• Rocket currently on display in Newcastle-Gateshead for first time in 150 years
• Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright welcomes Science Museum’s plans to increase access to key part of Britain’s railway history

Stephenson’s Rocket, one of Britain’s most iconic feats of engineering and part of the Science Museum Group’s collection, will go on long-term display in the North of England.

Rocket, designed by Robert Stephenson, was built in Newcastle in 1829 and it returned to the city for the first time in 150 years for this summer’s Great Exhibition of the North.

The move to keep the engine in the North has been welcomed by Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright as part of the Government and national museums’ ongoing commitment to increase access to culture around the country.

Rocket was the clear winner in the locomotive trials held at Rainhill in 1829 to decide the best design to power the Liverpool & Manchester Railway. And it is to Manchester that the engine will travel next, going on display at the Museum of Science and Industry in September.

It will then return to the Science Museum for a short period to be prepared for a long-term move to the National Railway Museum in York. There it will take its place among other global icons such as Mallard and the Bullet Train as part of the museum’s ambitious plans to tell the story of the past, present and future of innovation on the railways.

It comes as The Prime Minister held a regional Cabinet in Newcastle-Gateshead today to mark The Great Exhibition of the North, a 80-day showpiece of the best art, design and innovation from across the region.

The Culture Secretary then joined Ian Blatchford, Science Museum Group director, at The Discovery Museum which is exhibiting Stephenson’s Rocket during the Exhibition. Its arrival has helped increase visitors to the museum by more than 100% compared the same period last year.

Jeremy Wright, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, said: “Stephenson’s Rocket is an iconic part of Britain’s proud railway history and it is fantastic news that it will remain on long-term display in the North.

“It is right that our great art and culture reaches all parts of the country. This bold move by The Science Museum Group will ensure more people can see this national treasure and is an inspiring example of what can be done to make culture available to the widest possible audience.”

Ian Blatchford, Director of the Science Museum Group, said: “The Science Museum Group is a truly national organisation, and enthusiastic about bringing the world’s greatest science and technology collection to everyone. I warmly endorse the Secretary of State’s commitment to strengthening fair and excellent cultural provision across the UK. A country with such an amazing history of innovation deserves it.”

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The government is set to end the intervention into Rotherham council 3 years after calling in inspectors, Communities Secretary, the Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP, has announced today (23 July 2018).

The intervention began in February 2015 after Baroness Alexis Jay and Dame Louise Casey found significant failings at the council that contributed to child sexual exploitation in Rotherham.

Since then, the council has worked hard to turn services around.

Mr Brokenshire says in a written ministerial statement he is minded to return control of all services to the metropolitan borough council, including children’s social care, and withdraw all 3 commissioners.

He adds this was on the condition the council receives an independent review before 31 March 2019.

The action follows the gradual return of selected functions to the council on 4 separate occasions since the intervention began in February 2015.

Communities Secretary, Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP said:

Vulnerable young people were repeatedly failed in Rotherham, which is why the government stepped in to ensure these errors can never occur again.

The council has made strong progress and, having carefully considered evidence provided by our commissioners, I am minded to return all powers.

This is not a decision I take lightly, but I am assured the council has turned itself around and is now providing the services that its residents deserve and expect.

Minister for Children and Families, Nadhim Zahawi MP said:

Keeping children safe is paramount and I am pleased to see the vast improvements Rotherham has made to its children’s services, shown through its recent ‘good’ Ofsted rating. We all know that for too long, children and young people living there were failed by the authorities in charge of protecting them.

In these cases the government will not hesitate to intervene and support improvements but it is down to strong leadership and the hard work of staff at Rotherham that they have been able to turn services around.

The ‘minded to’ decision to return the control of all services to the council marks a positive step for this town and I hope the community can continue to move towards a bright future.

Mr Brokenshire says the government is continuing to work with Rotherham council and the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner to secure funding for victims identified through the National Crime Agency’s Operation Stovewood and will do so for as long as the need is there.

The council will now have a period of 4 weeks to make representations on the proposals before the Secretary of State makes a final decision.

Three commissioners have been working with Rotherham council. They are:

• Mary Ney (lead commissioner)
• Patricia Bradwell (children’s social care)
• Julie Kenny CBE, DL

Selected functions were returned to the council on 11 February 2016, 13 December 2016, 21 March 2017 and 12 September 2017.

The Secretary of State will consider representatives on his ‘minded to’ decision until August 16 with a further decision to be made after that date.

Operation Stovewood is the National Crime Agency investigation into non-familial child sexual exploitation and abuse in Rotherham, between 1997 and 2013. It is the largest ever investigation into non-recent child sexual exploitation undertaken by law enforcement.

As part of the decision-making process on the announcement, Mr Brokenshire and Mr Zahawi met with Rotherham’s MPs on Monday, July 16 who indicated their support to conclude the intervention

Updated: The RSR standard rules set relevant to this permit has been added to the attachments.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson paid a visit today to Rubb in Gateshead, global-leaders in innovative defence structures and hangars for the military sector, where he outlined the benefits of defence to local jobs and industry.

The Defence Secretary met with staff and toured the facility during his visit of the company, which has been a long-standing supplier to the UK Armed Forces, going back to 1979 when the RAF tasked them to supply military buildings for the world-famous Red Arrows.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said:

A strong defence industry throughout the four corners of the UK is crucial to our economy as well as our national security, and Rubb UK are an outstanding example of our world-leading homegrown engineers in the North East.

Their workers are part of some 700 jobs we support in this area, and their pride in making the homes for our world-class jets and aircraft is clear to see.

With this region benefitting from £100m of defence investment and in line for more business, it is playing a key role in ensuring our Armed Forces have what they need to protect our country from intensifying threats.

Rubb’s expertise in rapid deployable hangar solutions have been used to house operation-ready fighter jets and carry out essential maintenance on large Chinook helicopters.

The hangars have been invaluable to British, Canadian and US forces deployed on operations across the globe. Rubb continue to provide the Armed Forces with long-term assets and are exploring the potential of their cutting-edge cooling techniques and structural fabric technology for the UK’s new Lightning jets.

Rubb are an exemplary British business who design and manufacture their military buildings in the local area, securing jobs and investment into the region and delivers the UK with a much-valued domestic industrial capability. Rubb also export their products across the globe to consumers in Africa, Europe, North America and the Middle East.

The company has over 50 local employees and currently benefits from a £6.86 million contract with the MOD. A significant local employer, Rubb’s first ever apprentice in 1977 has now risen to become Steel Production Manager after more than forty years of service.

Ian Hindmoor, Managing Director at Rubb Buildings Ltd, said:

Working with the MOD is a long-standing relationship that we have nurtured over the years. We are proud to be part of an industry that helps provide equipment, which supports our troops at home and in the field. It is encouraging to learn that the North East is being recognised for its engineering knowledge and skills, and for Rubb to be recognised as an ‘outstanding’ example in this field by the Defence Secretary. We hope to see future investment in this industry so R&D and jobs can continue to grow.

As outlined in former Defence Minister Philip Dunne’s report on the contribution defence makes to British prosperity, the North East plays an important role in UK defence, providing over 3,000 regulars and reserves to the Armed Forces, supporting over 700 industry jobs, and is renowned for its defence manufacturing industry.

The region benefits from MOD investment in local industry and commerce totalling £100 million, where The largest MOD industry group expenditure in the area is with computer services totalling £63 million. Key suppliers include DXC Technology, Capita and Pearson Engineering.