LONDON, May 12 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: * New agreement strengthens UK leadership in automated vehicles. * Partnership focuses on shared research tobring forward responsibledeployment ofself‑drivingcars. * Deal backs innovative UKscale‑upsand helps make Britain the best place to grow a business. Apartnershipthat will put the UK at the forefront of next generation self-driving technologyhas been signed by the Government today with on...
LONDON, May 12 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: Thank you Madam Vice President, The United Kingdom welcomes the free and fair elections held in Seychelles in October 2025. But we have concerns around prolonged pre‑trial detention and expanded security powers despite otherwise strong democratic institutions. The UK welcomes the activities of the Seychelles National Human Rights Commission since the last UPR, including its annual reports in 2024 and 2025....
LONDON, May 12 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: The Combined Space Operations (CSpO) Initiative Principals' Board convened on 17 April 2026, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Senior representatives from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America met to address the rapidly evolving security dynamics of the space domain. Principals noted that the space domain has become more complex an...
LONDON, May 12 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: April saw generally sustained levels of space activity, with similar levels of uncontrolled re-entries and space weather activity but fewer collision alerts when compared with March. All NSpOC warning and protection services were functioning throughout the period. Re-entry analysis There was a 6% decrease in the number of objects re-entering Earth's atmosphere, monitored by NSpOC, when compared with the previou...
LONDON, May 12 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: * 298,905 people filed their Self Assessment tax return in the first week of the tax year and a record 737,891 in April 2026. * 86,270 did their 2025 to 2026 tax return on Easter Monday, 6 April. * People who file their tax return early and are owed a tax refund, can receive it sooner. Hundreds of thousands of taxpayers got ahead of the game by filing their Self Assessment return early last month, with 86,270 sub...
LONDON, May 12 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: Companies Houseretainsallcompanyrecordsfor as long as those companies areactive. Records of dissolved companies are currentlyretainedfor 20 years, before selected recordsare transferredto the appropriate Public Records Office (for example, The National Archives for companies registered in England and Wales). Unselected records should be destroyedunder the current policy. Companies House has paused the destruction...
LONDON, May 12 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: * shared cycle schemes, gamified walking campaigns and accessible wheeling apps among 12 winning projects * grants of up to £100,000 awarded to small businesses and community organisations * investment supports government plans to back entrepreneurship and boost the economy Communities across England will benefit from a diverse range of innovative walking, wheeling and cycling projects, after Active Travel E...
LONDON, May 12 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: * The government is investing £4.75 million in the world's largest study of its kind to offer new hope to around 390,000 people living with the condition in the UK * For the first time, scientists will be able to build a high-resolution genetic map of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), paving the way for better diagnostics and future treatments * The funding builds on the government'...
LONDON, May 12 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: The Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice has approved two appointments to the Ministry of Justice Departmental Board. He has appointed Rob Whiteman CBE as Lead Non-Executive Director for a 1 year term from 5 May 2026 to 4 May 2027. He has also appointed Justin Russell as a Non-Executive Director (NED) for 3 years from 11 May 2026 to 10 May 2029. Non-Executive Board members No...
LONDON, May 12 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) will join forces on a new £3 million National Centre for Environmental Horticulture and Plant Health that will research and help mitigate existing and emerging threats to our green spaces. Funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), it will see the two organisations work together in collaboration wit...