Welcome to the BEIS Bulletin from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

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Welcome to the BEIS Bulletin from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Here’s the latest news from BEIS:

COP26: Glasgow Climate Pact

COP26 ended last week with 197 Parties agreeing the Glasgow Climate Pact to urgently accelerate climate action.  The pact will speed up the pace of climate action this decade, with all countries agreeing to return improved emissions targets in 2022, as well as doubling support for action on adapting to climate change by 2025.

For the first time, the COP decision included a position on scaling down the use of fossil fuels and coal and on supporting vulnerable countries with loss and damage. The pact also agreed a transparency process that will hold countries to account as they deliver on their targets.

More information is in the press notice

Updated coronavirus guidance

Cabinet Office has issued updated guidance to remind people of the actions they can take to help reduce the spread of coronavirus and help reduce the pressure on the NHS over the winter months.

People are at higher risk of catching or passing on COVID-19 in crowded and enclosed spaces, where there are more people who might be infectious and where there is limited fresh air. As such, businesses should continue to ensure they have adequate ventilation and people should wear face coverings if in crowded or enclosed spaces.

The guidance also recommends that people take a rapid lateral flow test before attending any higher risk spaces to give piece of mind that they are unlikely to be infectious. As workplaces start to draw up plans for Christmas parties, employers may therefore wish to encourage staff to take a test before any activities to reduce the risk of people spreading the virus without knowing it.

Prepare for the new national security investment screening process

The National Security and Investment (NSI) Act will come into force on 4 January 2022 and introduces a new investment screening process whereby the government will be able to scrutinise, impose conditions on, or – as a last resort – block a deal where there is an unacceptable risk to Britain’s national security.

Investors and businesses will have to notify a new Investment Security Unit about certain types of transactions in 17 sensitive areas of the economy. Guidance published this week sets out how to assess whether an acquisition must be reported, and what businesses can expect when they go through the NSI process.

We have also recently published the Section 3 statement, which can be used to help understand how the UK Government expects to use the call-in power within the legislation.

Businesses can contact BEIS at investment.screening@beis.gov.uk if they have any queries ahead of January.

Event to discuss the new NSI process

BEIS and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales are hosting National Security & Investment Act – implications for the economy, businesses, investors and advisors at Chartered Accountants’ Hall in London on Wednesday 1 December (0930-1100).

BEIS minister Lord Callanan will be speaking about the Act, and an expert panel will discuss the practical implications and take questions. People can register to attend in person or watch the livestream.

Help to Grow – learn new skills, reach more customers and boost your profits

Businesses can still sign up to the new Help to Grow scheme to help owners of small and medium-sized business take their business to the next level. There are two Government backed programmes designed to help businesses:

Help to Grow: Digital offers businesses free, impartial advice on how technology can boost business, delivered through a new online platform.

Help to Grow: Management offers senior business leaders management and leadership training, delivered by Business Schools across the UK.

Learn more about how Help to Grow can make a difference to your business.

New green energy project in Scotland

Last week, the Minister for Energy and Clean Growth, Greg Hands, visited Scotland to announce over £9million of funding for a trailblazing hydrogen storage project near Glasgow, a few miles from the site of the COP26 conference. The funding will help ITM Power and BOC, in partnership with Scottish Power, develop an advanced generation and storage system on the site of the UK’s biggest wind farm at Whitelee. The green hydrogen that will be created as a result will be enough to provide zero-carbon fuel for over 200 buses travelling between Glasgow and Edinburgh each day.

Other news:

  • The Department has published a series of factsheets explaining the Professional Qualifications Bill, which aims to establish a new approach for the mutual recognition of international qualifications.

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