Government

A new government initiative to boost the creative industries has been welcomed by printers, provided that it has a knock-back effect on the prosperity of their own sector.

Print sector figures have signalled hopes that the government is on course to make greater efforts on industrial productivity following Philip Hammond’s Autumn Budget.

The Bank of England has confirmed it plans to issue a new £50 note printed on polymer.

A raft of retailers and restaurant chains have announced plans to reduce or abolish their use of plastic packaging in the next few years, as the government vows to crack down on plastic waste.

The Tall Group has been commended by the former home secretary Lord Blunkett for its “unwavering commitment to fight cyber crime” after achieving its Cyber Essentials badge plus accreditation.

Global packaging giant Essentra has launched its first UK-wide National Apprenticeship Programme, which will see it take on 20 apprentices over the next year.

The £2m penalty imposed on security printer Smith & Ouzman has been used to fund a social development project in Africa, in what is a UK government first.

Chancellor Philip Hammond has delivered his first – and last – Spring Budget, and with it a raft of measures that could impact printers, particularly SMEs.

Deltor Communications has invested in a Ricoh Pro C9100 and a Komfi Sagitta 76 thermal laminating machine.

Chancellor Philip Hammond has announced a number of measures to boost UK infrastructure, including a £23bn National Productivity Investment fund.

Chancellor George Osborne announced a number of business tax reforms in a Budget speech yesterday (16 March) that was largely welcomed by the print industry.

George Osborne plans to raise £3bn per year from the Apprenticeship Levy and has fixed the level at 0.5% of an employer's pay bill.