Serving personnel, veterans, former MOD civilian personnel and contractors may have seen media reports about asbestos being found in some sea king helicopters. The MOD has undertaken an investigation and people that may have had an association with the sea king might find the following information useful in considering the possible risk of exposure:

Asbestos in sea king

• the sea king first entered service in 1969 and the final aircraft were retired from the active inventory on 30 September 2018
• historically, asbestos containing material was used where resistance to heat or an insulating property was required. In the sea king this was principally in gaskets and seals located around the engines, gearboxes, heating and ventilation systems. These areas were exposed to routine maintenance activity
• following investigation, to the best of our knowledge, Chrysotile (white) asbestos is the only asbestos type that was used
• as a consequence of the Departmental Directive on Asbestos Elimination (c.1999), an asbestos elimination plan for sea king was implemented. By 2006, major components had been replaced and remaining items were assessed as low risk and contained inside components that were not routinely disassembled. These were replaced with asbestos free alternatives when routine maintenance allowed
• earlier this year, a routine maintenance training activity being conducted on a retired sea king airframe revealed the presence of asbestos within an exhaust panel seal. Subsequent investigation identified that the MOD’s supply chain had not been purged of asbestos components and thus the risk remained that asbestos-containing components could still be fitted to sea king aircraft. Action has been taken to remove these components from the supply chain

Asbestos use and health risks

• asbestos is fire resistant and was widely used in the 20th century as an insulating material in boilers, pipework etc and notably in building construction
• asbestos exposure can relate to occupation, but there are many other sources in the environment
• contact with asbestos does not produce acute symptoms but over time, typically many years, a variety of chest conditions may develop, dependent on the type of asbestos, and the level and duration of exposure
• information about medical conditions related to asbestos exposure can be found on the NHS website at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/asbestosis/ and https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mesothelioma/

Reporting

• if you are a veteran or former civilian employee and you consider that you may have been exposed to asbestos on sea king helicopters you may wish to complete and return a MOD Form 960 Asbestos – Personal Record Annotation. This form is self certifying
• you should retain one copy, you may wish to pass one copy to your general practitioner, and one copy should be returned to the MOD to be placed on your personal file. The completed form should be returned to:

• serving members of the armed forces and current civil servants, who are concerned about possible exposure, should follow the instructions in 2018DIN06-025 and complete an MOD Form 960 – Personnel Record Annotation and pass the form to the local service medical officer (for service personnel – hardcopy) or DBS HR (Civilian personnel – electronic copy).

Compensation

• the War Disablement Pension and the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme both make provision for any illness or injury caused by service in HM Armed Forces. Awards are not made for exposure, but for an injury or disorder including asbestos related conditions
• further details on how to make a claim under the War Pensions Scheme, and regarding the conditions and applicable dates, are available via the Veterans UK War Pensions page
• welfare support for veterans, including home visits where needed, is also available from the MOD’s Veterans Welfare Service
• the Civil Service Injury Benefit Scheme (CSIBS) provides compensation to civil servants who suffer a qualifying injury while on duty which reduces their earnings capacity. The CSIBS covers all civil servants, including employees who are not part of the Civil Service Pension arrangements.
• should you wish to pursue a common law claim for damages, regardless of whether you are serving or former service personnel, civil servant, civilian contractor or other person not employed by the department, you may wish to seek legal advice on the merits of such a claim

The eight-mile section of road they were driving on was the Preston bypass – the very first motorway in Britain, which is now part of the M6. It had just two lanes in each direction, no safety barrier in the central reservation and no electronic signs or other technology.

Today hundreds of thousands of drivers travel more than 20 million miles on the M6 every day, accounting for one in eight of all motorway journeys.

They are now on the cusp of a major technology transformation which will significantly improve journeys on the M6. In the latest stage of the motorway’s evolution, Highways England is now pledging to complete four upgrades on the M6 by spring 2022 to add extra lanes and better technology to 60 miles of the motorway between Coventry and Wigan.

One driver, Chris Lee, 68 from Warrington, a Vice President of the Lancashire Automobile Club who remembers being driven on the Preston bypass as an 8-year-old boy by his older brother shortly after it opened, welcomed the new move.

It’s been interesting to see how motorways have changed over the years and I think smart motorways are the only real answer to dealing with the amount of traffic we now have on motorways. It makes much more sense to be driving at a consistent speed instead of constantly accelerating and braking.

The first upgrade between Crewe and Knutsford in Cheshire is due to be finished by spring next year, and contractors are currently completing the installation of 258 electronic signs, 104 traffic sensors and 70 CCTV cameras along the 20-mile route.

The four upgrades, worth around £900 million, also involve converting the hard shoulder to a permanent extra lane to increase capacity by a third.

Andrew Jinks, smart motorway director at Highways England, said:

The M6 provided a major economic boost to the country when it first opened 60 years ago and it still provides a vital link between London and Scotland through the West Midlands and North West.

Hundreds of thousands of drivers now use the motorway every day to get to work, meet friends and family, or for long distance deliveries, and the smart motorway upgrades will ensure the M6 is fit for the future.

Our motorways have changed massively over the past six decades and smart motorways could be just a glimpse of the technology transformation still to come. In 60 years’ time, driverless vehicles could be as commonplace as a car radio.

The amount of traffic using England’s motorways has increased by almost two thirds in the past 25 years alone, including more than double the number of vans as next day deliveries become a part of everyday life.

England’s motorways now cover nearly 1,800 miles and the Preston bypass is almost unrecognisable following a major upgrade to a four lane motorway in the 1990s which replaced all the original bridges.

Looking back at the motorway’s history, Lancashire Automobile Club’s Chris Lee said:

We lived in Penwortham at the time and I remember the excitement of driving on the motorway for the first time. There was no speed limit then and my brother managed a top speed of 100mph downhill towards Samlesbury in my father’s Riley 1.5 – a hair raising experience to say the least!

People forget just how bad traffic was in the 50s and 60s before motorways. Cars would be beeping their horns outside my home on Leyland Road at one o’clock in the morning in traffic jams during bank holidays, or on their way back from Blackpool Illuminations.

It was a real game changer when the Preston bypass opened but it took a while for people to get used to it. I remember seeing one family stopping to have a picnic on the hard shoulder.

The new smart motorway technology will allow variable speed limits to be automatically set on overhead signs to improve the flow of traffic, preventing stop-start conditions and tailbacks caused by sudden braking.

The technology will also be used to detect queuing traffic, breakdowns and collisions as they happen so that Highways England’s traffic officers and the emergency services can respond quickly to incidents.

Find out more about how to drive on a smart motorway.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

The government’s review of services and support for autistic people is covering autistic children as well as adults for the first time.

The review will inform the new joint adults and children autism strategy to be published in autumn 2019.

The review looks at:

• joining up health, care and education services to address autistic children’s needs holistically
• developing diagnostic services to diagnose autism earlier, in line with clinical guidance
• improving the transition between children and adult services so that no young people miss out, and ending inappropriate reliance on inpatient hospital care
• improving understanding of autism and all its profiles, including recently identified forms such as pathological demand avoidance (PDA)

As part of this review, the government will collect evidence from autistic children and adults, families, carers and professionals on how to improve services and support.

Supporting people on the autism spectrum or with learning disabilities is one of the 4 clinical priority areas in the NHS long-term plan.

Minister for Care Caroline Dinenage said:

I want to see young people on the autism spectrum given the same start in life as any other child. Currently, outcomes simply aren’t good enough, with too many autistic children falling through the cracks and not getting the care and support they need.

With the right support, they can live happy, healthy and independent lives within their own communities, so it’s vital we have a national autism strategy that works for both children and adults.

Children and Families Minister Nadhim Zahawi said:

Our ambitions for children with autism are exactly the same as for all other children – to do well in school and college, find sustained employment and live happy and fulfilled lives.

Schools and colleges already do a great job at supporting children with autism but we know there is more to do to make sure these young people are given the opportunity to unlock their full potential and succeed.

This pivotal review will help to find out how we can further our understanding of all forms of autism, improve how children and adults are supported and transform the life outcomes for people with autism.

Household food scraps could be transformed into environmentally-friendly plastic bags and cups, thanks to up to £60 million of new government funding.

Innovators are being challenged to make the UK a world-leader in creating sustainable packaging and reduce the impact of harmful plastics on the environment, as the UK seizes the economic opportunity of the global shift to greener, cleaner economies – a key part of the government’s modern Industrial Strategy.

The funding, to be bolstered by industry support, and delivered by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund could help develop:

• new forms of packaging and plastic – made from farming, food and industrial waste, like sugar beet, wood chippings and food waste – moving away from oil-based plastics
• smart packaging labels – which, alongside a smart bin, could tell consumers the right bin to put recycling into and revolutionise the way recycling is sorted in waste plants
• ‘live’ sell-by-date patch – a living sell-by-date which deteriorates at the same rate as produce to show consumers when their food is going off – cutting down on food waste
• reduce single use plastics – increase use of recycled plastic in new products

Businesses will be able to access this funding through UKRI managed competitions to meet the challenge of developing smart sustainable plastic packaging.

This investment is subject to industry entering into partnership with government and providing significant co-investment to this challenge.

To mark the investment in sustainable plastic packaging, the government today also announced a strategy to help boost bioeconomy. It sets out an ambition for world-leading standards for bio-based and biodegradable plastics, to create new sustainable materials and reduce the impact of plastics on the environment.

Last year UK sales of packaging totalled around £11 billion and this new innovation funding could help to boost the sector by a further £500 million a year, with the use of packaging growing due to changing consumer behaviours like the increasing popularity of online shopping.

A year since the government launched its landmark modern Industrial Strategy – the UK’s post-Brexit blueprint for the economy – this new strategy sets out a vision for the UK to build on its world leading science and research base to become a global leader in finding innovative alternatives to fossil fuel-based products, using sources ranging from the by-products of whisky production to seaweed. This would enhance the UK’s position as beacon for investment in the bioeconomy, supporting innovation and stimulating economic growth.

Energy and Clean Growth Minister Claire Perry said:

Finding innovative solutions to tackle our use of harmful plastics which blight our land and seas is a major global challenge, and opportunity – one our nation of researchers and innovators is fit to seize.

Today’s funding and sector strategy enhances our position as a global leader on improving our environment and tackling climate change. It will make us a beacon for design, manufacturing and exporting of sustainable plastics and environmentally-friendly replacements for polluting products as we move to a greener, cleaner economy – a key part of our modern Industrial Strategy.

It is estimated there are over 150 million tonnes of plastic in the world’s oceans and every year one million birds and over 100,000 sea mammals die from eating and getting tangled in plastic waste. A recent report estimates that plastic in the sea is set to treble by 2025.

The UK is recognised as best in the world for researching solutions to tackling plastic waste and bioscience, with £140 million already invested in sustainable plastics over the last three years.

The UK government is committed to being a global leader in tackling the issue of plastic pollution, with a world-leading ban on microbeads and 5p charge on single-use plastic bags, which has seen distribution by major supermarkets drop by 86%. Earlier this year it also launched its plan to ban the distribution and sale of plastic straws, drinks stirrers and cotton buds to protect our rivers and seas and pledged earlier this year to introduce a deposit return scheme do drive up recycling of single use drinks containers, subject to consultation.

The UK government has also shown its global leadership by committing a £61.4 million package of funding to boost global research and help countries across the Commonwealth stop plastic waste from entering the oceans in the first place.

The government is also looking at further ways to reduce avoidable waste and recycle more as part of its Resources and Waste Strategy to be published shortly.

It has also been announced today, through the Strategic Priorities Fund, that a collaborative research programme will boost food security by countering diseases that threaten crop production and threaten plant health. ‘UK Animal and Plant Health: understanding and countering bacterial plant diseases will be managed by UK Research and Innovation and be delivered in phases.

Clean Growth Grand Challenge

The Industrial Strategy sets out 4 Grand Challenges, including Clean Growth, to put the UK at the forefront of the industries of the future, ensuring that the UK builds on its strengths and takes advantage of major global changes, improving people’s lives and the country’s productivity.

We will maximise the advantages for UK industry from the global shift to clean growth – through leading the world in the development, manufacture and use of low carbon technologies, systems and services that cost less than high carbon alternatives. The move to cleaner economic growth – through low carbon technologies and the efficient use of resources – is one of the greatest industrial opportunities of our time. By one estimate, the UK’s clean economy could grow at 4 times the rate of GDP. Whole new industries will be created and existing industries transformed as we move towards a low carbon, more resource-efficient economy.

The Industrial Strategy

The Industrial Strategy, published last year, set out how the whole of the UK can build on its strengths, extend them into the future, and capitalise on new opportunities. Investing in science and research to keep us at the forefront of new technologies and the benefits they bring. Nurturing the talent of tomorrow – through more outstanding schools, world-leading universities and the technical skills that will drive our economy. And transforming the places where people live and work – the places where ideas and inspiration are born – by backing businesses and building infrastructure not just across every part of our country.

It has been taken forward at pace over the last year:

• innovative ideas that bring together world-class UK science, research and innovation to develop cutting edge products and services of the future have received an extra £1.7 billion making it the largest increase for 40 years (to £7 billion). That includes £210 million to develop new medical diagnostic tools and treatments, £90 million for the food and farming industry to embrace agri-tech and £184 million for 41 UK universities to train the next generation of world-class scientists and engineers
• 6 sector deals between government and industry have been published – from construction and automotive to nuclear and the creative industries, including £1.9 billion of investment in life sciences and £1 billion for artificial intelligence. They are not only about attracting investment and growth, but also ensuring we have the skilled, diverse workforce we need for the future
• plans for new technical qualifications (T-levels) and to transform the quality and quantity of apprenticeships
• furthered the connectivity of Britain’s towns, cities and rural areas, including the first allocations of the £190 million full-fibre challenge fund and £25 million for 6 5G testbeds across the UK
• opened the Transforming Cities Fund with billions of pounds ready to go to projects that drive productivity by improving connections within city regions
• opened the Faraday Institution in Oxford to keep the UK at the forefront of global battery manufacture
• announced plans for a new spaceport in Sutherland
• the UK now has the fastest growing infrastructure investment across the G7, providing £31 billion of additional capital spending to areas critical to improving productivity
• launched the £9 million Centre of Data Ethics and Innovation to act as an advisory body to government and regulators on ethics of data and its use, including for AI
• launched the Patient Capital Fund, which will invest £2.5 billion in our most innovative companies

Notes to editors

1. Up to £60 million of public funding will be available for the Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging challenge, through the Industrial Strategy Challenge fund, depending on business case approval and securing appropriate industrial co-funding.

2. The Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund is delivered by UK Research and Innovation.

• life-saving early disease detection technology to be developed by new partnership between government and industry using artificial intelligence (AI) to develop the next generation of treatments, including a first-of-its-kind national health programme
• the second Life Sciences Sector Deal, with industry investment from 10 companies, will support healthcare innovation and back businesses to create high-paid, high-quality jobs as part of the government’s modern Industrial Strategy
• the deal signals a vote of confidence in UK industry, with global biopharmaceutical company UCB investing around £1 billion in research and development, including in a new state-of-the-art facility

Tens of thousands of lives could be saved by pioneering research to detect deadly diseases before symptoms even appear, thanks to a new collaboration between the government and the Life Sciences Industry. The deal will also announce that global biopharmaceutical company UCB is investing £1 billion in research and development, including in a new state-of-the-art facility, continuing the UK’s reputation as a world leading base for global life sciences research and industry.

The programme, backed by up to £79 million of government funding, will study 5 million healthy people to develop new diagnostic tests using AI and is part of the government’s Life Science’s Sector Deal 2, announced today by Businesses Secretary Greg Clark and Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

The deal, which brings together 10 companies and is backed by wide range of organisations from across the sector, includes more than £1.3 billion of investment between the public and private sectors. It ensures the UK remains in pole position in the treatments of today, while creating the industries and treatments of the future such as genomics and AI-powered diagnosis.

Business Secretary Greg Clark said:

From the first vaccine to the discovery of DNA, the UK has always been at the forefront of medical endeavour and healthcare innovations. That is why we are building on our unique strengths by placing life sciences at the centre of our modern Industrial Strategy, backed by the biggest increase in public research and development investment in UK history.

This is our modern Industrial Strategy in action as we work hand in hand with industry to ensure the UK remains the go-to destination for launching new businesses, new discoveries and treatments to benefit health around the world.

The announcement of UCB’s investment in new research and development is a clear vote of confidence in UK life sciences research base and business.

The programme – Accelerating Detection of Disease – will be led by Professor Sir John Bell and brings together the NHS, industry and leading charities including Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation and Alzheimer’s Research UK. It will be the largest ever study of its kind collecting such a range of data from healthy volunteers over years. This will help deliver the Early Diagnosis Mission — a key part of the Industrial Strategy’s AI and Data Grand Challenge. Businesses will be able to access this funding through UKRI managed competitions.

Researchers will study how the group’s health changes, identifying common characteristics to understand how and why diseases develop. The ambition is to empower everyone to understand their risk of developing diseases and take steps to remain healthy for longer. The project will attract investment from global life science companies seeking to develop new diagnostic tools and treatments.

It is estimated that if late stage diagnosis were halved across bowel, ovary, prostate and lung cancer, over 55,500 more people would be diagnosed at an early stage, potentially resulting in 22,500 fewer deaths per year within 5 years of diagnosis.

In a meeting with industry leaders at No10, the Business Secretary announced that as part of the Sector Deal a new £150-200 million research and development facility of global biopharmaceutical company UCB will be built in the UK as part of a total investment of around £1 billion over the next 5 years. The transition to this state-of-the-art facility will support around 650 jobs and further boost the UK’s reputation for developing world-leading medical treatments and technologies.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said:

I want the UK to have the most advanced health and care system on the planet. Technology and artificial intelligence have the potential to revolutionise healthcare by unlocking the next generation of treatments, diagnosing diseases before symptoms appear and helping patients take greater control of their own health.

Our world-leading plans to map 100,000 genomes is just one example of how innovation can deliver life-changing results for patients and we want to build on its success to provide patients with truly personalised care.

Jean-Christophe Tellier, Chief Executive Officer at UCB, said:

At UCB, we are proud of our heritage in the UK and I am very pleased to announce our planned investment to support the construction of a major R&D hub in the UK, which will enable us to build upon our numerous active collaborations with UK universities, biotechs and medical research charities, and continue our successful track record of bringing innovative medicines discovered in the UK to patients globally

Access to world class talent remains vital to R&D and we therefore look forward to working closely with government to support the full implementation of Sir John Bell’s Life Sciences Industrial Strategy, and importantly, to ensure that patients in the UK have quicker access to the innovative medicines researched and developed here.

Professor Sir John Bell said:

This Sector Deal is another major step forward for the Life Sciences Industrial Strategy in the UK. It has been hugely enabled by government and will initiate new projects that will be a magnet for further investment.

Together, industry, charities, government and the NHS can tackle some of the major challenges to healthcare systems, including ageing and early diagnostics and, in doing so, can grow the economy and demonstrate what a modern Industrial Strategy looks like in action.

Secretary of State for International Trade, Dr Liam Fox MP said:

The UK remains the leading destination for life sciences inward investment in Europe, second only to the US globally. Major global companies continue to commit to the UK as an investment and operating location.

At home we are also nurturing the next crop of global businesses and future exporters, such as the companies in our thriving cell and gene therapy industry. Last year the UK exported around £30 billion in life sciences products – there is worldwide demand for our innovative products and our excellent services.

As an international economic department, our role is to promote the UK abroad, capitalising on the demand for our goods and services and drive investment into our industries. Our team of HM Trade Commissioners and overseas network are based in 108 markets, providing a vital link for businesses as we seek to make the most of opportunities presented by leaving the European Union.

Other new announcements as part of the Life Sciences Sector Deal include:

• A further £30 million investment in the UK by healthcare company Roche, including a £20 million investment over 3 years in a precision cancer research partnership with the Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester. This will use cutting-edge genomic technology and big data to accelerate the next generation of digital clinical trials for rare cancers, making the UK a leading global hub for rare cancer trials, potentially benefiting nearly 5,000 patients annually
• Measures to further strengthen the UK environment for clinical research, including through IQVIA investing £24 million facilitated by the National Institute for Health Research in a Prime Site for clinical trials across the North of England, and IQVIA and Genomics England announcing a new £20 million partnership to enable more efficient drug research and support accelerated discovery of personalised medicines for NHS patients
• Over £80 million of investment in the UK from 5 rapidly growing cell and gene therapy companies. The majority of this investment will be in cutting-edge manufacturing facilities, building on the government investment in advanced therapies manufacturing made in last years’ Sector Deal. Autolus have planned to invest a further £50 million to expand its UK presence, including a new global headquarters with laboratories in White City. Oxford BioMedica, Cobra Biologics, and Roslin CT are planning investments of £19 million, £8 million, and £4 million respectively to scale up their UK cell and gene therapy manufacturing facilities. Bellicum, an inward investor, has committed to its first European investment in the UK with £2 million and 20 jobs initially.

Today’s announcement builds on the first Life Sciences Sector Deal, published in December 2017. The deal committed nearly £500 million of government investment into UK life sciences, backed by more than £1 billion of private sector investment, to build on the sector’s strengths, help to secure thousands of jobs and ensure that new medicines and technologies are created in the UK.

In the last year its achievements have included:

• kick-starting the largest whole genome sequencing project ever undertaken, helping to develop new tests and treatments for cancer and rare diseases
• establishing a network of 5 centres of excellence in digital pathology and radiology to supercharge new diagnostic industries
• Implementing the Accelerated Access Review with government, industry, the NHS and its partners working together to put NHS patients at the forefront of the latest advances in healthcare

It has also been announced today, through the Strategic Priorities Fund, that research programmes will be awarded over £35 million to boost medical science. The first programme will seek to better understand tissue development through the Human Cell Atlas initiative, whilst the second will bring together the physics and biology communities to address key questions in biological and biomedical sciences.

The new Life Sciences Sector Deal further strengthens the UK’s world-leading capabilities in the likes of genomic science, Big Data assets and gene and cell therapies, ensuring we are at the forefront of new industries in areas such as genomics and AI-driven diagnostics.

The UK remains the number 1 destination for life sciences inward investment in Europe, ranks number 2 globally behind the US, and has also grown a thriving domestic industry with more than 5,600 companies supporting 240,000 jobs and generating a turnover of around £70 billion per year. All of the top 25 global pharmaceutical companies, and the top 30 global medical technology companies, operate in the UK. The UK also accounts for 12% of total life sciences academic citations and 18% of the most-cited publications – the second highest share above China, Germany and Canada.

The up to £79 million Accelerating Detection of Disease programme will be delivered by UK Research and Innovation through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, subject to business case approval and match funding from industry.

UCB is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines and solutions to transform the lives of people living with severe diseases in immunology or neurology. The investment around £1 billion over the next 5 years will include £150-200 million to build a new, purpose-built state-of-the-art facility enabling cutting-edge R&D, early manufacturing and commercial operations. The transition to this new facility will support around 650 high-skilled jobs, mainly in scientific research and early manufacturing. The investment will allow UCB to continue their innovative research in areas of unmet patient need, deepen their collaborations with UK organisations, and solidify their position as a leader in UK life sciences. UCB’s new facilities will be based in or close to the wider Slough area and will be announced subject to UCB finalising their search for a suitable location and agreed contractual negotiations.

The Ageing Society mission with the modern Industrial Strategy is to ensure that people can enjoy at least 5 extra healthy, independent years of life by 2035, while narrowing the gap between the experience of the richest and poorest.

It is estimated that by 2033 if late stage diagnosis were reduced by 50% across bowel, ovary, prostate and lung cancer, over 55,500 more people would be diagnosed at an early stage, which could result in over 22,500 fewer deaths per year within 5 years of diagnosis. This is calculated by Cancer Research UK based on current distribution of stage at diagnosis for cancers with a recorded stage of disease in England (obtained from Public Health England), cancer incidence projections for 2033 and estimates for 5-year cancer survival by stage.

Using data, artificial intelligence and innovation to transform the prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of chronic diseases is the first mission of the AI and Data Grand Challenge. Success in this mission is one of a number of steps towards saving lives and increasing NHS efficiency by enabling earlier diagnosis and reducing the need for costly late stage treatment. The opportunity – working with academia, the charitable sector, and industry and harnessing the power of AI and data technologies – is considerable. It should lead to a whole new industry of diagnostic and tech companies which would drive UK economic growth.

The Accelerating Detection of Disease project also supports the Ageing Society Grand Challenge mission, which is to ensure that people can enjoy at least 5 extra healthy, independent years of life by 2035, while narrowing the gap between the experience of the richest and poorest.