Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : Start date for major overhaul of Plymouth flood defence barrier [August 2023]
The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 2 August 2023.

The Environment Agency’s major £3m repair and maintenance project of Plymouth’s lock gates is due to start in September.
Work is set to start in September 2023 on a major £3m repair and maintenance project for Plymouth’s lock gates. They form a key part of the city’s coastal defences, protecting hundreds of homes and businesses from flooding, and providing access to the marina and fish quays in the Sutton Harbour and Barbican area of the city.

The project is being managed by the Environment Agency, with funding from the UK Government, and will see the replacement of worn lock gate sills and other key maintenance items. Work will be carried out by leading UK construction and infrastructure services specialists Kier.

Sutton Harbour Company, which is the Statutory Harbour Authority, and which operates the lock, Plymouth Fisheries and Sutton Harbour Marina, has been working in close collaboration and partnership with the Environment Agency and Kier in planning for the project and how operations and access will be maintained in the harbour.

Following detailed consultation with harbour users, programming of the project has been significantly revised and the scheme will now be carried out in two phases, with the aim of minimising, wherever possible, disruption to the harbour’s fishing and leisure fleets.

Work to the outer gates will take place between 4th September 2023 – 8th December 2023. However, there are no planned restrictions on the operation of the lock gates after 7th November 2023, while the remainder of the first phase works are completed.

Work on the stoplog gate across the old harbour entrance is planned to take place between 13th November and 17th November, during this period the permissive footpath across the lock will be closed.

Work to the inner gates will take place between 11th March 2024 – 17th June 2024, but as above there are no planned restrictions on the operation of the lock gates after 16th May 2024, while the remainder of the second phase works are completed.

A detailed access timetable showing periods when access to the lock will be restricted has been published on the project’s dedicated website, www.lockgates.info. Mariners are being encouraged wherever possible to plan their trips around this timetable.

There will be some activity on the quayside for a week before each set of works start setting up welfare facilities and work compounds.

For the majority of the works the lock will still function on a tidal freeflow basis (generally up to three hours either side of high tide with more limited access during working hours), with a limited number of 24-hour closures clearly set out in the access timetable. Access will be maintained for pedestrians using the swing bridge across the lock.

Where necessary, mitigation measures are being put in place to support the continued operation of Plymouth’s fishing fleet and marina leisure users. These measures include pre-arranged back-up “emergency” alternative landing sites with truck access to the Fish Quay, and providing temporary emergency berthing arrangements for vessels arriving outside periods of lock access.

Documents detailing the mitigation measures have been circulated to harbour users and are available to download here.

Some preliminary dive surveys took place earlier in July prior to work starting in September but did not impact on the operation of the lock.

A Spokesperson from the Environment Agency said: “We are pleased to be able to undertake this challenging project to repair the seals between the gates the bottom of the lock and to allow it to continue to provide flood defences for the 600 homes and businesses surrounding the harbour, as well as 24-hour access to the harbour for vessels to the fish quays and marina.

“We and our Framework Contractor Kier have been working closely with Sutton Harbour Company and with their customers and have developed a pragmatic programme of work to reduce the impact of the works as far as is practicable.

“Our contractor and our project team will continue to work with Sutton Harbour to make sure that up-to-date information is provided to the harbour users for the duration of the work.”

A spokesman from Sutton Harbour Company, said: “The tidal gates are a critical part of Plymouth’s coastal flood defences and we are pleased to see such a significant investment taking place in their repair and refurbishment to ensure the continuing effectiveness of the tidal barrage for another decade.

“Throughout the planning for this project, our overriding aim has been to maintain operations in the harbour to the maximum extent possible and minimise disruption for harbour users during these essential works.

“We have worked with the fishing community and berth holders and engaged expert independent consultants to develop mitigation plans to ensure the ongoing operation of the fishing industry and to meet the needs of leisure users.”

Updates will be provided via www.lockgates.info, social media and direct to harbour users, and via regular VHF broadcasts by the Lock Team to vessel skippers.
August 5, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Illegal angling on the rise [August 2023]
The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 2 August 2023.

The Environment Agency is warning those who fish illegally that the net is closing in after a recent rise in angling offences in the South East.

Over the past 6 months, our South East Fisheries Enforcement Officers have issued over 360 offence report forms to illegal anglers. This is already 40 more than this time last year. To crack down on offenders, fisheries enforcement patrols are being stepped up at rivers and fisheries across the region this summer.

Fishing illegally can incur a fine of up to £2,500 and offenders can also have their fishing equipment seized. The Environment Agency inspect rod licences 24/7, 7 days a week to check on cases of illegal fishing and those caught cheating the system face prosecution.

An Environment Agency spokesperson said:

This concerning recent rise in illegal fishing is not only harmful to fish populations but also has a detrimental effect on the environment and surrounding wildlife, as well as cheating law-abiding anglers.

People who don’t buy a licence are not only cheating other anglers and the future of the sport but are running the risk of criminal conviction and a fine. There is no excuse – it costs just £33 for a whole year, and you can buy a fishing licence online at: www.gov.uk/get-a-fishing-licence

We track criminals on an intelligence led basis using information gathered by ourselves, the police and other partners and reports from the public. We urge anyone to report illegal fishing as quickly as possible by calling our incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Any angler aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, canal or still water needs a licence to fish. A 1-day licence costs from just £6.60, and an annual licence currently costs from just £33 (concessions available). Junior licences are free for 13 – 16-year-olds.

The Environment Agency carries out enforcement work all year round and is supported by partners including the police and the Angling Trust. Fisheries enforcement work is intelligence-led, targeting known hot-spots and where illegal fishing is reported.

Recent prosecutions in Kent

Following cases brought by the Environment Agency in March and June 2023 at Hastings and Folkestone Magistrates, the courts have ordered four men to pay a combined total £720, in fines, £450 in costs and £288 victim surcharges. A total of £1,478. The offenders were:
- Robert George Brealy 27, of Herne Bay was caught fishing without a licence at Longshaw Fisheries in Canterbury. Fined £247.
- Brandan Woodger 23, of Aylesford was caught fishing without a licence at Orchard Place Farm, Tonbridge. Fined £443.
- Rosen Vasilev 62, of Ilford was caught fishing without a licence at Hanningfield Reservoir, Chelmsford. Fined £443.
- Marcus Taylor 28, of Tunbridge Wells was caught fishing without a licence and also fined for when fishing, failed, when required to do so, to state his name and address to a voluntary water bailiff at Elphicks Farm Lakes in Kent. Fined £345.
August 5, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : £14 million to unlock agricultural innovation [August 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 2 August 2023.

Over £14 million is being made available in two new competition rounds to back research into innovative farming solutions.

More than £14 million is to be made available to unlock innovation and develop solutions in the farming sector in two new research and feasibility competitions under the Farming Innovation Programme, Defra has announced today (Wednesday 2 August).

It is part of the government’s delivery of its commitment to invest £600 million in innovation and productivity in the sector over three years, and adds further support to the development and take-up of innovative practices on farms to boost productivity and sustainability whilst meeting net zero targets.

The competitions are open to farmers, growers, foresters, research organisations and businesses involved in agriculture to collaborate on novel ideas and solutions.

Previous rounds have led to investment in automations to improve soft fruit yield; a ‘herd’ of lightweight, battery-operated, asparagus-harvesting robots; and the use of ultraviolet as a disinfectant in the dairy and poultry sectors.

Farming Minister Mark Spencer said:

These competitions are all about encouraging collaborations between farmers and growers on the one hand, and research organisations and industry on the other, to help bring ideas from the planning stage into practice.

The success of the previous competition rounds and the broad scope of ideas coming forward showcase the range of possibilities available for driving up productivity and solving some of the industry’s biggest challenges. I encourage everyone to take a look at what’s on offer in the latest competitions and apply.

Defra is today publishing guidance for the third round of the Small R&D Partnerships competition, which seeks to help businesses develop a new farming product or service and take it to commercialisation on the open market. Worth almost £10 million, it has been developed in partnership with the Transforming Food Production Challenge and is delivered by Innovate UK.

The second round of the competition has already funded projects including exploring how to breed sheep with a naturally low carbon footprint to help sheep farmers contribute to the journey towards net zero, and a project combining generation of electricity with growing berries to power operational processes such as automated picking, sensors and vehicles.

It comes alongside new guidance for a £4.5 million Feasibility Studies competition which aims to support businesses and researchers through the difficult testing phase of an idea, checking whether it works in practice and helping them assess whether to invest in a project.

It looks for early-stage solutions that have the potential to substantially improve the overall productivity, sustainability and resilience of farming, and move existing agricultural sectors to net zero.

Successful applicants in previous rounds include a study to identify fungal strains that can help fight against insect and fungal pests in wheat crops, reducing the costs associated with multiple applications of chemical pesticides, mechanical damage from repeated spray applications and crop yield losses.

Farmers, growers, foresters, research organisations and businesses are encouraged to read the guidance ahead of applications opening.

Applications for the Small R&D Partnerships competition open on 14 August and the Feasibility Studies competition window is open from 18 September.

Dr Katrina Hayter, Executive Director for the Healthy Living and Agriculture Domain at Innovate UK, said:

We look forward to supporting the next round of applicants and identifying promising partnerships that hold the potential to address the sustainability, efficiency, and net zero challenges confronting the UK’s agrifood industry.

Feasibility studies mark the initial stage in researching an idea that could improve farming, while small R&D partnerships are a vital step to empowering businesses to forge novel farming products and services, paving the way towards successful commercialisation.

By fostering collaborations between farmers, growers, agri-businesses and researchers, these partnerships become the driving force behind transforming innovative solutions into practical applications.

Since opening in October 2021, 16 competitions have launched under the government’s £270 million Farming Innovation Programme and, as of August 2023, more than £123 million in funding to industry-led research and development in agriculture and horticulture has been announced.

The importance of innovation in the food and farming sectors was highlighted at the recent Farm to Fork Summit where the government announced a package of support for the farming sector, including new measures to ensure the sector remains at the forefront of adopting new technologies and techniques.

This included the On-Farm Environmental Resilience competition, which will see up to £12.5 million awarded to projects driving the development of new technology and innovative farming methods, with a focus on practical solutions to make a real difference on farms. The competition closed at the end of last month and projects will be notified of the outcome of their applications in the autumn.

August 5, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak call with Chancellor Scholz of Germany [August 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 2 August 2023.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz this morning.

Following on from last month’s NATO Summit in Vilnius, the leaders stressed the importance of upholding European security. The Prime Minister expressed his hope that the UK and Germany can continue the extensive work we do together to this end.

The Prime Minister and Chancellor Scholz discussed the concerning situation in Niger. The UK and Germany have both condemned the recent attempts to undermine democracy, peace and stability in the country. The Prime Minister welcomed our shared efforts to uphold stability and protect our nationals in Niger.

The leaders looked forward to seeing one another in person at the G20 Summit in India next month.

August 5, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : FSD Africa invests £10m in Nigeria’s climate infrastructure [August 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 August 2023.

FSD Africa Investments injects £10m in innovative risk-sharing facility in partnership with InfraCredit to support Nigeria’s sustainable climate infrastructure

FSD Africa Investments, in partnership with InfraCredit, have invested £10m into a first-of-its-kind risk-sharing backstop facility, designed to unlock local currency funding for sustainable infrastructure development in Nigeria.

The Risk Sharing Backstop Facility (RSBF) will address the challenge of low credit enhancement by mobilising local institutional investment via bonds into viable early-stage or green-field climate-aligned infrastructure projects.

By increasing the accessibility of finance for climate-aligned infrastructure projects, the facility will help Nigeria accelerate social and economic development, green economic transition as well as deliver on climate goals.

Backed by the UK International Development through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), FSD Africa Investments (FSDAi) is pleased to be undertaking this £10m investment in partnership with InfraCredit – an established player in the sustainable infrastructure financing space.

InfraCredit’s current investments and project pipeline demonstrates the breadth and variety of projects this facility will support, with projects ranging from distributed renewable energy services for urban residences, to commercial and industrial renewable projects, edge-certified green housing and e-mobility infrastructure.

The RSBF will raise funding in series, initially from FSDAi, and eventually from other funders – aiming to reach a total capital base of up to US$50m.This investment therefore aligns with one of FSD Africa’s primary objectives – developing capital markets by tackling blockages in the system.

UK Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, said:

This investment further demonstrates the UK’s commitment and contribution to Nigeria’s transition to clean energy and builds on decades of UK leadership in mobilising support for climate-related infrastructure challenges. Just like the successes of British International Investment (BII) and our Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), I am optimistic that InfraCredit will continue to grow and mobilise even more private sector capital to invest in better, greener infrastructure.

Chief Investment Officer, FSD Africa Investments, FSD Africa, Anne-Marie Chidzero, said:

FSDAi’s partnership with InfraCredit on the bridge-to-bond facility introduces a derisking financing solution to mobilise short and medium-term local institutional investment into critically needed infrastructure projects that are currently considered un-bankable without alternative credit enhancement. Moreover, as Africa’s economies struggle to mobilise capital to develop key climate mitigation and sustainable power generation projects, this facility comes as a timely and much-needed intervention for Nigeria’s infrastructure landscape.

Chief Executive Officer, InfraCredit, Chinua Azubike, said:

I am delighted to work with FSD Africa Investments on an innovative facility which will support much needed, but underfinanced projects realise their ultimate goals and purpose.

Smart use of catalytic capital can dramatically increase the role of private capital and local intermediaries in investing in Nigeria’s sustainable infrastructure space and help the country develop responses to the significant challenges which confront it from the deteriorating environment and ecology to an unstable energy mix and severe social inequality.

August 5, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Deal struck on a renewed Fiscal Framework for the Scottish Government [August 2023]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 2 August 2023.

The UK and Scottish governments have agreed on an updated Fiscal Framework, enabling the Scottish Government to invest further in key infrastructure.
- UK Government will continue to top-up the Scottish Government’s tax revenues, worth £1.4 billion last year, as a benefit of strength and scale of the UK.
- Boost to borrowing powers and backing of Barnett formula will build a better future for Scotland and help to grow the economy.
- Chief Secretary to the Treasury John Glen hails a fair and responsible deal in line with the Prime Minister’s economic priorities.
The UK and Scottish Governments have today, 2 August, reached an agreement on an updated Fiscal Framework.

Holyrood’s capital borrowing powers will rise in line with inflation, enabling the Scottish Government to invest further in schools, hospitals, roads and other key infrastructure that will help to create better paid jobs and opportunity in Scotland.

The new deal maintains the Barnett formula, through which the Scottish Government receives over £8 billion more funding each year than if it received the levels of UK Government spending per person elsewhere in the UK. It also updates funding arrangements in relation to court revenues and the Crown Estate.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury, John Glen, said:

“This is a fair and responsible deal that has been arrived at following a serious and proactive offer from the UK Government.

“We have kept what works and listened to the Scottish Government’s calls for greater certainty and flexibility to deliver for Scotland.

“The Scottish Government can now use this for greater investment in public services to help the people of Scotland prosper. These are the clear benefits of a United Kingdom that is stronger as a union.”

The generous funding arrangements for tax will be continued, with the Scottish Government continuing to keep every penny of devolved Scottish taxes while also receiving an additional contribution from the rest of the UK.

Under the previous Fiscal Framework, the Scottish Government could borrow £450 million per year within a £3 billion cap, as well as receiving a Barnett-based share of UK Government borrowing. Going forward these amounts will instead rise in line with inflation, which supports additional investment across Scotland and lays the foundations for economic growth.

The UK Government has listened to calls from the Scottish Government for greater certainty and flexibility to help them manage their Budget and agreed a permanent doubling of the resource borrowing annual limit from £300 million to £600 million. Limits on how much can be withdrawn from the Scotland Reserve to spend in future years will also be removed. This will boost spending through borrowing by £90 million in 2024/25. All future limits will increase in line with inflation.

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: “The renewed Fiscal Framework shows what can be achieved when there is a collaborative focus on delivering economic opportunity and why we are stronger and more prosperous as one United Kingdom.

“The deal – worth billions of pounds to Scotland over the coming years – builds upon work to support economic growth, provide more high skill jobs, investment and future opportunities for local people, such as the establishment of Investment Zones and Freeports in Scotland.

“The UK Government knows that high prices are still a huge worry for families. That’s why we’re sticking to our plan to halve inflation, reduce debt and grow the economy.  As well as providing targeted cost of living support, we are directly investing more than £2.4 billion in hundreds of projects across Scotland as we help level up the country.”

As both governments continue to work together to tackle challenges like the cost of living, an updated Fiscal Framework equips the Scottish Government with the instruments for growth while protecting the wider public finances.
August 5, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Consultation to ban scam calls launched [August 2023]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 2 August 2023.

A special support service for victims of fraud has also been expanded to cover all 43 police forces in England and Wales.

Plans to ban cold calls for financial products such as sham cryptocurrency schemes, mortgages and insurance have been set out with the launch of a consultation, marking the next step in delivering the government’s Fraud Strategy.

The 8-week consultation, published on 2 August, will cover proposals to ban cold calls offering any financial products to clamp down on fraudsters seeking to trick people into buying fake investments. Once in force, people receiving a cold call offering these types of products will know that it is a scam, and fewer people will become victims.

Fraudulent investment schemes represent a significant threat to the UK economy, consumers, and society, with victims losing £750 million between 2022-23, according to data from the City of London Police.

A specialist team which provides support to victims of fraud, known as the National Economic Crime Victim Care Unit, has also been rolled out to all 43 police forces across England and Wales since the Fraud Strategy was announced.

Part funded by the Home Office, the service has existed as part of City of London Police since 2015, and is estimated to have stopped more than £2.8 million being lost to fraud. Last year its teams supported more than 113,000 victims and its rollout to all police forces will ensure more people receive the help and support they need.

Security Minister Tom Tugendhat said:

Fighting fraud is at the heart of our campaign to fight crime. The National Economic Crime Victim Care Unit and the cold calling consultation are delivering on our pioneering Fraud Strategy.

Fraud doesn’t just lead to financial loss, it can destroy confidence and lead to severe stress. That’s why it’s so important that victims get the best possible care and support.

The cold calling consultation is an important step forward in our efforts to block fraud at source. It will have a major impact once it is in force.

Andrew Griffith, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, said:

Cold calling for financial services and products has long been used by fraudsters to manipulate and trick members of the public into scams. These cold-hearted criminals will often purposely target the most vulnerable and use a range of deceitful tactics to take advantage in any way they can.

We will ban cold calling for all consumer financial services and products, so the public can be sure that it’s not a legitimate firm if they get a call about a financial product out of the blue without their consent.

We want people to feel confident to put the phone down and report these illegitimate calls.

The government’s Fraud Strategy, published on 3 May, is already turning the tide against fraud.

A key pledge within the strategy is to ensure more victims are reimbursed and recently passed legislation will enable this to happen.

The Financial Services and Markets Act, which received Royal Assent on 29 June, enables the Payment Systems Regulator to require payment service providers to reimburse a customer if they become a victim of authorised push payment fraud. These are frauds where the victim has been deceived into sending a payment from their bank account to a fraudster. This change will provide greater protection for victims of these frauds.

Improved support to block fraud and protect victims will also be achieved through the Online Advertising Programme, which will deliver tougher measures to tackle harms caused by illegal advertising online, including fraud.

A range of targeted measures will be put together to address the most serious risks linked to online advertising. The government will launch a consultation on the details of the potential legislation in due course.

The online advertising taskforce set up as part of the programme met for first time last week. It brings together tech trade bodies and the Advertising Standards Authority alongside the government’s Anti-Fraud Champion, Anthony Browne. The shared mission is to prevent fraudulent messaging online and stop age-restricted products being marketed to children.

Anti-Fraud Champion Anthony Browne said:

80% of fraud is cyber-enabled and often starts with scam social media posts, a fraudulent email or false advertising and this makes engaging with the tech sector particularly important.

Our tech sector is among the best in the world and has a proven track record for innovation. It is of the utmost importance that we work with them to bring about better protections for their customers.

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency (ECCT) Bill is also anticipated to receive Royal Assent later this year. Once in force, it will reform corporate law by creating a new criminal offence, called failure to prevent fraud, which places an onus on all large companies to actively prevent fraud being committed by their staff.

If a member of staff commits fraud, for the benefit of their employer, their employer will be held criminally liable unless they are able to prove they had implemented reasonable measures to deter such offending. The government will publish guidance on these measures in due course.

Each of the reforms proposed by the ECCT Bill strike the right balance between holding businesses accountable for their actions without placing onerous regulatory demands on them.

It will level the corporate playing field by ensuring all companies play by the same rules.

August 5, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : New prison to be built on former Rainsbrook site [August 2023]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 2 August 2023.

The former Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre is set to reopen as a Category C men’s prison, in the latest of a string of measures to boost jail capacity, Prisons Minister Damian Hinds has announced today.
- former Secure Training Centre to become Category C men’s prison
- refurbishment to create up to 130 new prison places
- construction to create 100 jobs and boost local economy
The refurbishment of the Rainsbrook site will create up to 131 new prison places – helping to put serious offenders behind bars and provide a boost to the local economy with 100 new jobs.

The new jail will operate as an annexe of neighbouring HMP Onley, a Category C prison that helps offenders turn their backs on crime by giving them the skills through workshops and additional support to find work on release – an approach proven to cut crime and save the tax-payer money.

This is the latest step in the government’s commitment to boost prison capacity, which includes creating 20,000 modern prison places, the largest prison-building programme since the Victorian era – with 5,400 of these places already delivered.

The 20,000 places are being delivered through the construction of six new prisons, alongside expansions and refurbishments at existing jails and the delivery of 1,000 Rapid Deployment Cells.

HMP Fosse Way in Leicestershire, the second of these new state-of-the-art prisons, opened its doors last month.

Prisons Minister Damian Hinds said:

Redeveloping Rainsbrook is the latest step in our plans to create more prison places as we continue to take serious criminals off the streets.

Alongside vital taxpayer savings and creating more jobs for the local economy, we are making sure that every acre of the prison estate is being used effectively to rehabilitate offenders and help them turn their backs on crime for good.

Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre was previously a secure unit for children aged between 12 and 17 and closed in 2021. The redevelopment of the former Rainsbrook site is due to be completed by early 2025.
August 3, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK Space Agency funding for technologies to monitor the Earth [August 2023]

The press release issued by the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology on 2 August 2023.

Funding for satellite Earth Observation technologies, which are critical to improving humanity’s understanding of our planet and its climate, is now available.

The £15 million UK Space Agency funding will support the research and experimental development of space-based instruments, aimed at supporting a range of environmental services, which could include meteorology, climate monitoring, environmental management, agriculture and urban planning, and improving scientific knowledge.

The UK is already a world leader in Earth Observation (EO) tools, technologies, and data use. This funding will help to accelerate the development of promising UK EO technologies which could be flown on satellites in the next few years.

The National Space Strategy in Action report, published in July, set out the government’s plans for how the UK will remain at the forefront of EO technology and know-how for commercial and public services.

Minister of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology George Freeman MP, said:

Earth Observation technology is critical to tackling the fundamental challenges of our age – from monitoring climate change to responding to humanitarian disasters – and so we owe it to the future of our planet to harness the UK’s world-leading skills in this field.

This pivotal technology doesn’t stop there and from ensuring the safety of bridges to enabling our farmers get the best from their land, this £15m investment will boost our economy and drive forward our ambition to make the UK a science superpower.

The Earth Observation Technology Programme funding, delivered by the Centre for Earth Observation Instrumentation (CEOI), is part of a £400 million package announced in November 2022 to support the UK’s Earth Observation sector.

Harshbir Sangha, Missions and Capabilities Delivery Director at the UK Space Agency, said:

Satellite technology is essential to our daily lives, helping us to monitor climate change and protect our environment, manage our resources, respond to global humanitarian disasters and support sustainable development.

This funding will help catalyse investment across the sector to support a range of innovative projects, from developing new sensor technologies to using the data for improved understanding of climate change.

The £15 million funding will cover Pathfinder projects of up to £75,000, Fast Track projects of up to £250,000, and Flagship projects of up to £3 million.

Pathfinder and Fast Track projects will support new and innovative ideas for technology development, including early-stage research and lab-based experimental hardware.

Flagship projects will develop technologies further, including testing instruments in relevant environments such as vacuum chambers and airborne demonstration flights.

Chris Brownsword, Director of the Centre for Earth Observation Instrumentation, said:

This call for grant proposals is the 16th the CEOI has released on behalf of the UK Space Agency and represents a significant increase over past funding opportunities. It will continue to support innovative new technology developments, paving the way for future novel UK developed instruments, but importantly will also provide significantly larger grants to make a step change in the pace of technology development.

It has been recognised that previous CEOI calls have had major impact across the entire UK Earth Observation community; bringing together academia and industry to develop UK owned technologies. We are excited to see what successes this new call can facilitate.

Since 2016 the Earth Observation Technology Programme has provided £20 million in funding across a total of 57 projects. These include a next Generation Synthetic Aperture Radar for Oceanography led by the National Oceanography Centre with Airbus, a Compact Infrared Imager and Radiometer led by the University of Oxford, and a Laser Heterodyne Radiometer led by RAL Space.

This funding opportunity is the latest in a series of technology development activities the UK Space Agency has issued under its Earth Observation Technology Programme. Since 2016 this programme has provided £20 million in funding across a total of 57 projects, with many of these now progressing on their roadmaps towards flight on commercial, societal and research space missions.

These include a next Generation Synthetic Aperture Radar for Oceanography led by the National Oceanography Centre with Airbus, a Compact Infrared Imager and Radiometer led by the University of Oxford, and a Laser Heterodyne Radiometer led by RAL-Space.

August 3, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Tighter direction for use of police cautions unveiled [August 2023]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 2 August 2023.

Stricter rules to govern how police use cautions will ensure they should only be used for minor, first-time offences under a new code of practice published today (2 August).
- government to end patchwork of cautions, warnings and penalties
- strict conditions attached to all cautions with penalties for any breach
- victims’ views to be enshrined at the heart of police decision making process
Last year, the government changed the law to end a patchwork of cautions, warnings and penalties that had previously led to the inconsistent and, sometimes, inappropriate use of so-called Out of Court Disposals (OOCDs).

It was replaced with a simpler two-tier caution system designed to deal with low-level and first-time offences in a proportionate way outside of court, while sending a clear message that serious, persistent offenders will always be pursued rigorously through the courts.

The new, draft Code of Practice provides stricter guidance to police on how and when to use OOCDs, including the need to consider victims’ views when considering using them and the conditions applied to any caution.

Justice Minister Damian Hinds said:

The current system for these punishments has grown unwieldy, and has led to inconsistencies in their use.

This simplified system will ensure victims see justice being delivered, better nip lower-level criminality in the bud and guarantee the most serious offenders always face the full glare of the courtroom.

The new cautions framework introduced through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 has 2 types:
- Community Cautions (lower tier) where a breach of the conditions can result in a fine
- Diversionary Cautions (upper tier) where a breach of the conditions can result in prosecution for the original offence
They are an important way of tackling the early stages of offending behaviour, helping to nip it in the bud and steer people away from a life of crime.

Unlike in the previous system, both cautions must be issued with one or more meaningful conditions focusing on rehabilitation or providing direct restitution to the victim or the local community. These could include targeted unpaid work such as cleaning up graffiti, drug treatment courses or a compensation payment to the victim.

Offenders must admit their offence to be eligible for the new cautions, meaning they accept responsibility for their actions and engage with their punishment. Certain serious crimes like use of offensive or bladed weapon will be specified as excluded offences, sending a strong signal that serious offences should be pursued through the courts.

The changes will also provide clarity to frontline police officers over when and how cautions should be used, empowering them to deliver swift justice for low level offences while ensuring the public are always protected and serious offenders are always pursued through the courts.

NPCC Lead for Out of Court Resolutions (Disposals), Cmdr Dr. Alison Heydari, said:

I am delighted that we are moving into the next phase of the delivery of the new cautions framework.

The new simplified framework affords us the opportunity to divert those away from offending behaviours through appropriate Diversionary Interventions who otherwise might have entered the Criminal Justice System. The strategic intention is to support, educate and rehabilitate where it is appropriate to do so leading to better life outcomes for families, communities and wider society.

The consultation launched today sets out the draft Code of Practice for Diversionary and Community Cautions. Once finalised, the Code will provide operational guidance on the use, administration, and scrutiny of the new cautions. It will be used by Police, Crown Prosecutors, and other authorised bodies when considering sanctioning an offence out of court.

The draft Code of Practice sets out our proposals for how the new cautions will work, including factors to consider case-by-case for their repeat use and available financial penalties.
August 3, 2023