MB).  Related information can be found on the Cabinet Office website.

2. DWP reports can be found at www.dwp.gov.uk/realising-ambitions

3. The DoH report – new Horizons can be found at www.dh.gov.uk

4. An occupational health advice line for small businesses is being piloted in seven regions of England (East Anglia; Merseyside; North East; North and West Yorkshire; Portsmouth, South Hampshire, East Sussex & Isle of Wight; South Buckinghamshire, South Oxfordshire, West Berkshire; and West London), and across the whole of Scotland and Wales. The advice lines for all pilots will be open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (9am to 4.30pm on Friday in Scotland). The advice lines will be operating from 7 December. DWP is working with the NHS to deliver the service.

England
Health for Work Adviceline – 0800 0 77 88 44
www.health4work.nhs.uk (website for England goes live a t 9am on
Wednesday 9 December 2009).

Scotland
Healthy Working Lives Adviceline – 0800 019 2211
http://www.healthyworkinglives.com

Wales
Health at Work Advice Line Wales; Llinell Gymorth Iechyd ar Waith Cymru – 0800 107 0900
http://www.healthyworkingwales.com

The paper will show how Government, by making the necessary savings and taking tough choices on spending priorities, can both protect frontline services and help meet its commitment to halve the public deficit within four years.

Download the publication and see live coverage of the launch here.

The package includes a new Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre in Sheffield, an £8m upgrade to the University of Manchester’s nuclear laboratories, a Rolls Royce facility in South Yorkshire, and designating the North West and Yorkshire a Nuclear Low Carbon Economic Area.

For more information on the package, visit the Advanced Manufacturing website here.

Simplifying Trade Across UK Borders – A Plan of Action sets out measures to boost trade by reducing the bureaucracy faced by businesses at UK borders.

Measures include making greater use of electronic processes to reduce paperwork and better coordination between border agencies to streamline movement of goods in and out of the UK.

Download Simplifying Trade Across UK Borders (PDF)

The plan of action, published during Doing Business in Asia Week, will aid the movement of goods between the UK and countries both within and outside the EU. Doing Business in Asia Week sees UK Trade & Investment export experts from 11 markets across Asia return to the UK to speak to 1000 SMEs. In London, Leeds, Birmingham and Edinburgh they will give practical trading advice and business climate updates to help UK companies win a larger share of Asia’s markets.

Read the full press release

Lord Mandelson said:

“Growing financial services at the Post Office will help secure the future of the network and give people access to a full range of banking products at an institution they trust and value.”

Some of the proposals put forward include: a weekly budgeting account, a current account, a children’s saving account, business accounts, more mortgages and closer links to credit unions.

See the Post Office Banking page for more information.

Read the full press release

Making its initial response to the Gibson Review of Engineering Construction, a study of productivity and skills in the sector, the Government has committed to:

1. Earmarking £4.5 million of funding for more trainees and apprenticeships in the sector.

2. Working with the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board to ensure that the industry’s training levy is fairly applied to all firms working in the industry, including non UK firms.

Lord Mandelson also welcomed the creation of a new cross-industry body set up to promote change in the sector to be chaired by Ian Marchant, chief executive of Scottish & Southern Energy.

Lord Mandelson said:

“The engineering construction sector employs up to sixty thousand people in the UK. This new investment means that more home grown workers will be provided with the skills and experience needed for them to take the work opportunities that designing, building and maintaining the wave of new investment the country needs in power stations and energy infrastructure.

“I am delighted that someone of the calibre of Ian Marchant has agreed to take on this important role. His experience is highly relevant, and he is extremely well placed to take the work of the Forum forward.”

New chair of the forum Ian Marchant said:

“The UK’s engineering construction industry needs more people with more skills and better productivity if it is to play a full part in the transformation of the UK’s power stations, oil refineries and chemical plant that we will see over the next two decades. One of the key risks to the overhaul of the country’s asset base is that it lacks the engineers to do the work. Over the next 18 months, I expect the new Forum to set out a practical and comprehensive plan to turn this risk into an opportunity for the UK to improve skills, create jobs and provide work for a growing number of successful engineering construction companies.”

Download the Gibson Review 1.6MB

Accompanying analysis and press releases

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson and Minister for Science and Innovation, Lord Drayson, highlighted the exciting potential that exists to invest in technology in the UK.

The Summit will also provide more information on the UK Innovation Investment Fund (UKIIF) to fund managers.

The Fund was announced by the Prime Minister on 29 June 2009 as part of the Government’s strategy for Building Britain’s Future. BIS, DECC and DoH will invest a total of £150 million alongside private sector investment on an equal basis.

It is the Government’s ambition to create a Fund worth £1 billion over the 15 year life of the Fund.

Companies showcasing at the Summit include:
Horizon Discovery
ApaTech
NaturalMotion
TMO Renewables

Twitter
Follow @ukiif to read live tweets from the event.

LinkedIn
Contribute to the discussion about investment in the UK and keep up to date on UKIIF developments by joining the UKIIF LinkedIn group.

UKIIF website
For more information and contacts, visit the UKIIF website here.

A new film aimed at encouraging small and medium-sized enterprises to seize the opportunities presented by addressing climate change has been launched.

The ten minute film, entitled Low Carbon, High Potential, features interviews with five leading UK businesses, including SMEs who are already taking up the opportunities presented by the transition to a low carbon economy. They explain the steps that they have taken to reduce their climate impact, why they chose to do it, and the benefits they have received in doing so.

The film is the result of a collaboration between public, private and third sector organisations. These include The Prince’s Mayday Network, The Carbon Trust, The Prince of Wales’ Corporate Leaders’ Group on Climate Change, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO).

Commenting on his involvement in the film, Adnams’ managing director, Andy Wood, said: “At Adnams, we have transformed ourselves into a low carbon business which brings huge benefits to our organisation, both in money savings, brand reputation and employee engagement. I was delighted to be in a film which encourages other businesses to do the same. Every business can make a difference.”

Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband said: “Copenhagen is a real business opportunity for Britain. This video shows that going low carbon is not just something for big corporations, but that it is something that can open up new markets, create jobs and present cost saving opportunities to business of all shapes and sizes right here in the UK. That’s why we’ll be pushing for an ambitious outcome in Copenhagen – to help fast-track these opportunities for the benefit of UK business.”

The film will be distributed through a number of UK business networks and websites, including those of the film partners and key business organisations such as BusinessLink, the CBI, the Federation of Small Businesses and the UK Chambers of Commerce.

This guide focuses on cutting costs, both in the short and longer term, but also on the new opportunities that are available through entering expanding low carbon markets for low carbon and resource efficiency. This is a huge sector, globally £3 trillion and predicted to grow to over £4.3 trillion by 2016.

The booklet highlights the risks of inaction: losing out to more efficient competitors, greater exposure to volatile fuel and commodity prices, material scarcity and effects of climate change and responding to the challenges of new government policy.

And finally the booklet looks at how action also leads to benefits in engaging people from customers, through brand reputation, to employee retention.

Can you Afford Not To? (PDF, 471KB) is hosted on Business Link’s ‘Act on Copenhagen’ pages.

Composites are increasingly used for their lightweight, super strength properties in aeroplane wings and racing cars.

In the ‘UK Composite Strategy’ document Lord Mandelson estimates that the high-value composites market is currently worth about £1 billion to the British economy.

The UK offshore composite wind turbine blade and aerospace wing market alone could be worth £22 billion by 2020 – highlighting composites’ low carbon credentials. For more information on the strategy see the Advanced Manufacturing website here.

“Our challenge certainly isn’t to fight off that process of technological and structural change – if anything Government has an obligation to drive it faster both for environmental and economic reasons.

“Our job has to be to help you make sure that when the technological kaleidoscope slows again, Britain emerges as one of the best place in the world to makes these new kinds of vehicles and their components, to design and manufacture these new kinds of technologies.”

Read the full speech

Lord Mandelson also announced the full line-up of members making up the Automotive Council. The council will be jointly chaired by Lord Mandelson and Richard Parry Jones (ex-Ford).

The closing date for submissions of Expressions of Interest is 17:00 on the 25 January 2010.

Published jointly by the Department for Business and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Bill aims to support growth in the creative and digital sectors and includes measures aimed at tackling widespread online infringement of creative copyright, such as peer-to-peer file-sharing.

Read the text of the Bill on the Parliament website

Key measures in the Bill include:

• obliging individual ISPs to take action against infringers
• modernising the copyright system
• unlocking large volumes of previously unusable ‘orphan works’
• extending public lending rights to include digital material
• improve the regulation of internet domain names
• update digital radio regulations for a digital switch over in 2015
• give OFCOM powers to support regional and local news
• age ratings compulsory for boxed videos designed for those aged 12 or above

Lord Mandelson said:

“On current definitions our digital economy accounts for nearly £1 in every £10 that the whole British economy produces each year – so our creative and digital industries are key to Britain’s future economic success. This Bill will give them the framework to develop competitively and make the UK a global creative leader.

“Better protecting our creative communities from the threat of online infringement will ensure existing and emerging talent is rewarded and will bring new choices for online consumers.”

“Creating the right conditions for investment in our communications infrastructure will bring benefits for households and businesses in all parts of the country.”

Secretary of State for Culture Ben Bradshaw said:

“”Our digital economy is worth around 8% of GDP.

“Britain’s creative industries have become number one in the world as a proportion of our economy.

“This Bill is a key part of the Government’s active industrial strategy and will maintain and build on Britain’s leading position. It includes measures to ensure universal broadband, the protection of music, film and other creative content and the future of quality local and regional news. The market will not provide these things, only Government action can.”

Minister for Digital Britain, Stephen Timms, explains the Bill:

Press notice
Read the full press notice here

Links
Read more about the Bill on our dedicated website.

The Bill is the legislative programme that realises many of the recommendations made in the Government’s Digital Britain White Paper, published on 16 June 2009.

Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis today invited cities and businesses to join together to bid for the money which will help fund the installation of charging points on street, car parks and in commercial, retail and leisure facilities.

This initiative – called Plugged-In Places – will support the development of between three and six electric car cities and regions across the UK which will act as trailblazers for electric car technology. The experiences of these locations will inform the future development of a national recharging infrastructure.

Overall, the Government is investing over £400m to encourage the development, manufacture and use of next generation ultra-low carbon vehicles. Delivered by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles this support is being targeted to create new jobs in a low carbon automotive sector and to cut carbon from UK road transport.

Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis said:

“The UK can be a world leader in low carbon transport which is why the Government has already committed around £400 million of support to encourage development and uptake of ultra-low emission vehicles.

“Our aim is for ultra-low carbon vehicles to be an everyday feature of life on Britain’s roads in less than five years. There is still a lot of work to be done, however Plugged-In Places is one very significant step in putting us firmly on the path to a low carbon future.”

Encouraging companies to get involved, Business Minister Pat McFadden said:
“The move to lower-carbon forms of transport is a turning point for the automotive industry, opening up new opportunities for existing UK automotive companies and with the potential to create new jobs and new industries, for example around the charging infrastructure.

“I urge British companies to get involved and seize these new new opportunities for growth and jobs.

“Our aim is for Britain to become a global centre for low carbon transport development, manufacturing and delivery – the Government is backing businesses who want to help make this happen.”

The total number and location of charging infrastructure supported by this initiative will depend on local plans and requirements. The intention is that successful applicants will match the Government’s investment.

These plans build on existing measures to support alternative fuels and today the Government is announcing the seven schemes that will benefit from £500k of funding through the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Grant Programme. These schemes will see the provision of 72 electric charging points and 4 gas refuelling stations in areas across England.

Visit the Office for Low Emission vehicles

The iawards ceremonly was held on November 16 at the Science Museum in London.

Hosting the event, Science and Innovation Minister, Lord Drayson said:

“The iawards winners epitomise the best of British innovation that will drive the future growth of our economy and make Britain a better place to live and work. I’m delighted to be part of an event celebrating British success. ”

Co-host and business entrepreneur, James Caan, said:

“All of the finalists have demonstrated that Britain is home to some of the best innovators in the world. I’m privileged to be part of the iawards and recognise and honour all finalists for their expertise and vital contribution they make to our economy. I’d like to say huge congratulations to all of the winners who have helped bring the deserved attention to these new technologies and innovations.”

The iawards winners

The iaward of the year and iaward for best technology start-up
Horizon Discovery Ltd, Cambridge: X-MAN Model Cancer Patient

A tool that identifies personalised cancer medications – reducing R&D costs, shortening clinical cycles and increasing patient survival.

Chair judge, Mike Butcher said:

“Horizon Discovery really impressed us with their ‘patient in a test-tube’, which is the first human cell model that can identify personalised cancer medications, leading to shorter drug trials and increased patient life. Quite simply, this is world-class scientists doing first-class work.  They have developed a revolutionary approach and demonstrated clever innovation in a difficult area, with excellent prospects for impact on the health sector.”

The iaward for places to live and work
E-Stack Ltd, Cambridge: E-Stack Atrium Ventilation System

A new approach to reducing the energy consumption of residential and commercial buildings by up to 50%, based on recycling internal heat.

Chair judge, Peter Drummond said:

“E-Stack is a well-deserved winner of the iaward for ‘Places to live and work’ category. It answers a significant market problem in a simple and interesting way and this is why it was selected.”

The iaward for energy and environment
Siemens Mobility. London: Environmentally Friendly ELV Traffic Systems

Extra Low Voltage traffic signal equipment that delivers unprecedented reductions in power consumption and costs, as well as improved electrical safety.

Chair judge, Dale Vince said:

“Siemens was a clear winner for us. What initially appeared to be a rather simple case of putting LEDs into traffic lights actually required a great deal of innovation and focus. They clearly identified a need and developed a solution with commercial success. Siemens has produced a targeted innovation addressing a well-defined problem, which can reap significant success in the UK market.”

The iaward for digital communications
Powertraveller Ltd, Hampshire: Solargorilla

A portable solar charger for power-hungry devices including laptops, mobile phones and MP3 players.

Chair judge, Justin Pearce said:

“As digital communications become freed from the fixed-line internet, being able to efficiently power digital devices via renewable energy sources is increasingly important. Solargorilla is an innovative solution to a growing issue and a well-deserved winner of the iawards ‘digital communications’ category.”

The iaward for entertainment and media
The Foundry, London: Ocula

The first set of dedicated software tools for 3D film post-production, which address common problems experienced with stereoscopic imagery.

Chair judge, Dr Lincoln Wallen said:

“The Foundry’s Ocula is likely to have a significant impact on the film industry and as such we are proud to announce it as the winner of the 2009 iawards ‘entertainment and media category’. We look forward to seeing the results in many upcoming films that have benefited from the use of this technology.”

The iaward for a consumer product
Unilever R&D, London: Pureit

The first home water purification device that kills 100% of water-borne bacteria and viruses.

Chair Judge, Dominic Littlewood said:

“With Pureit, Unilever demonstrated a commercial innovation that tackles an important social problem. We can expect to see this product appear in many homes across the UK as we work to combat the effects of water-borne bacteria and viruses.”

The iaward for cross-application of technology
Metrasens Ltd, Worcestershire: FerroGuard

A portable metal detector for medical and security purposes that uses technology originally developed for submarine and mine detection.

Chair judge, Jonathan Kestenbaum said:

“FerroGuard represents a superb example of the cross-application of technology. It’s a smart idea with clear market potential and links to some of Britain’s national priorities. An outstanding entry and well-deserved winner.”

The iaward for best collaboration
Opal Contracts, Birmingham: Infection Minimising Curtain Hook

A new curtain hook that reduces the risk of superbug infection in healthcare environments by enabling the easy packing, storage and handling of disposable curtains.

Chair judge, Annette Williams said:

“Opal Contracts’ curtain hook has shown great commercial potential. It’s a superb example of successful collaboration and will have major impact on societal needs. It represents a significant innovation that can positively impact on numerous lives.””

The iaward for British inside
Ubisense, Cambridge: Ubisense Real Time Location System

An innovative system that accurately tracks people and goods in real time – benefiting industries including manufacturing, the military, transport and animal husbandry.

Chair judge, Allyson Reed said:

“The celebration of ‘British inside’ encouraged an impressively diverse range of companies. We felt that Ubisense’s entry was a particularly versatile product – the ability to locate people and assets with unmatched accuracy has potential in a huge number of industries. And it’s great to see university research underpinning the success of this technology. Ubisense can be proud of their achievement.”

The iaward for the next big thing
Diverse-Energy Ltd, West Sussex: PowerCube

A fuel-cell based power solution for cellular telecoms towers, designed to provide a clean, low-cost and reliable alternative to diesel generators.

Chair judge, Rory Cellan-Jones said:

“This was an extremely difficult category to judge because the ‘next big thing’ could be from any industry and in any stage of development . But Powercube really stood out for us. This fuel-cell based power system could reduce the number of polluting diesel generators, improving the local environment and giving cell providers a green alternative as they expand into developing markets. As previously disenfranchised communities come online, this product could make a real difference to the way we live.”

Links
For more information and videos of the winners reactions please visit www.iawards.org.uk

Twitter
To read updates on the iawards and the winning companies, follow @iawards

To track the discussion online, use the hashtag #iawards

Social Media News Relase
For bloggers and online journalists seeking additional videos, images and more information

Download Skills for Growth – The National Skills Strategy
UPDATE 16/11: Download the Skills Investment Strategy 2010-11
Read the full press release

Skills for Growth – The National Skills Strategy sets out a pathway to achieving a bold new ambition for three quarters of the population to go to university or get an advanced technical qualification by the age of 30. The Government will:

• Create a modern class of technicians, through a dramatic expansion of advanced apprenticeships, creating 35,000 new places over the next two years;
• Give every adult a personal skills account, empowering learners to shop around for training with new information on how well different courses and colleges can meet their needs;
• Radically simplify the way in which skills policy is delivered – working with the UK Commission for Employment and Skills to reduce the number of public bodies by more than 30.

Lord Mandelson said:

“Higher level skills have never been more important to our growth. This strategy marks a radical shift in our skills priorities. It shows how we’ll make sure we’ve got the skills to power the new industries and jobs of the future.

“We need engineers to lay the cables to expand access to high-speed internet, skilled people to build the electric vehicles of the future, and technicians to develop the medicines that will save lives.

“The goal of this strategy is a skills system defined not simply by targets based on achieved qualifications, but by ‘real world’ outcomes. Relevant, quality skills, with real market value.”

In addition, the Government will:

• Work with business to focus funding on the areas of the economy that can do most to drive growth and jobs, deploying around £100m to support around 160,000 training places in areas such as life sciences, digital media and technology, advanced manufacturing, engineering, construction and low carbon energy;
• Offering 1,000 new scholarships worth £1,000 each, to encourage the best apprentices to progress into higher education; and
• Give more employers the chance to drive and shape training provision through launching a fifth competitive bidding round of the National Skills Academies programme.

Over seven days hundreds of thousands of people from across the UK will take part in events and activities to develop their entrepreneurial ideas, with a focus on realizing global opportunities – helping create jobs, drive recovery and deliver growth.

Events are taking place in schools, colleges, universities, football grounds, pubs, town halls, businesses and workplaces.

The initiative is run by Enterprise UK, the business-led, government-backed campaign to increase entrepreneurship in the UK.

Lord Davies, Minister for Trade, Investment and Small Business, said:
“The challenges faced by the global economy in the past year highlight the interconnectedness of the world today. Entrepreneurs have a valuable role to play in applying their creativity and boldness to help us overcome those challenges.

“That is why Global Entrepreneurship Week supports entrepreneurs to make the global connections that maximise growth.”

“British ideas have changed people’s lives across the globe. In recent years, British entrepreneurs have brought to life the internet, the i-pod and the wind-up radio. I hope this week inspires a new generation of ideas that will change the way we live.”

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said:

“Whether they’ve built a global empire or work from their kitchen table, entrepreneurs are key to driving economic prosperity. Their contribution to the UK and global economy cannot be underestimated.

“Global Entrepreneurship Week helps ensure that the ideas and aspirations of all entrepreneurs are built in to successful enterprises.”

For more information about Global Entrepreneurship Week 2009 and to participate in an event near you, go to www.gew.org.uk

To find out what the global commuity is doing, go to www.unleashingideas.org

Through areas such as innovation and high-skilled job creation, the automotive sector will be driving the UK’s economic growth. With the industry at a technological turning point in radically reducing carbon emissions, investment now will be critical to its success.

To ensure that the UK’s car industry can build on its strengths and develop the new capabilities needed to compete in a competitive global market, the Council will have an important strategic role in helping to achieve these goals.

The move is part of the Government’s positive response to the wide ranging recommendations made in a report from the New Automotive Innovation and Growth Team (NAIGT) published earlier this year, setting out its 20-year vision for the automotive industry.

The Council will be chaired jointly by Lord Mandelson and by ex-Ford boss Richard Parry-Jones. The Automotive Council will be tasked with taking forward the agreed actions from the NAIGT report including the importance of the technology road maps and developing a stronger supply chain.

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said:

“The Automotive Council will be an opportunity for Government and industry to work together on the long term strategic development of the sector. The car industry needs to capitalise on the economic opportunities and job creation offered by the shift to low carbon.

“I am delighted that Richard Parry-Jones will be continuing the good work he started with NAIGT as chairman of the Automotive Council.”

Automotive Council Chairman Richard Parry-Jones said:

“I’m delighted to co-Chair the Automotive Council and take forward the long term strategic agenda laid out in the NAIGT report. The UK must raise its game to compete for international investment in automotive R&D and manufacturing.

“To do that, the UK’s car manufacturers need an ever more strategic, collaborative relationship with the Government and to be working with the supply chain and other stakeholders to achieve long term goals. I want the Council to make that happen.”

The first meeting is expected to be held in December.

Read the original press release

Notes to editors

1. NAIGT report and the Government’s response
2. The NAIGT’s other main recommendation was to establish a technology roadmap to include the trialling of low carbon vehicles. The Government announced a project in July that will see over 340 low carbon vehicles being tried out on the UK’s roads. A common research agenda will help direct government funding to those areas most critical to the deployment of low and ultra low carbon vehicles. The ownership of this agenda will lie with the Technology Strategy Board and the Automotive Council, working with the Office for Low Emission Vehicles.
3. A list of Council members will be published in due course.

The Report identifies four key recommendations and these will be developed by establishing a pilot scheme, which focuses on a particular sector that crosses several Government Departments.  This will demonstrate good practice in action, and act as a model for successful engagement between Trade Associations and Government.

Ian Lucas, Minister for Business and Regulatory Reform, welcomed today’s announcement.  He said: “It is important that BIS positions itself as a strong voice for business at the heart of Government, and we will need to change not just what we do, but how we do it.

“The way Government sees its own role in the market needs to change in order to deliver a more coherent and effective approach. Government can promote investment, growth and jobs in Britain through policy consistency across departments, regulatory certainty, smart public procurement and a readiness to intervene where necessary.

“This involves Government acting creatively and pragmatically in new ways to supplement the market, but not substitute itself for the market. We have published our “Building Britain’s Future – New Industry, New Jobs” policy statement which identifies key areas where Government action can have the most impact. 

“We are investing in growth to speed recovery and building manufacturing capability and services, which is essential to ensure British people and businesses can compete successfully for the jobs of the future”.

The ‘VOBB’ Project offers enormous potential for Trade Associations to represent their members in an effectively coordinated fashion when interacting with Government, and quickly cascading messages about Government policy. 

“By building on the solid partnership that already exists between BIS and the Trade Association Forum, it is intended that the Project can be the catalyst for much improved methods of better collaborative working that helps boost the value of communication between businesses and Government.”

Lord Mandelson spoke about Europe’s role in the world; how we need to get our economic, political and institutional act together, whilst outlining some new ideas on how the work of the European Commission could be reorganised, particularly in the wake of the economic crisis.

Hear the speech:

Lord Mandelson said:

“We are approaching a decisive break with the economic past – a totally reordered global economy. The idea that this doesn’t require serious new thinking in Europe is just not credible – it must be based based on new strengths and capabilities to enable us to compete in a much tougher global economy.

“We will either step into a meaningful role in a multipolar world, or make do with a walk-on role. Will we drive the agenda, or become a subsidiary of a process driven and shaped elsewhere, above all by the G2, meaning the US and China. We need policies and structures for this changed world.  So it is time that Europe got real.”

Lord Mandelson offered a wide range of suggestions for refocusing EU policy around innovation and investment in growth, including:

• Refocusing the EU’s structural and research funds to support innovation.
• Potentially amending EU State Aid rules to boost growth in high-tech industries including low-carbon.
• Driving forward the benefits of a single market, especially by making open trade in services a reality.
• Rethinking some of the organisation of the European  Commission to reflect the importance of innovation, the digital economy and climate change.

• Full text of Lord Mandelson’s speech
• Press release: A different Europe for a new economic era
• View images of Lord Mandelson’s speech in our Flickr set

The development of the T.27 – the brain child of Gordon Murray Design and Zytek Automotive Technology – has been made possible through a £4.5m investment from the TSB. With a total cost of £9m, a new research and development project will allow the consortium to develop four prototypes of the vehicle by February 2011.

Science and Innovation Minister Lord Drayson, who today test drove the T.25 – the existing petrol version of the car – said:

“The T27 is a great example of smart engineering and sustainable design. It’s timely too, as the UK must demonstrate its readiness to exploit the emerging low-carbon vehicles market. The challenge is far greater than simply meeting stricter EU emissions targets. We need to expand our car industry through green innovation.”

The T.27 is a sustainable vehicle, which means it will be designed in a way that minimises the use of materials and keeps the vehicle’s embedded carbon as low as possible. The aim is to ensure that the environmental impact of the materials and energy used are as low as can be. The iStream® production process is also highly-efficient and flexible, thereby helping to reduce costs.

Gordon Murray, Chief Executive and Technical Director of Gordon Murray Design said:

“The iStream® manufacturing process behind the T.25 and T.27 is all about sustainable, low energy process by design. The T.27 programme is a great opportunity for us and our partners to create what will be the world’s most efficient electric vehicle.”

The aim of the 16 month project is to develop prototypes that will put the consortium in the position where they can further explore the possibility of scaling up and building a manufacturing facility, with the ultimate goal of making this affordable, fun and environmentally-friendly car widely available on the open market.

Press notice
Read the full press notice here.

Images
View the BIS Flickr album here.

Links
The Technology Strategy Board is an executive non-departmental public body (NDPB), established by the Government in 2007 and sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

Gordon Murray Design Limited is a new British company operating from Shalford in Surrey.  The new company aims to be the world leader in automotive design  by having a complete in-house capability for design, prototyping and development.

Zytek AutomotiveTechnology is a British engineering company with expertise in the design, development and manufacture of hybrid and electric drivetrains.

500 businesses from across the UK heard that, with less than 1000 days to go to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, there are still approximately £1.7 billion worth of contracts to be awarded.

Peter Mandelson, Business Secretary, said:

“Today’s event showcases the £1.7 billion still on offer for businesses in the London 2012 Olympic project, and the springboard it provides to win business in other sporting events worldwide. ”

Tessa Jowell, Olympics Minister, said:

“Today shows that there are still plenty of opportunities for British businesses to benefit from the Olympics. In these tough economic times London 2012 is helping to keep order books busy. The skill and ingenuity of the whole country is helping deliver the Games, which are on time and on budget.

London 2012 Chairman Sebastian Coe said:

“LOCOG, the Organising Committee, now moves from planning to delivery and as we seek to procure the goods and services we need to stage a successful Games, we will be contracting around £700m worth of work.  From 900,000 pieces of sporting equipment to 17,000 or so beds for the Olympic Village, opportunities exist for companies of all sizes to be part of London 2012.”

Companies attending will also be encouraged to use the experience of London 2012 to target contracts on offer from other host nations including

• Canada, hosts of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games

• South Africa, FIFA 2010 World Cup

• Russia, Sochi 2014 Winter Games

• Brazil, FIFA World Cup 2014

• Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Press notice
Read the full press notice here.

Images
To download hi resolution images of today’s summit, visit the BIS Flickr photo album here.

Links

For more information about the government support on offer for businesses interested in taking advantage of the opportunities of the 2012 Games, see www.competefor.com or www.businesslink.gov.uk

UKTI offers expertise and contacts through its extensive network of specialists in the UK, and in British embassies and other diplomatic offices around the world.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is the host department of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) is responsible for preparing and staging the Games in 2012

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is the public body responsible for developing and building the new venues and infrastructure for the Games and their use after 2012.

Download ‘Higher Ambitions’

Lord Mandelson’s vision to sustain university success in more challenging and competitive times sets out the Government’s approach on the major issues facing universities, including the need to make greater contributions to the economy, widening access and strengthening our research capacity.

The higher education framework, Higher Ambitions, sets out a strategy for universities to remain world class, providing the nation with the high level skills needed to remain competitive, while continuing to attract the brightest students and researchers.

Key measures set out in the framework include:

• More competition between universities, giving greater priority to programmes that meet the need for high level skills;
• Business to be more engaged in the funding and design of programmes, sponsorship of students, and work placements;
• Creating more part-time, work-based and foundation degrees to make it easier for adults to go to university, with routes from apprenticeships through to Foundation Degrees and other vocational programmes;
• Encouraging universities to consider contextual data in admissions, as one way of ensuring that higher education is available to all young people who have the ability to benefit;
• Universities setting out clearly what students can expect in terms of the nature and quality of courses offered;
• Sustaining our world class research base by continuing to focus on excellence, concentrating research funding where needed to secure critical mass and impact; and
• Encouraging collaboration between universities on world class research, especially in high cost science.

In the House of Lords Lord Mandelson said:

“Able people and bright ideas are the foundation stones of a thriving knowledge economy and in the next ten years we will want more, not fewer people in higher education, and more not less quality research.

“We have made great progress in the number of young people going to university at 18 or 19 to do a three year degree. But the challenge for the next decade is to offer a wider range of new study opportunities – part-time, work-based, foundation degrees and studying whilst at home – to a greater range of people.

“All students must continue to enter higher education on their merit. But I believe this means taking account of a student’s academic attainment, their aptitude and their potential. Many universities are already developing their use of contextual data in admissions and we hope that all universities will look at their examples and consider incorporating such data in their admissions processes.

“The Government also want universities to make an even bigger contribution to Britain’s economic recovery and future growth.

“We have therefore decided to give greater priority to programmes that meet the need for high level skills, especially in key areas such as science, technology, engineering and maths. There will be a greater element of competition between universities for new contestable funding as an incentive to fulfil this priority. With employers and universities, we will identify where the supply of graduates is not meeting demand for key skills. And we will seek to re-balance this, by asking HEFCE to prioritise the courses and subjects which match these skills needs.

“We will look to business to be more active partners with our universities. We want employers to be fully engaged in the funding and design of university programmes, the sponsorship of students, and offering work placements.

“In the decade ahead we will expect more from our universities than ever before. They will need to use their resources more effectively, reach out to a wider range of potential students and devise new sources of income, at the same time as they maintain teaching and research excellence.”

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills also announced that Sir Martin Harris, the Director for Fair Access, will consult with Vice Chancellors and provide the Government with a report on what further action could be taken to widen access to highly selective universities for those from under privileged backgrounds.

Lord Mandelson added:

“Wider and fairer access to university is a question of basic social justice and it is right that able students with the talent and ability to attend highly selective university are given a fair chance to do so, regardless of where they live or the school they attend.”

Download ‘Higher Ambitions’

Since the Manufacturing Strategy was published in 2008, Government has set out a new activist approach to supporting the economy. The transition to low carbon and a move to high tech high value-added manufacturing give the industry new opportunities to build on its strong base. The Government is investing in MTC and similar facilities to help UK manufacturing realise those opportunities.

In a speech today to industry leaders from across manufacturing, Business Minister Pat McFadden set out the need for an investment in skills as well as new technologies. For the sector to continue to grow and succeed it needs to have people with the right skills in the right place at the right time, he said.

The Minister will also formally launch Manufacturing Insight, a new industry backed body charged with improving the public perception of the sector and highlighting the diverse range of careers available.

Business Minister Pat McFadden said:

“Britain has a great manufacturing future, not just a great manufacturing past. We are the sixth largest manufacturing economy globally. But the face of manufacturing here is changing and we need to embrace and support the numerous opportunities created as a result.”

“That’s why we’re investing in centres like Ansty Park to help business and universities collaborate and commercialise new and innovative products and processes.”

The new centre at Ansty Park in the Midlands will form part of a national network of manufacturing centres offering support for business and universities. The network will support innovation in manufacturing, helping new and emerging products and processes get to market. The £40 million investment comes from Advantage West Midlands and East Midlands Development agency.

Up to twenty projects have already been identified to use the new centre at Ansty Park and it is hoped that up to 150 highly skilled jobs will be created. Over the next ten years a total of £130 million will be invested in the centre and constitutes the largest investment in a manufacturing research facility for many years.

Images

High resolution images are available for download and reuse from the BIS Flickr photo album here.

Press notice
Read the full BIS press notice here.

Manufacturing Strategy
View the original Manufacturing Strategy document here.

Get you a better deal on credit cards and store cards

Give you more control over the money you borrow

Make sure any changes we make help the right people

Let us know what you think are the big issues in our poll, read and listen to summarised versions of the consultation document and leave your comments in our consultation area.

The report was launched today at Middlesex University by Minister for Students Lord Young, Minister for Higher Education David Lammy and Maeve Sherlock, Chair of the National Student Forum.

For the first time the report is fully interactive, with students and universities invited to get online and be heard by the National Student Forum.

Amongst its recommendations, the group particularly looked at the flexibility of universities in the courses they offer and how students can combine qualifications gained in one institution with those gained in another.

However, it emphasised that this flexibility must not come at the cost of excellence, which is as valuable in teaching as it is in research. Students must be confident in the system they are part of and feel confident that they will receive teaching of the highest quality as they embark on their studies.

Maeve Sherlock, Chair of the National Student Forum, said:

“We want to begin a dialogue with students, HE staff and HE sector bodies. This is why our second report is an interactive publication, inviting feedback from staff and students and asking them to provide their own examples of good practice. This is the best way to find out what is happening on the ground and to maintain high standards. ”

Lord Young, Minister for Students, said:

“We need to work together, Government, universities and students, to identify how we can maintain a system that provides the best possible experience for those who are studying. Teaching and learning are obviously central to this but we also want to make sure that students’ everyday concerns are heard and answered.”

Press notice
Read the BIS press notice here.

National Student Forum report website
Have your say here.

Images

View the Flickr photo album here. Images are available for reuse by media and bloggers under Crown Copyright.

Mr Lammy spoke at an event hosted by the Association of Colleges to launch the new Safe Colleges website:

“Colleges are at the coal face, not just supporting young people, but often very vulnerable young people. This is work that goes unsung and requires immense expertise, which is why you are at the forefront of the battle against guns, gangs and knives.

“It’s my hope and belief that the website we’re launching today, the resources and the practical experience that it will allow colleges to share, will play its part in taking that work to a new level.”

The website features guidance drawn up by colleges and the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), working with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Home Office.

The guidance suggests:

• Promoting the college as a ‘safe haven’ for learners;
• Developing a closer working relationship with local police to raise awareness of gang-related issues;
• Having a strong pastoral network and including learners on all committees;
• Making employment and careers aspirational, so that young people see them as a positive alternative lifestyle to gangs and crime;
• Recruiting staff, both teaching and support staff, including security, from the local community and reflecting its diversity;
• As appropriate for the local situation, having some or all of: passes, ID cards, turnstiles, “hoods down” policy, knife arches, metal detector wands, random testing/searching; and
• Ensuring staff training includes knife awareness, incident handling and conflict resolution.

Video

Speech
Read David Lammy’s full speech here

Website
The new Safe Colleges website can be viewed here

Press notice
Read the BIS press notice here

The project was financed by the Building Colleges for the Future programme, which since 2001 has funded more than 700 projects at nearly 300 colleges.

The new Wandsworth campus building includes industry-standard hair and beauty salons, a gymnasium, forensic science labs and music technology studios.

Speaking at the official launch of the building, Mr Brennan said:

“New college facilities improve the lives of learners, regenerate communities and inspire local people to learn and develop. This new modern campus will equip those in the Wandsworth area with the skills they need to get work and get on at work.”

Video

Flickr

View all images at the BIS Flickr album here. They are available for re-use by media and bloggers under Crown Copyright.

Press notice
South Thames College press notice

The conference, taking place between 26-28 October this year, will be bringing together creative businesses and leaders from around the globe to look at a number of key themes such as access to finance and securing creative content, along with developing talent and new business models.

The event will be streamed live at www.cabinetforum.org where you can also access the latest up to date agenda. Keynote speakers across the three days include some of the most influential people at the heart of the sector who will be ready to share their experiences such as Jean Bernard Lévy, Chairman of Vivendi, the media and communications group.

The conference will feature keynote speeches from Jean-Bernard Lévy, Rt Hon Lord Mandelson and Rt Hon David Lammy MP, as well as sessions on the creative economy, copyright and advertising on digital platforms.

Via the c&binet website you’ll be able to comment on the sessions during the live streaming and feed in to the debate. You can also submit your comments and questions in advance and follow the ongoing debate through the blog and via the c&binet twitter feed.

Speaking at a CBI conference ahead of the publication of both the Higher Education Framework and the Government’s Skills Strategy he will argue that a system that is more targeted on delivering the specific and general skills that employers needed also came with a new responsibility for business to support it financially and strategically through greater collaboration with universities and colleges.

Read Lord Mandelson’s speech

Lord Mandelson will say: “Over the last decade or so our expectations of the HE system in delivering economic impact have risen sharply – and rightly. Universities have responded to that willingly and actively. But it is a partnership, in which business has to be central. After students themselves, employers are the key clients of the higher skills system…

“Business has to get better at communicating its needs, so that the system can respond and our universities are not left to make educated guesses about what business wants. Business can and should also contribute more financially for a system that will be more vocational and more targeted on generating economic impact than ever before.

“But that relationship should clearly be collaborative and mutually beneficial and preferably long term. It is not something for nothing. It’s greater business engagement and support in return for a system better equipped to produce the right skills at the right time”

Calling the huge expansion in UK apprenticeships “one of the great achievements of this government”, Lord Mandelson will also argue that the time has come to see higher and further education in Britain as a closely integrated single agenda: “For me, HE and FE are two systems, joined by one goal. There was a time – well within most of our lifetimes – when… universities provided elite education and a training in the mores of professional life and apprenticeships were for craftspeople – or rather craftsmen – who would go on to spend their lives in a particular trade.

“It was a division based on social prejudice as much as economic reality, and if it isn’t yet dead, it needs to be. Modern craftspeople…are the technicians, designers and engineers who are the foundation of the UK’s advanced manufacturing sector… Obviously universities and the further education system do not do the same job. But they have the same essential role which is building human capacity and higher skills”.

Lord Mandelson will defend the government’s target of 50% participation in Higher Education but say that the target “should never alone be the proxy for whether Britain has the high level skills needed to compete in a globalised world.

“We are right to insist on continuing to widen access to university education and we are right to invest heavily in making our university system and the research it does the best in the world. But we also need to see the alternative routes to higher skills provided by apprenticeships and further education as no less valuable”.

He will say that the new skill strategy will set out ways of ensuring “more apprenticeships at higher levels to help address shortages in areas like skilled technicians”.

Read Lord Mandelson’s speech

• the competitiveness of UK institutions
• the benefits of postgraduate study
• the needs of business and other employers for postgraduates
• the levels of participation and potential barriers

Comment on the postgraduate review

As agreed last year by the TUC and CBI, the changes will give agency workers the right to the same pay, holidays and basic conditions as permanent staff after 12 weeks on a given job.

Publishing a consultation on draft regulations to implement the EU Agency Workers Directive, Business Minister Pat McFadden said:

“As the Prime Minister has said, the Government is committed to getting this legislation on the Statute Book by the end of this Parliament. The law will come into force in the UK in October 2011, giving recruiters and their clients time to prepare and plan. We are also mindful of the need to avoid changing requirements on business until the economic recovery is more firmly established.”

Proposals include:

• Agency workers entitled to equal treatment on basic working and employment conditions, including pay and holidays, as if they had been recruited directly by the hirer after 12 weeks in a given job
• Information about vacancies in the hirer to give them the same opportunity as other workers to find permanent employment
• Equal access to on-site facilities such as child care and transport services
• Improved rights to protect the health and safety of new and expectant mothers including right to reasonable time off to attend ante-natal appointments and adjustments to working conditions and working hours.

View the consultation (runs until Friday, 11 December 2009)

View the press notice

Publication of the Forward Programme is a key component of a series of reforms that the Government is introducing to strengthen the management of regulation.

It brings a new openness and clarity to the regulatory process and will enable decisions on new regulations to be taken in the context of the cumulative burden of the Government’s regulatory programme on business and the wider economy. This is more important than ever in the current economic environment.

Read The Government’s Forward Regulatory Programme (PDF, 651KB)

The Low Carbon Transition Plan sets out how the Government will meet the cut in emissions of 34% on 1990 levels by 2020.

The Low Carbon Industrial Strategy sets out how the Government will invest in areas such as tidal, wind and nuclear energy, as well as supporting electric vehicle infrastructure.

Low emission and electric vehicles offer new opportunities for UK manufacturers, but also new challenges for scientists and engineers. At the Low Carbon Vehicle 2009 event last month, Minister for Science and Innovation, Lord Drayson, said:

“What we have to do is use science and technology to offer cars with great performance but also great efficiency and low emissions.”

For more information on the Government’s low carbon policies, see the Low Carbon News hub, a resource for media, bloggers, stakeholders and the public.

Other Government departments are also participating in Blog Action Day. Read the Prime Minister’s blog on Number10.gov.uk here and Foreign Office Secretary of State David Miliband’s blog here.

For more information about what you can do to reduce your CO2 emissions and slow the effects of climate change, visit Directgov’s Act on CO2 website.

The event is being held at the BIS Conference Centre.

Further information on UK National Contact Point Event (PDF, 75KB)

The IWF was founded by the internet industry in 1996 and works in partnership with the police, government, the wider online sector and the public to combat the availability of potentially illegal online content within its remit. As a result of this self-regulatory approach, less than 1% of online child sexual abuse content has apparently been hosted in the UK since 2003, down from 18% in 1997.

Through the ‘Hotline’ reporting system, the IWF helps the online industry combat abuse of its services through a ‘notice and take-down’ initiative by alerting them to potentially illegal content within IWF’s remit on their systems and enabling the police to investigate those responsible. This partnership approach is recognised internationally and the IWF is committed to sharing its good practice, expertise and experience around the world, contributing to dialogue beyond the UK and Europe, to ensure greater awareness of global issues and responsibilities.

For more information or to report a website visit www.iwf.org.uk.

People attending an innovation event

The Strategic Investment Fund (SIF) was announced in Budget 2009.  It is a £750 million fund for the UK government to support a range of targeted investments across the UK economy to support growth.  Since the creation of the SIF, the Government has committed funding to a range of investments. 

The UK Strategic Investment Fund – Interim Report (PDF, 490KB) sets out the principles behind the SIF and the investment commitments that have been made so far.

See the ECO Academy webpages for more information.

Kevin Brennan joins a huge range of key informal adult learning stakeholders today for the launch of The Learning Revolution Festival, a month-long celebration of informal adult learning and the benefits it brings for individuals, families, businesses and communities.

Throughout The Learning Revolution Festival hundreds of events, such as taster sessions, workshops, demonstrations, performances, competitions and classes, will take place across England giving current learners the chance to celebrate what they enjoy and others the opportunity to try something completely new. By highlighting the richness and sheer diversity of what’s available, The Learning Revolution Festival will encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to get involved in learning.

Find more videos like this on The Learning Revolution

Today’s launch Expo will give stakeholders the opportunity to network and form partnerships to help improve and promote their services to their local communities and the wider public. Learning activities will be taking place throughout the day and all attendees will be encouraged to get involved and learn something new. Kevin Brennan will be making a formal address to those attending.

Kevin Brennan, Minister for Further Education, Apprenticeships, Skills and Consumer Affairs, said:

“Informal learning brings proven mental, physical and social benefits and the Learning Revolution Festival is all about highlighting these benefits. Through our commitments in the Learning Revolution White Paper, the Government is doing its best to encourage organisations, groups and individuals to get involved and get learning.

“Today’s Expo is the perfect opportunity for partners to share ideas and combine resources, ensuring adults across the country can benefit from even more learning opportunities.”

The Festival is part of The Learning Revolution movement kickstarted by the Government White Paper published in March 2009. The Government already spends £210 million each year on informal adult learning and the White Paper committed an additional £30million for 2009-10 to strengthen the infrastructure for informal learning across England. Of this, the £20m Transformation Fund recently awarded grants to 231 informal learning initiatives and a new £3m support package for community learning champions will be launched 8th October.

People wanting to join the Festival and try something new should visit www.direct.gov.uk/learningrevolution where they can find details of hundreds of events taking place up and down the country.

Find more videos like this on The Learning Revolution

Organisations wishing to support The Learning Revolution Festival and access materials available should visit thelearningrevolution.ning.com.

Watch Lord Mandelson’s video on the Government’s Learning Revolution initiative.

To save business time and money Government departments now issue all their changes to business regulations on two dates per year – 6 April and 1 October. This is part of the Government’s commitment to promote better regulation, regulating only where necessary, doing so in a proportionate and targeted way, and reducing bureaucracy wherever possible.

From today, new businesses will be able to save valuable time and money with simpler model articles, making it easier to start up and run companies. Other measures will help shareholders and investors by encouraging disclosure of strategic, forward looking information through enhanced business review [not new – commenced 1 October 2007].

Key provisions of the Companies Act 2006 include:

• Creating separate and simpler model Articles of Association for small companies, reflecting how they operate
• Enabling greater use of electronic communications with shareholders therefore avoiding unnecessary cost and time consuming administratio
• Making it an offence to carry on business in the UK under a name that gives so misleading an indication of the nature of the activities of the business as to be likely to cause harm to the public.

Business Minister Ian Lucas said:

“We are working hard to create the best environment for businesses to thrive and it is paying off, with the UK recognised by the World Bank as the best place in Europe to do business.

“Common Commencement Dates help companies to plan ahead, saving them time and money. The changes under the Companies Act will help 2.5 million British companies and deliver benefits to business of around £300M a year.”

The changes have been widely welcomed by businesses because many of the measures have been introduced to reflect how companies already operate, minimising the burden on business to adapt to new regulation.

The following regulations are also coming into force:

Department for Business – National Minimum Wage and Tipping

Department for Transport – Local Transport Act

Credit Rating Agencies

Notes:

1. The Better Regulation Executive is taking forward the Government’s better regulation agenda. 

2. Examples of how individuals and businesses are benefiting from changes to regulation can be found on http://www.betterregulation.gov.uk. The site also invites suggestions for what else can be done to reduce red tape.

The automotive sector supports R&D, technological innovation and skills and a manufacturing supply chain that are a mainstay of the wider manufacturing sector in the UK. Industry figures have reflected the positive impacts of the scheme both within and beyond the automotive sector, with manufacturing benefitting and the whole supply chain, from plastics and steel, to individual component manufacturers receiving a boost.

So far 227,750 orders have been placed through the scheme. The increased funding enables the scheme to fund a further 100,000 vehicles, bringing total budget to £400 million and covering up to 400,000 vehicles in total. The extension continues as a Government and manufacturer partnership, with matched funding providing the £2,000 discount for each scrappage order.

Alongside the increased funding the Government will work with manufacturers to extend the benefits to van owners with vehicles over 8 years old rather than the current 10 year requirement. Car owners will also get a boost, with the age qualification changed by 6 months to extend the benefits to cars registered on or before 29 Feb 2000 (V registration). The scheme will come to an end in February 2010 or when the funding runs out, which ever is sooner.

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said:

“The sector has been strongly affected by the recession, but the scrappage scheme has delivered a boost to manufacturers and the supply chain. We have listened to the concerns of manufacturers and are increasing the funding of the scheme to £400m.

“But we must make sure that the help we do offer is targeted, limited and proportionate. This is not a blank cheque to the auto manufacturers but recognition that there is still a short term challenge to boost demand and confidence in the sector.”

Notes

Because of additional funding by the Government and manufacturers, the Scheme will now cover up to 400,000 transactions. It will still come to an end on 28th February 2010 or when the funding runs out, whichever is the sooner

To ensure all 10 year old cars will qualify for the scheme, the date by which vehicles must have been registered in the UK to qualify for the scheme will be changed to 28 February 2000 (V registration) except in the case of vans where the date will be changed to 28 February 2002 (Y registration or earlier, or new style number plates where the 3rd and 4th digits of the registration number are 51)

Government will work with manufacturers to implement these changes, and these will come into effect as soon as possible.

The Government scrappage subsidy is matched by equal funding from manufacturers.

The scrappage scheme figures are updated on a weekly basis on the BIS website, where you can also find more information about the changes to the scheme: http://www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/sectors/automotive/scrappage/page51068.html

The £2,000 grant is made up of £1,000 from government with matched funding from vehicle manufacturers.

How to apply

The dealers will do all the paperwork for motorists participating in the scheme and arrange for the old vehicle to be scrapped. The dealer will check that the vehicle being traded in and the new one being bought qualify under the scheme:-

OLD VEHICLE

• Passenger car or small van not exceeding 3.5 tonnes
• Registered in United Kingdom on or before 31 August 1999 [NB - expected to change shortly in line with today’s announcement]
• Currently registered with DVLA or DVA to the registered keeper making the application
• Vehicle has been registered to the customer continuously for 12 calendar months before the order date of the new vehicle
• Vehicle has a UK address on the registration certificate (V5C)
• Vehicle has a current MOT test certificate before the date of order for the new vehicle, or one that has expired no more than 14 days before the order for a new vehicle was placed
• Vehicle is taxed, or has a tax disc that has expired within 14 days of the order and insured

NEW VEHICLE

• Passenger car or small van up to 3.5 tonnes
• First registered in the UK on or after the date the scrappage scheme is launched and declared new at first registration in the UK with no former keepers
• UK specification vehicle (can include left-hand drive vehicles that meet UK specifications)
• Registered to the same registered keeper as the registered keeper of the eligible vehicle to be scrapped

Visiting the BRIT School in Croydon, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said it was vital for jobs and growth that Britain’s world-renowned creative industries are given the chance to flourish. He said the Government welcomes the current debate on digital piracy, including views put forward by the music and film industries, consumer groups, unions, ISPs and musicians themselves.

Lord Mandelson said:

“Downloading somebody’s work without paying for it – whether it be music, film or computer games – is not a victimless act. It poses a genuine threat to our creative industries and to the livelihoods of talented, hard-working people striving to get a foothold in them. It’s essential that the voice of young artists is also heard.

“In the end this problem will be solved not simply by new laws but by new approaches to doing business. We believe that temporary account suspension as a last resort, in the most serious cases, is worth considering to allow these new business models to develop.”

He added that the Government welcomed new commercial offers like Spotify or Vodafone’s DRM-free music deal that give consumers a range of legal choices.

Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw said:

“Britain’s got talent – and the BRIT School is a shining example of that. But if we want the next generation of musicians, filmmakers, developers or designers to succeed, we need to address urgently this threat to the sustainability of our creative industries. Unlawful file sharing costs businesses that invest in new talent millions each year.

“Tomorrow’s stars are born digital. We need the industry to match their ingenuity and devise new business models that work in the digital age. It is right that artists are rewarded for the time, energy and creativity they invest in producing something the public wants. And if we are to retain our creative edge in the long term and enjoy the cultural benefits that brings, we need innovation to allow that talent to shine.”

Lord Mandelson and Mr Bradshaw praised the work of the BRIT School providing young people with the grounding and skills they will need to look for careers in the creative industries.

Video

Press notice
Read the full press notice here.

Images
To view images of the visit to BRIT School (and for online journalists to download and re-use), see the Flickr album here.

Blog
For more on the development of our policies on Digital Britain, including a discussion of the government’s approach to the file-sharing issue, visit the Digital Britain Forum blog.

Consultation
To have your say on proposed filesharing legislation, see the Consulation on Legislation to Address Illicit P2P File-Sharing. It closes on 29 September 2009.

Speech
Minister for Digital Britain, Stephen Timms, spoke about the importance of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) earlier.  Read the full speech here.

Baroness Vadera

The Prime Minister has today announced that he has appointed Baroness Shriti Vadera as adviser to next chair of G20, the Republic of Korea, following a request from President Lee.

Her new role, which she will take up from mid October 2009, will be to help manage the transition from the UK to the South Korean Presidency and reflects the growing importance of the G20 group and the UK’s engagement with it.

Baroness Vadera is currently the Minister for Economic Competitiveness, Small Business and Enterprise.

Lord Davies of Abersoch, the Minister for Trade Investment and Business, will assume her BIS ministerial responsibilities. She will not be replaced in her role as joint Cabinet Office minister.

The Prime Minister said:

“The G20 is an increasingly important global group. The previous year has shown the vital importance of working together to deliver jobs, growth, and stability. In her new role Shriti will significantly strengthen the UK’s engagement with the G20, including working with the Republic of Korea as the next chair. I thank her for her dedicated work as a Government minister.”

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said:

“Shriti has made a tremendous contribution to the Department for Business. She has worked tirelessly to ensure businesses, especially small businesses, are supported through the Recession and emerge stronger at the other side.

Shriti has real passion for the G20 and has done excellent work already promoting international action to tackle the financial crisis. So this is a logical move for her and us.

And I know Mervyn Davies is looking forward to taking on her departmental responsibilities. He will do a great job for small business.”

Notes

1. Shriti Vadera will take up her new role from mid October 2009, for which she will not be paid a ministerial salary.

2. Shriti joined the Department for Business as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Competitiveness in January 2008. In October she was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Economic Competitiveness, Small Business and Enterprise, jointly with the Cabinet Office and Department for Business Innovation and Skills.

Prior to that she spent 8 years on the Council of Economic Advisers, HM Treasury and was advisor to Gordon Brown when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer.

She was responsible for advising on business and city issues, productivity, enterprise, PPPs, public enterprises and amongst other things, was responsible for the creation of the Shareholder Executive, the Better Regulation Executive and initiating the Hampton, Barker, Eddington, Higgs, Myners and other Reviews.

She served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for DfID from June 2007 to January 2008. She has 14 years’ experience as an investment banker, advising on banking, capital markets, project finance and corporate finance internationally.

Vulnerable workers will be able to seek advice about their workplace rights and report abuses of those rights through a new helpline launched by Business Minister Pat McFadden today.

The new Pay and Work Rights helpline is part of a wider campaign to raise awareness of workplace rights enforced by Government. It provides a unified point of contact for both employers and workers.

The helpline telephone number is 0800 917 2368.

It has been developed in cooperation with employers, trade unions and the different enforcement agencies across Government.

The employment rights in question are:

• National Minimum Wage
• Agricultural Minimum Wage
• Working Time (48 hour average working week)
• Employment agency standards
• Gangmaster licensing

Previously calls on each of these rights were taken by five separate Government bodies. Workers can now report abuses of these rights to one point of contact that can address multiple complaints.

The launch of the single helpline comes as a new poll showed that nearly half of people (48 per cent) wrongly thought employment agencies can charge workers a fee for finding them a job.

Business Minister, Pat McFadden said:

“This Government has done a lot to improve rights at work but it’s also essential to make sure these rights are properly enforced. A simple system for reporting abuses and giving advice and information to employers and workers is a critical part of that.

“By consolidating the current complex system of different helplines for different issues into one single number we are making it easier for workers to report abuses and for Government to respond. We want to transfer the burden of navigating the system from the worker to the Government. This is an important step and we are determined that the recession does not become an excuse to deny people their basic rights at work”.

The helpline is based in Manchester and staffed by specialist, trained advisors able to offer help and advice. Information is then passed to the relevant enforcement body to take further action where appropriate.

Video
A video has been produced to explain how the line will work and allows the specialist, trained advisors that staff the line explain how they can help:

Photos
The below photos are available for download and reuse from the BIS Flickr site.

Mr Lucas made the comments as he published the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills’ (BIS) response to the Business & Enterprise Select Committee’s report, The Automotive Industry in the UK.

Government has already taken substantial action to support the UK car industry and last week made the first loan from the Automotive Assistance Programme (AAP). Tata Motors European Technical Centre plc (TMETC) has been given a £10 million loan to support the production of electric vehicles in Coventry.

Business Minister Ian Lucas said:

“These are tough times for the car industry, and because it is one of the key sectors of our economy we must support it now and in the future.

“We have acted to support it in the short term through £300 million support through the scrappage scheme, helping over 200,000 people to order a car now instead of waiting, and I have heard direct from the industry that it has benefitted enormously from the scheme.

“Our assistance does not stop there. It’s not just about what we can do in the short term. We must invest in the future. That’s why, in addition to AAP, we are helping the car industry to take advantage of the opportunities that moving to low carbon represents. We have already set aside £250 million for consumer incentives and infrastructure, and we will continue to support low carbon car development.”

Ministers continue to consider a number of other bids for assistance from the programme’s budget to help the industry meet consumer demand, protect it from the downturn and help it become a world leader in low carbon cars. There are already ongoing negotiations with companies on more than £1 billion of applications with a total project  value of some £2 billion. The Government is also considering applications to the scheme that are below the £5 million project limit in order to extend support to smaller companies in the supply chain.

Notes

1. View a copy of the Government’s response to the BERR Select Committee’s report The Automotive Industry in the UK.
2. The Automotive Assistance Programme (AAP) is the Government’s long-term reinvestment of the automotive industry through a support package. It provides loan guarantees (or, exceptionally, loans) to the UK automotive sector.
3. The AAP aims to unlock a total bank and EIB support package of up to £2.3 billion to provide support for automotive companies as they invest to create or sustain jobs, develop cutting-edge technology, bring special value to the UK, maintain R&D in UK vehicle manufacturing and support the development of green technologies.
4. To be eligible, vehicle manufacturers and/or suppliers need be viable as at 1 July 2008, with turnovers in excess of £25 million, who wish to undertake a project valued at £5 million or more. The projects could not otherwise be undertaken without government support.
5. The scheme was announced by the Secretary of State on 27 January 2009, and received state aid clearance on 27 February.
6. The Business & Enterprise Select Committee launched their inquiry into AAP on 25 March, and published their recommendations on 17 July.

The event, titled “Science reporting: is it good for you?”, was chaired by Radio 5 Live presenter Simon Mayo.  Scientists, science communicators and journalists also took part in the debate, both live at the event and online via Twitter.

Free tickets to the event sold out in just 90 minutes after they were announced on Twitter. If you missed the debate you can watch it on demand at the Times Higher Education website here.

To follow the discussion on Twitter, use the hashtag  #scidebate

For photos of the event, visit the BIS Flickr album. Images are available for re-use by media and bloggers under the creative commons license.

A total of £2.46 million will be made available to help unions improve their ability to meet the needs of hard-to-reach groups of vulnerable workers. It will be matched with at least an equivalent union contribution.

The money will be distributed under Round Three of the Union Modernisation Fund which provides financial assistance to trade unions and their federations for innovative projects with the potential to transform their effectiveness. Bids are assessed by an independent Supervisory Board comprising individuals from union, academic and industry backgrounds.

Speaking at the TUC Annual Congress, Minister for Employment Relations, Lord Young said:

”The latest round of the UMF focuses on protecting some of the most vulnerable people in the working population. Unions have demonstrated genuine enthusiasm for helping vulnerable workers and working with community and voluntary organisations.

“The overall quality of the applications was very high but the bids selected for funding are those which are the most forward-looking and offer the most transformational potential.

“I’ll be following all the projects with interest as they go on to develop new services and design innovative mechanisms for accessing hard-to-reach groups of vulnerable workers”.

A total of 23 applications were received with successful bids including projects from the TUC, GMB, Unison and a range of other unions.

The full list of projects is here

The report shows that a number of significant achievements have been made in the last year, with the passing of the Climate Change Act, developments under New Industry New Jobs, publication of the Low Carbon Industrial Strategy, and the UK Low Carbon Transition Plan.

One example of these steps towards a greener construction industry is the commitment, by construction organisations representing more than a quarter of the industry by value, to the Strategy’s Halving Waste to Landfill target.

The Strategy is also supporting the work of the UK Low Carbon Transition Plan, which is on target to achieve a 34% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the UK by 2020.

Ian Lucas, Business Minister with responsibility for construction said:

“This progress report demonstrates the Government’s commitment to put in place measures to drive forward the sustainability agenda and support industry with these aims.

“I am pleased to see we are making steps towards reaching these targets, but there is further work to be done to build on these achievements and reach the overarching goals of the Strategy.”

Ian Pearson, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, the minister responsible for improving the sustainability of operations and procurement across Government said:

“We’ve made great strides to develop an effective working relationship with industry to deliver our sustainability objectives, in particular the work led by the Office of Government Commerce on improving the sustainability of the Government’s estate.

“Now our challenge is to maintain this momentum in the face of the current economic climate to ensure we continue to improve the estate and meet our Climate Change Act targets for 2020 and 2050.”

Graham Watts, Chief Executive Construction Industry Council said:

“The first annual progress report from the Delivery Board responsible for rolling out the Strategy for Sustainable Construction shows that much very good work has been done since the strategy was launched in July 2008 but that there remains a great deal yet to do.  The industry – in its broadest sense – is certainly alive to the need for sustainable construction and to the importance of the Construction Commitments and the progress report serves as a very concise point of reference with which to assess progress and exert more combined effort from government and industry”

The construction programme of the London 2012 venues and infrastructure is an example of sustainable construction in action, with the Olympic Park being built to the most comprehensive range of sustainability criteria ever adopted by a large scale project in the UK.  Recycled materials have been used to build the site, and more than half of these have been transported to the site by low carbon transport.

Moving forward, the delivery of the Strategy will be overseen by the newly announced Chief Construction Adviser who will be chairing an enhanced Delivery Board for the Strategy.  This will ensure a higher level of cooperation and accountability between Government and industry in the delivery of its sustainable construction agenda.

Read the Progress Report on the Sustainable Construction Strategy here

The Know Your Consumer Rights campaign begins as a new BIS-commissioned survey shows that one in three people feel their consumer rights have been ignored. And more than a quarter of people (28%) say they are more likely to complain about goods they have bought during the economic downturn.

Consumer Minister Kevin Brennan said: “Robust protections are in place to support consumers. But we want to see a dramatic improvement in awareness of those protections and rights.

“Knowledgeable, confident consumers are much more likely to get a fair deal, save money and get the right result when things go wrong. This is especially important in the current economic climate, when every penny is even more precious than usual.”

The survey of 2,000 people found that 58% have complained to a store about goods, asked for a refund or an exchange between one and three times in the past three years. A third of respondents have done so more than three times in the past three years.

Know Your Consumer Rights is focused on making sure consumers know they are protected and are confident using, the key legal rights if something goes wrong:

• Goods must fit the description given.
• Goods must be of satisfactory quality.
• Goods must be suitable for purpose.

The campaign is signposting people through to the Consumer Direct website for more detailed advice on their rights.

BIS is working with the Office of Fair Trading, the Trading Standards Institute, Consumer Direct and Consumer Focus to deliver the campaign, which will run until 2010.

Vivienne Dews of the Office of Fair Trading said: “When people are aware of their rights and businesses respect their obligations, consumers can shop with confidence, which is good for them and good for business.”

Read more on the Consumer Direct website

The Know Your Consumer Rights campaign also aims to provide best practice advice and training to businesses.

Visit BusinessLink for free online training and information

The 2008 Fair Treatment at Work Survey (FTWS) also shows that problems with specific employment rights have fallen with more people prepared to seek information and advice on problems that do arise. In particular, problems with pay and working time (including annual leave) have more than halved since 2005.

Minister for Employment Relations, Lord Young, said:

“The results of the Fair Treatment at Work Survey are very positive. They show the real progress we have made in raising awareness of workplace rights amongst employees and employers”.

“But whilst these are good results, there are a number of vulnerable groups who are still more likely to have problems at work and be less aware and knowledgeable about their rights than the general population. That is why the Government will be announcing further help for vulnerable workers later this month”.

Key findings include:

78 per cent of the working population feel well or very well informed about their rights generally compared with 65 per cent in 2005

85 per cent claim to know where to find information on their rights if they need it compared to 76 per cent in 2005

Specific employment problems affect around 27 per cent of the working population compared with 41 per cent in 2005

In particular problems fell significantly with; pay (22 per cent in 2005 to 10 per cent in 2008), hours/days required to work (12 per cent to 6 per cent); rest breaks (13 per cent to 5 per cent) and annual leave (13 per cent to 5 per cent).

More people with problems are prepared to seek advice or information for their problem (72 per cent) compared with 2005 (53 per cent)

The Government is currently in the second year of a three year campaign to raise awareness of the workplace rights they enforce. The first year targeted agency workers, and led to an increase of 300 per cent in calls to the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate helpline. The next stage of the campaign will be announced later this month.

Gervase MacGregor FCA and Guy Newey QC were appointed as inspectors under section 432 of the Companies Act 1985 and instructed to investigate the affairs of MGRG, its parent company Phoenix Venture Holdings (PVH) and MGR Capital Limited between the purchase of MGRG from BMW in May 2000 and the date of it entering administration.

The inspectors investigated the actions of the directors of PVH throughout their 5 year ownership – particularly Peter Beale, John Edwards, Nick Stephenson and John Towers, known as the Phoenix Consortium.

They also investigated restructuring changes within the Group which led to the creation of 33 separate companies throughout that period; the scale of financial rewards made to the directors and the events which led to administration itself. This included the role of Government to secure bridge finance while take-over discussions took place with Chinese car manufacturers Shanghai Automotive (SAIC).

The inquiry studies the role played by professional advisors including auditors and corporate finance advisers Deloitte and lawyers Eversheds; aspects of corporate governance; and financial statements and audit arrangements including the transfer of assets.

Report on the affairs of Phoenix Venture Holdings Limited, MG Rover Group Limited and 33 other companies – Volume I – size 3.5 MB

Report on the affairs of Phoenix Venture Holdings Limited, MG Rover Group Limited and 33 other companies – Volume II – size 3.0 MB

Many of these new business partnerships demonstrate UK capacity in low carbon business solutions, which will benefit British businesses while helping China meet its tough environment and energy efficiency targets.

Addressing a low carbon business solutions forum organised by UK Trade & Investment in Beijing on 8 September, Lord Mandelson said:

“Across the board, the UK can offer the knowledge, technology and experience to help our two economies de-carbonise. The UK has world-class climate change research institutions and consultancy services in carbon measurement and management. Our architects and engineers are creating designs for the low-carbon cities of the future”.

He later added:

“Pilkington, Greens Power, Zed Factory and The Carbon Trust are examples of outstanding UK companies working with advanced and low carbon technology. These new contracts not only demonstrate the strength of economic ties between the UK China, but also our shared commitment for developing a low carbon economy”.

As well as emphasising business to business collaboration, Lord Mandelson signed with the Mayor of Changsha, home to six million people in China’s Hunan province, a bilateral governmental agreement establishing Changsha as the third “Sustainable City”, alongside Wuhan and Chongqing. UK companies are well positioned to win business opportunities arising from the launch of the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan city cluster project by Hunan government with an initial investment of 70bn RMB (£5.5bn) on 134 key projects.

In Beijing Lord Mandelson also argued for greater access for UK goods and services suppliers to China’s rapidly developing domestic markets. He was delighted to receive confirmation from the Chinese government that regulators are in the final process of approving a new business combination of Bank of China, Standard Life and Tianjin Economic & Development Area.

In Shanghai Lord Mandelson also attended the groundbreaking ceremony for AstraZeneca’s new US$100m Innovation Centre China in Zhangjang Hi-Tech Park – one of three flagship R&D projects by major UK companies in Shanghai, along with GSK and Unilever.

Premier Wen praised “the tremendous contribution made by Lord Mandelson in strengthening and deepening EU-China and UK-China relations over many years.”

The meeting was very friendly and warm and focused on a number of areas including strengthening co-ordination between the UK and China ahead of the forthcoming G20 Summit in Pittsburgh.

Both sides agreed on the need to keep markets open and resist any temptation to erect barriers to free trade. They were very clear that protectionism was not in the world’s interest and agreed on the enormous importance of concluding the Doha world trade talks as soon as possible.

Lord Mandelson, who was accompanied to the meeting by a British business delegation which has been with him throughout his visit to China, also stressed the importance of further work to allow companies to list and invest on each other’s Stock Exchanges.

Lord Mandelson and Premier Wen were united on deepening and strengthening co-operation between their two countries, Premier Wen recognising that China now invested more in the UK than in any other European economy and that Britain invested more in China than any other European country.

On climate change Lord Mandelson urged greater co-operation given the importance of December’s Copenhagen Climate Change Summit and the business opportunities which flow from the production of green technologies and goods. He also urged China to agree a carbon emissions target. Premier Wen said China would work hard for success at Copenhagen.

In the context of EU-China relations both regretted the lack of progress in relation to Market Economy Status (MES).

The £20 million Transformation Fund, launched by Government to offer grants for more than 213 innovative informal adult learning projects in England, will bring to life The Learning Revolution, a White Paper presented to Parliament in March 2009.

The projects, many spearheaded by partnerships between public, private and third sector organisations, will help improve mental health, physical well-being, active citizenship and community cohesion, as well as providing a stepping stone towards further learning, qualifications and employment for many people.

Projects include:

• An initiative to engage more than 2,000 adults who are not currently in training, employment or education, through celebrity-led creative music and media tasters, master classes and workshops, led by a partnership which includes Global Radio, the parent group of Heart FM, LBC and Galaxy stations.
• A partnership between Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive, Merseytravel, Urbis and a National Trust property which will create ‘learning journeys’ for young people 19-25, older people living in isolation and people recovering from substance abuse. Each learner will use a free bus pass to take journeys around travel ‘lines’, including the Engineering Line, the Football Line and the Mersey Beat Line.
• A project at Tyneside Cinema, in partnership with Newcastle University, to use the cinema’s new spaces and facilities to deliver digital technology, moving image, communications and IT learning to a wide range of people from different social backgrounds and develop online learning tools for others to share.
• A massive campaign, led by Booktrust and delivered through GP surgeries, libraries and Adult Education centres, to inspire thousands of over-60s to take up reading or writing for pleasure.

Kevin Brennan, Minister for Further Education, Skills and Consumer Affairs, said:

“We’re happy to announce 213 successful recipients of our Transformation Fund grants, awarded in the face of stiff competition from a field of 1,400 applications. With projects ranging from creative writing and music to reading and art, it’s encouraging to see so many imaginative ideas for giving adults more opportunities to learn for the love of it.”

“The benefits of learning for pleasure in an informal setting are wide-ranging, and they benefit the community as well as the individual. I hope that many people will develop the confidence and the local connections to take a big step towards a brighter future.”

The announcement about the latest Transformation Fund grants follows the award of £1 million worth of ‘early bird’ funding in July.

Alan Tuckett, Chief Executive of NIACE, added:

“NIACE is proud to have the role of supporting the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in managing the Transformation Fund. We argued in our response to the Informal Adult Learning consultation that there is no better stimulus for local adult learning providers than the creation of a fund to trigger innovation and new partnerships.”

“There’s already evidence from the ‘early bird’ bids of how creative and imaginative community-based adult learning can be when given the funding to put ideas into practice.”

Informal adult learning encompasses a wide variety of activities and can range from a self-organised reading group in a village hall to a guided visit to nature reserve or stately home. Other Learning Revolution activities include The Learning Revolution Festival: a month-long celebration of informal adult learning that kicks off in October 2009.

To find out more about The Learning Revolution, visit: www.bis.gov.uk/learningrevolution

The team – who were up against 900 competitors from 46 nations – won an impressive three gold and six bronze medals in skills ranging from painting and decorating to floristry and autobody repair. The UK also won 14 Medallions of Excellence – awards given to competitors who achieve more than the world-class standard of 500 points.

Mark Nevin, 22, (pictured) who won a gold medal and Best of Nation for painting and decorating, said: “This is the most fantastic feeling. I really do feel on top of the world!

“The last year has been absolutely brilliant. To have been given the chance to learn what I’m capable of, to train with some of the best in the industry and to be part of such a great team has been unbelievable.”

Simon Bartley, chief executive of UK Skills which manages Team UK, said: “It’s a tremendous result not just for the competitors, but for their employers, trainers and colleges. We hope to build on this success as we move towards the next WorldSkills Competition, which London will be hosting, where we hope to do even better.”

Skills Minister Kevin Brennan said: “These inspiring young people have demonstrated to the rest of the world just how able and highly skilled the UK is.

“The world-class skills this team have demonstrated are vital to the future success of our economy in key industries such as construction, manufacturing and engineering. It’s more important than ever that we continue to support and invest in the skills of our workforce, helping individuals get into and stay on at work as well as helping businesses stay competitive and prepare for the upturn.”

Read more and see the full list of winners on the UK Skills website.

UK Skills is a not-for-profit organisation and a BIS delivery partner.

The Prime Minister, Work and Pensions Secretary Yvette Cooper and top employers signed up to Backing Young Britain met 250 young people at a Youth Summit at Birmingham City Football Club today.

The Government pledged 85,000 new opportunities for young people. These include:

• Morrisons pledging new training for every one of its 36,000 employees under the age of 25
• Government providing help to get 45,000 young people into jobs in retail, tourism, leisure and hospitality
• 5000 new apprenticeships from companies including Centrica, Carillion and Royal Mail
• Other companies backing the campaign include Microsoft, Bovis Lendlease, Pfizer and Phones4U.

For full details of today’s Backing Young Britain announcement, see the latest press notice.

Read the Jobs of the Future document (pdf) here.

If you are an employer and want to get involved, see the Backing Young Britain website.

If you are a young person and require more information on your options and the support available to you, see Directgov’s What’s Next campaign.

The new survey questioned business leaders from across eight sectors and found that nearly half (43 per cent) of those questioned believe that cleantech will grow at the fastest pace by 2020, followed by science and technology (20 per cent) and media and entertainment (15 per cent).

The survey highlights how the current economic climate presents new opportunities for new areas of the economy to thrive.

Combined with a growing awareness to find solutions for some of society’s greatest challenges – from tackling climate change to supporting an ageing population – investing now in innovative, high-growth areas will be essential for bolstering the UK economy once recovery kicks in.

Driving the awareness, investment and skills required to power these high-growth markets is essential for Britain’s future. Britain’s chance to showcase our strength to the rest of the world, including our cleantech innovations in the run up to Copenhagen 15, and how our digital strength will enable the first digital games in 2012, is essential for the UK’s ability to meaningfully contribute to the global economy. It is therefore essential for both government and business to properly recognise and promote the importance of these sectors.

As part of meeting this need for recognition; Science and Innovation Minister Lord Drayson and entrepreneur James Caan recently launched the iawards – the first ever Government backed-awards to celebrate achievements in science, innovation and technology.

Science and Innovation Minister Lord Drayson said:

“Cleantech and renewables will play a huge part in helping the UK economy to grow sustainably, but we need to do more to encourage innovation in these and other high tech sectors.

“And that means recognising our best innovators, those who are creating the household names of tomorrow. The iawards will do just that, this inaugural year and in years to come. Make sure to get your entries in by 16 September!”

James Caan said:

“The UK is home to some of the most innovative minds in the world and we must continue to recognise and celebrate the work of these talented individuals. The iawards are all about recognising British achievements, the visionaries behind them and showcasing new the latest developments that will make the UK a better place to live and work. In doing so, we will continue to draw investment, energy and skills to the high-growth industries that will drive our economy forward.”

Further findings:

- 73 per cent of those polled believe that business and government must work together to promote the development of skills needed to bring the UK out of recession

- One in five of those surveyed chose web 2.0 as the best technological development of the last ten years

The iawards in association with QinetiQ includes 13 categories which are open to all organisations, but all entrants must specify the British involvement in any innovation – demonstrating that innovative thinking and development came from a British organisation or team. Siemens sponsor the ‘Next Big Thing’ category and Microsoft Bizspark sponsor the best technology start up category.

The awards categories reflect the greatest challenges we face as a country where science and innovation offer the best chance of developing viable solutions. Each entry must demonstrate how its innovative qualities relate to at least one of the following challenges:

• Addressing the healthcare needs of an ageing society;
• Increasing international security from tackling global poverty to minimising the threat of terrorism;
• Preserving finite natural resources in the face of population growth and climate change; and
• Delivering public services which make best use of new technologies.

They must also demonstrate that the innovation has an impact on one of the Government’s grand challenges for science.

Winners of the awards will be helped by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) to meet potential business partners at key industry events such as the giant Medica trade fair in Germany and Technology World in Coventry this autumn. They will also receive public relations support from the iawards team. All shortlisted entries and the winners will also have exclusive access to the iawards logo.

Science and technology has been a driving force behind Britain’s export success. Exports for life sciences, for example, rose 19 per cent in 2008. Innovation is also important in keeping the UK as the number one destination for inward investment in Europe. UKTI statistics show that the number of investment projects in creative industries increased by 65 per cent in 2008/9 and in software and computer services by 36 per cent.

James Caan will be hosting a live Web TV show to discuss the findings of the survey on Thursday 27 August, 13:00.

For more information, and to enter, visit www.iawards.org.uk. The closing date for entries is 16 September. The iawards gala dinner will take place at the Science Museum, 16 November, 2009.

The Employment Agency Standards inspectorate – which over the last year has boosted its powers and doubled in size – has won back more than twice as much money for workers since April than in the entire previous year.

Business Minister Pat McFadden said:

“Over the past year we have given the Agency Standards Inspectorate more staff and more powers to protect agency workers. I’m pleased that the bigger, more powerful agency standards team is out there delivering results for agency workers.

“The recession should not be used as an excuse to deny people their employment rights, and the agency standards inspectors are a crucial tool in ensuring this.”

In June, EAS inspectors recovered over £17,000 for four engineers in West Sussex. As a result of not being paid on time, one man had to sell his car to pay his rent, and another had to borrow money from relatives to pay his mortgage. But once EAS inspectors were contacted, the workers received £15,000 within three days, with the remainder arriving shortly after.

Kevin Green, Chief Executive at the Recruitment and Employment Confederation said:

“At a time when many workers are using agencies as a route back into the labour market we must drive workers and employers alike to use agencies which abide by the law and industry standards.

“For many years the REC has argued for better enforcement on the sector and we are pleased to see the inspectorate is taking action at a time when the industry itself has launched its own ‘Serious About Standards’ campaign.”

Kirsty Craig, Managing Director of TEAM (The Employment Agent’s Movement) UK commented that it is great to see the EAS using its teeth to deal with rogue agencies:

“This sort of behaviour does our industry no favours whatsoever and whilst most recruitment agencies more than fulfil their obligations to their temporary staff, there are others who consistently flout the law time and again. These people need to understand that they are not above the law and that appropriate action will be taken”.

The inspectors also recovered almost £30,000 owed to 55 models after a London agency ceased to trade.

Katie Froud, of Albamodel.info, who runs the Model Alliance said:

“The Alliance is grateful to the Agency Standards inspectorate team who acted immediately upon our request to secure funds for models when we were alerted to an agency ceasing to trade.

“It is totally unacceptable that models who work irregular hours with irregular pay can lose the money paid by clients which is due to them”.

The Employment Agency Standards team has recovered money for workers in a number of circumstances, including where agencies had not paid wages owed, where money had been unfairly deducted by the agencies and where workers were charged for services by the agencies that they had not signed up to.

Agency workers can find out more about the rights they are entitled to by visiting www.direct.gov.uk/agencyworkers or by calling the Pay and Work Rights helpline on 0800 917 2368.

The Government plans to appoint a Chief Adviser to Government on Construction to equip Britain’s construction industry with the skills and knowledge to become competitive in the 21st century. He/she will chair the Board responsible for securing value for money from the Government’s procurement of construction, promote innovation and sustainability in the industry, and be responsible for ensuring Government takes full account of the impacts of the regulatory regime on the construction industry.

The Chief Construction Adviser will be independent and report to BIS and HM Treasury Ministers. The successful individual will:-

Chair a new Construction Category Board, which will build on the existing Public Sector Construction Clients Forum (PSCCF), to oversee the implementation and further development of best value Government construction procurement.

Chair an enhanced sustainable construction strategy delivery board to help ensure policy regarding the industry is effectively co-ordinated.

Assess the key barriers to growth in the UK’s Low Carbon construction sector to ensure the UK industry is well placed to serve developing needs and markets

Work with the industry, through the Strategic Forum for Construction, to deliver the industry improvement agenda, including the Construction Commitments.

Promote innovation in the sector, working closely with the Technology Strategy Board and other funding bodies.

Co-ordinate the Whitehall response to reports featuring construction.

Ian Lucas, the Business Minister with responsibility for construction, said:

“We have taken our time to get the role right to ensure that it fits well with a range of new and existing initiatives. But I have heard the calls from the Construction Industry loud and clear since my appointment in June. We are now pressing hard ahead with recruiting. I want to see a high quality individual in place by November”.

Ian Pearson, the Economic Secretary, said:

“This role will provide a central “focal point” for the construction sector acknowledging the value of this sector and the importance of delivering a sustainable and low carbon economy that remains competitive. The Chief Construction Adviser will help ensure that Government secures maximum value for money in its procurement of construction and thus support the aims of the Operational Efficiency Programme”.

Their call to action comes as a new survey shows that businesses believe British innovators are unsung heroes whose contribution to making Britain a better place to live and work often goes unnoticed.

The survey, commissioned by the Department for Business Innovation & Skills, reveals that more than nine in ten business leaders agreed that giving employees recognition will drive entrepreneurship in the workplace.
The survey also found:

• 43% of senior executives surveyed across the UK believe that UK organisations are good at supporting innovative business areas and ideas.
• 63% feel that open communication to discuss new ideas will encourage greater innovation from their employees;
• 43% per cent would consider implementing innovation sessions; and
• 36% would offer cash or stock option incentives.

Science and Innovation Minister Lord Drayson said:
“Businesses are doing a great job in developing the innovations that will drive the country out of recession. It’s time to recognise and honour our best innovators – those who are creating the successful companies of tomorrow. The iawards will do just that – not just in these extraordinary times we find ourselves in, but for years to come. Make sure to get your entries in by 16 September 2009 to take part in this inaugural year.”

Leading entrepreneur and businessman James Caan said:
“The economic downturn presents an opportunity to transform UK business and create a positive climate for the creation of new innovations. Some of the world’s most successful companies, including Microsoft, were conceived during a recession. The UK has some of the greatest minds in the world and thanks to the existing efforts of our entrepreneurs SMEs still make up more than 55 per cent of UK GDP. They must be encouraged and recognised for their work.

“I firmly believe that businesses who focus their energy on nurturing the talent available to them can lead the UK out of the recession. This is why I support the iawards, a long awaited opportunity to fully celebrate and recognise the strength of science, technology and innovation in the UK.”

For more information, and to enter, visit www.iawards.org.uk. The closing date for entries is 16 September. The iawards gala dinner will take place at the Science Museum, November 16, 2009.

Read the full innovation survey press notice here.

You can also follow all iAwards news on Twitter.

Information on the formation of the iAwards can be viewed here.

Higher Education Minister David Lammy said:

“I want to congratulate the hundreds of thousands of students who have worked hard and got the grades they needed to go to university this year and with more than 370,000 students having their places confirmed, more students than ever before will be heading into higher education.

“The Government is committed to funding and growing higher education. This is why students this year are taking advantage of the record number of funded places on offer backed by a generous financial support package.

“Those students who don’t get the grades they need shouldn’t panic as there’s a broad range of options open to them including clearing, reapplying for next year or seeking work experience or training supported by our Backing Young Britain campaign. To find out more you can speak to a trained advisor on the exams helpline on 0808 100 8000.”

For more information on the various options, see the below links.

UCAS helpline
For help with clearing, adjustment or specific questions about an application.
0871 468 0 468

National Exams Result Helpline
The National Exam Results Helpline welcomes calls from students who’ve done A levels, AS levels, GCSEs, Diplomas and equivalent qualifications – including mature students. It’s also open to parents and guardians.
0808 100 8000

Student Finance England helpline.
For those making enquiries about their application for Student Finance.
0845 300 50 90
(Those who haven’t made an application for Student Finance should go to the Directgov student finance page).

UCAS
The official organisation responsible for higher education applications. Students can manage their applications using ‘Track’ and access information on universities and colleges.

YouGo Further
UCAS’ online community for students featuring web chats, essential information and online advisers.

Directgov advice
Official UK Government information on post-exam options and more general advice for 14 to 19 year olds.

The Student Room
Share your personal experiences of Clearing, and student issues in general, in the UK’s largest online student forum.

Make your mark
Advice and inspiration for entrepreneurial young people.

Building on the New Industry, New Jobs agenda as well as our latest advanced manufacturing initiatives announced on 29 July, the support further demonstrates the government’s commitment to the our advanced manufacturing sector, as part of a balanced economy helping to build Britain’s future.

The support, drawn partially from the Government’s £750m Strategic Investment Fund, will enable Airbus in the UK to strengthen its position as a world leader in wing, landing gear and fuel integration systems technologies and ensure the UK plays a leading role in the development of the A350 XWB, as it has done on previous Airbus programmes. This support will create and sustain more than 1,200 jobs within Airbus across Filton and Broughton sites as well over 5,000 within the supply chain across the UK.

Through increased use of advanced composite materials in the construction of the wing and other parts of the aircraft, the A350XWB will be lighter – delivering significant environmental benefits, including around 15% reductions in CO2 emissions – essential to delivering on our low carbon agenda.

Today’s announcement of £340m of support follows on from our commitment to provide £60m of support for GKN to design and develop the rear spar and trailing edge of the A350 XWB.

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said:

“This agreement is excellent news for the UK aerospace sector and for the thousands of British workers within Airbus and its UK-based supply chain”.

“The UK’s aerospace industry is world-class and capable of competing successfully with companies across the world. We recognise the vital role Airbus, and its supply chain, play in the UK.

“Aerospace is a sector that we are rightly proud of in the UK. It stimulates innovation across industry, demonstrates our capability to work with the most advanced technologies, and provides high-quality, highly skilled employment. It is a sector at the heart of our advanced manufacturing strategy.

“This agreement is further evidence of this government’s long-term commitment to the UK aerospace industry and its future success. Aerospace is one of the UK manufacturing’s crown jewels, and manufacturing is one of the UK economy’s crown jewels.”

Tom Enders, Airbus president and CEO, said

“We welcome the UK government’s decision to invest in the A350 XWB, the most advanced, innovative, and eco-efficient aircraft in its market segment. This partnership with the UK government means that the UK taxpayer can expect a sound return on their investment, and ensure the aviation industry continues to thrive in Europe and around the world.”

In Nottingham today, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson announced an investment of £2m from the Capital for Enterprise Fund to local firm KeTech.

A further £1m investment is being made in Glasgow-based Vamosa, which provides IT systems to businesses and the public sector.

Lord Mandelson said:

“Ambitious and innovative businesses like these are the lifeblood of the economy but tough credit conditions can make it difficult for them to invest in their future. The Government is committed to ensuring that viable companies have the finance they need to grow”.

Ensuring innovative British businesses can access this sort of risk capital is one of the key commitments from the Government’s industrial strategy, New Industry New Jobs. The £75m Capital for Enterprise Fund was created to help viable small and medium-sized businesses with genuine growth potential that would otherwise be unable to secure investment.

KeTech will receive £2m of equity funding from Octopus Investments, which manages £30m of the total £75m.

KeTech Group Chief Executive John Kearney said:

“Since the current economic crisis began, the lack of available credit, even to viable businesses such as KeTech, has significantly impaired our ability to keep growing. As a result, we turned to the Government for help.

“I am therefore delighted that the Octopus Capital for Enterprise Fund is injecting much-needed capital into KeTech. This will play a critical role in enabling us to secure profitable new contracts which regrettably, until now, we have been forced to turn away.”

Maven Capital Partners, which also manages £30m of the £75m fund, is investing £1m of equity funding in Vamosa.

Vamosa Managing Director George Knox said:

“With this investment, we will help to define the global Enterprise Content Governance sector.

“It is our vision for a Scottish business to ensure multi-national organisations and governments receive the highest return on investment from their content assets. Receiving this capital injection from Maven is a proof-point to the opportunities available to Vamosa.”

KeTech

Founded in 1998, KeTech provides communication software and services to the rail industry. It also produces specialist detection systems for use in defence and emergency services markets, together with a range of building management systems. The firm has more than doubled its turnover to £16m since 2006 and it employs over 100 people at six UK sites.

Vamosa

Software firm Vamosa is based in Glasgow and also operates in London and the US. It offers a range and products to businesses and governments that help them to analyse, monitor and maintain all forms of business content. The company was founded in 1999 and has 36 employees.

In a survey of over 4,800 people who had completed a further education course and were out of work when they began their studies, 41% had secured a job two years after they had ‘graduated’, up from 34% the previous year.

Learners surveyed were asked whether they felt further education helped their job prospects after they had completed a college course in 2005/6. 62% of learners now in work said their course was either vital or helpful to getting a new or different job after college.

Among those seeking employment, 64% believed their college course improved their chances of finding work. College courses were also seen by many to boost promotion prospects and job security.

Kevin Brennan, Minister for Further Education, said:

“Further Education colleges are at the frontline of helping those out of work, back into jobs. This research is especially important as it is testament to the benefits of further education felt by those who have actually undertaken a course or training.

“I am delighted such a large majority of learners feel their further education experience has enhanced their jobs prospects and skills. The Government is committed to building on the work of the sector to help people gain the skills the need to get a job or set up their own business which is why we have increased spending on further education to nearly £5 billion in 2009-10.”

In addition, the report showed a substantial decrease in people claiming Job Seekers Allowance from 28% at the beginning of their course, to just 8% a year after completion.

A wide range of lasting benefits were felt by 93% of college learners as a result of their course. Under 25s were most likely to report an increase in knowledge and skills, learners with a long-term disability were more likely to report increased confidence, and a significant proportion of older learners said that they had improved their IT skills.

Going to college has also influenced many learners’ decision to continue education, with 73% likely to undertake further learning or training within the next two years. 26% have already gained a further qualification since they completed their course in 2005/6. One learner said: “The main benefit was the GCSEs I gained – without them I wouldn’t have got on to my university course, so it’s had a huge impact; a lasting impact.”

Maggie Scott, Association of Colleges’ Director of Policy, said:

“Many Colleges place a strong emphasis on helping people back into work through quality training, so it is pleasing to see from this research the positive influence that learners feel colleges and other further education providers are having on job prospects and progression into further learning. There have been real lasting benefits for the thousands of respondents who took part in the study.”

“There is obviously still much more work to be done to help people affected by the current economic climate and we would anticipate greater demand for training by Colleges and other providers and that they will build on the successes indicated by this new research.”

The regional breakdowns, available today for the first time, show that the scheme has proved popular with car buyers across the UK with take-up highest in the South East (18%), the East of England (12%), the North West (11%) and South West (11%). These figures reflect a pattern that is broadly in line with national levels of car ownership, with the highest participation rates for the scrappage scheme in regions with the highest levels of car ownership.

Lord Mandelson, Secretary of State for Business said:

“I’m pleased that we have already achieved over 150,000 new car orders. This is a great deal for manufacturers and dealers, not to mention the customers.

“The scheme has contributed to the 13.5% jump in car manufacturing and the first growth in new car registrations since April 2008.

The additional data also reveal that on average, new cars bought under the scheme have CO2 emissions that are 25% lower than the cars scrapped. The average CO2 figure for scrapped cars is estimated to be at least 179 g/km, compared to a much lower 133.9 g/km emissions average for cars bought through the scheme.

The UK scheme, with £300m from Government and matched funding from manufacturers, is intended to provide immediate support on a short-term basis to boost the car industry and its supply chain during the downturn and stimulate demand. It will also get older vehicles off the road and encourage consumers to invest in new, safer, and potentially more environmentally friendly models.

For three years, supply2.gov.uk has advertised thousands of public sector procurement opportunities worth up to £100,000 – making the website ideally suited to small and medium sized businesses.

The fee that was previously charged to search the site across the UK will now be removed, providing firms with better access to public sector contracts to help their businesses grow.

Business Minister Shriti Vadera said:

“Small businesses are facing significant pressure in this downturn and new contracts are essential for their return to growth.

“We want to support small businesses by making it easier to access the thousands of Government procurement opportunities that are directly relevant to them.

“This free service is an interim step along the way to introducing a single website for all public sector contracts next year.”

Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Ian Pearson said:

“Small and medium businesses are a crucial part of the UK economy and in these challenging times it is essential that we support them in as many ways as possible.

“By introducing a free to use national search service we are helping to create a level playing field on which SMEs can compete with their larger counterparts. This will realise benefits for SMEs, the economy as a whole, and help drive further innovation in public services.”

Debasish Sen, Federation of Small Businesses Trade and Industry committee member, said:

“The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has been working closely with the Government to put better policies on procurement in place and we welcome this first step to create a free, national, on-line portal that small firms can use to apply for public sector contracts next year.

“FSB research shows that half of SMEs do not tender for public contracts because the process is too complicated and the contracts are too difficult to find in the first place. Making supply2.gov.uk free to access is a first step in the right direction and something the FSB has been pushing for, for a long time.”

Searching for these contracts across the UK was previously only available as part of a subscription service, which cost up to £180 per year.

This announcement is a move towards delivering on a key recommendation outlined in the Glover Review – that by the end of 2010 all public sector contracts should be accessible through a single, free online web portal.

This underlines the value of the RDAs following an independent study earlier in the year that showed overall, every pound invested by RDAs will generate at least £4.50 for their regional economies.

Rosie Winterton, Minister for Regional Economic Development said:

“These reports show that the Regional Development Agencies are playing a key role at the frontline of our response to the global economic downturn. They have risen to the immediate challenge of the recession with one eye firmly fixed on the future and the upturn.

“They have done this whilst achieving their corporate objectives for 2008/09 and improving the overall economic outlook for their regions. By working with their local and national partners, RDAs are making a real difference.”

Speaking on behalf of England’s RDA’s, Richard Ellis, chair of the East of England Development Agency (EEDA), said:

“We’re pleased at the recognition given today to the important work done by regional development agencies. RDAs are delivering vital help and support to businesses during the recession. We have provided £110 million to fund national schemes to support business and we committed quickly to a range of practical measures designed to help SMEs, such as paying suppliers within 10 working days.

“RDAs have continued to invest to create the right environment for the growth of future and emerging economic sectors, such as low-carbon technologies, high-tech manufacturing and digital communications. To support tomorrow’s innovative businesses we are investing £1 billion between now and 2011.”

RDAs Key Achievements

BusinessLink

The RDA funded BusinessLink service has refocused its service to meet the immediate needs of businesses to survive and prepare for the upturn. Over the last year the service has nationally supported 942,166 businesses, the majority of which are Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) which are the backbone of the country’s business community. Businesses can now access a vast range of advice and support through the single BusinessLink portal.

Fiscal Stimulus projects

RDAs have voluntarily and collectively brought forward up to £100 million as part of the Government’s Fiscal Stimulus package. This is targeted at projects which will create a short term boost to the economy by ensuring that critical projects that would otherwise have slowed down or stopped continue as normal.

Area Action Teams

RDAs have been working jointly with a range of partners including Local Authorities, Job Centre Plus, the Learning and Skills Council and Citizens Advice Bureau to respond to companies in difficulty through the Area Action Teams. The primary focus is on redundancies and company closures, and they aim to minimise the impact of these and identify opportunities and sources of support to provide a co-ordinated response to the company and the individuals affected.

Transitional Loan funds

In November Lord Mandelson announced that English regions would introduce Transition Loan Funds (TLF) totalling £25 million. RDAs subsequently increased the funding available to just under £57 million. The TLF were introduced to address the particular circumstances of the current credit market. These have proved very successful since their launch, with over 280 loans, totalling more than £28 million, approved to date, safeguarding over 9,000 jobs.

A new campaign – ‘Backing Young Britain’ – uniting business and government to create thousands of opportunities for young people is launched by Yvette Cooper, Lord Mandelson, Ed Balls and John Denham today.

Launching the campaign Ministers announced £40 million to fund a new mentoring network to help young people find their feet in a tough jobs market and provide more help from day one of unemployment through job clubs and 1-2-1 support. There will also be internships and work placements for graduates and non-graduates – including 10,000 places for 18-21 year olds who haven’t been to university.

Ministers called on businesses and other organisations to make a commitment to support young people in at least one of the following ways:

• work with a partnership to bid for one of the 100,000 jobs for young people from the Future Jobs Fund;
• offer a volunteering place or a volunteer mentor for school or university leavers;
• provide work experience places to help young people learn about work, make contacts and fill their CV;
• consider a young person for a job through a work trial
• offer an internship for a graduate;
• provide an apprenticeship for 19-24 year olds
• join a Local Employment Partnership to make sure job vacancies are advertised to local unemployed people.

Kicking the campaign off today at an event with businesses and young people in London, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Yvette Cooper announced that 117 bidders have been given the green light to create up to 47,000 innovative jobs for young people and the long term unemployed through the Government’s Future Jobs Fund. Jobs will include sports coaches, tourist ambassadors, education assistants, and roles in the green and social care sectors.

Launching the campaign at the Hoxton Apprentice in London, Yvette Cooper said:

“We will not stand by and let young people get left behind in this recession. We are investing around £1 billion in getting young people and the long term unemployed jobs and opportunities to make the most of their talents and skills so they don’t get thrown onto the scrap heap.

“Today 117 organisations have been successful in their bids to create up to 47,000 jobs for young people and the long term unemployed. These opportunities will enable them to gain skills and experience and give them a helping hand onto the career ladder.

“Now we need businesses, charities and public sector bodies to work with us to harness the talent of our young people, so that we can avoid losing a generation and build a stronger future for Britain.”

In addition, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson launched a website with the details of more than 2,500 internships available to graduates from businesses up and down the country. The internships available now are the first of over 6,000 already pledged by employers and will be included on the Graduate Talent Pool site over the coming weeks.

Lord Mandelson said:

“Our national campaign to help every young person to find a job, training or work skills and experience is not just a response to the recession but an investment in our future as we build a stronger Britain.”

Ministers are today out and about around the country visiting successful organisations to see first hand the kind of jobs that will be created by the Future Jobs Fund.

Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls said:

“We must not repeat the mistakes that were made in recessions of the past and abandon a whole generation of young people. The Government already has schemes up and running to help school leavers, graduates and young unemployed people and we’d like businesses and charities to join in by offering schemes such as volunteering places, work experience and apprenticeships.

“For our part, the September Guarantee will guarantee all 16 and 17 year olds a place in learning, whether that’s at school, college, in training or an apprenticeship. More than 1.5 million young people – the highest number ever – will be able to stay on in education or training this year.

“We’re also expanding apprenticeships and training places, as well as places in sixth forms and colleges for a range of courses like Diplomas and A levels, with an overall investment of £6.9billion in the education and training of 16-18 year olds across the country.”

Communities Secretary John Denham said:

“In the downturn it is essential that the government’s real help with jobs and social housing reaches into the heart of the hardest hit communities, to assure people that the government understands their needs and is responding to them.

“The future jobs fund gives local and national government and their partners a huge opportunity to discuss with local people in hard hit areas how new jobs can tackle local needs and provide new opportunities for young people.”

For more information on Backing Young Britain please visit
www.hmg.gov.uk/backingyoungbritain.

Employers can access Graduate Talent Pool at: http://www.bis.gov.uk/graduatetalentpool

Graduates can find out more information about Graduate Talent Pool at: http://www.direct.gov.uk/graduates

Investment totalling £151.5 million has been announced as part of the Government’s targeted strategies for key sectors and markets. It will expand access to information, encourage take up of new technologies and address specific challenges faced by the aerospace sector.

Advanced Manufacturing describes businesses which use a high level of design or scientific skills to produce technologically complex products and processes. Because of the specialised requirements involved, these are usually goods and associated services of high value.

Read about the measures and let us know what you think on our commentable website:

http://interactive.bis.gov.uk/advancedmanufacturing

In his first major speech on higher education since taking responsibility for it under the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), Lord Mandelson today outlined his views on the essential issues facing universities ahead of an HE Framework on the future shape of the sector that he will publish later this year.

To an audience of university vice chancellors and representatives from across the HE sector, he emphasised the crucial role universities play in building a stronger UK economy and responded to some of the key challenges of social mobility raised in Alan Milburn’s report ‘Unleashing Aspiration’ on access to the professions published last week.

Ahead of an independent review on university tuition fees due later this year, Lord Mandelson said the central questions around how higher education is funded cannot be separated from the issue of access to a university education for those from poorer backgrounds.

Speaking at Birkbeck College, London, he said:

“Over the last decade we as a country have invested hugely in our universities. We have actively pursued a policy of widening access. We have put knowledge and science at the centre of our vision of our economic future, and protected its funding at unprecedented levels.

“We have instituted a fees system that has, in my view, been a radical and signal success in strengthening the resources available to universities without sacrificing accessibility to students.

“But we are obviously facing an incredibly difficult decade of rebuilding growth and future strengths in Britain. There are tough decisions ahead. Our graduates face the toughest job market for years. And ultimately those big twentieth-century higher education questions are still with us. For what end? For whom? Paid for how?”

Outlining the key role of universities on the economy, Lord Mandelson said:

“It seems to me that in defining the economic role of universities we come up with a set of linked challenges all of which are tied to the critical role of universities at the heart of a knowledge economy.

“Equipping people as rounded intellectual beings but also giving them the skills they will need in a global economy.

“Turning more of the knowledge that is generated in UK universities into jobs and growth, especially by bringing businesses and universities together to collaborate.

“These are management challenges for individual universities; but they are a strategic challenge for the UK as a whole. The diversity of mission statements and the autonomy of universities in defining precisely how they serve their students and customers is clearly vital. But there is also a need for a collective strategic vision for the sector and its role in our national economic life. That is the balance we will aim to strike in the Higher Education Framework.”

On social mobility and Alan Milburn’s report, Lord Mandelson said:

“A university education remains the gateway to the professions and a ticket to higher lifetime earnings on average. So I think we have to ask: why, for all the work in the sector and all the seriousness with which it has tackled this question are we still making only limited progress in widening access to Higher Education to young people from poorer backgrounds – especially at our most selective universities?

“We clearly need to look again at how, and how early we identify and engage potential candidates for university. I am attracted to the idea of stronger links between the professions, universities and schools – work experience, early mentoring, clearer lines of communication about what preparing for university and a career in the professions means at every stage of secondary education.

“I agree with Alan Milburn that as well as the usual criteria of standardized testing, there is a strong case for using other more contextual benchmarks for talent spotting that look at the way candidates have exploited the opportunities open to them in their lives. Some universities in the UK are using these approaches. There is good evidence that they work. And any Vice Chancellor that takes a broad and innovative approach to identifying talent will have the firm backing of the government.”

Lord Mandelson made it clear that he would not pre-empt the independent review of fees planned for launch in the autumn. He added:

“I do not believe that we can separate the issues of fees, access and student support. Any institution that wants to use greater costs to the student to fund excellence must face an equal expectation to ensure that its services remain accessible to more than just those with the ability to pay.

“Whatever funding mix for higher education we develop, there must always be a link between what an institution charges and its performance in widening access and supporting those without the ability to pay.”

Read the full speech

Lord Drayson, Minister for Science and Innovation, will formally kick off the consultation at the London launch of a new European Space Agency (ESA) facility at Harwell, on Wednesday 22 July. The consultation will seek views on whether the current organisation which oversees space in the UK, the British National Space Centre (BNSC), is the best funding structure to meet the challenges of the future and deliver the greatest benefit to the country.

Read the consultation document here

The BNSC has helped the UK to build a hugely successful sector which is second only to the USA in space science, contributes £6.5bn a year to the UK economy and supports 68,000 jobs.

However, as the world becomes increasingly dependent on advances in space science and in order to safeguard the UK’s “critical mass” of skills and expertise, today’s consultation is seeking views on the appetite for a single agency to better co-ordinate the UK’s civil space strategy.

The Minister for Science and Innovation, Lord Drayson said:

“Space is so important to our future. The UK space industry has thrived under the BNSC, but the Apollo 11 anniversary demonstrates the need for ambition, purpose and a clear sense of commitment.

“We now have to look ahead to the next 40 years. I want this consultation to be inspired and influenced by this idea. So we can provide the best support to our world-leading space sector. So it can continue to flourish and when the economic growth takes hold, make an even bigger impact on the UK economy and our lives.”

A thriving space sector will play an important role in building Britain’s future and the recession busting trends of the space industry is a testament to the nature of business that will generate the jobs of the future.

Space is a key part of the global communications network, driving globalisation and providing new business opportunities. The UK’s leading satellite infrastructure will also support sustainable development, help protect our oceans and fisheries, and allow us to predict and help when natural disasters strike throughout the world.

Britons benefit from space technology every day – often without realising it.

Some advances are obvious, such as satellite communications, television broadcasting. Mobile networks and accurate GPS equipment in cars. Others are more obscure, such as timing networks underpinning telephone and power grids.

Space applications can provide solutions for developing policy and providing services, for example, the Digital Britain initiative which will use satellites to achieve its goal of total UK broadband coverage by 2012.

The 12-week consultation starts on the day the European Space Agency (ESA) lands in Harwell, Oxfordshire – opening its first facility in the UK.

The ESA facility will focus on three areas – adapting space data and images to create new everyday applications; climate change modelling that uses space data; and developing technologies such as novel power sources and innovative robotics which could be used to explore the Moon and Mars.

Through the new ESA facility and the International Space Innovation Centre which will be created in Harwell, the UK will maximise its world-leading strengths in these areas and enable our space industry to win a larger share of the global market in space systems, services and applications.

The Government also recently announced the Space Innovation and Growth Team which offers a huge opportunity for the government to work alongside industry to define a clear plan – a 20 year vision – and come up with a strategy for the future growth of the UK space industry.

The Minister for Science and Innovation, Lord Drayson, added:

“Britain is undergoing a space renaissance. We must build on this to strengthen our outstandingly successful space programme. I hope this consultation will help us establish the infrastructure we need to take UK space into a new age.”

Read the consultation document here

As part of those talks he will update them on discussions that the Government has been having with all the parties involved and reiterate the Government’s commitment to continued Vauxhall production in the UK.

Lord Mandelson said:

“We are determined to continue out detailed discussions with RHJI, Magna and other interested parties to secure a long term commercial future for Vauxhall.

“I and my officials are in constant contact with the US and German governments and GM and others to ensure Britain’s interests are fully represented.

“As one of GMEs most efficient plants, Ellesmere Port produces one of the UK’s favourite cars, the Vauxhall Astra and I hope one day the Ampera.

“Vauxhall is an excellent and very popular UK brand. Continued Vauxhall production remains a top priority for this government.”

The projects are the first ‘Early Bird’ bids to receive funding under the Government’s £20m Transformation Fund to support informal adult learning – learning for pleasure, self-development and community development.

Each project has been allocated a share of £1m by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). The projects will introduce a range of innovative adult learning initiatives and activities for the benefit of a diverse range of communities and individuals.

The Transformation Fund delivers on commitments made in The Learning Revolution White Paper, published earlier this year, which announced a new approach to improving people’s lives and prosperity though learning for pleasure.

Kevin Brennan, Minister for Further Education, Skills and Consumer Affairs, said:

“These new projects will help to transform the way adults engage with learning – be it through music, creative writing, or parent groups – at the same time as promoting new partnerships in local communities.

“Learning for pleasure is hugely important – contributing to health, building confidence and improving community cohesion. In the longer term, informal learning can also act as a stepping stone towards more formal qualifications and employment.”

BIS has also announced today that the National Institute for Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) has won the tender to manage the Transformation Fund and oversee the distribution of the remaining £19million grant fund.

Alan Tuckett, Chief Executive of NIACE, said:

“NIACE is proud to have the role of supporting the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills managing the Transformation Fund. We argued in our response to the Informal Learning Consultation that there is no better stimulus for local adult learning providers than the creation of a fund to trigger innovation and new partnerships.

“There’s already evidence from the ‘early bird’ bids of how creative and imaginative community-based adult learning can be when it’s given the opportunity for blue-skies thinking and the money to put those ideas into practice.”

The Transformation Fund was set up to encourage new partnerships between public, private and community organisations and create informal learning activities which:

• encourage more and different people into informal learning, particularly people from disadvantaged groups;
• open up access to learning in new places, in new ways and at more flexible times;
  support people to set up self-organised groups and learning clubs;
• widen choice, by developing and sharing innovative content;
• build partnerships and strengthen the capacity of informal adult learning organisations;
• improve connections and progression between different kinds of learning; and
  make better use of broadcasting and technology to stimulate and support learning.

The fund, available in 2009-10, adds to the £210m which the Government has already ring-fenced to support informal adult learning. The Government also invests £360m each year in museums and galleries, £10m in UK online centres in libraries and other community settings and £21.5m in union learning.

The Transformation Fund delivers on a pledge made in the Government’s The Learning Revolution White Paper, published in March 2009, which describes how Government and a multitude of partner organisations can work together to create a new movement for informal learning.