Today [08 March 2019] Scottish Secretary David Mundell was joined by council leaders and the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for transport, infrastructure and connectivity, Michael Matheson, to sign a transformational growth deal for Ayrshire.

The deal will see the UK government invest £103 million into the region over the next 15 years. This figure will be matched by the Scottish Government, and bolstered with further investment from regional partners bringing the total to more than £250 million.

The multi-million pound investment will help drive economic development across the region, boosting jobs, creating opportunity and encouraging further inward investment.

Ayrshire comprises the three local authority areas of East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire and is home to approximately 370,000 people. The growth deal will invest in growing sectors including aerospace, energy and life sciences as well as building on Ayrshire’s existing strengths in food and drink, manufacturing and engineering.

Some of the projects, which are all subject to approval of final business cases, include:

• £80 million investment to position Ayrshire as one of the UK’s leading centres of aerospace
• £23 million to build on Ayrshire’s proud history of manufacturing
• £24 million to help harness the potential of local energy generation
• A further £18 million to create a Centre for Research into low carbon energy at the Hunterston industrial hub
• £14 million investment in improving the region’s digital connectivity and infrastructure

The full Heads of Terms document sets out further details of the projects being proposed.

Scottish Secretary David Mundell said:

“It’s fantastic news that the UK Government is to invest more than £100 million to grow Ayrshire’s economy, create jobs and boost prosperity. This investment will transform the Ayrshire economy over the coming 15 years.

“We are investing in a raft of exciting and ambitious projects right across Ayrshire. Initiatives include an aerospace development at Prestwick, a low carbon energy scheme at Hunterston, a local electricity supply project in Cumnock, a manufacturing corridor in Kilmarnock, and a digital subsea cable to dramatically improve connectivity.

“The Ayrshire growth deal brings UK Government investment in growth deals in Scotland to £1.3 billion, a huge commitment to growing Scotland’s economy.”

Following recently published findings by Katsanos et al raising concerns over the use of paclitaxel eluting balloons and stents in the treatment of patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and in particular the femoropopliteal artery in the leg.

We have formed an independent Expert Advisory Group (EAG). The EAG has begun the process of reviewing the available, but highly complex information on these medical devices. The group is made up of leading UK clinicians from specialist societies, including interventional radiology, vascular surgery and scientists with toxicology, medicines and statistical expertise.

The publication suggests a possible increased mortality rate from 2 up to 5 years in PAD patients treated with paclitaxel-coated balloons and paclitaxel-eluting stents. This is compared to patients treated with non-coated balloons or bare metal stents. A causal relationship for this observation has not been identified and may reflect limitations in the way the data were analysed, but this has yet to be determined.

Patient safety is our highest priority and we take information questioning the safety of any medical device very seriously. Since the publication we have been collecting and analysing information from a range of sources to try to understand the significance of the findings for future patient treatment options.

The devices in question have valid CE certificates and remain on the UK market. The outcome of our investigation will determine if new advice is required or if we need to undertake any other regulatory action.

The EAG has been asked to consider whether the publication’s findings and device-specific clinical study results are statistically robust and whether there is any evidence of a causal relationship between the drug, paclitaxel, and increased mortality.

There are a number of other publications which put forward different results and opinions taking into account other factors such as the the overall health of the patient.

To assist them they have been provided with the full spectrum of source material available to MHRA, together with all relevant published information we have gathered. The aim is to provide a greater understanding of the potential benefits and risks to patients and will help to guide any possible future MHRA action. The EAG has agreed to undertake and complete their review, including reporting their findings to MHRA, within the next few months.

Additionally, we are collaborating with the major clinical and regulatory stakeholders, including the British Society of Interventional Radiology (BSIR), the UK Basil-3 trial and NICE, as well as other European and global regulatory authorities.

If you are worried that you might be affected by this matter, we advise you to contact your GP or specialist.

The winners of the 2019 Women in Innovation awards have been announced today, International Women’s Day. The awards are part of Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation campaign, which aims to encourage female-led innovation and help women achieve their business ambitions.

The 9 entrepreneurs will receive £50,000 business funding and a package of bespoke support to help grow their business and boost the UK economy.

To further inspire future innovators and celebrate the winners’ achievements, Innovate UK has partnered with schools across the UK to install commemorative purple plaques.

Tackling society’s biggest challenges

The winners are tackling some of society’s biggest challenges set out in the government’s modern Industrial Strategy, including artificial intelligence (AI) and the future of mobility.

Business Secretary Greg Clark, who announced the winners, said:

The winning women are developing pioneering innovations to tackle the grand challenges we face as a society, from a new paper coating to cut down single use plastic, to helping us train mechanics using simulators.

This is our modern Industrial Strategy in action, backing businesses of all sizes across the UK to grow and boost the economy with the skills and inventions we need for the next generation.

The 2019 winners

From reducing cold and damp in Britain’s homes to revolutionising the factory floor, the winners are working on a range of innovative solutions:

• Agnes Czako, AirEx – smart-tech airbrick that improves a home’s energy efficiency by using AI to monitor and respond to the environment, weather and occupant behaviour
• Alex Haslehurst, Vitrue Health – a tool to help clinicians assess patient health, particularly motor function, more efficiently
• Cintia Kimura, KG Protech – a remote practical training system for car mechanics
• Daniela Paredes Fuentes, Gravity Sketch – virtual reality software that allows designers to sketch in a 3D space
• Dr Debbie Wake, MyWay Digital Health – digital platform that provides diabetes patients with personalised advice using patient information and home-recorded data
• Dolores Sanders, Total Control Pro Ltd – using big data-sharing to streamline small businesses’ manufacturing processes
• Dr Fanya Ismail, Sol-Gel Coatings and Advanced Materials – using a ‘sol-gel’ chemical process to create plastic-free coffee cup coating
• Jessica Bruce, Run3D – using 3D gait analysis originally conceived for runners to help older adults and those recovering from surgery to walk pain-free
• Sheana Yu, Aergo – wheelchair seating system which uses air cells to ensure the user remains comfortable and supported

Sheana Yu, one of the 9 winners and founder and CEO of Aergo, said:

It’s such a huge encouragement to be recognised for the work you’ve done. If my story can motivate more women like me, that will be a really exciting part of the journey.

This award will be a great platform to grow by learning from other female founders, and be a part of a network of inspirational women

Breaking down barriers

Innovate UK launched Women in Innovation in 2016, after research revealed that just one in 7 applications for Innovate UK support came from women. Boosting the number of female entrepreneurs could deliver £180 billion to the economy.

By running a women-only competition, partnering with Getty Images to create stereotype-shattering portraits of female entrepreneurs, and running a mission to Boston for women in tech, Innovate UK increased the proportion of females registering for Innovate UK support by 70%.

To continue to energise the next generation of innovators, this year Innovate UK has partnered with schools across the UK, installing commemorative plaques from Forfar, Scotland to London recognising the winners’ innovative businesses. Currently, just 14% of blue plaques in the UK celebrate the achievements of women.

Dr Ian Campbell, Interim Chief Executive of Innovate UK, said:

Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation Awards address a key barrier for diversity in innovation – a lack of female role models. By recognising their achievement with purple plaques, we are making sure that our 9 newly-crowned winners inspire the next generation of female innovators.

Whether it’s inspiring young students showing a passion for STEM, someone with the spark of an idea or an innovative business ready to be taken to the next level, the Women in Innovation 2019 campaign aims to drive long term and far-reaching change.

Amber Rudd will host the first ever youth employment roadshow in Hastings to help young jobseekers into the world of work.

The Work and Pensions Secretary will today (Friday March 8) help to celebrate the opening of a new ‘Youth Confident’ workshop that will see young people matched with talent-hungry employers.

The Youth Confident Roadshow is helping people aged 16 to 24 overcome barriers that could be preventing them from finding work, such as a lack of confidence, health issues or limited work experience.

Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd said:

Behind every employment number is a person and a family whose self-esteem, mental wellbeing, economic circumstances and life changes are all vastly improved by being in the workplace, and we’re helping to create a better life for young people across the country.

I’m determined to ensure that there are no barriers to the young people of Hastings accessing the job market.

That’s why it’s so good to have such dedicated staff from Hastings Jobcentre at the fantastic event today

Helen James from Hastings Jobcentre said:

We’re keen to take an innovative approach to helping young people into work. This event is the first of its kind, delivered outside of the Jobcentre, focusing solely on the region’s young people.

The event is aimed at engaging young people in a more relaxed environment – live acoustic music will be performed by young local artists and there will be a draw featuring prizes donated by local businesses.

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