UK joins leading
nations to form new telecoms coalition and invests £70 million in new future
telecoms technologies
THE UK is joining forces with
leading nations to strengthen coordination on:- telecoms security, resilience
and innovation, as a new global coalition is launched.
Together with Australia, Canada, Japan and the US, the UK will use the coalition
to help ensure communications networks can remain resilient and adaptable when
confronted with challenges ranging from supply chain disruption to cyber
attacks, strengthening the country's ability to stay connected at the most
critical times.
Announced today, the Global Coalition on Telecommunications will also explore
opportunities for closer coordination in areas such as research and development,
information sharing and international outreach. Through these initiatives the
coalition seeks to advance several shared objectives which include promoting
growth opportunities for industry and enabling dialogue between policymakers,
business, and academia. Read the joint statement here.
Telecommunications networks are critical to the UK economy, and ensuring their
resilience and security in a changing and increasingly interconnected world is a
priority for the UK Government. Telecoms markets are inherently global and by
working together with some of the world's biggest economies, the UK can remain
at the forefront of efforts to diversify global telecoms supply chains, develop
skills and industry expertise, and strengthen security in the face of potential
risks.
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Michelle Donelan
said:- "This historic partnership reflects our shared commitment to
harnessing the power of telecommunications for the benefit of our nations and
the world at large. Telecommunications networks are the lifeline of global
economies, and safeguarding their resilience and security in an evolving,
interconnected world is a top priority for our Governments. By joining forces,
the UK and our partners are well-positioned to take the lead in broadening
supply chains, nurturing industry knowledge, and bolstering security to address
emerging challenges."
Alan Davidson, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and
Information and NTIA Administrator said:- "The critical telecommunications
issues of today are global in scope. This groundbreaking coalition will help the
U.S. and our partners respond decisively to cross-border opportunities and
challenges. By working ever more closely together, the Coalition members will
advance secure, diverse, resilient, and innovative telecommunications networks
around the world."
Cementing the UK's commitment to this vital domestic and international agenda,
the UK Government is investing an initial £70 million to develop the next
generation of telecommunications technology via the Future Telecoms Technology
Missions Fund (TMF) Programme.
This investment in new telecom research will help the UK become a leader in 6G
technology and beyond - including:- new technologies to better connect
space-based and terrestrial networks, step-changes in capacity/speeds in data
transfer and improving energy efficiency of our networks through cloudification.
Universities and businesses across the UK are ready to lead projects that bring
new, game-changing ideas to the market which could benefit the public by
improving internet coverage everywhere, making universal rollout of self-driving
cars possible, and using less energy in our growing digital world.
Dr Kedar Pandya, Executive Director, Cross-Council Programmes at UKRI, said:-
"This £70 million investment will, via the Future Telecoms UKRI Technology
Missions Fund (TMF) Programme, form part of the UK's contribution to
international cooperation in this field and provide tangible benefits to the
population and economy. The UKRI Technology Missions funding is designed to
exploit the UK's global leadership in transformative technologies to help solve
specific problems, while also helping to lay the foundations for a longer-term
leading position. In addition, UKRI is investing £250 million through the UKRI
Technology Missions Fund to enable new and existing capabilities and capacity in
artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and engineering biology in the
years 2023-2025 and beyond."
University led Future Telecoms Research Hubs will facilitate early-stage
research boosting the UK's role in shaping the future of 6G technologies. In
addition to the hubs Innovate UK will fund application-focused challenges to
accelerate market-ready solutions and foster collaboration in the UK's telecoms
sector. International cooperation across both of these areas, including:-
through the new GCOT partnership, will ensure UK activity shapes global telecoms
technologies, upholds our values, and safeguards our security interests.
Innovate UK competitions under the Future Telecoms Technology Mission Fund are
launching from 6th October here.
New autism support launched for families and carers across England
SUPPORT is available for families and
carers of autistic children and adults thanks to a new, free
education programme being launched across England.
Autism Central aims to build knowledge and understanding of autism
and empower families and carers to advocate for autistic people they
support to get the right understanding and adjustments in place
across the services they use.
Commissioned by NHS England and informed by or co-produced with
autistic people, parents and carers, the programme offers one-to-one
and group sessions complemented by high quality online learning and
information.
Families and carers can also talk to people with similar experiences
by joining workshops, drop-in sessions, coffee mornings or virtual
meetups.
Each session is delivered by parents and carers of autistic people
who have been trained to share their knowledge and experience with
others, as peer educators.
Philippa Spicer, Senior Responsible Offer for Learning Disability
and Autism; Workforce, Training and Education at NHS England, said:-
"We have learned that, talking to people who share similar
experiences helps people feel understood and get the help they need.
Autism Central will work with families and carers of autistic people
to become peer educators who will facilitate education and share
their knowledge with others. They are here to listen, offer
guidance, and tell others about services that are available in the
local area."
Autism Central is the latest example of the NHS's commitment to
improving health outcomes for autistic people - including:-
improving assessments and rolling out the Oliver McGowan Mandatory
Training on Learning Disability and Autism for NHS staff, and
enhanced autism training for psychiatrists.
The NHS is focused on investing in community services so people can
receive support close to home, with the number of people with a
learning disability or autistic people in Mental Health Hospitals
falling by around a 3rd since 2015, despite the number of people
diagnosed with autism increasing significantly.
Tom Cahill, National Director for Learning Disability and Autism at
NHS England, said:- "We welcome the launch of Autism Central.
Further sharing the experiences of autistic people, families and
carers with their peers, will help to benefit and improve the
quality of care and support."
Lisa Myers, Programme Director of Autism Central, said:-
"Autism Central is helping families to learn more about autism and
the support available to them. There is a wide range of curated and
new material along with signposting to learning resources. This
wrap-around learning benefits from the experiences of autistic
people and their families - and prepares other families and carers
to advocate to get the best from the services they encounter."
The 9 other organisations involved in Autism Central are Ambitious
about Autism, Autism Alliance, Autism Education Trust, Autistica,
British Institute of Learning Disabilities (BILD), Contact, Great
Minds Together, National Autistic Society and the National Network
of Parent Carer Forums.
Ange Neale, a peer educator for Autism Central at its East of
England hub in Essex, said:- "Following my children's
diagnosis, I found little support or understanding. Now I have
experience and knowledge from my own family, I want to support and
encourage other parents and carers, empowering them in their
journey."
Information, guidance and events are all available on the Autism
Central website. Families and carers can explore topics such as
diagnosis, employment and mental health, and find resources from
partners and other trusted sources.
They can also search for a Regional hub to find sessions in their
area and sign up to access further learning resources and personal
stories from other parents and carers.
The programme is looking for more parents and carers of an autistic
person to become peer educators and help others. To find out more,
contact your local hub at:-
AutismCentral.Org.UK.
