The Research Partnership Investment Fund will be open to UK universities for investment in long-term capital projects that leverage in significant private funding. Universities will be able to bid for between £10 million and £35 million per project and must be able to demonstrate that they can attract at least double the amount in private investment. Applications will be judged on value for money and how much they build on existing strong research capability.

Minister for Universities and Science David Willetts said:

“Collaboration between universities, charities and industry is vital for our economy, and attracts significant private investment in our world leading research base.

“The new £100 million Research Partnership Investment Fund will bring together leading institutions and organisations. This follows on from my invitation of bids on the 4th January. It will support excellent projects, which could include the purchase of high cost equipment through to stimulating the development of a new research campus. This will encourage innovation, drive growth and create jobs.”

The fund will be managed by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), working with its counterparts in the devolved administrations. It will be a competitive two stage process with an initial call for expressions of interest followed by an invitation for those selected to work up more detailed proposals. HEFCE is hoping to announce the successful bidders in the autumn.

HEFCE has appointed an independent assessment panel to advise the HEFCE Board on project selection. It will be chaired by Peter Saraga, former Director of Philips Research Laboratories, former HEFCE Board member and former Vice-President of the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Under the time-limited opportunity, known as the e-Markets Disclosure Facility, online marketplace traders who come forward at any time between now and 14 June and pay the tax, duties and interest they owe can benefit from lower penalties than those who wait for HMRC to catch up with them.

Once the e-Markets Disclosure Facility expires, HMRC will clamp down on those who have failed to declare earnings and paid the tax that they owe.

The campaign is aimed at people using online marketplaces to buy and sell goods as a trade or a business and who are not up to date with their taxes. Those who sell only a few items and who are not traders are unlikely to be liable to pay tax on what they sell and are not being targeted by this campaign.

Marian Wilson, head of HMRC Campaigns, said:

“Our aim is to make it easy for online marketplace traders to contact us and make a full disclosure of income, thereby putting their tax affairs in order.

”I urge online sellers who think they owe tax on their income to get in touch and get their tax affairs in order, simply and on the best possible terms.

“The information and intelligence we gather is from a wide range of sources and it allows us to target those who should come forward as part of the e-Markets Disclosure Facility.

”If you owe tax and don’t get in contact, do not assume that HMRC will not catch up with you.”

HMRC is inviting online traders to a live Twitter question and answer session, with a tax expert who will answer questions about the campaign, on 16 May between 7pm and 8pm. Follow @HMRCgovuk (http://twitter.com/#!/hmrcgovuk) and tag questions #emqa in advance or on the day.

People who are unsure whether their e-marketplace activity could be seen as trading can visit the HMRC website for further information: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/campaigns/emarket.htm . They can also watch a YouTube video for advice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uptdjVD2LgI

Once the 14 June deadline has passed, HMRC will investigate any online traders who have failed to respond to the opportunity, using information pulled together from a wide range of data sources. Penalties of up to 100 per cent of the tax owed, or even a criminal investigation could follow.

The benefit of the campaign is that those who make a full disclosure:

- will be offered a simple and straightforward way to put their tax affairs right

- may not be charged a penalty at all, with most receiving a penalty of no more than 10 per cent of the tax they owe.

The council will be a driving force for excellence in careers guidance and will provide independent, expert advice to the Government on the future development of the National Careers Service which was launched at the beginning of April.

Dr Deirdre Hughes has a wealth of experience in the careers guidance sector, she is a Commissioner and member of the Executive Board of Directors at the UK Commission for Employment & Skills (UKCES) and was recently awarded an OBE in the 2012 New Year Honours List for her services to careers guidance. She will be supported on the council by ten members who each have expertise in the sector.

Mr Hayes said:

“The National Council for Careers will help to create a new beginning in careers guidance by improving professionalism, forging links with business and ensuring advice reflects the competition and complexity of the labour market.

“I am delighted that Dr Deirdre Hughes and a team of experienced and dedicated professionals have agreed to work on this extremely important council which will be at the forefront of transforming careers guidance. The Council includes representatives from across the public, private and third sector, as well as from the careers profession, and with a range of backgrounds including HR, finance and communications.”

Dr Deirdre Hughes OBE, Chair of the National Council for Careers said:

“For young people and adults, having access to high quality and improved careers support services has become more important than ever.

“On behalf of the Minister I am delighted to bring together leading businesses and those from the education sector to jointly review the progress and impact of the National Careers Service, and to develop a future perspective.

“We’ve been given an exciting opportunity to look at the design and development of career provision in England, to consult widely with differing bodies, and to create a vision for high impact careers services. We look forward to this new challenge.”

The Government’s vision for a better quality of information, advice and guidance on learning and work is set out in the document “The Right Advice at the Right Time”, which was published on the 5th April alongside the launch of the National Careers Service and can be accessed at http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/further-education-skills/docs/n/12-677-national-careers-service-right-advice-right-time.pdf

“The NAO’s report recognises that the Regional Growth Fund is working.

“It shows that the RGF is set to create and protect 328,000 jobs for people in communities that need the most support and help companies grow. It shows that our processes are robust, competitive and un-biased. It shows that we chose to support the highest quality bids offering best value for money.

“We have already put in place some of the NAO’s recommendations such as making more administrative resources available, which means projects are being processed even faster. Round three will create thousands more jobs, and businesses have until June 13 to submit their bids.”

Lord Heseltine, chair of the Regional Growth Fund’s Independent Advisory Panel said:

“The NAO report shows the positive impact that the Regional Growth Fund is having on some of the most disadvantaged parts of England.

“The report clearly states that 328,000 jobs will be created or safeguarded by companies like Bentley, Bridon and Haribo. RGF awards are conditional on these employment benefits being delivered.”

The third round of the fund is now open to bids with a further £1 billion available to businesses creating jobs in areas that have been over-reliant on the public sector.

In the first two rounds of the fund £1.4 billion was conditionally allocated to 176 bids across the country which will create and protect around 328,000 jobs. Nine of these projects have now withdrawn their bids from the fund.

The process the projects go through once they have a conditional offer allows businesses to assess whether being involved in the fund is right for them. It also then ensures that the Government is using taxpayer money to best effect.

The 70 projects across rounds one and two confirmed as having received a final offer of support have started accessing around £540 million of funding to create and support more than 70,000 jobs. A further 10 bids have just signed final offer letters and details of these will be available shortly.

The £2.4 billion Regional Growth Fund uses public money to leverage private sector investment in the projects. For every £1 put in by Government, the private sector invests at least £6.

Business and Enterprise Minister Mark Prisk said:

“Focus on Enforcement will give businesses in the chemicals sector the chance to make a real difference to the way compliance and protection is achieved on COMAH sites, shaping how companies can best work with regulators in a successful and cost-effective way.

“I want companies in this area of business, and those that advise and assist them, to visit the website, to tell us their views and suggest how we might reduce enforcement burdens and share best practice. This is your chance to make a real difference to the way these regulations are enforced.”

Welcoming the review, Peter Newport, CEO of the Chemical Business Association, said:

“Moving towards smarter enforcement follows naturally from policies designed to develop smarter regulation. We are keen to see the review explore how the burden and costs of regulatory compliance can be reduced. We are also keen to see progress towards formal earned recognition for COMAH sites which supplement regulatory requirements through established industry standards – an approach which could deliver significant operational savings both for business and for the regulatory authorities concerned.”

Focus on Enforcement also gives businesses in other sectors the chance to make a real difference to the way regulators do their work in their area. If you are in a different business sector and would like to suggest we look at how enforcement in your area of business could be improved, please go to the website and make a suggestion.

Suggestions for areas needing examination will guide Ministers in prioritising a series of reviews to identify the source of the problem and propose action to address it.

The Government backed, £50m Angel CoFund invests alongside syndicates of business angels into high potential SMEs from across England. The fund will boost the quality and quantity of business angel investing in England to support long-term, high quality jobs in growing companies. The Angel CoFund is a private sector fund supported by a grant from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund.

Business and Enterprise Minister Mark Prisk said:

“Business angels play a crucial role in supporting new and growing businesses, and the Angel CoFund is helping small firms get the vital funding they need.

“The variety of businesses that are receiving this funding reveals the range of skills and exciting opportunities that are being created today. It is absolutely critical that ambitious small firms can access the finance that they need to expand and grow.

“I am delighted to confirm today that five investments, totalling £7.2 million, have been made. The Angel CoFund demonstrates the support that the Government can play in partnership with the UK’s leading business angels, to enable business growth and job creation.”

The investments in each business range from £360,000 to £3.6 million and reflect the wide range of businesses that the Angel CoFund can support across stage, sector and location, with £1.4 million of funding from the Government helping to secure a further £5.8 million from other investors. The first five investments are:

• Phase Vision, a Loughborough based company producing high accuracy industrial inspection equipment for the aerospace, nuclear and automotive industries. Their innovative ‘white light scanners’ enable more efficient manufacturing, delivering lower waste, cost and environmental impact.

• style-passport.com, a London based women’s online magazine and e-store bringing together fashion services to: compose the ultimate look for each holiday destination; Elegant and easy to navigate, style-passport.com emulates traditional fashion editor’s highlights in a modern online form.

• Future Drinks, a Bristol based company that has developed an innovative range of healthy soft drinks. These have been successfully trialled in the UK and will launch in the summer 2012.

• PlayJam, a London based company which is the leading worldwide aggregator of games for internet enabled TVs. Working with global TV brands including Samsung, LG, Panasonic and Sony, to provide a complete casual and social games experience.

• Enval, a Luton based company, using technology originally developed at Cambridge University, to build commercial facilities for recovering aluminium from waste laminated packaging. No effective solution has previously existed for this process which results in the UK alone sending 14,000 tonnes of aluminium to landfill each year.

The Angel CoFund, which expects to invest at least £70 million alongside business angels in the next 10 years, reflects the growing importance of business angel investing; and supports the Government’s ambition to help small businesses access a more diverse range of finance sources. Many of the co-investing angels are taking active roles to support and mentor the businesses, providing valuable industry and financial knowledge.

The Angel CoFund was established by a consortium of business angel organisations, including Braveheart Investment Group plc, Hotspur Capital Partners Limited, Octopus Investments Limited and The Oxfordshire Investment Opportunity Network Limited, and Capital for Enterprise Limited.

Rory Earley, Capital for Enterprise Limited’s CEO, says the company is very pleased to be working with the Angel CoFund. “The Angel CoFund enables us to work alongside some really high quality people, including successful entrepreneurs, in order to deliver the funding that is so essential to developing high growth businesses.”

As a result of a significant increase in business customers taking up its online services, demand for Telephone Services has reduced by 95 per cent and continues to fall. This means that the service will soon be running at a financial loss. The proportion of applications ordered by telephone is now around 2 per cent, compared with 87 per cent ordered online and 11 per cent by post.

The proposed rule changes will align the Land Charges rules with the Land Registration Rules 2003, allowing the submitting of applications and issuing of results by means other than by post or personal delivery. The changes will provide more flexibility in how Land Charges services are provided and will enable a more efficient and responsive service for customers by delivering products and services through cost-effective channels that meet their needs.

Malcolm Dawson, Chief Land Registrar said:

“The changes set out in the consultation would enable us to make better use of available technology to provide a ‘self-service’ channel for our customers. The changes will enable us to improve and modernise our processes, and become more flexible, efficient and responsive to customers’ needs. It’s clear that the vast majority of our customers want to access these services electronically and, as a result, the telephone service is no longer sustainable. We need to amend the Land Charges legislation to ensure we can continue to provide relevant and cost effective services to our customers.

“Consultation is required when we consider changes to legislation, and we now welcome your participation and your views.”

A post-consultation report will be published on www.landregistry.gov.uk following a ministerial review. If the proposals are confirmed, and subject to ministerial approval, the changes are expected to be implemented by the end of 2012.

Communities are being encouraged to come forward and take part in a nationwide competition that will see a town, city or area crowned as the country’s most enterprising place.

The winner will be the location that can show itself as a hotspot of innovation and somewhere that is boosting local business and nurturing budding entrepreneurial talent.

Business and Enterprise Minister Mark Prisk said:

“There are some fantastic enterprises across the UK that are starting up and growing to become real forces in business. Despite the difficult economic conditions, there are many entrepreneurs willing and able to make their business a success, helping to boost the economic growth of their local area and the UK.

“We want to make 2012 the year of enterprise. This is a great opportunity for local authorities and businesses to come together and show that they are creating a vibrant environment to allow enterprise to thrive.”

There are three categories in this year’s awards:

· The most enterprising place in the UK.

· The organisation that best promotes enterprise.

· The organisation most successful in encouraging businesses to export.

Two of the three winners will go on to represent the UK at the European Enterprise Promotion Awards in Nicosia, Cyprus on 15 November 2012, during Global Entrepreneurship Week. Previous UK winner, Scarborough, went on to win the European Grand Jury Prize in 2009.

Enterprising Britain is free to enter and is open to all places in the UK that can demonstrate the impact enterprise has had on their community in the past two years. To register interest email your contact details to enterprisingbritain@bis.gsi.gov.uk. Entries must be submitted by 30 May 2012 and the winners of each category will be announced on 16 July 2012.

The report by Professor Colin Riordan, Chair of the UK HE International Unit, looks at the incentives and obstacles to students studying and working abroad. It makes recommendations to ensure the numbers of students choosing to go abroad increases in the future.

The report’s main recommendations are:

• The development of a national strategy for outward mobility and a sector- led body to support this. Professor Riordan and the Joint Steering Group on Outward Student Mobility have now been asked to develop this idea and present options for a sector-led solution.

• A replacement scheme for the current Erasmus fee-waiver that will come into effect from the academic year 2014/15. For the first time, financial support will also extend to student placements at overseas institutions outside of the Erasmus scheme – both within and outside of the EU.

Universities and Science Minister David Willetts said:

“Study abroad offers a huge range of benefits for students taking part, and also for our universities and the wider UK economy. Students improve their employability, institutions develop their international links and businesses value the wider experience of those who’ve spent time abroad. It’s a win-win for all.

“The number of UK students taking overseas placements has been low. Today’s report and our new funding arrangements will help address this gap.”

Professor Colin Riordan, Chair, UK Higher Education International Unit commented:

“Studying, working or volunteering abroad increases the employability and financial rewards for students in the international labour market. Despite this the UK ranks just 25th in the world for the number of students studying overseas.

“The Government clearly recognises the importance of outward mobility not just for students, but for higher education institutions and the UK economy and we are delighted they have listened to the recommendations set out in our report. In particular we are pleased that the Government has asked the higher education sector, through the International Unit, to explore possible models for a national mobility strategy, including a national body to co-ordinate this.

“We are also pleased they have taken seriously the recommendation of our report that there should be continued support for Erasmus mobility, despite the challenging economic circumstances. At a time when it is more important than ever for the UK to be competitive internationally, we look forward to working with the government to help increase the number of students deciding to study abroad”.

Obstacles that currently inhibit outward student mobility include the inflexibility in the curriculum and the lack of recognition students receive for their time abroad. Today’s report recommends making it easier for students to spend time abroad via shorter placements and also calls for the experience to be academically recognised so that time abroad counts towards a British degree.

Business and Enterprise Minister Mark Prisk said:

“Focus on Enforcement gives small businesses in food manufacturing the chance to make a real difference to the way regulators visit, inspect and advise and enforce the law.

“I want all small businesses involved in food manufacture, and those that advise and assist them, to visit the site and tell us their views.”

Focus on Enforcement also gives businesses in other sectors the chance to make a real difference to the way regulators do their work in their area. If you are in a different business sector and would like to suggest we look at how enforcement in your area of business could be improved, please go to the website and make a suggestion.

The best suggestions for areas needing examination will guide Ministers in prioritising a series of reviews to identify the source of the problem and propose action.

Melanie Leech, Director General of the Food and Drink Federation said:

“I welcome this review. Effective regulation is vital for consumers to have confidence in our food and drink. But our smaller members consistently tell us that Government action to reduce the burden of regulation not only by making necessary regulation smarter but through a better enforcement and inspection regime could make a real difference to their ability to compete.”