A Boost For Local Enterprise

The Parliamentary Yearbook is currently gathering news items for major features on the regeneration of our urban landscape in the next edition and has been following the progress of Local Enterprise Partnerships since their launch in the Summer of 2010

The Government yesterday announced core funding for Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) to allow them to drive forward their growth priorities.

Local Enterprise Partnerships are central to the Government's approach to driving local economic growth and for ensuring that every community is able to fulfil its potential. This offer of over £24million from Government could unlock up to £20million locally and will enable Local Enterprise Partnerships to deliver their local plans for growth.

LEPs are locally-owned partnerships between local authorities and businesses and play a central role in determining local economic priorities and undertaking activities to drive economic growth and the creation of local jobs. They are also a key vehicle in delivering Government objectives for economic growth and decentralisation, whilst also providing a means for local authorities to work together with business in order to quicken the economic recovery.

This is a key change in the approach to how local economic development happens - local authorities and central government used to ask business to comment on strategies that were developed but now the business community is in the driving seat.

Local Enterprise Partnerships now cover 94 per cent of all businesses in England. They represent 22 million employees or 95 per cent of the total workforce.

There are 39 Local Enterprise Partnerships across England. Each Local Enterprise Partnership is made up of local businesses working in partnership with a combination of local authorities. Each Local Enterprise Partnership is different - each one reflects the need of local businesses and the local economy. As Local Enterprise Partnerships are based on more meaningful economic areas, they are better placed to determine the needs of the local economy along with a greater ability to identify barriers to local economic growth.

Yesterday’s announcement means that an interim £5million funding package will be made available immediately for all Local Enterprise Partnerships to draw upon for the remainder of this financial year. This will be followed by up to £250,000 per Local Enterprise Partnership per year for the following two years. Where matched by funds locally the overall funding pot could equate up to £45million over this period. The central government funding will be provided on a 50/50 basis by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

Local Growth Minister Mark Prisk said:

"Today's £25million boost will give Local Enterprise Partnerships the financial stability they need going forward, to build on their early successes and tailor the support they offer to local needs. If matched by local support, this could mean that up to £45million will be available to help Local Enterprise Partnerships turn their plans into jobs and growth."

Business and Enterprise Minister Michael Fallon, said:

"It is crucial we arm Local Enterprise Partnerships with the tools and resources they need to play a prominent role in delivering growth and jobs for their communities. This funding will help Local Enterprise Partnerships plan for the long term and ensure they can remain locally-led instead of dependent on central government support.

"We need to ensure Local Enterprise Partnerships remain voluntary business and civic partnerships so they are in the best possible position to deliver sustainable growth and job creation in their areas. Already we are seeing Local Enterprise Partnerships across England delivering innovative schemes in their communities. This financial support will help the partnerships to continue this work."

Local Enterprise Partnerships will be invited to bid for matched funding for 2013/14 and 2014/15, setting out how they would be able to offer a cash match from public or private resources. Details of the scope of the match will be discussed with Local Enterprise Partnerships shortly.

The Government made £5million of core funding available to Local Enterprise Partnerships last year to help them start up and establish themselves through financial support for things such as board support, development of priorities and business engagement. This was followed by a further £4million to build capacity over a four year period.

For 2013/14 and 2014/15, matched funding will be offered of up to £250,000 per LEP per annum, with DCLG and BIS together contributing £10million per year. Local Enterprise Partnerships wishing to utilise this funding will be required to source match funding of equal value.

This brief article summarises the situation as it stands today. We shall be adding to the article as there are further developments and any changes to the plans will be reflected in the content. The full report will be published in print and online in the next edition of the Parliamentary Yearbook.

Web: www.parliamentaryyearbook.co.uk
Email: parliamentaryyearbook@blakemedia.org
18^th September 2012

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Turning The Tide On Piracy

The Parliamentary Yearbook is currently gathering news items for major features in the next edition covering international measures to protect the world’s sea lanes against piracy and has been following closely the success of Operation Atalanta

In a report published earlier this monthThe House of Lords EU Committee for External Affairs has praised the success of Operation Atalanta in curbing piracy off the Somali coast. However, they say that the operation must be extended beyond its current end date of December 2014 if it is to make a lasting difference in combating the threat.

European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Operation Atalanta was launched by the European Union on 8 December 2008 and is conducted in accordance with United Nations Security Council’s resolutions. The Operation has been extended by the European Council until December 2014 and has the following objectives:

• Protect vessels of the World Food Programme, Humanitarian aid and African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) shipping
• Help deter, prevent and repress acts of piracy and armed robbery.
• Protect vulnerable shipping
• Monitor fishing activities off the coast of Somalia

Operation Atalanta’s participation goes beyond EU Member States. Norway was the first non-EU country to contribute to the Operation with one warship, in 2009. Furthermore, Croatia and Ukraine have provided staff officers to the Operational Headquarters (OHQ). Additionally, offers by Montenegro and Serbia to contribute have been accepted and a Participation Agreement has been concluded to this effect, allowing the contribution of naval officers.

Also a considerable international military naval presence is now in the area, comprising the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), NATO and also units from China, India, Japan, Russia, Taiwan and others – all committed to Counter Piracy but to some extend with varying mandates and mission objectives. EU NAVFOR ATALANTA has permanent liaison with these forces to deconflict their operations in time and space in the mission area.

The funding of EU NAVFOR ATALANTA amounted to €8.4 million for 2010 and €8.05 million for 2011. A budget of €14.9 million is provided for the common costs of the prolonged mandate until December 2014.

The Committee say in their report that Operation Atalanta has made clear progress in reducing the number of ships pirated, with only 8 vessels and 215 hostages held in June 2012 compared to 23 vessels and 501 hostages in the same month in 2011.

Nonetheless the report makes clear that it is vital this effort is extended beyond 2014 to show the EU will not walk away from confronting piracy in the Indian Ocean. Otherwise organisations and individuals that organise piracy will simply wait out the operation before returning to their previous activities.

The report welcomes the increase in trials and imprisonment of pirates and particularly praises the role played by the Seychelles. However, the Committee do express concerns about the policy of transferring sentenced pirates back to Somalia for imprisonment and suggest there is a risk of breakouts. They call on the EU and UN to work together to monitor pirate prisons. They also say efforts should be made to ensure the imprisonment includes some efforts at rehabilitation as well as punishment, particularly for young pirates.

The findings in the report include:

• Somali piracy will never be completely eradicated until the root causes of the problems in the country are addressed. The Committee welcome EU efforts to increase aid to the country and say that aid should be focused on providing alternative livelihoods for the Somali people to reduce the incentives to engage in piracy
• The Committee have changed their view on the use of armed guards on ships since their original report on piracy and now support the initiative as the evidence showed that no ship with an armed guard has been pirated and the use of guards has not escalated violence
• The report welcomes the high degree of international cooperation in tackling Somali piracy with national navies of Russia, China and India all playing a role. This should act as a model for military cooperation in other theatres including EU-NATO relations
• The role of China in particular is welcome and evidence of its increasing cooperation with the international community

Commenting Lord Teverson, Chairman of the Lords EU Committee for External Affairs, said:

"Operation Atalanta has clearly made real progress in reducing the threat of Somali piracy. However if the situation is to continue to improve it is important the pirates know the international commitment to stop their activities is real and ongoing. To ensure this, Operation Atalanta should now have its remit extended beyond 2014.

“As we identified in our previous report reducing piracy requires reducing the incentive for Somalis to become pirates. As well as increasing the risk involved by improving detection and punishment of those engaged in piracy we also need viable alternatives for Somalis to provide for their families.

“Again the EU is making progress but it is important that aid is now focused on providing alternative forms of livelihood so people don’t resort to piracy."

The Parliamentary Year book will continue to report on the progress of this and other anti-piracy measures as we go through the months ahead.

Web: www.parliamentaryyearbook.co.uk
Email: parliamentaryyearbook@blakemedia.org
31^st August 2012

Student Immigration

The Parliamentary Yearbook is currently gathering news items for major features in the next edition covering the UK education system and has been following closely the efforts of Government to provide a balance between the need to limit immigration and the economic benefit of overseas students coming to the UK

In the wake of the withdrawal of London Metropolitan University’s licence to sponsor students from outside the EU, the Commons Public Accounts Committee today published its Report: 'Immigration: Points Based System-Student Route'.

The Committee examined, on the basis of evidence from the Home Office and the UK Border Agency, the implementation and management of the student route of the Points Based System for immigration.

The Rt Hon Margaret Hodge MP, Chair of the Committee of Public Accounts, today said:

"It is extraordinary that the UK Border Agency introduced its new points based system for students before proper controls were in place to replace the old ones.

“The result of the Agency's poorly planned and ill-thought out course of action was chaos: an immediate high level of abuse of the new system and a surge in the number of student visas. In 2009 the number of migrants who abused the student route to work rather than study went up by as much as 40,000 to 50,000.

“Since then, the Agency has been playing catch-up, continually adjusting the rules and procedures in order to try and tackle abuse.

“The result has been to create a huge amount of bureaucracy for universities and an increasingly complex system for students to navigate. A bad situation has been made worse by the poor customer support being provided by the Agency.

“Genuine international students make a valuable contribution to life in the UK and to our economy, and the Agency must reduce the burden on those students and institutions who pose a low risk.

Despite the surge in the number of people abusing the student route, the Agency has not done enough to remove those who are here illegally. Even where it has been told by colleges that so-called students are not studying, it has been unacceptably slow to act.

“The Agency must take urgent enforcement action to remove them. This would also send a message to other would-be migrants that the student route is not an easy option for those with no intention of studying."

International students contribute significant economic benefit to the UK and provide an important income stream for UK education institutions. There is tension though between the twin goals of ensuring a flow of high quality students into the UK and ensuring and maintaining public confidence in the immigration system. The Home Office, through the UK Border Agency (the Agency), introduced Tier 4 of the Points Based System for student immigration in March 2009 to control the entry of students from outside the European Economic Area who come to the UK to study. Under Tier 4, students have to be sponsored by an educational institution (sponsor) licensed by the Agency and responsibility for testing whether applicants are likely to comply with their visa conditions has been transferred from the Agency to the sponsor.

The Committee found that the Agency implemented the new system before proper controls were in place. It removed the controls it relied on under the old system; primarily, intentions testing and spot check interviews by entry clearance officers, before it had replaced them with new checks and controls. The Agency did not make their secure electronic system, which demonstrated that a student had been sponsored by a licensed sponsor, mandatory until February 2010. In the meantime, the Agency had to rely on letters from sponsors, which were easily forged. The Agency had also only visited 30 % of the education institutions it had licensed as sponsors by March 2009 when it launched Tier 4. The controls gap enabled a surge in student visas and, in 2009 an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 additional migrants came to the UK to work rather than study.

After a poorly planned and ill-thought out implementation of Tier 4 in 2009, the Agency has had to spend the subsequent three years amending rules and procedures in an effort to reduce abuse. This constant change has made it very difficult and costly for students and education institutions to keep up to date with the increasingly complex set of rules and guidance that has emerged. The supporting advice and guidance offered by the Agency has not been good enough. Furthermore, the Agency has not introduced ways to ease the burden on those students and sponsors that can safely be considered low risk, potentially damaging the benefits to the UK education sector.

The Agency has not taken sufficient action to deal with migrants abusing the student route. The Agency took the decision to focus on controls over entry to the UK. It also decided to prioritise removing individuals proven to be 'high harm', for example foreign national prisoners. However, it should not be ignoring such large numbers of people living and working in the UK illegally. Its approach also failed to capitalise on the benefit of high profile removals as a disincentive to abuse of the route. The Agency has only belatedly been removing the visas from those it knew were not studying. The Agency has not been following up on those whose visas it knew had expired.

The Government expected that clamping down on abuse of student visas would play a part in reducing net migration. However the measurement of net migration is still based on inaccurate International Passenger Survey data. The e-Borders system for counting all migrants in and out of the UK will not be in place fully until 2015 at the earliest. The Committee noted that currently net migration figures include students, who generally stay in the UK for less than 5 years and suggested that it would be more informative to also report net migration statistics excluding students, as a number of other comparable countries do.

The Parliamentary Year book will continue to report on the progress of this and other anti-piracy measures as we go through the months ahead.

Web: www.parliamentaryyearbook.co.uk
Email: parliamentaryyearbook@blakemedia.org
4^th September 2012

Cyber Security For Businesses

With the growth in the use of the internet by small and medium sized businesses and the threat posed to their activities by cyber crime, the Parliamentary Yearbook is, as part of its ongoing coverage feature of security issues, carrying a major piece in the next edition on Government and industry’s efforts to increase cyber security. 

For the first time, the Government and intelligence agencies are directly targeting the most senior levels in the UK’s largest companies and providing them with advice on how to safeguard their most valuable assets, such as personal data, online services and intellectual property.

There are currently 2 billion internet users worldwide and the internet accounts for 3.4 per cent of GDP in the top 13 ‘cyber-mature’ countries. The internet also accounts for 21 per cent of GDP growth in the last 5 years in mature countries and provides 2.6 jobs created for 1 job lost.

75 per cent of Internet impact arises from traditional industries and 10 per cent increase in productivity for small and medium businesses from internet usage. Small and medium businesses heavily using web technologies grow and export as twice much as others.

However far too few company chief executives and chairs take a direct interest in protecting their businesses from cyber threats.

So yesterday the Government launched Cyber Security Guidance for Business at an event attended by FTSE 100 CEOs and Chairs, Ministers from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), Foreign Office, Cabinet Office, Home Office and senior figures from the intelligence agencies.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said:

“Cyber security threats pose a real and significant risk to UK business by targeting valuable assets such as data and intellectual property. By properly protecting themselves against attacks companies are protecting their bottom line.

“Ensuring this happens should be the responsibility of any chief executive or chair as part of an approach to good corporate governance which secures a business for the long-term.”

Foreign Secretary William Hague, as Minister responsible for the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), said:

“The UK is committed to building a secure, resilient, open and trusted internet. We are working with partners across the globe to ensure this vision becomes a reality.

“A networked world brings many advantages. But cyberspace – and cybercrime – knows no borders.
Businesses must be alert to the dangers. Drawing on GCHQ’s experience and working with industry the Government is committed to helping reduce vulnerability to attacks and ensure that the UK is the safest place in the world to do business.”

Home Secretary Theresa May said:

“Cyber crime is a serious problem which affects businesses of all sizes and can have devastating consequences.

“That is why we have funded the expansion of the Police Central e-Crime Unit in the Metropolitan Police and SOCA’s Cyber Unit, and established three regional cyber specialist hubs to help combat the threat. We will build on this by introducing a dedicated cyber crime unit in the new National Crime Agency.”

The new guidance, produced by the CESG (the Information Security arm of GCHQ), BIS and the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI), will help the private sector minimise the risks to company assets.

The guidance builds on a key objective within the Government’s Cyber Security Strategy to work hand in hand with industry and make the UK one of the most secure places in the world to do online business.
Cyber Security Guidance for Business consists of three products:

• The first product is aimed at senior executives. It offers some high level questions which we believe will assist and support them to determine their critical information assets, support them in their strategic level risk discussions and help them ensure that they have the right safeguards and cultures in place
• The second product is an Executive Companion which discusses how Cyber Security is one of the biggest challenges that business and the wider UK economy face today. It offers guidance for business on how together we can make the UK's networks more resilient and protect key information assets against cyber threats. The document focuses around key points of risk management and corporate governance and includes some anonymous case studies based on real events
• The third product supports the Executive Companion and provides more detailed cyber security information and advice for 10 critical areas (covering both technical and process/cultural areas). If implemented as a set it can substantially reduce the cyber risk by helping to prevent or deter the majority of types of attacks. For each of these 10 areas, we have summarised the issue, outlined the potential risks and provided some practical measures and advice to reduce these risks. The material integrates the "Top 20 Critical Controls for Effective Cyber Defence" as endorsed by CPNI. These controls provide further detailed guidance.

The guidance builds on comments by the Foreign Secretary at the end of the London Conference for Cyberspace (2^nd November 2011), in which he emphasised that cyberspace must be secure and reliable so that it is trusted for online business, and that innovators are confident that their discoveries will be appropriately protected. Another theme was the importance of government and industry taking a shared responsibility towards the prevention of cyber crime

Further news on cyber security will be covered by the Parliamentary Year book and there will be a major feature on the topic in the next edition

Web: www.parliamentaryyearbook.co.uk
Email: parliamentaryyearbook@blakemedia.org
6^th September 2012