A Downing Street spokesperson said:

The Prime Minister met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Downing Street today.

The two leaders confirmed their commitment to a strong UK-Israel relationship, including through trade, cooperation on intelligence and security and cultural links between the two countries.

Both Prime Ministers agreed on the need to prevent Iran getting a nuclear weapon and stop wider destabilising Iranian behaviour. The Prime Minister stressed the need for dialogue and a diplomatic solution.

The Prime Minister and Prime Minister Netanyahu also discussed the Middle East Peace Process. The Prime Minister said that he looks forward to seeing the US Administration’s detailed proposals for a viable Israel-Palestinian peace agreement that addresses the legitimate concerns of both parties.

Published 5 September 2019

Ageing Society creating new demands for products – 1 of the 4 Grand Challenges identified in the UK’s Industrial Strategy

The UK population is ageing, as it is across the industrialised world. The prospect of longer lives is requiring people to plan their careers and retirement differently. Ageing populations are creating new demands for technologies, products and services, including new care technologies, new housing models and innovative savings products for retirement. Acorn Mobility Services is a good example of a commercial operation that is both capitalising on and serving the demands of this growing sector. Its products help older citizens to lead independent, fulfilled lives and can help some to continue to contribute to society. This helps to create an economy which works for everyone, regardless of age.

Primary Authority scheme supporting the UK’s Industrial Strategy

Schemes such as the Primary Authority and frameworks such as Better Business for All continue to help make regulation work more effectively across important sectors in our economy such as the Ageing Society sector. The advice provided by Wakefield Council helps protect consumers at the same time as safeguarding business reputations and keeping regulatory costs to a minimum, enabling businesses like Acorn Mobility Services to grow.

There is a Primary Authority partnership between Acorn Mobility Services and West Yorkshire Trading Standards (WYTS deliver the Trading Standards function on behalf of Wakefield Council). Having a single and trusted point of contact able to provide expert advice and guidance is of immense benefit to the business as it continues to develop and grow.

Primary Authority Award

In 2016 Acorn Mobility Services was ‘Highly Commended’ in the national Primary Authority Awards, becoming the first company in the mobility equipment sector to receive such an accolade.

The company’s UK Customer Service Manager, Catherine Beecroft, said:

Customer satisfaction, being fair and transparent, is central to our business ethos. Working in partnership with West Yorkshire Trading Standards helps us to act out our business ethos. WYTS really understand our business DNA. Acorn always strives to conduct business within regulations and remain compliant and it’s nice to know there’s always a helping hand to offer impartial advice and guidance.

Primary Authority helping to develop effective customer services

The business was keen to use its partnership with WYTS to develop its complaints handling and customer services standards. Thanks to training and guidance from WYTS, the team at the business better understand how the Consumer Rights Act 2015 affects their work. This has helped the business avoid problems related to how it markets its products. The business can be more confident that it is compliant and can focus its resources more effectively.

Helping to improve complaints handling

The Primary Authority partnership with WYTS helps the business to identify any areas of concern and improve its procedures in order to avoid future risk. The primary authority supports the business by informing it of any calls made to Citizens Advice about the business’ products and services. This enables the company to nip potential problems in the bud. WYTS also writes to consumers requesting permission to forward their details so the company can investigate any issues.

Results

In addition to developing more effective customer services and complaint handling processes, Primary Authority support for the business has helped the organisation to reduce the number of complaints it receives and remain compliant. This Trading Standards support has helped the business to put more resource into developing its ambitions and growth of its operations.

About Acorn Mobility Services

Yorkshire-based Acorn Mobility Services Limited develops and designs some of the world’s best-selling stairlift ranges. With factories in the UK and worldwide distribution centres, this family-owned business sells more than 70,000 stairlifts worldwide each year making it a major British export success story.

Local authority team working with the business team

The Food Safety team in Monmouthshire’s Environmental Health department worked with the Food Team of SA Brain & Co to begin a root and branch review of its Food Safety Management system in order to provide an accessible, practical system for house managers and chefs. Joint training sessions were held between Monmouthshire County Council and the business to roll out the implementation of the new policy, as well as to encourage feedback from in-house staff on the implementation of the system.

Reviewing inspection reports

Monmouthshire Environmental Health Officers review each inspection report received by the business following enforcement visits to its premises. The feedback from officers via these reports is seen by the partnership as a valuable reflection of the effectiveness of the new food safety policy. Comments from enforcement officers are discussed at regular meeting between the business and Monmouthshire and have been used in reviews of the policy.

In-house Health and Safety advisor working with Monmouthshire CC

SA Brain & Co employs an in-house Health and Safety advisor to carry out risk assessments and policy reviews for the company. In addition, Monmouthshire advises the business on Health and Safety enforcement issues. National Health and Safety initiatives have been used by the business to steer Health and Safety work and joint visits have been carried out with Monmouthshire Environmental Health Officers on areas relating to gas safety in kitchen and cellar safety.

Advice issued as part of the Primary Authority partnership

The reviewed Food Safety Management System is published on the Primary Authority website for enforcement authorities to assess before they carry out inspections. Monmouthshire welcomes queries and comments on the system which in turn feed into the annual review. Inspection reports are reviewed by Monmouthshire and enforcement issues discussed in the regular meetings held between the company and the local authority. The reviewed Food Safety Policy is published on the Primary Authority website for enforcement officers to access.

Introducing technology into food safety audits

In 2018 the annual review saw the business exploring how it could embrace technology to improve its standards and scores and it took the decision to introduce iAuditor. This tool has allowed it to increase and control its food safety audits as well as utilise photographic evidence. Pub teams and managers complete actions in real time by closing them down digitally.

OPSS Innovation and Technical Award

In June 2019 SA Brain & Co was the overall winner in the Innovation and Technical category at the Regulatory Excellence Awards organised by the Office for Product Safety and Standards. SA Brain & Co believes it now has the right balance between Primary Authority partnership input, technology, training and coaching and auditing to enable it to achieve its aims.

Results

By introducing this system, it has managed to increase the number of its 220 pubs with a Food Hygiene Rating Score of 5 to 71 pubs in 2019 from 59 (Feb 2018) whilst maintaining combined 4s and 5s at 96.5% (compared with 63% in 2013-14).

Next steps

It is continuing to work hard at getting that score to 100% as well as striving to gain the maximum of 5 in every one of its pubs.

About SA Brain & Co

SA Brain & Co Ltd is a regional brewery founded in 1882 in Cardiff, Wales, by Samuel Arthur Brain. The company controls more than 250 pubs in South Wales (particularly in Cardiff), Mid Wales and the West Country. It has been in a direct Primary Authority partnership with Monmouthshire County Council since 2014.

Regulatory environment of the business

Arnold Clark Automobiles Limited operates across approximately 50 different local authorities in Scotland and England. Its Primary Authority partnership with Glasgow City Council assists the business greatly in helping to ensure that it operates in a compliant manner in all these areas.

The advice provided and how it is used

The relationship allows the business to react quickly and take actions promptly and results in the most efficient use of time and resources. The business seeks the guidance and knowledge of Glasgow City Council in relation to numerous matters including customer relations, changes to processes and procedures, introduction of new products, customer documentation and advertising and marketing.

The Primary Authority relationship involves Glasgow City Council monitoring and evaluating business operations and processes on an ongoing basis. Glasgow City Council also actively participates in making management throughout the business network aware of what they are required to do on a day-to-day basis to ensure the business remains compliant. In 2018 approximately 40 Arnold Clark Dealerships were visited and inspected by their partners in Glasgow City Council in addition to presentations being made to branch management.

Should a business-specific or industry-wide issue arise, the business knows it can seek the views and opinions of its Primary Authority partner. The relationship also helps the business to understand what it needs to do to remain complaint and what actions it needs to take to protect itself going forward.

Results

The figures below show significant reductions in Citizens Advice Bureau and Consumer Direct complaints received relating to Arnold Clark in 2008 and 2018, a period in which the business more than doubled in size:

• 2008 – 3,089 Complaints
• 2018 – 1,849 Complaints / Reduction of 1,240 (40%)

Statistics relating to Q1 2019:

• Q1 2018 – 488 Complaints
• Q1 2019 – 411 Complaints / Reduction of 77 (16%)

Next steps

As Arnold Clark continues to expand into new geographical areas, Glasgow City Council will continue to be involved in introducing the business to relevant local authorities and informing them of how the partnership operates in terms of Trading Standards processes and procedures.

About Arnold Clark

The Arnold Clark business was founded over 60 years ago and the Group’s activities include the hiring, selling and servicing of motor vehicles. Its turnover in 2018 was £4.2 billion and it has over 220 branches across Scotland and England. It employs around 13,200 staff and represents 27 vehicle manufacturers.

To enable continued UK success in future maritime operations, it is vital that the Royal Navy continues to be equipped with the latest cutting-edge capabilities. In a new competition, the Royal Navy will be reaching out to innovators to propose mature autonomy ideas that will increase the efficiency of maritime operations, or otherwise provide improved operational capability and help them delivery military output on operations.

The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) in partnership with NavyX, the Royal Navy’s new Autonomy Innovation Accelerator, will soon be launching the NavyX Maritime Autonomous Systems (MAS) competition, seeking proposals for rapid impact and novel MAS capability innovations to drive the transformational change in the Royal Navy.

We will be looking, for example, for solutions that demonstrate the capability to autonomously move valuable loads, from ship to ship, ship to shore and shore to ship, with minimal operator input. And, we will be specifically looking for mature technologies that the Royal Navy can rapidly develop and prove in an operational environment, putting the solutions into the hands of sailors more quickly.

NavyX is tasked to drive rapid, continual transformational change in autonomy across all Maritime Environments. They will be working in close partnership with DASA to make use of DASA’s existing outreach team and effective and swift competition mechanisms. NavyX will provide the end user testing and trialling facilities to ensure maximum impact from solutions proposed through the competition. Collaboration across the Defence Innovation team ensures that our Armed Forces are incorporating the latest thinking and technology advances onto their platforms.

The total funding will be announced when the competition is launched.

Queries should be sent to accelerator@dstl.gov.uk.