On Tuesday, our Business Administration apprentices held an interactive workshop in the boardroom of our London office, during which they presented their personal journeys so far. The group then went on to pitch their business proposals, centred on how communications and social media can enhance the Agency, to a Dragons’ Den-style panel of line managers and subject matter experts.

The panel fed back that the pitches were fantastic and, faced with an impossible choice, the ‘dragons’ asked the groups to merge their proposals and then offered their support to help the apprentices turn their ideas into reality.

On Wednesday our apprentices came together and had coffee with our Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Honer, and our Non-Executive Chair Steve Burnett; and heard first-hand the interesting career paths each has taken to their current leadership roles. They also discussed how valuable life skills are at work, such as the ability to influence and engage customers.

And on Thursday, GIAA’s Learning & Development team hosted a webinar jointly with the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy on our new Level 7 Professional CIPFA Qualification scheme, supported by the Apprenticeship Levy.

Lupa said “our interactive session helped me to overcome nerves while presenting and boosted my confidence”,

and Ryan said “while completing my Level 4 has been challenging in some aspects, knowing I have now achieved a qualification that is equal to a foundation degree has been rewarding”.

With 22 apprenticeships in the Agency, GIAA is proud to be on track to exceed our own apprenticeship target this year and contribute to the Civil Service’s target for new apprentices to make up 2.3% of our workforce by March 2021. Recognising the value that apprenticeships can offer an organisation, from addressing skills gaps to growing and retaining talent for the future, apprenticeships offer a win-win for everyone by enabling people to gain qualifications (up to and including post graduate degree level), whilst they learn professional skills on the job and earn a wage too.

In recognition of the importance of growing new talent, GIAA has recently welcomed Helen Ives, our new Trainee and Apprentice Lead, to continue to develop the support and activities the Agency can offer to ensure colleagues undergoing apprenticeships have the best possible experience. Helen said “We’re so proud of how far our colleagues have come during their apprenticeships with the Agency – well done to all”.

Here are some other comments from our apprentices:

Lupa Kazi: “I am learning and growing as an individual as each day passes, as well as absorbing new information every day. Our interactive session helped me to overcome nerves while presenting and boosted my confidence.”

Ryan Auer: “While completing my Level 4 has been challenging in some aspects knowing I have now achieved a qualification that is equal to a foundation degree has been rewarding. For the cohort workshop yesterday, the biggest thing I have taken away from it is gaining experience in presenting which is a skill I need to improve upon.”

Emma Breach: “I found that sharing my presentations was a great learning opportunity as it helped to build my confidence with presenting, technical difficulties aside! It was great to hear everyone’s stories, and the presentations from Helen on her own journey were enlightening.”

The 2019 Bribery Recommendation builds on an earlier version and strengthens anti-bribery and corruption policies and procedures across adherent Export Credit Agencies (ECAs), including UK Export Finance (UKEF).

Agreement by all ECAs is a positive outcome for UKEF, who worked closely with like-minded ECAs to promote higher standards of anti-bribery due diligence, particularly in relation to enhanced due diligence on agents and agent’s commission.

Read the full text of the Recommendation and more background on the OECD website

Contact UKEF for further information.

A provider workshop is to be held on 11 April 2019 showing providers how to correctly claim for electronically served Pages of Prosecution Evidence (PPE).

Additional events will be held in Leeds, London and Newcastle over the coming months.

This follows a successful ‘PPE and special preparation pilot’ workshop in Manchester on 11 March 2019.

Why is this happening now?

A number of claims are being submitted without the correct information. This is leading to unnecessary rejections and fee reductions.

Is the workshop only about electronic evidence?

The workshop will cover:

Where will it be held?

The workshop will be at the Legal Aid Agency office, 18 The Priory Queensway, Birmingham, on 11 April 2019, between 11am and 1.45pm.

How do I apply?

If you are interested in attending email jennifer.johnson@justice.gov.uk

Places are limited so you will need to apply early.

Where can I find electronic billing guidance?

Guidance is available on GOV.UK pages for all aspects of Crown Court legal aid fees. This explains:

The electronic disc evidence you must post is listed in the Crown Court fee guidance document. See paragraph 16 on page 69, appendix D.

This needs to be sent to: Legal Aid Agency, Fothergill House, 2nd Floor, 16 King Street, Nottingham, NG1 2AS DX: 10035 Nottingham 1

Further information

Criminal legal aid processing: applications and digital systems

Erin, who appeared on Radio Plymouth to talk about her award, has been with HM Land Registry for a year. Working as a content designer, she has played a key role in HM Land Registry’s groundbreaking Digital Street research and development project.

The project, which looks at how technology can improve and ultimately transform land registration, will allow HM Land Registry to explore and visualise different ideas of how land registration might work in the future and make conveyancing simpler, faster and cheaper. Now in its second year, the project is exploring the use of blockchain technology and smart contracts to bring greater transparency, speed and trust to property transactions.

Commenting on her award Erin said:

I am absolutely delighted to have won the Radio Plymouth Apprentice of the Year award. Every day at HM Land Registry, I’m surrounded by passionate, energetic colleagues who inspire me to work hard and are role models for me within the IT sector. They’re all so supportive of my development as an apprentice and I’m truly grateful for all the time and energy that’s been invested in me, to mentor me and prepare me for my career.

I am truly humbled to have been won this award and I can’t wait for the next half of my apprenticeship and what other opportunities HM Land Registry has in store for me.

This award follows HM Land Registry winning two highly prestigious apprenticeship awards. In February 2019, HM land Registry won the GOLD award for the Apprenticeship Programme of the Year from the Learning and Performance Institute. In October 2018, HM Land Registry won the Learning and Development award at the Guardian Public Service Awards for designing bespoke two-year paralegal and chartered legal executive apprenticeships.

The new apprenticeship programme means for the first time experienced caseworkers can now progress to the lawyer grades, making it possible to join HM Land Registry as an entry-level caseworker and move up.

Since the scheme was launched last year, 19 caseworkers aged between 21 and 59 have joined the programme.

Anyone interested in an apprenticeship can take a look at our current vacancies and sign up to job alerts to be notified when more apprenticeships are available.

Digital Street

HM Land Registry’s ambition is to be at the forefront of innovation by exploring how land registration and conveyancing can be made easier and how technology and data could revolutionise the process.

Digital Street is HM Land Registry’s research and development project designed to make buying and selling property simpler, quicker and cheaper through the innovative use of technology. Now in its second year, the project is exploring the use of blockchain technology and smart contracts to bring greater transparency, speed, and trust to property transactions.

The project has already created a digital register for a small selection of properties, which is a first step towards establishing a register that is fully machine-readable and able to be updated instantly.

HM Land Registry

HM Land Registry safeguards land and property ownership worth in excess of £4 trillion, including around £1 trillion of mortgages. The Land Register contains more than 25 million titles showing evidence of ownership for some 86% of the land mass of England and Wales.

HM Land Registry’s mission is to guarantee and protect property rights in England and Wales.

HM Land Registry is a government department created in 1862.

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

Follow us on: Twitter @HMLandRegistry, our blog, LinkedIn and Facebook.

More than 10,000 military personnel, 35 warships, 5 submarines and 59 aircraft and helicopters from 13 countries will take part in Exercise Joint Warrior until 11 April.

The aim of Joint Warrior is to allow the UK’s Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and their allies to conduct joint operations involving different forces and units and against a range of current and future threats.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson MP said:

The UK military is a partner of choice for its major international allies and a resolute force for peace around the world. The UK will not waver in continuing to work with its allies to protect our mutual interests.

Led by the UK, Joint Warrior allows key NATO allies to tackle complex warfare scenarios to ensure that the international community stands fit and ready to work to face any threat together.

Although run by the UK, Joint Warrior is closely aligned to NATO training aims and is included in the NATO exercise programme.

Joint Warrior will take place across the UK:

• The Exercise will be controlled and directed from the Maritime Operations Centre at Scotland’s largest military establishment, HM Naval Base Clyde, with a range of air, surface, sub-surface, sea control and maritime security roles being rehearsed off the West Coast of Scotland.

• Air units will coordinate with maritime and land forces, exercising Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), air defence, air mobility and attack. Aircraft will operate from RAF Lossiemouth, Prestwick and Stornoway airports as well as from RAF Leeming, RAF Coningsby, RAF Mildenhall, RAF Marham and RAF Brize Norton.

• Land activity will focus on integrating with close air support at the Cape Wrath naval bombardment range and the RAF bombing range at Tain, supported by the RAF Spadeadam Electronic Warfare Training Range in Cumbria. There will be amphibious landings by Royal Marines at the MOD’s Castlemartin range in Wales and possibly also in Dumfries and Galloway.

There following nations are taking part in Exercise Joint Warrior: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, the UK and the US.

Together these allies and partner nations will deploy 10,300 armed forces personnel (at Sea 6,500 personnel, Land 3,000 personnel and Air 800 personnel)

After an initial briefing weekend at HMNB Clyde, the exercise splits its participants into two opposing Task Forces starting in the Scottish Exercise Areas (water and airspace generally to the West of Scotland, particularly The Minches). As the exercise progresses elements of the Task Forces will progress south to conduct an amphibious exercise off the South West Coast of Wales.