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Focuses on an initiative by the United Kingdom Health and Safety Commission's Paper and Board Industry Advisory Committee, to reduce the rate of accidents which occur in the paper and board industry. Criticism of the industry by Angela Eagle, environment minister; Comparison between the number of accidents which occur in the paper industry to those in the construction industry; Number of workers in the paper industry who are represented by the Graphical Paper and Media Union.

Reports that British independent water company Albion has secured a deal to supply Shotton Paper with its water and sewage services for ten years starting year 2000.

Focuses on the impact of industrial policy on the engineering and manufacturing base in Great Britain. Conception of the government on industrial policy; Establishment of university innovation centers; Encouragement of the development and take-up of environmentally friendly products and energy systems.

Focuses on the role of Foresight, a government-backed initiative in identifying major market trends in Great Britain. Details on the conferences of the different Foresight panels; Concerns over the final phase of the Foresight concept; Realism as basis for panel recommendations.

The article reports on the launch of a digital archive of the first 150 years of its learned-society papers by IMechE in Great Britain. More than 200,000 documents, some of them of high historic importance is included in the collection. Archived papers from the former institutions of automobile engineers and locomotive engineers are also available.

Reports on the release of an energy white paper in February 2003 which highlights the aim of the British government to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Criticism of the white paper by the House of Commons' science and technology committee; Aim of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 60% by year 2050; Doubts on the fulfillment of the environmental goal.

The article reports on the efforts of a group of members of parliament (MPs), led by Stephen Williams, in reigniting interest in a long-standing project to extract tidal energy from the River Severn in Great Britain. MPs are petitioning the British government to include a reappraisal of the project in the energy white paper. They claimed that a barrage across the Severn could produce more than 5 percent of the country's electricity needs, while reducing carbon output by 3 percent.

Reports that Shotton Paper Co. an instrumentation and electrical engineer Samantha Hubbard was the recipient of the 2001 Young Woman Engineer of the Year award in Great Britain.

Reports on the first Whittle Reactionaries Prize in Great Britain. Paper of John Whurr; Contact information.

Highlights the science white paper released by the British government at the end of July 2000. Fund set up to encourage small firms to tap into university-based research; Fund for putting the `best ideas' from the Foresight initiative into action quickly; Areas singled out for special attention.

Reports on the British Ministry of Defence's launch of an electronic procurement system that it claims will revolutionize its buying of low-cost, high-volume engineering parts. Replacement of its paper-based transaction system with the Defence Electronic Commerce Service; Introduction of corporate charge card.

States that British engineering groups expressed reservations over the government's lifelong learning green paper. Concerns of engineering groups; Identity of these groups; Comments from Andrew Ramsay, director of engineering regulation at the Engineering Council; Provisions of the green paper.

Reports that publication of the British government's white paper on transportation has been delayed until June, 1998. Information from the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions; Response given to a consultation document issued in August, 1997.

Reports on the search for papers on energy development in Great Britain for discussion in a seminar on March 20, 1998 at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers headquarters. Topics during seminar; Contact information.

The article reports that energy services group Mitsui Babcock has called for urgent government action to support clean coal technologies in order to retain the security of the British electricity supply and enable carbon dioxide reduction targets to be met. It believes that at least 20 million pounds per year is needed to support R&D efforts and, most importantly, the demonstration of a coal-fired power station retrofitted with the latest carbon dioxide abatement techniques. This investment should be increased to 50 million pounds if Great Britain is to become a global leader in this area. INSET: Mitsui's four-point action plan.

Focuses on the developments of networked manufacturing system (NMS) version 4.0 by Seiki Systems in Brighton, England. Capability of the manufacturing software; Suitability of the software for CNC machine shops; Accessibility and convenience of NMS; Representations of machine activity in graphical format; Features added to NMS.

Reports on the plans of the British government to help the renewable energy industry. Requirement for electricity suppliers in Wales and England to supply a proportion of their electricity from renewable sources; Consultations with industry; Launching of the Department of Trade and Industry's sustainable development strategy.

Looks at a government approval given to Slough Heat and Power for an 11MW extension at its combined heat and power station in Slough, Berkshire.

The article reports on the move of the Bank of England to redesign £50 note to pay homage to two giants of the industrial age in Great Britain. It states that entrepreneur Matthew Boulton and engineer James Watt, who led the developments in the steam engine, will appear on the note. According to Bank of England governor Mervyn King, engineering has a vital role in many of the advantages society enjoys.

Reports on news and developments concerning the engineering sector in Great Britain. Employee redundancy at the tractor firm, Massey Ferguson; British government's publication of its skills strategy white paper; Decline in total exports of machine tools in the first quarter of 2003.

Highlights the consultation papers produced by several Foresight panels in Great Britain, about the aging population, medical care and the materials sector. Trends identified by the Ageing Population panel of the government's Foresight initiative; Increased burden on health services; Consultation paper published by the Materials Foresight Panel.

Discusses the British Department of Trade and Industry's White Paper entitled `Our Competitive Future: Building the Knowledge Driven Economy.' Paper's analysis of the state and future direction of business and industry in Great Britain; Proposals made in the White Paper; Industrial collaboration.

The article reports that a paper regarding the collapse of carmaker MG Rover Group Ltd. will be released in Great Britain in September 2009 after the Serious Fraud Office stated that it will not start a criminal investigation. It mentions that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills would issue the independent inspectors' paper. It notes that MG Rover collapsed in April 2005 with the loss of over 6,000 jobs.

The article offers information about the Energy White Paper in Great Britain. It is stated that the paper has been presented to set out the British government's strategy for reducing energy demand and increasing renewable generation to meet emissions targets, as well as ensuring security of supply. Information about the views of John Baxter, president of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), regarding the energy issue is elaborated.

This article reports that the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) hopes that two education white papers due this week will address deepening skills shortages. BCC survey results show a 50% hike in the number of employers having difficulty recruiting skilled staff, from 29% in 1994 to 43% last year. The figures are taken from two surveys of more than 6,000 businesses. BCC director general David Erost said Great Britain was lagging behind many competitors. He said that the government must implement lasting reform. The Skills white paper deals with a government-business alliance to match skills with demand.

The article reports that the British government is seeking public opinion to help plan for the next 19 billion euro European Union framework programme for research and development. The consultation is open until July 26, 2004 and responses will feed into the Great Britain position paper. The final position paper on FP7 will be used by government to inform Great Britain input to discussions between member states and the Commission when planning research policies.

Focuses on the lifestyle of dockyard engineers in Great Britain in the 19th century and early 20th according to papers donated to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers' archive. Details of the papers which the Navy declassified.

The article discusses the scarcity of energy supplies in Great Britain. It explores the idea being promoted by a government White Paper in 2006 on improving security of gas supplies and balancing out the demand by building up reserves. It details the Gateway Storage Co. project in partnership with Stag Energy Development. It includes the comments of the executives from the two companies on the benefits of offshore gas storage.

Great Britain's industry minister Jacqui Smith says she is a firm believer in the importance of manufacturing in the economy. But there is a concern from manufacturers and their representatives that strategies and discussion papers now need to be backed by something more concrete action, not just words. Smith recognizes the point that their job now is to turn the manufacturing strategy into action. She comes back to the view that manufacturing success should not be measured only in terms of employment. INSET: Playing to win promotion.

Focuses on the policy followed by the government of Great Britain on the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as an environmental friendly alternative to petrol and diesel. Overview of government consultation on the role of LPG; Account of investment made by various automobile industries to backing the LPG technology in Great Britain; Highlights of the government consultation paper entitled "Road Fuel Gases and Their Contribution to Low Carbon Transport."

Discusses the introduction of domestic combined heat and power (CHP) units to the general public by winter 2004. Description of the progress made after the government's white paper on Great Britain's energy strategy for the next 50 years; Expectations of rapid growth in production and sales of micro-CHP units across Europe; Identification of the key issues for success being the electrical interface, how the excess electricity generated goes into the grid and making installation and operation as simple as possible for the consumers.

Reports on the release of the government's energy white paper in Great Britain. Strategies for energy production and use; Goals of the government concerning energy sources; Reaction of environmental campaigners toward the government's strategies. INSET: Blair backs bid for sustainability.

Informs on the plans of the Great Britain Department of Trade and Industry to allow `honest' bankrupts to get back into business after just six months, rather than the present three years. Bid to boost the entrepreneurial culture; Details of plans in the consultation paper, `Bankruptcy: A Fresh Start'.

Opinion. Discusses British Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott's transportation white paper, in relation to mechanical engineering. Theme of Prescott's white paper; Costs associated with traffic jams for the United Kingdom; Findings of a Transmo/Autobus survey conducted before the presentation of this white paper; Indication of a need for `better' public transport technologies; How engineers can offer assistance to this area.

Reports on the effects of restrictions that are expected to be outlined in a government white paper, on car production in Great Britain. Level at which production could decrease to; Comments from Michael Hollingsworth, chief economist at the Welsh Development Agency; Terms of the measures that will be outlined in the paper; Number of jobs that will be affected by the decrease in car sales.

Presents news briefs relating to business in Great Britain. Objectives outlined in the government's consultation paper on sustainable development; Details on the propose sale of the Rolls Royce company, Allen Steam Turbines Company; Participation of Alstrom, Bombardier and Adtranz in the IMechE's Railway Technology Exhibition and Railtech Congress.

The article reports that according to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) in Great Britain, effective capture and use of intermittent energy from renewable resources will depend on the electricity storage, but the government is not considering this issue. Tim Fox, head of energy and climate change at the institution, discussed the issue at the launch of a position paper on electricity storage.

The article reports on the paper written by Bernard Gray, former policy adviser of the Ministry of Defence in Great Britain which accuses the government due to its substantially overheated acquisition programme worth 35 billion pounds. It is stated that equipments for armed forces are bought by the government and the programme is overrun by total estimated budget. It cites that the Royal Navy is given the Type 45 project in which the cost escalates much that each ship costs one billion pounds.

The article reports on the concern of the Society of British Aerospace Cos. (SBAC) that decreasing defence budget spending will affect engineering companies and economic recovery in Great Britain. A paper from the Institute for Public Policy Research noted that 24 billion British pounds worth of future defence equipment spending should be reviewed. It is claimed that SBAC launched a strike against any plans for budget cutting.

The article reports on the launch of a manufacturing manifesto by the Engineering Employers Federation (EEF) for investment in 2009 in Great Britain. A paper from EEF encouraged the government to establish a national economic council and an industrial bank to help fund smaller technology businesses. Chief executive Gilbert Toppin asserted that ministers and shadow ministers recognised that the manufacturing industry has a role in the future economy.

The article discusses the history of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers' library in Great Britain. The institution had a rule stating that every member who did not submit a paper will have to pay a fine of £1. The rules have changed to allow members to borrow books although the fines were punitive in 1879. Moreover, Alfred R. Stock who served as library assistant in 1904, has become the first full-time librarian at the institution in 1920 and 1952.

The article reports on the request of the House of Commons Transport Select Committee to scrutinize Network Rail more closely by the government in Great Britain. A report from the committee on the government's 30-year strategy for the railways showed that there are serious deficiencies in terms of central control and internal oversight mechanisms within the Network Rail. The committee said that the performance of the organization would be key to achieving the objectives in the rail white paper.

The article reports on the reduction of emissions from the automotive sector due to energy efficient cars and manufacturers using more modern facilities in Great Britain. A paper from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) states that consumers are purchasing more diesel and alternative-fuel vehicles and small cars. According to Simon Barnes, SMMT's environment manager, they have witnessed companies close older sites to be replaced by more efficient facilities.

The author reflects on the letter which tackles the useful technique for manufacturing process which was being ignored in Great Britain. He says that the letter came from engineer Jim Morrison who, for over 50 years, placed forward a paper to the Royal Statistical Society. He likewise notes that the technique deals on the variability processes which introduce error and inconsistency to manufactured products, and asserts that it has become a commonplace in other countries.

The article offers news briefs related to the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) in Great Britain. Members could now access free market research papers in the Institute's virtual library. Kimberly-Clark, global manufacturers of health and hygiene products, whose European Engineering Graduate Training Scheme has been re-accredited with IMechE for the maximum period of three years.

The article reports on the criticism faced by the government's handling of the nuclear industry following the release of the energy white paper in Great Britain. According to the report by the House of Lords science and technology committee, the government is watering down one of the main proposals from academics and industry experts on the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM). Serious concerns on the government's policy on radioactive waste is included in the report.

The article reports on the plan of Edexcel company to use radio frequency identification (RFID) tags to improve the tracking of universitiy's examination papers and to analyze entries in Great Britain. The RFID tags are being introduced to a significant number of examination packages. A system called ePen will also be used to scan and digitize examination scripts to allow examiners to log in and mark the exams online.

The article reports on the ruling of the High Court stating that another consultation on nuclear power plans should be held because the British government has failed to provide full consultation on the matter. The High Court found that the government has not given sufficient information regarding cost or radioactive waste disposal. As a result, the energy white paper which had been expected to provide the go-ahead signal to build more nuclear power stations will be published in May 2007.

The article reports on the research published by the government of Great Britain that the human brains and computers might be connected by neural interfaces in the future. The research papers, which are commissioned by the Department of Trade and Industry are based on the plausible views of the future. According to chief scientific adviser Sir David King, the goal of the research is to explore the broadest range of possibilities to help ensure that the government is prepared in the long term.

The article presents views of readers on various issues related to engineering in Great Britain. Edwin Smith of Buckinghamshire suggested the paper towel as a better solution, in response to the newly invented hand-dryer by inventor James Dyson. John Norris of Bucks asked if anyone could do something about designing the first user-friendly lawnmower. Keith Thomas of Derby has admired the design of vacuum cleaners by Dyson, but complained about its heavy weight.