During the morning of Friday 20 October 2017, a train driver travelling on the Cambrian coast line in North Wales reported that long standing temporary speed restrictions were not indicated on their in-cab display. As signalling staff at the control centre in Machynlleth investigated this report, they became aware that this failure applied to several trains under their control. The temporary speed restrictions were required on the approach to level crossings so that people crossing the line had sufficient warning of an approaching train.

The Cambrian lines were equipped in 2011 with a pilot installation of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), a form of railway signalling. ERTMS removes the need for signals along the track by transmitting data directly to the train. This data is used to display movement authorities and other information such as temporary and permanent speed restrictions, on a screen in front of the driver.

Subsequent investigation found that the signalling system stopped transmitting temporary speed restriction data after a routine shutdown and restart at around 23:10 hrs the previous evening. The signallers had no indication of an abnormal condition and signalling control centre displays showed these restrictions as being applied correctly.

The RAIB has decided to undertake an independent investigation because to date, the signalling system supplier has not identified the cause of the failure. It is possible that finding the cause would have been assisted by downloading of suitable data from the signalling system before it was restarted during correction of the failure.

An additional procedure, since introduced at the control centre, is intended to identify and avoid any recurrence of the failure.

The RAIB investigation will consider:

• the geographic extent of the failure and the effect it had on the safety of railway operations
• why trains were permitted to operate without information about temporary speed restrictions
• practices for the gathering of data needed for investigation before restarting computer based signalling systems after a potentially unsafe failure

Our investigation is independent of any investigation by the railway industry or by the industry’s regulator, the Office of Rail and Road.

We will publish our findings, including any recommendations to improve safety, at the conclusion of our investigation. This report will be available on our website.

You can subscribe to automated emails notifying you when we publish our reports.

Dstl is working in partnership with Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) and the Alan Turing Institute – the national Institute for data science – on a number of defence challenges that exploit the power of data science.

As part of this work, Dstl took part in a Data Study Group, a regular series of events run by the Alan Turing Institute in which researchers work on real-world data science challenges over the space of a week. Dstl contributed a project for the Data Study Group to explore whether machine learning could be used to identify code vulnerabilities. The aim was to develop potential practical solutions; such as improved detection of software vulnerabilities that might decrease software resiliency or be exploitable by potential hackers.

Around seventy data science researchers took part in the Data Study Group, drawn from universities from around the UK and with specialisms ranging from machine learning, computer science and deep learning.

Technical support for those participating was provided by Dstl staff, contributing and actively supporting the study groups.

Results are expected to be applied in real world situations and to indicate where more work with The Alan Turing Institute is needed.

Glen Hart, technical lead for Dstl, said:

This was, in effect, a data-centric hackathon where the brightest minds tackled some of the biggest data issues for defence today. It’s fantastic to be partnering with the Institute and fascinating to see how different approaches can help defence, security and beyond.

And if you think you’ve got what it takes to answer questions like those set for the data study group, here’s a brand new challenge set by Dstl’s very best data scientists!

Repeated patterns can often be illustrative of underlying information within data. There is some information hidden in the following phrase, which relates to what Dstl, GCHQ and the Alan Turing Institute are looking for: “We draw cartoons to invent signals for insight and jest.”

Follow us on Twitter @dstlmod and we will announce the answer soon!

Find out about current data science roles

Find out more about the Turing’s Data Study Group series and our partnership

Mole Valley and Countrywide Farmers each run country stores, operating a total of 99 premises primarily located across the South and West of England. These typically each have a bulk agricultural products supply business – through which they sell large-scale supplies of agricultural products, such as fertiliser or fencing – and a retail business, through which they sell a wide range of products including animal feed, clothing, pet food and gardening tools.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating Mole Valley’s proposed purchase of 48 Countrywide Farmers’ outlets, and has identified competition concerns in a total of 45 local areas. This involves both their bulk agricultural and retail businesses.

The companies are two of the largest suppliers of agricultural products in bulk, and there are no or few other suppliers physically located in these 45 areas. The CMA’s investigation found that, while the businesses face competition from other suppliers that operate without local premises, many customers prefer to be able to buy products directly from a supplier’s store.

Therefore, these alternative suppliers may not provide enough competition to stop customers from losing out after the merger. The CMA’s investigation found that competition concerns in the supply of agricultural products in bulk arise in 45 local areas in total.

The CMA also found that the companies’ retail businesses compete closely, resulting in reduced competition for customers in 25 of the 45 local areas after the merger. Its investigation found that there would be either no or very few competing country stores in these local areas as, while the companies’ retail businesses face competition for some products from suppliers specialising in one type of product (such as DIY stores, garden centres or pet food suppliers), many customers value being able to buy a range of items in one place. Therefore, these specialist suppliers may not provide enough competition to stop customers from losing out after the merger.

Mole Valley now has the opportunity to offer ways to address these competition concerns. If Mole Valley does not make such an offer, or if any undertakings do not sufficiently address the CMA’s concerns, the merger will be referred for in-depth investigation through a ‘phase 2’ inquiry.

Rachel Merelie, Acting Executive Director of Mergers and Markets and the decision maker in this case, said:

It’s our job to make sure that people continue to have enough choice, get fair prices and good quality products after companies merge. Mole Valley and Countrywide Farmers are two of the biggest operators of country stores, and so it’s important that their customers can find good deals when they need to buy these kinds of products.

Notes to editors

1. The CMA is the UK’s primary competition and consumer authority. It is an independent non-ministerial government department with responsibility for carrying out investigations into mergers, markets and the regulated industries and enforcing competition and consumer law. For CMA updates, follow us on Twitter @CMAgovuk, LinkedIn, Facebook, Youtube and Flickr.
2. Enquiries should be directed to the CMA press team at press@cma.gsi.gov.uk or 020 3738 6460.

The government has today (21 February 2018) commissioned research into what steps employers have taken to remove barriers to workplace progression for ethnic minorities.

The results of the new research will be used to assess progress made by employers on recommendations in the independent McGregor-Smith Review into black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) participation and progression in the workplace.

The review found that the economy could benefit from a £24 billion-a-year boost if BAME people had the same opportunities as their white colleagues. The review also called on companies with more than 50 employees to publish a breakdown of their workforce by race and pay band.

The findings of the research, to be carried out by the charity Business in the Community (BITC), will show what action employers are taking to prevent bullying and harassment of BAME people in the workplace and whether companies report their ethnicity pay gap. This will help to establish whether any further action is needed to ensure workplaces are inclusive.

The one-year-on review is part of the Industrial Strategy’s ambition to help businesses create better, higher-paying jobs and ensure people from all backgrounds can be successful in the workplace.

Business Minister Andrew Griffiths said:

It is unacceptable that people are being held back in the workplace because of their ethnic background – we want to make sure that the economy works for everyone, so people have the same opportunities to progress and can achieve their true potential.

This new research will establish what steps employers have taken to haul down workplace barriers and harness the talent of a diverse workforce, helping us to assess if further action is needed.

I would like to thank both Business in the Community and Baroness McGregor-Smith for helping to shine a light on this important issue.

Sandra Kerr OBE, Race Equality Director, Business in the Community, said:

I’m delighted that we are running the Race at Work survey again in 2018. We received an overwhelming response to the original survey in 2015, which highlighted that this is an issue that people want to talk about.

Now we will see if the recommendations we made in 2015 are being put into practice by employers and what impact that is having on BAME employees across the UK. I also welcome the Government’s commitment to support the survey and championing of the race equality agenda.

Baroness McGregor-Smith, who conducted the McGregor-Smith review of race in the workplace, said:

This one-year-on review of the government’s report on race in the workplace gives us the opportunity to take stock of progress and consider if stronger actions are needed for us to see change.

I welcome the involvement of Business in the Community in delivering this review and am interested to see what it will reveal about the experiences of BAME employees in the UK.

The McGregor-Smith Review 2017 outlined 26 recommendations on areas such as raising transparency and celebrating success, to help increase black and ethnic minorities’ participation and progression in the workplace.

In response to these recommendations, the government has worked closely with Business in the Community and others to develop a guide to talking about race at work, created an online portal of best practice and found ways to celebrate success such as the top BAME employers list.

Thank you Mr President,

Thank you to the Secretary General and Mr Mladenov as well.

I’d like to welcome President Abbas and thank him for his address to the Council. I welcome his stated commitment to non-violence, and to engage constructively towards a two-state solution.

The United Kingdom remains committed to a two-state solution which ends the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and we will support all and any efforts to that end.

Our long-standing goal is a negotiated peace settlement that leads to a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state, with secure and recognised borders and with Jerusalem as a shared capital of both States.

US leadership on this issue is indispensable to achieving a solution that meets the aspirations of both parties, and we look forward to the announcement of peace proposals when the US Administration judges them to be ready. US efforts offer a significant opportunity to deliver peace and they should be supported and encouraged by all. We stand ready to provide political and practical support to help achieve a viable agreement.

We encourage the parties to make a public commitment to renewed peace negotiations, on the basis of a two-state solution. In order to move forward, it is important that they reaffirm their commitment to all previous diplomatic agreements which have taken us closer to peace. These agreements remain an important basis for renewed talks. We welcome the Palestinian Authority’s continued recognition of the State of Israel, and the parties’ continuing security cooperation.

Mr President, if a peace process is to succeed, it needs to be conducted in an atmosphere free from violence. We regret that too many people continue to undermine efforts to achieve peace. We condemn the detonation of an Improvised Explosive Device along the Gaza border with Israel on Saturday, wounding four Israeli soldiers, including two seriously. We also condemn the recent terrorist attack in the West Bank settlement of Ariel. There is never an excuse for terror, and our thoughts are with the family and friends of the victim, as they are with all those who have been affected by violence. Every Israeli and Palestinian has the right to live in peace and security. There is also a right to dignity and we condemn kidnappings as well as acts that prevent families from being able to properly grieve for their loved ones.

We will continue to press all sides to refrain from engaging in, or encouraging, incitement, hateful action or language. This only serves to stir up prejudice, and takes us further from the goal of achieving peace.

In that regard it is unacceptable for anyone to deny the legitimacy of the connection of either the Jewish or Palestinian peoples to the land. Inflammatory and unhelpful rhetoric on both sides weakens trust, corrodes mutual respect, and undermines prospects for peace. We call on both parties to act with restraint, and to show bold leadership. Only when both parties reject violence and work together to ensure calm and stability can peace have a chance to flourish.

We are concerned by the Israeli Government’s recent decision to establish a settlement deep in the West Bank – the second in twelve months. These plans have also raised the possibility of the retroactive ‘legalisation’ of the illegal outpost of Havat Gilad. And there have been renewed threats from Israel to demolish structures in Susiya, in the occupied West Bank.

We call on Israel to immediately reverse its policies of settlement expansion and demolitions. They undermine the physical viability of the two-state solution and they call into question Israel’s own commitment to peace.

Mr President, the lack of Palestinian unity continues to be an impediment to achieving peace. We therefore support reconciliation efforts which lead to the full return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza.

As Special Coordinator Mladenov informed us last week, conditions in the Gaza Strip are dire. Further deterioration of the humanitarian situation would not only continue to put lives at risk but would represent a threat to stability in the region. It is essential that all parties work urgently to improve the situation, and we call for an easing of access controls for people and goods into, and out of, Gaza.

The United Kingdom remains a committed supporter of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). It must be able to continue its vital work to improve the lives of Palestinian refugees, and to help maintain stability across the region. It needs appropriate funding to do so.

Mr President, all United Nations Member States have a role to play in nurturing peace and rejecting violence.

We are therefore concerned by incursions across Israel’s border with Syria earlier this month. Our commitment to Israel’s security is unwavering, and we support Israel’s right to defend itself.

Mr President,

The United Kingdom’s position on an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement has not changed. It should be based on the lines as they stood on June 4, 1967 with equal land swaps to reflect the national, security, and religious interests of the Jewish and Palestinian peoples. Jerusalem should be the shared capital of the Israeli and Palestinian states, and its status must be determined through a final status agreement. A just, fair, agreed and realistic settlement for refugees is needed that is demographically compatible with the principle of two states for two peoples.

To conclude Mr President, like all in this Council, the United Kingdom strongly supports peace. We want to see renewed peace negotiations, supported by the international community, which lead to a safe and secure Israel, the homeland for the Jewish People, living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state, the homeland for the Palestinian people.

Let us all work together to lay the groundwork for peace.

Thank you Mr President.