The methodology we use to calculate the graduate labour market statistics for England.

Behind me, outside the Supreme Court, stands a statue of the Great Emancipator.

To my right, we see the man who did more than any other to gain independence for India.

Opposite Parliament, the man who saved Europe from the grip of fascism.

They are all great men, important men, men who deserve their places in history and in this square.

But I would not be standing here today as Prime Minister…

No female MPs would have taken their seats in Parliament…

None of us would have the rights we now enjoy, were it not for one truly great woman: Dame Millicent Garret Fawcett.

The struggle to achieve votes for women was long and arduous. Dame Millicent was there from the beginning, and devoted her life to the cause.

As a teenager, she collected names for the first pro-Suffrage petition even though she was too young to sign it herself.

As a young woman she overcame a dislike of public speaking and took to the platform at the first women’s suffrage meeting to be held in London.

For decade after decade, in the face of often fierce opposition, she travelled the country and the world, campaigning not just for the vote but on a whole range of issues.

She was a tireless advocate for equal access to education, pressuring universities to admit women on equal terms and establishing her own Cambridge college.

She fought for the rights of sex workers, convincing politicians to overturn the discriminatory Contagious Diseases Acts.

She campaigned to protect children from exploitation and abuse, reported on the treatment of civilians in the Boer War…

She was even responsible for Blake’s And Did Those Feet in Ancient Time being set to music by Sir Hubert Parry.

History has many authors. In our own small way we each help to shape the world in which we live.

But few of us can claim to have made an impact as significant and lasting as Dame Millicent, and it is right and proper that, today, she takes her place at the heart of our democracy.

On behalf of the whole country, I would like to thank all those who have made this possible.

Caroline, of course, who spearheaded the calls for a lasting memorial to Dame Millicent.

Sculptor Gillian Wearing, who has created a beautiful and fitting tribute.

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid, who has steered the project on behalf of the government from conception to completion.

And everyone who supported the campaign for this statue over the past two years: from Lord Finkelstein, a vocal advocate from the beginning, to the tens of thousands of individuals who signed petitions, wrote letters and lent their backing in so many ways. And around this square, the Mayor and others who had their role in this statue. This statue is your statue.

After Fawcett’s death in 1929, a tribute in one newspaper read that, “Whenever a new victory has been gained by women or some individual woman has found her way in at a new door, the minds of many have turned at once to Dame Millicent.”

Almost 90 years later, it is all too easy to forget those who forged a path for generations of women to follow.

To take for granted the progress that they achieved through years – decades – of bitter struggle.

We do so at our peril.

Because the fight for equality is far from won.

And as long as that is the case, we will need brave women and men to stand up and speak out in the face of injustice and discrimination.

Doing so will not always be easy.

But courage calls to courage everywhere.

And, for generations to come, this statue will serve not just as a reminder of Dame Millicent’s extraordinary life and legacy, but as inspiration to all of us who wish to follow in her footsteps.

Hanifeh Zarezadeh, 3D Development Engineer at Photocentric, examines a jewellery 3D print.

The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are given every year on the Queen’s birthday for outstanding achievement by UK businesses across 4 categories:

• sustainable development
• promoting opportunity through social mobility
• innovation
• international trade

A total of 230 UK businesses have been recognised for leading industry with their products and services. Among the winners are 10 companies that have received funding support from Innovate UK. These companies feature across the international trade and innovation categories.

Winners in the international trade category have demonstrated that they have achieved substantial growth and commercial success overseas.

The winners in the innovation category were assessed for a number of indicators including invention, design or production, and performance of services.

Awards for Innovate UK-supported companies went to:

• Cobra Biologics – working in the life sciences industry, Cobra won an award in the international trade category. It operates in the UK and Sweden and works with organisations across France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Korea and the USA
• Endomagnetics – trading as Endomag, the company won in the innovation category for its minimally-invasive surgical guidance system. Its wider work includes developing a clinical platform that uses safe magnetic fields to power diagnostic and therapeutic devices
• Frog Bikes – the company, which assembles its range of lightweight aluminium children’s bikes in Wales, won an international trade award for growing its overseas sales in North America, Europe, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, Thailand and UAE
• IKAWA – inventors of digital micro coffee roasters, IKAWA won an innovation award for using patented cyclone roasting technology that can be controlled by a smartphone app
• Microlise – another international trade award has gone to the Nottingham-based company, which uses telematics to help its customers to save on fuel costs and reduce CO2 emissions. It was recognised for outstanding short-term growth, seeing its overseas sales grow from £2.2 million to £5 million over 3 years
• MIRA Technology Park – having established a facility for automotive R&D, MIRA has seen overseas sales grow by 133%, leading to an international trade award for outstanding continuous growth
• Photocentric – the 3D printer and resin manufacturer was recognised for its outstanding 3-year growth in overseas sales in the international trade category. More than 74% of its sales are to overseas markets
• Ultrahaptics – Bristol-based Ultrahaptics won an innovation award for its work in haptic feedback, which mimics the sense of touch by using ultrasound to project virtual controls, shapes and textures onto a user’s hand
• Williams Advanced Engineering – Williams’ race technology is influencing the wider auto-industry. It won an innovation award for its battery cell cooling technology, which is now being introduced into commercial electric and hybrid car production
• Zettlex – the Cambridge company works within aerospace, defence, medical, industrial and petrochemical industries to design and manufacture sensors for position and speed measurement in extreme environments. It won its international trade award by growing its business to 400 customers in 45 markets

Previous Queen’s Awards for Enterprise winners have reported benefiting from worldwide recognition, increased commercial value, greater press coverage and a boost to staff morale.

Published 24 April 2018

On 1 April 2018 the Centre for Applied Science and Technology (CAST) was officially integrated into the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) as part of the Ministry of Defence (MOD).

The Chief Executive Gary Aitkenhead attended the Sandridge site on the morning of 3 April to meet with staff and welcome them to Dstl.

Dstl will now become the primary delivery organisation for the provision of the science and technology required by the Home Office. The specialist team of scientists and engineers at CAST provide expert advice, innovation and frontline support in response to a range of Home Office and other government needs. A review in 2016 by the Home Office decided that integrating with Dstl was the best option for continued resilience in future.

Defence Minister Guto Bebb said:

‘In the aftermath of the Salisbury, we’ve seen how our world-leading scientists provide critical national capabilities and work right at the frontline of our country’s defence. By integrating the Centre for Applied Science and Technology (CAST), Dstl will become a more capable organisation, ready to respond to threats even more effectively and provide expert scientific advice to the Government at any time.’

Gary Aitkenhead, Chief Executive of Dstl, said:

The integration will provide a larger, more resilient and capable science and technology organisation. As a single entity, Dstl will be able to deliver cutting-edge solutions to the wider challenges of defence, security and resilience.

The decision was agreed formally by the MOD and the Home Office in January 2017. Integration work will continue until the full relocation and integration of CAST, which will include the physical relocation and closure of the Sandridge and Langhurst sites by 2020.

Gareth Llewellyn, DVSA’s Chief Executive Officer, has officially launched the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) earned recognition scheme at the NEC Birmingham.

This follows a successful year-long pilot involving more than 60 commercial vehicle operators from various sectors of the industry.

The launch event was attended by pilot operators, audit providers, IT systems suppliers and trade associations.

DVSA earned recognition

The DVSA earned recognition scheme is designed to work for HGV and PSV operators of all sizes and is a new way for operators to prove they meet driver and vehicle standards.

By having electronic systems in place to record vehicle maintenance as well as drivers’ hours activities, operators will be able to make sure they’re meeting the required standards for the scheme.

In return, operators who are on the DVSA earned recognition scheme will be significantly less likely to be checked by DVSA at the roadside, saving them time and money.

This will allow DVSA to target more of its enforcement activities at the high-risk traffic who put other road users in danger.

What’s changing

Since 1 February 2018, operators who participated in the pilot have received some early benefits and had their operator compliance risk score updated (OCRS) to earned recognition status. This means they are significantly less likely to be stopped by DVSA.

With the launch of earned recognition, operators currently on the scheme and those who join later will get the full benefits. These include:

• use of the DVSA earned recognition marque to use on their websites and other publicity materials
• being recognised as a DVSA approved operator through a published list on GOV.UK
• being able to prove they are exemplary operators when bidding for contracts
• DVSA enforcement staff being much less likely to stop their vehicles at the roadside
• DVSA enforcement staff being much less likely to visit their premises
• having direct access to a dedicated earned-recognition team in DVSA

The pilot

The earned recognition pilot ran from April 2017 and allowed DVSA to test and refine the earned recognition concept. This included:

• the application process for operators, IT system suppliers and audit providers,
• making sure the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and audit standards are fit for purpose
• authorising audit providers to carry out the initial and periodic audits
• validating IT systems
• fine-tuning processes and documentation
• testing ER status and process for OCRS in a live environment
• gathering valuable feedback so we can make further adjustments

We published the list of operators on the pilot on 31 January 2018.

Working with operators, not against them

DVSA Enforcement Policy Manager Dave Wood said,

Earned recognition marks a shift in approach from DVSA.

It’s about rewarding operators who are serious about road safety and having a relationship where we work with them.

By doing that, we can free up time and resources to focus on the dangerous drivers and vehicles that put other road users at risk.

Joining DVSA earned recognition

From today, commercial vehicle operators can apply to join the earned recognition scheme. For more information and to get an application form, visit GOV.UK.