Prime Minister appoints Sir Chris Wormald as new Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service
- The Prime Minister has appointed Sir Chris Wormald as the Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service.
- Sir Chris is currently Permanent Secretary of the Department for Health and Social Care.
Imperial and Bruntwood SciTech Join Forces on New Innovation Workspace in London’s White City
- Imperial, the leading global science university, is achieving a major step-up in its life sciences capacity at its White City Deep Tech Campus through a major new joint venture with Bruntwood SciTech.
- With more than £200m investment from Bruntwood SciTech, the UK’s largest property platform dedicated to growing the nation’s knowledge economy, the new innovation workspace will connect Imperial’s world-class research community with deep tech and life sciences businesses.
- An important investment in the Imperial WestTech Corridor, a new globally competitive deep tech innovation ecosystem across West London, the announcement has been welcomed by UK Government for its power to ‘unlock new job opportunities and strengthen our economy’.
Boost to finance for innovation in the MedTech sector
- A letter from advisors to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, sets out recommendations on how Government can encourage greater investment in innovative science and technology companies, including those in the MedTech sector.
- The letter from the Council for Science and Technology (CST) to the Chancellor is signed by Dame Angela McLean professor of mathematical biology in the Department of Biology, University of Oxford, and Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government; and is cosigned by Lord Browne of Madingley, former Chief Executive of petroleum giant, BP.
Antimicrobial resistance a growing crisis in Europe, says ECDC
- Between 2019 and 2023, antibiotic consumption in the European Union (EU) increased by 1%, a worrying trend that distances the region from its target of reducing antibiotic use by 20% by 2030.
- This target, set by the Council of the European Union, is critical to combating the escalating problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
- While some progress has been achieved in specific areas, such as a decline in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections, there have been significant setbacks elsewhere.
Prime Minister announces relaunch of UK-India free trade talks
- The Prime Minister has announced that UK-India trade talks will relaunch in the new year, following a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G20 summit.
- The UK is committed to negotiating a trade deal with India – one of the fastest growing economies in the world.
- The UK will seek a new strategic partnership with India, including a trade agreement, as well as deepening co-operation in areas like security, education, technology, and climate change.
Negotiations on UK-South Korea trade deal resume under new government
- Upgraded, modern agreement expected to boost our trading relationship, worth £17 billion in the year ending June 2024.
- Trade deal is the third to be restarted since the election as UK’s trade agenda steps up a gear.
- Negotiators from both countries meet to recommence discussions for first time under new UK government.
Get Britain Working White Paper
- The Government has published a white paper outlining plans to boost the UK workforce.
- The paper acknowledges the growing problem of economic inactivity in the working age population, often due to long-term illness.
- Solving health problems, or avoiding them through early diagnosis, will do much to improve the UK’s economic prospects.
