Detailed guide: Import of products, animals, food and feed system (IPAFFS)

IPAFFS is the UK’s new notification system for importing animals and animal products.



Open Networks project: letter from BEIS and Ofgem to the Energy Networks Association (ENA)



UK will step up efforts to end preventable deaths of mothers, new-born babies and children in the developing world by 2030

A commitment has been made to prioritise ending preventable deaths of mothers, new-born babies and children in the developing world by 2030.

To achieve this, UK aid will invest in more vaccines for deadly diseases, prioritise access to healthcare for women and girls around the world, and invest in research to diagnose and treat diseases more quickly and effectively.

Every day, over 800 women lose their lives from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth and around 7,000 new-born babies die. The majority of these deaths are in the developing world and are preventable. Significant progress has been made to reduce these unnecessary deaths over the last 30 years. But we still fall short of a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every child lives a healthy life.

International Development Secretary, Alok Sharma, said:

Every 11 seconds, a pregnant woman or new-born baby dies somewhere in the world. These deaths are mostly preventable, and we should not allow this needless loss of life to continue.

We will boost our support for developing countries to ensure everyone has access to healthcare. We will invest more in vaccines and research so developing countries benefit from the very best of British and international expertise. And we will put sexual and reproductive health and rights for all women and girls at the heart of this commitment.

Everyone in the world deserves to be able to access the healthcare they need to live a healthy life.

This follows the announcement of a £600 million aid package to give millions more women and girls living in the world’s poorest countries access to family planning.

Notes to Editors

  • In 2017, nearly 295,000 women died from complications relating to pregnancy and childbirth, and in 2018, 5.3 million children under 5 died (mostly from preventable causes) including 2.5 million newborns. The main causes include severe bleeding, infections, delivery complications and unsafe abortion.
  • The vast majority of these deaths occurred in low and middle income countries, and amongst the poorest and most vulnerable.
  • Maternal mortality worldwide dropped by 38 per cent and the number of new-born deaths halved between 2000 and 2017, but we are off target to end preventable death.
  • An estimated 19.9 million children did not receive the vaccines during the first year of life, putting them at serious risk of these potentially fatal diseases. Some of the world’s most vulnerable people are still dying from vaccine-preventable diseases.
  • UK aid is committed to delivering Gavi’s new ambition to vaccinate 300 million more people by 2025. In June 2020 the UK will host Gavi’s replenishment conference.
  • At the UN General Assembly, we announced £600 million in support to family planning for women and girls.

To achieve this target, UK aid will:

  • continue to prioritise access to family planning for women and girls around the world.
  • increase funding for research and development into new health technologies designed to meet the specific needs of developing countries, like vaccines for deadly diseases such as meningitis and other severe epidemic diseases. Diseases that cross borders can also cross continents.
  • ensure children in the poorest countries have access to the life-saving vaccines that children in the richest countries routinely receive.
  • invest in research to develop cheaper and accessible diagnostic tests to make them more affordable for developing countries, so we can diagnose and treat diseases like malaria more quickly and effectively.
  • use the best of British and international expertise to provide technical assistance to developing countries to better prioritise their own domestic resources on highly cost-effective health interventions, such as the prevention and treatment of malnutrition.
  • will work with the private sector to increase access to affordable, effective, critical health technologies.


Appointment Extension: Local Government Superannuation Committee

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has extended the appointments of four Members of the Northern Ireland Local Government Officers’ Superannuation Committee (NILGOSC).

The extensions of appointments of Peter Caldwell, David Jackson MBE, Linda Neilan and Peter McMurray will take effect from 1 October 2019 for a period of six months or until permanent Committee Member appointments are made, whichever is earlier.

In the absence of Northern Ireland Ministers, these extensions were made possible by powers under the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Act 2018.

  • The Northern Ireland Local Government Officers’ Superannuation Committee (NILGOSC) was established in April 1950 to operate a pension scheme for the local councils and other similar bodies in Northern Ireland. The pension scheme is a defined benefit pension scheme. NILGOSC is the corporate body responsible for the administration of the Scheme and is a non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Communities.

  • The member positions are eligible for a daily allowance of £123 for a minimum commitment of two days per month.

  • This appointment has been made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland Code of Practice.

  • All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland requires political activity of appointees to be published.

  • Mr Peter Caldwell is the treasurer of Apex Housing Association Board of Management and a member of the NI Federation of Housing Associations Board. Previously he was Senior Manager with the former Western Health and Social Services Board with responsibility for business planning and performance management, skills and experience of which he brings to the Committee. He holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.

  • Mr David Jackson MBE is the Chief Executive of Causeway Coast and Glen Borough Council. He was previously the Head of Support Services at Coleraine Borough Council, prior to which he was a senior manager with PriceWaterhouseCoopers. He brings skills relating to risk management, communications and financial planning to the Committee. He holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.

  • Mrs Linda Neilan is the Group Accounting Manager and Senior Finance Business Partner for Translink with responsibility for management and financial accounting, payroll and ticketing. A Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland, Linda spent her early career with Deloitte and is currently a member of the LGPS (NI) Scheme Advisory Board. She brings a range of financial skills and corporate governance experience to the member role. She holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.

  • Mr Peter McMurray is the Lead Representative in Education for GMB the Union. He is also Branch Secretary and represents the GMB in a number of associated Councils, Committees and Forums, and brings this sectoral knowledge to the Committee. Through his role, he helps increase employees’ understanding of the benefits of belonging to the NILGOSC Scheme. He holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.



    • Smart funding: open to innovative businesses from any sector

    Smart is Innovate UK’s open grant funding programme. Up to £25 million is available to support the best game-changing and commercially viable ideas across a whole range of technology areas.

    Projects can focus on any area of technology and on any area of the economy including arts, design and media, creative industries, and science and engineering.

    Projects in support of one of the grand challenges in the UK government’s Industrial Strategy are welcomed but this is not necessary.

    Innovate UK Smart grants

    Game-changing ideas

    The competition will support a range of projects from short feasibility studies to larger research and development projects and experimental development lasting up to 3 years.

    Applicants must show they have:

    • a game-changing idea that could lead to commercially viable new products, processes or services
    • a strong business plan and a plan to deliver significant economic impact

    Competition information

    • the competition opens on 17 October 2019, and the closing date is at midday on 8 January 2020
    • businesses of any size may apply
    • we expect projects to vary in size between £25,000 and £2 million
    • a briefing event will be held on 24 October 2019