Link:
The Landfill Disposals Tax (Administration) (Wales) Regulations 2018 / Rheoliadau Treth Gwarediadau Tirlenwi (Gweinyddu) (Cymru) 2018
Source: Legislation .gov.uk
Press release: Call for evidence to help improve air quality launched
Householders and businesses are being asked for their views on proposals to cut harmful emissions caused by the burning of dirtier fuels.
A call for evidence on the use of house coal, smokeless coal, manufactured solid fuels and wet wood used for heating homes has today been launched to help the government reduce harmful emissions of soot and smoke, as action continues to improve air quality.
The government is considering a range of options to tackle these emissions, these include:
- Encouraging consumers to switch from house coal by only allowing the sale of low sulphur smokeless alternatives
- switching from wet wood to dry wood
- the introduction of sulphur limits for all smokeless solid fuels
- and new powers for local authorities to take action for persistent smoke offences where local amenity is harmed
- The government is not considering banning domestic burning, and is not seeking to prevent the use or installation of wood-burning stoves
The call for evidence will inform our understanding of what impact these measures could have if introduced.
While we are keen to encourage consumers to switch to cleaner wood burning, which will directly benefit them in their homes and improve the local environment, the government is not considering banning domestic burning. Many households have installed wood-burning stoves, and we are not seeking to prevent their use or installation.
While air quality in the UK has improved significantly in recent decades, with reductions in emissions of all of the key pollutants, domestic burning of house coal (the typical black fuel), smokeless solid fuels (smokeless coal, for example, or manufactured solid fuels which are made from coal and other ingredients) and wood are the single largest contributors of harmful particulate matter (PM) emissions, accounting for around 40% of total UK PM2.5 emissions in 2015. In fact, a wood burning stove can emit more PM than a diesel HGV or passenger car.
The tiny particles in smoke can enter the bloodstream and have been found in internal organs risking long term health issues as well as having more immediate impacts in some people such as breathing problems or asthma attacks.
Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey said:
We all have a role to play in improving the air we breathe. Many of us enjoy a cosy fire in our homes, but burning dirtier fuel has a real impact on the quality of air for our family and friends around us.
We must be mindful that pollution is about more than just transport. Poor air quality affects public health, the economy, and the environment, which is why we are determined to do more. However, if we make the switch to burning cleaner domestic fuel, we can continue to enjoy burning wood and smokeless coal in stoves and fires in our homes.
Many consumers are unaware of the impact on their health or the environment from burning solid fuels, or indeed which are the cleanest fuels to buy. That is why the government is already working with industry to raise consumer awareness of the benefits of cleaner fuels, such as ‘Ready to Burn’ wood, where a logo clearly identifies wood that is certified as clean and ready to burn.
Consumers can already take action by buying the most efficient stove, using high quality fuel and regularly servicing their appliance.
Last year the government confirmed it would end the sale of all new conventional petrol and diesel cars by 2040 as part of a £3.5billion plan to tackle nitrogen dioxide emissions. The UK Plan for Tackling Roadside Nitrogen Dioxide Concentrations produced by Defra and the Department for Transport, outlined how councils with the worst levels of air pollution at busy road junctions and hotspots must take robust action.
The call for evidence will feed into the government’s Clean Air Strategy, which will be published for consultation in 2018. This will further address wider sources of air pollution.
Link: Press release: Call for evidence to help improve air quality launched
Source: Gov Press Releases
Press release: Report 02/2018: Child nearly falling through a missing toilet floor, South Devon Railway
Summary
At around 13:15 hrs on Thursday 22 June 2017, a mother and her three-year-old child were travelling on a South Devon Railway train from Totnes (Riverside) to Buckfastleigh. Shortly after leaving Staverton station, while the train was travelling at about 20 mph (32 km/h), the child left his seat and went towards a toilet on the train, followed by his mother walking a short distance behind.
The child entered the toilet, and as the door opened and the child stepped through it, he fell forward because the floor was missing in the compartment he had entered. A more serious accident was only prevented by the quick reaction of the mother who grabbed the child’s arm and prevented him falling through the opening and onto the track below. The child suffered minor bruising, and both mother and child were shocked. The accident was reported immediately to the railway company, but the RAIB was not advised of what had happened until 25 June 2017.
In April 2017 the South Devon Railway had carried out a repair to this carriage. The location of the repair was difficult to gain access to and required the floor of the toilet cubicle to be removed. The railway’s management decided that the door would be secured and notices placed on the door, allowing the carriage to enter service with the toilet floor missing. The RAIB found that the method of securing the door was inadequate, so that over time the door became less secure to the extent it was possible for the child to open it. The risk associated with the absence of the toilet floor was not sufficiently appreciated nor adequately managed after the carriage was allowed to enter service. The RAIB also found that the South Devon Railway had no formal competence management assessment for staff involved in carriage maintenance. Both of these factors led to no-one detecting that the door had become unsecure.
The RAIB observed during the investigation that the South Devon Railway’s maintenance regime did not identify the extent of the deteriorating condition of the carriage structure, and the railway’s fitness to run process was not being correctly applied.
Recommendations
The RAIB has made one recommendation to the South Devon Railway to commission an independent review of the actions it has taken since the accident to address the deficiencies in its processes.
The RAIB believes that the investigation has also identified an important lesson likely to be applicable to other heritage railways, about applying appropriate standards for vehicle maintenance, to ensure that the examination regime which they have in place will identify the foreseeable deterioration of vehicles, before it reaches a stage that may affect safety.
Simon French, Chief Inspector of Rail Accidents said:
Britain’s heritage railways carry over 9 million passengers every year. People are travelling for pleasure, and they don’t expect any nasty surprises during their journey. When a mother, enjoying a happy day out with a small child, is suddenly faced with a life-threatening hazard, it is important to find out what went wrong. A door opened – and she had to grab hold of her little boy to stop him falling through a gaping hole in the floor of the carriage.
Operating even a small railway involves dealing with significant risks. Carriages built sixty or more years ago need looking after to keep them both clean and welcoming, and safe for passengers to ride in. Maintenance involves inspecting the condition of the vehicle, including the hidden parts that are hard to get at, at regular, appropriate intervals. It needs to be properly planned, and backed up with prompt action when something needs fixing.
In this case, the railway company took out the toilet floor, to get at and fix a leaking brake pipe. The engineers found a lot of previously undetected rust and rot, that was going to have to be dealt with. It seemed like a good idea to seal up the toilet door until the whole carriage could be got into the workshops for overhaul, but that was not easy to do securely, and the door came open.
Our investigation found that the railway’s safety management system was not operating properly, and had not been reviewed for many years. A flawed management structure contributed to poor decision-making. Staff were expected to do jobs which they were not really qualified for. We have recommended an independent review of how the railway manages the safety of its operations. I hope that the rest of the Heritage Railway sector will also look carefully at this report, and take action to make sure that the same thing cannot happen on their railways.
Notes to editors
- The sole purpose of RAIB investigations is to prevent future accidents and incidents and improve railway safety. RAIB does not establish blame, liability or carry out prosecutions.
- RAIB operates, as far as possible, in an open and transparent manner. While our investigations are completely independent of the railway industry, we do maintain close liaison with railway companies and if we discover matters that may affect the safety of the railway, we make sure that information about them is circulated to the right people as soon as possible, and certainly long before publication of our final report.
- For media enquiries, please call 01932 440015.
Newsdate: 30 January 2018
Link: Press release: Report 02/2018: Child nearly falling through a missing toilet floor, South Devon Railway
Source: Gov Press Releases
Press release: HS2 begins search for rail systems track and mechanical & electrical contractors
The circa £1.55 billion track and overhead catenary system (OCS) package will oversee HS2’s construction and its dynamic testing phase, linking the whole system and trains before handing it over to the operator for the line’s trial running phase.
Aspects of the track and OCS contract include delivery of critical elements of the railway’s infrastructure, covering its overhead catenary ‘power’ system from which high speed trains will draw down power, and 180 miles of track along which they will travel at speeds of up to 360kph (225mph).
The contract also incorporates construction work within stations and in tunnels including the provision of engineering trains to link worksites along the route. It also covers design integration and co-ordination with other railway systems, civil engineering and station construction contractors.
The second part of today’s pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) publication is for the circa £330 million contract for the tunnel and lineside mechanical & electrical and tunnel ventilation works. It covers the design, installation, testing and commissioning of HS2 safety equipment including tunnel ventilation fans, lighting, handrails, fire safety equipment and tunnel alarm systems.
HS2 Ltd chief executive, Mark Thurston, said:
We’re looking for the smartest, most cost effective solutions that the industry has to offer through these contracts, which form part of the overall railway system for HS2.
These 2 essential contracts are fundamental to HS2 operating safely, reliably and efficiently for the millions of people who will use and come to depend on it. Once complete, HS2 will transform rail travel in the UK, providing extra capacity and improved connectivity between our major cities and act as a catalyst for growth across the UK.
HS2 services will connect over 25 destinations and 30 million people across the UK. Trains will serve existing city centre stations in places like Glasgow and Liverpool, as well as brand new purpose-built stations in Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, and the East Midlands.
Press and media enquiries
For enquiries during office working hours, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
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The press and media enquiries line is for accredited journalists only
Link: Press release: HS2 begins search for rail systems track and mechanical & electrical contractors
Source: Gov Press Releases
The A55 Trunk Road (Westbound Carriageway between Junction 24 (Faenol Interchange) and Junction 23 (Llanddulas), Conwy County Borough) (Temporary Prohibition of Vehicles, Cyclists and Pedestrians) Order 2017 / Gorchymyn Cefnffordd yr A55 (Y Gerbytffordd tua’r Gorllewin rhwng Cyffordd 24 (Cyfnewidfa’r Faenol) a Chyffordd 23 (Llanddulas), Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy) (Gwahardd Cerbydau, Beicwyr a Cherddwyr Dros Dro) 2017
Link:
The A55 Trunk Road (Westbound Carriageway between Junction 24 (Faenol Interchange) and Junction 23 (Llanddulas), Conwy County Borough) (Temporary Prohibition of Vehicles, Cyclists and Pedestrians) Order 2017 / Gorchymyn Cefnffordd yr A55 (Y Gerbytffordd tua’r Gorllewin rhwng Cyffordd 24 (Cyfnewidfa’r Faenol) a Chyffordd 23 (Llanddulas), Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy) (Gwahardd Cerbydau, Beicwyr a Cherddwyr Dros Dro) 2017
Source: Legislation .gov.uk
The Abolition of the Right to Buy and Associated Rights (Wales) Act 2018 (Commencement and Saving Provisions) Order 2018 / Gorchymyn Deddf Diddymu’r Hawl i Brynu a Hawliau Cysylltiedig (Cymru) 2018 (Cychwyn a Darpariaethau Arbed) 2018
Link:
The Abolition of the Right to Buy and Associated Rights (Wales) Act 2018 (Commencement and Saving Provisions) Order 2018 / Gorchymyn Deddf Diddymu’r Hawl i Brynu a Hawliau Cysylltiedig (Cymru) 2018 (Cychwyn a Darpariaethau Arbed) 2018
Source: Legislation .gov.uk
Press release: MHRA cracking down on organised crime worth £200m
The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is cracking down on the diversion of Prescription-Only Medicines (POM) onto the criminal market, after first becoming aware of a significant diversion of benzodiazepines and other hypnotics/anxiolytics in 2016.
During 2017 MHRA expanded operations to 19 active investigations and have made more than 40 arrests. Our investigations have revealed an extensive network of criminality involving businesses such as wholesale dealers and a small number of registered pharmacies throughout the UK diverting medicines.
Between 2013 and 2016 an estimated £115-200m of medicines were diverted from the legitimate supply chain onto the criminal market, putting thousands of vulnerable people at risk.
The independent review into dependence and addiction to prescription drugs, recently announced by the Department of Health and Social Care, highlights the scale of the problem. The review will be looking into the results of a recent Home Office survey which found 7.6% of adults had taken a prescription-only painkiller not prescribed to them.
Arrests have been made for offences such as possession with intent to supply a controlled drug, and offences under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
The focus of our investigation is Prescription-Only Medicines such as benzodiazepines and anxiolytics including Diazepam and Zopiclone as well as the painkiller Tramadol.
These medicines are being sold through websites acting illegally, and people should be careful when buying medicines online. Criminals are known to exploit vulnerable people by selling medicines through unregulated websites and stealing their credit card details.
Self-diagnosis and self-medication can be dangerous. All of the Prescription-Only medicines currently being investigated have the potential to result in addiction. However, when these are appropriately prescribed there are measures in place to reduce this risk including restrictions on the dose or duration of treatment.
There is no indication this criminality has led to medicines shortages or issues with the legitimate supply of medicines to the public and medicines supplied with a prescription, through registered pharmacies, are unaffected.
Alastair Jeffrey, MHRA Head of Enforcement, said:
Selling medicines outside of the regulated supply chain is a serious criminal offence and we are working relentlessly with regulatory and law enforcement colleagues to identify and prosecute all those involved in this activity.
The medicines being sold are potent and should only be taken under medical supervision.
Criminals involved are exploiting people when they are at their most vulnerable; their only objective is to make money.We will continue to concentrate our efforts on identifying the criminals involved and ensure they are prosecuted through the courts.
Victoria Atkins MP, Minister for Crime, Safeguarding and Vulnerability said:
I welcome this investigation by the MHRA, which shows there is no hiding place for criminals who try to sell prescription drugs illegally.
Drug misuse can cause untold harm and devastate lives and this Government will take whatever action is necessary to keep our families and communities safe.
Our Drug Strategy sets out a balanced approach which brings together police, health, community and global partners to tackle the illicit drug trade, protect the most vulnerable and help those with a drug dependency to recover and turn their lives around.
Duncan Rudkin, Chief Executive of General Pharmaceutical Council:
We are working closely with the MHRA on the ongoing investigations into these very serious criminal offences. We have already taken action to suspend five pharmacists under interim orders and are actively reviewing at each stage of the investigations whether we need to take further action to protect the public.
We would also strongly urge people not to take any prescription medicines unless they have a valid prescription, as they could be putting their health at serious risk.
People wishing to report criminal activity relating to the diversion of these medicines should report this to us to our case referrals email address: CaseReferrals@mhra.gov.uk. You may also provide information anonymously through Crimestoppers
Media enquiries
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Link: Press release: MHRA cracking down on organised crime worth £200m
Source: Gov Press Releases
Press release: UK Anti-Doping receives £6 million funding boost
- Investment of £6.1 million will help educate athletes, share intelligence and conduct testing in the fight against drug cheats to keep sport clean
- Sports Minister Tracey Crouch also publishes second annual update on government’s sport strategy that shows progress on governance,
UK Anti-Doping is to receive an additional £6 million of funding from the government to further strengthen its armoury in the fight against doping, Sports Minister Tracey Crouch announced today.
The move comes after the first full-scale review of the organisation since it was set up in 2009 that has resulted in a number of recommendations to help make further progress in anti-doping.
These include:
- UKAD to consider submitting a framework to government and sports to allow doping control officers to have unfettered access to conduct random testing at competitions
- UKAD to encourage greater collaboration from law enforcement agencies and to ensure whistleblowers have confidence to come forward
- Sports in receipt of public funding to report annually on their anti-doping education programmes to UKAD and publish this information on their websites
- Health harms associated with the abuses of Image and Performance Enhancing Drugs (IPEDs) should be integrated into drug information and education supported by Public Health England, Public Health Wales, Health Scotland, Public Health (Northern Ireland) and the Home Office Drugs Strategy
- Government should revise the National Anti-Doping Policy by September 2018 in consultation with UKAD and the Home Country Sport Councils
- UKAD to ensure that all publicly funded athletes and support personnel participate in annual anti-doping education programmes
- UKAD to establish an Innovations Committee later this year to signpost new trends in doping
- A new international strategy to be drawn up by UKAD to help drive a global approach to innovation in anti-doping
The move means that over the next two years UKAD’s budget will be increased by around 50 per cent to help it implement the recommendations in the tailored review.
Sports Minister Tracey Crouch said:
We must do all we can to make sure sport is free from doping and that players and fans are confident that there is a level playing field. This £6 million additional funding for UKAD will help us take the fight even harder to those trying to cheat through doping. It will also help educate people at all levels of sport about the dangers of image and performance enhancing drugs and maintain UKAD’s standing as one of the leading anti-doping agencies in the world.
UKAD will now work with the DCMS on the specifics of what the additional £6.1 million will be spent on.
UK Anti-Doping Chair Trevor Pearce said:
We are delighted at the news from DCMS today, to significantly increase the funding available to UKAD for the next two years. This clear commitment to clean sport from government will allow us to increase the effectiveness of our current investigation, testing and education programmes, and also importantly to expand our investment into new approaches in the fight against doping. We look forward to working with DCMS on the implementation of recommendations for UKAD and we share their ambition for the UK to lead the world in Anti-Doping.
Today Tracey Crouch has also published the second annual report to Parliament on the government’s sport strategy ‘Sporting Future.’ Progress made on the implementation of the strategy over includes:
- Code for Sports governance being adhered to by national governing bodies to ensure greater transparency, accountability and diversity across the sector
- Continued investment in the sector in line with the change in approach to encouraging participation in sport and physical activity that Sporting Future signalled. Sport England has invested over £530 million of exchequer and lottery money in over 2,500 projects over the past 20 months and is working with a broader range of organisations to get people active.
- Sports Business Council set up, co-chaired by Tracey Crouch and Premier League executive chairman Richard Scudamore
- Review of criminalisation of doping completed with recommendations made to strengthen approach to anti-doping
- Held roundtables on the issue of mental health in physical activity and sport with work ongoing to make progress in this area
- Duty of Care report published by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson to help the sector focus on what more can be done to ensure safeguarding of participants at every level
- Successfully hosted major global sporting events including the 2017 World Athletics Championships
- Won the right to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham
Tracey Crouch added:
We are making good progress on a number of fronts. We are ensuring our governing bodies have world leading standards of governance as well as targeting funding to encourage new participants in sport and physical activity. There is still more work to do. This year I will particularly focus on mental health in sport and encouraging the sector to continue to step up on safeguarding all participants – from the grassroots to the elite.
Notes to Editors: For more information please contact DCMS Press Office – 020 7211 2210
Link: Press release: UK Anti-Doping receives £6 million funding boost
Source: Gov Press Releases
Press release: High quality evidence helps government deliver better public services
The government-funded network, which is made up of 10 independent What Works Centres, was created to improve the use and generation of robust evidence in policy areas such as health, education and policing.
The progress report, released today to mark the network’s fifth anniversary, highlights how public funds and resources have been allocated more effectively, thanks to evidence provided by independent researchers in the government-backed What Works Centres.
For example, research from the Early Intervention Foundation showed the impact of parent conflict on children’s long-term outcomes. This research informed the decision of the Department for Work and Pensions to invest £30 million in interventions designed to resolve parent conflict in families with the most disadvantaged children.
By translating complex evidence into practical and useable tools, the What Works Centres help public sector decision-makers deliver the best possible outcomes for the public.
David Lidington, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Elizabeth Truss, Chief Secretary to the Treasury said:
This government is committed to delivering public services that work for the ordinary citizen. Services delivered by schools, hospitals, GP practices, residential care homes, and police forces have all been enhanced by the findings of the What Works network.
The UK is now seen as a world-leader in the application of evidence in policy and practice and that is largely due to the increasing profile of the What Works Centres.
Dr David Halpern, What Works National Adviser said:
At the request of the Cabinet Secretary and Prime Minister, it has been a great honour to champion this agenda these last five years. Answering the question ‘What works?’ is hard work, but often a game changer. We’ve been asking this question in medicine for 50 years, and it’s saved countless lives. Now we’re asking it in schools, policing and economic growth polices, and its impact is proving equally large.
Megan Dixon, Director of Literacy, Aspire Educational Trust said:
The research that the EEF [Education Endowment Foundation] does helps us make really effective decisions about what to focus on in schools. It is great to have independent, robust research to consider when you are thinking about adopting a new approach.
Sir Jeremy Heywood, Head of the Civil Service said:
What Works’ is a quietly radical agenda that is materially increasing the supply of evidence available to decision-makers. I am delighted to see that the public sector is embracing it.
Link: Press release: High quality evidence helps government deliver better public services
Source: Gov Press Releases
Press release: UK puts forward Jodrell Bank Observatory as 2019 World Heritage nomination
Jodrell Bank Observatory has been chosen as the UK’s nomination for World Heritage site status in 2019, Heritage Minister Michael Ellis announced today.
The Observatory, part of the University of Manchester, is home to the Grade I Listed Lovell Telescope and is a site of global importance in the history of radio astronomy.
Founded in 1945, it is the earliest radio astronomy observatory in the world still in existence and pioneered the exploration of the universe using radio waves.
The UK currently has 31 World Heritage Sites, with The Lake District having been inscribed in 2017.
In order to be inscribed as a World Heritage Site, nominations must show that they possess Outstanding Universal Value, which transcends borders.
The nomination will now be formally assessed by the International Council of Sites and Monuments before the World Heritage Committee decides whether it will join the likes of The Great Barrier Reef, the Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of China as a designated World Heritage Site.
Jodrell Bank is the only site in the world that includes evidence of every stage of the post-1945 development of radio astronomy. As well as the Lovell Telescope, it also includes the Grade I Listed Mark II Telescope and the Park Royal building, which was the control room for the Transit Telescope, whose detection of radio waves from the Andromeda Galaxy confirmed that the Universe extends beyond our own galaxy.
Michael Ellis, Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism, said:
“Jodrell Bank played a central role in transforming our understanding of the Universe and is therefore a site of global importance.
“The nomination process for UNESCO is rightly thorough but I believe Jodrell Bank deserves to be recognised.
“The diverse heritage of the UK is world renowned and the observatory would be a worthy addition to our list of World Heritage Sites.”
Professor Teresa Anderson, Director of Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre said:
“The Jodrell Bank Observatory, and Lovell Telescope in particular, have become icons of science and engineering around the world and we’re delighted to reach this milestone. We have been preparing the case for nomination for inclusion of Jodrell Bank on the World Heritage list for several years now and we look forward to showcasing its rich scientific heritage on the international stage.”
Professor Tim O’Brien, Associate Director of the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, said:
“Jodrell Bank really is an iconic site and institution, not just here in the northwest of England but to people around the world.
“It is the one remaining site, worldwide which has been a working observatory from the very first days of radio astronomy to the present day. It’s important that we protect its rich heritage as we celebrate its current and future work.”
Last year the Government announced it will award £4 million to Jodrell Bank to help fund its new interpretation centre project, promoting the historically significant scientific work.
Link: Press release: UK puts forward Jodrell Bank Observatory as 2019 World Heritage nomination
Source: Gov Press Releases