Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : UK leads the world in providing tech to keep us safe online [June 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 15 June 2023.

UK safety tech sector goes from strength to strength in most recent analysis.
- New research reveals that UK firms have 25% market share in global safety tech sector
- the sector has seen a 20% boost in earnings in the last year alone, now with 3,300 full-time employees
- the government is providing £350,000 to help safety tech start-ups scale their work in identifying child sexual abuse material
The UK’s safety tech sector, which develops solutions to keep people safe online, has seen a rapid expansion in the past year, with new analysis published today by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

The Safety Tech Sector 2023 analysis found that the UK’s 130-firm strong sector has seen a 16% increase in the number of full-time roles in safety tech and secured £64 million of investment in the last year – supporting the government’s priority to grow our economy and create new jobs.

To further support this burgeoning industry, which holds a world-leading 25% of the international safety tech market, DSIT is also announcing today that over £350,000 will be shared between three UK safety tech firms to further develop tools to identify and combat the sharing of links to child sexual abuse material online.

Minister for Tech and the Digital Economy Paul Scully MP said:

The UK’s safety tech sector is not only delivering on our priority to grow the economy and create jobs but holds the world-leading expertise needed to support our ambitions to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online – for both children and adults.

With a quarter of the world’s safety tech firms thriving in the UK, it’s a shining example of the rapid progress we are making to becoming a tech superpower by 2030.

The funding comes as the second iteration of the Department’s Safety Tech Challenge Fund which is run in partnership with the Home Office and GCHQ, and delivered by Innovate UK.

The three projects, which will run until the end of February 2024 before presenting their results to DSIT, are:
- Centre for Factories of the Future – The ‘CSAM Guard’ tool will use advanced machine learning to detect the use of modified or shortened links to share child sexual abuse material online
- Vistalworks – This firm is currently tackling the illegal trading of medicines and other products. Vistalworks will use its skills and learning to develop solutions that can identify and disrupt the sharing of child sexual abuse links
- CameraForensics – The LinkForensics project will develop a process to find the end destination for a given link, looking at its characteristics to provide a rating or confidence measure that allows appropriate action to be taken
Sector revenue has grown by 20% just in the last year, and is on track to hit £1 billion by the mid 2020s. From being able to detect and help to prevent online fraud, providing technology to conduct age assurances, the UK safety tech sector provides platforms and people with the tools they need to keep online spaces safe.

These technologies support the government’s ambitions to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online, while defending the right to free expression and securing the UK’s leadership in the fight against online harms. As part of these ambitions, the government has developed the Online Safety Bill, a world-leading piece of legislation that hold technology companies accountable for keeping their users, particularly children, safe.

Will Dury, Interim Executive Director Digital and Technologies at Innovate UK said:

Innovate UK are delighted to partner with the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology and GCHQ on this important programme. Our innovative companies have a huge part to play to ensure that the UK is kept safe online and that the most vulnerable in society are protected.

The UK is home to some of the world’s most innovative companies and with Innovate UK’s help they can create new products and services which support regulation, and allow our digital sector to benefit the economy and society.
June 16, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Russia’s war is devastating the economy of Ukraine – UK statement to the OSCE [June 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 15 June 2023.

At the 2023 Struga Conference on the Economic and Environmental Dimension of the OSCE, Justin Addison (UK Delegation to the OSCE) says Ukraine’s economic growth has been destroyed by Russia.

Excellencies, dear colleagues,

The theme of this conference is ‘Promoting security and stability through economic growth.’ But we cannot ignore that one participating State – Ukraine – has had their economic growth destroyed because another – Russia – launched a full-scale illegal and unprovoked invasion against their sovereign neighbour.

Russia’s war has had a devastating impact on the economy and environment of Ukraine, and profound impacts for the OSCE region. As ambassador Hasani said in opening remarks, in March the World Bank estimated that the cost of rebuilding Ukraine stood at $411 billion. We have heard in this forum of the devastating consequences of the war on Ukraine’s ecosystem and the wider environment.

Last week we witnessed the appalling destruction of the Kakhovka Dam. This was an abhorrent act which, if it does prove to have been an intentional attack, would fit the pattern of behaviour by Russia during this war of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure.

Assessment of impacts are ongoing, but it is anticipated that hundreds of thousands could face water shortages and contamination, as well as interruption to electricity supplies. There is also a risk of mines dislodging and threatening lives and livelihoods. On 10 June the UK set out an additional £16 million of humanitarian support as Ukraine deals with the aftermath of the flooding.

As the international community comes together to provide economic assistance to Ukraine, we must continue our efforts to hinder Russia. The UK will introduce new measures against key sectors of the Russian economy and those in Russia and outside who are supporting or profiting from Putin’s war.

I would like to finish by drawing attention to the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London next week, which will help build a modern, resilient Ukrainian economy that strengthens the rule of law, tackles corruption and promotes reform.

Thank you.

June 16, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Councils supported with £10 million to improve traveller sites [June 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 15 June 2023.

Traveller sites will be improved and people in the community will be given easier access to healthcare and education, thanks to DLUHC funding allocated today.
- Traveller sites across England to be improved, and communities given better access to healthcare and education
- Refurbished sites will help to provide accommodation and reduce unauthorised sites
- Funding is being awarded to nine local authorities and 16 projects across England
Traveller sites will be improved and people in the community will be given easier access to healthcare and education, thanks to DLUHC funding allocated today.

Nine councils across England – including Kent, Lancaster, Cornwall, Swindon, and Preston – have received a share of £10million, through DLUHC’s Traveller Site Fund.

The funding is helping to improve transit sites, so that travellers have authorised places to stay, as well as better access to facilities and services such as healthcare.

Councils are also using the funding to refurbish existing transit and permanent sites to help improve living conditions for residents.

Improvements underway range from rebuilding through to new infrastructure dependent on need – including stabling for horses, improved utilities and play areas for children.

Minister for Levelling Up, Dehenna Davison MP, said:

We are supporting councils to improve travellers’ life chances and build cohesion between the settled and traveller communities.

This funding is just one of the many ways we are improving opportunities for communities across the country, as part of the Levelling Up agenda.

Preston’s Leighton Street Traveller Site has been awarded £337,220 to refurbish and improve the condition of the site, including the upgrade of electrical equipment giving the residents greater control over their energy bills and running costs of the site.

Leader of Preston City Council, Councillor Matthew Brown, said:

We are delighted to receive this much-needed funding. It means residents now have better access to energy on the site, giving them greater control, flexibility, and money saving options on their outgoing energy bills.

Investing in sites means councils can also reduce the number of unauthorised encampments in England. This reduces enforcement costs for councils and assists both councils and local police in redirecting travellers from unauthorised sites. Funding also helps support community cohesion between the settled community and travellers.

In addition to this fund, councils can already apply for a share of the £11.5 billion Affordable Homes Fund 2021-2026 for permanent and transit sites, and bricks and mortar accommodation for travellers.
June 16, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : £46 million contract awarded to support Armed Forces information access globally [June 2023]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 15 June 2023.

The Ministry of Defence has signed a new Enterprise Agreement with Esri UK worth £46 million, helping UK Armed Forces personnel access the right information, in any situation, across any network and on any device.
£46 million contract awarded to provide Geographic Information Systems (GIS) globally.

Armed Forces Personnel to continue receiving the provision of live instant Geographic Information.

Enterprise Agreement sustains 25 jobs with plans to increase roles over the next three years.

The Ministry of Defence has signed a new Enterprise Agreement with Esri UK worth £46 million, helping UK Armed Forces personnel access the right information, in any situation, across any network and on any device.

Over the next three years, this contract – for the continuation and supply of Geographic Information Systems – will support the MOD’s digital transformation journey to achieve and maintain the information advantage, as well as to shorten decision-making cycles. It will sustain 25 jobs across the UK with plans to increase roles across multiple sites by 50% over that time.

As the Ministry of Defence’s Strategic Geospatial Partner, Esri UK provides users across the MOD with access to its world-leading Geographic Information Systems (GIS), ArcGIS. Offering unique capabilities and deployed on most of the Department’s networks, military personnel use ArcGIS to gain greater insights by applying contextual tools to visualise and analyse their data and then collaborate via maps, apps, dashboards, and reports.

This partnership will maintain the provision of live instant Geographic Information to British troops in remote locations around the world by providing broader and easier access to location-based technologies and services, with some of its uses including Field Operations, mapping, data science, imagery, and data collection and management.

The technology will also enable specialist users to do high-end geospatial information (GEOINT) analysis from deployed front-line units to UK based Defence Intelligence analysts.

Major General Richard Spencer, Director Delivery of Intelligence and Expeditionary Services in Defence Digital, said:

I am pleased to be able to continue to work closely with our strategic partner, Esri UK. They have a key role in assisting us in our ambition to digitally transform all aspects of our business, from corporate workflows to front line operations, to help further improve and shorten our decision-making cycles.

Victoria Cope, Defence Digital Commercial Director, Enterprise, said:

Our partnership with Esri UK delivers critical operational outcomes and will save £21 million over the next three years. This agreement forms part of our strategic approach to address digital spend and leverage our scale across the defence enterprise.

Peter Wilkinson, Managing Director at Esri UK, said:

We look forward to working with our extensive Partner network to help MOD achieve three key outcomes: building the MOD’s Location Infrastructure, with new location services and analytical capabilities; growing the reach of these capabilities across the entirety of MOD’s Enterprise; and developing a world-leading ecosystem of solutions that feed into and off of this Location Infrastructure, enabling a seamless two-way flow of information and intelligence across all their networks. This is how we will unlock the power of location to help MOD achieve and maintain Information Advantage.

The Defence Digital organisation employs around 2,400 personnel including military, civil servants, and contractors. The organisation is responsible for making sure that effective digital and information technology (D&IT) is put into the hands of the military and business front line.
June 16, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Army resumes training on Ajax [June 2023]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 15 June 2023.

Units of the British Field Army have restarted training on the Ajax vehicles this week, highlighting continued progress in the programme.
- Field Army have resumed training on the Ajax vehicles
- Marks next positive step in progress on the Ajax programme
- Ajax vehicles have driven more than 6,600km on trials so far
Units of the British Field Army have restarted training on the Ajax vehicles this week, highlighting continued progress in the programme.

Focused on individual and crew training, this step will mark the restarting of British Army training on the sophisticated vehicles. Conducted in Bovington and Bulford on the initial production standard of Ajax vehicles – Capability Drop 1 – this training will enable troops to learn how to operate the armoured vehicles and use the systems integrated into them.

The training will also enable the crew to develop skills and experience with the vehicles before delivery of the later Capability Drop 3 vehicles, which will be fully deployable.

44 vehicles at Capability Drop 1 have been delivered to the British Army, while a busy production line in South Wales manufactures the Capability Drop 3 vehicles that will provide the British Army with a battle-winning edge.

Delivering a step-change in the surveillance and reconnaissance capability for the Army, with its suite of cutting-edge sensors, enhanced 40mm cannon, modular armour, and improved cross-country range and mobility, the programme will deliver 6 variants, totalling 589 vehicles that will allow the Army to operate in all weathers, 24 hours a day.

Boosting the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy, the main Ajax contracts supports a UK-wide supply chain of more than 230 UK-based companies and more than 4,000 jobs throughout the UK, including a large number in South Wales.

Minister for Defence Procurement, James Cartlidge, said:

This is a significant moment for the British Army, marking a huge step forward for the Ajax Programme. The Ajax vehicles will provide a breakthrough in capability and I’m pleased to see such positive progress towards delivering a suite of battle-ready vehicles for our forces.

Visiting Bovington Camp in the south west of England – where soldiers are currently training on the Ajax vehicles – Defence Minister James Cartlidge recently met with soldiers taking part in the Reliability Growth Trials that resumed earlier this year and instructors who were about to start training the Army.

Through Reliability Growth Trials, AJAX, APOLLO, ATLAS and ARES variants have driven more than 6,600 kilometres through different terrains, completing a variety of representative battlefield tasks such as operating across a range of speeds, firing weapon systems, using the vehicles systems and communications and completing specialist tasks such as vehicle recoveries and repairs using the integrated crane.

Earlier this year, the MOD also confirmed the resumption of payments to General Dynamics for the delivery of the programme. A robust firm price contract remains for the delivery of the 589 vehicles, which will ensure that General Dynamics are incentivised to deliver against agreed outcomes.

As such, the whole programme remains within its originally approved budget level and the Department has worked collaboratively and constructively with General Dynamics to achieve this.
June 16, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : British Sign Language GCSE moves one step closer to the classroom [June 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 15 June 2023.

New GCSE will be the first of its kind and will teach students how to communicate through sign language.

Students are one step closer to the British Sign Language (BSL) GCSE being taught in schools, as the government launches a 12-week consultation on the content of the new qualification.

The qualification will include students being taught to communicate effectively with other signers for use in work, social and academic settings, providing them with valuable life skills welcomed by employers.

The Department for Education (DfE) has been working closely with subject experts, stakeholders and schools to develop proposed content to ensure that this new GCSE is internationally recognised and accepted in school and college performance tables. In line all qualifications, the GCSE will be knowledge-rich, diverse and as challenging as any other GCSE.

Views on the new qualification, including the language skills to be studied and the role of history, are being sought from teachers, employers and the deaf and hearing communities. The government aims to introduce this for first teaching from September 2025.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said:

It is fantastic that British Sign Language will soon be taught in schools up and down the country.

Good communication is essential both inside and outside the workplace and this historic GCSE will give students a vital life skill valued by employers.

This new qualification will break down barriers, advance equality of opportunity, and celebrate the history and rich culture of British Sign Language.

Ofqual Chief Regulator Dr Jo Saxton said:

At their best, qualifications increase opportunities and break down barriers. This GCSE in British Sign Language will do that by encouraging more people to study the language, so I’m delighted to be launching our consultation on how students should be assessed in this exciting new GCSE.

The proposals reflect our judgements about how the Department for Education’s subject content should be assessed to best allow students to demonstrate their performance in this subject. We want anyone with an interest in this new GCSE subject to tell us what they think about our proposals and whether these allow students the best opportunity to show how well they understand and can use British Sign Language.

Susan Daniels OBE, Chief Executive of the National Deaf Children’s Society, said:

We’re delighted that a GCSE in British Sign Language (BSL) is now a step closer.

BSL is a native British language used by tens of thousands of people, so it’s only fair and right that BSL users should have the opportunity to achieve a GCSE in their own, legally recognised language. This qualification will help to breakdown communication barriers between deaf and hearing people and educate more people about the deaf community and culture.

We know there are incredibly high levels of support for a BSL GCSE among both deaf and hearing students, as well as from their parents. Our recent survey also found teachers overwhelmingly believe sign language would be a useful skill for both deaf and hearing students to learn.

Tasha Ghouri, influencer and activist for the deaf community said:

As lots of you will know, being deaf is my ‘superpower’. But as someone who has had a cochlear implant since 5 years old and relies on lip-reading – going to school had its challenges.

Being included and made to feel equal means everything to me and I’ve been on a personal mission to raise awareness of the challenges facing deaf children.

That’s why I’m absolutely delighted that today, the government has announced it will soon be launching a brand new GCSE in British Sign Language which will be available to all pupils.

Ian Morgan, Chief Executive, Eduqas, said:

As one of England’s largest exam boards, Eduqas is committed to supporting the development of a new GCSE in British Sign Language (BSL); this builds on exciting work already underway in Wales to design a new GCSE BSL for WJEC students by September 2026.

Equality and inclusion matter to us, and we’re confident that this pioneering new GCSE will boost the profile of the language and play an important role in increasing the number of speakers from all communities.

We look forward to working closely with teachers, learners and subject experts to create a qualification that is engaging, relevant, and fit for the future.

Lindsay Foster, Executive Director at Signature said:

It’s great to get the public consultation out there, so that the public can see what a GCSE in BSL could look like.

We have been working towards a BSL GCSE for over 12 years now, so this feels like a milestone moment. What is important now is that people have their say on subject content and we look forward to seeing the outcome of that.

From the secondary schools we have spoken with, around 60% have told us that they would like to offer this as part of their curriculum. We really hope that over the years to come we see this in as many schools as possible.

Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, Tom Pursglove MP, said:

The British Sign Language (BSL) Act is helping make our society more accessible, opening doors to better communication for more Deaf people.

A BSL GCSE is a fantastic step in the right direction, encouraging more students to learn BSL to help increase the number of BSL users that Deaf people can speak with, making the UK an even more inclusive society.

The recently published special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and alternative provision (AP) improvement plan set out how all children and young people, including those who are deaf or have a hearing impairment, will get the support they need to succeed in their education.

British Sign Language was recognised in law as a language of Great Britain in the BSL Act (2022) and the new GCSE will be key to advancing inclusivity within education.

The study of BSL will enable students to develop ways of expressing and negotiating meaning through visual spatial language, communication and visual memory skills that will be an advantage to them for the rest of their lives.

As well as learning how to sign effectively, the GCSE will also give students an understanding of the history of sign language in the UK. This will provide a solid foundation for students’ understanding of how the language has reached its current form.

June 16, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Government takes action to strengthen local care systems [June 2023]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 14 June 2023.

The government has committed to a number of measures to support integrated care systems in response to 2 key reports.
Government publishes response to reviews on integrated care systems (ICSs)

National targets to be reviewed and streamlined to enable local health and care systems to focus on improving the health of local people

More effective care systems could help to cut waiting lists

The government has committed to a number of measures to support ICSs in response to 2 key reports.

Responding to the Hewitt Review which reported its findings on 4 April and the recent Health and Social Care Committee (HSCC) inquiry into the workings of the local health and care systems, the government reaffirmed its support for ICSs.

In its response, the Department of Health and Social Care outlines the steps it will take working with NHS England and local health and care systems, to support learning and improvement and join up care for patients and communities. As part of this the department will review and streamline national targets to ensure that systems are able to focus on improving health for their populations.

In line with the recommendations of the reviews, the government has also committed to:

continue supporting local systems to adapt to NHS England’s new operating framework, which lays out the new roles NHS England, ICSs and NHS providers will play in the wider health and care system

work with NHS England, local authorities and local health and care services to develop better information around funding for prevention services to inform future investment decisions

provide greater certainty over budgets for local health and care systems, by working to ensure reporting for small in-year funding pots is proportionate, freeing up time for planning and delivery of health and care to local people

The actions from the government’s response will support health and care systems to be more effective, making them a vital tool for improving the speed at which people will receive care in their local areas and in some cases reducing their need to be placed on an NHS waiting list where community support is available.

Government will be looking to take these commitments forward over the coming months, working with national partners and systems.

Minister for Care Helen Whately said:

Integrated care systems are already making a difference by bringing together local NHS organisations along with social care and the voluntary sector. We know that joined up care benefits patients and that’s exactly what ICSs are there to provide.

We have listened to the reports and the actions we’re going to take, like reviewing how we reduce admin burdens on local systems, will build on the excellent work that ICSs are already doing.

Amanda Pritchard, NHS Chief Executive, said:

Integrated care systems have the power to change the way the NHS provides care for people while working alongside local government to ensure people live healthier lives.

Health systems across the country are already making a real impact and we will continue to support local areas to improve outcomes for patients.

ICSs bring together NHS, local government, social care providers, charities and other partners to deliver on 4 goals:

improving outcomes in population health and healthcare

tackling inequalities in outcomes, experience and access

enhancing productivity and value for money

helping the NHS support broader social and economic development

Each ICS has an integrated care board that includes representatives from local authorities, primary care and NHS trusts and foundation trusts, who make decisions on commissioning health and care services in their local areas.

The Health and Social Care Committee launched its inquiry into ICSs in July 2022. Subsequently, the Health and Social Care Secretary commissioned Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt to lead a separate, independent review in November 2022, to examine how the oversight and governance of these systems can best enable them to succeed.

Both reviews covered ICSs in England including considering the NHS targets and priorities for which ICBs are accountable, including those set out in the government’s mandate to NHS England.

Drawing on the insights of leaders from across the NHS, local government, social care providers, the charitable and the voluntary and social enterprise sectors, the Hewitt review looked at how best to empower local leaders to focus on improving outcomes for their populations.

Background information

Government response to the HSCC report and the Hewitt Review on integrated care systems

Each ICS has an integrated care board (ICB), a statutory organisation responsible for developing a plan for meeting the health needs of the population, managing the NHS budget and arranging for the provision of health services in the ICS area. ICBs include representatives from local authorities, primary care and NHS trusts and foundation trusts.

Each ICS also has an integrated care partnership (ICP) that brings together a broad alliance of partners concerned with improving the care, health and wellbeing of the population. The ICP is responsible for producing an integrated care strategy on how to meet the health and wellbeing needs of the population in the ICS area.
June 16, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : The UK is a proud champion of the rights of members of marginalised groups and is committed to defending them – UK statement at the Security Council [June 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 June 2023.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on tolerance and international peace and security.

Thank you President. I am grateful to the UAE for convening this important meeting and I thank the Secretary-General, as well as the briefers for their valuable briefings.

President, respect for all human rights is and must be an essential beacon for our work in this Council.

Freedom of religion or belief, including the freedom not to have a religion, is a fundamental human right.

And yet, religious minorities have time and again been specifically targeted, including in conflict. This was a key finding of the report commissioned by the former UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt from the Bishop of Truro.

From the Yezidis in Iraq, to the Rohingya in Myanmar, to the recent case of the Baha’i in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, minorities are too often targeted on the grounds of religion or belief. Indeed, there is evidence that religious or belief minorities may avoid seeking humanitarian aid due to fear or intolerance. Including Sunni Muslims in Syria, Shi’a Hazara communities in Afghanistan and Christian communities in Nigeria.

When communities come under attack in situations of conflict, it is the role of this Council to address it. There is more we and the UN system can do to monitor incitement to violence against all minority communities in conflict. We should assure we have the tools in place for horizon scanning to address incitement and extremist rhetoric before it tips over into violence.

Religious communities and leaders have a responsibility to reject hate and extremism in their name which can fuel violence and conflict. They can also play a unique role in conflict prevention, reconciliation, and peacebuilding initiatives, including at the grassroots level, where interreligious and intercultural dialogue can help build trust and understanding between communities, and combat intolerance.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Wellby, who sits on the Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Mediation addressed this Council in 2018 on the role religious institutions can play in fragile states in mediation and reconciliation.

This year is the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland – a peace deal that Catholic and Protestant clergy helped deliver through mediation between adversaries. In Sierra Leone, the Inter-Religious Council was crucial to the signing of the Lomé Peace Accord which brought peace in 1999 after a decade of war. And in Mali, a country threatened by violent extremism, some Islamic figures have been working tirelessly in support of peace.

Women leaders are of course a crucial part of this: the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in conflict prevention and resolution, negotiations are more likely to succeed, and peace agreements be sustained. The Ecumenical Women Peacebuilders Network is a powerful example, a nationally recognised group of Catholic and Protestant women church leaders in Colombia who helped drive the 2016 peace accords. They now help foster reconciliation as former combatants return home. So we, as a Council, should ensure that UN peace efforts are making use of the leadership of women, religious leaders, youth and wider civil society.

President, human rights and freedom of expression must be at the heart of any attempt to advance freedom of religion and belief. Attempts to tackle intolerance will not be successful if they don’t prioritise inclusivity, equality and safeguard freedom of expression and opinion.

These principles are reflected in the resolution we have presented with our partners, the UAE, and which we hope will be adopted later today.

The UK is a proud champion of the rights of members of marginalised groups, including women and girls, and is committed to defending them.

Thank you.

June 16, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : No sandeel fishing for 2023 in effort to protect marine ecosystem [June 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 14 June 2023.

UK fishermen will not be permitted to catch or swap any of the UK’s 5,773 tonnes of North Sea sandeel quota in 2023.

For the third consecutive year, the UK government has decided to not allow UK sandeel fishing for 2023 for the benefit of the wider marine ecosystem – such as seabirds and marine mammals – that feed on these eel-like fish.

This means that UK fishermen cannot catch or swap any of the pre-agreed quota for sandeel fishing in the North Sea – totalling 5,773 tonnes.

Sandeels are an important forage fish and dietary source for vulnerable seabirds, marine mammals and commercially valuable fish. Industrial fishing of sandeels is shown to have an impact on the health of these other species within the marine ecosystem.

Without effective fisheries management measures, loss of sandeels through commercial fishing could be detrimental to the breeding success and population resilience of certain UK seabirds which, as well as puffins, also include kittiwakes and razorbills.

Fisheries Minister Mark Spencer said:

By not allowing the UK commercial fishing of sandeels, we can better protect and enhance the lives of vulnerable seabirds and marine mammals that play such a crucial part in our marine ecosystems.

Sandeels are an important component in the food chain for some of our most treasured species, such as puffins, and the decision to not allow sandeel fishing for a third year running will help benefit our seabird populations and allow wildlife to thrive.

The decision on the quota is part of the government’s wider efforts to protect sandeels, with a 12-week consultation held earlier this year to seek views on the future management of sandeels in English waters of the North Sea. The government response to the consultation will be published in due course.

The actions to support sandeels build on the government’s Environmental Improvement Plan to support biodiversity and allow wildlife to thrive. Under this plan, the government has committed to protecting 30% of our land and sea for nature and will launch a new multi-million pound Species Survival Fund targeted at protecting our rarest species.

June 16, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Work on £10 million flood defence set to begin on Essex coast [June 2023]
The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 14 June 2023.

Thousands of homes and businesses will be better-protected from flooding by new seawall.
The Environment Agency is set to begin a multi-million project to protect a vulnerable community on the Essex coast.

In the coming days, work will begin at Cockett Wick to strengthen and raise the seawall. More than 150 steel piles will be installed along with the construction of a new concrete wall and footpath to protect homes in Jaywick from flooding.

In excess of 14,000 tonnes of rock armour will also be placed on the sea-side of the defence to protect the strengthened wall from wave damage.

Together, the work will help to protect more than 3,000 properties and businesses. The changes will help to ensure this part of the Essex coast remains protected despite climate change and sea level-rise.

The defences are designed to be raised again in 50 years’ time to ensure another 50 years of protection, all while maintaining views of the sea.

John Lindsay, Essex coastal engineer for the Environment Agency, said:

We are already seeing the impacts of climate change in the UK and around the world. This is why urgent action is needed to adapt to the effect of the climate emergency. The work at Cockett Wick will help to continue to protect the local communities for decades to come.

Everyone should know their flood risk and sign up for free flood warnings by visiting gov.uk and search flood or call Floodline on 0345 988 1188. You can also follow @EnvAgencyAnglia on Twitter for the latest flood updates.

Regular drop-in sessions will take process throughout the project where residents will be able to find out how the work is progressing.

Throughout the construction work, it will be necessary to close the current access road that links Jaywick to the Martello Tower. During this time, an alternative access route will be provided via Hutleys Caravan Park, in Seawick. This will use a temporary road running behind the sea defences leading to a temporary car park at the Martello Tower.

Pedestrian access between Seawick and Jaywick will be maintained throughout the work. However, temporary footpath diversions will also be in place to the rear of the seawall for the duration of the work.

The Government’s investment in flooding has doubled to a record £5.2 billion between 2021 and 2027, creating around 2,000 new flood and coastal defences to better protect hundreds of thousands of properties across England.

The contractor for this project is BAM Nuttall. They will also be providing updates on the project through their Facebook page.
June 16, 2023