We met this afternoon to consider the implications of the judgment in the Worboys case.

I want to repeat my admiration for the courage and tenacity of the women who brought the judicial review. Their success will have consequences that go far beyond this individual case and will benefit victims and the administration of justice for years to come.

I am very pleased that the court declared the Rule that prohibits the Parole Board from explaining its decisions should go and that the judgment recognised that this was something I had been calling for. I am pleased too that as a result of Dame Glenys Stacy’s investigation into victim communication in the case, these processes will be improved in future and that she made no criticism of the Parole Board’s actions in this matter. I am also confident that as a result of this case a much simpler system for reviewing Parole Board decisions will be established and, as I have already made clear in my submission to you, this is something I would very much welcome.

Consistent with these principles, I have been clear throughout the legal processes that followed the decision in the Worboys case that I welcomed the scrutiny to which it was subject. I instructed that there should be no procedural moves to prevent such scrutiny, as the judgment indicated could have been made, and that our disclosure of material relating to the case should be as full as possible. I am as anxious as everyone else that the correct decision should be made.

The court was critical of some aspects of the panel’s decision-making processes although it did not overturn the panel’s decisions on these grounds. It could not, no more than you or I, put itself in the place of the expert and experienced panel members who heard the evidence and made the decision. The court did however find that the panel’s understanding that it could not go beyond the offences for which Worboys was convicted was mistaken in this “difficult, troubling case with many exceptional features.” I shared the panel’s misapprehension in this matter and this was supported by the advice I received. We were wrong.

You told me that you thought my position was untenable. I had no role in the decision of the panel in the case and believe I am capable of leading the Parole Board through the changes, many of which I have advocated, that will now be necessary. I am sorry for the mistakes that were made in this case but I have always made it clear that I will support the members and staff of the Board in the very difficult individual decisions they make and I will accept accountability for the work of the Board. I will not pass the buck to those who work under me. In these circumstances I inform you of my decision to resign with immediate effect.

In conclusion, I want to state my concern about the independence of the Board. I believe this matter raises very troubling questions about how the Board’s independence can be safeguarded. I hope Parliament will consider what structural changes are necessary to ensure this independence is protected in future.

Welcome to this session on smart cities.

Before we turn to the panel, I’d like to speak briefly about why what we’re discussing today is so important to us all.

There’s a saying you may have heard that ‘demography is destiny’. In the long run, big demographic trends dwarf most of the day-to-day issues governments spend their time thinking about.

Well there’s no bigger trend in the world today than the move to urbanisation. By 2050, it’s expected three-quarters of the world’s people will live in cities.

It’s easy to forget how new this is, but for hundreds of thousands of years we humans have been rural. It is no longer true, and we haven’t even begun to get used to it.

This change is especially significant in China – Shenzen, across the bay, had 30,000 people 40 years ago. Now its daytime population is 18 million.

Even in long-urbanised countries like the UK, city living is back. From the 1930s to the ‘80s London, like many cities, experienced a long, slow population decline as people moved out and commuted in.

Most commentators thought this was permanent, that it was inevitable. The so-called ‘hollowing out’ of major cities in this period is where the negative stereotype of inner cities took hold.

But now London’s population is bigger than ever, and those who do live in London are more likely to live towards the centre. The inner city is now wealthier than ever before. This is a pattern repeated right across the world.

It’s very clear city living presents unique opportunities and unique challenges. People who live in them are healthier and wealthier than those who don’t. And smart cities – the melding we have now of that digital technology and data science to improve our urban environment – is what we will need to harness those opportunities.

We in Britain are genuine believers in the power of smart cities. We’re early adopters: Manchester’s MediaCityUK is, as I would call it, a 40-acre sandbox, testing in miniature what the smart cities of the future might look like.

We’ve supported our belief with significant funding – we recently created a £1.7 billion Transforming Cities Fund.

Importantly, we understand that smart cities don’t just need funding – they need data. London now releases 700 separate types of datasets to help developers and entrepreneurs create solutions to London’s problems.

And for those of you who were here for Professor Dame Wendy Hall’s speech earlier you will have heard that that access to information is fundamental to city development.

We’ve already seen tangible benefits from this: the CityMapper App, which helps users navigate with real-time data, began when London’s transport authority published datasets they already held for internal planning. It’s now available in 33 cities around the world, including here in Hong Kong.

They’re continuing to innovate: quite a few transport companies have launched their own apps, but CityMapper must be the only app to launch its own bus service.

But we’re not just here today to talk about smart cities. I am sure all of us here agree on the benefits. We’re specifically here to discuss how we make sure the smart cities of the future are based on the individual and improving the lives of individual citizens.

Earlier, I talked about how predictions of London’s population decline had been wrong. We should be humble about our power to predict the future and foresee every consequence: because we cannot relive the mistakes of the urban planners of the 1950s and ‘60s.

That means starting with the individual citizen and what they actually want and need. That’s easier said than done, and I’m sure the fantastic panel will offer insight and suggestions.

But let me give you 2 thoughts, to kick off the discussion.

One: technology is not the solution, it really is only part of the solution.

Improved technology only works if it’s part of an improved process.

In Britain we’ve been lucky, because citizen-centred technology has come exactly at the right time for us.

Since 2010 we’ve had a big drive to make every public service ‘digital by default’.

But because there’d already been a strong desire to redesign public services around users, since at least the early ‘90s, digitalisation came as a natural, organic outgrowth of something we were already doing, not something we just bolted-on.

Two: as the saying goes, when you have a hammer, every problem is a nail. But technology should always be a solution to a problem, it should not be a solution looking for a problem to retrofit.

In the UK we look at the practical, day-to-day problems people face – is their bin collected on time; is their train overcrowded at rush hour – and we see how technology can help.

For example, every city lacks space. But Ordnance Survey, and I know the team is here today, is releasing its geospatial data, so we can make better use of the space we have.

Every city suffers from congestion. But Northern Ireland’s Seesense has developed a bike light that flashes more brightly at junctions. That makes cycling safer, so more people cycle – so we can make better use of the infrastructure we already have and lead healthier lives.

And every city is more polluted than the countryside around it. That’s why in Bristol and Milton Keynes we’re using sensors to monitor air pollution, and why Glasgow is pioneering smart grid technologies.

Urbanisation is one of the most important trends in the world today. We need to see this trend as an opportunity, not a threat. But it’s only by making our cities smart, understanding how we can apply that technology that we can take full advantage.

In Britain we’re already taking advantage – and our technology companies, consultancies, architects and planners can help you take advantage too.

But we should always remember: smart cities are not about making our cities ‘fit for the future’ – they’re about making the future fit, for the future of our citizens.

• More than £150 million will be jointly invested by government and industry to help the country’s world-leading cultural and creative businesses thrive as part of landmark Sector Deal
• Britain’s creative industries are worth £92 billion, employ two million people and are growing twice as fast as the rest of the economy
• New Cultural Development Fund will see cities and towns have access to £20 million to invest in culture and creative industries
• Plans to nurture and develop the next generation of creatives include industry-led careers programme and a new London Screen Academy

BRITAIN’s world-leading creative industries are set to consolidate the country’s position as a global creative powerhouse, following a groundbreaking new Industrial Strategy deal agreed between Government and the Creative Industries Council (CIC) on behalf of the sector.

As part of a Creative Industries Sector Deal, to be announced today by the Digital and Culture Secretary Matt Hancock, Business Secretary Greg Clark and Co-Chair of the CIC, Nicola Mendelsohn, more than £150 million is being jointly invested by Government and industry to help cultural and creative businesses across Britain thrive.

A Cultural Development Fund will also be launched for cities and towns to bid for a share of £20 million to invest in creative and cultural initiatives. The power of culture and creative industries to boost economic growth is evident across the country. In Hull nearly 800 jobs have been created and almost £220 million invested in Hull’s tourism and cultural sectors since the city was named UK City of Culture 2017. And in Bristol creative hubs like the Bristol Temple Quarter are delivering thousands of jobs in design, media and music businesses.

The Sector Deal aims to double Britain’s share of the global creative immersive content market by 2025, which is expected to be worth over £30 billion by 2025. To seize on the opportunity of this expanding market, government is investing over £33 million in immersive technologies such as virtual reality video games, interactive art shows and augmented reality experiences in tourism.

Britain is already leading the way in developing immersive technologies. PWC have predicted that the UK’s virtual reality industry will grow at a faster rate than any other entertainment and media industry between 2016-2021, reaching £801 million in value, and that by 2021 there will be 16 million virtual reality headsets in use in the UK.

Improving the nation’s skills is at the heart of the Government’s modern Industrial Strategy and to ensure the industry has the skilled workers it needs to deliver this, up to £2 million will be made available to kickstart an industry-led skills package, including a creative careers programme which will reach at least 2,000 schools and 600,000 pupils in two years. A new London Screen Academy, with places for up to 1000 students, will also open in 2019.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

Creativity is in our blood in Wales, and the industry provides valuable jobs and opportunities for thousands of people across the country.

Today’s announcement will ensure the sector continues to thrive, boosting the Welsh economy and supporting our businesses to continue promoting their excellent work worldwide.

Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Matt Hancock, said:

Britain’s creative industries are an economic and cultural powerhouse and this ambitious deal will make sure they continue to thrive as we build a Britain fit for the future.

Our creative industries will help develop the talent of the future, ensure people are rightly rewarded for their creative content and give our firms the support they need to compete on the global stage. Millions of people around the world enjoy our world-class artistic and cultural output and we want Britain to stay a frontrunner in these vibrant sectors.

Business Secretary Greg Clark said:

The Industrial Strategy is all about building on our existing strengths and seizing the opportunities of the future. Our creative industries have been, for centuries, world renowned and at the forefront of innovation. That’s why I was determined to place the Creative Industries at the heart of our Industrial Strategy.

To boost this innovation, we put the creative industries at the heart of our ambitious Industrial Strategy and this joint deal is a landmark moment for our relationship with this world-leading sector. By working together with universities and industry, and by investing £150 million, we will unlock growth across the UK.

The Deal is evidence of our continued commitment to our world leading creative sector, establishing a partnership that can build on the UK’s position and reputation as one the most creative places on earth.

Nicola Mendelsohn, Co-Chair of the Creative Industries Council, said:

This breakthrough deal represents a huge vote of confidence in our creative industries to continue to deliver the world class economic performance and workforce that the UK needs. We look forward to working together with Government to realise its full benefits and the potential of the creative industries in all parts of the UK.

Investment in Virtual and Augmented Reality

Creative businesses are constantly innovating, matching creativity with technology to develop exciting new products and new ways to engage growing audiences. To seize on the opportunity of this expanding market, immersive technologies such as virtual reality video games, interactive art shows and augmented reality experiences in tourism, will receive over £33 million of government funding.

Exceptional growth is forecast for the virtual reality and video game sectors in the next five years with UK consumer spending on video games set to reach £5 billion by 2021.

Government will also support the highly successful UK Games Fund with an additional £1.5 million over the next two years so that it can further boost young entrepreneurs and new product creation in the trailblazing games sector.

The UK’s video games industry is already established as the largest in Europe and the fifth largest globally, and this investment will drive growth further.

Flagship film studios expansion

Film studios across the country are increasing their capacity to keep up with demand for production space, including multi-million pound expansions at Pinewood and Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, as well as significant new projects such as Pacifica Ventures’ £100 million investment in Barking and Dagenham and Liverpool’s Littlewoods Studios.

Over the last five years inward investment in Britain’s film and high-end TV industries has grown by more than 100 per cent to over £2 billion production expenditure a year, and with the right conditions that annual figure could double again by 2025.

The Sector Deal demonstrates business confidence and investment opportunities in the sector, is at an all-time high. Britain’s creative industries are worth £92 billion, employ two million people and are growing twice as fast as the rest of the economy. The sector includes music, fashion, design, arts, architecture, publishing, advertising, video games and crafts.

The deal contributes to the Industrial Strategy’s vision of good jobs, greater earning power for all, and prosperous communities across Britain. It aims to unlock future growth across Britain, create jobs and develop the cutting-edge technology of the future. The creative industries already export substantially more than their share of the economy and growth at home will also help power the sector to make further strides abroad.

The commitments include:

• Research Council to support eight creative research and development partnerships across Britain and £33 million to invest in immersive technology products, services and experiences. This will support new uses of virtual reality in areas like video games, interactive art shows and augmented reality experiences in tourism that will capture the world’s attention and double Britain’s share of the global creative immersive content market by 2025.
• £2 million to extend the ‘Get it Right’ campaign to tackle online piracy and educate consumers on the value of copyright and direct them to legitimate websites.
• A new free school based in Islington with places for 1000 students (16+) from across the capital. The London Screen Academy’s curriculum will include UAL Creative Diploma and A-levels and is set to open in Sept 2019.
• Improved access to finance from the British Business Bank for high-growth creative businesses outside of London, with up to £4 million to be invested in a new programme of investment readiness support for creative businesses.
• A new creative industries Trade and Investment Board, comprising industry and government, to replace the current Sector Advisory Group with the ambition of increasing creative industry exports by 50 per cent by 2023 and boosting the number of creative businesses exporting.
• New action to crackdown on copyright infringement. A landmark code of practice brokered by government and industry in 2017 reduced the prominence of illegal sites returned in search results. A series of roundtables between rights holders and platforms will consider the need for and develop a similar approach in relation to the online advertising industry, social media, and online marketplaces.

Commenting on today’s Creative Industries Sector deal Josh Berger, President and Managing Director, Warner Bros. UK and Chair of the British Film Institute said:

Incredible crews, fantastic facilities and the Government’s direct and continuing support for the creative industries – through organisations such as the BFI, and now the sector’s formal inclusion in the industrial strategy – are crucial to a thriving production industry in the UK.

Warner Bros’ experience in the UK has been such a positive one, from developing state of the art facilities and helping train the next generation of creative talent, to the entire business of producing our films here. We have been investing in the UK for many years because for us this country is, alongside Hollywood, the best place in the world to make movies.

John Kampfner, Chief Executive of Creative Industries Federation said:

The Creative Industries Sector Deal is a welcome first step, highlighting the significant contribution our sector makes to UK innovation, productivity, and growth. But government’s commitments cannot end here. We look forward to continued commitment in supporting the next generation of creatives which will ensure our creative industries remain world-leading. To this end, the Federation will be leading on a Creative Careers Campaign to showcase the richness and diversity of creative careers to young people, teachers, parents and carers across the UK. We look forward to working with government to equip the next generation for future work.

Notes to editors

• The Creative Industries Sector Deal will be launched tomorrow morning at The Roundhouse, Camden. Call 0207 211 2210 if you would like to attend.
• This agreement follows the independent Bazalgette review, published in September 2017 led by the current Chair of ITV Sir Peter Bazalgette which outlined key recommendations on how the Creative Industries can underpin Britain’s future economic growth.
• The creative industries Sector Deal – an agreement between the government and industry concluded with the Creative Industries Council – seeks to unlock growth for creative businesses.
• The Cultural Development Fund will be administered by the Arts Council England (ACE).
• Each Sector Deal theme sets out a programme of action:

Place

The Industrial Strategy committed to helping prosperous communities thrive across the country. Creative industries help to deliver this objective because they give places strong identities, as well as driving employment and growth. While research has identified some 47 clusters of creative businesses around Britain almost half of creative businesses are concentrated in the capital and the south east. New Government investment and industry backing for leading creative industry clusters with the potential to compete globally – helping project Global Britain to the world.

Ideas

The deal helps drive innovation by joint public and industry investment in eight partnerships of business and universities, backed by a national research centre, and a commitment to investigate barriers to creative businesses taking up R&D funding. It also pledges joint investment in a strategic innovation challenge set to transform creative content: immersive technologies like Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality.

Business Environment

Creative businesses are nimble, fast growing and globally exporting – but they also face barriers to achieving scale. There are recognised market failures in access to finance, especially outside London. This Sector Deal sets out measures to make it easier for creative businesses to get the finance they need to grow and how industry and government will create a new partnership to realise greater value and impact from public support for exports – as we respond to the challenges and opportunities associated with leaving the EU. It also seeks to safeguard copyright and address the transfer of value from the creative industries.

People

Britain boasts world class skills and talent across the creative industries. This deal sets out how government and industry are taking steps to overcome existing barriers to entry, as well as addressing future skills needs; from improving understanding of the sector among students, parents and teachers via a substantial careers programme, to monitoring uptake of apprenticeships and ensuring that apprenticeship standards for roles identified as important to the Industrial Strategy, are prioritised.

Following our announcement in January, the Land Registration (Amendment) Rules 2018 will come into effect on Friday 6 April. These update the Land Registration Rules 2003, marking a major step in how we use digital technology to build faster and simpler services for our customers.

The changes will help us to achieve our ambition of becoming the world’s leading land registry for speed, simplicity and an open approach to data as outlined in our Business Strategy.

Many of the changes to the rules are minor and many will not affect customers immediately. The most substantial change that may affect our customers is that outline applications (OLAs) will disappear from 6 April.

OLAs were introduced when most of the customer applications that we received to update or create title registers were on paper forms. OLAs offered customers a formal way to give us notice that they intended to send an application imminently. It allowed us to capture it in our systems before receiving the full application.

Business customers can now make full applications immediately online, so there is no longer a need for OLAs.

We will not accept any OLA applications received after 11pm today (Wednesday 28 March). This is to allow for the OLA’s follow-up period (the time in which the applicant must submit the full application) before OLAs cease to exist.

The amendments to the Land Registration Rules follow a public consultation on the proposed amendments which ran from 9 February to 5 April 2017. See the consultation outcome

We will update our practice guides to take account of the changes.

Thank you, Honourable Premier and Deputy Governor, for your kind words of welcome. I feel deeply humbled and honoured today to accept the responsibility of my appointment as the Governor of the Cayman Islands.

This is my first experience of working in an Overseas Territory and I know that I will have much to learn in the months and years ahead. I hope that my long experience in the Civil Service, the private sector and the military has equipped me well to serve the people of the Cayman Islands effectively. I can assure you all that I intend to uphold and defend our constitution, laws and the prosperity of our islands to the best of my ability.

I am looking forward to working with the Premier and the members of this Legislative Assembly as we tackle the difficult and challenging issues that we will encounter in the years ahead. I know that the Cayman Islands have a strong and independent civil service ably led by the Deputy Governor, and a police force which is the envy of the other Overseas Territories. I will also defend your integrity and strive for continual progress, innovation and improvement.

I hope that my first days in Cayman will be spent getting to know these beautiful islands and meeting as many Caymanians and residents as possible. I hope to visit the people of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman on Wednesday. I am here to serve you and I want to hear your views and your ideas. I am energised by people’s hopes and dreams, nothing gives me more pleasure than to serve. You will find my door open to you and I will defend your rights and prosperity with everything I have at my disposal.

Initially I intend to focus my efforts and those of my office on four areas that I see as particularly important.

I see security as my first duty. We are fortunate to have an experienced and dedicated Commissioner of Police and I know his team is committed to our safety and security. The staff in the Governor’s Office and I will not compromise in this area. It is our responsibility to keep these islands safe so we can enjoy our quality of life and not lose it to crime. We see examples from around this region where a breakdown in law and order has led to serious consequences for the social and economic stability of other states. We must not let this happen here. Security needs professional staff and adequate resourcing and we need to work together with the UK and partners in the region to ensure that we are keeping pace with the criminal and external threats that seek to undermine our way of life. I know that there is already much work being undertaken in this area and I will continue to support and enhance this.

I welcome the recent statement made to this Assembly by the Honourable Premier setting out some of the important initiatives we are engaged on to create a new Border Protection Service and Coastguard. I fully agree that we need to work closely together through the National Security Council as we take strategic security decisions whilst at the same time ensuring that operational decisions are left to professional law enforcement agencies. I hope we can hold my first NSC meeting as soon as possible.

Secondly I will work to protect the interests of Cayman business and in particular our financial services industry. This territory is well served by one of the world’s biggest and most professional financial centres. This underpins the economy and sustains the way of life of Caymanians and I look forward to working with the industry, where I started my career, and with regulators in Cayman and colleagues in the UK and the EU to ensure a prosperous and stable future.

Our economy and the fabric of Cayman society is underpinned by a world renowned judiciary. Our judges, lawyers and court staff are vital to the financial success and security of the islands. It is no surprise that businesses from around the world choose to do business here when the rule of law is protected in this way.

Both the UK and the Cayman Islands are tolerant and welcoming societies and human rights will also be a priority area for me. I have spent much of my career trying to up-hold peoples’ rights and striving for equality and tolerance. All Caymanians and residents of these islands have their rights protected by the constitution and by the international obligations to which we have subscribed. I know that some aspects are sensitive in Cayman but my compass on rights issues will always be the law and I will defend the rights of all groups of people here regardless of their race, colour, religion, gender, disability or sexual orientation. I look forward to working closely with the Human Rights Commission on these issues.

My final priority will be to develop closer people to people links between the UK and the Cayman Islands. We have strong family, historical and constitutional bonds. I would like to see these strengthen further with more business, educational and cultural links being established and embedded.

In the UK we are talking about a new era of “Global Britain” and the Overseas Territories are part of Global Britain. I arrive in Cayman at the start of a period of change and I know that there are many challenging issues that we have to address. But as the UK leaves the European Union, risks and opportunities will be created for the Overseas Territories. I am optimistic about this and also see it is a chance for the UK and the Cayman Islands to forge closer links than ever before. I want to make sure that you really feel that your voices are heard in London and that we work together on the world stage.

The visit that the Honourable Premier and Ministers made to Hong Kong last week to take part in the Great Festival of Innovation is a good example of where we can work together to promote trade opportunities. I see the facilitation of these new opportunities as a key role for me and my team.

The Cayman Islands are blessed with amazing biodiversity and tourists flock here to enjoy your pristine environment and fantastic wildlife. Although the elected Government is directly responsible for the protection of the environment, including the use of renewable energy for which I have a real passion, I hope to work closely with you to keep the Cayman Islands as a place of beauty and a home to the diverse marine life and endemic species that are found here.

I would like to pay tribute to Governor Kilpatrick for her dedicated service to these islands. As Cayman’s first female Governor I know she has left a positive legacy for me follow. As has been reported in some sections of the media, I am Cayman’s first Muslim Governor. But I do not see it that way. I am first and foremost Her Majesty’s Governor and your Governor. I am honoured to have been appointed and to have the chance to serve you.

I arrived this morning with my wife, Momina and three children, Amani, Ambreene and baby Emilia. They too are excited about coming to such a wonderful place and are looking forward to starting their new lives here. My son Umar who works in the financial industry in London may join me later. We all have a lot to learn and I am keen to get started straightaway.

Finally I would like to thank Deputy Governor Franz Manderson for the exemplary manner in which he has covered as Acting Governor over the last 3 weeks. Also my thanks to the staff of the Governor’s Office and other government departments for making my arrival as smooth as possible.

I look forward to meeting and working with you all.

May God Bless the Cayman Islands.