Press release: Launch of Great British High Street Awards 2019
The Great British High Street Awards are back and very soon high streets across the United Kingdom will be battling it out to find Britain’s best.
They will all be trying to emulate the success of reigning high street champion, Crickhowell, commended for its community-led initiatives, including the Corn Exchange project which transformed a former pub into shops for independent traders.
There was a huge response to last year’s competition – over 200 entries – highlighting how retailers and community groups across the country are working in innovative ways to keep city, town and village centres’ vibrant and strong.
Speaking ahead of the competition launch in High Street Crickhowell, High Streets Minister Jake Berry MP said:
The government awards celebrate the dedicated shop keepers, the committed volunteers and forward-thinking councils who together are creating vibrant and dynamic high streets that are loved by their communities.
Last year more than 200 high streets across the land battled it out in a hotly-contested competition to be crowned Britain’s best.
I would encourage communities across the nation to enter, so their high streets and the people working in them gain the recognition they fully deserve.
The Great British High Street Awards 2019, run by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in partnership with Visa and backed by other supporters, recognises and celebrates local achievements on the UK’s high streets and supports the communities in which we live and work.
The campaign includes a competition to find the UK’s best and most improved high streets within two categories:
the Champion Award to celebrate the UK’s best high streets
the Rising Star Award for those taking the lead and working to adapt and diversify
For each, a winner will be named in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as there being an overall UK winner.
Nominations for the awards can be made by local authorities, Business Improvement Districts and – for the first time – groups of high street retailers, from today. Shortlisted entries will be announced in August 2019.
In addition, individuals will also be recognised through the High Street Hero Award which will identify those who, through their innovation, energy, time or enthusiasm, stand out as leading lights on their high streets and in their local communities.
Nominations for the Great British High Street Awards 2019 are now open. To find out more, visit The Great British High Street and follow on
There will be 26 short-listed entries in the Champion High Street category, 13 for England, 6 for Scotland, 4 for Wales and 3 for Northern Ireland. There will be 12 short-listed entries for the Rising Star category.
Ways the government is backing the high street
The Budget saw business rates relief cut small retailers’ bills by a third, building on over £13 billion of business rates support since 2016.
In response to recommendations from the independent expert panel, led by Sir John Timpson, the government has recently launched a £675 million Future High Streets Fund to help improve infrastructure and access to high streets, put historic buildings back to use and make town centres fit for the future.
We have also announced a Town Centre Task Force to give local leaders expert advice and support in implementing their plans to revitalise their local high streets.
The Open Doors scheme will see empty shops being opened up to community groups offering services to the most vulnerable in our communities.
Through the planning system we are helping to support change on the high street, making it easier for high streets to adapt for the future, with a wider range of retail, residential and other uses.
We are empowering businesses to contribute to the success of their high street by providing loans to establish Business Improvement Districts across the country.
News story: Belarus v Northern Ireland Euro 2020 qualifying Travel Advice
Travel advice for fans travelling to Belarus for the Belarus v Northern Ireland Euro 2020 qualifying match on 11 June 2019.
All British national passport holders (except those entering on a diplomatic or official passport) can now enter Belarus for a maximum of 30 days without a visa (the day you arrive counts as day one, regardless of arrival time).
Visa free entry and exit will only be allowed at Minsk International Airport and you’ll need to show documentary evidence of medical insurance to the value of 10,000 euros and funds equivalent to 25 euros per day. This can be in the form of cash, credit card or travellers cheques in any currency.
If you wish to stay longer than 30 days, or plan to enter on a diplomatic or official passport, you’ll need a visa.
If you’re travelling immediately from/to a Russian airport you’ll need a visa.
If you enter Belarus at any other border point other than Minsk International Airport then this visa-free arrangement doesn’t apply and you’ll need a visa.
your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 3 months from the date of entry into Belarus
anyone staying for more than 5 days in Belarus must register online or with the local police office (OVIR) in the district in which they are staying. Registration will normally be arranged by your hotel. If you’re not staying in a hotel registration must be organised by your host. There are fines for not registering in time.
Getting to/from the airport
Minsk airport is located 40 km from Minsk and 65 km from Borisov. Visitors mostly prefer to stay in Minsk and travel to Borisov for the match.
To Minsk
It takes 35 to 40 minutes to get from the airport to Minsk city centre by taxi; taxis are the most convenient way to get to central Minsk; for a journey to Minsk city centre expect to pay between 30 to 40 BYN (Belarusian roubles). 1 GBP ~ 2.60 BYN.
Remember to always ask about the price before you start your journey.
Buses run a 24/7 (every 20 to 30 minutes during the day) service from the airport to the central bus/railway station. The price is 4 BYN. Details on departure times and route can be found on the Minsk International Airport website.
To Borisov
Taxi is the only option to get from the airport to Borisov. It takes 50 to 60 minutes to get to Borisov city centre. For this journey expect to pay between 70 to 80 BYN.
Getting to the stadium: Borisov Arena
There will be coaches organised by for the fans coming from Minsk. Coaches will depart from Lenin street (metro station Pershamayskaya) opposite to the Concert Hall Minsk
From Minsk (70 km)
taxis are considered the easiest and most convenient way to get to the stadium from Minsk, but also the most expensive. You should expect to pay approximately 60 to 70 BYN
if you take a local train from the Minsk Passazhyrskiy railway station (central railway station) to Pechinskiy station (1 km from Borisov Arena) it takes 60 to 90 minutes to reach the stadium
there is also a fast train from Minsk Passazhyrskiy to Borisov station (7 km from Borisov Arena). You should then take a taxi from the station to reach Borisov Arena (approximate price is 7 BYN)
it’s better to use the fast train on the way to Borisov as well as on the way back to Minsk as local train don’t run regularly and can be slow
small buses to Borisov (called marshrutka) depart every 10 to 20 minutes from the metro station Vostok (eastern part of the city, close to the National Library) and cost 4 BYN. They stop at Borisov bus station which is 3 km to Borisov Arena. Please remember that on your way back to Minsk you can’t use this transport option as the last bus departs at 9 pm.
From Borisov
the Borisov Arena is located in the Western part of the city. The easiest way to get to the stadium is by taxi, the cost of which to the site from any part of the city shouldn’t exceed 10 BYN
give yourself plenty of time to travel regardless of which mode of transport you choose. While taxis are your best option mainly, there are not many of them, and demand for their services will be high
The match
Where fans should enter the stadium
Northern Ireland supporters will be seated in sectors G1 and G2 – see the stadium plan
to enter the stadium you should use gates located between sectors G1 and F4
places for disabled supporters will be available places in sectors A1, A2 and A3. To enter your places please use gates located between sectors E1 and D3
Stadium scheme
Entry procedures access to the stadium can be slow. Expect to be searched. To avoid last minute delays get to the stadium at least 90 minutes before the kick-off.
Restrictions In addition to items which would usually be prohibited in the UK, the following items are not allowed in the stadium: flares, fireworks, alcohol, cans, glass, plastic bottles or containers, lighters – if you do bring any of these items they’ll be confiscated by the Belarusian authorities.
crime levels in Minsk are generally low, but muggings do occur from time to time
take sensible precautions: be vigilant, avoid carrying large sums of money and try to avoid walking alone at night
Personal security
look after your personal belongings, in particular your passport and your money
carry a photocopy of the personal details pages of your passport and keep it in a safe place separate from your passport
Disabled travellers
the Belarusian authorities have advised that there will be a designated area at the stadium for supporters with disabilities
generally, while things are steadily improving, Minsk has limited facilities for the disabled traveller – the pavements, even on the main roads can be difficult to negotiate for those with disabilities
Road safety
pedestrians should be vigilant at all times when crossing roads; red traffic lights and zebra crossings don’t necessarily mean a car will stop; use the underpasses where available
when using a taxi make sure it has working seatbelts; some cars are poorly maintained
accidents happen, mainly due to poor or reckless driving and inconsistent enforcement of traffic rules
do not ‘jay walk’ – cross the road only when the green man alights. You’re liable to be fined if you do jay walk
Religion
most of the population of Belarus is Christian (mostly Orthodox); Belarus is a largely secular society and religion is usually considered a private matter
respect local traditions, customs, laws and religions at all times and be aware of your actions to ensure they don’t offend other cultures or religious beliefs
Telephones
the international dialling code for Belarus in +375; before travelling check with your mobile phone provider that it will work in Minsk
local sim cards are available with Velcom, MTS and Life being the leading mobile operators; you can buy local sim cards only in the mobile operator’s shops showing your passport
Currency
all goods and services are paid in local currency (Belarusian Rouble – BYN); sterling, US dollars and Euros are easily exchanged; major hotels and international supermarkets and restaurants accept credit and debit cards
ATMs in Minsk will almost always accept UK credit and debit cards; before leaving the UK, let your bank know you’re travelling to Belarus
Consular assistance
If there’s a genuine emergency during your visit to Minsk (e.g. one involving accident, injury or loss/theft of your passport) call +375 17 2298200 and follow the instructions to be put through to a consular officer.
Lost or stolen passports
If your passport is lost or stolen report the loss to the local police as soon as possible and get a copy of the police report. You can’t travel back to the UK without a valid travel document. You’ll need to apply to the Consular Section of the British Embassy Minsk for an Emergency Travel Document (ETD). Please see our ETD web page for more information.
Lost or stolen credit/debit cards
If you lose your wallet or purse try to cancel your credit/debit cards as soon as possible. British consular officials can’t give you money to help you return home. You can transfer money from the UK using many of the commercial money transfer agencies in Minsk, including Western Union. You can also use most major credit and debit cards to obtain money from ATMs.
The consular section of the British Embassy in Minsk is open to visitors from Monday to Thursday from 9:00am to 5:30pm and on Friday from 9:00am to 3:00pm, excluding public holidays.
Press release: Drug firms accused of illegal market sharing over anti-nausea tablets
The CMA has provisionally found that 4 pharmaceutical companies broke the law by agreeing not to compete in the supply of an anti-nausea drug in the UK.
In a statement of objections issued today, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) alleges that, between June 2013 and July 2018, Alliance, Focus, Lexon and Medreich agreed not to compete for the supply of prescription-only Prochlorperazine 3mg dissolvable or “buccal” tablets to the NHS. Prochlorperazine is an important drug used to treat nausea and dizziness.
Between December 2013 and December 2017, the prices paid by the NHS for Prochlorperazine rose by around 700% from £6.49 per pack of 50 tablets to £51.68. From 2014 to 2018, the annual costs incurred by the NHS for Prochlorperazine increased from around £2.7 million to around £7.5 million, even though the number of packs dispensed fell.
The CMA has provisionally found that Lexon and Medreich were paid a share of the profits earned by Focus on the supply of the Alliance product, and agreed not to compete for the supply of Prochlorperazine in the UK.
The CMA provisionally finds that Alliance, Focus, Lexon and Medreich entered into an overarching agreement that was implemented through 2 separate agreements – one between Alliance and Focus, and one between Focus, Lexon and Medreich. Under these alleged agreements Alliance supplied Prochlorperazine exclusively to Focus. Focus then paid Lexon a share of the profits it earned on the onward sales of Alliance’s Prochlorperazine. Lexon, in turn, shared these payments with Medreich.
In its provisional findings the CMA alleges that, before entering into this arrangement, Lexon and Medreich had been taking steps to launch their jointly developed Prochlorperazine. Although Medreich obtained a licence to supply Prochlorperazine in January 2014, it did not supply the product until November 2017.
The CMA alleges that each of the agreements between Alliance and Focus and between Focus, Lexon and Medreich, individually broke competition law.
Ann Pope, CMA Senior Director of Antitrust, said:
Agreements where a company pays a rival not to enter the market can lead to higher prices and deprive the NHS of huge savings that often result from competition between drug suppliers.
The NHS should not be denied the opportunity of benefitting from an increased choice of suppliers, or lower prices, for important medicine.
This is the CMA’s provisional finding and the companies now have the chance to make representations to the CMA before it reaches a final decision.
The over-arching agreement referred to in the SO commenced in June 2013, and the CMA believes continued until July 2018. Medreich was party to the alleged infringing agreement from February 2014 until February 2018.
The Statement of Objections is addressed to: (i) Alliance Pharmaceuticals Limited and Alliance Pharma plc; (ii) Focus Pharmaceuticals Limited, Focus Pharma Holdings Limited, Mercury Pharma Group Limited, Concordia Investment Holdings (UK) Limited, Concordia Investments (Jersey) Limited and Advanz Pharma Corporation; (iii) Cinven Capital Management (V) General Partner Limited, Cinven (Luxco 1) S.A. and Cinven Partners LLP; (iv) Lexon (UK) Limited and Lexon UK Holdings Limited; and (v) Medreich plc, Medreich Ltd, Meiji Seika Pharma Co. Ltd and Meiji Holdings Co. Ltd.
In this Statement of Objections, the CMA proposes to find (in some cases for part of the time period under investigation) that the following legal entities formed part of: (i) the undertaking referred to as Alliance – Alliance Pharmaceuticals Limited and Alliance Pharma plc; (ii) the undertaking referred to as Focus – Focus Pharmaceuticals Limited, Focus Pharma Holdings Limited, Mercury Pharma Group Limited, Concordia Investment Holdings (UK) Limited, Concordia Investments (Jersey) Limited, Advanz Pharma Corporation, Cinven Capital Management (V) General Partner Limited, Cinven (Luxco 1) S.A. and Cinven Partners LLP; (iii) the undertaking referred to as Lexon – Lexon (UK) Limited and Lexon UK Holdings Limited; and (iv) the undertaking referred to as Medreich – Medreich plc, Medreich Ltd, Meiji Seika Pharma Co. Ltd and Meiji Holdings Co. Ltd.
A Statement of Objections gives parties notice of a proposed infringement decision under the competition law prohibitions in the Competition Act 1998 and EU law equivalents. It is a provisional decision only and does not necessarily lead to an infringement decision. Parties have the opportunity to make written and oral representations on the matters set out in the Statement of Objections. Any such representations will be considered by the CMA before a final decision is made. The final decision will be taken by a case decision group, which is separate from the investigation team and was not involved in the decision to issue the Statement of Objections.
The Statement of Objections will not be published. However, any person who wishes to comment on the CMA’s provisional findings, and who is in a position materially to assist the CMA in testing its factual, legal or economic arguments, may request a non-confidential version of the Statement of Objections by contacting the CMA.
Media queries should be directed to press@cma.gov.uk, or call 020 3738 6460.
Press release: Out of this world ideas win funding in space competition
Innovative ideas from crime-fighting drones to tracking down trolleys are among the winners of the UK Space Agency’s SatelLife competition for young people.
The winners, all aged between 11 and 22, will now go on to pitch their ideas to a panel of industry experts in the hope of gaining further support to develop them. In previous years this has led to job offers, extra funding and support to build prototypes.
Lowena Hull, a student from Portsmouth, scooped the overall individual prize of £7,500 for her idea to track abandoned supermarket trolleys. Four teenagers from Cornwall won the overall group prize of £7,500 for an app to find public toilets.
Space is one of the fastest growing sectors in the UK and it is estimated an additional 30,000 new career opportunities could be created by 2030. Now in its third year, the SatelLife competition aims to encourage young people to think about how satellites impact our everyday lives and learn more about the careers available in the sector.
Science Minister Chris Skidmore said:
These extraordinary ideas on how to use space technology for everyday problems are a testament to the inventiveness of our brilliant young people.
We are backing the UK’s thriving space sector in our modern Industrial Strategy to make sure young people, like all those who took part in this competition, have opportunities to work in this exciting industry in the future.
The UK is already a world-leader in satellite building and we are backing plans for the first spaceports which will see satellites launched into space from British soil for the first time.
Lowena Hull, 17, an A-level student from Portsmouth, who came up with her winning idea after seeing abandoned shopping trolleys in her area, said:
I started looking into it and the more research I did the more I realised it’s a massive issue and really bad for the environment. I heard about the SatelLife competition online and it looked like such a great competition. Space has always been a topic that has fascinated me and I’ve grown more interested as I’ve got older.
Now my idea is something I’d like to take further. It’s a good opportunity to get supermarkets involved and it would benefit them as well as councils and the government and everyone who lives in the areas affected.
Emily Gravestock, Head of Applications at the UK Space Agency, said:
The quality of entries this year was very high. We were particularly pleased to see such a wide variety of satellite applications being used. These young people clearly recognised the diversity of areas that satellites impact on our day-to-day lives.
Once again, we were impressed by the inspiration and knowledge of young people and I look forward to seeing how they develop their ideas in the future.
The SatelLife competition is split into 3 age groups: 11 – 14; 15 – 18; 19 – 22. The judging panel was made up of experts from the UK Space Agency, the European Space Agency, the Satellite Applications Catapult in Harwell and industry. The total prize fund is £50,000.
Gemma Wilson, Knowledge Exchange Manager at the Satellite Applications Catapult in Harwell, who was one of the judges, said:
The applications that have won were of excellent quality. The detailed work that has gone into them were, in some cases, as good as the companies that come and work with the Satellite Applications Catapult.
With major parts for one in four of the world’s telecommunications satellites already built in Britain, the government’s Industrial Strategy includes plans to work with the industry to grow the space sector and establish commercial space launch services from the UK for the first time.
There has been significant growth in the UK space sector in recent years which provides £14.8 billion in total income and employs nearly 42,000 people.
Overall individual winner
Trolley Tracker – Lowena Hull, 17, from Portsmouth
Prize: £7,500
Trolley Tracker is a tool that uses satellites to monitor the location of supermarket trolleys taken off site and allows them to be reclaimed. In 2015 1.5 million trolleys were taken from supermarkets and abandoned, with significant environmental impacts. This system would enable local authorities and supermarkets to better manage this problem and help solve a previously hidden issue.
Overall team winners
Satoilite – Judd Phillips, 15, Calvin Hulance, 14, Matthew Old, 14, and Joel Armstrong, 14, from Newquay, Cornwall
Prize £7,500
This is a service, using an app, which will allow people to find public toilets when travelling. Toilets can be rated by users and reserved by those who have an urgent need – such as those with hidden disabilities such as inflammatory bowel diseases.
Runners-up
Satellite detection system – Patrick Motley, 19, Blaise Umbagodo, 21, Alberto Tinta, 22, from the University of Derby
Prize: £5,000
This tool will allow improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other unexploded bombs to be identified in warzones, and then use drones and precision satellite positioning to increase the safety of bomb disposal teams. This will also use machine learning to improve the safety of this project.
Using Satellite data to track plane crash survivors – Charlie Knott, 12, Evie Mansfield, 12 and Max Morgan, 11, from Helston, Cornwall
Prize £5,000
This project proposes the use of GPS trackers that could either be attached to lifejackets or deployed to passengers alongside oxygen masks in planes, in the event of an emergency. The tracker would be linked to the seat number of the passenger, showing where individuals are in the event of a crash and assisting rescue services.
Dro999 – Luca Franchi, 17, from Sydenham, London
Prize: £5,000
This supports emergency services by deploying emergency drones, both for medical needs and to support detection of crime. Drones can potentially reach crime scenes or casualties ahead of vehicles. By carrying cameras or basic medical equipment such as an epipen they can help ensure an efficient response.
Satellite Controlled Gun – Grace Morgan, 12, from Wimbledon, London
Prize: £4,000
This project will use geo-fencing technology to prevent guns being used in areas where they could do most harm, such as near schools or at events. This tool would add a locator to the gun, which will prevent it firing when it’s detected to be in a particular area.
Race Spectator – Daniel Currie, 16, from Middlesbrough
Prize: £4,000
This app will allow supporters to track friends and family members competing in running races. In big city marathons there is already a tracker available to do this, but it is not currently available for smaller races or those off road. This app would change that.
Using satellites to prevent agricultural fires from polluting cities – Alex Hayman, 17, from Colyton in Devon
Prize: £4,000
In some countries, such as Thailand and India, city pollution is often generated by farmland being burnt. This proposal looks to use satellite information to inform farmers when they can burn their fields safely to ensure that the smoke, and therefore air pollution, is taken away from cities and has less of an impact on the public.
Ensuring sustainable finance using satellite data – Ewan Wright, 22, from Barnet, London
Prize: £4,000
It is important for investors, insurance companies and others to understand the risks posed by climate change. By using satellite data the impacts of climate change, and natural disasters can both be modelled in advance, and identified after an event has happened, allowing interested parties to understand the impacts and respond accordingly.
Satel-Access – Jack Johnson, 17, from Camberley in Surrey
Prize: £4,000
This is a portable wearable device which uses satellite data to provide information about your surroundings for those with accessibility needs. These would include people with buggies, those with disabilities or those with invisible disabilities such as the need for hearing loops and autism friendly areas. The app would provide the location of features such as drop curbs, hearing loops and wide doorways to ensure that those with additional access requirements can enjoy the same freedoms as others.
Press release: Cash incentives for maths and physics teachers
New scheme will mean early career maths and physics teachers in the North East, Yorkshire & the Humber and all Opportunity Areas can get an additional £2,000.
Thousands of teachers across the country are to receive extra money to encourage and support them during the early years of their classroom careers.
Early career maths and physics teachers in the North East, Yorkshire & the Humber and Opportunity Areas will receive a £2,000 Government incentive as part of a drive to increase rates of retention among teachers of these subjects.
The initiative announced today (Thursday 23 May) will further support teachers in the areas benefitting from the Government’s £72 million Opportunity Area programme.
Backed by £10 million investment set aside from last year’s Budget, the pilot will test a new way of incentivising maths and physics teachers to remain in the profession during the first five years of their career.
The scheme is based on evidence from the Gatsby Foundation and Education Policy Institute, which highlighted the potentially significant impact of such retention payments.
Minister for School Standards Nick Gibb said:
Teaching remains a popular career, but we want to make sure that we can continue to attract and keep the brightest and best graduates, particularly in subjects where specialist knowledge and expertise are vital to the future success of the economy.
The number of young people studying science and maths subjects has increased since 2010 and we have today pledged £10 million investment to ensure teaching remains an attractive and fulfilling proposition and that every child has the opportunity to fulfil their potential.
This follows the launch of the government’s first-ever integrated strategy to recruit and retain more teachers in schools – and will build on the 30,000 classroom teachers the government aims to recruit each year and support the 450,000 teachers already working in schools in England.
The pilot runs alongside Government plans set out in the Teacher Recruitment & Retention Strategy to improve incentives on offer to teachers in England to include retention-based payments for those who stay in the profession by staggering additional payments throughout the first years of their career.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss said:
Maths and science open doors to higher wages and better opportunities for pupils. Great teachers are, of course, crucial to the success of STEM lessons and this pilot will help schools recruit and retain the best staff.
We are investing in these teachers to inspire the next generations to succeed in Britain’s future economy.
Mike Parker, Director of Schools North East, said:
High-quality teaching has a profoundly positive impact on children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. There are many factors that account for the disparity in outcomes for pupils in economically disadvantaged areas when compared with more affluent ones, but the availability and retention of teaching talent is among the greatest.
Physics and maths are vital disciplines for the vibrant and successful sectors that are driving the economy in the North East. Investing in recruitment and retention of teachers is essential not only to the future success of pupils in this area but also to the long-term economic outlook of the region.
Nigel Thomas, Executive Director at the Gatsby Foundation, said:
We warmly welcome the Government’s announcement and have long advocated the use of modest salary supplements to retain teachers in shortage-subject areas, where better paid opportunities exist outside of the profession. Gatsby’s own research strongly indicates that financial incentives would be more effective at curbing teacher shortages in maths and science than recruitment measures alone.
We hope that this scheme is the first of many steps to ensure that learners nationwide are able to receive a high-quality and robust science and maths education regardless of geography, background or circumstance.
Today’s announcement builds on the Government’s continued work to increase support for the teaching profession by trialling extra payments for teachers in schools, in 2019-20 and 2020-21, in subjects where there have traditionally been challenges in retaining teachers.
This is part of the Government’s commitment to invest in programmes to encourage take up in STEM-related subjects, including the opening of Lancaster Maths School, announced earlier this week (Tues 21 May). Created in a collaboration between Lancaster University and Cardinal Newman College in Preston, the school will act as a regional centre of excellence for delivering Mathematics at A Level for the most able 16 to 19-year-old students from across Lancashire.
It also follows the £508 million teachers’ pay grant announced last year to give thousands of classroom teachers a pay rise, and forms part of a drive led by the Education Secretary Damian Hinds to ensure teaching is a valued and rewarding career.
