To aid in the design of the challenge we are engaging the market in order to provide the HO with an understanding of what capabilities currently exist or are in development that could provide solutions.

Background

The HO is concerned about recent increases in homicides, gun crime and knife crime. Although crime has fallen rapidly over the last 20 years, some types of violent crime recorded by the police have shown increases since late 2014. In 2017, knife crime rose by 22% across England and Wales which has resulted in a significant increase in fatal stabbings and incidents where serious injury has been caused. The use of knives to enable acquisitive crime has also seen a marked increase. Whilst the increase in knife crime is a complex problem with many influencing factors, the ability for police to detect knives being carried by people is fundamental to reducing the harm caused. This is particularly challenging when knives are concealed and carried in crowded spaces. Consequently, the use of current detection systems is limited. The UK Police have implemented strategies to tackle the issue and the application of science and technology must play an important role in tackling this threat and in April 2018, the Government launched the Serious Violence Strategy, which aims to tackle knife crime and other forms of serious violence.

What we want

The HO is interested in solutions that can identify or detect people carrying, overtly or covertly, a wide variety of steel-bladed knives in open spaces, crowds and uncontrolled areas (i.e. where there is no presence of security). There is a requirement to detect steel-bladed knives in the presence of other commonly carried benign metal items (e.g. keys, phones, coins etc.). As well as being concealed on the person, this also includes knives carried in bags (e.g. handbags, backpacks etc.).

We are interested in all forms of potential solutions from specific technologies, through to advances in behavioural sciences. Potential solutions could be at any level of maturity, but we are particularly interested in those at the higher end of the scale.

Solutions that can contribute to the detection of steel-bladed weapons being carried by individuals or groups will support the UK Police in their decision making process regarding an appropriate operational response and ultimately reduce the number of casualties across the UK.

By completing the Capability Submission Form neither the Government nor yourselves are committing to anything, but your submissions will be used to help focus the direction of the work.

What we don’t want

We are not interested in literature reviews, paper-based studies and marginal improvements to existing capabilities (i.e. those used in controlled areas such as metal detectors in arches and hand-held devices). For this challenge we are only interested in steel-bladed weapons, not other forms of blade such as polymeric or ceramic.

How to submit a Capability Submission Form

Complete the attached one page form Knife Crime Capability Submission Form (ODT, 868KB) (noting the word limits) and then email it to accelerator@dstl.gov.uk by 5pm on 20 July 2018. Please only provide details of one product/capability per form. If you have a number of potential solutions then please submit multiple forms.

If you have any questions then please email accelerator@dstl.gov.uk with Knife Crime in the subject line.

How we use your Information

Information you provide to us in a Capability Submission Form Knife Crime Capability Submission Form (ODT, 868KB) that is not already available to us from other sources, will be handled in-confidence. By submitting a Capability Submission Form Knife Crime Capability Submission Form (ODT, 868KB) you are giving us permission to keep and use the information for our internal purposes, and to provide the information onwards, in-confidence, within UK Government. The Defence and Security Accelerator will not use or disclose the information for any other purpose, without first requesting permission to do so.

Prime Minister Theresa May has today announced that an additional Border Force cutter will be deployed to the Aegean to assist with vital search and rescue operations which have already saved more than 13,000 lives.

The Prime Minister made the announcement at a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in Downing Street. The leaders are expected to discuss ways in which to strengthen co-operation on managing illegal migration and enhance efforts to implement the EU-Turkey statement in the face of continuing migratory pressures. The EU-Turkey statement, signed in March 2016, is a key part of the strategy to tackle illegal migration in this region. The agreement aims, through returns, to break the link between making the illegal and dangerous journey across the Aegean and remaining in Europe.

In addition to the cutter, it was also announced that the UK will be providing additional interpreters to ease pressures on the Greek islands and support the most vulnerable.

Aside from the search and rescue role, cutters and their crew are ideally placed to spot signs of organised immigration crime, which can provide vital intelligence for law enforcement partners.

Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes said:

Today’s announcement is a strong symbol of the will of both governments to work together to tackle the challenges posed by illegal migration and maintain the momentum of the EU-Turkey agreement.

It builds on the vital humanitarian work already carried out by Border Force cutters in both the Mediterranean and the Aegean, often done in extremely challenging circumstances.

The meeting between the two prime ministers today is just the start of a process which will develop specific areas of co-operation, supported by an action plan which I will be taking forward.

At the EU-Turkey summit held on 7 March 2016, the UK agreed with EU leaders and Turkey that all illegal migrants crossing from Turkey into the Greek islands would be returned to Turkey. In return, the EU agreed that for every Syrian readmitted by Turkey from the Greek islands, another Syrian from Turkey would be resettled in the EU. The implementation of the statement has contributed to the significant reduction of flows in the eastern Mediterranean and its ongoing effective implementation remains vital to see lasting impact in this region.

The additional Border Force cutter will work alongside HMC Valiant which was deployed to support the search and rescue operation ‘Op Poseidon’ in May 2015, as part of an agreement with the Hellenic Coast Guard.

Border Force cutters are equipped with maritime radar and rigid hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs) and are capable of rescuing several migrant boats at the same time, with sometimes over 200 people rescued in a single mission. Cutters are just one part of the Border Force maritime capability which protects the UK coastline. In UK waters, Border Force also has a fleet of coastal patrol vessels, which are used to patrol ports and marinas.

The transforming power of technology is once again, changing our world.

Today I want to talk about how seizing this new technology can be the basis of our nation’s success after Brexit, for the rest of the 21st century.

And what we need to do now to make that vision a reality.

Because I profoundly believe that cutting edge technology, coupled with creative and artistic genius, is the fulcrum upon which our country will be built.

Faster than ever before, the world we live in is being changed. How we earn our way around the world and how we build jobs and prosperity here at home.

And we now have the chance to build on what we have done over the past decade and truly capitalise on this opportunity.

Cutting-edge technology ultimately is the future of our economy.

We’re in a good place.

Investment in the tech sector doubled in the last year, and is growing at three times the pace of the rest of the economy.

We have created more jobs than ever before and employment rates are at record highs.

But there are understandable concerns that these technologies will undermine jobs and prosperity.

In my view, the risk is not that we adopt new technologies that will change jobs.

The risk is that we don’t adopt new technologies and that we fail to create the jobs of the future.

And the cyber security industry is a case in point.

We are in a prime position to do this.

We have the third highest global investment in tech after the giants of the USA and China.

And this year London has once again ranked as the leading tech hub in Europe.

It’s not just London of course. Nearly 70 percent of investment in the UK tech industry last year was outside the capital.

This spark of creativity and innovation is fuelling remarkable economic growth.

Unemployment is at a 40-year low, we are seeing the first sustained fall in debt in a generation and over the economy has grown every single quarter for over twenty quarters.

Income inequality is falling and real wages are beginning to rise. Our National Living Wage has led to the fastest rise in incomes among the lowest paid on record.

And these advances are only happening if we seize the opportunities that new technologies give us.

And we support the development of the Internet of Things, distributed ledger technologies and quantum computing.

But today I want to focus on artificial intelligence.

What makes AI so revolutionary is that it learns itself and gets better every single day.

Just as AI itself is adapting every day, our economy and society is adapting too, and must adapt so we can make the most of this seismic change.

All of the great advances in the human condition have been led by improvements in knowledge and collective intelligence.

This one is no different except in that the intelligence is not just in the connection of human minds.

Whether it’s improving travel, making banking easier or helping people live longer, AI is already integral to our economy and our society.

We are known across the world as a place where AI can thrive.

Because we are a nation with firm ethical principles, a mature regime for data protection and privacy, and the confidence offered by strong cyber security.

And partnership between government, businesses and academia.

We have already started the debate on the big ethical questions through the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation. I’m delighted that Roger Taylor will chair this new Centre.

We have legislated to give citizens control of their data through the Data Protection Act.

And building on the world leading National Cyber Security Centre, this Cyber Innovation Centre will do vital work in fostering the new products that keep us more secure online.

I’m thrilled to be here opening the Centre today and I can’t wait to see what you develop.

Our role is creating the environment for you to thrive.

It’s only through government, academia, start-ups and established industry working together that we will ensure our cyber defences stay ahead of our adversaries.

And the Cyber Innovation Centre, like its sister centre in Cheltenham, will help us to do just that.

Because this work is vital if we are to retain our place as a world-leading tech nation.

For the great power of artificial intelligence relies on data and the security of our data is mission critical to its effective use.

Grand Challenge and missions

Britain is already an authority in AI. We have the world’s best AI company, Deepmind, and we are recognised by the OECD for leading in the use of AI in Government.

But we need to keep looking forward.

And we can only say that we’ve truly succeeded if we use this exciting technology to tackle the long-term issues that are shaping our world today.

This was the driving force behind the four Grand Challenges, set out by the Prime Minister as part of our Industrial Strategy, to call on the whole nation to fulfill areas where there is enormous potential for Britain.

Through the Grand Challenges, we will work with businesses and academics across the country to make the UK world-leaders in the development of new technologies.

The four Grand Challenges of clean growth, an ageing society, the future of mobility, and of course, AI and data.

The Grand Challenges ask us, and I ask you, to rise the challenge of how we unlock the potential of the data-driven economy and place the UK at its forefront.

The first Mission, as part of this AI Grand Challenge, set out by the Prime Minister, is to transform the prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of a number of diseases.

And making sure that the data is both secure and held in a way that enhances privacy is mission critical to enhancing the use of health data.

As AI and data becomes more sophisticated and more accurate, there are huge opportunities to make the impossible possible and save lives.

Take cancer, just one example. Our ambition is that within 15 years we will be able to diagnose at a much earlier stage the lung, bowel, prostate or ovarian cancer of at least 50,000 more people a year.

Combined with the great treatment and care provided by our NHS, that will mean every year 22,000 fewer people will die within five years of their diagnosis, compared to today.

Since this announcement, we have opened our competition to help us develop the pathology and radiology services of the future.

We want to use digitisation and Cloud based solutions to help data scientists to develop new algorithms to fight disease.

Critical to that mission, we will be opening up NHS data sets, properly safeguarded, to train the intelligence, both artificial and medical, in how to solve these problems.

And to make this happen, we will need the nation’s greatest tech talent and most pioneering businesses to get on board too.

There is 50 million pounds of Government funding available so join us in working on this Mission.

Ultimately, AI will transform our lives like never before. And we want it to transform society for the better and for it to be designed and developed right here in the UK.

Because as we leave the EU, what better way to show that we are an open and outward looking nation than becoming the natural habitat for the world’s most cutting edge technology.

AI leadership

And to do this, I know that Government alone cannot solve all of today’s problems.

We need the best possible AI leadership, working together, to steer a course through technologies that, by their very nature, are complex and changing every single day.

Your work here at the Cyber Innovation Centre will be vital.

And I am thrilled that three inspirational tech leaders will be working with us to lend their expertise and their vision.

First, world renowned AI expert Demis Hassabis will be working as an adviser to our Office for AI.

Demis is the co-founder of DeepMind, founded right here in London.

DeepMind is the envy of the world and Demis, I am so thrilled that you are flying the flag for UK tech, working with us to keep us at the front of this race.

When it comes to using data to save lives, nobody knows about the opportunities and the challenges more than you.

Your guidance will be vital in shaping our work.

Second, Professor Dame Wendy Hall, the co-author of the AI Review, will be working with us as our Skills Champion.

The review that she co-authored last year was extremely well received, both in the UK and around the world, and led to the development of the billion pound AI Sector Deal.

I’m thrilled that Dame Wendy will continue to work with us.

And finally, Tabitha Goldstaub will be heading up the AI Council.

Tabitha, I have always been blown away by your passion for this and your commitment to making sure that it works for everyone.

You are one of the most eloquent and profound voices in this debate, with an instinctive ability to explain the benefits of technology.

And how innovation, supported by ethical values, diversity and security, will be such a force for good.

The Council, chaired by Tabitha, will help coordinate industry, universities and Government activity to get the best possible value from AI.

Demis, Tabitha and Dame Wendy.

A world leading entrepreneur.

A world leading communicator.

And a world leading academic.

They have the expertise and vision to help us make sure the huge benefits of this powerful new technology can be harnessed for the good of humanity.

Conclusion

And this is the critical mission for us all. Because the economies that flourish in this age of technology will be those that bring everyone together.

Governments to put in place the right rules, funding and frameworks.

Researchers to create those historic breakthroughs to push the boundaries of what is possible.

And businesses, the digital dynamos, to help us solve the problems that face the world.

This new Centre will do that.

Everyone has their part to play so that we can be world leaders.

So we can have the skills, the security and the innovation to go from strength to strength.

And we in Government are determined to support you to make that happen.

Thank you very much.

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, I really have very little to add after the eloquent intervention from our Spanish colleague, but let me just say that, from my part, the part of the United Kingdom this is a very grave issue.

I just want to remind you all that when the Chemical Weapons Convention came in to force in 1997, we all hoped that these terrible instruments of death would never be used again. We believed then that the the global ban, which goes back to 1925 and the Geneva Protocol was essential, we believed then that the ban would hold firm.

But the tragic reality is that chemical weapons have been used and are being used all over again and as we have heard attacks have taken place in Syria and Iraq. One category of nerve agent was used to commit murder in Malaysia in 2017; another was used for attempted murder in my own country on March 4.

Over three months after that appalling incident, areas of Salisbury are still being decontaminated and three people are still being treated for the effects of exposure, although they are thankfully out of hospital.

We as the international community cannot ignore these breaches of the Chemical Weapons Convention, hence, I hope you’ll agree, the necessity of this special conferences of States Parties.

This is an opportunity to restore the global ban on the use of chemical weapons and strengthen the OPCW’s ability to respond to any violations.

I hope that all countries will support the Decision tabled by the UK.

OPCW special session of the Conference of States Parties

The text is the result of extensive collaborations, consultations, with every country, and the Decision:

• condemns all chemical weapon attacks wherever they may occur;

• confirms our strong backing for the OPCW’s vital work;

• supports arrangements to attribute responsibility for chemical weapon attacks in Syria, filling the gap left after the ending of the Joint Investigative Mechanism;

• calls for greater action to help states to address the threat of chemical terrorism;

• and also asks the Director General to develop other proposals before the annual Conference in November, including on how to improve the capacity of the Technical Secretariat and States to implement the Convention.

Following our extensive consultations, the United Kingdom is presenting the proposed text for decision. I understand that that consensus was not possible so there will be a vote of the Conference of State Parties tomorrow.

And I would ask all those present to vote against the other tabled motions, which would render the OPCW toothless and undermine the Technical Secretariat and the Fact-Finding Mission in Syria.

Our aim, by contrast, is to reinforce the OPCW as an institution. Last November, the Security Council was prevented from renewing the Joint Investigative Mechanism, meaning that no international body is working to attribute responsibility for chemical weapons attacks in Syria. At present, the OPCW’s experts will say where and when an attack happened, but not who was responsible.

If we are serious about upholding the ban on chemical weapons, that gap must be filled. Attributing responsibility for an attack is clearly part of the OPCW’s technical remit, requiring no change to the Chemical Weapons Convention. The Director General has confirmed that the OPCW is able and willing to perform this essential task.

We cannot allow the global ban on chemical weapons – a signal achievement of diplomacy – to be eroded away.

What kind of a failure would it be if we were to cast aside in our generation the work of previous generations of diplomats and scientists? What would it say about us if we allowed the emergence of a new taboo, a taboo not on using chemical weapons, but on identifying those responsible?

None of us wants our children to grow up in a world where the use of chemical weapons becomes normalised and I think today, we all have a responsibility to act. Thank you all for your kind attention.

Foreign Office Minister for Human Rights Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon attended the official opening of the new Aga Khan Centre in King’s Cross today (26 June) as part of the Diamond Jubilee tour of His Highness the Aga Khan.

The centre is a positive symbol of diversity, cross-cultural learning and shows Britain as a multicultural, multi-faith and tolerant nation.

The new development will be home to institutions and agencies including those of the non-profit Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), a group of international agencies dedicated to improving the quality of life in in the poorest countries of the world.

The UK Government works closely with the AKDN in Central Asia and Tanzania, as well as in Afghanistan where the Aga Khan Foundation implement Department for International Development (DfID) programmes including delivering an education programme under the Girls’ Education Challenge.

Speaking at the opening, Lord Tariq Ahmad said:

The opening of this spectacular new building in London is a concrete example of the privileged relationship the UK enjoys with the Aga Khan and the Ismaili community and is the ideal way to mark the Diamond Jubilee tour of His Highness the Aga Khan.

The work we do together makes a huge difference to people’s lives, not least in Afghanistan where 300,000 more girls are going to school thanks to our girls’ education programme there.

One of the Foreign Secretary’s key priorities is ensuring the world’s poorest girls receive 12 years of quality education. Appallingly, 90% of world’s poorest children leave school unable to read and write. That’s why we’ve committed £500 million of UKaid to help over 1.5 million vulnerable girls to learn.

Also in attendance for the official opening were His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and the Mayor of London.

The new centre in King’s Cross, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki includes gardens, terraces and courtyards inspired by different Muslim civilisations, although the centre will serve as an academic centre only and will not have a religious function. It brings together under one roof the

Aga Khan Foundation (UK), Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) and Aga Khan University’s Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations (AKU-ISMC).

Tomorrow His Highness will be attending a lunch at Lancaster House in his honour hosted by the International Development Secretary, Penny Mordaunt, with Foreign Office Permanent Under-Secretary, Sir Simon McDonald, attending.

Notes to editors:

• The Aga Khan is celebrating 60 years as Imam of Shia Ismaili Muslims during 2017-18 by conducting official visits to countries where there are significant Ismaili communities including the UK, USA, Canada, Uganda, Tanzania, India, Pakistan and UAE.

• The UK office of the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) was established in 1973 to support the broader AKDN by forming strategic partnerships with UK and European institutional partners including government agencies, policy institutes, corporations, foundations, NGOs, universities, associations and professional networks.

• The Aga Khan University (AKU) is an autonomous, not-for-profit university that promotes human welfare through research, teaching and community service. It operates in Pakistan, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Afghanistan and the UK. The AKU’s Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations (ISMC) was established in 2002 and provides research and teaching on the heritage of Muslim societies including in contemporary environments, with a Master’s programme in Muslim Cultures. The institute is listed with UKVI as an Overseas Provider as the degree is an AKU degree under its Pakistani charter. The AKU works with scholars abroad and in the UK including at Oxford, Cambridge and the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).

• The Institute for Ismaili Studies (IIS) was established in 1977 to promote scholarship and learning of Muslim cultures and societies, historical and contemporary, and encourage a better understanding of their relationship with other societies and faiths. IIS collaborates with universities around the world and has two graduate programmes: Islamic Studies and Humanities and a joint double-Master’s Degree Programme in partnership with University College London’s Institute for Education.