Business & growth

Trade & Investment White Paper: The Government has published its strategy for how trade and investment can drive the UK’s economic recovery – it is a key part of its plan for growth.

New support for exporters: Four new schemes will be created to help exporters get access to credit and insure themselves against risk, and one existing scheme will be extended.

UK manufacturing: A survey by the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply's manufacturing activity index has revealed that UK manufacturing in January expanded at its fastest pace since records began in 1992.

Local Enterprise Partnership: Business Minister Mark Prisk has held his first meeting with a LEP in Reading where he met with Thames Valley Berkshire local enterprise partnership.

New Guide:  The Automotive Council has published a new guide to improve communication between automotive technology developers.

Flourishing marine industries: Marine industries are a major contributor to the UK economy with £10bn turnover, £3.7bn gross value added, 120,000 jobs.

Skills & higher education

National Apprenticeship Week: Business Secretary Vince Cable and Skills Minister John Hayes have urged more employers to drive economic growth by creating a new generation of skilled workers, while underling the government’s commitment to increase the budget for Apprenticeships to over £1,400 million in 2011-12.

Green skills for growth: The UK's green & renewable industries prospects for sustained growth were boosted as Mr Hayes announced a new for Environmental Technologies.

Part-time package: Universities and Science Minister David Willetts has announced the details of how eligible part-time students in England will benefit from new loans for tuition from the 2012/13 academic year. He has also commented on the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)'s circular letter to Vice Chancellors on the provisional distribution of funding in 2011-12.

Consumer affairs & regulation

Empowering consumers: Consumer Minister Ed Davey wants to explore ideas with the public, communities and businesses on empowering the consumers.

Streamlined regulation: Mr Prisk has outlined plans for streamlining and improving how regulators deal with businesses, following a six month review of the Local Better Regulation Office (LBRO).

Science & research

Pfizer task force: The task force established by the Government to look at alternative uses for Pfizer's research and development campus at Sandwich held its first meeting this week.

Foresight project: Government Chief Scientific Adviser Sir John Beddington announced that Dame Clara Furse will chair the Lead Expert Group for its latest Foresight project, ‘The Future of Computer Trading in Financial Markets’.

Life Sciences boost: The UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation has received a further boost following Government approval of the Medical Research Council’s business case for the institute.
 

Get involved

The department currently has six consultations open. They include:

• Resolving workplace disputes
• Employed students and the accommodation offset
• A new approach to financial regulation: Consultation on reforming the consumer credit regime