The public evidence gathering day will take place on Tuesday 3 July in Manchester.

The day will commence at 10.30am and the working group will hear presentations from a number of invited stakeholders. The public session is expected to finish at 3pm.

This evidence gathering day will be open to members of the public who wish to observe the day’s proceedings. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions of ACMD Recovery Committee members.

If you would like to attend please email the ACMD secretariat to reserve a place: ACMD@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk.

For further details read the request for evidence for this working group (PDF, 563KB, 2 pages) .

Former England stars Alan Shearer, David Seaman and Paul Parker have teamed up with Counter Terrorism Policing to offer football fans security advice ahead of the World Cup.

The ex-internationals video messages explain how fans can keep themselves and others safe while gathering to watching games. The move is part of a summer long security campaign aimed at protecting crowded places.

With the tournament kicking off this evening, (Thursday 14 June) when hosts Russia take on Saudi Arabia, thousands are expected to watch matches on screens in city centres, football grounds and fan parks up and down the UK.

Police security experts will again be working in partnership with local authorities and event organisers to ensure that safety and security remains top of the agenda, and they’ve enlisted the help of pundits Shearer and Parker and former Arsenal goalkeeper Seaman to help deliver this messaging to fans.

Alan Shearer said:

Security is a team effort. If you’re going to see the game have a great time and look out for each other. Know your game plan and we can keep everyone safe.

Alan Shearer: Know the game plan

Paul Parker: Know the game plan

David Seaman: Know the game plan

While there is no intelligence to indicate an increased threat to World Cup screenings or any other summer events, the new National Coordinator for Protect and Prepare Policing, Chief Superintendent Nick Aldworth, wants the public to know the game plan for better security.

CT Policing’s ‘Know the game plan’ messages have already been adopted and supported throughout the season by the Premier League and English Football League (EFL).

Speaking at Millennium Square in Leeds City Centre, Chief Supt. Aldworth said:

We all know Alan Shearer and Paul Parker support the game plan and David Seaman is a safe pair of hands, so who better to inform people how they can keep this summer’s footballing events safe and secure?

Our Summer Security messaging is designed to remind everyone that our security, just like a World Cup-winning campaign, is a team effort and we all have a part to play.

Sadly we have seen that these big public events and crowded spaces can be targeted by those who want to cause harm, but I want to reassure the public that the police, partners and the event organisers are doing all we can to keep them safe and secure. Some of that protection can be seen with visible security guards and local officers and a significant amount of the security measures will be less obvious and are deployed for extra protection.

Fans can help us by watching these new videos to make themselves aware of the existing safety advice and to be ready to ACT if you spot suspicious behaviour and activity.

Don’t think you might be wasting our time, it is always better to be safe than sorry. If something doesn’t look or feel right, tell someone. We want you to enjoy the games, enjoy the atmosphere and by remaining vigilant we can all stay safe.

Specialist advice for companies operating in crowded places, split into different sectors such as major events, sport stadia, visitor attractions, bars, theatres and shopping centres, is available on the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NACTSO) website.

Key advice for anyone attending an event this summer

• Arrive early and minimise what you carry. Fewer bag searches speed up entry in events.
• Be vigilant: If you see anything suspicious, tell a member of staff straight away.
• If you see anything which could pose an immediate threat to safety, all 999.
• In an emergency, listen to and follow public address instructions.
• If told to evacuate, do not wait around or film on your mobile phone.
• Move right away from the area quickly to allow emergency workers access.
• Once you are safe, follow the local police force on social media for updates.

Please visit the CTP Twitter channel for CTP updates

Following Transport Secretary Chris Grayling’s decision to hold an independent inquiry into the disruption caused by the May timetable change, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has today (13 June 2018) published the terms of reference for the inquiry (PDF, 375KB).

The ORR will scrutinise the roles played by all parties involved in the process, including train operators, the Department for Transport and Network Rail to establish what went wrong and ensure it does not happen again. The Department for Transport has promised its full co-operation.

The inquiry will be given full access to all the information available at each organisation involved and evidence from passengers will be collected from the consumer interest group Transport Focus.

Professor Stephen Glaister will lead the inquiry in his capacity as Chair of the ORR. A respected transport and regulatory expert with experience in both the road and rail sectors, Stephen Glaister is Emeritus Professor of Transport and Infrastructure at Imperial College and a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers.

Rail Minister Jo Johnson said:

GTR and Northern are rightly focused on improving services for passengers, who will receive compensation for the unacceptable disruption experienced in recent weeks, and that is our overriding priority.

This independent inquiry will at the same time ensure we also learn all the lessons from what has happened.

The interim report will be published in September and full report in December. Separately, the department will be investigating whether GTR and Northern have breached their contracts and will take appropriate action if they have.

Today the OPCW confirmed that the town of Ltamenah, in northern Syria was attacked on 24 March 2017 with sarin and on 25 March 2017 with chlorine. This is confirmation of a spate of chemical attacks in the town in just one week, the OPCW having previously confirmed that a sarin attack took place on 30 March 2017.

Tragically there is still no international mechanism to attribute responsibility for these attacks on Ltamenah. Just a few days after the OPCW confirmation of sarin use on 30 March in Ltamenah, the OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism was shut down, putting an end to their ability to investigate responsibility for such attacks.

Repeated chemical attacks within Syria in such a short space of time only serve to underline the grave threat to the integrity of the Chemical Weapons Convention. Close to 90 countries have recognised that threat, and supported a call for an urgent Special Session of the Conference of States Parties on 26-27 June. The international community should come together and strengthen the OPCW’s capability to prevent the further use of chemical weapons, including by attributing responsibility for these heinous crimes.

A Downing Street spokesperson said:

The Prime Minister began by thanking the guests for their tremendous contribution to the tech community in the UK, creating jobs, supporting the economy, and driving growth.

She added that Venture Capital investment in the UK was $7.8bn in 2017, and that the opportunities offered here are demonstrated by the fact that the UK contributes 13 of the 34 start-up companies valued at over $1 billion in Europe.

She then invited views from around the table on how the UK can build on its position as a world-leading destination for tech investment.

Guests welcomed the announcement of the £2.5 billion Patient Capital Fund, as a means of ensuring that promising UK start-ups can access the capital they need to expand and become world-beating.

There was discussion of the strength and depth of the UK’s tech industry, and the advantages associated provided by access to and partnerships with the UK’s top universities.

Guests then discussed methods of addressing the skills gap and agreed on the importance of ensuring that nobody is left behind by advancements in technology and digital skills.

There was also agreement on the importance of mentoring, whereby entrepreneurs who have been through the whole cycle share their knowledge and expertise with fresh talent.

The Prime Minister concluded by reiterating the importance of the tech sector, saying that she wanted to see a continued pipeline of tech entrepreneurs coming forward and growing their businesses in the UK.