The Derry-Londonderry region will receive £105 million in major new investment, the UK Government announced today.

The package – £50 million for the Derry and Strabane City Deal and £55m for the new Inclusive Future Fund – aims to boost the economic potential of the City and support a more prosperous, united community and stronger society.

The Derry City and Strabane City Deal investment will help boost innovation and the digital potential of the city region and unlock local partner funding.

This will enable new projects such as a Centre for Industrial Digitisation, Robotics and Automation; and a programme of digital and smart cities interventions, subject to business case approval.

The City Deal will be bolstered by a £55m Inclusive Future Fund aimed at bringing greater prosperity and social benefits to the whole of the community.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Rt Hon Karen Bradley, said:

This £105 million investment package is a major boost to the economic potential of the region and will help strengthen the foundations for greater prosperity and a stronger, more united society.

The new Inclusive Future Fund recognises the unique circumstances facing the region and will help create new opportunities for the whole of the community, especially for young people.

As Secretary of State, I am deeply committed to building a dynamic, prosperous, outward-looking Northern Ireland that works for everyone, irrespective of community background.

Today’s announcement is a major milestone in my personal determination to unlock the huge potential that the whole of Northern Ireland has to offer.

Communities Secretary, Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP, said:

This major investment in the people and community of Derry-Londonderry and Strabane will bring enormous benefits for years to come.

It will create high-value jobs, put the area at the forefront of the UK’s growing digital economy and complement the Belfast Regional City Deal.

Derry City & Strabane Region City Deal

The UK Government is committing £50m towards the Derry City & Strabane Region City Deal.

Subject to business cases, this will be directed towards enhancing the region’s innovation and digital capabilities through:

a Centre for Industrial Digitisation, Robotics and Automation – developing a research and design facility in robotics, automation and internet of things technologies; and

a programme of digital and smart cities interventions – ‘Digital Enabling Infrastructure’, which will provide a future proof digital infrastructure by delivering next-generation connectivity. This will dovetail with ‘Smart City’ investment to support pre-market testing and validation of new smart technologies.

Inclusive Future Fund

• The new Inclusive Future Fund will enable investment in projects that could:

• Support local young people by providing jobs and skills opportunities;

• Tackle the causes and consequences of long-term social deprivation

• Build on the economic potential of the local university and making the local area more accessible and attractive to live, visit, study and invest.

The new funding package aims to build on the work of the previous Executive, which invested in the economic, cultural and social regeneration of the area.

As with the previous announcement of a Belfast Regional City Deal, to ensure a successfully integrated programme of investment for the North West, one that will deliver a step change in inclusive economic growth and productivity to the benefit all communities in Northern Ireland, requires a fully-functioning devolved government in place. The Government is starting a fresh round of political talks today to try and achieve that.

The UK Government announces £105 million economic package for Derry-Londonderry region.

The UK’s aerospace sector is among the best in the world, with a turnover of £35 billion and hosting 123,000 direct employees in 2017. To remain at its peak, the UK needs to explore emerging opportunities and markets.

Organisations are invited to express an interest in a competition worth £150 million a year with their innovative ideas for future aerospace design and manufacture. The best projects will then be invited to apply for grant funding.

The investment is part of the £3.9 billion UK Aerospace Research and Technology (UKART) programme, a partnership between government and industry, managed by Innovate UK, the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Moving up

This competition provides funding for industrial research or capital investment projects that align with the UK Aerospace Technology Strategy.

Priority areas include whole aircraft design and integration, aerostructures, advanced systems and propulsion technologies.

Project themes are detailed in the UK Aerospace Technology Strategy, and include:

• improving UK whole-aircraft design and system integration
• future-proofing advanced systems technologies in the UK – specifically, smart, connected and more electric aircrafts
• securing the UK’s world-leading position in large, complex aviation structures, particularly wings
• developing more efficient propulsion technologies, including large turbofans

Competition information

• the competition will open on 3 June 2019, and the closing date is 19 June 2019
• UK-based business, research and technology groups and academic organisations can be the project lead, depending on the project type
• businesses could get up to 70% of their costs for industry-led research projects, or up to 50% of their costs for capital investment projects
• organisations must sign up to the ATI framework agreement
• an online briefing event will be held on 10 June 2019 where organisations can find out more about the competition and applying

X-rays of arms and legs are among the most frequent diagnosis processes used by NHS Scotland, with around 5,000 procedures annually.

Although injuries in these areas are often categorised as minor, misdiagnosis and mismanagement can hamper recovery and lead to financial cost. However, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning could help create systems that prevent misdiagnosis.

£240,000 is available through an Innovate UK Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competition, with funding from Opportunity North East and NHS Scotland, to investigate the use of AI and machine learning in the NHS.

AI marks the spot

The competition will explore how AI and machine learning can be used to support limb radiographs in the diagnosis of fractures. Possible improvements include diagnosis accuracy and treatment and increased productivity in radiology departments.

Projects must use a dataset of peripheral limb X-rays and reports from the University of Aberdeen to develop AI algorithms that:

• interpret the current text-based report to correctly categorise fractures
• use radiograph images to identify the presence of fractures
• ensure the AI product can function at real-world accuracy

Successful applicants will be able to receive input from NHS Grampian, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, the University of Aberdeen and Canon Medical Research Europe.

A 2-phase competition

The competition will comprise 2 phases. In phase 1, applicants will conduct technical feasibility studies on their proposed solution. Up to £100,000 including VAT is available in phase 1, and as many as 5 projects are expected to be funded.

Phase 2 will include prototype development and evaluation. Up to £140,000 including VAT is available at this stage.

Competition information

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