Day: July 13, 2018

Heathrow is creating four regional support hubs, in various locations, in order to spread the economic benefits of their expansion around the UK.

We submitted an expression of interest in turning the former Alcan site at Lillyhall into a ‘Heathrow Hub’ on behalf of our supply chain and local stakeholders, including Cumbria’s Local Enterprise Partnership, Allerdale Borough Council, Copeland Borough Council, Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster, Sue Hayman MP (Workington) and Trudy Harrison MP (Copeland).

If successful the site could be used as a base for logistics, manufacturing and construction. It has already made the ‘long-list’ after initial expressions of interest were whittled down from 121 to 65.

A delegation from Heathrow has been visiting each of the 65 sites over several months – today was our turn. As well as the Alcan site, the delegation visited the Port of Workington.

Our head of community and development, Jamie Reed, and our head of community relations, Gary McKeating, hosted the visit, which was also attended by stakeholders including Sue Hayman, Mark Fryer, deputy leader of Allerdale Borough Council, Pat Graham, the Chief Executive of Copeland Borough Council and John Grainger, from Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster.

What has Heathrow’s expansion got to do with Sellafield?

Creating resilient economies is one of the objectives of our Social Impact Strategy – that means we’ve made a commitment to helping drive new economic opportunities for the region (as well as increasing the scale, diversity and development of existing sectors).

In short that means that we have a strategic aim to help improve the short and long term economic prospects of the region – and an opportunity like the one presented by Heathrow’s expansion could have a significant and sustainable positive impact.

What happens next?

Heathrow will take some time to further consider the next steps, and will come back to those long-listed to seek more information and invite formal bids after shortlisting.

If successful we’ll work in collaboration with partners in West Cumbria to develop a formal bid.

Three Ukrainian nationals currently in Russian detention are on hunger strike to demand Russia release Ukrainian political prisoners.

The United Kingdom remains deeply concerned about the deteriorating health and welfare of three Ukrainian political prisoners; Oleg Sentsov, Volodymyr Balukh, and Emir-Huseyn Kuku.

The men were detained by the Russian authorities for expressing opposition to the illegal annexation of Crimea. Mr Sentsov and Mr Balukh were given lengthy jail sentences following trials that have fallen well short of international standards. Mr Kuku is currently on trial.

We have seen increasingly worrying reports about the welfare and treatment of these men. Human rights monitoring organisations have been denied access to visit them and up to 70 other political prisoners being held in Crimea and the Russian Federation.

The Ukrainian ombudsman has also been denied access by Russian authorities despite an agreement between the Ukrainian and Russian Presidents.

UK Minister for Europe Sir Alan Duncan said:

We remain concerned for the welfare of Oleg Sentsov, Volodymyr Balukh, and Emir-Huseyn Kuku, who are on hunger strike to demand Russia release Ukrainian political prisoners.

The imprisonment of these men and many more Ukrainians appears to be politically motivated and we call on the Russian authorities to release them immediately.

It is deplorable that the Russian authorities continue to deny access by International monitoring organisations to the detention facilities, even as the health of these prisoners deteriorates.

Further information

• Follow Foreign Office Minister Sir Alan Duncan on Twitter @AlanDuncanMP and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn

Teams of volunteer Flood Wardens across the North East are playing a vital role in helping protect their communities.

The eyes and ears on the ground, they act as a link between the Environment Agency and communities at risk – getting vital information out to local residents.

And now the Environment Agency is calling on people to play their part in Ponteland.

At the River Pont in Ponteland there are 520 properties in the flood warning service area, with 69% of people signed up to receive free flood warnings.

And at the River Pont at Darras Hall, Kirkley Mill and Prestwick Carr there are 57 properties in the flood warning service area, with 33% of people signed up.

Flood Wardens play ‘vital role’

Colin Hall, who is the Environment Agency’s Flood Community Engagement Officer for Northumberland, is working with Ponteland Town Council. He said:

Being flooded is absolutely devastating and Flood Wardens play a vital role in supporting their community before, during and after a food event.

It includes things such as checking water levels, reporting blockages in the river and monitoring weather forecasts to be a step ahead of a flood.

We also work with them to develop a Community Flood Plan, with key contacts and responsibilities to carry out in the event flooding takes place.

The local knowledge that wardens can provide on the ground is invaluable and helps communities be more flood resilient.

Raise awareness of flooding issues

Flood Wardens help ensure the Environment Agency’s flood warning messages reach the local community and are acted upon, and have a direct line through to the Environment Agency’s Area Incident Room in Newcastle.

Outside of a flood event, they can help raise awareness of flooding issues in the local community, encourage people to register to receive free flood warnings and provide information to partners about vulnerable people or properties in the flood plain.

Anyone interested in becoming a Flood Warden or for help creating a Community Flood Plan contact Colin.Hall@environment-agency.gov.uk or call 020 7714 0547.