Sixty-seven transport technology projects will receive a share of £1.96 million in funding as part of the government’s Transport Research and Innovation Grant (TRIG) Programme.
The projects receiving funding include remote-controlled robots for deliveries; kite-powered tug boats to reduce emissions; and drones to deliver packages in hard-to-reach areas.

New amendments to the Procurement Bill have bee tabled, intended to strengthen national security in government contracts.

The government has launched a new drive to support rural communities with better access to wireless networks.
A £7 million fund is to test out new ways to bring together satellite, wireless and fixed line internet connectivity, and support farmers and tourism businesses to access fast and reliable connectivity in remote areas for the first time.

Work has begun on a new railway station for Cambridge, Cambridge South at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.
The four-platform, fully accessible station is set to be operations by 2025.
There is around £200 million government funding for the construction and is expected to bring 27,000 jobs and 4,000 new homes by 2031.
The new station is expected to see 1.8 million passengers passengers a year with links to London, Stansted Airport and the Eurostar.

The HS2 Woodland Fund has reopened to support woodland creation and restoration projects along the HS2 Phase One route.
£3.25 is available to support woodland creation and the restoration of plantations of ancient woodland sites (PAWS).
The fund was first launched in November 2017 his managed by the Forestry Commission on behalf of HS2 Ltd.

The Scottish Government has extended protections for tenants due to the cost-of-living crisis.
The private rent cap and additional eviction protections, will be extended for a further six months if approved by Parliament.
Tenants’ rights minister Patrick Harvie has confirmed proposals to keep the Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) Act measures in place until 31 March 2024 at the latest.

The Regulator of Social Housing has published the results of its latest quarterly survey of registered providers’ financial health.
The report looks into the sector's financial data for the past financial year.
The report found that providers face substantial pressures and continue to operate within a very challenging and fast-moving economic environment. High inflation, shortages in labour and materials, increasing borrowing costs, and higher spend on repairs and maintenance continue to impact on providers’ operating costs.

Tower Hamlets Council will become the first council in England to offer free school meals to all school pupils up to the age of 16, after the proposal was formally approved at a Cabinet meeting.
The council has funded free school meals for all primary school children since 2014, and the extension to secondary schools will be rolled out in three phases from September 2023.

Parliament will host a debate on 'The Role of Local Government in Reaching Net Zero' on 5th June.
The debate will examine the the critical role that local authorities play in achieving the UK's Net Zero targets and is set to include the importance of local action and the need for comprehensive policy solutions to overcome the barriers to local Net Zero.
Image by andreas160578 from Pixabay

A new government hub in Croydon has achieved Practical Completion.
The building is set to accommodate over 5,000 civil servants and enable the Home Office to migrate from three current locations in Croydon to one building building in summer 2024.