Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : UK SMEs secure funding to transform future of freight [April 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 11 April 2023.

Winning projects will help to create greener ways of delivering freight across the UK.
- government funding awarded to winners of the first round of Freight Innovation Fund to decarbonise freight and improve transport links
- innovative winning projects include remote island drones used in the Orkney Islands and lightweight 4-wheeled vehicles for deliveries
- new solutions could help reduce pollution and traffic, create high-skilled jobs and transform how people receive their packages and goods
Drones will be used to deliver packages on remote Scottish islands as part of 9 new innovative freight projects which have been awarded £1.2 million in government funding.

The first winners of the Freight Innovation Fund (FIF), backed by £7 million overall, have been announced today (11 April 2023) and could help create cleaner, more innovative ways of delivering freight around the country. This could lead to reduced emissions, increased numbers of high-skilled jobs and better delivery services in hard-to-reach parts of the UK.

The winners include Skyports Deliveries, which will use drones to improve island-to-island connectivity in the Orkney Islands, and Electric Assisted Vehicles, which is developing a 4-wheel, electrically assisted lightweight delivery vehicle to help reduce road emissions.

The fund is one part of the government’s Future of Freight plan launched last year, setting a strategy to work closely with industry to deliver a world-class freight system, which supports economic growth and builds on the measures already taken to tackle the global HGV driver shortage.

Roads Minister Richard Holden said:

Whether it’s drones for deliveries on remote islands or zero emission buggies – we want to invest in future technology that could transform how we move goods around the country while reducing emissions and traffic and creating skilled jobs.

The Freight Innovation Fund gives innovators the opportunity to test their ideas and help our freight industry become greener and more efficient – unlocking better connectivity and boosting growth across the country.

The winning projects are led by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have designed innovative technology and are partnered with existing industry companies to explore the viability of these solutions in real-world conditions.

The 9 projects that have been awarded funding are:

£150,000 for Skyports Deliveries Ltd (project based in Orkney, Scotland and partnered with Royal Mail and Loganair): improving logistics in ports and hard-to-reach areas through the Orkney I-Port project. It will create an intermodal transport hub to improve island-to-island connectivity using drones to make deliveries, conduct surveys and monitoring.

£120,000 for CurbCargo (based in London and partnered with Savills): using data to track the environmental impact of freight deliveries, which will prompt companies to change how they order products to reduce vehicle movements.

£119,000 for Lightricity Ltd (based in Oxford and partnered with Bradford Swissport Ltd): using a unique, patented technology that harnesses the energy from indoor and low-level light sources to power battery-free tracking devices. This will help companies realise the benefits of tracking devices without the cost challenges of battery change and sustainability impacts.

£150,000 for Electric Assisted Vehicles Ltd (based in Bicester, Oxfordshire and partnered with FedEx): developing a 4-wheel, electrically assisted lightweight delivery vehicle as an alternative to petrol and diesel vans.

£145,000 for Otaski Energy Solutions Ltd and Syselek Ltd (based in Gateshead and partnered with Costain): trialling their cost and energy-efficient smart charge and bi-directional converter, which allows electric vehicles to charge from any power grid source and discharge energy back to the grid or storage. This could help create an intelligent vehicle fleet charging system that increases grid reliability, resilience and stability and high adaptations to variable loads.

£129,000 for CocoonFMS Ltd (based in Lichfield, Staffordshire and partnered with Simarco Worldwide Logistics): creating a digital calculator to provide automated management of port costs and shipping expenses, providing more accurate invoice information to users, reducing port delays and improving planning of deliveries.

£145,000 for Entopy (based in Suffolk and partnered with Fujitsu Services UK and Atamai Freight): creating a digital twin of shipments to track them during their delivery, providing vital information and supporting greater use of digital products in the freight sector.

£133,000 for RoboK Ltd (based in Cambridge and partnered with Port of Tyne): trialling the use of their AI system to generate insights from existing video data, such as CCTV, to provide analysis on things like capacity and asset movement in real time to reduce costly delays and inefficiencies.

£100,000 for Estudio Cactus (based in London and in cooperation with Portsmouth International Port): trialling the use of their health, safety, security and environment software to provide operators real-time information about their port to increase efficiency through improved resource management.

The winning SMEs will benefit from a freight innovation fund accelerator, which will provide bespoke business support to help them access private investment. They will also be invited to join a “freight innovation cluster”, a community of innovators that will hold events, encourage collaboration and generate new opportunities, and stimulate growth within the wider freight sector.

The Freight Innovation Fund aims to accelerate the adoption of existing freight technologies within the freight sector and develop a future pipeline in line with the freight industry’s real-world needs. It is a 3-year £7 million programme designed to make delivering freight across the UK more efficient and cleaner.

The winning projects will support ideas and technology addressing 3 longstanding issues in the freight sector including:
- a lack of large-scale cross-industry data collection and sharing between different modes of freight transport, such as road, rail and maritime, could improve efficiencies and coordination
- difficulties in intermodal transport, such as between rail and road, and ways to improve how large consignments are broken up into smaller ones could reduce emissions and traffic
- improvements in freight distribution in ports across different transport modes could create knock-on benefits with timings, efficiencies and predictability of the journey
In 2022, the government published the Future of Freight plan, the first-ever cross-modal and cross-government plan for the UK freight transport sector. Government launched the Freight Innovation Fund competition, which is delivered by Connected Places Catapult (CPC), earlier this year in January.

Nicola Yates OBE, CEO at Connected Places Catapult, said:

The freight sector has an enormous opportunity to support jobs and growth across the UK, which is why today we are pleased to welcome the 9 SMEs to the first round of the Freight Innovation Fund Accelerator.

Working with innovators and industry partners through our accelerator programme allows us to develop a pipeline of technology and new ideas that promise to help tackle the freight sector’s emerging needs, ensuring that resilience, efficiency and carbon reduction are core to the sector’s future.

The Freight Innovation Fund builds on previous government initiatives designed to support increased research and development in the freight industry.
April 11, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : As Russia sources weapons for its war, it is violating the very UN sanctions it helped to draft – UK Statement at the Security Council [April 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 April 2023.

Statement by Deputy Political Coordinator Alice Jacobs at the UN Security Council debate on export of weapons and military equipment.

I’d like to start by congratulating Mozambique on their Presidency in March and also thank you to Under-Secretary-General Nakamitsu for her briefing today.

As the perpetrator of a war of aggression against a sovereign nation, Russia has taken up the Security Council Presidency while it fails to meet the most basic obligations of a UN Member State.

Russia’s decision to unleash an illegal war of choice on an innocent people threatens the fundamental principles of the Security Council. And as it sources weapons for its war, Russia is violating the very UN sanctions it helped to draft, on states such as Iran and the DPRK.

The wider consequences of this war on food and commodity prices are severe, and are likely to drive further conflict. The UK calls on all other states to cease assistance to the Russian military and its affiliated forces. Arming the aggressor state is fuelling global instability.

To preserve the Charter principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, Member States should assist Ukraine to protect itself from this aggression, in line with Article 51 of the UN Charter. The UK has provided a wide range of equipment and support to Ukraine and will continue to do so, as a responsible UN Member State.

Colleagues, the diversion and misuse of conventional arms costs hundreds of thousands of lives every year across the world, undermines security and sustainable development, and fuels conflict, crime and terrorism.

The Security Council can play an important role on this issue, complementary to multilateral and national processes. Regrettably, it is Russia that has long sought to undermine this work – opposing new texts and consistently abstaining from resolutions on this issue, such as resolution 2117 in 2013, resolution 2220 in 2015, and resolution 2616 in 2021.

The UK operates one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world. We are committed to full implementation and universalisation of the Arms Trade Treaty. And we remain committed to all related UN mechanisms, including the UN programme of action on small arms and light weapons. We will continue to support appropriate measures through the Security Council.

Colleagues, let me finish by restating one simple point. If Russia is serious about strengthening international peace and security its first action should be to end its illegal invasion, withdraw from Ukraine and uphold its responsibilities under the UN Charter.

April 10, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Seven sites confirmed in the running for UNESCO World Heritage Status [April 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 10 April 2023.

The Government has revealed the seven places it is backing to win UNESCO World Heritage Status.
- York city centre, Birkenhead Park and an iron age settlement in Shetland could join prestigious list
- The sites are added to the Government’s ‘Tentative List’ with the aim of joining global landmarks such as the Taj Mahal and the Galápagos Islands
Cultural and natural heritage sites including York’s historic city centre are a step closer to becoming UNESCO World Heritage Sites after gaining Government backing for their bids.

Five new sites from across the UK and Overseas Territories have been added to the Tentative List meaning they are now part of a seven site list to be put forward by the Government for inscription on the illustrious list.

The Tentative List is published around every ten years by the UK Government. It sets out the sites it feels have the best chance of succeeding and will now work with local authorities and devolved administrations to develop their bids.

Cultural sites on the list include York which has fantastic civic and religious buildings including its Minster as well as a rich history left behind by its Anglo-Saxon, Viking and Norman inhabitants.

Birkenhead Park, which opened in 1847, was a pioneering project to bring greenery to urban environments and provided a blueprint for municipal planning that has influenced town and city parks across the world, including New York’s Central Park.

UNESCO also awards World Heritage Site status to the most extraordinary natural places on the planet.

The East Atlantic Flyway, a migratory bird route over western parts of Europe including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Kent, joins the UK’s list in recognition of its vital importance to bird populations and wildlife. The area sees huge transient bird populations pass through every year as the seasons change.

The Little Cayman Marine Parks and Protected Areas, situated in the UK Overseas Territory of the Cayman Islands, have been put forward for their exceptional importance to marine biodiversity and their incredible natural beauty.

Also on the list today is the Zenith of Iron Age Shetland, a collection of three ancient settlements dating back thousands of years.

Heritage Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said:

Today we are confirming our support for some of the most enchanting heritage sites and breathtaking landscapes in the UK and its Overseas Territories as they bid for UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

All the locations being put forward would be worthy recipients of this accolade – and we will give them our full backing so they can benefit from the international recognition it can bring.

Laura Davies, HM Ambassador to UNESCO, said:

It is great that the UK is contributing to making World Heritage more representative.

These five sites brilliantly reflect the diversity and beauty of the UK and its Overseas Territories’ natural and cultural heritage, and I look forward to working with them towards World Heritage listing.

Michael Copleston, RSPB England Director, said:

We are absolutely thrilled that the global importance of the English east coast has been recognised by the independent panel and that the east coast wetlands will now be part of the UK’s Tentative List of World Heritage sites.

The east coast is an essential refuge for over 155 bird species as well as a world-leading example of how we can manage our coastlines in the face of a changing climate, with true value for nature and people.

We’re really looking forward to working with partners and communities up and down the coast to develop a bid for UNESCO in the coming years.

UNESCO’s World Heritage Site system offers a fantastic opportunity for cultural and natural heritage sites to gain international recognition and promote themselves on a global stage.

If successful, the seven sites would join the 33 other World Heritage Sites already based in the UK including Stonehenge and Hadrian’s Wall.

Two sites which submitted their full nominations to UNESCO earlier this year also remain on the Government’s Tentative List. One is The Flow Country, a large area of peatland across Caithness and Sutherland in the north of Scotland which plays a crucial role in supporting biodiversity.

The Gracehill Moravian Church Settlement in Northern Ireland is part of a joint bid alongside other Moravian religious sites in Denmark, the United States and Germany. The bid aims to recognise the church’s work in setting up an international religious community.
April 10, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK to partner with Korea on energy transition – and stand united against Putin’s aggression [April 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 10 April 2023.

UK and Republic of Korea to collaborate more closely on the development of renewable energy sources and move towards energy independence.

Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps today joined forces with the Republic of Korea to collaborate ever closer on accelerating the move towards a cleaner, more energy secure future, including renewables and nuclear, while also underlining the vital importance of our international efforts against Putin’s weaponization of global energy markets.

Flying the flag for UK PLC in Seoul, Mr Shapps highlighted the close collaboration already taking place between the two countries – UK companies represent 60 per cent of Korean offshore wind engineering contracts, and Korea is already investing in projects supporting the offshore wind industry in the UK.

He also emphasised the UK’s joint solidarity with the Republic of Korea against Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and urged them to continue work towards energy independence from Russia’s gas supply.

It comes on the first day of a trip taking in the Republic of Korea and Japan in the run-up to the G7 at Sapporo – making Grant Shapps the first Cabinet Minister to visit since the closure of negotiations on the UK’s accession to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) – of which Japan is a member.

He will also encourage the Republic of Korea to join the 168-strong “Powering Past Coal Alliance” and commit to bringing forward its own 2050 coal power phase-out date towards 2030, with support from Britain’s own expertise in offshore wind.

As well as encouraging ever-greater collaboration on offshore wind, the Energy Security Secretary also agreed a joint statement of cooperation with Dr Lee Chang-Yang – Minister of Trade Industry and Energy in the Republic of Korea on advancing civil nuclear power generation, cementing a partnership spanning over three decades, covering issues including safety standards and regulation, all agreeing the crucial role of nuclear in creating secure, affordable and clean energy.

The visit is aimed at demonstrating the investment opportunities in the UK in the renewable energy sector, and how the UK’s world-leading expertise can help other countries to make the switch from fossil fuels – all at a time when both the Republic of Korea and Japan are looking to expand their use of renewable technologies including offshore wind.

Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps said:

Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine has held up a mirror to the world, reflecting back just how vulnerable our energy security can be.

Russia’s gas – just like the president himself – belongs in the past. As we edge closer towards the tipping point when holding onto coal and gas power no longer makes economic sense, let alone environmental sense, there is ever-greater opportunity for British and Korean companies to work together, for the benefit of both countries and our communities.

I want the Republic of Korea to work ever closer with us in the UK, making the most of world-leading British expertise to move further and faster towards greater use of renewables, of opportunities in the UK to invest, and to redouble our efforts against Putin’s weaponizing of our global energy sources.

Grant Shapps’s visit follows the UK Government’s publication of its plan to Power Up Britain, with a multi-billion pound investment in green technologies, unlocking lucrative new international energy deals that will boost the economy, create new green jobs and further boost the UK’s energy security and independence.

The Energy Security Secretary today argued that this move towards renewables, and away from fossil fuels, will further isolate Putin’s Russia, boosting both the energy security of the UK and that of the Republic of Korea.

Already, Korea has a target for 12 GW of offshore wind by 2030 – with over 25 projects in development and UK companies representing 60 per cent of Korean offshore wind engineering projects. The UK has 14 GW of offshore and is targeting 50 GW by 2030 – over a threefold increase.

But Mr Shapps also highlighted the opportunities for the Republic of Korea to invest in the UK. In particular, he pointed to SeAH Wind’s £512million investment in a new factory on Teesside, manufacturing the foundations for wind turbines to be used offshore – all helped in part by the Government’s Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Scheme.

This further investment and closer collaboration would follow over three decades of the UK and the Republic of Korea working together on advancing nuclear power generation, underpinned by the Nuclear Cooperation Agreement made in 1991.

The joint statement of cooperation on energy transition, including civil nuclear energy, focuses on:
- Accelerating plans for civil nuclear – with the UK and the Republic of Korea in united agreement that nuclear energy has an essential role to play in creating secure and affordable energy;
- Agreement on collaborating to promote the highest standards of nuclear safety, regulation, security, safeguards and non-proliferation – setting a global standard; and
- Confirmation of plans to build robust and resilient nuclear supply chains and to share experiences in developing the latest advanced civil nuclear technologies – including small modular reactors
- Reaffirming a shared commitment to accelerate the just transition away from unabated coal power and actively collaborate on expanding renewable energy technologies
This also complements the Powering Up Britain Plan, which includes the creation of Great British Nuclear, which will expand the UK’s nuclear power industry with the aim of serving a quarter of the country’s power through nuclear by 2050.
April 10, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Green light for four new bathing sites [April 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 10 April 2023.

Sites in Rutland, Plymouth and Suffolk will receive bathing water status from May.
Four swimming spots in England are being designated as bathing waters ahead of the warmer months and will soon benefit from regular water quality monitoring, Water Minister Rebecca Pow has today (April 10) announced.

Following a two-week public consultation, Sykes Lane Bathing Beach and Whitwell Creek at Rutland Water, Firestone Bay in Plymouth, and a section of the River Deben at Waldringfield, Suffolk, will all be officially designated ahead of the 2023 bathing water season. The four new sites will take the total number of bathing waters across the country to 424, the highest number ever.

The Environment Agency regularly monitors water quality at designated bathing water sites and assesses whether action is needed to cut pollution levels, working with local communities, farmers and water companies to improve water quality at these locations.

Over the past decade, we have made good progress in improving bathing water quality at existing sites, thanks to robust regulation and strong investment. Since 2010, the proportion of bathing waters assessed as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ has increased from 76% to 93%. Meanwhile, 72% are considered ‘excellent’ – up from just 51% in 2010. This is the highest level ever, despite the classification standards for bathing waters having been made more stringent in 2015.

Today’s announcement follows on from the Plan for Water, launched by the government last week, which sets out the action being taken by government to clean up our waters and ensure a plentiful supply into the future.

It also follows the government’s Environmental Improvement Plan published earlier this year, which includes a target for everyone to live within a 15-minute walk from nature, such as bathing waters.

Water Minister Rebecca Pow said:

These popular swimming spots will now undergo regular monitoring, starting this May, so bathers have up-to-date information on the quality of the water.

The regular monitoring also means that action can be taken if minimum standards aren’t being met.

We now have more bathing waters than ever, and we’ve worked hard in recent years to boost their status – with an incredible 93% now classed as good or excellent – and our new Plan for Water will help us go further and faster on our targets.

The Environment Agency will regularly take samples at the newly designated sites during the bathing season – which runs between 15 May and 30 September.

When selecting new sites, Defra considers how many people bathe there, if the site has suitable infrastructure and facilities, such as toilets, and where investment in water quality improvements following designation would have the most impact. All applications are assessed against these factors and only those that meet these factors are taken forward to public consultation.

This government has taken significant action in recent years to protect and improve the quality of water at designated bathing water sites at our rivers, lakes and coastal waters. This includes:

Setting strict new targets on water companies – designed to frontload action in important areas such as bathing waters – as part of our Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan. This requires water companies to deliver the largest infrastructure programme in water company history – £56 billion capital investment over 25 years

Increasing monitoring of discharges from approximately 5% in 2016, to nearly 90% in 2021. This will reach 100% cover by end of this year. Through the Environment Act, water companies are being required to make near real-time data on storm overflow discharges publicly available

Working with the farming community and regulators to reduce nutrient pollution from agriculture through our future farming reforms. The government has also increased the Environment Agency’s capacity to conduct farm inspections, with the target of conducting 4,000 a year, and doubled the funding for Catchment Sensitive Farming

Setting record levels of fines for water companies who break the law. Since 2015 the Environment Agency has secured fines of over £144m. The government is making it easier and quicker for regulators to enforce penalties and hold companies to account. Fines and penalties handed out to water companies will also be invested in schemes that benefit the environment.
April 10, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister – We must fulfil the promise of the Good Friday Agreement [April 2023]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 9 April 2023.

The Prime Minister will welcome President Biden to Belfast this week.
Prime Minister will take part in a number of events to commemorate the anniversary of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement in the coming days.

He will welcome President Biden to Belfast on Tuesday – the President’s first visit to Northern Ireland since taking office.

The UK will host a Northern Ireland Investment Summit later this year to encourage inward investment and growth.

The Prime Minister will welcome President Biden to Belfast this week as the people of Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK prepare to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.

President Biden will arrive in the UK on Tuesday evening, where the Prime Minister will meet him off Air Force One. The President will then undertake a programme of engagements including a meeting with the Prime Minister.

On Wednesday 19th April the Prime Minister will travel to Belfast again to address Queen’s University’s ‘Agreement 25’ conference and host a special Gala Dinner to commemorate the anniversary.

Monday marks a quarter of a century since the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement was signed, transforming the political and economic of Northern Ireland, and serving as a framework for peace and prosperity.

The United States greatly supported the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement process and has played a pivotal role in boosting prosperity in Northern Ireland over the last 25 years. The Prime Minister will use President Biden’s visit and his engagements with business leaders and others in Belfast to celebrate Northern Ireland’s successes and encourage further long-term investment.

The United States is one of the largest sources of foreign investment into Northern Ireland, putting £1.5 billion into its economy over the last decade and creating 13,000 jobs. This includes tech giants such as Microsoft establishing themselves there. Around 1,000 US-owned businesses operate in Northern Ireland and in 2022 businesses in Northern Ireland exported goods worth over £1 billion to the United States.

In the last few months the economic links between the US and Northern Ireland have grown further, with companies like semiconductor manufacturer Wolfspeed announcing a major R&D partnership with Queen’s University Belfast. Wolfspeed is based in North Carolina, a US state the UK signed a state-level trade agreement with in July last year.

As part of the Prime Minister’s ambition to bring more inward investment into Northern Ireland’s thriving economy, he will announce that the UK will host a Northern Ireland Investment Summit in September this year.

The Summit will connect international investors with Northern Ireland businesses, showcasing the best of what Northern Ireland has to offer. The Summit will profile Northern Ireland’s innovation and technological strengths, with a special focus on financial & professional services, life & health sciences, technology, green manufacturing and the creative services.

Bolstered by its place within the UK, Northern Ireland has a diverse and thriving economy. Northern Ireland received almost £20bn in inward investment in 2020, with companies from around the world recognising its growth potential, talent and expertise. Belfast is the biggest hub for technology companies in the UK after London and Northern Ireland is home to more than 100 cyber security companies.

The UK Government is also supporting growth in Northern Ireland through investment in infrastructure and education to foster Northern Irish talent and expertise. The UK Government provides around £15 billion a year to Northern Ireland and through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund we are providing new community and neighbourhood infrastructure and improving facilities for families in every council in Northern Ireland.

The Prime Minister said:

“The Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement was an incredible moment in our nation’s history. It was a powerfully rare example of people doing the previously unthinkable to create a better future for Northern Ireland.

“It is that promise of a better future that we offered to everyone in Northern Ireland that I will be thinking of first and foremost over the coming days. It is my responsibility as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to ensure we are making good on that promise.

“Northern Ireland – like the rest of the UK – is teeming with opportunities, talent and ingenuity. The biggest thing we can do to improve people’s standard of living and secure a prosperous and thriving Northern Ireland, is economic growth. That’s something I’m relentlessly focused on delivering.”

The Northern Ireland Investment Summit will be led by the Department for Business and Trade in partnership with the Northern Ireland Office and Invest Northern Ireland. It will take place on 12th and 13th September 2023 in Belfast.

The event is a key part of the UK’s overall programme to mark the remarkable progress in Northern Ireland over the last quarter century and will support our vision for a prosperous 25 years ahead.
April 9, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Crackdown on illegal sale of vapes [April 2023]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 9 April 2023.

Bold new measures to combat rising levels of youth vaping expected to be announced.
- A new ‘illicit vapes enforcement squad’ – backed by £3 million of government funding – to be formed to enforce rules on vaping and tackle illegal sales of vapes to under-18s
- Call for Evidence also launched to identify opportunities to stop children vaping
The government is expected to unveil tough new measures to combat the illegal sale of vapes to under-18s as part of its plans to reduce smoking and tackle youth vaping.

In his speech at Policy Exchange on Tuesday 11 April, Health Minister Neil O’Brien is expected to announce a new ‘illicit vapes enforcement squad’ – backed by £3 million of government funding – to enforce the rules on vaping and tackle illicit vapes and underage sales.

Working across the country, the enforcement squad led by Trading Standards will share knowledge and intelligence across regional networks and local authorities.

It will undertake specific projects such as test purchasing in convenience stores and vape shops. It will also produce guidance to help build regulatory compliance, and will have the power to remove illegal products from shops and at our borders.

The minister is also expected to announce the launch of a Call for Evidence to identify opportunities to reduce the number of children accessing and using vapes, while ensuring they remain available as a quit aid for adult smokers.

It will explore topical issues such as the marketing and promotion of vapes and the environmental impact of disposable products.

Health Minister Neil O’Brien said:

Smoking kills, so our priority is to prevent people smoking, and support them to quit. We remain committed to our ambition to be smokefree by 2030.

However, while vaping is a preferable alternative to smoking for adults, we are concerned about the rise in youth vaping, particularly the increasing use of disposable vaping products.

The new illicit vapes enforcement squad will work across the country and clamp down on those businesses who sell vapes to children – which is illegal – and get them hooked on nicotine. Our Call for Evidence will also allow us to get a firm understanding of the steps we can take to reduce the number of children accessing and using vapes.

Smoking prevalence in England in 2021 was 13.0%, the lowest on record, thanks to measures such as doubling duty on cigarettes since 2010 and continued funding to local stop smoking services. In 2021-22, £68 million of funding from the public health grant was spent on stop smoking services by local authorities, and nearly 100,000 people quit with the support of a stop smoking service.

In addition, £35 million was committed to the NHS last year so that all smokers admitted to hospital will be offered NHS-funded tobacco treatment services.
April 9, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : People who will play historic roles at the heart of the Coronation Service announced [April 2023]
The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 9 April 2023.

Details of individuals with historic claims to take part in the Coronation have been revealed.
Participants announced refer to the 13 roles that are subject to historic claims for the Coronation Service

People chosen because they have successfully proved their historic claim to take part

Recipients of honours from all walks of life invited to attend Westminster Abbey on the day

The names of 13 individuals and organisations who will play important historic ceremonial roles in the Coronation of Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort on May 6 have been announced.

All claims were considered by the Coronation Claims Office, within the Cabinet Office, which took advice from senior legal, ceremonial and ecclesiastical experts.

Those chosen showed evidence that their claim related to a historic customary service performed at previous Coronations.

In addition, those chosen to take on the roles proved that they are the established office holders or the holders of the relevant title or land to perform the task.

Those who will have roles in the Coronation Service are as follows:

The Earl of Erroll

Barons of the Cinque Ports

Clerk of the Crown in Chancery (Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice)

The Lord Great Chamberlain

Lord Hastings

The Earl of Loudoun

The Bishop of Durham

The Bishop of Bath and Wells

The Dean and Chapter of the Collegiate Church of St Peter

The Lord Mayor of London

The Earl of Dundee

The Lord Lyon King of Arms & Heralds and Pursuivants of Scotland

The Walker Trust (Anglican Archbishop of Edinburgh)

The news comes after it has been announced that people from all walks of life who have been awarded British Empire Medals for their service to the community have been invited to attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey.

In addition, 400 young people representing charitable organisations, nominated by The King and The Queen Consort and the UK Government, will have the opportunity to watch the Coronation Service and Procession from St Margaret’s Church, Westminster Abbey, by kind permission of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster.

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

These roles are steeped in history – in some cases dating back 800 years – so it will be wonderful to see these centuries-old traditions played out on Coronation Day.

Those given Coronation roles will be at the heart of this historic ceremony, but of course the entire nation will have its part to play in events up and down the country, in what promises to be a weekend to remember.

The historic roles in the Coronation ceremony include:

The Lord Great Chamberlain – One of the Officers of State, the Lord Great Chamberlain had traditionally played a major role in Coronations. For the Coronation in May, the Lord Great Chamberlain will take part in the investing of The King with the regalia – the Crown Jewels.

The Dean and Chapter of the Collegiate Church of St Peter will hold the ceremony and instruct the monarch in the forms, rites and ceremonies.

The Earl of Erroll will also bear a silver baton or staff as Lord High Constable of Scotland, while the Bishop of Durham and Bishop of Bath and Wells will be Bishop Assistant to The King, the Earl of Dundee will carry the Quartering of the Standard (Scotland) in Procession, The Lord Lyon King of Arms & Heralds and Pursuivants of Scotland will be part of The King’s procession and the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery, will record the proceedings.

The Barons of the Cinque Ports, a historic group of representatives of 14 coastal towns in South East England, will also attend the ceremony, as will a member of the Walker Trustees – the Anglican Bishop of Edinburgh, who previously performed the role of Usher of the White Rod.

Those selected through the Coronation Claims process are only a small proportion of the people participating in the Coronation. Other participants will be announced in the coming weeks.
April 9, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Crackdown on fly-tipping continues with new grants for councils [April 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 7 April 2023.

£775,000 to be spent on schemes across England.
Grants totalling £775,000 will help councils roll out a range of projects to crack down on fly-tipping, Environment Minister Rebecca Pow announced today (Saturday 8 April).

Twenty-one local authorities will benefit from the grants, with schemes such as roadside CCTV and social media campaigns in Plymouth and targeted surveillance at hotspot areas in Pendle. Other projects will include:

CCTV – portable CCTV cameras to patrol and capture footage across Northumberland

Barriers – anti-climb fencing to protect neighbourhood areas in Hyndburn, including community orchards and wildflower meadows

Better waste infrastructure – larger recycling bins in better locations in Mansfield to make sure the public have access to correct disposal approach

Councils will have six months to roll out their initiatives, before sharing how this worked in practice and helping other councils to develop similar schemes.

The new grants announced today will build on the successes of the first round of projects, which provided £450,000 to 11 councils last year.

The projects funded in the first round included building new community gardens in fly-tipping hotspots in Thanet and CCTV with automatic number-plate recognition in Buckinghamshire.

In Durham, the County Council introduced educational bin stickers, permanent signage and installed CCTV onto existing lighting columns. Thanks to these efforts, fly-tipping was cut by over 60 per cent.

Following the success of these initiatives, Defra has almost doubled the amount of funding available for councils this year – £775,000 – for projects for the second round.

Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said:

Fly-tipping is a cynical crime which blights communities and the environment.

Our first round of grants over the last year were a big success – which is why we are expanding this scheme to help more local authorities around the country take the fight to waste criminals.

Belinda Snow, Neighbourhood Warden Manager for Durham County Council, said:

We are grateful that the funding became available from Defra, and the council was awarded £50,000 to tackle fly-tipping at known hotspots with the use of CCTV, signage and educational bin stickers.

The funding enabled us to invest in our communities, resulting in cleaner streets and an overall positive response from residents. We monitored the intervention areas for three months after installation of CCTV and signage in comparison to the data three months before and we could see a 68.4% total reduction in fly tipping incidents.

The use of CCTV has also increased our ability to carry out enforcement action. We have had one successful prosecution at one hotspot location and we have issued a fixed penalty notice at another.

This second grant scheme complements wider action we are taking to tackle fly-tipping and waste crime. We have consulted on reforming the waste carrier, broker, dealer regime, introducing mandatory digital waste tracking and preventing councils from charging for the disposal of DIY waste at local tips.

We are also developing a fly-tipping toolkit with National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group to help spread best practice among local authorities on tackling the issue.

The Prime Minister pledged earlier this year to clamp down on perpetrators of anti-social behaviour. We are committed to delivering on this pledge, recently announcing more severe punishments for those who graffiti, litter or fly-tip, with fines of up to £500 and £1,000 as part of the Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan. The Plan will also introduce the publication of council league tables for fly-tipping, as well as extra ‘hotspot’ patrols and a trial ‘Immediate Justice’ scheme to deliver swift and visible punishments.

A full list of recipients is available below.

Spelthorne Borough Council

Northumberland County Council

Cambridge City Council

Hyndburn Borough Council

Derby City Council

Stockton on Tees Borough Council

Waltham Forest

Plymouth City Council

Birmingham City Council

Wyre Borough Council

Herefordshire County Council

Manchester City Council

Calderdale Borough Council

Bristol City Council

Tamworth Borough Council

Leeds City Council

Mansfield District Council

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council

Rotherham Borough Council

Pendle Borough Council

Doncaster Borough Council
April 8, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Rural communities up and down the country set to benefit from funding to support rural business and create jobs [April 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 7 April 2023.

£110 million funding for communities allocated under the Rural England Prosperity Fund.

Communities across rural England are set to benefit from an extra £110 million in local authority funding to support rural business and community groups, it has been announced today (7 April).

Eligible local authorities in England will receive the funding, which they can invest in initiatives such as farm diversification, projects to boost rural tourism, and community infrastructure projects including electric vehicle charging stations. The funding will also help people start up local businesses to supercharge growth and create employment opportunities for rural areas.

The confirmed allocations are spread right across the country, including over £5 million for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, £3m for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, over £3 million for North of Tyne, over £2.5 million for West Yorkshire, £2.5 million for Shropshire and almost £1 million for Cheshire East.

The Rural England Prosperity Fund is a rural top-up to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund which is £2.6 billion of new funding for local investment to support levelling up across the UK. It marks a change from previous bureaucratic and fragmented EU funds, allowing England to take back control of its own growth investment and giving local leaders a greater say in where funding is best spent.

Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey said:

Driving investment in rural areas is a vital part of our vision for levelling up the country. The new Rural Prosperity Fund replaces the bureaucratic EU funding system – allowing us to work closely with local leaders to direct funding where it is most needed to close the rural productivity gap, create job opportunities and protect the English countryside.

This confirmed spending will allow local authorities to deliver on their plans to level up businesses and communities in rural areas from today, in line with their residents’ priorities.

Country Land and Business President Mark Tufnell said:

“The rural economy is 19% less productive than the national average, but reducing this gap could add up to £43 billion to the economy. This funding is an important step in unlocking the vast potential of rural businesses, and will give startups as well as existing enterprises the support they need to grow.

We strongly encourage Local Authorities to work closely with rural entrepreneurs to maximise the opportunities the Rural England Prosperity Fund presents, identifying every possible opportunity to generate economic growth – creating good jobs and strengthening our communities in the process.

Across rural England, the money will be spent on two key areas:
- Communities and place: projects to improve community facilities such as green spaces and boost access to arts and culture to grow local tourism economies.
- Supporting local business: projects to support agricultural businesses looking to expand their remit, and rural businesses looking to launch or grow their products and services.
Rural England Prosperity Fund allocates £110 million between 2023 and 2025. Defra is in contact with each of the eligible local authorities to confirm their allocated funding, and they can begin to deliver on their plans over the coming weeks.

The announcement today follows the ‘Delivering for Rural England’ rural proofing report, which set out how rural challenges and opportunities will be at the heart the government’s approach to levelling up. The government is committed to promoting high-quality digital infrastructure and is already delivering major upgrades through the Shared Rural Network and Project Gigabit. Considerable progress has already been made, for example in improving connectivity with 30% of rural premises now having access to gigabit-capable connections compared with 19% in January 2021.
April 8, 2023