Six successful British tech companies will receive a share of £450,000 to develop the smart screening technology of the future, enhancing UK security and reducing delays at airports.

Based across the country – from Tewkesbury to Cambridge and Nottingham – each of the companies will develop scanning equipment to improve threat detection and reduce the number of false alarms and manual checks, speeding up screening processes and reducing inconvenience to passengers.

With the sector worth £20 billion to the UK economy, continued investment will ensure the long-term future of aviation, keeping the UK competitive internationally.

The programme will also build local jobs and skills that will kickstart economic growth across the country and break down barriers to opportunity.

Alongside grant funding, the programme will provide tailored business support workshops delivered by experts at the Connected Places Catapult in collaboration with the department. These workshops will provide advice and mentoring on issues ranging from technical matters, corporate finance, regulation, trial design, customer needs and more.

Aviation Minister, Mike Kane, said:

Safety is our top priority and this funding will strengthen the UK’s already rigorous security standards, bolster our competitiveness internationally and ensure that passengers can continue to fly with ease of mind.

As part of our Plan for Change, we are turbocharging investment in the aviation sector and going further and faster with expansion plans to kickstart economic growth and deliver high-skilled jobs across the country.

Connected Places Catapult is the delivery partner for the programme and has already successfully led a number of schemes for the department, including the Transport Research and Innovation Grants (TRIG) programme, which aims to drive scientific and technological progress across UK transport.

Erika Lewis, Chief Executive Officer at Connected Places Catapult, said:

Making transport efficient, inclusive and safe is a key priority for Connected Places Catapult. By supporting innovators with ideas to further strengthen security at airports, not only are we helping to improve the passenger experience, but we are also supporting companies to develop and scale here in the UK.

Sam Pollock, Iconal Director, said:

DfT’s HADeS innovation grant funding is a great example of government working with SMEs such as ourselves to accelerate the development of cutting edge technologies, supporting the UK’s world class aviation security industry.

Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence (AIME) and Aston University College of Health and Life Sciences have installed a cutting-edge mass spectrometer to study biological membranes, following a grant of £1.5m from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).

The research team is led by Dr Ivana Milic, a lecturer in Aston University School of Biosciences and part of the multidisciplinary AIME. The new Orbitrap Ascend Tribrid mass spectrometer from Thermo Fisher Scientific is configured for the study of biological membranes in utmost detail, enabling researchers to analyse proteins and lipids, and their chemical modifications and metabolites with unmatched sensitivity, precision and speed.

How lipids and proteins within cell membranes work together to ensure cells can communicate, interact and carry out essential functions is still not well understood. Cell membranes undergo tiny but significant chemical changes in response to factors such as stress, ageing and disease. These changes can have a big impact on how cells function, but they are particularly poorly understood. Defining these changes is key to understanding both health and disease processes.

The AIME team’s research is focused on four main objectives, one of which is to explore how proteins and lipids interact within membranes to regulate protein function in health and disease. The team will study membrane proteins such as aquaporins, which transport water in and out of cells, which play roles in conditions like inflammation, cancer and brain injury. This knowledge could lead to the development of more effective drugs and therapies.

Another objective sees the researchers study protein changes under stress and through ageing to identify those signalling processes which go wrong and lead to age-associated disease.

Membranes also form small capsules known as vesicles which carry important cargo which are important in the control of inflammation and healing. The AIME team will identify important molecules carried by vesicles during inflammation and healing, such as rare enzymes, paving the way for new treatments for non-healing wounds and chronic inflammatory conditions.

The researchers will also aim to create engineered membranes that produce active proteins, make industrial microbes more stress-resistant and develop precision drug delivery systems for cancer treatments.

Aston University’s Ascend mass spectrometer is the first such instrument outside of the so-called ‘Golden Triangle’ of London, Cambridge and Oxford. It is available for use to more than 20 membrane and biosciences research groups across the Midlands and across other regions without access to such a device.

Dr Milic said:

“This funding is a huge milestone, not just for our research at Aston University and AIME, but for the entire region. The creation of Ascend, a one-of-a-kind multi-omics platform, will allow us to explore the intricate interactions between proteins and lipids that drive vital cellular processes. This deeper understanding will pave the way to developing new therapeutics for diseases and age-related conditions that currently have poor solutions.

“On a personal note, I’m especially excited about the opportunity this will give us to train and mentor the next generation of Midlands researchers. Providing them with hands-on experience in advanced mass spectrometry will be impactful for their careers and for addressing the critical skills gaps in complex data analyses across the region. This is a true turning point for us, and I’m incredibly grateful for the support.”

The data, broken down by operator, shows the percentage of trains cancelled and how punctual trains are at each station, marking the first time that station-level data has been available in the history of the railway. It is now live at major stations through digital screens, where possible, and at most smaller stations, passengers will be able to scan a QR code to see the data online.

This fulfils a commitment made by the department to be fully transparent with passengers, demonstrating how the railways are working and allowing the public to hold train operators to account as we bring services into public ownership.

As well as delivering more reliable, better-quality services, these reforms will catalyse economic growth through improved connectivity, delivering on the government’s Plan for Change. By holding operators to account, they will be encouraged to drive up efficiency and productivity – providing better value for money for passengers and driving forward the government’s growth mission by delivering better connectivity.

The government is determined to drive up performance, and the Rail Minister is meeting with all train operators to address concerns and demand immediate action. In response, the industry has set out a framework with clear areas of focus, including timetable resilience and staffing, to recover performance to acceptable levels.

Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, will visit Reading station today to mark the launch of the displays.

Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said:

Today marks the beginning of a new era of rail accountability.

These displays are a step towards rebuilding trust with passengers using our railways as we continue to tackle the root causes of frustrating delays and cancellations.

Through fundamental rail reform, we’re sweeping away decades of dysfunctionality – putting passengers first, driving growth through connectivity as part of this government’s Plan for Change.

Each station’s data can also be found on the ORR’s new data portal, which contains punctuality and reliability information for all stations in Great Britain. The online data is also screen reader compatible for those with accessibility needs.

The screens also display a short commentary on work underway by the operators and Network Rail to improve performance, informing and assuring passengers of the ongoing work across their area to improve the reliability and efficiency of services.

Jacqueline Starr, Chair and Chief Executive of Rail Delivery Group, said:

We know how frustrating it is for customers when their train is cancelled or delayed. By being transparent with this data and the positive actions we’re taking, it shows how serious the industry is in putting this right by continuing to strive for improvements.

This sends a clear message to customers the rail sector is committed to improving punctuality and to find solutions to make train services more reliable.

Natasha Grice, Director at the independent watchdog, Transport Focus, said:

Passengers tell us they want a reliable, on-time train service and will welcome improvements to information about the punctuality of their service and cancellations being shared more transparently. It’s important that the industry uses this information to drive up performance.

This forms part of a wider overhaul of the railways, which will establish Great British Railways (GBR) as a new body to bring track and train together, to end years of fragmentation and waste. GBR will relentlessly focus on driving up standards for passengers and proposals for how it will run, including plans for a powerful new passenger standards watchdog, are currently under consultation.

Separately, the landmark Public Ownership Act will improve services and save taxpayers up to £150 million a year that was previously given to private shareholders, with the first services being brought in as soon as May 2025.

The government will deliver change that can be felt, driving growth across the country by ensuring passengers can use the railways to get to work, school, appointments and see friends and family with ease.

With the UK celebrating National Apprenticeship Week 2025 (10-16 February), there are few more exciting places for apprentices to be than automotive, as the sector innovates to deliver a new generation of zero emission vehicles. More than £20 billion of investment has been committed to Britain’s EV transition in the past two years alone¹ – bringing with it demand for a highly skilled workforce adept in the latest technologies.

Such demand is reflected by more than 550 new apprentices already having joined the sector this academic year, with an additional 740 apprenticeships still available. Among the major automotive employers surveyed by SMMT,²  apprenticeship numbers are set to  increase by almost a sixth (16%). That growth builds on previous years, with a 40.8% rise in new apprenticeship starts in 2023 alone, according to the latest full year of apprenticeship data³ – a trend that will continue to bring long-term, well paid and rewarding careers in the UK over the  next decade.

From R&D and manufacturing to the supply chain, maintenance and repair, there are hundreds of new and exciting opportunities up for grabs, with some highly skilled positions most in need including design and development engineers, EV technicians and specialists in batteries and power electronics. These roles reflect an ever greener industry, with more than 180 different zero emission vehicle models – cars, vans, trucks and buses – already available in the UK and more coming in 2025.

Faster decarbonisation and green growth, however, requires a workforce that’s equipped to drive it. Apprenticeship training must keep up to date with the very latest vehicle technologies, including how to design, build, test, maintain and repair the latest vehicles This makes the skills transition a top priority for industry – and the launch of Skills England and the new Growth & Skills Levy will help improve provision and access to automotive training for businesses of all sizes and in every part of the UK.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “Britain’s automotive sector is on the cusp of a ‘green growth decade’ with billions being invested in EVs and, crucially, in a new generation of talent to design, build and maintain them. There is little doubt that automotive is one of the world’s most exciting industries and, as we seek growth, we need new-skilled apprentices that can grow with us. Our promise is well-paid, rewarding careers for years to come.”

As SMMT set out in Vision 2035, industry is ready to deliver more than £50 billion worth of growth – green growth – in the next decade with an industrial strategy that has UK Automotive at its heart. Green skills for a greener future is a key pledge of the strategy, which must:

Enable the development of future domestic talent while retaining and upskilling the existing workforce;

Raise the profile of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), automotive and manufacturing subjects in Further Education;

Deliver an online National Upskilling Platform that allows automotive businesses of all sizes to be informed of and take part in upskilling; and

Reform the former Apprenticeship Levy to support upskilling existing workers – which may include former apprentices – with short-term training in priority areas such as electrification and digitisation.

TrustxPay (TXP), a pioneering digital finance platform, proudly announces its official launch, set to redefine the way crypto assets are managed and spent across the globe. With a commitment to putting control back into the hands of customers, TrustxPay offers a unique blend of flexibility, luxury, and seamless transaction capabilities for the modern crypto enthusiast.

About TrustxPay (TXP)

TrustxPay is an innovative platform designed to transform how users interact with their crypto finances. TXP empowers customers with sole control over their digital assets, allowing for limitless spending and investment opportunities. The platform is not just a digital wallet; it’s a gateway to a world of luxury and convenience, catering to the sophisticated needs of high-net-worth individuals and crypto investors.

Key Features of TrustxPay:

Visa Platinum Debit Card: A premier offering that allows users to spend their crypto assets with the same ease as traditional currency, anywhere Visa is accepted. This feature brings unparalleled convenience to those who want to fully integrate their digital assets into their everyday lives.

Crypto Investment Options: TrustxPay enables users to diversify their portfolios by investing in cryptocurrencies as an asset class, providing a seamless bridge between traditional finance and the rapidly evolving digital asset market.

Premium Offshore Luxury Services: For our premium customers, TXP offers a bespoke concierge service that goes beyond typical financial management. Whether it’s booking private jets, chartering yachts, securing luxury accommodations, purchasing global real estate, or organising exclusive events, one message to our concierge team makes it possible.

Limitless Spending Power: TXP gives users the ability to spend their crypto assets freely, breaking the barriers of traditional banking and finance. This platform is designed for those who demand more from their digital assets, providing a robust and secure way to manage and spend crypto on a global scale.

A Visionary Leadership: Shahid Munir at the Helm

The brainchild behind TrustxPay is Shahid Munir, a distinguished leader with a rich background in investment banking and fintech innovation. With a passion for problem-solving and a strategic vision for the future of finance, Shahid has successfully launched multiple regulated ventures, positioning himself as a prominent figure in the paytech and blockchain sectors.

“At TrustxPay, our goal is to redefine the digital finance experience by offering unparalleled convenience and flexibility,” says Shahid Munir, Founder and CEO of TrustxPay. “We believe that customers should have the power to choose how they want to manage and spend their crypto assets, and our platform is designed to provide exactly that. I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved so far and excited about the future of TrustxPay as we continue to innovate and expand our services worldwide.”

The Future of Finance, Today

TrustxPay is more than just a payment platform; it’s a comprehensive financial ecosystem designed for the future. As digital assets continue to gain traction, TrustxPay is positioned to be at the forefront of this evolution, providing users with the tools and services they need to navigate the complexities of the modern financial landscape.

The space agencies will explore the potential for a space quantum technologies laboratory and the further development of activities related to in-orbit servicing, assembly and manufacturing – vital for improving sustainability, prolonging the lifetime of satellites in orbit, and delivering new services to businesses and citizens.

The UK Space Agency has also announced five new projects, worth £2.1 million, to help tackle key skills gaps identified by the UK space industry. The funding will boost the availability of training programmes, courses and other learning interventions that can break down barriers to opportunities within this fast-growing, high-tech sector.

The projects will be led by the universities of Edinburgh, Leicester and Portsmouth, the Royal Institute of Navigation, and Plastron Training, a specialist provider of training services focused on safety in the commercial space sector.

UK Space Agency CEO Dr Paul Bate said:

As a founding member of the European Space Agency, UK scientists and engineers contribute to global scientific and commercial space endeavors, furthering human knowledge and bringing the benefits of space technologies to citizens on Earth.

Together with ESA, we believe there is vast potential to build on the success of the ECSAT facility in Harwell, to support even more businesses, accelerate the development of new technologies and take advantage of the UK’s wider strengths in science and innovation.

As space is a growing industry, we are also taking concrete steps to improve the availability of dedicated training programmes, which will help address skills gaps identified by the sector.

ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher said:

ECSAT is ESA’s home in the UK and a vital facility for Europe’s overall space ambitions. Together with the UK Space Agency we want to build on ECSAT’s leadership role in commercial space applications and telecommunications, push forward new initiatives in high-growth areas, deliver better services to all European citizens, and grow our UK workforce to 200 people by 2030.

I’ve enjoyed spending time at Farnborough this week and meeting with so many of our current, and potential future, partners who we will work with to make this shared vision a reality.”

Using a specially designed 3D printed vacuum system, scientists have developed a way to ‘trap’ dark matter with the aim of detecting domain walls, this will be a significant step forwards in unravelling some of the mysteries of the universe.

Scientists from the University of Nottingham’s’ School of Physics and Astronomy have created a 3D printed vacuum system that they will use in a new experiment to reduce the density of gas, then and add in ultra-cold lithium atoms to try to detect dark walls. The research has been published in Physical Review D.

Professor Clare Burrage from the School of Physics and Astronomy is one of the lead authors on the study and explains: “Ordinary matter that the world is made from is only a tiny fraction of the contents of the universe, around 5%, the rest is either dark matter or dark energy – we can see their effects on how the universe behaves but we don’t know what they are. One way people try to measure dark matter is to introduce a particle called a scalar field.

The researchers based the construction of the 3D vessels on the theory that light scalar fields, with double well potentials and direct matter couplings, undergo density driven phase transitions, leading to the formation of domain walls.

As density is lowered defects form – this is similar to when water freezes into ice, water molecules are random and when they freeze you get a crystal structure with molecules lined up at random, with some lined up one way and some another and this creates fault lines. Something similar happens in scalar fields as the density gets lower. You can’t see these fault lines by eye but if particles pass across them it might change their trajectory These defects are dark walls and can prove the theory of scalar fields – either that these fields exist or don’t.

To detect these defects or dark walls the team have created a specially designed vacuum that they will use in a new experiment that will mimic moving from a dense environment to less dense environment. Using the new set-up they will cool lithium atoms with laser photons to -273 which is close to absolute zero, at this temperature they take on quantum properties which makes analysis more precise and predictable.

Lucia Hackermueller, Associate Professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy has led the design of the laboratory experiment, she explains, “The 3D printed vessels we are using as the vacuum chamber have been constructed using theoretical calculations of Dark Walls, this has created what we believed to be the ideal shape, structure and texture to trap the dark matter. To successfully demonstrate that dark walls have been trapped, we will let a cold atom cloud pass through those walls. The cloud is then deflected. To cool those atoms we fire laser photons at the atoms, which reduces the energy in the atom – this is like slowing down an elephant using snowballs!”

The system took the team three years to build and they expect to have results within a year.