• Area aims to become a global leader in the region’s life sciences, food production, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing sectors
• Business Minister Lord Henley meets Cambridgeshire and Peterborough leaders today to discuss how plans will boost productivity and shape new opportunities

A new economic blueprint for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is unveiled today, designed to maximise productivity and innovation in the area’s leading life sciences, food production, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing sectors.

The new Local Industrial Strategy aims to harness the full potential of innovation in the region, and features a Skills and Apprenticeships Hub to support the local community.

Developed in collaboration with local leaders, Government and businesses, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Local Industrial Strategy sets out how the area will contribute towards delivering the national Industrial Strategy’s aim to raise productivity levels and create high-quality, well paid jobs across the country.

Business Secretary Greg Clark said:

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough alone contribute £22billilon a year to the UK economy. Today’s Local Industrial Strategy – one of four published across the Oxford-Cambridge Arc – will help boost this even further.

In particular, today’s Strategy will mean the area can build on its global reputation for innovation and enterprise by focusing on its world-leading life sciences, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing sectors, delivering highly-skilled jobs and securing a strong local economy for years to come.

Mayor of the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority, James Palmer said:

The first Local Industrial Strategy for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough will help create the conditions to achieve our ambition of doubling economic output and ensuring future prosperity is felt by more people.

This bold strategy has clear actions to help firms grow, become more productive and increase local and global reach, while fostering and sustaining broad-based growth across our economy for years to come.

And it is about putting people first, by underpinning our economy with better infrastructure and transport links and delivering the skills our workforce needs to secure higher quality, better paid jobs while boosting productivity.

We now have a strategy which recognises the strengths and challenges of our sub-economies of the Fens, Greater Peterborough and Greater Cambridge, delivering a ambitious and joined-up masterplan that works for people and enterprise.

To coincide with the launch of the Local Industrial Strategies, Business Minister Lord Henley met representatives from across the Oxford-Cambridge Arc today to discuss how these local economic strategies are helping to deliver the Government’s Industrial Strategy ambitions.

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough plan includes:

• a new Skills, Talent and Apprenticeship Hub to support the local community by connecting employers, providers, and learners
• working with local partners to develop the infrastructure to support growth. Local partners will progress key infrastructure projects to support the expansion of the region’s innovation powerhouse

Lord Henley, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, said:

Local Industrial Strategies are about celebrating the unique strengths of places across the country, so it was great to meet business leaders from across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough today to understand how they are going to put this new, Government-backed economic plan into action.

Our modern Industrial Strategy aims to raise productivity levels and to create high-quality, well paid jobs, and this Local Industrial Strategy outlines how we will do that for people in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

Professor Aamir Khalid, Chair of The Business Board of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority:

Businesses throughout our area already make an incredible contribution to the wealth of UK Plc but this is the first time we have set out a strategy that will help ensure their global competitiveness in the years to come.

This is about fostering the conditions in which the innovative, dynamic and energetic enterprises that are a hallmark of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough economy can continue to thrive.

We have diverse and distinct economic sub-regions in our area, but what is really exciting is how this new strategy both seeks to enhance their strengths and tackle any challenges to growth head-on, creating the foundation for business success everywhere.

Housing Minister Kit Malthouse said:

People deserve to live in thriving, prosperous communities where there are great job opportunities, high quality affordable homes and local leaders with strategies to boost economic growth in bold and innovative ways.

The four Local Industrial Strategies mark a momentous time for the Oxford-Cambridge Arc and will maximise the undoubted potential of the region. That’s demonstrated by the sheer range of plans covered by the strategies – whether it be developing future generations via a Skills Apprenticeship Hub, improving social mobility, or entertaining film lovers with productions from the world-famous Pinewood Studios.

It’s time to roll up our sleeves and work with communities and local leaders to realise their ambitions and also build more, better, faster, providing one million new homes across the Oxford-Cambridge Arc by 2050.

Through Local Industrial Strategies, local partners will work together to harness the collective strength of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc’s research base to drive greater collaboration on science and research, bring employers and providers together to understand and meet skills needs and develop improved support for business across the Arc as a whole.

The Government’s modern Industrial Strategy is the flagship economic policy which backs businesses to create high-quality, well paid jobs throughout the United Kingdom, and invests in skills, innovation and infrastructure.

A commemorative event to mark the 50th anniversary of the start of Operation Banner will be held at the National Memorial Arboretum on 14 August.

Op Banner lasted almost 38 years between 14 August 1969 and 31 July 2007 – more than 300,000 members of the UK Armed Forces were deployed in this time. Some 1,441 serving personnel died on deployment or in related paramilitary acts.

The MOD is working with The Royal British Legion to honour the service and sacrifice of those on Op Banner with an event at the Armed Forces Memorial, which individually commemorates those who fell. From 2pm, there will be a secular service, a fly-past of a Royal Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft and music from The Band of the Royal Logistics Corps.

The Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt and senior representatives of the Armed Forces will attend.

Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt said:

So many of our serving and veteran community deployed on Op Banner, with all three services involved in supporting the police and civilian authorities. Fifty years on, it is right we recognise their contribution and sacrifice while reflecting on this significant part of our history.

The Government has awarded The Royal British Legion £1.5 million in funding to deliver national commemorative events, specifically to include this 50th anniversary. Those wishing to attend should register their interest with the charity.

The Royal British Legion’s Assistant Director of Commemorative Events, Bob Gamble, said:

Operation Banner represents a significant period in the recent history of the British Armed Forces, and this event will honour both their service and sacrifice during that time.

We are encouraging anyone who served with either the British Armed Forces or Civilian Services in Northern Ireland to register their interest in attending the event through the Legion’s website.

Those eligible to attend are current personnel and veterans holding the General Service Medal 62, clasp Northern Ireland, Civilian Services in support of Op Banner and families of UK Armed Forces and Civilian Service personnel killed as a result of operations in Northern Ireland.

The MOD provides a Grant-in-Aid of around £320,000 a year to the arboretum specifically to maintain the Armed Forces Memorial. In 2015, the memorial also benefited from £3m in Government funding to help pay for improvements and essential maintenance. Also at the arboretum, the Ulster Ash Grove of memorial trees honours all those who fell in Ulster. Dedicated in 2003, this memorial was funded by the Government and commemorates not only the UK Armed Forces who fell but also those of the RUC and the NI Prison Service.

The Government held a service at St Paul’s Cathedral in September 2008 to mark the end of Op Banner and honour those who served.

In June:

• HM Land Registry completed more than 1,662,800 applications to change or query the Land Register
• the South East topped the table of regional applications with 374,229

HM Land Registry completed 1,662,826 applications in June compared with 1,732,280 in May and 1,701,272 last June, of which:

• 321,490 were applications for register updates compared with 357,400 in May
• 870,019 were applications for an official copy of a register compared with 896,653 in May
• 205,027 were search and hold queries (official searches) compared with 198,501 in May
• 17,729 were postal applications from non-account holders compared with 19,228 in May

Applications by region and country

Top 5 local authority areas

Top 5 customers

Access the full dataset on data.gov.uk

Next publication

Transaction Data is published on the 15th working day of each month. The July data will be published at 11am on Wednesday 21 August 2019.

Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt and her Swedish counterpart Peter Hultqvist have signed a landmark agreement to partner on future combat air.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) commits both governments to work on a joint combat air development and acquisition programme, including the development of new concepts to meet both nations’ future requirements.

At the MOU signing with her Swedish counterpart yesterday, the Defence Secretary said:

The UK and Sweden have an enduring defence relationship, with our two industries sharing a rich history of collaboration in air power.

Not only do we share the same commitment to tolerance, freedom and free trade, we also share the same determination to defend those values, including in Afghanistan, Iraq and today as part of the UK’s Joint Expeditionary Force.

This agreement further deepens this partnership and sees us look to the future with a bold and shared vision of UK and Swedish air power.

Announcing the signature of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the Royal International Air Tattoo, the Minister of Defence Procurement, Stuart Andrew, said:

I’m delighted that we have signed this Memorandum of Understanding, endorsing a shared and ambitious vision for future combat air systems which lays firm foundations for future collaboration.

Today we usher in an exciting new era in which the talents of two great combat air nations will be combined to lift Swedish and British airpower into the stratosphere.

The Defence Minister outlined the UK and Sweden’s long partnership on defence, including:

• Joint exercises in the Arctic and in Exercise Ramstein Alloy over the Eastern European skies.
• Swedish-made chaff and flare dispensers are used on UK Typhoons and Saab’s Giraffe radar is a key part of the UK’s Sky Sabre ground-based air defence system.
• Swedish Gripen aircraft are equipped with radars designed and built by Leonardo in Edinburgh.
• The UK, working with European partners including Sweden, has developed the state-of-the-art beyond-visual-range Meteor air to air missiles.

The Swedish Minister of Defence, Peter Hultqvist, confirmed both governments intend to remain at the forefront of combat air.

He stressed the opportunities to put advanced technologies onto Gripen and Typhoon, the world class combat aircraft currently operated by Sweden and the UK respectively, before inserting these technologies onto a future combat air system.

Peter Hultqvist also highlighted the strong industrial base shared by both countries as central to securing future Combat Air power, as well as the existing Gripen fighter systems.

He added that the significant progress made to date was a result of focussing the discussions on practical considerations, recognising the strengths of each party and treating each other as equal partners.

Discussions between industries and governments had been ongoing since the publication of the UK’s Combat Air Strategy in July 2018, with common ground identified based on similar future Combat Air requirements, including being optimised for air defence.

Defence Minister Andrew confirmed that other nations were encouraged to join the UK/Swedish dialogue, on the condition that they had similar requirements.

The Air Force Chiefs of both nations addressed the audience at the event, as well as industry. UK industry was represented by BAE Systems, whilst Swedish industry was represented by Saab.

Hannah – from Leicestershire – patrols the M1 near East Midlands Airport and says it’s vital people do the basics before setting off to avoid timely breakdowns and delays to other motorists.

The call comes as part of Highways England’s ongoing safety campaign about motorway driving.

It advises motorists what to do if they break down and reminds them to follow speed limits, to keep left except when overtaking and not to ignore Red X signals above closed lanes.

Hannah said:

Today is the day when thoughts turn to those important summer holidays and quality family time. You’ve packed the sun cream, dusted off the sandals and got the suitcase packed. But, have you considered the safety of the vehicle your travelling in?

It’s vital motorists take part in ‘check your vehicle day’ because those plans could be ruined by a simple vehicle breakdown that could have easily been avoided.

She added:

We often find people have run out of fuel and that’s because they have ignored the warning light on the dashboard before setting off. There is an assumption that there is always more in the tank than the indicated level, but that is not the case and other factors such as driving style can quickly reduce fuel levels. Put simply, it’s not worth taking the chance.

By making sure that you have fuel levels topped up, there’s less likelihood of you being forced to make unplanned stops and causing delays to other drivers.

The other common breakdown I come across relates to tyre problems. Again, you shouldn’t always rely on the car to tell you something is wrong. Many modern cars have tyre pressure monitoring systems, but by manually checking the tyre pressure and tread regularly, you can reduce the likelihood of things like tyre blowouts while also improving fuel efficiency. We all have a part to play in helping everyone get where they’re going as quickly and as safely as possible.

The ‘check your vehicle day’ is being supported by 1992 Formula 1 World Champion Nigel Mansell CBE, in his role as IAM RoadSmart president, the RAC, Michelin UK, Green Flag and Halfords Autocentres.

Nigel Mansell added:

The ‘check your vehicle day’ is a great initiative from Highways England. As someone who raced in Formula 1 for well over a decade, I know a thing or two about good vehicle preparation – and what this means for getting to your finish line.

Making sure your car is fully ready for the journey ahead could not only save you and your family a lot of heartache on the way to your destination; but ensure that you, your occupants and other road users are as safe as possible.

It should be a weekly task for the driver to make sure all lights are working on his or her car, all glass areas are clean, wipers clear the windscreen properly, tyres at least meet legal requirements and water and oil levels are topped up.

I am delighted to give my stamp of approval to Highways England’s call to action and please pay attention to it, as it could save your life and those around you.

July and August are the busiest months for breakdowns on motorways and major A-roads with one breakdown reported every two minutes during the final weekend in July and first weekend in August.

Highways England is expecting to respond to an extra 700 breakdowns a week for the next six weeks, taking the average number of motorway breakdowns each week to almost 5,000.

Highways England says simple checks are a way to make sure the vehicle is roadworthy. Things to consider are:

• Check tyres: prior to setting off on a long/significant journey, check your tyre pressures are suitable for the load and the condition of your tyres, including the spare. Look out for cuts or wear and make sure the tyres have a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm, which is the legal limit
• Check engine oil: use your dipstick to check oil regularly and before any long journey, and top up if needed. Take your car back to the garage if you’re topping up more than usual
• Check water: to ensure you have good visibility, always keep your screen wash topped up so you can clear debris or dirt off your windscreen
• Check lights: if your indicators, hazard lights, headlights, fog lights, reverse lights or brake lights are not functioning properly, you are putting yourself and your family at risk. In addition, light malfunctions can be a reason for your vehicle to fail its MoT
• Check fuel: before setting out, check your fuel levels and make sure you have enough to get to your destination

Highways England has also issued five basic safety tips to follow if your car does break down on a motorway:

• Get away from the traffic. Exit the motorway or get to an emergency area or hard shoulder and use the free phone provided.
• If that’s not possible, move left onto the verge.
• Get out of the left side of your car and behind the barrier if you can and it is safe to do so.
• Get help – contact your breakdown provider or Highways England on 0300 123 5000.
• If you break down in moving traffic and cannot leave your car, keep your seatbelt and hazard lights on and call 999.

Get more information about driving on motorways.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.