Month: June 2018

Each recipient exemplifies the very best of our nation – from our oldest recipient, 103 year old Rosemary Powell receiving an MBE for her charitable service, having spent over 97 years volunteering for the Royal British Legion – to the youngest at 20 years old, Menna Fitzpatrick. Menna, Team GB’s most decorated Winter Paralympian, receives an MBE for her services to Paralympic Winter Sport alongside her guide, Jennifer Kehoe.

Awards include:

• a damehood for actress Emma Thompson, for services to drama
• a knighthood for Nobel Prize-winning novelist Kazuo Ishiguro, for services to literature
• a damehood for Professor Mary Beard, Professor of Classics, University of Cambridge, for services to the study of classical civilisations
• a knighthood for historian and broadcaster Professor Simon Schama
• a knighthood for former footballer and manager Kenny Dalglish
• a CBE for actor Tom Hardy
• a CBE for television presenter and author Bamber Gascoigne
• a CBE for journalist and Kate Adie
• an OBE for boxer Anthony Joshua
• an OBE for Winter Olympian gold medalist Lizzie Yarnold

This honours list continues to demonstrate the breadth of service given by people from all backgrounds.

In total 1,057 people have received an award:

• 920 candidates have been selected at BEM, MBE and OBE level: 318 at BEM, 392 at MBE and 210 at OBE
• 71% of the recipients are people who have undertaken outstanding work in their communities either in a voluntary or paid capacity
• 519 women are recognised in the List, representing 49% of the total
• 10% of the successful candidates come from a BAME background
• 5.7% of the successful candidates consider themselves to have a disability (under the Equality Act 2010)

The Prime Minister provided a strategic steer to the Main Honours Committee that the honours system should support children and young people to achieve their potential, enhance life opportunities, remove barriers to success and work to tackle discrimination.

Women

In the 100th anniversary year of women’s suffrage, there are a range of awards for women at the forefront of their professions or who have championed women’s rights. At the highest level (CBE and above), 41% of awards are for women – an increase from 39% at NY18.

Amongst these there is:

• a Companion of Honour (CH) for soprano Dame Kiri Te Kanawa
• a damehood for Dr Frances Carolyn Saunders, a distinguished engineer who has been instrumental in improving diversity within STEM and attracting young people from all backgrounds into engineering
• a CBE goes to Margaret Casely-Hayford, a lawyer and businesswoman, for her services to charity in the UK and abroad, and her work to create diversity on boards
• a CBE for award-winning writer Jeanette Winterson for services to literature
• a CBE for Kanya King, the founder of the MOBO awards (in its 21st year)
• an OBE for Vanessa Vallely, Managing Director of wearethecity.com, for services to women and the economy

Local Communities

In total, 71% of awards in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List will go to people who have undertaken outstanding work in or for their local community.

Awards include:

• a knighthood for Ber Helfgott, who has used his public profile as a Holocaust survivor to encourage community cohesion and combat intolerance
• a CBE for Dr John Kirkby for his services to debt counselling as the founder of Christians Against Poverty
• an OBE for Amandeep Madra for services to Punjabi and Sikh heritage and culture
• an MBE for Michael Nield, for services to mountain rescue in Lancashire
• an MBE for Dr Susan Martin, for services to mental health welfare in Liverpool
• an MBE for Akeela Ahmed for her work with Muslim women as founder of the She Speaks, We Hear charity
• an MBE for Halford Hewitt for his work as CEO of the Ipswich Housing Action Group, for his tireless work with the homeless in Ipswich

Education

Around 11% of honours are for work in education. The Honours Education Committee has recommended a knighthood for Professor Leslie Ebdon, the former director of Fair Access to Higher Education.

Other senior awards in education include CBEs for:

• Professor Rosemary Davis, Professor Emeritus, Institute of Education, UCL
• Professor Carole Hillenbrand, Emerita Professor in Islamic History, University of Edinburgh
• Pat Smart, Chief Executive Officer, Create Partnership Trust
• Professor Billie Hunter, Professor of Midwifery, Cardiff University

There is also an MBE for Carol Russell, chair of Hope Autism.

Health

Marking the NHS’s 70th year, a wide range of contributors to the NHS have been recognised, with health sector recipients making up 12% of all honours. There is a rich breadth of vocations, innovative practice and outstanding patient care recognised throughout the NHS.

In total, 64 awards have been made to NHS recipients, including:

• a damehood for Chief Scientific Officer Professor Susan Hill
• an OBE for Veronica Donovan, Consultant Midwife at the Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
• an MBE for Stephen Hudson at the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, who for 30 years has supported vulnerable people in Devon both through his work and through voluntary organisations
• a BEM for Debra Smith, a specialist in palliative cancer care in Wythenshawe, Manchester
• a BEM for surgeon Nadine Hachach-Haram, whose entrepreneurship through her company Proximie has helped to pioneer virtual access to surgical expertise for people living in remote areas, including plastic surgery for children in Peru

Elsewhere in the health sector, the Health Committee recommended:

• a knighthood for Professor Christopher Ham, lately Chief Executive of the Kings Fund
• a knighthood for Professor David Haslam, chair of NICE
• a damehood for Professor Jane Dacre, President of the Royal College of Physicians

Also in the list is:

• a CBE for Professor Robert Steele, Senior Research Professor at the University of Dundee for his work on the prevention, early detection and treatment of colorectal cancer
• an OBE for Anne Moore, Senior Vice President, Royal College of Surgeons
• an MBE goes to Dr Susannah Clarke, founder of Embody Orthopaedic, who has pioneered the use of 3D print technology to revolutionise minimally-invasive joint replacement procedures

Industry and the Economy

Industry and the economy make up 13% of this honours list. The Economy Committee recommended:

• a damehood for Moya Greene, Chief Executive, Royal Mail
• a knighthood for James Ratcliffe, Chair and Chief Executive of Ineos Chemical Group

A number of entrepreneurs and individuals supporting greater diversity are also recognised, including:

• a CBE for Jo Malone, for services to the British economy and the GREAT campaign
• a CBE for Thomas Ilube, for services to technology and philanthropy
• a CBE for Brenda Trenowden, Global Chair, 30% Club

Science and Technology

Science and Technology recipients make up 3% of the list. There is:

• a knighthood for Professor Christopher Dobson, Professor of Chemical and Structural Biology and Master, St John’s College, University of Cambridge
• a CBE for Principal Soil Scientist, Professor Lorna Dawson
• a CBE for David Eyton, Group Head of Technology, BP plc

Sport

Awards for Sport make up 5% of the total recipients. There are awards to celebrate the success of individuals in the Winter Olympics and Paralympics including an OBE for Mike Hay, Chef de Mission, Team GB.

Alongside these there are OBEs for:

• Roisin Wood, Chief Executive of Kick It Out
• Director of Child Protection in Sport, Anne Tiivas

There is an also an OBE for footballer Jermain Defoe recognising his charitable work through the Jermain Defoe Foundation, and an OBE for Jeffrey Savory, for his support to disability sport.

Awards to grassroots sport include BEMs for:

• Wyndham Davidson, a swimming coach in Shropshire and the West Midlands
• Charlotte MacDonald, for her services to the Special Olympics and Riding for the Disabled

The Arts, Music and Dance

In the Arts, there is:

• a knighthood for Dr Charles Saumarez Smith, Chief Executive of the Royal Academy, marking its 250th year
• a CBE for Dinah Casson for her services to design
• an OBE for curator, Gus Casely-Hayford

In music there is:

• a knighthood for baritone Simon Keenlyside
• a CBE for composer, pianist and conductor Thomas Ades
• an OBE for prominent jazz musician, Julian Joseph

There is also an MBE for musician Niomi McLean-Daley, aka Miss Dynamite.

There are CBEs for:

• Director of the Royal Ballet, Kevin O’Hare
• Director of Music at the Southbank Centre, Professor Gillian Moore

There are MBEs for:

• actor Gary Wilmot
• underwater photographer, Alexander Mustard

Law and Order

In Law and Order, the awards include:

• a knighthood for Mark Rowley, lately Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service
• a CBE for Alexander Marshall, lately Chief Executive of the College of Policing
• Dionne Collins, Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police
• Robert Ayling, Chair of HM Courts and Tribunals Service

Parliamentary

The Parliamentary and Political Service Committee has recommended damehoods for:

• Eleanor Laing, MP for Epping Forest
• Louise Ellman, MP for Liverpool Riverside

There are also knighthoods for:

• David Natzler, Clerk of the House of Commons
• Bernard Jenkin, MP for Harwich and North Essex

Following on from the publication of the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2018 list today (June 8 2018), Scottish Secretary David Mundell passes on his congratulations to Scottish honourees:

I am pleased to see the Queen’s Birthday honours recognise the achievements of a diverse and inspiring number of our fellow Scots. From sporting icons to key players in business and academia, these individuals have been influential in shaping our nation.

As Scotland’s most capped footballer and joint leading goal scorer, Kenny Dalglish was rightly crowned ‘king’ by his fans around the world. His glittering achievements in football and dedicated service to communities, including through his unwavering support for the families of the Hillsborough victims and the millions of pounds raised by his family’s cancer charity, mean that ‘King Kenny’ now deservedly becomes a Knight.

I also welcome the Knighthood for Jim Ratcliffe, chair and chief executive of Ineos Chemical Group, who has built a business empire which contributes so much to the Scottish economy. And I’m pleased to see awards to celebrate the success of individuals in the Winter Olympics and Paralympics including an OBE for Mike Hay, Chef de Mission, Team GB.

I offer my sincere congratulations to these recipients on their worthy honours. What they have accomplished is an inspiration.

International Trade Secretary announces billions worth of overseas trade wins.

• significant deal secured by UK company to deliver natural gas project in Cameroon
• further deals in Panama, Turkey, India and Qatar a £75 million boost for British businesses
• the deals come across the life sciences, transport, infrastructure and cyber security sectors

International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, today (Friday, 8 June) hailed millions of pounds worth of trade wins with some of the fastest growing economies as a sign of growing global links post-Brexit.

Capitalising on recent foreign visits by Cameroon’s Minister Secretary General, the Presidents of Panama and Turkey and the Prime Minister of India, the Department of International Trade (DIT) is helping UK businesses access exporting opportunities and increase prosperity across the country.

Following Trade Minister, Baroness Fairhead’s, meeting with Minister Secretary General Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, London based oil and gas company, New Age, and the Cameroon Government have agreed a deal which will see the development of a floating natural gas project in Cameroon utilising the offshore Etinde gas field.

The project is of huge importance to the African country, who will be able to ramp up their gas export operation, in turn generating a huge revenue stream for the public treasury, whilst also helping to develop offshore infrastructure in support of future local power generation.

Following the visit of the President of Panama, Juan Carlos Varela, Dorking based Biwater expanded a deal which sees them improving Panama’s water and wastewater infrastructure alongside the Panama Government.

The company’s work sees them delivering lasting environmental and social benefits to communities in Latin America’s fastest growing economy. The UK government provided support for the company and the project through UK Export Finance’s financial support offer.

UK life sciences company, GE Healthcare, also secured a deal earlier this week after the visit of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with Turkish construction firm KAYI holding. The agreement will see £74 million worth of medical equipment exported to hospitals being built across emerging markets of Turkey, Kenya, Tanzania and the Balkans.

DIT has also secured the first ever memorandum of understanding with the Qatar Central Bank which will see UK Cyber Security firms help secure Qatar’s online financial sector. The deal is hugely significant to the UK cyber security sector which already exports £1.6 billion worth of world-leading technology around the globe.

International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox MP, said:

International visits by foreign ministers aren’t just good for the government but for UK exporters across the country too, so that local companies can expand their global reach.

There are strong reasons for the UK to be optimistic about our presence on the world stage and this series of deals, worth more than £1.9 billion, showcases Britain’s world leading capability in key sectors such as cyber security and life sciences as we leave the European Union.

That is why as an international economic department we provide a wide range of support for business such as our award-winning export credit agency, UK Export Finance, great.gov.uk and our international trade advisers.

A new direct flight route from Manchester to Mumbai has also been secured by Jet Airways last week. Beginning in the autumn, the new route will be a significant boost to exporters in the Northern Powerhouse as the new will see flights going between the 2 cities 4 times a week, improving connectivity in the process. The announcement comes following the visit of Baroness Fairhead to Mumbai and Bangalore earlier this year.

UK exports of goods and services as a whole increased by 12.1% to £622 billion last year, and with the UK gearing up to leave the European Union, the department will shortly deliver a new Export Strategy to set out the government’s ambition to get businesses of all sizes exporting their products.

Background:

Top 5 ways DIT supports businesses to export:

1. great.gov.uk – export platform which lists thousands of export opportunities worth millions of pounds. It also puts firms in touch with global buyers at the click of a mouse.
2. UK Export Finance – the UK’s export credit agency provides financial support like capital loans, to ensure no viable export deal fails due to lack of finance and insurance. UKEF has recently partnered with five of the UK’s biggest banks, to help small businesses easily access government-backed financial support.
3. Face-to-face support for exporters in England – delivered via a network of around 250 international trade advisers (ITAs). ITAs are managed by 9 delivery partners who operate in each of the 9 English regions.
4. Trade shows – DIT supports trade shows across the world to showcase the best of UK companies from sectors including life sciences, automotive and food and drink.
5. Board of Trade – with representatives from the business community to be the ‘eyes and ears’ of modern businesses. It meets 4 times a year rotated around the UK guaranteeing all parts of the Union have a chance to raise the issues most important to them.

DIT recently launched its Cyber Security Export Strategy, setting out how the government will help the 800 British cyber security firms export their world leading services around the globe.

Further information

• contact the DIT Media and Digital Team on 020 7008 3333
• follow us: @tradegovuk or gov.uk/dit

During May, there were four new detentions of foreign flagged vessels in a UK port, three vessels remained under detention from previous months. A total of four vessels remain under detention at the end of May.

1. In response to one of the recommendations of Lord Donaldson’s inquiry into the prevention of pollution from merchant shipping, and in compliance with the EU Directive on Port State Control (2009/16/EC as amended), the Maritime and Coastguard agency (MCA) publishes details of the foreign flagged vessels detained in UK ports each month.
2. The UK is part of a regional agreement on port state control known as the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (Paris MOU) and information on all ships that are inspected is held centrally in an electronic database known as THETIS. This allows the ships with a high risk rating and poor detention records to be targeted for future inspection.
3. Inspections of foreign flagged ships in UK ports are undertaken by surveyors from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. When a ship is found to be not in compliance with applicable convention requirements, a deficiency may be raised. If any of their deficiencies are so serious they have to be rectified before departure, then the ship will be detained.
4. All deficiencies should be rectified before departure if at all possible.
5. When applicable, the list includes those passenger craft prevented from operating under the provisions of the EU Directive on Mandatory Surveys for the safe operation of regular Ro-Ro ferry and high speed passenger craft services (1999/35/EU).

Notes on the list of detentions

• Full details of the ship.
  The accompanying detention list shows ship’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) number which is unchanging throughout the ship’s life and uniquely identifies it. It also shows the ship’s name and flag state at the time of its inspection.
• Company.
  The company shown in the vessel’s Safety Management Certificate (SMC) or if there is no SMC, then the party otherwise believed to be responsible for the safety of the ship at the time of inspection.
• Classification Society.
  The list shows the Classification Society responsible for classing the ship only.
• Recognised Organisation.
  Responsible for conducting the statutory surveys: and issuing statutory certificates on behalf of the Flag State
• White (WL), Grey (GL) and Black lists (BL) are issued by the Paris MoU on 01 July each year and shows the performance of flag State.

SHIPS DETAINED IN MAY 2018

Vessel Name: POAVOSA WISDOM

GT: 127025

IMO: 9515644

Flag: Panama (White list)

Company: Well Ship Management and Marine Consultant Co

Classification Society: BV

Recognised Organisation: BV/NKK

Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: BV

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: BV

Date and Place of Detention: 20th May 2018 at Avonmouth

Summary: Six deficiencies with six ground for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
10111 – Charts	Missing	Yes
15150 – ISM	Not as required	Yes
10111 – Charts	Not updated	Yes
10111 – Charts	Not updated	Yes
10116 – Nautical publications	Missing	Yes
10116 – Nautical publications	Expired	Yes

This vessel was released on 24th May 2018

Vessel Name: ATLANTIC

GT: 2195

IMO: 8002731

Flag: St Kitts and Nevis (Black list)

Company: JMB Bjerrum & Jensen Aps

Classification Society: RINA

Recognised Organisation: RINA

Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: DNV GL

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: RINA

Date and Place of Detention: 15th May 2018 at Shearness

Summary: Nineteen deficiencies with seventeen ground for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
18314 – Provisions quantity	Insufficient	Yes
18315 – Provisions quality and nutritional value	Not as required	Yes
01123 – Continuous synopsis record	Missing	Yes
01315 – Oil record book	Incorrect	Yes
01220 – Seafarers’ employment agreement (SEA)	Not as required	Yes
01199 – Other (certificates)	Other	Yes
10105 – Magnetic compass	Not as required	Yes
10111 – Charts	Expired	Yes
05103 – Main installation	Not as required	Yes
18201 – Fitness for duty – work and rest hours	Not as required	Yes
18203 – Wages	Not according SEA	Yes
18326 – Laundry, Adequate Locker	Not as required	Yes
18413 – Warning notices	Missing	No
07110 – Fire fighting equipment and appliances	Not properly maintained	Yes
07108 – Ready availability of fire fighting equipment	Missing	Yes
07115 – Fire dampers	Not as required	Yes
99101 – Other safety in general	Other	No
15150 – ISM	Not as required	Yes
10116 – Nautical publications	Expired	Yes

This vessel was still detained on 31st May 2018

Vessel Name: MIKHAIL DUDIN

GT: 2319

IMO: 9057329

Flag: Panama (White list)

Company: JSC Aspol-Baltic Corporation

Classification Society: RMRS

Recognised Organisation: RMRS

Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: DBS

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: DBS

Date and Place of Detention: 8th May 2018 at Ellesmere Port

Summary: Eight deficiencies with one ground for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
07108 – Ready availability of fire fighting equipment	Missing	No
03106 – Windows, sidescuttles and deadlights	Not properly maintained	No
07108 – Ready availability of fire fighting equipment	Missing	No
15150 – ISM	Not as required	No
18203 – Wages	Missing	Yes
18203 – Wages	Missing information	No
18314 – Provisions quantity	Missing	No
02103 – Stability/strength/loading information and instruments	Documentation missing	No

This vessel was released on 11th May 2018

Vessel Name: OCEAN SPIRIT

GT: 16041

IMO: 9086320

Flag: Cook Islands (Black list)

Company: Armador Gemi

Classification Society: BV

Recognised Organisation: N/A

Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: N/A

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: N/A

Date and Place of Detention: 6th May at Sunderland

Summary: Nineteen deficiencies with four ground for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
Other	–	No
07105 – Fire doors/openings in fire-resisting divisions	Not as required	No
18425 – Access/structural features (ship)	Not as required	No
07115 – Fire-dampers	Inoperative	Yes
11112 – Launching arrangements for survival craft	Not properly maintained	Yes
10109 – Lights, shapes, sound-signals	Inoperative	No
14499 – Other (MARPOL Annex IV)	Other	No
05199 – Other (radiocommunication)	Other	No
03102 – Freeboard marks	Not properly marked	No
03104- Cargo & other hatchways	Corroded	Yes
18321 – Heating, air conditioning and ventilation	Inoperative	No
02108 – Electrical installations in general	Not properly maintained	No
15150 – ISM	Not as required	Yes
18425 – Access/structural features (ship)	Damaged	No
02199 – Other (structural conditions)	Other	No
02122 – Openings to cargo area, doors, scuttles	Corroded	No
02115 – Bulkheads – operational damage	Holed	No
18417 – Anchoring devices	Not as required	No
18408 – Electrical	Unsafe	No

This vessel was released on 16th May 2018

DETENTIONS CARRIED OVER FROM PREVIOUS MONTHS

Vessel Name: CELTICA HAV

GT: 1537

IMO: 8422022

Flag: Bahamas

Company: HAV Ship Management NorRus AS

Classification Society: DNV GL

Recognised Organisation: DNV GL

Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: DNV GL

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: DNV GL

Date and Place of Detention: 4th April 2018 at Swansea

Summary: Three deficiencies with two ground for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
02106 – Hull damage impairing seaworthiness	Holed	Yes
10127 – Voyage or passage plan	Not as required	Yes
10111 – Charts	Not updated	No

This vessel was still detained on 31st May 2018

Vessel Name: SEA TRIDENT

GT: 964.

IMO No: 7393169.

Flag: PANAMA (white list)

Company:

Classification Society: Expired

Recognised Organisation: Expired

Recognised Organisation for ISM DOC:

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC:

Date and Place of Detention: 17 June 2016, West Cowes

Summary: Seventeen deficiencies with seventeen grounds for detentions

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
01101 – Cargo ship safety equipment cert	Expired	Yes
01102 – Cargo Ship safety construction cert	Expired	Yes
01104 – Cargo ship safety radio cert	Expired	Yes
01108 – Loadline cert	Expired	Yes
01117 – IOPP (International Oil Pollution Prevention cert	Expired	Yes
01119 – International Sewage Pollution Prevention cert	Expired	Yes
01124 – International Air Pollution Prevention cert	Expired	Yes
01137 – Civil liability for bunker oil pollution damage cert	Expired	Yes
01199 – Other certs (Certificate of class)	Expired	Yes
01201 – Certificates for master and officers	Missing	Yes
10111 – Charts	Not updated	Yes
10116 – Publications Nautical	Not updated	Yes
11108 – Inflatable liferafts	Expired	Yes
11116 – Distress flares	Missing	Yes
07109 – Fixed fire fighting extinguishing installation	Not as required	Yes
07110 – Fire fighting equipment & appliances	Not as required	Yes
01140 – Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance	Missing	Yes

This vessel was still detained on 31st May 2018

Vessel Name: CIEN PORCIENTO (General Cargo)

GT: 106.

IMO No: 8944446.

Flag: Unregistered.

Company: Open Window Inc.

Classification Society: Unclassed.

Recognised Organisation: Not applicable.

Recognised Organisation for ISM DOC: Not applicable.

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: Not applicable

Date and Place of detention: 4 March 2010, Lowestoft

Summary: Thirty deficiencies including seven grounds for detention

This vessel was still detained on 31st May 2018

Notes to Editors
• The MCA is a partner in the Sea Vision UK campaign to raise awareness and understanding of the sea and maritime activities. Sea Vision promotes the importance and economic value of the sector and works to highlight the exciting range of activities and career opportunities available to young people within the UK growing maritime sector at www.seavision.org.uk

• Follow us on Twitter: @MCA_media

For further information please contact
Maritime and Coastguard Agency Press Office, on:
+44 (0) 2380 329 401
Press releases and further information about the agency is available here.

Farmers and rural businesses in the south-west are set to benefit from more than £7million in small grants to help boost their productivity, Farming Minister George Eustice announced today.

Across the country more than 3,500 grants worth £23.5 million have been allocated from the Countryside Productivity Small Grants scheme (CPSG).

The scheme will help farmers to purchase the equipment they need to make their businesses more productive, with grants available to aid electronic identification of livestock, improve the application of manures, and introduce guidance systems to aid precision farming.

Farming Minister George Eustice, who is attending the Royal Cornwall Show today (8 June) said:

It is fantastic to see this scheme has proven so popular, with a collective number of grants now worth £23.5 million, and nearly a third of this funding going towards farms and businesses across the South West.

The equipment on the market today can revolutionise farms, saving time and increasing yields. This funding will enable farmers, regardless of the size of their business, to access some of the best kit available.

Projects which fall under the CPSG scheme include state of the art equipment such as the Shallow Injections System which can inject slurry directly into the soil surface thereby reducing ammonia emissions, increasing the uptake of nitrogen in plants and enhancing silage quality.

The scheme, which closed for applications on 14 March, initially allocated £15 million to contribute to the cost of farm equipment to boost productivity on farms. However due to the high number of quality applications Defra has increased the funding to £23.5 million. Farms and businesses in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire are set to receive almost one third of the total allocation.

There is equipment specific to cattle, sheep and pig farmers, as well as precision farming and resource management and efficiency equipment designed to make the lives of arable and livestock farmers easier.

The Small Grant scheme is one element within the £200 million package of RDPE funding announced last summer, which aims to boost growth and create jobs in the rural economy.

For more detail on how to apply for the scheme please see here.