Tag Archives: HM Government

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News story: Bold ambitions for space in the UK

UK and Ireland pictured from the International Space Station. Credit: Andre Kuipers/ESA.

Making predictions for the year ahead can be a dangerous game. But I’m confident in predicting that commercial spaceflight will continue to go from strength to strength in 2018. Where once putting something into space was the reserve of competing superpowers, the majority of space launches now involve commercial companies and last year saw five new space states emerge.

We have a world leading aerospace sector and, as part of the industrial strategy, we want to build on this strength while growing our share of the global space market. The cost and size of satellites is falling. And the data they provide is shaping our daily lives and the economy. The UK space industry is well placed to take advantage of this and is growing rapidly by around 8% each year, sustaining almost 40,000 jobs. I genuinely believe it is one of our greatest industrial opportunities.

It’s sometimes easy to forget that we all have a piece of space in our pockets. The ubiquitous mobile phone uses satellites to give us directions and weather forecasts. There are opportunities across every sector of the economy to benefit from satellite data, from health and social care, to banking and finance.

That’s why it’s important that we inspire young people to think about how they can use space to benefit life on Earth. The SatelLife competition, launched today by the UK Space Agency, will do just that. Young people across the country can submit proposals that use data collected from space to benefit our economy, health or the environment. The best entries will receive a cash prize and support to develop their ideas further with space industry experts.

Last year’s winners give a sense of what’s possible. Ideas included using GPS trackers in fitness devices to help increase survival rates of heart attacks, to an app that warns people of impending natural disasters. The overall winner came up with an app to provide information on coastal flood risks and went on to meet Tim Peake, who has inspired an incredible number of children to look to the stars. Who knows what this year’s entrants could go on to achieve one day?

There are some exciting things on the horizon. Our Industrial Strategy provided up to £50 million to enable satellite launch services to take place from the UK for the first time ever. We’re putting in place new laws to make this possible and continue to work with the industry to establish the UK as a world leading destination for space launch. But this is not just about rockets and spaceports – this could also create opportunities up and down the supply chain in satellite technology, aerospace, transport, tourism and beyond.

Science and Innovation are key to industrial strategy. The UK showed its expertise in space science and exploration last year with the end of the Cassini mission – which plunged into Saturn’s atmosphere with an instrument built in the UK sending data back to Earth. Our commitment to reach 2.4 per cent of GDP investment in research and development by 2027 will benefit further ground-breaking scientific missions, as will our status as a leading member of the European Space Agency – a separate entity to the EU.

We have innovative home-grown companies like Reaction Engines and SSTL that are revolutionising how we think about space. Airbus built the Sentinel5P satellite in Stevenage and it’s now sending some of the most detailed images of air quality back to Earth. Our International Partnership Programme is a showcase of British innovation in space which tackles some of the toughest challenges facing developing countries. We are also developing world-class facilities including the National Space Propulsion Facility in Westcott and the National Satellite Test Facility in Harwell, as well as business incubators in 22 locations to support start-ups hoping to be the next big thing in space.

The government and the UK space sector have bold ambitions for the coming years which can only be realised with new ideas, inspiration and an entrepreneurial spirit. And where better to find these than in the minds of young people across Britain.

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HM Government

Press release: Next phase of the discard ban takes effect

From today (2 January), fishermen targeting certain fish in the North Sea must land everything they catch as the next phase of the discard ban for demersal species comes into force, Fisheries Minister George Eustice has announced.

The discard ban, also known as the landing obligation will encourage sustainable fishing by ending the wasteful practice of throwing dead fish overboard.

It has been gradually introduced to allow time for fishermen to adapt to the new rules, and today, the existing ban for cod, whiting and saithe has been extended to include more vessels in the North Sea. Fishermen targeting saithe in North Western Waters, including the Irish Sea, will be required to land it for the first time.

Commenting on the next phase of the discard ban, Fisheries Minister George Eustice said:

The UK is leading the way in championing sustainable fishing, and the latest phase of the discard ban will help put an end to the wasteful practice of throwing fish back, dead, overboard.

Together with careful quota management, the discard ban will help us create a profitable fishing industry and safeguard our marine environment.

Today’s extension of the discard ban follows the successful introduction of the pelagic ban in January 2015 and the demersal ban in 2016.

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HM Government

Press release: International Trade Secretary Dr Fox visits China

International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, travels to China today (Tuesday 2 January), in his first international visit of the new year to advance the UK’s trade and investment relationship.

In a 2-stage visit to Beijing and Shenzhen, Dr Fox will meet the Chinese Minister of Commerce Zhong Shan and the chairman of one of the world’s largest insurance companies, Ma Mingzhe from Ping An. He will also promote the government-backed GREAT ‘Festival of Innovation’ taking place in Hong Kong later this year to showcase the latest technology from the UK and Asia.

China is the UK’s fifth largest trading partner in the world, with trade between the countries worth £59.1 billion based on the latest figures (2016). In the same period the UK exported £16.8 billion of goods and services, making China the UK’s eighth largest export market.

The Department for International Trade has also just announced up to £25 billion in financial support – including loan guarantees – for UK businesses operating along the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The initiative, set up by the Chinese government, aims to increase economic cooperation with countries around the world along key transport routes.

International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox said:

China as a world leading economy and the UK’s fifth largest trading partner is an important market for British companies as we look to build independent trading relationships across the world.

As an international economic department, we want 2018 to be the year of exporting with businesses across the UK seizing the opportunities that the world provides.

That’s why we’re determined to make exporting even easier, and we have announced we’re making up to £25 billion of funding available for UK exporters and buyers of UK goods and services along the Belt and Road Initiative so that no viable export fails for a lack of funding.

The Trade Secretary’s visit follows the Economic Financial Dialogue in China last month (December 2017) where more than £1.4 billion of trade and investment was agreed in Beijing. Trade Minister Mark Garnier supported the Chancellor as they reaffirmed their commitment to developing a global partnership, establishing the next steps for a deeper trade and investment relationship as the UK builds an economy fit for the future.

The UK has also attracted more foreign direct investment projects than ever before (year 2016 to 2017). With 2,265 projects recorded, figures show an increase of 2% on the previous year. This means more than 75,000 new jobs were created, and 32,600 safeguarded, amounting to over 2,000 jobs per week across the country.

Total trade in goods and services (that is exports plus imports) between the UK and China totalled £59.1 billion in 2016 an 8.9% increase from 2015 (Source: ONS Pink Book 2017).

In 2016, UK exports to China amounted to £16.8 billion (a 2.4% increase from 2015).

The top 5 UK goods exported to China in 2016 were:

87 – vehicles other than railway or tramway stock (27.6% of all UK goods exported to China)

27 – mineral fuels or oils, products of their distillation (12.1%)

84 – machinery and mechanical appliances (10.5%)

85 – electrical machinery and equipment (6.8%)

71 – precious stones and metals (6.5%)

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HM Government

Press release: Countryside Stewardship Woodland Creation Grant opens for applications

From today (Tuesday 2 January 2018), applicants can apply for the Countryside Stewardship Woodland Creation Grant – a scheme to help landowners reap the environmental and financial benefits of woodland creation.

The grant is open to all qualifying land managers. Successful applicants will receive a two-year capital grant of up to £6,800 per hectare, as well as an opportunity to apply for annual maintenance payments for ten years.

Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey said:

Planting trees is one of the best ways we can invest in our environment for future generations. They provide a haven for wildlife, reduce flood risk and improve water quality – making them some of our most cherished assets.

I have seen first-hand how planting trees can really make a difference at places such as the Lowther Estate in Cumbria, so I would urge landowners to apply to this scheme.

Richard Greenhous, Forest Services Director for the Forestry Commission, said:

Aside from the environmental benefits, planting trees on your land can offer an alternative source of income.

Your local Woodland Officer can provide advice and support throughout the application process.

Guidance and application forms for the scheme were made available in September to give potential applicants more time to develop their plans. The process has now been streamlined to make it easier to apply.

Alongside the Woodland Creation Grant, landowners can also apply for the Woodland Creation Planning Grant to help with planning and proposals. This grant has already supported two large-scale planting schemes in England this autumn: Doddington North Moor in Northumberland and the Lowther Estate in Cumbria.

The Forestry Commission has appointed a new team of specialised woodland creation officers to assist landowners through the application process for large scale projects.

More information on the funding options available is available here and applicants can contact the Forestry Commission for further advice and assistance.

Case study

Mr Hugh Davis, the owner of Treworder Barton Farm in Cornwall, has received funding from the Countryside Stewardship Woodland Creation Grant to plant a new productive woodland that enables him to quickly produce a crop of timber for wood markets. The grant has covered 80 per cent of the planting costs with an ongoing payment of £200 per hectare for the next 10 years.

Speaking about his application, Mr Davis said:

Planting is relatively straight forward. For the first two years, you need to keep weeds under control and protect young trees from other threats, for example pests, frost or drought. Once they are established, looking after the trees is relatively low maintenance.

The thing with forestry is that you can’t play catch up. You need to plan ahead and invest sooner rather than later. I’m very pleased I’ve done it.

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HM Government

Press release: November 2017 Price Paid Data

This month’s Price Paid Data includes details of more than 106,000 sales of land and property in England and Wales that HM Land Registry received for registration in November 2017.

In the dataset, you can find the date of sale for each property, its full address and sale price, its category (residential or commercial) and type (detached, semi-detached, terraced, flat or maisonette and other), whether it is new build or not and whether it is freehold or leasehold.

The number of sales received for registration by property type and month

Property type November 2017 October 2017 September 2017
Detached 24,767 22,849 22,377
Semi-detached 27,093 25,558 24,911
Terraced 27,890 26,394 25,829
Flat/maisonette 19,635 19,048 17,958
Other 7,027 7,159 6,027
Total 106,412 101,008 97,102

Of the 106,412 sales received for registration in November 2017:

  • 79,133 were freehold, a 10.3% increase on November 2016

  • 13,095 were newly built, a 5.2% increase on November 2016

There is a time difference between the sale of a property and its registration at HM Land Registry.

Of the 106,142 sales received for registration, 30,458 took place in November 2017 of which:

  • 489 were of residential properties in England and Wales for £1 million and over

  • 293 were of residential properties in Greater London for £1 million and over

  • four were of residential properties in Greater Manchester for £1 million and over

  • one was of a residential property in Cardiff for £1 million

The most expensive residential sale in November 2017 was a semi-detached property in the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea for £13m. The cheapest residential sale in November 2017 was of a terraced property in Burnley, Lancashire for £15,000.

The most expensive commercial sale in November 2017 was in Solihull, West Midlands for £73,900,000. The cheapest commercial sales in November 2017 were in Islington, Cambridge, Fenland, Redbridge and Southend on Sea, each for £100.

Access the full dataset.

Notes to editors

  1. Price Paid Data is published at 11 am on the 20th working day of each month. The December dataset will be published on 29 January 2018.

  2. A total of 65,000 duplicate cancelled sales transactions (less than 0.003% of the total) have been removed from the October 2003 – February 2005 data. We are committed to the accuracy of our data and will continue to respond to customer feedback.

  3. Price Paid Data is property price data for all residential and commercial property sales in England and Wales that are lodged with HM Land Registry for registration in that month, subject to exclusions.

  4. The amount of time between the sale of a property and the registration of this information with HM Land Registry varies. It typically ranges between 2 weeks and 2 months. Data for the two most recent months is therefore incomplete and does not give an indication of final monthly volumes. Occasionally the interval between sale and registration is longer than 2 months. The small number of sales affected cannot be updated for publication until the sales are lodged for registration.

  5. Price Paid Data categories are either Category A (Standard entries) which includes single residential properties sold for full market value or Category B (Additional entries) for example sales to a company, buy-to-lets where they can be identified by a mortgage and repossessions.

  6. HM Land Registry has been collecting information on Category A sales from January 1995 and on Category B sales from October 2013.

  7. Price Paid Data can be downloaded in txt, csv format and in a machine-readable format as linked data and is released under Open Government Licence (OGL). Under the OGL, HM Land Registry permits the use of Price Paid Data for commercial or non-commercial purposes. However, the OGL does not cover the use of third party rights, which HM Land Registry is not authorised to license.

  8. The Price Paid Data report builder allows users to build bespoke reports using the data. Reports can be based on location, estate type, price paid or property type over a defined period of time.

  9. HM Land Registry is a government department created in 1862. It operates as an executive agency and a trading fund and its running costs are covered by the fees paid by the users of its services. Its ambition is to become the world’s leading land registry for speed, simplicity and an open approach to data.

  10. HM Land Registry safeguards land and property ownership worth more than £4 trillion, including more than £1 trillion of mortgages. The Land Register contains more than 25 million titles, which show evidence of ownership, covering more than 85% of the land mass.

  11. For further information about HM Land Registry visit www.gov.uk/land-registry.

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HM Government