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UK automotive sector is driving force for UK manufacturing

Government partnership with the automotive industry has created or protected 15,000 jobs and attracted over £1 billion of foreign investment. The government’s partnership with the automotive industry, the Automotive Investment Organisation (AIO), has created or protected 15,000 jobs in the auto sector 3 months ahead of its March 2016 target. Since the AIO was established […]

Construction Commissioner wanted for High Speed Two

HS2 Ltd is recruiting an independent Construction Commissioner to look into any complaints during the building of Britain’s new high speed rail network. With building work scheduled to start in 2017 on the London to West Midlands leg of HS2, a commissioner is being recruited to impartially investigate any issues that arise during construction of […]

Public procurers learn how to spot bid-rigging

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) have worked together to create the e-learning module which will help more than 4,000 central government procurers root out attempts to win contracts through anti-competitive conduct.  In 2013/14 the UK public sector spent £242 billion on procurement of goods and services. Evidence suggests […]

Delivering major projects in government: a briefing for the Committee of Public Accounts

The National Audit Office has published a progress report on measures to improve the delivery of major government projects. These include major service reforms, ICT projects and infrastructure and construction projects. There have been initiatives designed to improve the oversight and delivery of projects but their impact is unclear, and it is of particular concern […]

£4bn boost for Scottish infrastructure

The Scottish Government’s 2016-17 Draft Budget has pledged around £4 billion infrastructure investment over the next year. This investment will be spent on house building, transport and digital links, among other projects. Here, BiP journalist Julie Shennan talks with DTL

£14m EU backed boost for advanced engineering in Wales

A new £14m EU-backed project to develop the next generation of leaders within Wales’ engineering sector has been announced by Finance Minister, Jane Hutt. Backed by £8.6m of EU funds, Swansea University’s Materials and Manufacturing Academy will provide training in specialist technical and management skills key to the advanced engineering and materials sector. The project […]

Regeneration of deprived communities

Disadvantaged communities across Scotland will benefit from more than £56 million of additional investment in regeneration projects bringing the total to more than £428 million since 2007. The latest funding announced in December’s budget, will be available in the new financial year to help attract private investment and create jobs in disadvantaged areas. Visiting regeneration […]

£2m grant to reduce major aquaculture diseases

Cefas and the University of Exeter are leading on project to develop and apply new molecular biology techniques in aquaculture. Cefas and the University of Exeter are leading on a £1.97m BBSRC-Newton Fund project to develop and apply new molecular biology techniques to reduce the impact of major diseases in aquaculture for the improvement of […]

£300m UK-China hospital partnership

The Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, has witnessed the signing of a new UK-China hospital partnership that will further strengthen UK-China relations. The UK’s International Hospitals Group and China’s Wanda Group have unveiled a 10 year exclusive global hospital partnership that includes involvement in building and managing the new 200 bed IHG Qingdao International Hospital and […]

Superfast Broadband schemes expanded

Two Welsh Government schemes are being expanded to further increase the number of people able to access superfast broadband in Wales, Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology Julie James has announced. Wales already leads the way with the provision of superfast broadband among the devolved nations, and Superfast Cymru continues to make good progress with […]