Spending Review: Transformative £86 billion boost to science and technology

Funding package worth more than £22.5 billion a year in 2029 will boost UK’s world-leading status in research and innovation

  • £86 billion to fund everything from new drug treatments and longer lasting batteries to new AI breakthroughs to generate billions for the UK economy and drive our Plan for Change
  • includes up to £500 million for regions across the UK, with local leaders part of decision making
  • announcement comes ahead of Wednesday’s Spending Review, where the Chancellor will make clear that investing in Britain’s renewal will deliver change for working people and their communities

Chancellor Rachel Reeves will announce a transformative £86 billion in the Spending Review to turbo-charge our fastest growing sectors, from tech and life sciences, to advanced manufacturing and defence, as part of the government’s plan to invest in Britain’s renewal through our Modern Industrial Strategy.

Britain will boost its world-leading status in research and innovation with a bumper funding package worth more than £22.5 billion a year in 2029/2030. From exploring new drug treatments and longer lasting batteries, to new AI breakthroughs, the package will drive new jobs and economic growth as well as ensuring the UK leads the way in pioneering the technologies of the future.

It comes ahead of the Spending Review, where the Chancellor will set out how the government will invest in Britain’s renewal by investing in the people’s priorities: health, security and the economy. The Chancellor will outline this government’s laser focus on investing in Britain’s renewal through projects that will bring jobs and prosperity, putting more money in working people’s pockets.

The new R&D package will mean local leaders have government backing to develop ‘innovation clusters’ across the country, to unlock the talent and opportunity in every region and nation.

It is those with skin in the game who know what is best for their region. That’s why, through the new Local Innovation Partnerships Fund, local leaders will be given the powers to decide how to target their research investment in the region and make the most of skill sets of the community, boosting high skilled jobs and igniting growth across the country, the core mission of the government’s Plan for Change.

The package will see every corner of the country benefit. In Liverpool, that means leveraging its expertise in life sciences to accelerate drug discovery, in Northern Ireland that means harnessing its reputation for cutting edge defence equipment to shore up our national security.

And in South Wales, it means boosting expertise in designing cutting edge semiconductors that power the devices like mobile phones and electric cars we rely on every day to support growth and new jobs in those regions.  

The new funding will build on work already underway to transform local communities through the Innovation Accelerator pilot scheme – a new funding approach and partnership between local authorities and government.

It has supported new technology developed by the Greater Manchester advanced diagnostic accelerator, delivering quicker and cheaper detection for liver, heart and lung diseases, whilst Moonbility from the West Midlands is using AI software helping train companies to simulate, in real time, potential disruption to the network so they can alert passengers on delay length, giving advice on replanning journeys. 

This government is making investments in Britain’s future that will deliver dividends for decades to come. Every £1 invested in R&D generates up to £7 in benefits to the UK economy and leverages double in private investment in the long run, with businesses that receive their first R&D grant funding seeing jobs and turnover go up by over 20% in the following years – providing a major boost to the UK economy. R&D is also at the heart of around 3 million jobs in the UK, with the power to create many more as discoveries advance.  

The announcement comes ahead of London Tech Week, the UK’s flagship technology festival, with more expected in the coming days, as this government doubles down on plans to ensure the UK is once again open for business and setting the conditions for a decade of national renewal and the economic growth that is at the heart of our Plan for Change.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: “Britain is the home of science and technology. Through the Plan for Change, we are investing in Britain’s renewal to create jobs, protect our security against foreign threats and make working families better off.“

Science and Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, said: “R&D is the very foundation of the breakthroughs that make our lives easier and healthier – from new medicines enabling us to live longer, more fulfilled lives to developments in AI giving us time back, from easing our train journeys through to creating the technology we need to protect our planet from climate change. 

“Incredible and ambitious research goes on in every corner of our country, from Liverpool to Inverness, Swansea to Belfast, which is why empowering regions to harness local expertise and skills for all of our benefit is at the heart of this new funding – helping to deliver the economic growth at the centre of our Plan for Change.”

Alongside this, nearly £5 million is being invested to kickstart a new partnership between the high-growth regions of Manchester and Cambridge, strengthening the link between these hubs of innovation to attract more business investment, and pilot new approaches to collaboration, setting examples for cities, universities and governments worldwide.

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “This is exactly how we turn our potential into progress. This investment backs regions to lead the way in the industries that will define the future.

“From life sciences and advanced manufacturing to clean energy and AI, regions across the UK have the skills and the ideas – they just need the investment and the power to match.

“This will drive innovation that not only grows the economy but creates jobs, builds opportunity, improves health and changes lives.”

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said: “Our region is already an advanced manufacturing powerhouse and this announcement boosts my mission to create new growth, new jobs and new opportunities in 2 exciting ways. 

“We will now be able to support more research and development projects in established sectors, like the car industry and green energy, which are cornerstones of the North East economy, and we can also invest in new technologies from kitchen table innovations to our fast-emerging trailblazers in the space industry and AI.”

Chancellor urged to prioritise growth

Call for UK Spending Review to abandon welfare cuts

The UK and Scottish Governments must work together to support shared economic growth, with more flexibility to encourage investment and an end to spending that bypasses devolution, Finance Secretary Shona Robison has said.

Ahead of the UK Spending Review on 11 June, the Finance Secretary is calling on the Chancellor to:

  • relax fiscal rules to enable investment in public services and stimulate economic growth
  • fully fund the employer National Insurance increase for Scotland’s public services
  • end the use of spending powers that bypass devolved governments
  • abandon UK welfare cuts or, if UK Ministers do persist with these cuts, shield the Scottish Government’s budget from the impact for at least two years
  • award funding for the Acorn carbon capture project
  • ensure Scotland receives a share of GB Energy funding that matches its leading contribution to UK clean energy goals

Ms Robison said: “The UK Spending Review is an opportunity for the UK Government to abandon some of its damaging policies such as cuts to welfare support for disabled people, to scrap the two child benefit cap and to reinstate a universal winter fuel payment.

“We are also aware of the huge impact of the increase in employer’s National Insurance, not least on public services.

“I hope UK Ministers will use the spending review to fully fund the costs of this tax hike on jobs to vital public services like the NHS.

“The UK Government should also use the spending review to empower the devolved administrations with more flexible fiscal rules that can enable investment in public services. And we need an end to spending that bypasses devolution so we can direct funds to best meet local needs.

“We called on UK Ministers to involve us at an early stage of this process, but since they’ve refused to provide us with any clarity on their spending priorities it’s clear that its business as usual for Westminster.

“We continue to call on the Treasury to use the Spending Review to change course, providing the funding we need to deliver for the people of Scotland.”

Have you seen Barbara?

POLICE UPDATE:

Thank you very much for sharing our appeal for 86-year-old Barbara Lamond who was reported missing from Edinburgh.

Barbara has now been traced.

Thank you again.

POLICE are appealing for the help of the public to trace an 86-year-old Barbara Lamond, reported missing from Edinburgh.

Barbara was last seen on Craiglockhart View around 4pm on Saturday, 7 June, 2025.

She is described as white, around 5ft 4ins, of slim build, with short, grey hair. She was wearing dark trousers, a dark padded coat and may be wearing a light pink woolly hat and glasses.

Inspector Alison Lawrie said: “We want to make sure Barbara is safe and well. She is known to use buses and walk around the Oxgangs area.

“Anyone who has seen Barbara or who knows where she might be is asked to contact police as soon as possible.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Police Scotland on 101, quoting reference number 3150 of Saturday, 7 June, 2025.

One week today at Hidden Door

A week today …

🎶 Get ready for what will be day four of incredible live music, immersive art, and unforgettable experiences at The Paper Factory on 📅 Saturday 14 June.

🎤 Music from:

Katy J Pearson • No Windows • The Orielles • Brenda • Theo Bleak • Day Sleeper • MNDMTH • Samedia Shebeen + many more!

🖼️ PLUS:

✨ Visual Art

🕺 Dance

📝 Poetry

🎭 Pop-up Performances

🎨 Murals & Projections

🎧 DJs

🍔 Street Food & Bars

🌟 Unique collabs & special events.

📍 All happening in the legendary Paper Factory – an industrial space transformed into a playground of creativity.

Don’t miss this celebration of music, art, and community.

Tickets here: https://www.hiddendoorarts.org/tickets

#HiddenDoor2025

#ThePaperFactory

#LiveMusic

#ArtFestival

#WhatsonJune

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines returns to Rosyth for summer sailings

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has today (7th June) returned to the Port of Rosyth, marking the start of a summer season of sailings aboard its 1,325-guest ship, Balmoral.

A total of eight cruises will depart from Rosyth between June and August 2025, offering guests the chance to enjoy scenic and cultural discoveries closer to home and further afield.

Highlights include scenic cruising past Fingal’s Cave and the remote Scottish isles, exploring Arctic Norway under the glow of the Midnight Sun, uncovering the heritage of the Baltic with visits to Riga, Tallinn and Copenhagen, and whale watching in Icelandic waters. Guests can also enjoy the chance to sail the beautiful River Seine through the heart of Normandy.

Later today, Balmoral will depart Rosyth on a 10-night Scotland, Scilly Isles & the West Country cruise. The itinerary features a host of scenic cruising moments including sailing past the Duncansby Sea Stacks, the Needle, Old Man of Hoy, the Small Isles, Dutchman’s Cap and Fingal’s Cave. Calls into Lerwick, St Mary’s in the Isles of Scilly, Falmouth, Dartmouth and Portsmouth offer opportunities to step ashore and explore.

Doug Glenwright, Guest Experience Director at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “Our summer 2025 sailings from Rosyth offer a hand-crafted mix of scenic cruising and enriching destinations.

“Guests can marvel at Norway’s majestic fjords, witness Iceland’s striking volcanic landscapes, and uncover the rich histories of the Baltic capitals.

“Balmoral’s smaller size also allows us to sail the serene River Seine – a rare opportunity to experience river cruising aboard an ocean-going ship. Each itinerary has been carefully designed to showcase the beauty of the world around us, while offering the warm, personal service we’re known for.”

Rosyth is one of Fred. Olsen Cruise Line’s 2025 departure ports, alongside Liverpool, Portsmouth, Southampton, Newcastle, Dover and Southampton.

Upcoming highlights on Balmoral sailing from Rosyth include:

Balmoral’s 10-night L2513 ‘Norway’s Arctic Islands and Mountainous Vistas’ cruise, departing from Rosyth on 17th June 2025. Prices start from £1,599 per person.

  • Explore Arctic Norway in the summertime
  • Witness the Midnight Sun and see Torghatten
  • Travel along the iconic Atlantic Ocean Road

Itinerary: Rosyth, Scotland – Crossing the Arctic Circle, Norway – Cruising by Reine, Lofoten, Norway – Leknes, Norway – Svolvær, Norway – Cruising Tjeldsundet Strait, Norway – Tromsø, Norway – Sortland, Vesteralen, Norway – Cruising by Seven Sisters Mountain Range, Norway – Cruising by Torghatten, Norway – Kristiansund, Norway – Rosyth, Scotland
For more details: Visit L2513 ‘Norway’s Arctic Islands and Mountainous Vistas’

Balmoral‘s 13-night L2514 ‘Fairytale Castles and Old Towns of the Baltic’ cruise, departing from Rosyth, Edinburgh on 27th June 2025.Prices start from £1,799 per person.

  • Discover the enchanting cities of Riga, Tallinn and Copenhagen
  • Immerse yourself in Estonian life at the Song & Dance Festival
  • Uncover the Hanseatic history of the Baltic region

Itinerary:Rosyth (Edinburgh), UK – Copenhagen, Denmark – Warnemünde (for tours to Schwerin Castle), Germany – Klaipėda, Lithuania – Riga, Latvia – Tallinn, Estonia – Saaremaa, Estonia – Rosyth (Edinburgh), UK

For more information: VisitL2514 ‘Fairytale Castles and Old Towns of the Baltic’

Balmoral’s 10-night L2515 ‘Exploring the Land of Fire and Ice’, departing from Rosyth on 10thJuly 2025. Prices start from £1,699 per person.

  • Discover Iceland’s extraordinary glaciers, geysers and waterfalls
  • Immerse yourself in Iceland’s wellness culture of hot spring bathing
  • Experience whale watching on a tour from Balmoral

Itinerary: Rosyth, Scotland – Cruising by Duncansby Sea Stacks, Scotland – Cruising Pentland Firth, Scotland – Cruising by the Needle, Scotland – Cruising by Old Man of Hoy, Scotland – Torshavn, Faroe Islands – Seyðisfjörður, Iceland – Akureyri, Iceland – Ísafjörður, Iceland – Reykjavik, Iceland – Rosyth, Scotland
For more details: Visit L2515 ‘Exploring the Land of Fire and Ice’

Balmoral’s 13-night ‘French Rivers with Normandy & Bordeaux’ cruise, departing Rosyth on 20th July 2025. Prices start from £2,099pp.

  • Sail along the picturesque River Seine, only possible on smaller ships
  • Join a tour to France’s capital and experience Parisian life
  • Discover the enigmatic Mont Saint-Michel from St Malo 

Itinerary: Rosyth, Scotland – Bordeaux, France (overnight) – Cruising Girdonde and Garonne Rivers – Getxo, Spain (for Bilbao) – St Malo, France (anchor port) – Cruising River Seine, France – Rouen, France (overnight port) – Honfleur, France – Rosyth, Scotland
For more details: Visit L2516 ‘French Rivers with Normandy and Bordeaux’


For further information on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ sailings from Rosyth, visit www.fredolsencruises.com/cruises-from-scotland
Book online or call Reservations on 0800 0355 242 (Monday to Friday 8.30am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm, Sunday 10am to 4pm), or contact your ABTA travel agent.

Raising funds to fix cladding issues

Building Safety Levy Bill published

Additional funding could be unlocked to fix building safety issues through new legislation published in the Scottish Parliament. 

If passed, the Building Safety Levy (Scotland) Bill will see a tax charged on the construction of certain new residential properties, in line with equivalent legislation in England. 

The Bill seeks to raise around £30 million per year to help fund work to fix residential buildings with unsafe cladding which have no linked developer.

Latest estimates indicate that the Scottish Government’s Cladding Remediation Programme could cost £1.7 billion over a 15-year period. 

Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee said: “The Scottish Government is committed to doing what is right and necessary to address the challenge of fixing buildings affected by unsafe cladding.

“That includes putting the appropriate funding arrangements in place to ensure that the associated costs of cladding remediation do not fall directly onto affected homeowners.

“I know that developers share our determination to keep people safe and this levy will ensure they make a fair contribution to these costs, just as they will be doing in England.

“I also welcome the continued cooperation of developers who have accepted responsibility for the assessments and any required mitigation and remediation of their buildings.”

Latest version of Ready Steady Baby! available now

The latest version of Ready, Steady, Baby! is now available.

Everyone who is pregnant and lives in Scotland will receive a free printed copy from their midwife (also available in other formats and languages). It’s also available on NHS inform.

https://nhsinform.scot/ready-steady-baby

Support secured for LGBT Veterans

Action to ensure Council Tax support retained

Legislation has been amended to ensure veterans who receive a payment from the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme do not lose out on council tax support.  

More than 1,200 people in Scotland who served under and suffered from the ban on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) personnel serving in HM Armed Forces between 1967 and 2000 have applied to the UK Government for compensation so far.

Changes approved by the Scottish Parliament to ensure such payments do not affect any entitlement to Council Tax Reduction have come into effect this week.

Finance Secretary Shona Robison said: “As we mark 25 years since the lifting of the ban on LGBT people serving in the Armed Forces, it is important to recognise the hardship that so many faced with widespread homophobic bullying and harassment.

“Nothing will make up for the difficulties that LGBT veterans faced, however our action will ensure those in Scotland receive every penny that they are entitled to.

“I would also like to recognise the individuals and organisations – including Fighting with Pride – who campaigned for the rights of those who were dismissed or discharged, or faced other discrimination.”

Peter Gibson, CEO of Fighting with Pride, said: “Fighting with Pride has campaigned for justice for LGBTQ+ veterans for many years, helping to secure reparations and financial recognition of their horrendous treatment prior to 2000.

“As we slowly see the UK Government deal with those financial payments, protected from benefit and taxation impact, it is wonderful to see the Scottish Government taking action to ensure other benefits such as Council Tax Benefit is also protected too.

“We continue to seek out veterans who were discharged or dismissed from the military to support them, and this news is one more step towards helping those in Scotland.”

The Council Tax Reduction (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 2025

Veterans of the LGBT Ban: Financial Recognition Scheme – GOV.UK

The UK-wide financial recognition scheme opened in December 2024, with payments due to commence in June 2025. 

Edinburgh 900 exhibition reveals the hidden lives of the first ‘Edinburghers’

Visitors to St Giles’ Cathedral will come face-to-face with those of the first ‘Edinburghers’ in a new exhibition as part of Edinburgh 900 celebrations.

Opening to the public on Friday 6 June, Edinburgh’s First Burghers: Revealing the Lives and Hidden Faces of Edinburgh’s Medieval Citizens, delves into the fascinating work carried out by experts from the Francis Crick Institute (London), University of Aberdeen, University of Dundee and the City of Edinburgh Council.

Marking the joint 900th anniversaries of both Edinburgh and St Giles’ Cathedral, this extraordinary exhibition presents the results of new scientific research into the medieval citizens buried within the grounds of the Cathedral.

Originally excavated in 1981, these remains have undergone new detailed analysis using advanced methods including ancient DNA sequencing, isotopic analysis, radiocarbon dating, and forensic facial reconstruction.

This collaborative project offers a compelling look at the lives, diets, health, origins, and identities of Edinburgh’s earliest residents.

The exhibition will feature:

  • Facial reconstructions of five individuals by Maria Maclennan, projected throughout the Cathedral using immersive lighting designs by artist Mettje Hunneman.
  • A specially commissioned short documentary by Cinetopia, featuring interviews with the research team and members of the Cathedral community.
  • A focus on three key burial groups – individuals from the birth of the burgh and foundation of the Cathedral in the 12th century, two 15th-century male pilgrims and eight women buried inside the Chapel of Our Lady between the 15th and 16th centuries.

Lord Provost Robert Aldridge, said: “This exhibition invites visitors to travel back through nine centuries of Edinburgh’s history, to meet the earliest people who called this city home. Thanks to scientific research and creative collaboration, we are able to share new insights into their lives, origins, health, and identities and, to actually see their faces once again.

“Edinburgh 900 is a year-long celebration of our city’s rich history, culture, and bright future. This exhibition brings the faces of our very first residents to life for our audiences of today. My thanks to our partners, scientists, artists, and all those whose contributions have brought this exhibition to life.”

City of Edinburgh Council Archaeologist John Lawson added: “This has been a fascinating project that brings together new archaeological science and the creative arts to tell the story of Edinburgh’s first residents in an imaginative and exciting way.

“Visitors to the exhibition will come face-to-face with the first inhabitants of the city, ordinary individuals who lived through extraordinary chapters of history. While we are accustomed to the tales of the famous and powerful, this project shifts the spotlight to the everyday citizens, telling their stories in the very place they once walked, worshipped, and were laid to rest.

“To honour their lives in such a meaningful location has been a rare and powerful opportunity. It’s been an immensely rewarding partnership to be part of, and I’m grateful to the church, talented specialists and the artists whose hard work and dedication have have helped to tell these stories.”

Sarah Phemister, Head of Heritage and Culture, St Giles’ Cathedral, said: “This exhibition is a celebration of the remarkable talent, collaboration, and creativity of the scientists and artists who have breathed life into the faces of the past.

“Their work connects us across centuries, reminding us that St Giles’ has always been a place where history, innovation, and human stories have met at the very heart of Edinburgh.”

Free and open to the public from 6 June to 30 November 2025, the exhibition invites visitors to explore the Cathedral’s medieval past in a new way—bringing faces and stories from Edinburgh’s early history to life.

Maria Maclennan, Senior Lecturer School of Design, Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) The University of Edinburgh, said: “It has been an enormous privilege to contribute to such a fascinating and interdisciplinary project, which adopted a truly interdisciplinary approach requiring collaboration on the part of many.

“Each craniofacial approximation involved the marriage of archaeological evidence together with myriad scientific analyses undertaken by the research team, to help inform final facial appearance: forensic anthropology, radiocarbon dating, isotopic signature, DNA profiling, and forensic-artistic techniques.

“Craniofacial Approximation is a hybrid sci-art practice dedicated to restoring the face of an unknown individual from their skeletal remains. In archaeological contexts, as is seen here in St. Giles’ Cathedral, the practice is often an important means of restoring visibility, identity, and humanity to those long lost or forgotten, and/or in promoting education and encouraging public engagement with historical figures of interest from the past.

“For each reconstruction, I produced both a more ‘neutral’ face (depicting how the individual may present in contemporary day Edinburgh), in addition to a ‘historical’ face, depicting the individual dressed in clothing/artefacts typical of the time in which they lived.”

Dr Tobias Houlton, Lecturer in Craniofacial Identification and Forensic Imaging at University of Dundee, said: “This exhibition marks a significant milestone in the longstanding partnership between the City of Edinburgh Council Archaeology Service (CECAS) and the University of Dundee.

“While this particular project has been a year in the making, it builds on many years of collaboration and graduate involvement from the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification (CAHID). It provides a unique opportunity for CAHID graduates to further develop their expertise in facial identification while contributing to meaningful research in partnership with CECAS.

“The exhibition showcases the powerful synergy between science and art in restoring the faces of Edinburgh’s earliest citizens and enriching our understanding of the city’s medieval past.”

This project has been made possible with support from Historic Environment Scotland, and all partner organisations.

Neil Lal receives Gandhian Peace Society’s Man of the Decade Award

At the Scottish Parliament on 29 May, Neil Lal received the Gandhian Peace Society’s Man of the Decade Award. Many dignitaries, diplomats, politicians and business and community leaders from all over the world were in attendance.

On behalf of the Gandhian organisation, The Former, Chief Minister of Jersey (Channel Islands) The Honourable John Le Fondre, Ceo of Together UK Foundation, Mr Andrew Grocock presented a Gold plate to Mr Neil Lal and the Counsul General of Hungary Dr Laszlo Kalman.

The Conseller Des Francais de I’Etranger Mr Christian Albussion, along with Foysal Choudhury MSP (Event sponsor), presented a medal to Neil Lal.

All five made speeches and congratulated the achievements of Mr Neil Lal who is also the Chairman and President of The Indian Council of Scotland and the United Kingdom, the leading organisation representing the Indian community in the country.

Ash Regan MSP spoke of Neil Lal’s achievements and in attendance was Vice Consul General of India Amit Chaudhary and many businesscommunity leaders. Former Rangers Legend Gordon Smith attended and praised Neil Lal’s public service.

The Gandhian peace society is under the leadership of Chairman Anuranjan Jha.

The Prestigious honour recognises individuals who have made significant contributions in promoting peace, harmony and social justice in Scotland and across the United Kingdom.

Gandhian peace society explained: “The award is not only bestowed by the Gandhian Peace Society but also endorsed by a diverse group of stakeholders including members of public, religious leaders, politicians and global advocates of Gandhian values.

“The finalist’s included many senior politicians such as former PMs Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak and the current PM Sir Keir Starmer. Neil Lal’s selection of the award is a testament to his outstanding achievements.

“His tireless efforts in fostering interfaith dialogue, promoting cultural understanding and advocating for human rights have inspired countless individuals. Neil Lal work with the Indian community in the UK coupled with his unwavering commitment to religious harmonisation and peace building has profoundly impacted our society.

“We are particularly impressed by Neil Lal integrity, fairness and exemplary leadership. His unbiased approach to all communities, faiths and cultures has been instrumental in nation building and bringing diverse groups together. His transparency and accountability have set a high standard for others to follow.

“During the pandemic, Mr Neil Lal generous donations and efforts to bring UK Trade Investment demonstrated commitment to the welfare of the nation. His ongoing work encouraging Trade & Investment in the UK has significantly contributed to economic growth and cross cultural partnerships.

“As part of the award a presentation of £100,000.00 has been awarded to Mr Neil Lal to which he has kindly declined, and he has asked the Gandhian organisations in India to distribute amongst the poor and needy In India.

“This action by Neil Lal speaks volumes. We are honoured to recognise Neil Lal’s exceptional contributions”

Accepting the Award, Neil Lal said: “I am humbled in receiving the Man of The Decade Award and I thank everyone coming today.

“It is not right for me to accept the £100,000.00 prize award as it would be best served to be given to the poor and needy therefore I have declined the prize money.

“I thank all those who have attended including event convenor Sukhi Bains and especially the dignitaries, John Le Fondre, Andrew Grocock, Dr Laszlo Kalman, Christian Albuisson, Foysal Choudhury MSP, Ash Regan MSP, Gordon Smith and many others.

“It has been a great team effort with support from the Indian community such as Baldev Sood, Pravesh Randev, Sunil Marwaha, Sanjay Sharma, Arun Thapar and their families. Let’s all work together for the betterment of humanity.”