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Tag: Press Release

  • PRESS RELEASE : Mentoring and coaching company Lighthouse International Group shut down for financial irregularities [April 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Mentoring and coaching company Lighthouse International Group shut down for financial irregularities [April 2023]

    The press release issued by HM Treasury on 6 April 2023.

    Lighthouse International Group Holdings Trading LLP has been wound-up in the public interest by the High Court following an Insolvency Service investigation.

    Lighthouse was incorporated in 2012, and purported to offer life coaching services as well as mentoring, career and business development services. It promised on its website that customers subscribing to its products and services would be able to “optimise results in your life, in direct proportion to your investment of time, money and effort”.

    Customers who subscribed to the service paid substantial sums as identified from analysis of Lighthouse’s bank accounts. Between August 2014 and July 2022 Lighthouse received over £2.4m in income from customers. From this income at least half was paid over to Paul Waugh, a Lighthouse member over a four-year period, and smaller amounts were paid to other members.

    The court found that Lighthouse failed to deliver up its trading and financial records, as required by law, during the Insolvency Service investigation. Therefore, the investigators were unable to fully determine the exact nature of its business activities or verify Lighthouse’s account provided in proceedings that it had operated as a “research community” that had never launched its work as a viable business. Lighthouse was also found to have filed misleading or false accounts. The accounts filed recorded that over a 9 year period it had nil assets or liabilities suggestive that it had not traded.

    Lighthouse, and its members failed to fully co-operate with the Insolvency Service’s investigation.

    Edna Okhiria, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service said:

    Lighthouse and its members refused to co-operate with our investigation and the court rightly agreed to wind up the partnership.

    Paul Waugh’s efforts to obstruct our work were deemed ‘unacceptable’ and ‘deliberate’ by the judge, who also commended the investigation team for its professionalism. Where we find evidence that directors or partners are failing to adhere to their statutory obligations, for example failing to maintain adequate records, we will seek to have them wound-up in the public interest.

    As a result, Lighthouse International Group Holdings Trading LLP was wound-up in the public interest in the High Court of Justice Business and Property Courts by Deputy Judge Jones on 28 March 2023. The Official Receiver has been appointed as Liquidator of the LLP and has a statutory duty to investigate the conduct of all current and former partners as part of the Liquidation proceedings.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Time set for UK Emergency Alerts test [April 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Time set for UK Emergency Alerts test [April 2023]

    The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 6 April 2023.

    National test of Emergency Alerts will take place at 3pm on Sunday 23 April.

    • Message will be received on 4G and 5G mobile phones, along with sound and vibration for up to 10 seconds
    • Emergency Alerts enable urgent messages to be broadcast to a defined area when there is an imminent risk to life, such as wildfires or severe flooding
    • Brings UK in line with other countries such as the US and Canada who use the system

    A UK-wide of the life-saving public Emergency Alerts system will take place at 3pm on Sunday 23 April.

    Following successful pilots in East Suffolk and Reading, the test of the new Emergency Alerts system will see people receive a message on the home screen of their mobile phone, along with a sound and vibration for up to ten seconds.

    For the test, the public does not need to take any action – the sound and vibration will stop automatically after ten seconds. All people need to do is swipe away the message or click ‘OK’ on their phone’s home screen – just like for a ‘low battery’ warning or notification – and continue to use their phone as normal.

    Emergency Alerts have already been used successfully in a number of other countries, including the US, Canada, the Netherlands and Japan, where it has been widely credited with saving lives, for example, during severe weather events. In the UK, alerts could be used to tell residents of villages being encroached by wildfires, or of severe flooding.

    The Government has worked together with the emergency services and partners, including the Football Association and London Marathon, to make sure the national test has minimum impact on major events taking place on the day.

    Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Dowden MP, said:

    Put the date in your diaries – at 3pm on 23 April, we’ll be testing our new national Emergency Alerts system.

    Getting this system operational with the national test means we have another tool in our toolkit to keep the public safe in life-threatening emergencies. It could be the sound that saves your life.

    Chair of The National Fire Chiefs Council, Mark Hardingham, said:

    We must use every tool at our disposal to keep people safe, and we need everyone to play their part – and the new Emergency Alerts system is one way we can do this. For 10 seconds, the national test may be inconvenient for some, but please forgive us for the intrusion, because the next time you hear it – your life, and the life-saving actions of our emergency services, could depend on it.

    National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Civil Contingencies, Assistant Chief Constable Owen Weatherill said:

    Warning and informing the public at speed during times of crises can be vital. We look forward to further developing the use of the Emergency Alerts capability and how it can have real benefits for the public to protect and preserve life, as well as supporting policing’s wider response to critical incidents with partner agencies. Alongside partners, we will continue to listen carefully to public feedback and ensure the use of Emergency Alerts has a positive impact.

    Emergency Alerts will transform the UK’s warning and informing capability; by working with mobile broadcasting technology it will provide a means to get urgent messages quickly to nearly 90 percent of mobile phones in a defined area when there is a risk to life, and provide clear instructions about how best to respond.

    Best practice of Emergency Alerts in other countries have shown that they work more effectively in a real emergency if people have previously received a test, so they know what an alert looks and sounds like.

    The system will be used very rarely – only being sent where there is an immediate risk to people’s lives – so people may not receive an alert for months or years.

    • You can find out further information on Emergency Alerts, including what they look and sound like at gov.uk/alerts
  • PRESS RELEASE : Nearly £50 million boost for safer roads across England [April 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Nearly £50 million boost for safer roads across England [April 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 6 April 2023.

    Road safety improvements will be made to 27 of the most high-risk roads in England, which will help prevent fatal and serious injuries.

    • £47.5 million government investment to improve safety of 27 of the country’s most dangerous roads
    • from the Isle of Wight to Newcastle, road users across England will benefit from road safety improvements with 50% funding uplift
    • investment will prevent over 750 fatal and serious injuries over the next 20 years, with £420 million benefit to society

    Drivers, passengers and cyclists across England will benefit from a £47.5 million injection into enhancing the safety of some of the most high-risk roads in England, the Department for Transport confirmed today (6 April 2023).

    Through the third round of the Safer Roads Fund, 27 new schemes will be delivered, benefiting road users around the country by driving forward safety improvements such as:

    • re-designing junctions
    • improving signage and road markings

    The programme will reduce the risk of collisions which will in turn reduce congestion, journey times and emissions.

    As part of the fund, government is continuing to deliver a wide range of improvements across all roads, while working with local authorities and safety groups.

    To date, £100 million has been provided through the programme to improve the 50 most dangerous roads in England, the majority of which are rural roads.

    Some of the improvements already made include improved signage, safer pedestrian crossings and better designed junctions.

    Transport Secretary Mark Harper said:

    Britain’s roads are some of the safest in the world, but we are always looking at ways to help keep drivers and all road users safe.

    We’re injecting £47.5 million so that local councils around the country have the support they need to keep everyone safe, while reducing congestion and emissions and supporting local economies.

    The allocation of £47.5 million to 27 different schemes has been based on data independently surveyed and provided by the Road Safety Foundation. The data analysed is based on a road safety risk, looking at data on those killed and seriously injured alongside traffic levels.

    The previous rounds of the Safer Roads Fund programme focused on treating the 50 highest-risk local ‘A road’ sections in England with enhanced road safety engineering interventions. The scheme is set to prevent around 1,450 fatal and serious injuries over the next 20 years.

    According to Road Safety Foundation analysis, early estimates suggest that the £47.5 million investment should prevent around 760 fatal and serious injuries over the next 20 years, with a benefit to society of £420 million.

    Once the whole life costs are factored in for the schemes, the overall benefit cost ratio of the investment is estimated at 7.4, meaning for every £1 invested the societal benefit would be £7.40.

    Dr Suzy Charman, Executive Director of the Road Safety Foundation said:

    The commitment and funding announced today is transformational for road safety teams in local authorities across the country. It will allow them to proactively reduce risk and make these 27 roads safer and more inviting for all road users.

    Systematic changes have already had a big impact on road death and serious injury, for example seatbelts and airbags protect lives when crashes happen. In the same way we can design roads safely so when crashes occur, people can walk away. This can be done by clearing or protecting roadsides, putting in cross hatchings to add space between vehicles which provides safer junctions like roundabouts, or adding signalisation and / or turning pockets, and including facilities for walking and cycling.

    This additional investment builds on the government’s plans to recruit a specialised team of inspectors to build the country’s first ever Road Safety Investigation Branch. The team will look at how and why incidents happen and build an enhanced understanding of how we can better mitigate collisions.

    It also follows the actions government has already taken to improve road safety, including:

    • banning any use of handheld mobile phones behind the wheel
    • updating the Highway Code to introduce a hierarchy of road users, which places road users most at risk in the event of a collision at the top of the hierarchy

    The 27 schemes receiving funding from the Safer Roads Fund 3 are:

    Road Local authority Funding
    A586 Blackpool Council £1,000,000
    A35 Bournemouth Borough Council £1,890,625
    A2010 Brighton and Hove City Council £600,000
    A52 Derby City £475,000
    A104 Essex County Council £1,360,000
    A35 Hampshire County Council £6,040,000
    A5183 Hertfordshire County Council £1,800,000
    A165 Hull City Council £2,990,625
    A3056 Isle of Wight Council £2,140,000
    A5105 Lancashire County Council £920,000
    A5038 Liverpool City Council £859,375
    A186 Newcastle Upon Tyne City Council £3,650,000
    A6130 Nottingham City Council £950,000
    A609 Nottingham City Council £475,000
    A4158 Oxfordshire County Council £800,000
    A4165 Oxfordshire County Council £875,000
    A2047 Portsmouth City Council £1,300,000
    A6022 Rotherham Metro. Borough Council £750,000
    A6042 Salford City Council £743,750
    A4030 Sandwell Metro. Borough Council £750,000
    A625 Sheffield City Council £1,425,000
    A3025 Southampton City Council £875,000
    A13 Southend-on-Sea Council £3,425,000
    A1156 Suffolk County Council £1,275,000
    A25 Surrey County Council £1,800,000
    A439 Warwickshire County Council £1,320,000
    A3102 Wiltshire Council £6,980,000

    Total: £47,569,375

  • PRESS RELEASE : Vessel to accommodate migrants [April 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Vessel to accommodate migrants [April 2023]

    The press release issued by the Home Office on 5 April 2023.

    The Home Office has announced that a barge in Portland Port, Dorset, will accommodate migrants.

    A berthed vessel will, for the first time, accommodate asylum seekers in the UK. It will reduce the reliance on expensive hotels and deliver a more orderly, cost effective and sustainable asylum accommodation system.

    Today (Wednesday 5 April), the Home Office has announced that an accommodation barge in Portland Port, Dorset will be used to reduce the unsustainable pressure on the UK’s asylum system and cut the cost to the taxpayer caused by the significant increase in Channel crossings. Currently hotel accommodation for asylum seekers is costing £6 million a day.

    This is an important step in progressing the Prime Minister and Home Secretary’s priority to stop the boats. Last week the government announced that surplus military sites will also be used to accommodate migrants who have entered the UK illegally on small boats. This is part of the wider efforts to secure alternative, more appropriate accommodation than expensive hotels. This comes alongside the return of the landmark Illegal Migration Bill, which is designed to stop the Channel crossings by ending illegal entry to the UK and ensuring that those who do come here illegally will be detained and swiftly removed.

    The barge, called the Bibby Stockholm, will be berthed in Portland Port and will accommodate about 500 single adult males whilst their asylum claims are processed. It will provide basic and functional accommodation, and healthcare provision, catering facilities and 24/7 security will be in place on board, to minimise the disruption to local communities. People whose claims are refused and have exhausted their appeal rights will be removed from the UK.

    The use of vessels for accommodation brings the UK in line with other countries around Europe, for example in the Netherlands where migrants have successfully been accommodated on vessels. The Scottish Government have also used vessels for Ukrainian refugees.

    Migrants are due to be moved onto the Bibby Stockholm in the coming months. The Home Office is in discussions with other ports and further vessels will be announced in due course.

    Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick said:

    The Home Secretary and I have been clear that the use of expensive hotels to house those making unnecessary and dangerous journeys must stop. We will not elevate the interests of illegal migrants over the British people we are elected to serve.

    We have to use alternative accommodation options, as our European neighbours are doing – including the use of barges and ferries to save the British taxpayer money and to prevent the UK becoming a magnet for asylum shoppers in Europe.

    All accommodation will meet our legal obligations and we will work closely with the local community to address their concerns, including through financial support.

    Chief Executive of Portland Port, Bill Reeves, said:

    We are keen to play our part in the national effort to house some of the thousands of people needing accommodation.

    We encourage everyone in the community to approach this with an open mind and help us show other areas just how successful this type of initiative can be, both for the migrants and the local community.

    There will be close co-operation with local agencies, including the health and emergency services during the preparations for the vessel’s arrival and its operation. We will also work closely with local community and voluntary groups.

    Bibby Stockholm will be operational for at least 18 months and stay berthed in the port during that time.

    Use of alternative accommodation such as vessels are not only more cost effective than hotels, but they are more manageable and orderly for communities and offers employment opportunities in the broader area to support the vessel.

    We are working closely with Portland Port, the local authority and key partners to make sure appropriate arrangements are in place, including liaising with local police.

    The government recognises that using alternative sites and vessels involves difficult decisions, but urgent action is needed to reduce expensive hotel use, with the sites providing much needed accommodation.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Proposed measures to strengthen UK fuel supply chain [April 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Proposed measures to strengthen UK fuel supply chain [April 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 5 April 2023.

    Have your say on increasing the weight limit for fuel tankers.

    • new proposals considered for fuel tankers to operate at full capacity, securing the supply of fuel to UK forecourts and depots
    • consultation will ensure constant fuel supply at forecourts without adding larger tankers on roads
    • follows continued action to bolster supply chains and keep the country moving

    The government is consulting on whether fuel tankers should be allowed to carry more fuel in a move designed to further strengthen the UK’s fuel supply chain.

    Have your say on increasing the weight limit for fuel tankers.

    The consultation launched today (5 April 2023), will explore whether fuel tankers will be allowed to carry more fuel in the eventuality of disruption to the fuel supply chain to help ensure car, bus and lorry drivers can always fill up with confidence.

    Most fuel tankers operate with spare tank capacity due to the existing 44 tonne weight limit. The potential to allow tankers to operate to their full design train weight could increase the efficiency of the fuel supply chain by approximately 6%.

    The measure would enable more fuel to be carried using the same vehicles, helping to safeguard a strong fuel supply chain as the government continues to grow the economy.

    Roads Minister Richard Holden said:

    Thanks to the government’s bold measures to support the sector, our country has now an even stronger haulage supply chain.

    We will continue to work with and listen to the sector to ensure our forecourts are always well stocked and motorists can fill up with confidence.

    Safety will be at the heart of the consultation, and any increase in fuel capacity would apply only to fuel tankers equipped with appropriate safety features, such as vehicle stability functionality and advanced emergency braking systems.

    Routes to be used by these heavier tankers would have to be agreed in advance to ensure the road infrastructure can accommodate the fuel tankers operating at full capacity.

    An assessment of the proposals by National Highways indicates that the increase in safety risks would be extremely small and any risk of infrastructure damage would be effectively managed.

    This follows the government’s 33 actions already taken to tackle the HGV driver shortage and to protect the supply chain. This included;

    • making 11,000 HGV driver training places available through Skills Bootcamps
    • injecting a major and sustained boost to the number of HGV driver tests available
    • investing £52.5 million in improvements in roadside facilities and lorry parking

    As a result, new HGV drivers are taking and passing their driving test in record numbers. Between March 2022 and May 2022, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) carried out 29,384 HGV tests – 54% more than the corresponding period in 2019 before the pandemic.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK Government publishes draft proposals for new border controls [April 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK Government publishes draft proposals for new border controls [April 2023]

    The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 5 April 2023.

    The UK Government, in collaboration with the Scottish and Welsh Governments, has published its plan to strengthen our borders against biosecurity threats and illegal imports.

    • Draft Border Target Operating Model sets out proposals for a new world-class border system to provide protection from security and biosecurity threats
    • Government will engage with industry for six weeks before publishing final version later this year
    • Model is backed by over a £1 billion investment in border transformation across this spending review period

    The UK Government, in collaboration with the Scottish and Welsh Governments, has today (5 April) published its plan to strengthen our borders against biosecurity threats and illegal imports. The draft Border Target Operating Model sets out a plan to realise the ambition of the 2025 Border Strategy to create the most effective border in the world.

    The draft has been devised following extensive engagement with the Border Industry and businesses across the UK. A six week engagement period will now take place, with the final Target Operating Model to be published later this year.

    The border transformation is backed by over a £1 billion investment across this spending review period, to improve how government systems and technology support the movement of goods and people across the border.

    The proposed new model will prevent delays at the border through a reduction in the need for physical checks for many types of goods, and by ensuring that checks take place away from ports where this is needed to allow traffic to flow freely.

    The proposals in the Target Operating Model apply to imports from all countries. These controls will ensure our environment is protected, deliver food that is safe to eat whilst maintaining security of supply for consumers, and disrupt criminal activity before it can harm our communities.

    Biosecurity is vital in an increasingly uncertain world and the full controls will mean that we can protect ourselves against known and unknown threats. The controls will protect consumers, businesses, and the economy as a whole against disease threats such as African Swine Fever and Xylella.

    The proposed Target Operating Model secures Great Britain’s borders against such threats while making it as easy as possible to do business. To limit the burden on businesses, our new proposed risk-based global model will use data and technology to simplify and streamline import trade processes.

    Central to this proposed model is the new Single Trade Window, delivered from 2023 to be fully operational by 2027. This technology will streamline processes for traders, who will only need to submit information once and in one place.

    The government will also test further simplified processes by piloting an ambitious programme of trusted trader assurance schemes.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe, Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, said:

    The publication of our draft Border Target Operating Model is a huge step forward for the safety, security and efficiency of our borders. Our proposals strike a balance between giving consumers and businesses confidence while reducing the costs and friction for businesses, which in turn will help to grow the economy.

    Biosecurity Minister Lord Benyon said:

    It is vital that we have strong border controls in place. Invasive diseases could cost our farms and businesses billions of pounds, threaten our food safety and break confidence in UK exports around the world. That is why we are working hand in glove with businesses to devise a strong system that works for the nation.

    Amanda Francis, Chief Executive of the Association of International Courier & Express Services, said:

    International express operators support the Government’s plans to improve efficiencies at the border to ease the flow of goods and minimise costs of trade for UK businesses.  We particularly welcome the proportionate risk based approach this draft Target Operating Model adopts and the proposals to reduce the data requirements for safety and security and allow the use of Transit Security Accompanying Documents.  We hope to work with Government to implement these proposals and look at other areas of simplification building on a trusted operator approach.

    Gavin Stedman, Port Health & Public Protection Director at London Port Health Authority said:

    We welcome the publication of the TOM which will provide the basis for consistent risk based checks across EU and non-EU trade. The establishment of a dynamic and flexible system will afford greater efficiency and transparency allowing us to be more responsive to demands, thus balancing biosecurity and trade needs at our borders.

    William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said:

    The BCC is a big believer in the shift to a digital trade system. If it is done properly then smaller firms will see benefits when it comes to importing goods into Great Britain.

    Providing certainty for business is crucial and the focus must now be on delivering to the timescales set out. This will need a concerted effort to get the physical and digital infrastructure in place.

    It is then vital that companies, here and across the world, involved in sourcing and supply chains, are properly prepared for these changes and the introduction of new trusted trader arrangements.

    We look forward to working closely with the UK Government and businesses over the coming months to make sure this switchover runs as smoothly as possible.

    A spokesperson for the Fresh Produce Consortium said:

    The Fresh Produce Consortium supports the long-awaited publication of the draft Border Target Operating Model. The UK Government is taking its opportunity to implement a world leading, least-cost border solution. We will work with the UK Government to facilitate responsible companies in the fresh produce, flower and plant sector to utilise their expertise to best effect to maximise efficiency, food safety and biosecurity.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Frequently Flooded Allowance – Funding for repeatedly flooded communities [April 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Frequently Flooded Allowance – Funding for repeatedly flooded communities [April 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 5 April 2023.

    £100 million of funding for areas in England that have suffered repeated flooding.

    Floods Minister Rebecca Pow has today (Wednesday 5 April) announced the first communities in England to receive better flood protection as part of the government’s £100 million Frequently Flooded Allowance to protect areas which have been affected by repeated flooding.

    The first 53 projects announced today will be allocated more than £26 million in total, better protecting more than 2,300 households and businesses across the country.

    Communities that will be better protected include those in Worcestershire, which faced severe flooding with Storm Christoph in 2021, and Cumbria, whose residents suffered major flooding from Storm Desmond in 2015 and Storm Ciara in 2020.

    It will also better protect properties in the Calder Valley, which was devastated by flooding when it was hit by both Storm Ciara and Storm Eva in 2015.

    The allowance targets communities where 10 or more properties have flooded twice or more in the last 10 years. These communities are often smaller and can face barriers to access funding due to the relative complexity and cost of building flood defences compared to the size of the community.

    Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said:

    We know only too well the devastating impact that flooding can have on communities and businesses, as we face more extreme weather brought about by climate change.

    I am determined that we do whatever we can to prevent flooding that affects so many towns and villages across the country.

    This much-needed funding will go a long way to support those whose homes and livelihoods are repeatedly threatened by flooding and forms a key part of our record £5.2 billion investment by 2027 to protect communities in England better.

    John Curtin, chief executive of the Environment Agency, said:

    We are already seeing the impacts of climate change in the UK and around the world, with increased flooding just one aspect of this. Protecting people and communities is our top priority as look to tackle this challenge.

    The funding announced today will help better protect thousands of homes and businesses at risk from repeated flood incidents across the country.

    The Environment Agency’s strong track record in delivering flood defence schemes means we have better protected 314,000 homes since 2015.

    Projects will improve resilience through a mixture of hard engineering flood defences and natural flood management measures. The allowance also supports the installation of property flood resilience (PFR) measures such as flood doors and barriers, meaning more homes will be better protected in communities where traditional defence schemes are not always viable.

    The ring-fenced funding is part of a record £5.2 billion investment in flood defences to protect communities across England better.

    Since the start of the current £5.2 billion investment programme (2021-2027), we have already better protected more than 35,000 properties. This follows our successful delivery of the previous £2.6 billion investment programme between 2015 and 2021, which better protected more than 314,000 homes across England.

    See below for a full list of projects to receive funding:

    • Alconbury Flood Alleviation Scheme Stage 2
    • Brighton & Hove City Council Surface Water Management Feasibility Study
    • Bingley and Shipley Property Flood Resilience Study
    • Bledington Flood Alleviation Scheme
    • Brighouse Flood Alleviation Scheme
    • Burrow Beck Conveyance Improvements
    • Carlisle Appraisal Package Appleby Town Centre
    • Chard Flood Alleviation Scheme
    • Cocker Beck, Lowdham, Flood Alleviation Scheme
    • Dufton Close Feasibility Study
    • Earby Flood Alleviation Scheme Phase 3, Earby Beck
    • Eardisland Flood Alleviation Scheme
    • Erringden Hillside
    • Falmouth Integrated Urban Drainage Management
    • First Avenue Flood Alleviation Scheme
    • Flood Risk Reduction Schemes 2 – Copley Village Flood Alleviation Scheme
    • Flood Risk Reduction Schemes 2 – Cottonstones near Lumb, Calderdale
    • Flood Risk Reduction Schemes 2 – Railes Close between Luddenden and Midgley
    • Greyfriars Community Flood Risk Management Scheme
    • Hebden Bridge Flood Alleviation Scheme
    • Ilminster Flood Alleviation Study
    • Intake, Flood Risk Management Scheme
    • Irwell Vale to Chatterton
    • Langstone (Havant) Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Scheme
    • Larkspur Close Integrated Urban Drainage Scheme
    • Lavendon Flood Alleviation Scheme
    • Leintwardine and Walford Property Flood Resilience
    • Lindale Road Grange over Sands
    • Lipson Vale Phase 1, Trefusis Park (South West Water Integrated Urban Drainage Modelling)
    • Little Bollington River Bollin Property Flood Resilience
    • Market Weighton Flood Alleviation Scheme
    • Natural Flood Management Upstream of Cirencester
    • Northumbria Integrated Drainage Partnership – Redcar (Yearby, Kirkleatham & Low Farm Drive, and West Dyke Road) Flood Alleviation Scheme
    • Northumbria Integrated Drainage Partnership – Saltburn (Princes Road & Marske Road) Flood Alleviation Scheme
    • North Road, Holme Village Flood Alleviation
    • Pallion Flood Alleviation Scheme
    • River Teme, Tenbury Wells Community Flood Alleviation Scheme
    • Rolleston Brook Flood Alleviation Scheme, Staffordshire
    • Ruislip Park Wood and Pinn Meadows
    • Severn Stoke Flood Alleviation Scheme, River Severn
    • Skipton Road
    • Small Communities Property Flood Resilience Scoping
    • South Cave Flood Alleviation Scheme
    • Stony Stratford Flood Alleviation Study
    • Stubbing Holme Road
    • Tenbury Wells Integrated Flood Solution
    • Toronto Close Flood Alleviation Scheme
    • Undefended Properties in the Ironbridge Gorge – Individual Property Protection
    • Upper River Piddle Catchment Flood Risk Management Scheme
    • Walsden Flood Alleviation Scheme
    • West End Road, St Helens
    • Whitley Brook Flood Reduction Scheme
    • Williton Flood Alleviation Study
  • PRESS RELEASE : Boost for Welsh businesses as UK strikes deal to join major free trade bloc in Indo-Pacific [April 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Boost for Welsh businesses as UK strikes deal to join major free trade bloc in Indo-Pacific [April 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 5 April 2023.

    The bloc is home to over 500 million people and will have a total GDP of £11 trillion once the UK joins.

    • UK announces deal to join CPTPP – a major trade bloc in the Indo-Pacific which will have a total GDP of £11 trillion once the UK joins
    • More than 450 businesses in Wales exported to CPTPP countries in 2021 and could benefit after today’s announcement
    • Joining the Trans-Pacific partnership, which contains some of the world’s fastest growing economies, gives Welsh companies, start-ups and farmers access to the world’s emerging middle class

    The Welsh economy is expected to benefit after the UK Government today (31 March) announced the conclusion of trade talks with the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a vast free trade area spanning the Indo-Pacific.

    The bloc is home to over 500 million people and will have a total GDP of £11 trillion once the UK joins. Joining the bloc could boost the Welsh economy by improving businesses’ access to some of the world’s largest markets.

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

    We are at our heart an open and free-trading nation, and this deal demonstrates the real economic benefits of our post-Brexit freedoms. As part of CPTPP, the UK is now in a prime position in the global economy to seize opportunities for new jobs, growth and innovation.

    Joining the CPTPP trade bloc puts the UK at the centre of a dynamic and growing group of Pacific economies, as the first new nation and first European country to join. British businesses will now enjoy unparalleled access to markets from Europe to the south Pacific.

    There are numerous opportunities for Welsh businesses to benefit from joining CPTPP, with more than 450 businesses in Wales exporting over £900m worth of goods to CPTPP countries in 2021.

    Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch said:

    This is an important moment for the UK. Our accession to CPTPP sends a powerful signal that the UK is open for business and using our post-Brexit freedoms to reach out to new markets around the world and grow our economy.

    Joining CPTPP will support jobs and create opportunities for companies of all sizes and in all parts of the UK. It is also about giving Welsh businesses improved access to the countries that will be gateway to the wider Indo-Pacific region which is projected to make up the majority of global growth in the future.

    Joining the trade bloc will mean more than 99 percent of UK goods exports to CPTPP members will be eligible for zero tariffs. In the long run, it could boost the UK economy by £1.8 billion and lead to a £1.7 billion increase in UK exports to CPTPP countries as result of the reduction of barriers across goods and services according to the Government’s published scoping assessment. Key Welsh exports such as machinery and power generators could benefit from the removal of tariffs as a result of the agreement.

    Welsh Secretary David TC Davies said:

    This trade deal is great news for Welsh business. CPTPP countries are already an important sector in the Welsh export market. Over 450 companies, including Halen Môn and Fifth Wheel, will benefit from less red tape and better opportunities. These growing markets will help businesses in Wales increase export opportunities and boost the global appetite for Welsh goods and services.

    Fifth Wheel Company are a multi-award winning business specialising in the design and manufacturing of luxury tourers. All of their vehicles are assembled in-house at their factory in Rhuallt in North Wales, and they’re excited about the exporting opportunities that will be created by the UK joining CPTPP.

    Gethin Whiteley at Fifth Wheel, commented:

    We’ve been exporting our luxury caravans to Australia and New Zealand customers for the last five years. The leisure and camping market within these countries is growing, and our products offer the size and space of a motorhome and the practicality of a car and caravan so are perfectly suited to explore.

    We have already embarked on a trade mission to strengthen our position in these markets, and we believe that joining CPTPP, along with the bilateral deals, will further assist us in our search to increase exports of our products to markets of growing importance.

    Wales-based company Halen Môn produce ANGLESEY Sea Salt, which can be found in over 100 of the UK’s best delicatessens, as well as in retailers such as Marks and Spencer, Waitrose and Harvey Nichols.

    They already export to more than 22 countries across the globe, including several CPTPP members, and are looking forward to exploring the further exporting potential created by the UK’s accession to the trading bloc.

    Alison Lea-Wilson at Halen Môn said:

    Anything the UK government can do to help realise the huge potential of trading with CPTPP member states is to be welcomed. We already export to Japan and Singapore and see opportunities in Australia too.

    We are delighted to be supplying a Japanese bakery ingredients company with our innovative oak smoked water. There is already a great relationship between Wales and Japan forged in part by rugby, seaweed and even leeks, and we look forward to building on it.

    Membership is a gateway to the wider Indo-Pacific region, which has 60% of the world’s population and is set to account for the majority (54%) of global economic growth and around half of the world’s billion middle-class consumers in the decades ahead.

    As a member of CPTPP, the UK will help influence and shape global rules for industries of the future like digital, data and services, and secure our place as a global leader in a network of countries committed to free trade.

    The UK and CPTPP members will now take the final steps required for the UK to formally sign in 2023.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Tick-borne encephalitis detection in England [April 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Tick-borne encephalitis detection in England [April 2023]

    The press release issued by the UK Health Security Agency on 5 April 2023.

    A new risk assessment, published by a multi-agency cross-government committee, reports that tick borne encephalitis is now likely to be present in England.

    The risk assessment is based on both human cases and the detection of the virus in ticks in several areas of the country. The risk to the general public in the UK remains very low.

    There have been 3 cases of probable or confirmed tick-borne encephalitis acquired in England since 2019, including one linked to the Yorkshire area in 2022. This case in 2022 is the first confirmed case in England. The virus has also been detected previously in the Hampshire and Dorset, and Norfolk and Suffolk border areas but may also be present elsewhere as the tick species that carries the virus is widespread in the UK.

    The tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is a virus carried by ticks and is common in many parts of the world, including many countries in Europe. It causes a range of disease, from completely asymptomatic infection, to mild flu-like illness, to severe infection in the central nervous system such as meningitis or encephalitis. Symptoms of this are similar to other causes of meningitis, and can include a high fever with headache, neck stiffness, confusion or reduced consciousness.

    Investigations into why the virus has been found in ticks more frequently in recent years are under way, but is likely due to a number of factors.

    The risk to the general public in the UK remains very low from TBEV, but the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has recommended changes to testing in hospitals so that any further cases can be detected promptly and will be enhancing surveillance – including asymptomatic surveillance in people in the areas where TBEV has been detected.

    Ticks can carry other diseases such as Lyme disease – a bacterial infection which can be treated with antibiotics – so UKHSA is reminding the public to check themselves for ticks after they have been outdoors and remove them promptly and correctly if they are found.

    Dr Meera Chand, Deputy Director at UKHSA, said:

    Our surveillance suggests that tick-borne encephalitis virus is very uncommon in the UK and that the risk to the general population is very low. Ticks also carry various other infections, including Lyme disease, so take steps to reduce your chances of being bitten when outdoors in areas where ticks thrive, such as moorlands and woodlands, and remember to check for ticks and remove them promptly.

    UKHSA carries out surveillance of vector-borne disease in the UK, closely monitoring sentinel animals, tick and mosquito species and their distribution, and the infections that they carry, to understand more about emerging infections in this country.

    The public are reminded that they should seek GP advice if they are unwell after a tick bite, and should seek urgent medical attention if they or someone they know:

    • has symptoms of meningitis:
      • severe headache
      • stiff neck
      • pain looking at bright lights
    • develops neurological symptoms:
      • a fit (seizure), if not known to be epileptic
      • sudden confusion or change in behaviour
      • weakness or loss of movement in arms and legs
      • facial dropping, change in vision or slurred speech
  • PRESS RELEASE : New industry and government forum launched to boost freight decarbonisation and innovation [April 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : New industry and government forum launched to boost freight decarbonisation and innovation [April 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 5 April 2023.

    Energy and freight industry experts work together to support rail, road, air, maritime and warehousing reach net zero by 2050.

    • industry and government forum to support the freight sector across all modes in the transition to net zero by 2050
    • the forum will create a plan to roll out future energy infrastructure for the industry
    • solutions will be explored to help the freight sector start reducing emissions immediately

    Measures to help boost the freight sector are moving forward today (5 April 2023), as a new government-industry forum is launched to help the sector decarbonise and ensure its long-term sustainability.

    Established as part of the Future of Freight plan, the Freight Energy Forum is meeting today to bring government and industry together to support the sector across all modes – including rail, road, air, maritime and warehousing – reach net zero by 2050.

    The forum will discuss potential solutions that the sector could take to start reducing emissions now and, for the longer term, will look to create a plan or roadmap to roll out future clean energy infrastructure for the industry.

    The forum will bring together expertise and senior representatives from across the energy and freight industries, including individual operating companies, national organisations and sector associations, such as the Road Haulage Association, Logistics UK and National Grid.

    The forum will be chaired by the Department for Transport officials and will also include senior representatives from across government, including the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

    Topics will include:

    • assessing the supply and demand of the energy the freight sector will need
    • examining the types of energy infrastructure that will be required to provide refuelling or recharging
    • identifying where energy and infrastructure will be needed across the regions and locations, such as motorway service areas, warehouses, rail freight terminals, airports, ports and beyond

    The forum will be technology-neutral, meaning that it will look at a range of potential solutions for the freight sector and not prioritise one type of technology.

    Transport Minister Richard Holden said:

    We recognise that the transition to clean fuels is one of the biggest challenges facing the freight sector and we are committed to delivering a strong future for the sector that will help create good long-term jobs.

    Clean energy supplies and infrastructure is critical to the drive for a cleaner freight sector and the Freight Energy Forum will address those longer-term challenges across the whole industry.

    The forum could help to create high-skilled, highly-paid jobs across the UK by giving the industry greater certainty to invest in sustainable modes of freight transport and the supporting energy infrastructure needed to transition to net zero, in turn supporting the growth of the economy.

    The government’s Future of Freight plan was published in June 2022 and sets out how we can deliver a cost-efficient, reliable, resilient and environmentally sustainable freight sector. One of the 5 priority areas it identified to achieve this goal was to establish this forum to help enable the transition to net zero.

    Working as a partnership between industry and government, the forum will focus on the energy infrastructure requirements needed for the freight sector to transition to cleaner ways of working.

    Meeting quarterly, the forum will look to produce several items from its meetings including:

    • a roadmap plan outlining the roll out of clean energy infrastructure for the freight sector
    • a review into the regulatory barriers to implementing zero carbon energy infrastructure, including where the planning system makes the installation of this infrastructure difficult and solutions to removing these obstacles
    • actions to address regional and local differences in the coverage of zero carbon energy infrastructure and understanding where the zero-carbon energy infrastructure will be needed, making sure there’s good regional coverage and that the planning system allows for the infrastructure to be built
    • assessing energy supply and demand across all types of freight transport
    • identifying solutions that can help the entire freight sector to start reducing emissions immediately and increase the speed of transition to net zero

    Senior Policy Manager at Logistics UK Denise Beedell said:

    As the only business group representing the whole of the logistics industry, Logistics UK is delighted to be part of the Freight Energy Forum and represent the needs of our members in identifying and clarifying the energy infrastructure and solutions, which will be needed if the industry is to reach net zero.

    Road Haulage Association (RHA) lead on the environment and vehicles Chris Ashley said:

    The RHA strongly welcomes the Freight Energy Forum. The manufacture of electric and hydrogen lorries is only one part of the jigsaw that gets these vehicles on our roads quickly. The other part is the infrastructure needed to power them.

    Our members are keen to start operating these vehicles as soon as possible yet face considerable cost headwinds. Public investment in the UK’s energy capability is, therefore, essential to ensure a viable and reliable energy supply exists. We look forward to scoping out how this is achieved so that all parts of the UK economy can be serviced by our members.