Vanakkam Kovai (Greetings Coimbatore)

Mikka Magzhilchi (extremely glad)

Many thanks to ASHTANAYIKAS (Eight heroines) in Shakespeare dance presentation ‘Understanding the ways of Women’ by Shreya Kallingal. Please join me in thanking them…

Friends, Indians, Countrymen, lend me your ears.

I am proud to host this dinner to celebrate HM Queen Elizabeth II as UK’s longest reigning monarch. I am even more proud to celebrate it in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu’s second largest city, a major industrial hub, and one of the largest manufacturers of pumps and valves in the country. We know that increasingly India is happening in the Tier 2 cities, which is why we now have a full-time resource in both Coimbatore - in Saju Matthew - and in Kochi. You can expect to see a lot more of me and my team in your city. And that’s why this we’re hosting our first-ever National Day Celebration in Coimbatore - the Manchester of India - tonight.

. Historically, these were centred around the textile industry, but we now have a number of companies with offices here, and our aim is to bring here. Many educational institutions here have partnerships with UK institutions, with more in the pipeline. And last, but certainly not least, we are partners in the healthcare space.

People to people links are also key. Earlier this evening we celebrated our strong alumni links in partnership with the Association of British Scholars with an event that celebrated the tradition of innovation in both our countries. I know that most of you are regular visitors to the UK: please don’t stop!

2015 was a big year for UK and India. Last November, we welcomed Prime Minister Modi to the UK. That visit resulted in over £9 billion of business deals and built on the long traditional links between our two countries, including the one and a half million Indian diaspora. Her Majesty spoke of ‘an enhanced partnership’, with India a key government priority. Our prime ministers also discussed how we could work together for global prosperity and security, and on delivering Prime Minister Modi’s vision for India, by transforming its economy, building 100 smart cities, skilling 500 million young people, providing around the clock electricity for all; building 10,000km of roads. These are massive projects. Britain will help to transform this vision into a reality, including by leveraging the strengths of the UK financial markets. In Prime Minister Modi’s words, ‘after James Bond, Brooke Bond we go to Rupee Bond!’

23 April marks the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare, playwright, poet and actor. The language of Shakespeare is the language of the world. English is the most widely spoken language on the planet, and the language of choice in business, diplomacy, science, education, IT and entertainment. 2 billion people will be studying English by 2020. Look out for a range of events across India throughout the year, including in Coimbatore.

This year we celebrate the fact that 64 years ago on 6 February, Queen Elizabeth acceded to the British throne. In September, she overtook Queen Victoria as the UK’s longest reigning monarch. And in just over a month, she will celebrate her 90th birthday. This is an extraordinary achievement for a monarch and her Consort Prince Philip who have dedicated their lives to service for the British Crown, including as the Head of the Commonwealth. May I ask you to please join me in raising a toast to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

We hope you enjoy our carefully selected British Indian fare tonight including the most popular UK dish, the exalted chicken tikka masala and - of course - fish and chips. I will end with another quote from the Bard. ‘And to be merry best becomes you; for, out of question, you were born in a merry hour’. I enjoin you all to have a very merry evening!

Thank you

Well Xavier, thank you for that very kind welcome and for pulling this event together. When we first spoke 18 months ago and you expressed a strong interest in helping to bring on this sector and to bring the public markets to the very exciting development that’s been happening in the private markets in the UK, I didn’t foresee how quickly it would have an impact on the sector and I’m going to say something in a minute about the extraordinary successes of 2015. I’m not complacent for a minute but this country is traditionally not very good at celebrating success so I think today is a moment to look back at some of the highlights of last year and some of the extraordinary things coming. I wanted to thank you and your team for the work that you’re doing hosting this conference, the second, I hope it becomes an annual fixture and the work that you’re doing on the ELITE programme to prepare some of the most exciting companies to come to market.

Can I just also thank the companies and the investors that are here - your time, your commitment to meet the companies and to take part in this is an important signal of this sectors commitment to itself and to leadership and it’s hugely important, this event, and the issues and themes that come out of it. I can assure you that last year there were several policy points that came from this event that we’ve picked up at No.10 and we’ve fed through both into the manifesto and some of my policy making.

I wanted to say something this morning about the government’s commitment to this sector and to the strategy and to share with you some thoughts about where we go next, to announce some very exciting latest figures and data on what’s going on in the sector and to share with you some thoughts on where it and we go next in the next few years. Let me start by saying that it’s an incredible pleasure and privilege to be back as the UKs first Minister for Life Sciences. A year ago we were looking down the barrels of a quinquennial democratic accountability moment and I was perfectly prepared to be the last Minister for Life Sciences. I would say that I have tried to pursue this agenda in a very non-partisan way, not least for this for this sector’s benefit. It needs cross-party support and it needs a 10 to 15 year policy horizon and I’m delighted at the level of support we’ve had from all parties in support of what we are doing.

I would just say this, it turns out there is a global conference of life sciences ministers this year, I’ve joked in the past that it would have been a very small event with me chairing it, opening it giving the plenary, the lunchtime warm up act and taking the minutes. It turns out that other countries are rallying and I’m very much looking forward to attending the world’s first conference for life science ministers. It is a tribute to this country’s expertise and the recognition of our leadership on science, but also on finance and policy as well.

In an extraordinary year one of the highlights for me was being invited to the White House to brief the Obama team on what we’re doing on genomics and on informatics and on precision medicine and on digitalisation and on unlocking the NHS as a research engine. Any of you who’ve been to the West Wing will imagine my disappointment, I arrived expecting to find CJ and the sofa and the bustle of a very small family of high power. The West Wing, it turns out, is a building that makes our Ministry of Defence look like a drawing room, it’s a vast concrete building of about 20 storeys with flags on every corridor. And when we left the meeting and I said “where’s the West Wing? When do we have the brush by with CJ?” they said “Minister, this is the West Wing” and brought me to the door and down the stairs was the White House like a little toy house, it’s tiny, and they said “Minister, the West Wing is the administrative wing of the President, the West Wing you think of is our drawing room”. But interestingly President Obama, that Sunday in his State of the Union speech, announced a very ambitious programme, matching our commitment here in precision medicine, in genomics, in informatics and that I think is an important reassurance to this sector and I’m working with cross party Congress and the Senate and White House policy chiefs on accelerated access and regulation so that we build a transatlantic and integrated regulatory pathway so that companies can have confidence we’re building something that works for them and for you.

So let me just say something about the commitment and why it’s so strong, it isn’t just that this country is brilliant at biomedical research and deep science and that we need the financing activity and the growth, all of which is true and that we’re good at it and some of the most exciting companies, that in the last decade have raised a lot of money in the US, were incubated here. In the genomics programme it’s very striking to me that Illumina, our technology partner sequencing 100,000 NHS genomes, is using technology developed in Cambridge, by a Cambridge spin-out that was acquired by an American company and we’re now paying for it back, proudly I’m delighted we are it’s Cambridge technology, but boy would I like it if the company was able to raise money here and it was a UK company all the way through and that is part of our challenge to make sure that we keep these great technologies and build them here.

Our strategy at the beginning was more than that, it was how we embrace innovation and make our NHS not a late, reluctant procurer of ever more expensive innovation but a partner in the development of that innovation and how can we drive an integrated healthcare innovation economy.

So we’re not just supporting the life sciences traditional bio-pharma from the Department of Business, but now we have a joined up strategy and at the Department of Health I’m responsible for the £14 billion drugs budget, for the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF), for genomics, for the £1 billion a year National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) infrastructure in the NHS and now for all the data and digital policy making so we can drive a proper, integrated healthcare economy and we can unleash the power of the NHS to support 21st century research with genomics and informatics and quicker access to trials and to pull it through more quickly and the strap line is: we are absolutely determined that health and the NHS won’t break this country, it will make this country. We want to lead in the technologies for the transformation of our own system and export them around the world and it’s a model of growth that insists that the public sector has a duty to work with the private sector to support innovation and frankly needs that innovation to be a modern public service, it’s a different mind-set at the Department of Health but we’ve embedded it and locked it in not just through the minister but through the creation of a major directorate in DH called ‘Innovation, Technology and Growth’, not 3 words traditionally associated with the Department of Health over the last 50 years, despite the NHS’s extraordinary ability to innovate. I want you to understand that the commitment comes from the PM and the Chancellor and is hardwired right into the heart of government and at the next quinquennial democratic moment any incoming administration will discover an absolute commitment, its goes right to the heart of the UK government’s sense of strategic priorities over the next decade.

And we announced, you’ll remember, when we set out this strategy that as well as a commitment to the whole landscape, from deep science through translation infrastructure, business environment, NHS accessibility and reform of the pathway for innovation, we would also try and lead in 2 keys areas: in genomics and informatics. And in genomics, we set the world alight with the announcement that we’d be the first nation on Earth to sequence 100,000 entire genomes and put it together with all the phenotypic clinical hospital data. We set a company up to do it, Genomics England, and I’m delighted that the pace at which we’ve managed, after a little bit of wheel spinning in the first 6 months – it’s a big project, we are now recognised globally as setting the pace in genomics and some of the companies you see downstairs are working off and feeding off that leadership, headquartered at Sanger but we’ve launched 12 Genomic Medicine Centres around the UK NHS and we’ve built the NHS into this from day one. We are determined to lead the world in the launch of genomic medicines, mainstreamed in the NHS. This won’t be an innovation that we invented here and then was slow to procure, this will be an innovation, a whole revolution in healthcare that we lead here and then mainstreamed in our NHS, which I think gives investors a lot of confidence that this will be one that they can be confident that the UK is serious about purchasing as well as researching.

And now we’re looking at informatics, the truth is we cannot run a 21st century NHS on paper and cardboard, and I’m prepared to be very clear with patients about the risks of that, unless we are clear about the problem we have to solve, I don’t think we will carry the public and the press with us on the journey of digitalisation. Jeremy Hunt and I will shortly be making a series of announcements about how we tackle the regulatory, the political and the parliamentary issues around confidentiality and we will make sure in the next few years that we invest in patient benefits, apps on your phone so we can begin to get patients excited by a digital NHS because without that it will simply be more money for digitalisation of the system. We want to unleash patient power to drive this forward, focused on disease, focused on research and care pathways, and patients clamouring for more of these digital benefits, and it’s interesting that a number of companies you see in the UK are digital companies driving convergence in that field.

Let me say something about the progress that’s already happened and to make the announcement today that we’ve heralded. Since we launched this strategy collective government support has helped secure over £6 billion of new investment into the UK life science sector, linked to more than 17,000 additional jobs (1).There’s a reason this sector is growing and there’s a reason around the country people are beginning to realise this isn’t just in Cambridge, this isn’t just a niche sector, this is now going across the country and in my travels, next week I’m in Newcastle, I’ve been to Swindon, I’ve been to Milton Keynes, to South Wales, to Scotland, to Northern Ireland, this sector is driving economic recovery across the country. Our exports figures: In the first 3 quarters of 2015 UK life science exports are up 23%. Since we launched HealthcareUK 3 years ago to lead the international export mission, exporting NHS leadership and life science technologies, we’ve now secured £4.9 billion of exports and at the visits of the Chinese Premier and the Indian Prime Minister I signed with China a £2 billion life science exports deal made up of 17 individual deals, and with India a £1/4 billion deal and there’s another 3/4s that that will trigger. And 48% of university spin outs in the UK now are life science related but across a very broad digital and med-tech and device spread. And I’m delighted to see the pace of collaboration between industry and charities and universities and the formal launch next week of the Apollo Fund between 3 of our great companies: GSK, AstraZeneca, Johnson and Johnson and 3 of our great universities: Imperial, UCL and Cambridge, £40 million is a sign of the commitment of industry to this emerging translational infrastructure.

London has an absolutely key part to play in this, you’ll be surprised as a Cambridge man that I’ve been vocal in getting round the country to signal this is not just about Cambridge and it isn’t, but London, I think for too long, has been underestimated, under recognised as a biomedical powerhouse and I’m really delighted that the Mayor has really recognised, and it’s great to pay tribute and see Elliot here leading MedCity. London is not just a science powerhouse, with Imperial, with UCL and with Kings, each global ranking biomedical universities in their own right, with an extraordinary patient catchment but with this phenomenal city powerhouse of finance, high net worths, angel financing and whole range of fine-tech and extraordinary companies in that space. London has even more potential to become a global financing hub for these emerging technologies, we’re doing it in TechCity and there’s every reason we could do it in MedCity and make this country and this city not just a great place to do academic science but the place to come and get creative financing and build an insurgent 21st century life science company. This last year we’ve seen some extraordinary news, Immunocore raising £200 million, that’s the second largest ever private, biotech financing. That’s a British company, built here, designed here, British science and a wonderful team leading the world and anyone who was at JP Morgan last year and this year will have seen the level of interest that that deal alone and some of the others have done and it’s a signal of some of the low hanging fruit in our sector through the less active financing period following the 2000 crash and the early 10 years following that.

We’ve got some incredible low hanging fruit now beginning to come through the pipeline, ready and properly matured and the old problem of stuff being spun out too soon has now been reversed by some incredible technology coming to the market which has had a lot of time to mature, if I can use a wine metaphor, this is ripe and has been well treated and is ready for serious financing to go to market. If you look at Circassia raising £275 million back on the main market, sending a really powerful signal around the world that the London market is open for these companies and these technologies and the UK is building these companies. In 2015, the UK life science sector raised £1.3 billion on the main markets, including AIM, and we raised £700 million in angel and private and VC financing, those are big numbers for a sector that has deemed to have been going through a quiet restructuring and a repositioning and I think it’s not too soon to say that we are now beginning to see the re-emergence of a funding continuum.

It’s not the funding continuum that I remember when I worked in this sector 15 years ago, quite siloed, the series A over the wall to series B over the wall to the pre-IPO and then market. This is led by some serious long term investors with a deep commitment to the sector and a deep understanding of it, both angels, private, some of the longer term VC, some of the corporate venturing and now some of the new institutional investor bodies, the Neil Woodfords, the Peter Keanes coming into this sector with deep pockets and building a new generation of serious companies, properly backed to go on and do global leadership. We’ve seen some wonderful companies downstairs and if you look around the country, companies like Cell Medica, Atlas Genetics, Bicycle Therapeutics, Oxford Therapeutics, but not just in the therapeutics space, it’s companies like Abcodia doing extraordinary work on biomarkers, psychology online, some of the new companies that are doing convergence of digital, diagnostics, device and taking this convergent technology into breaking open old markets, creating new products and technologies. And I think it’s just wonderful to see the LSE leading a discussion, which I am picking up with the City Minister, on making sure the markets are ready for these companies and opening up life science firms to the LSE’s High Growth Segment with a free float as low as 10%. That is a sign that this sector and this market is serious.

Let me just close by saying something about where we go next. I hope you will have seen that in the recent funding Autumn Statement, in which the government set out it’s funding for the rest of this Parliament, no sector has done better than this. I’m not trumpeting it in Parliament, I don’t want to trigger Ministerial envy but I hope you can see that we defied some of the pundits. The Chancellor has ring-fenced the science budget and made the biggest ever historic commitment to science capital and revenue. We’re also funding the Catapult programme in cell therapy, in precision medicine and we’ve also launched 2 new: in medicines manufacturing, which industry has told us is a priority and in the medicines technology field.

The Bio Medical Catalyst, which I’m really proud to have designed 5 odd years ago, we’re looking at how we can make sure we keep that very powerful, small amount of money, but very powerful for triggering those collaborations between private and public and backing industry-led, early stage businesses. We’ve announced that we will ringfence the £1 billion a year into the NIHR, clinical infrastructure at the heart of the NHS. When you go to many of our hospitals now, downstairs you find a clinical research suite doing industry led trials, 250 odd trials going on around the UK and we’ve ringfenced that funding, it’s a big commitment. And we’ll shortly be announcing, on informatics, a major commitment in this Parliament to drive the digital healthcare agenda. The figure you heard in the Autumn Statement was £1 billion, I can tell you it’s quite a lot bigger than that and we are absolutely determined, as we have been on genomics, that this will be driven by a partnership of NHS, as the flagship, working with emerging companies to pioneer new treatments.

And we furthermore announced that genomics, a further £250 million, this was never intended to be just an extraordinary technology project, which it is, and we’re building the world’s reference library for genomic medicine. With industries coming in and partnering with that company, led by Sir John Chisholm and his team, we’ve announced another £250 million and another 2 Genomics Medicines Centres, so the NHS is now leading on turning genomics into a mainstream genomics medicine service in the 21st century NHS, so increasingly you will go into the NHS and have a molecular diagnostic test and we won’t just test for one thing, we’ll test for all, we’ll integrate it properly and we’ll have a data contract with Genomics England so they tell the NHS what traits they have discovered are now linked to particular diseases and diagnostics and the NHS will supply information from it’s extraordinary diagnostic footprint. And on digital health we are making a major commitment, not just to digitise the service but to support the digital health industry in the UK, McKinsey recently forecast that that will be worth £14 billion by 2021 and we see it as a major opportunity for this country. We are the most internet connected nation on Earth, we lead on the gaming and the technology and so much of the IT, if we can connect that creativity with our health sector then we are, we think, well positioned to be a leader in digital health.

Let me just close with these 2 commitments: We recognise that one of the things that has held this country back has been the NHS adoption and the challenge of getting the NHS, which is a brilliant producer of innovation, to become a much better adopter of technology so that we cannot just be a great place to invent but a great place to test and prove and that sits at the heart of the strategy the Prime Minister and I set out. Let me remind you what we said in 2011, every patient a research patient, every hospital a research hospital, and the Accelerated Access Review that I launched and which is about to report to me is looking fundamentally at 3 important questions: how can we help companies get to that all important point of clinical validation in the NHS? The early ‘no’ as well as the early ‘yes’. Is this going to work? Is there any chance of you buying it? We need to make the NHS a much more powerful test bed for the life science sector. Secondly, how can we reform NICE and NHS England so that as companies bring digital devices, diagnostics, targeted precision medicines, medicines that have a molecular diagnostic attached that guarantees they’ll work in different patient groups, that we have the flexible pathways to fast track them through to the right patients and we’re creative about how we reimburse and value, we need to update NICE’s methodology for the world of genomic and informatics medicine. And thirdly, how can we get better at taking a proven innovation that saves money in one bit of the NHS and rolling it out across the system? It’s just not acceptable that some innovations, after 2 or 3 years, are still not rolled out across the system.

My final point is this, that challenge of modernising the NHS, which is being led now by the NHS itself, Simon Stevens in the Five Year Forward View set out a very powerful vision for how the NHS leadership, clinical and management, intend and want to be allowed to modernise that service and we’re backing it hard, we’ve funded it and it is our great opportunity because in that the NHS is opening it’s doors to these transformational technologies to drive modernisation for the system and I think the message for the life science sector is: come to the system with innovations that help patients, help diagnostics and help the system save money by moving from a model of late stage treatment of disease to earlier stage identification, prevention and management, and you are in business and my commitment to you is the Department of Health is in business to help build that integrated healthcare economy. This is a moment to reflect on the success of last year, some really exciting and extraordinary things beginning to happen. One of the most exciting, I went last week to see McLaren using Formula 1 telemetry, 400 data points streaming off every F1 car, McLaren provide it for the entire F1 fleet and they’re now working with the NHS on helping children in Birmingham Hospital after cardiac to have wireless telemetry 24/7, constant algorithm underpinned data feeds to the nurses so the individual child monitor beeps only when that individual child has an unexpected event. And in Oxford they’re working with NHS A&E on how they can use pit lane telemetry to improve A&E performance and that is a sign of our commitment to try and build these new partnerships.

Thank you Xavier for what the stock market is doing, I really look forward, this year, to coming back and welcoming the announcement of more floats, more fundings, more IPOs and that we can sustain momentum over the next 5 years. I hope our commitment from government is really clear and it’s wonderful that with the support of the City we can begin to bring this sector really together so that institutional investors putting their money in an ISA know that it’s going to fund British leadership in healthcare technology that will have an impact on their lives. And I think that is something we can not only be financially excited about but politically and socially excited that this country is doing something very very exciting. Thank you.

Footnotes

(1) The estimate includes new investment committed by the UK private sector as well as inward investment by foreign-owned companies over a four year period, from the launch of the Life Science Strategy in December 2011 through December 2015.

a. UK-domiciled investment includes an estimate of private sector investment announced over the period. The amount of UK-domiciled investment is not comprehensive. There is no means of comprehensively tracking private sector investment and routine published data sources do not adequately capture this type of information for the health and life science sector. The estimate is based on major private sector projects known to the government, as well as leveraged investment and new jobs linked to the RGF. It does not include leveraged investment and jobs from other government competitions such as Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative, Biomedical Catalyst & Research Partnership Investment Fund

b. Inward investment refers to new investment in the UK by foreign-owned companies in order to undertake brand new activity, or to expand existing activity. These commitments are linked to inward investment projects recorded by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) in the health and life science sector during the period. The majority of these projects were directly supported by the UKTI Life Sciences Organisation and their network of overseas and subnational partners whose role is to attract inward investment to the UK.

The estimate is not comprehensive. It does not reflect annual research and development (R&D) or clinical trials spending by established domestic and foreign-owned companies in the UK, or investment linked to organic business growth.

Even more young people will be able to ‘rise to the top’ with an apprenticeship, as 30,084 new apprenticeships have been pledged by employers as part of National Apprenticeship Week 2016 (14 to 18 March).

From Greene King committing to hiring 10,000 apprentices (up from 2,000 in 2015), Microsoft and partners announcing plans to recruit 4,500, BT pledging 1,000, Deloitte 200 and Kwik Fit 150, pledges have been made by hundreds of businesses around the country. Other companies that have pledged new apprenticeships include BMW, Addleshaw Goddard LLP, Fortnum & Mason, Virgin Media, British Airways, Prezzo, and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Traineeships, which give young people the work preparation training, English, maths and work experience needed to get an apprenticeship or other job, also got a boost during the week with employers large and small, including Halfords Ltd and Chelmsford JCP pledging 1,770 traineeship positions.

During National Apprenticeship Week 2015, employers pledged to recruit 23,000 apprentices.

Skills Minister Nick Boles said:

This week I’ve travelled the country meeting apprentices doing the most incredible jobs, from cooking mussels at Rick Stein’s restaurant to fixing helicopters for the Royal Navy.

Apprenticeships offer working people the jobs and training they need to build a great career. An apprenticeship really can take you anywhere.

Employers have pledged more than 30,000 new apprenticeships this week. That means more than 30,000 more life changing opportunities for working people.

National Apprenticeship Week, which is led and co-ordinated by the National Apprenticeship Service, saw hundreds of events and activities take place across England. A huge range of organisations and individuals, including employers, apprentices, business support and sector organisations, learning providers, colleges and schools, supported the week by hosting activities.

Key events during the week included a launch event at the Shard in London where businesses in attendance pledged to recruit over 19,000 apprentices. The Business Secretary, Sajid Javid met employers and apprentices and spoke about the future of apprenticeships. The Licence to Skill event at the London Film Museum, attended by the influential figures from the world of technology, digital and the creative industries, focused on the benefits that apprentices can bring to these sectors.

Now in its ninth year, National Apprenticeship Week is designed to celebrate apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals, businesses and the wider economy. The overarching theme for 2016 was to show how individuals and businesses can achieve their ambitions of ‘rising to the top’ through apprenticeships.

Jade Aspinall, Higher Apprentice of the Year, MBDA, said:

As an apprentice I am able to earn whilst I learn, gaining degree level qualifications whilst acquiring practical experience at the same time. I believe in learning through experience and my apprenticeship allowed me to do that.

I’m very ambitious about my future. I started university in September, studying a B.Eng in Computer Aided Engineering. I cannot have enough passion and enthusiasm for apprenticeships. Without mine, I wouldn’t be the confident, mature, challenge-driven individual I am today: greatest decision of my life. Since starting my apprenticeship my confidence has increased significantly.

The National Apprenticeship Awards 2016 application site was also opened during the week, and the search is now on to find the country’s next cohort of top apprentices and apprenticeship employers. The awards, run by the National Apprenticeship Service, celebrate exceptional employers and apprentices who have apprenticeships at the heart of their business or have used an apprenticeship to develop their career.

Individuals and businesses who apply to the awards compete to be named ‘the best of the best’ on a regional and national level. For the sixth year running the very best employer category entries will also have the additional bonus of featuring in the annual Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers list.

There has never been a better time to employ an apprentice, or start an apprenticeship. Hiring apprentices helps businesses to grow their own talent by developing a motivated, skilled and qualified workforce.

Follow @Apprenticeships, @TraineeshipsGov and #NAW2016 for all the latest news, pictures and videos.

To find out more about National Apprenticeship Week 2016, go to www.gov.uk/naw2016

The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, Matt Hancock, has confirmed today that the UK’s new national cyber centre, announced by the Chancellor in November, will be called the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).

The NCSC will be based in London and will open in October. Ciaran Martin, currently Director General Cyber at GCHQ will lead it. Dr Ian Levy, currently Technical Director of Cyber Security at GCHQ, will join the organisation as Technical Director.

The UK faces a growing threat of cyber-attacks from states, serious crime gangs, hacking groups as well as terrorists. The NCSC will help ensure that the people, public and private sector organisations and the critical national infrastructure of the UK are safer online.

It will bring the UK’s cyber expertise together to transform how the UK tackles cyber security issues.

It will be the authoritative voice on information security in the UK and one of its first tasks will be to work with the Bank of England to produce advice for the financial sector for managing cyber security effectively.

In setting up the NCSC we will adopt structured consultation with the private sector. Our objectives are to raise awareness of government intent; undertake genuine dialogue that shapes service delivery; demonstrate serious commitment to listen; and develop sustainable engagement channels.

Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, Matthew Hancock said:

In establishing the National Cyber Security Centre we are creating a body devoted to cyber security and this will transform the UK’s approach to an issue that affects us all.

This important work with the Bank of England is paramount to ensuring that businesses of all shapes and sizes understand the threats and what they can do to mitigate them.

We’ll do this by informing the entire business community and public sector about emerging threats, providing support when attacks happen and educating everyone on how best to stay safe online.

Robert Hannigan Director GCHQ said:

Given the industrial-scale theft of intellectual property from our companies and universities, as well as the numerous phishing and malware scams that waste time and money, the National Cyber Security Centre shows that the UK is focusing its efforts to combat the threats that exist online.

Ciaran will be an excellent Chief Executive who will ensure that the NCSC will continue the outstanding work done by all of the existing organisations to protect national security and our economic success.

Ciaran Martin said:

I’m very pleased to have the privilege of leading a world class team to get ahead of one of the most important threats of our time

Background

Ciaran Martin is currently the Director General of Government and Industry Cyber Security at GCHQ a post he has held since February 2014. In this role he is responsible for shaping and directing GCHQ’s engagement with government, industry and academia on cyber security and information risk. He also develops and sustains GCHQ’s international engagement for information assurance and cyber. He is a career civil servant.

Accompanying Ciaran in his new role will be Dr Ian Levy, currently Technical Director of Cyber Security at GCHQ, who will join the organisation as Technical Director and bring a huge amount of experience and technical ingenuity from his time leading GCHQ’s work in this area.

Contact information

For more information about this news release please contact the GCHQ Press Office: pressoffice@gchq.gsi.gov.uk; 01242 221491 ext 33847

The agreement will last for 15 years. Areas it covers include sharing of information on potential threats, participation in joint exercises, training of Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) personnel and cooperation in the field of military equipment.

Separately the UK will look to expand the reach of its training support through the ‘train the trainer’ activities. This will enable Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel to pass on techniques taught by UK Armed Forces.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said:

The UK will stand firm with the Ukraine as they defend their territorial integrity. This new Defence agreement sets out that commitment as we enhance our training of Ukrainian Armed Forces.

In the past year, the UK has trained 2,000 members of the UAF being led through UK courses on countering-IEDs, operations in urban environments, medical care, logistics and operational planning. The UK has also gifted over £1million worth of equipment to the country.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ukraine was signed by Armed Forces Minister Penny Mordaunt during in Kyiv yesterday. She said:

It was a great honour for me to sign the MOU on Defence cooperation with Ukraine, which provides the framework for future cooperation, reiterating our support to them.

Meeting the UK Armed Forces personnel training UAF troops also reiterates the positive contribution Britain’s military makes in the world. We continue to stand side by side with Ukraine through this difficult period.

With construction due to start next year, HS2 took another significant step forward today with the confirmation that HS2 Ltd will appoint a team made up of CH2M, Atkins and SENER as Phase One Engineering Delivery Partner.

The CH2M/Atkins/SENER team will be fully integrated within HS2 Ltd in order to drive long term efficiencies across the design and build process. Their role will focus on providing expert engineering and construction management support as well as assisting with preparation for the procurement of the main civils contracts for the London to Birmingham stage of the route.

All three companies have significant experience of driving project innovation and efficiency, with CH2M and Atkins involved in London’s challenging Crossrail project, and SENER bringing recent experience from Spain’s extensive high speed rail network.

The ten year contract covers the whole of Phase One construction, with the team focusing on a number of key functions, including:

• Supporting preparation for, and procurement of, the main civils contracts and subsequent work packages, including stations and railway systems
• Managing support of the design stage and construction stages of the works
• Providing project engineering and construction management
• Providing technical assurance of design

Welcoming the news, HS2 Ltd Managing Director - Construction, Jim Crawford, said:

Today’s contract award marks an important milestone as we continue to move towards the start of construction in 2017. It is vital that we constantly challenge our suppliers to ensure we deliver long-term value for money for the taxpayer as well as a world-class railway for all our passengers, stakeholders and communities along the line.

That’s why I’m pleased to welcome CH2M/Atkins/SENER to the team, and look forward to seeing HS2 benefiting from their considerable skills and experience of delivering world-class infrastructure on time and on budget.

Commenting on the appointment, Transport Minister Robert Goodwill said:

The Engineering Delivery Partner will play a key role in bringing HS2 to fruition and CH2M/Atkins/SENER bring clear expertise. Today’s announcement means we are one step closer to getting spades in the ground next year for this transformational project.

I am delighted to be here on Day Four of National Apprenticeship Week. I want to thank you all for the work your organisations have done this week – to celebrate the amazing achievements of apprentices across the country.

On Day One, both #National Apprenticeship Week – and #NAW2016 were trending on Twitter. The many pictures and film clips shared on social media by apprentices have been superb. They have visibly captured the energy and excitement of the apprentices involved.

At events this week, employers have been asked to make apprenticeship pledges. To commit to expanding their apprenticeship operations – or to get involved with apprenticeships for the very first time. Last year, we received 23,000 pledges across the week – a record breaking number.

This year, we have smashed that figure. There are more events tomorrow and more pledges are coming in. The final total – our highest ever total - will be announced shortly. It’s a remarkable effort across the entire sector. A truly collective effort.

You will all be aware of the government’s vision for 3 million high quality apprenticeship starts. And quality is intrinsically linked to the 3 million starts. Let me be absolutely crystal clear on this point. The focus of Government in the last few years has been on quality. High quality apprenticeships. That’s what we all want.

I read the survey results from FE Week on quality… With the question asked: Are you concerned quality will suffer in the effort to increase quantity?

The findings showed a high proportion of you were concerned… Now I can’t speak for you… But if something is a concern for me, It’s a matter of interest - of importance to me… And in life, I find we give the most attention to those things that concern us most. It’s absolutely crucial that there are so many of us, collectively, focused on raising the quality of apprenticeships and we are all well placed to do so.

I hope that everyone at this conference shares the same goal on apprenticeships. Everyone agrees on the pivotal role of quality in apprenticeships. And everyone here has the ability to positively influence the quality of apprenticeships. So that, outside of this conference hall, young people, head teachers, parents and employers can be totally confident that apprenticeships will deliver for individuals and for the economy. That the time invested by young people is absolutely worth it. That the money invested by government and employers is paying for the best training available. That the effort made by employers improves their business competitiveness. That the backing of parents to the choice of an apprenticeship by their child is justified.

Because to achieve 3 million quality apprenticeship starts we need to increase the number of starts by 20% from current levels. Improving quality is therefore essential to boosting the trajectory of starts and engaging the commitment from businesses to do more. That means SMEs as much as large employers out there.

And with employers now at the heart of apprenticeship reform, I believe employers will drive forward continuous improvement. In the same way employers have defined the knowledge and skills required to make apprenticeships the best choice for UKplc and young people.

Because the impact on young people is genuinely life-changing. One of the best parts of my job is getting to meet apprentices at their places of work. It means I get a clear sense of the desire, the enthusiasm, and the dedication that apprentices exude.Today’s apprentices – tomorrow’s leaders, pioneers, innovators and even CEOs.

And this is all linked to the overarching theme of National Apprenticeship Week. This entire week is about telling everyone the simple message – an apprenticeship can take you anywhere. And young people are increasingly drawn towards the magnet of apprenticeships.We all have a role to play championing the apprenticeship story.

Apprenticeships can be summed up in two phrases – ‘opportunity’ and ‘unlimited ambition’. Apprenticeships unlock career opportunities. They provide experience, qualifications and vital business knowledge. Giving individuals the chance to acquire skills that can be used in any industry. Gaining these skills enables people to progress in their career choices at any stage of their lives. And I want to stress the importance of transferable skills. The skills acquired in apprenticeships will enable young people to compete against the best. In any business sector.

And we already know that, with existing standards, a Level 2 apprenticeship, on average, increases earning income by 11%, for a Level 3 apprenticeship, that figure on income rises to a 16% increase.

And for employers, apprenticeships make strong commercial sense. Helping businesses improve the quality of their products and services. Allowing employers to immerse the future talent of their staff, in the culture and values of each individual business. Apprenticeships work for individuals and employers.

This week, I read a fascinating article online about a list of people who have made the journey from being an apprentice to being the boss. Jamie Oliver was on there – before becoming a household name, he began his career with an apprenticeship in home economics. Since then, Jamie has become a passionate champion of apprenticeships with his ‘Fifteen’ restaurant chain. Stella McCartney was an apprentice tailor. Lord Bamford, the head of JCB, started with an engineering apprenticeship at Massey Ferguson in France. Andy Palmer was a 16 year old apprentice at Automotive Products in the West Midlands before he joined Austin Rover. He then served a 23 year stint at Nissan. Now, he is the Chief Executive of Aston Martin.There’s no reason why the names of your apprentices cannot be in a future article about business leaders.

This year, the overarching theme of National Apprenticeship Week, is ‘Rise to the top’. It captures the essence of what apprenticeships are all about. Progression is the golden thread of apprenticeships. It’s why there has been a particular focus this week on both higher and Degree apprenticeships, not surprisingly, the fastest growing parts of the apprenticeship programme.

Improving skills at higher levels is an economic imperative. The UK stands at around 20% below the rest of the G7 countries. But more employers have now grasped the compelling story of apprenticeships and how both new staff and existing employees can climb to the top.

On Degree apprenticeships, we now have over 20 universities working with FE providers to deliver qualifications up to Level 7. Higher Education and Further Education connecting well together on higher level skills. There are now over 140 Trailblazers involving more than 1,300 employers, designing new apprenticeship standards. Over 200 new standards have been published, over 60 of these are higher and Degree apprenticeships. A further 150 new standards are in development.

I talk to large numbers of young people about their career choices, for some people, it’s often a choice between university or an apprenticeship. One great element of Degree apprenticeships is the chance to do both. The opportunity to combine the academic knowledge of a traditional university degree with the practical experience demanded by employers and crucial for success in the jobs market, with a salary and chance to progress.

It’s a straightforward decision. Why wouldn’t a young person want to consider an apprenticeship as their plan A? The attraction for employers is that they are suitable for both small and large businesses. Designed by employers – for employers.

We stand at a crucial moment in time for apprenticeships. Large employers are gearing up for the apprenticeship Levy. I know that David Hill and Keith Smith spoke about the Levy yesterday. This is a vital tool in funding the increase in high quality apprenticeship training. The Levy will be set at 0.5% of an employer pay bill, it will be introduced next year for employers with a pay bill of over £3 million. In effect, less than 2% of employers will pay the Levy. Both employers in the public and private sector will be in scope.

In the private sector, about 2.3% of the workforce is apprentices. In the public sector, that figure falls to 1.7% of its workforce. And we need to fix this.

And that’s why the Government is legislating to set targets for public sector bodies. Through the Levy, in England, control of apprenticeship funding will be put in the hands of employers via the Digital Apprenticeship Service, to ensure that it delivers the training required. Employers will choose and pay for the apprenticeship training and assessment they want - through the Digital Apprenticeship Service.

The service will also support employers to:

• choose an apprenticeship training course
• find a candidate
• and choose a training provider

The Levy was announced at the same time as the Institute for Apprenticeships. The Institute will be independent – and operational by April 2017. This new body will support the development and delivery of high quality apprenticeship standards and assessment plans.

So, again, quality – the DNA of apprenticeships.

To conclude, let me say this: We need apprenticeships to be relevant, resilient and respected. Relevant to the priorities businesses shout about and to the apprentices undertaking them. Resilient apprenticeships, that are both challenging and fit for purpose and apprenticeships that are respected, valued, and held in esteem by employers, individuals and wider society. Apprenticeships that we are all proud of.

Tax-Free Childcare will be available to around 2 million households to help with the cost of childcare, enabling more parents to go out to work, if they want to, to provide greater security for their families. Here’s the top ten things to know about the scheme…

1. You’ll be able to open an online account

You’ll be able to open an online account, which you can pay into to cover the cost of childcare with a registered provider. This will be done through the government website, GOV.UK.

Tax-Free Childcare will be launched from early 2017. The scheme will be rolled out gradually to families, with parents of the youngest children able to apply first.

You’ll be able to apply for all your children at the same time, when your youngest child becomes eligible. All eligible parents will be able to join the scheme by the end of 2017.

All eligible parents will be able to join the scheme by the end of 2017.

2. For every 80p you or someone else pays in, the government will top up an extra 20p

This is equivalent of the tax most people pay - 20% - which gives the scheme its name, ‘tax-free’. The government will top up the account with 20% of childcare costs up to a total of £10,000 - the equivalent of up to £2,000 support per child per year (or £4,000 for disabled children).

3. The scheme will be available for children up to the age of 12

It will also be available for children with disabilities up to the age of 17, as their childcare costs can stay high throughout their teenage years.

4. To qualify, parents will have to be in work, and each earning around £115 a week and not more than £100,000 each per year

The scheme is designed to be flexible for parents if, for example, they want to get back to work after the birth of a child or work part-time.

5. Any eligible working family can use the Tax-Free Childcare scheme - it doesn’t rely on employers offering it

Tax-Free Childcare doesn’t rely on employers offering the scheme, unlike the current scheme Employer-Supported Childcare. Any working family can use Tax-Free Childcare, provided they meet the eligibility requirements.

6. The scheme will also be available for parents who are self-employed

Self-employed parents will be able to get support with childcare costs in Tax-Free Childcare, unlike the current scheme (Employer-Supported Childcare) which is not available to self-employed parents. To support newly self-employed parents, the government is introducing a ‘start-up’ period. During this, self-employed parents won’t have to earn the minimum income level.

The scheme will also be available to parents on paid sick leave and paid and unpaid statutory maternity, paternity and adoption leave.

7. If you currently receive Employer-Supported Childcare then you can continue to do so

You do not have to switch to Tax-Free Childcare if you do not wish to. Employer-Supported Childcare will continue to run. The current scheme will remain open to new entrants until April 2018, and parents already registered by this date will be able to continue using it for as long as their employer offers it.

However, Tax-Free Childcare will be open to more than twice as many parents as Employer-Supported Childcare.

Employers’ workplace nurseries won’t be affected by the introduction of Tax-Free Childcare.

8. Parents and others can pay money into their childcare account as and when they like

This gives you the flexibility to pay in more in some months, and less at other times. This means you can build up a balance in your account to use at times when you need more childcare than usual, for example, over the summer holidays.

It’s also not just the parents who can pay into the account - if grandparents, other family members or employers want to pay in, then they can.

9. The process will be as simple as possible for parents

The process will be light-touch and as easy as possible for you. For example, you’ll re-confirm your circumstances every three months via a simple online process; and there will be a simple log-in service where parents can view accounts for all of their children at once.

10. You’ll be able to withdraw money from the account if you want to

If your circumstances change or you no longer want to pay into the account, then you’ll be able to withdraw the money you have built up. If you do, the government will withdraw its corresponding contribution.

More information will become available ahead of the scheme being introduced so parents making childcare decisions are able to consider all their options.

Introduction

Thank you for your welcome.

It’s great to be down on the beautiful south coast in a town with such a fantastic history.

And with the cutting-edge driverless cars on display at this summit.

We can also see something of the Hastings of the future, too.

In fact, with the presentations from the rail and bus companies, as well as Highways England and Network Rail here today.

You will have heard about the transport improvements already in progress for Hastings.

As yesterday’s budget showed, investing in the rail and road network in the UK is a priority for the government.

And there’s certainly more work to do for Hastings.

As the Roads Minister, I have seen how new expressways, new link roads or even things as simple as better junctions can unlock investment, spread prosperity and ultimately improve people’s lives.

Because a modern transport network doesn’t just lead to faster journeys from A to B.

It creates new jobs and housing.

It cuts congestion and improves the local environment.

And most of all, it creates opportunity.

2015 improvements

One of the privileges of being a Transport Minister is getting out of the office.

And seeing the work underway to improve infrastructure and make sure Britain has a network fit for the 21st century.

Witnessing the local pride and the sense of anticipation from people who will reap the benefits is the most enjoyable part of my job.

• the business that will now be able to invest
• the mum who finds her narrow street is quieter and safer for her children
• or the job-seeker who finds a new employment opportunity within easy travelling time

The Combe Valley Way only opened in December.

But it is great to see for myself the positive impact it has made to the seafront and indeed the whole town.

Ending years of frustration for local people.

And providing far quicker journeys across the region.

Bexhill and Hastings waited a long time for the road.

And now it’s here, it’s already helping communities previously blighted by congestion.

The Combe Valley Way should encourage economic regeneration across the area.

That’s why we put over £50 million into it.

And that’s why this government is determined to invest in the transport infrastructure in this country.

But the new road is just the start of what we are doing in this region and throughout the country as a whole.

Across the UK we are investing £15 billion over the next 5 years.

Which will pay for 100 projects to introduce similar improvements for areas across England.

This will include capacity improvements along the A27 to build the dual carriageway Arundel bypass.

And create a far better road around Worthing, Lancing and East of Lewes.

All this work will benefit Hastings by creating faster, more reliable journeys along this key south coast corridor.

Next steps

So I’m pleased to come here at a time when real progress is being been made on improving your road links.

But you will want to hear about what can happen next for this area.

This morning I travelled up and down the A21 to see the Kippings Cross section for myself.

Around 35,000 vehicles use the road every day, so the importance of the A21 to East Sussex and Hastings is clear.

It’s a crucial link between the M25 and the south coast.

Of course, £70 million of improvements to the road are already underway, with the dualling of the Tonbridge to Pembury section due to open next year.

And as the Chancellor confirmed this week, the process for preparing for the next period of strategic road investment starting in 2020 has now been announced.

It means that the investment in our road network will continue.

And that we can enter the research stage for delivering the next wave.

Of course, that research takes time.

But it is vital for ensuring that when we invest in roads, taxpayers’ money is being used for maximum value and to achieve the best possible designs.

So between now and March 2017, Highways England will be reviewing the UK’s entire strategic road network.

To see what road improvements we can make to best overall effect.

The public, local authorities, businesses and politicians will all get the opportunity to have their say – including in Hastings.

Then, by the end of 2017, Highways England will present its findings to the government.

We will consult on that plan those too – providing another chance for people to have their say.

And we will make the final announcements on in 2019.

Of course, comprehensive improvements to the southern section of the A21 would be a very large undertaking.

Because of the scale of that proposal, the A21 may well be a candidate for a future strategic study by the government.

Such studies are used to examine the very biggest challenges facing the road network.

They have been used to look at, for example, links across the Northern Pennines.

And improvements to the busiest parts of the M25.

But most importantly for me, my visit today has ensured that when I work with Highways England, and when we take those final investment decisions in 2019, I will be in possession of the full facts on the ground.

Conclusion

And so in conclusion, as the announcements the government has made this week have made clear, transport investment is a cornerstone of this government’s plan for economic growth.

That isn’t to provide impressive-looking figures on a spreadsheet.

It is about allowing towns like Hastings to achieve their potential.

And that’s a prospect everyone here can support.

Thank you.

Media wanting information about Highways England’s routine maintenance projects should, in the first instance, check our website.

The following summary of planned new and on-going road improvements over the coming week is correct as of 18 March but could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. All our improvement work is carried out with the aim of causing as little disruption as possible.

M1 junction 28 to 35a, Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire/Yorkshire: smart motorway

Until winter 2016, there will be various restrictions in place on the M1 between junctions 28 and 35a to allow for the construction of the smart motorway. These include lane closures, speed restrictions, hard shoulder running and overnight slip road or carriageway closures.

On Monday 21 March, the following overnight closures will be in place between 8pm and 6am:

• the northbound entry slip road at junction 30
• the southbound exit slip road at junction 30
• junction 34 northbound up and over
• junction 34 southbound exit slip

On Tuesday 22 March, the following overnight closures will be in place between 8pm and 6am:

• the northbound entry slip road at junction 30
• the northbound exit slip road at junction 30
• on Friday 25, Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 March there are no planned closures due to Easter Bank Holiday weekend

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 following summary of planned new and ongoing road improvements over the coming week is correct as of the above date but could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. All our improvement work is carried out with the aim of causing as little disruption as possible.

Bristol

M32 junction 1 to 2: Metro Bus Scheme (Bristol City Council work)

There will be narrow lanes with 50mph speed restrictions in operation northbound and southbound until the end of September 2016.

M5 junction 18: gully emptying

The southbound entry slip road will be closed nightly from 8pm on 22 March until 6am on 24 March. The diversion will be clearly signposted.

Gloucestershire

M5 junction 13 to 15: drainage work

Narrow lanes with 50mph speed restrictions will be in place on the southbound and northbound carriageway until April 2016.

M5 junction 14 to 12: bridge maintenance

Narrow lanes with 50mph speed restrictions will be in place on the southbound and northbound carriageway until February 2017.

M5 junction 13: bridge maintenance

The southbound exit slip road will be closed nightly from 8pm until 6am on 24 March. The diversion will be clearly signposted.

Wiltshire

A36 Crockerton roundabout to Deptford: white lining

The carriageway will be closed in both directions nightly from 9pm on 21 March until 6am on 24 March. The diversion will be clearly signposted.

North Somerset

M5 junction 19: gully emptying

The northbound exit slip road will be closed nightly between 8pm and 6am until 22 March. The diversion will be clearly signposted.

Somerset

M5 junction 23: bridge maintenance

Northern bridge closures nightly from 8pm on 21 March to 6am 24 March. The diversion will be clearly signposted.

A303 Hayes End to Cartgate: white lining

The Eastbound carriageway will be closed nightly from 9pm on 21 March until 6am on 24 March. The diversion will be clearly signposted.

BANES

No planned works.

West Dorset

No planned works.

Devon

No planned works

Hampshire

No planned works

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 following summary of planned new and ongoing road improvements over the coming week is correct as of Friday 18 March 2016 and could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. All our improvement work is carried out with the aim of causing as little disruption as possible.

M1 junction 30 to junction 31 Aston

The northbound side of the carriageway will be reduced to a single lane overnight on Monday 21 March. The northbound entry slip road at junction 30 will be closed overnight for three nights from Monday 21 March. The southbound side of the carriageway will be reduced to a single lane overnight on Wednesday 23 March. The southbound exit slip road will be closed overnight on Wednesday 23 March. The closures are for works on the smart motorways. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

M1 junction 32 Thurcroft to junction 35a Stocksbridge

The hard shoulder is currently closed in both directions as part of the smart motorway scheme. The northbound carriageway between the slip roads at junction 34 will be closed overnight on Monday 21 March. The southbound carriageway will be reduced to single lane overnight on Monday 21 March. The southbound exit slip road at junction 34 will be closed overnight on Monday 21 March. There will be narrow lanes and a 50mph speed limit until the project is completed in winter 2016. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

M1 junction 39 Denby Dale to junction 42 (M62 interchange)

The northbound entry slip road at junction 39 will be closed overnight on Wednesday 23 March. The northbound carriageway will be closed overnight for three nights from Monday 21 March. All closures are for carriageway works such as waterproofing and bridge works. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

M62 junction 22 to junction 23 Outlane

The eastbound carriageway on the M62 will be reduced to a single lane overnight on Monday 21 March for resurfacing works. The closure will take place between 8pm and 6am. The westbound carriageway will be reduced to single lane and the entry slip road at junction 23 will be closed for two nights from Tuesday 22 March for resurfacing works. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

M62 junction 24 Ainley top

The westbound entry slip road at junction 24 will be closed overnight for three nights from Monday 21 March for carriageway repairs. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

M62 junction 24 to junction 25

The eastbound M62 will be reduced to a single lane for three nights from Monday 21 March for bridge works. The closure will take place between 8pm and 6am.

M62 junction 26 Bradford (M606 interchange)

There will be narrow lanes and a 30mph speed limit in place until a project to add an extra lane to the roundabout at the junction is completed in autumn 2016. The slip roads and roundabout will be reduced to a single lane overnight, between 7pm and 6am, from Monday 21 March for three nights. The westbound carriageway on the M62 will also be reduced to a single lane for three nights from Monday 21 March for improvement works.

M62 junction 27 Geldered Road

The eastbound entry slip road at junction 27 will be closed overnight on Tuesday 22 March for technology works. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

M62 junction 30 to junction 31 Normanton

The westbound side of the carriageway will be reduced to a single lane overnight on Wednesday 23 March for bridge works. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am. The eastbound side of the carriageway will be reduced to a single lane for three nights from Monday 21 March for bridge works. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am.

M62 junction 33 to junction 34 Whitley

The eastbound side of the carriageway will be closed overnight for two nights from Monday 21 March for road markings to be repainted. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

M62 junction 34 to junction 36 Airymn

Lane 3 will be closed on both sides of the carriageway for just over 7 miles with a 50mph speed limit until April 2017 for barrier works. The closures are in place 24/7.

M62/A162 junction 33 Ferrybridge

The A162 will be fully closed until May 2016 for bridge work. The closures will take place 24/7, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion route.

M180 junction 2 Woodhouse

The eastbound exit slip road at junction 2 will be closed overnight for three nights from Monday 21 March for carriageway works. The closure will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

A1M junction 34 to junction 35 Wadworth

The southbound side of the carriageway will be closed overnight for three nights for bridge works from Monday 21 March. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

A1M junction 37 Marr

The northbound entry slip road at junction 37 will be closed overnight for three nights from Monday 21 March for barrier works. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

A1 Barnsdale Bar to Ferrybridge

The northbound side of the A road will be closed overnight for three nights from Monday 21 March for resurfacing works. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

A64 Fulford to Askham Bryan

There will be narrow lanes eastbound and westbound and a 30mph speed limit until the project is completed in spring 2016. The westbound side of the A road will be fully closed overnight on Monday 21 March for bridge works. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

A64 Grimston to Hopgrove

The eastbound side of the A road will be closed overnight for three nights from Monday 21 March for carriageway repairs. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

A628 Flouch to Gunn Inn

There will be convoy works east and westbound for three nights from Monday 21 March for pavement patching works. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am.

A631 Tinsley Viaduct

The northbound carriageway will be fully closed overnight for three nights from Monday 21 March for kerb repairs. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

A180/A160 Immingham, Humberside

There will be narrow lanes on the A180 and A160 along with a 50mph speed limit while work takes place to improve access to the Port of Immingham, including upgrading the A160 to a dual carriageway. The project is due to be completed in autumn 2016. The westbound exit slip road and eastbound entry slip road at Brocklesby Interchange will be closed until August 2016.

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.

Nine transformers are being moved overnight from Littlebrook Power Station to Thamesport on the Isle of Grain in Kent over the next couple of months.

The loads are too heavy to use the A206 Cotton Lane bridge over the A282 at junction 1a and therefore will need to use parts of the A282 and its crossovers to travel from the west side of the junction to the east side.

The loads will enter the northbound A282 the wrong way, via the northbound exit slip road. They will travel northbound before then using the crossover from the northbound carriageway to the southbound, usually used when the tunnel is used for southbound traffic. The load will then exit the A282 at junction 1a using the southbound exit slip road.

The loads will be moved over a series of weekends, as follows:

• Saturday 9 April
• Sunday 17 April
• Saturday 7 May
• Sunday 15 May
• Sunday 22 May

Three more movements will be required, the dates will be publicised once confirmed.

While the loads are moving across, traffic will be temporarily held. It is expected that traffic may be held for up to 30 minutes depending on the progress of the loads.

Drivers are advised to plan their journeys and allow extra time if required. The loads are expected to be crossing the A282 around 9pm, subject to traffic conditions.

Highways England provides live traffic information via its website, local and national radio travel bulletins, electronic road signs and mobile platforms, such as Android and iPhone apps.

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 closure on the coastbound A2 will begin at around midnight on Saturday 26 March (into Sunday) until around 10am on Monday 28 March, while Bluewater shopping centre retail shops are closed and traffic flows are lower than usual over the Easter weekend. The 1 mile closure is expected to add less around 5 minutes to journeys in free flowing conditions.

During the 34 hour closure, extensive resurfacing will be carried out which will be equivalent to over 20 nights work and able to reduce the scheme by almost a month. To further minimise disruption in the future, other maintenance, such as drainage cleaning and litter picking will also be carried out.

Highways England project sponsor Ed French said:

Resurfacing the A2 will provide drivers with safer and smoother journeys for the 130,000 drivers that use the road every day.

We have carefully planned this closure to minimise disruption. We know from previous years that traffic flows are low on Easter Sundays and with Bluewater shopping centre retail shops closed on Sunday we are expecting fewer vehicles than normal on the A2. We are using this opportunity to get as much of the work completed as possible in one go to reduce the overnight closures by around one month.

The coastbound A2 will be closed between the exit and entry slip roads at the Bean junction and a clearly signed diversion will be in place via the slip roads.

Traffic flow data from Easter Sunday in 2015 showed the peak flow was less than 5,000 vehicles per hour on this section for four hours, but for the majority of the day was below 2,500 vehicles per hour.

The resurfacing scheme started in February to improve journeys on the A2 between Bean and Ebbsfleet in Kent as the existing surface has reached the end of its life. It had been planned to take place overnight, between 9pm and 5am, but the working hours had to be condensed to start from midnight each night due to the high traffic flows in the evening. This meant that only 70 metres of resurfacing could take place each night and extended the original programme by a month.

Drivers are advised to plan their journeys and allow extra time if required. Long distance traffic is advised to consider using alternative routes such as the M20.

Highways England provides live traffic information via its website, local and national radio travel bulletins, electronic road signs and mobile platforms, such as Android and iPhone apps.

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 following information summarises the work being carried out this coming week. It is correct as of the above date but could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances.

New work

A12 Bascule Bridge, Lowestoft: routine maintenance works

We will be carrying out routine maintenance works on the A12 Bascule Bridge at Lowestoft. This will be between Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 March, from 8pm to 6am. During the work the A12 will be closed in both directions at the bridge and a diversion will be clearly signposted. Northbound traffic will travel north from the Bloodmore Lane roundabout on the A1117 (Bloodmoor Road, Elmtree Road, Cotmer Road), right at the T-junction between A1117 Cotmer Road and A146 Bridge Road onto the A146, left onto the A1117 (Bridge Road) and over the Oulton Broad Bridge, carry on the A1117 (Normanston Drive), turning left at the roundabout with the A1144 (Normanston Drive and Millenium Way) and right along A1117 Bentley Drive, to re-join A12 northbound (Yarmouth Road) by turning left at Tesco roundabout toward Great Yarmouth. Southbound traffic will follow the same route in reverse.

A12 Hopton: roads renewal

We are working to repair the surface of the A12 northbound and southbound between the Lowestoft Road roundabout (Hopton on Sea) and the Links Road roundabout (Gorleston). We will be working from Monday 21 to Wednesday 23 March between 8pm and 6am. The A12 will be closed where we are working on it and there will be a clearly signed diversion in place. For northbound closures, traffic will be diverted south on the A12, onto the A1117 past Lowestoft, the A146 towards Beccles, the A143 towards Great Yarmouth, north on the A12 towards Great Yarmouth, then south at the William Adams Way roundabout. This diversion will be reversed for southbound closures.

A120 Great Bromley: central barrier inspection

We are inspecting the barrier in the central reserve of the A120 from junction 29 (Great Bromley) to the junction with Harwich Road. We are working between 7pm and 7am, with the work due to be completed on Monday 21 March. While we are working, a lane will be closed on the A120 in both directions.

A47 Halvergate: ground inspection

We are conducting a ground inspection of the A47 by Branch Road near Halvergate. We will be working on Monday 21 March from 10pm to 5am. We will have three-way traffic lights in place while we are working, which will be at the junction of the A47 and Branch Road.

M1 Toddington Services: service area closure

Moto Services are closing the southbound service area at Toddington between 10pm on Sunday 20 March and 5am on Monday 21 March. This is to allow the service station to carry out car park resurfacing work. There will be no facilities available at Toddington. For more information please contact the service station.

M1: sign maintenance

We are working to maintain and improve the overhead gantries on the M1 southbound between junction 9 (M5 Markyate) and 7/8 (Hemel Hempstead). The M1 will be closed between the two junctions while we work from 10pm and 5am until Wednesday 23 March. There will be a clearly signed diversion route, drivers will exit at junction 9, take the A5183 through Redbourn, the B487, A4147 and then the A414 to re-join the M1 at junction 8.

Ongoing work

M11 and A120 Stansted Airport: road repairs

We are undertaking a number of schemes, which includes resurfacing parts of the M11 and A120, as part of a package of works. The package of works should be completed by July. We are also putting in new signs to make the road easier to navigate. We will be working between 8pm and 6am, with a number of road closures, lane closures and slip road closures. There will also be some daytime lane closures with speed limits in place. Where necessary, there will be a clearly signed diversion route in place.

This week we are repairing an embankment on the M11 at junction 6 (M25), working during the day to remove the embankment and then reconstruct it by replacing the material. This will make the embankment more secure and reduce the risk of flooding. We expect to complete this by July.

We are extending the central barrier on the M11 between junctions 6 (M25) and 7 (Harlow). This will be done overnight on Wednesday 23 March between 9pm and 5am.

In the same location we are repairing and improving the M11 between junctions 8 (Stansted Airport) and 6 (M25). Work should be completed imminently. There will be lane closures and speed restrictions throughout the works and a number of road closures between junctions 8 and 6, with all work taking place between 10pm and 6am.

We are resurfacing sections of the M11 northbound between junctions 7 (Harlow) and 8 (Stansted airport) on Monday 21 March, with the motorway closed between the two junctions while we are working. There will be a clearly signed diversion route whereby drivers will take the A414 past Harlow, A1184 through Sawbridgeworth and the A120 around Bishop’s Stortford to re-join the M11 at junction 8.

M11 and A14 Cambridgeshire: improvements

A package of work to carry out resurfacing, safety barrier renewal, bridge repairs, embankment repairs, replacing and installing new signs, repairing damaged kerbs and replacing road markings on the A14 and M11 in Cambridgeshire, has started and will continue until the end of June. The work is part of Highways England’s commitment to improve safety and ensure better journey experiences across the East region’s busiest roads.

You can stay informed of latest closures and works on our website.

This week we are repairing the embankment and the bridge on the A1307 Huntingdon Road. A lane closure is in place in both directions as well as a 40mph speed limit, to remain in place 24 hours a day with the other lane remaining open.

We are renewing and restoring the safety barrier in the centre of the road between junctions 31 (M11 interchange) and 34 (Horningsea). We will be working between 8pm and 6am, with work expected to be completed in April. While we are working there will be lane closures in both directions between the junctions overnight with a 40mph limit throughout the works.

We are doing some remedial work on the M11 at junction 13 (A1303 Madingley Road). On Monday 21 March there will be a lane closed between junctions 12 (A603) and 13 and the northbound exit slip road will be closed.

Northbound traffic will continue north on the M11 to junction 14 and head east on the A14 to junction 32, returning westbound on the A14 to the A428 and then to the entry slip from the A1303 where the diversion ends. Traffic wishing to return to the A1303 Madingley Road will continue to the Hardwick junction taking the exit and return east on the A428 to the Madingley exit slip, where the diversion ends. On Tuesday 22 March there will be a lane closed at the junction and the southbound entry slip will be closed. Southbound traffic will take the A1303 towards Cambridge, head south on the A1135, then take the A603 to re-join the M11 at junction 12.

M40: Essential maintenance

We are carrying out maintenance work along the M40 from junction 1 (Uxbridge, London) to 15 (Warwick). This includes sweeping, drainage clearing, litter picking, re-painting white lines, vegetation clearance, lighting maintenance and repair works. There will be overnight closures while we are working between 10pm and 6am.

This week we are working on the M40 northbound at junction 1 (Uxbridge) as the motorway goes over the junction, from Monday 21 to Thursday 24 March. Drivers will exit at junction 1 and then re-join at the same junction on the other side of our works.

We are working on the M40 northbound at junction 4 (High Wycombe) as the motorway goes under the junction, from Monday 21 to Wednesday 23 March. Drivers will exit at junction 4 and then re-join at the same junction on the other side of our works.

M40 J1A to J10, Bucks and Oxfordshire: overhead signs replacement

We are replacing the overhead message signs on the M40 between London and Bicester with new models. There will be hard shoulder closures and we will be working between 9.30am and 4.30pm as work begins. We will be replacing the signs between 10pm and 5am, with some slip roads closed. This work will be completed by the end of March.

Cycle improvements schemes in Suffolk, Essex, Norfolk and Bedfordshire

We are building or improving cycle paths at 17 locations across the East of England including on the A12, A120, A47 and A5. The work includes the installation of new and upgraded shared-use foot/cycle ways and toucan crossing facilities. The new or improved paths will make it safer and easier to cycle on or around major A-roads and will improve connections with the local and national cycle network. The project is part of a country-wide initiative which will see Highways England deliver 200 projects over the next five years after the government set up a £100 million dedicated fund for cycling in its Road Investment Strategy.

Ongoing work for this week

A12 Lowestoft – High Street / Old Nelson

Work to the existing crossing at the Artillery Way / Old Nelson street/ High Street junction started on 25 January and will be completed late March. The existing controlled pedestrian crossing will be removed and replaced with a realigned crossing along High Street, including the installation of new signage, surfacing and pavements to its approaches.

Work will be carried out under off peak lane closures using 2 way temporary traffic signals between 9:30am and 3:30pm. The existing pedestrian crossing will be decommissioned and a temporary crossing put in place for the duration of the works.

Night-time road closures will be required on 22 and 23 March on the A12 at Artillery Way, High Street and Old Nelson Street in both directions between St Peters Street roundabout and Battery Green roundabout between 6.30pm and 7am.

A12 Lowestoft – Gunton Hall Pinch Point

Work to the existing eastern footpath between Gunton Avenue & Bentley Drive Roundabout will start on 18 January until 1 April. The existing eastern footpath will be widened, operations include the removal of trees, reconstruction and installation of new signage, fencing, resurfacing and lining. Work will be carried out under lane closures using 2-way temporary traffic signals between 9:30am and 3:30pm. Night work may be required for surfacing and road markings between 6:30pm and 7am.

A12 Lowestoft Camden Street / High Street

Work to the existing eastern and western footpaths on A12 Jubilee Way between St Margaret’s Street and Camden Street will start on 18 January to early May. The work includes the installation of a new toucan crossing and localised widening of the existing eastern and western footways, as well as installation of new kerbs, street lighting and signage. Work will be carried out under lane closures between 9:30am and 3:30pm. Night work will be required for the traffic signal connections, street lighting installation, surfacing and street markings between 6:30pm and 7am.

A12 Lowestoft – Gunton Church Lane / Hollingsworth

Works to the existing eastern and western footpaths on A12 Yarmouth Road between Gunton Church Lane and Hollingsworth Road will start on 18 January until the end of March. There will be further work for almost two weeks towards the end of April. The works include the installation of a new toucan crossing and localised widening of the existing eastern and western footways, operations include full depth construction, installation of new kerbs, street lighting, signage, surfacing and lining to its approaches. Works will be carried out under off peak lane closures between 9:30 am and 3:30 pm. Night work will be required to install duct crossings for the street lighting and traffic signal, and surfacing and lining between 6:30pm and 7:00 am.

A12 Witham to Marks Tey

Works to the existing northern footpath on the A12 between Witham & Marks Tey and A1304 through Kelvedon, started on 25 January and will last until the end of April. The existing northern footpath is to be widened and operations include, full depth reconstruction and the installation of new kerbs, signage, fencing, resurfacing and lining. Works will be carried out under night lane closures between 9pm and 5am.

A12 Lowestoft – Bentley Drive / Foxburrow Hill Roundabout

Works to the existing eastern and western footpaths on A12 Yarmouth Road between Foxburrow Hill Roundabout and Foxes Walk will start on 15 February and finish by the end of April. The works include the installation of a new toucan crossing and localised widening of the existing eastern and western footways, operations include full depth construction, installation of new kerbs, street lighting, signage, surfacing and lining to its approaches. Works will be carried out under off peak lane closures between 9:30am and 3:30pm. Night work will be required to install duct crossings for the street lighting and traffic signal, as well as surfacing and lining between 6:30pm and 7am.

A12 Lowestoft – Foxburrow Hill

Works to the existing western footpath on A12 Yarmouth Road between Weston Road and Foxes Walk will start on 7 March until the end of March.

The works include the clearance of overgrown vegetation, installation of edgings, tactile paving, signage and surfacing. Works will be carried out under off peak lane closures between 9:30am and 3:30pm.

A12 Katwijk Way – St Peters Street

Work to the existing eastern and western footpaths on Katwijk Way and St Peters Street between St Peters Street Roundabout and Clapham Road Central started on 22 February and will last until early May.

The work includes the upgrade of the existing controlled pedestrian crossing on St Peters Street to a toucan crossing, widening of the southern footway, widening of the footway around the southern end of the roundabout, and installation of a new footpath to the eastern verge on Katwijk Way. The work includes full construction, installation of new kerbs, paving, street lighting, signage, and lining.

Works will be carried out under off peak lane closures between 9:30am and 3:30pm.

Night work will be required to remove / install street lighting, install traffic signals and traffic loops, and install road markings between the hours of 6:30pm and 7am.

A120 Parkeston roundabout

Work to the existing footpath on the A120 Parkeston Roundabout started on 22 February and will last until the end of March. The work includes improvements to the uncontrolled crossings and footway widening to the northern and southern sides of the Parkeston roundabout, and resurfacing of the eastern approaches to the roundabout. The work includes full construction, installation of new kerbs, and edgings, surfacing, signage, and lining. There will be 24-hour lane closures to the roundabout approaches with work being carried out between 7.30am and 5pm.

A5 Dunstable North

Work to upgrade the existing pedestrian crossing to a toucan crossing on A5 between junctions of Winfield Street and Regents Street will start on 28 February for three weeks. The work includes the installation of a new toucan crossing, installing new kerbs, edgings and paving, signage, and lining to its approaches. The work will be carried out under night lane closures using traffic signals between 7pm and 6am.

A47 Hockering

Work to the A47 to provide a path linking existing cycle routes between North Tuddenham and Hockering will begin late February and finish in April. The work includes construction of a new cycle path along the verge of the A47, installation of new kerbs, edgings and paving, fencing, drainage, signage and lining. The work will be carried out under lane closures overnight with traffic signals between Fox Lane Bridge and Mill Lane from 7.15pm until 7am.

A5-M1 Link (Dunstable Northern Bypass), Bedfordshire: major improvements

We are building a new 2.9-mile, two-lane dual carriageway running from north of Dunstable and joining the M1 at a new junction 11a, south of Chalton. Main construction started in March 2015.

Work on the M1

We have started work on the new M1 junction and bridges. The traffic management, including hard shoulder closures, safety barriers, signs, CCTV and average speed cameras, will stay in place throughout the junction construction work, which will be carried out in phases and should be finished in spring 2017 as the scheme nears completion. There will also be overnight lane closures when required, which will be clearly signed.

From Wednesday 16 March, we are starting work on installing beams for the new M1 junction 11A bridge and B579 Luton Road bridge. This work will continue until 10 April and we will need to close the M1, one direction at a time and overnight only between 10pm and 6am during the work, as well as close lanes in the opposite direction to the full closure when required, to carry out the work safely.

There will be overnight closures next week on 21, 22 and 23 March, weather permitting for the Luton Road bridge beam lift. M1 southbound full closure, M1 northbound lane closures.

Work on the A5:

On the A5, travelling from the A505, roundabout traffic has been realigned and now runs on the east side of the carriageway on one lane in each direction to allow for embankment work. Overnight three way traffic lights will be on A5/A505 between 8pm and 6pm.

There will be two-way, off-peak traffic lights occasionally in place for day-time work on the B579 Luton Rd near Vauxhall and into Chalton village.

A12 Essex: improvements

We are working to improve the A12 in Essex and Suffolk, making the road safer and improving the road surface. We are also putting in place new signs to make the road easier to navigate. Work at various locations along the route will be ongoing until spring 2016. The work is part of Highways England’s commitment to improve safety and ensure better journey experiences across the East region’s busiest roads. Works take place overnight between 8pm and 6am and not at weekends so as to minimise disruption for drivers.

You can stay informed of latest closures and works on our website.

This week we are repairing drainage on the A12 at Colchester between junction 27 and 29, with work expected to be completed by the end of the month. We will be working in both directions under lane closure.

We are reconstructing an embankment north of Colchester at junction 29, with work expected to be completed by early May. The A12 will be closed northbound beneath junction 29 while we are working, with drivers diverted to exit at the junction and re-join on the other side of the works.

A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon major improvements: survey work

We are currently carrying out topographical, drainage, pavement and street lighting surveys. We expect to complete these by the end of March.

These surveys allow us to map the layout and level of the existing road and assets (such as bridges), drainage network and adjacent land, so that we can fully understand the landscape we will be working in and finalise the design of the new road.

Surveys are taking place along the whole of the scheme route. This includes the land where the new Huntingdon southern bypass would be built and the existing A1 and A14 that form part of the scheme. Surveys of the existing route will require lane closures in both directions and will take place at night only (usually between 8pm and 6am) to minimise any disruption to traffic. No heavy machinery or plant equipment will be used.

Lane and/or traffic light closures are currently scheduled on:

• Monday 21 March: A14 eastbound, junction 28 (Swavesey) to junction 29 (Bar Hill)
• Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 March: Hilton Road, Fenstanton there will be two way traffic light closures.
• Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 March: M11 northbound (junction 14) / A14 westbound, junction 31 (Girton) to junction 28a (Robins Lane)
• Wednesday 23 March: Robins Lane there will be two way traffic light closures.
• Wednesday 23 March: Ermine Street, Godmanchester there will be two way traffic light closures.

A14 Ipswich, Suffolk: Orwell Bridge safety improvements

Work to introduce a new speed limit, improve road markings and install new traffic signs as part of a package of measures to improve safety on the A14 Orwell Bridge in Suffolk is underway and is expected to complete by spring 2016. This work will also see the installation of average speed cameras enforcing a new speed limit of 60mph. Much of the work will be undertaken within lane closures.

A14 Stowmarket: Hill house viaduct repairs

We are repairing the A14 on the Hill House viaduct between junctions 49 and 50 as it passes Stowmarket. This work should be completed by the end of June. We will be working between 8pm and 6am on weekdays and some weekends during this period. While we are working we will close the A14 in one direction, installing a contraflow system in place so that traffic can still use the A14. The A14 will have to be closed for one night in each direction while we install the contraflow. When the A14 is closed, there will be a clearly signed diversion route in place. There will be a 40mph speed limit in place 24/7 throughout the works to protect the ramps and exposed parts of the road we are working on.

There will be two weekends where we expect 24 hour closures. Further details of these closures, which are dependent on works progress, will be released closer to the time. Throughout the weekend closures there will be a clearly signed diversion route in place.

A138 Chelmer Village, Chelmsford, Essex: Chelmer Viaduct replacement

Work to rebuild the viaduct at Chelmer on the A138 started on 17 March 2015. The major improvement work on the Chelmer Viaduct in Chelmsford will take approximately 18 months to complete.

The reinforced deck construction is nearly completed on both sides of the River Chelmer. The earthworks are well advanced either side of the main viaduct structure. Initial off-line pavement surfacing works have been carried out on the embankment. Parapet installation has finished on both the south and north side and footway construction is ongoing.

The surfacing work on the main viaduct is ongoing and construction has begun to the traffic islands at either end.

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 following summary of planned new and ongoing road improvements over the coming week is correct as of 18 March but could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. All our improvement work is carried out with the aim of causing as little disruption as possible.

M2 Stockbury Viaduct, junction 5, Sittingbourne, Kent: concrete repair

Work to improve journeys by maintaining the bridge will take place this week. Lane closures will be in place on the coast-bound entry slip road overnight, between 8pm and 6am, and during the day between 9.30am and 3.30pm, from Monday 21 March for 3 nights and days.

M20 junctions 8 to 9, Ashford, Kent: white lining and carriageway resurfacing

Work to improve journeys on the M20 by resurfacing and re-marking the white lines will take place this week. Lane closures will be in place on the coastbound carriageway between junction 8 and 9 overnight, between 8pm and 6am, from Monday 21 March for 3 nights.

M23 junction 9 Gatwick: carriageway resurfacing

Work to improve journeys by resurfacing the carriageway will continue this week. The northbound spur road from the South Terminal and entry slip road to the M23 will be closed overnight, between 10pm and 4am, on Monday 21 March. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via junction 10 and return.

M23 junctions 10a to 11, Surrey: carriageway resurfacing

Work to improve journeys by resurfacing the carriageway will continue this week. Lane closures will be in place on the southbound carriageway between junctions 10a and 11 overnight, between 10pm and 4am, from Monday 21 March for 3 days. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the A2011 and A23 to junction 11.

A2 Bean to Ebbsfleet, Kent: carriageway resurfacing

Work to improve journeys by resurfacing sections of the carriageway will continue this week. The coastbound carriageway will be closed between the B255 exit slip road at Bean and the A296 entry slip road overnight, between 9pm and 5am, from Monday 21 March for 3 nights. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the B255 and the A296. In addition, a lane closure will be in place on the London-bound carriageway during the same time.

The coastbound carriageway will be closed between the B255 exit slip road at Bean and Roman Road entry slip road from midnight on Saturday 26 March (into Sunday) for 34 hours through to 10am on Monday 28 March. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the B255 exit slip road and the A296.

A20 Alkham Valley, Dover, Kent: feeder pillar renewal

Work to improve journeys on the A20 continues this week. Narrow lanes will be in place in both directions on Alkham Valley Road, between 9.30am and 3.30pm, from Monday 21 March for 3 days.

A20 Dover, Kent: junction improvement work

Work by the Port of Dover to improve journeys on the A20 continues this week. Lane closures will be in place with one lane remaining open in both directions between the Limekiln and York Street roundabouts 24/7 for the duration of the works. In addition, there will be no right turns from the A20 eastbound on to Union Street and from Union Street on to the A20. Clearly signed diversions will be in place.

It is anticipated that there will be increased traffic along the A20 as a result of the Easter break. Drivers are advised to plan their journeys and allow extra time for their journeys if required.

For more information on the project, visit the Port of Dover’s website.

A21 Tonbridge to Pembury, Kent: major improvement

Work to improve journeys on the A21 between Tonbridge and Pembury continues this week. A 40mph speed limit will remain in place 24/7 between the Vauxhall interchange and the A228.

Two way traffic lights will be in place on the coastbound entry slip road at Vauxhall interchange, between 9.30am and 3.30pm, from Monday 21 March for 3 days. In addition, the coastbound entry slip road at Vauxhall interchange will be closed overnight, between 8pm and 6am, from Monday 21 March for 4 nights. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the A26 and the A228.

Two way traffic lights will be in place between the Vauxhall interchange and Longfield Roundabout overnight, between 8pm and 6am, from Monday 21 March for 3 nights.

The scheme is due to be completed in spring 2017.

For further information visit the scheme website.

A23 Pyecombe to Patcham, East Sussex: carriageway investigation

Work to maintain safety on the A23 continues this week. Lane closures will be in place on both carriageways overnight, between 8pm and 6am, from Monday 21 March for 3 nights.

A27 Adur Viaduct, West Sussex: carriageway resurfacing

Work to improve safety on the A27 by resurfacing the slip roads starts this week. The east and westbound entry and exit slip roads will be closed overnight, between 8pm and 6am, from Monday 21 March for 3 nights. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the Holmbush interchange and Lancing roundabout.

A27 Arundel, West Sussex: footpath investigation

Work to maintain safety on the A27 will start this week. Two way traffic lights will be in place between Crossbush and the White Swan overnight, between 8pm and 6am, from Monday 21 March for 3 nights.

A27 Falmer Footbridge, East Sussex: bridge maintenance

Work to replace the ramp on the footbridge over the A27 at Falmer continues this week. Narrow lanes and a 50mph speed limit will be in place on the westbound carriageway and the outside lane of the westbound exit slip road will be closed 24/7 until the end of the scheme. Work is due to be complete in May 2016.

A27 Upper Brighton Road, Sompting, West Sussex: carriageway resurfacing

Work to improve road safety on the A27 will continue this week. The eastbound carriageway will be closed overnight, between 8pm and 5am, from Monday 21 March for 3 nights. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the A24, A259 and A2025 through Worthing. Access to Lyons Farm Retail park will be maintained at all times.

A27 Mill Hill, West Sussex: vegetation clearance

Work to improve journeys by carrying out vegetation clearance will start this week. There will be lane closures on both carriageways overnight, between 8pm and 6am, from Monday 21 March for 3 nights. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the Holmbush Interchange and Lancing roundabout.

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 following summary of planned new and ongoing road improvements over the coming week is correct as of Friday 18 March but could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. All our improvement work is carried out with the aim of causing as little disruption as possible.

A1 junction 56 Barton to junction 51 Leeming Bar

There will be phases of overnight lane closures and full carriageway closures while work takes place to upgrade the road to motorway standards. There will also be narrow lanes and a 50mph speed restriction 24 hours a day. From Monday 21 to Wednesday 23 March there will be a carriageway closure southbound between Scotch Corner and junction 51. These closures will take place between 8pm and 6am with diversions in place. The project is due to be completed by spring 2017.

A1 Lamesley to Swalwell, Gateshead

Narrow lanes and a 40mph speed limit are in place while work is carried out to upgrade the section of the A1 past Gateshead. There will be a carriageway closure northbound between junctions 67 and 69 and southbound between junctions 73 and 67, taking place from Monday 21 to Wednesday 23 March. The carriageway will then be closed northbound between junctions 67 and 69 and southbound between junctions 69 and 68, taking place Thursday 24 and Friday 25 March. All these closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, with a diversion in place. There are also overnight lane closures between 8pm and 6am. The project is due to be completed by early summer 2016.

A1 Morpeth, Northumberland

There will be work ongoing until the end of 2016 for the construction of a bypass. There will be various phases of daytime and night time lane and carriageway closures, with narrow lanes and a 40mph speed restriction in place. From Monday 21 to Wednesday 23 March there will be a carriageway closure southbound, taking place between 8pm and 6am with a diversion in place.

A1 Tritlington, Northumberland

There will be traffic signals in operation north and southbound 24 hours a day for construction work. This will take place until Thursday 24 March, restarting again after Easter on Tuesday 29 March until Wednesday 6 April.

A1 Newton on the Moor, Northumberland

There will be a lane closure southbound for drainage work. This will take place until Wednesday 23 March between 8am and 6pm.

A1 Seaton Burn to Morpeth, Northumberland

There will be a lane closure north and southbound for inspection work. This will take place on Monday 21 March between 9.30am and 3.30pm.

A1 Beal, Northumberland

There will be a daytime slip road closure north and southbound between 6am and 8pm, and traffic signals between 8pm and 6am for resurfacing work. This will take place until mid April, breaking from Thursday 24 to Tuesday 29 March for Easter.

A1M junction 63, County Durham

There will be a closure of the southbound entry and exit slip roads for resurfacing work. This will take place Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 March between 8pm and 6am, with diversions in place.

A1M junction 59 to 60, County Durham

There will be a carriageway closure northbound for resurfacing work. This will take place Monday 21 to Wednesday 23 March between 8pm and 6am, with a diversion in place.

A66 Little Burdon, County Durham

There will be a lane closure east and westbound for maintenance work. This will take until Wednesday 23 March between 9.30am and 3.30pm.

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 following summary of planned new and ongoing road improvements over the coming week is correct as of 18 March but could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. All our improvement work is carried out with the aim of causing as little disruption as possible.

M3 junctions 2 (M25) to 4a Farnborough, Hampshire: smart motorway improvement

Work to reduce congestion and improve journey times continues this week with narrow lanes, a contraflow and a 50mph speed limit in place on both carriageways between junctions 2 and 4a, with a free recovery service operating 24 hours a day until the end of 2016.

Both carriageways will be closed between junctions 2 and 3 overnight, between 8pm and 5.30am, on Monday 21 March and Wednesday 23 March. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the A322, A30 to M25 junction 13. The southbound entry slip road at junction 4a will be closed overnight, between 9pm and 5.30am, from Monday 21 March for 3 nights. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the A327 and A30 to junction 5.

Both carriageways will be closed between junctions 3 and 4 overnight, between 9pm and 5.30am, on Tuesday 22 March. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the A322 and A30.

For further details visit the scheme website.

M3 junction 5 Hook, Hampshire: slip road resurfacing

Work to improve safety on the M3 by resurfacing the slip roads takes place this week. The southbound exit slip road will be closed overnight, between 10pm and 6am, from Monday 21 March for 3 nights. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the A287 and A30.

M4 junction 13 Chieveley, West Berkshire: drainage and street lighting

Work to maintain safety by carrying out maintenance to the drainage and street lighting around the junction takes place this week. Lane closures will be in place on all approaches and on the roundabout overnight, between 9pm and 6am, on Monday 21 March.

M4 junction 15 Swindon, Wiltshire: traffic signal maintenance

Work to maintain safety by carrying out maintenance to the traffic signals takes place this week. Lane closures will be in place on all approaches and on the roundabout overnight, between 9pm and 6am, from Tuesday 22 March for 2 nights.

M27 junction 3 to M271 junction 1 Nursling, Hampshire: carriageway repair

Work to improve safety on the M271 takes place this week. The southbound carriageway will be closed overnight, between 10pm and 6am, from Monday 21 March for 3 nights. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the M27 junction 2.

M27 junctions 5 to 4 Eastleigh to Chilworth, Hampshire: carriageway resurfacing

Work to maintain safety along the M27 takes place this week. The westbound carriageway will be closed overnight, between 10pm and 6am, from Monday 21 March for 3 nights. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the M3 junction 12.

M27 junction 10 Fareham, Hampshire: slip road resurfacing

Work to improve safety on slip roads along the M27 takes place this week. The eastbound entry and westbound exit slip roads will be closed overnight, between 10pm and 6am, on Wednesday 23 March. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via junction 11.

A27 Eastern Road to Broadmarsh Portsmouth, Hampshire: resurfacing

Work to improve safety on the A27 takes place this week. The eastbound carriageway between Eastern Road and Broadmarsh will be closed overnight, between 10pm and 6am, from Monday 21 March for 3 nights. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the A2030.

A3 Hampshire and Surrey: carriageway resurfacing

Work to improve safety along the A3 in Hampshire and Surrey takes place this week. The northbound carriageway will be closed from Longmoor to Compton overnight, between 10pm and 6am, from Monday 21 March for 3 nights. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the A325 and A31.

A31 Bere Regis to Red Post, Dorset: drainage maintenance

Work to improve journeys by carrying out drainage maintenance along the A31 in Dorset continues this week. The A31 will be closed in both directions overnight, between 10pm and 6am, from Monday 21 March until mid-April (Monday to Friday only). A clearly signed diversion will be in place from the Roundhouse roundabout via the A350 and A35. Access will be maintained for residents living within the closure and managed locally on site.

A34 Chilton interchange, Oxfordshire: junction improvement

Work to improve journey times and safety by constructing new slip roads and improving the layout of the Chilton interchange continues this week. The northbound exit slip road at the junction will be closed overnight, between 9pm and 6am, until late spring (Monday to Friday only). Work is due to be completed in summer 2016.

For further details visit the scheme website.

A34 Milton interchange, Oxfordshire: junction improvement

Work to improve journey times and safety by improving the layout of the Milton interchange continues this week. Narrow lanes and a temporary speed limit will be in place 24/7. Work is due to be completed in spring 2016.

For further details visit the scheme website.

A34 Wytham, Oxfordshire: bridge joint repair

Work to maintain journeys by undertaking bridge joint replacement near Wytham starts this week. The northbound carriageway between the A420 Botley interchange and the A44 Peartree interchange will be closed overnight, between 10pm and 6am, from Monday 21 March for 5 nights. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the Oxford ring-road.

A34 Weston-on-the-Green, Oxfordshire: resurfacing

Work to improve journeys by resurfacing the carriageway near Weston-on-the-Green takes place this week. The A34 southbound carriageway from the M40 junction 9 to the Islip junction will be closed overnight, between 10pm and 6am, on Monday 21 March.

A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the M40 junction 8a, A40 and the A423 Eastern-By-Pass to re-join the A34 at Hinksey Hill. A clearly signed diversion for motorway restricted vehicles will be in place via the A4095 and A44.

A303 Andover, Hampshire: resurfacing

Work to improve journeys by resurfacing sections of the westbound carriageway between Picket Twenty and the A3057 takes place this week. The westbound carriageway between the A3093 Picket Twenty and A343 Hundred Acre will be closed overnight, between 9pm and 6am, from Monday 21 March for 2 nights. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the Andover ring-road (A3093, A343).

A303 Thruxton, Hampshire: resurfacing

Work to improve journeys by resurfacing sections of both carriageways near Thruxton continues this week. The westbound carriageway will be closed overnight, between 9pm and 6am, from Wednesday 23 March until Friday 8 April (Monday to Friday only). A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the A338, Ludgershall and A342 Andover Road.

A404 Burchetts Green, Berkshire: street lighting

Work to maintain safety by replacing lighting heads around the junction takes place this week. The northbound entry slip road will be closed overnight, between 9pm and 6am, on Monday 21 March. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the A404(M) junction 9b roundabout.

A404 Burchetts Green, Berkshire to Marlow, Buckinghamshire: street lighting and traffic signalling

Work to maintain safety by replacing lighting heads and maintaining traffic signals along the A404 finishes this week. Lane closures will be in place on both carriageways overnight, between 9pm and 6am, until Wednesday 23 March.

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.

In a case brought by the Environment Agency, MCB Ltd were in court on 17 March 2016 for polluting the River Wey and the Lasham Drain (which carries surface water runoff and is a tributary of the River Wey).

MCB Ltd pleaded guilty to 2 offences: causing a water discharge activity and breaching the condition of its environmental permit with respect to monitoring the Lasham Drain for fungus. The offences resulted in the discharge of process trade effluent from the installation activities at their premises at Alton Brewery, Lower Turk Street, Manor Park, Alton, Hampshire into the Lasham Drain and causing pollution which went undetected.

The court heard that there had been gutters on the building known as the “boiler room” located next to a trade effluent chamber that ran directly to the Lasham Drain. The gutters had been removed when the building had been extended and the chamber was converted from a storm water drain to a trade waste effluent drain from this section of the building. When the alterations were made the contractors had used a liner which did not seal the chamber to divert the trade effluent, resulting in not completely blocking the existing pipe and pathway to the Lasham Drain.

The Environment Agency first received reports of the presence of fungus in the stream flowing outside Waterside Court Alton, before flowing along the River Wey towards Holybourne. An Environment Agency officer checked the watercourse and confirmed that a lot of fungus was present in Waterside Court.

Environment Officers traced the pollution to MCB Ltd premises where a discharge of trade effluent was seen to be entering the Lasham Drain culvert within the brewery. The effluent was discovered to be flowing into the Lasham Drain culvert through the cracks and defects in the chamber.

The company had also failed to respond to the regular monitoring and visual inspections that they were obliged to carry out as a requirement of their permit issued by the Environment Agency. This monitoring clearly indicated that there was a serious problem in the Lasham Drain but MCB Ltd failed to act upon this information.

The drainage problems at MCB Ltd which caused the pollution led to a significant reduction in the water’s biological quality at Lasham Drain and downstream in the Wey North, compared with that of the upstream control site. The presence of large quantities of sewage fungus indicated that very high nutrient organic matter was entering the Lasham Drain.

Paul Greaves, Senior Environment Agency officer said:

We take these types of incidents very seriously and will do everything within our powers to safeguard the environment and people affected, and that includes bringing those who harm the environment to account for their actions.

It is important that the courts send out a clear message to all companies operating in this sector. Regulations are there to protect the environment and that the courts will act firmly where regulations are breached and where the environment is either damaged or put at risk of damage.

When Scotland voted to stay in the United Kingdom the agreement was that the Scottish Parliament would become one of the most powerful devolved parliaments in the world and that Scotland would hold on to the benefits of being part of the UK.

On Wednesday the Scottish Parliament unanimously backed the UK Government’s legislation to make Holyrood one of the most powerful devolved parliaments in the world.

Since September 2014, the UK Government has also delivered on the other side of our promise – the commitment that Scotland would continue to benefit from being part of the UK and play a full role in the great work the UK does at home and abroad.

The referendum was a historic decision by the people of Scotland who are now getting on with their lives. Meanwhile, the UK Government is getting on with what people expect us to do – protecting our people, growing our economy, creating opportunities at home and stepping in to help some of the most vulnerable people in the world. Below are some of the things the UK Government has been getting on with.

Secretary of State for Scotland David Mundell said:

The Scottish Parliament’s approval of the Scotland Bill is a historic step which helps transform devolution. The UK Government has kept our promise to make Holyrood one of the most powerful devolved parliaments in the world while ensuring Scotland still holds on to the benefits of being part of the UK.

Since the referendum in 2014 Scotland has been at the heart of UK efforts to improve our national security, grow the UK economy and to offer help to some of the most vulnerable people in the world. The UK Government is getting on with it and Scotland is playing its part.

Delivering for Scotland

• Scotland has 2.6 million people in work and a higher employment rate than England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
• Millions of UK pensioners will benefit from the biggest real terms increase to the state pension for 15 years.
• A new National Living Wage means that anyone 25 or over on the minimum wage in the UK will get a pay rise from this April.
• The UK Government spends 0.7% of our GDP on international aid and we supported the amazing efforts of our NHS staff, military, charities and aid workers who helped to fight the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
• The UK shares a strong currency and UK interest rates, mortgage rates and inflation have been kept at historically low levels.
• The UK Government has stepped into to help the oil and gas industry at a difficult time when the price of oil has fallen by around two-thirds.
• UK consular staff around the world helped more than 17,000 British nationals and issued nearly 38,000 emergency travel documents in 2014/15.
• UK Aid has helped 11 million children through school in the last 5 years.
• The UK economy has enjoyed 12 successive quarters of growth during a turbulent time for the world economy.
• 122 elite Scottish athletes are being financially supported by £35 million of UK funding to help them perform to the best of their ability at the Rio Olympics.
• The UK Government is changing the law so that all companies with more than 250 employees need to publish details of the pay gap between their male and female staff.
• The new Transpennine rail contract means there will be 31 new state of the art 125mph trains running on cross-border services, helping to transport the 8 million rail journeys that people make to and from Scotland and the rest of the UK each year.
• The UK Government is hosting centenary commemorations for the Battle of Jutland in Orkney in May this year.
• Nine new Maritime Patrol Aircraft will be stationed at RAF Lossiemouth in Moray and play a vital role in protecting the whole of the UK.
• Out of a total of £1.8bn Research Council funding for UK universities and Higher Education Institutes (HEI) in 2014/15, £264m went to Scotland, which is 15% of the HEI Research Council funding.
• The UK is now investing over £3 billion to improve our cyber security and to help protect people all across the UK who bank and shop online.
• The UK is now doubling our total contribution to the Syria crisis to £2.3 billion – this is the UK’s largest ever response to a single humanitarian crisis.
• The UK hosted a conference in London in February which raised $11 billion for Syrian refugees – the most amount of money ever raised in a single day for a humanitarian crisis.
• The UK Government continues to use the Barnett formula so that Scotland receives a fair share of any new devolved spending in England and Wales. This means that Scotland’s schools and hospitals are supported by UK funding.
• The new Fiscal Framework agreement means that Scotland will continue to benefit from financial sharing risks and rewards with the rest of the UK when it comes to raising taxes and public spending.
• The UK led the international response to the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone. 250 UK Government staff worked on the crisis along with 1500 British military personnel and 150 NHS volunteers from the UK who were all deployed to Sierra Leone. The UK provided training for 4000 Sierra Leonean and international healthcare workers as well as 1500 beds and 200 vehicles.