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Press release: Expansion of wildlife protection sites in Essex

Two important sites for waterfowl in Essex have been afforded the strongest environmental protections available.

Allfleet’s Marsh and Brandy Hole, part of the Crouch and Roach estuaries, have now been made Special Protection Areas (SPA), Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and designated as a Ramsar wetland of international importance.

Environment Minister, Thérèse Coffey said:

This is fantastic news for wildlife and the local community. The designation of this additional land into the existing protected area demonstrates that our management and stewardship of important wildlife habitats is achieving a high standard. We have committed to developing a Nature Recovery Network to protect and restore wildlife in our 25 Year Environment Plan. Through these plans we will be the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than we found it.

Both sites are now functioning as part of the Crouch & Roach Estuaries system. They support intertidal mudflats and developing saltmarsh and provide suitable habitat for the internationally important wintering water birds such as dark-bellied brent geese, lapwing, shoveler and golden plover amongst many other waterfowl species.

The Crouch and Roach Estuaries are an integral part of a continuous network of designated coastal habitats extending north from the Thames Estuary to the Colne Estuary, known as the Mid-Essex Coast.

Kate Jennings, Head of Site Conservation Policy, RSPB said:

The Essex coast used to be a place full of amazing and abundant wildlife, but over the last 400 years, land claim for agriculture, coastal erosion and rising sea levels have taken their toll. The extended designation recognises the importance of new mudflats and saltmarsh created to offset past losses, and is a major step towards restoring this spectacular place. The designation, protection and management of our finest and most valuable places for wildlife will be key in achieving this Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan, and this designation is particularly welcome as it will protect areas immediately adjacent to the RSPB’s Wallasea Island Wild Coast project, where we are working with partners including Defra and the Environment Agency to create more coastal habitat for people and nature.

Approximately 95 per cent of the area of our Sites of Special Scientific Interest and about 60 per cent of the total area of our most important or ‘priority’ wildlife habitats is now in good condition for wildlife or has management in place to restore its condition.

Since 2011 we have established management on approximately 130,000 hectares of land to create new wildlife-rich habitat in the wider countryside.

Link: Press release: Expansion of wildlife protection sites in Essex
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: Environment Agency warns of illegal waste being dumped empty commercial units

Empty industrial units across the country are being targeted by waste criminals to dispose of thousands of tonnes of illegal waste.

The growing trend sees criminals pose as legitimate tenants to rent properties used to store illegal waste. Once discovered, landlords, property managers and farmers are burdened with thousands of pounds in clear up costs and face possible criminal prosecution, fines and even custodial sentences for failure to operate without an environmental permit.

The waste, mainly made up of potentially hazardous materials, poses a serious pollution and fire risk and undermines legitimate business.

With hundreds of commercial properties across the country thought to be empty, the Environment Agency is calling for landlords to be extra vigilant when letting out their properties. The regulator is also calling on businesses, organisations and individuals to manage their waste responsibly to prevent it from getting into criminal hands in the first place.

During the period Dec 2016 – Nov 2017 the Environment Agency investigated the dumping of 18,244 bales of waste – each bale being approximately 1 ton. It’s estimated that at a low end price of £70 per bale this would amount to £1,277,000 for correct deposal of the waste.

The Environment Agency reveals the top four land types which are most susceptible to illegal dumping. The land type descriptions key dump sites are:

  • Farms 34%
  • Industrial Unit 24%
  • Abandoned factory 10%
  • Derelict site 7%

Nicky Lawton, Deputy Director – National Enforcement Service, said:

Unsuspecting landlords and property managers are failing foul of waste criminals and as a result are being made to pick up hefty bills to clear up the waste – often running into the hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Landlords can avoid this by carrying out checks to prospective tenants to ensure their sites will not be used as part of an illegal waste operation.

Waste crime, which costs the economy £604 million a year, is a serious problem that we’re using all our available resources and powers to curb.

Landlords and property managers are urged to take the following steps to avoid being a victim of waste crime:

  • Carry out rigorous checks on prospective new tenants.
  • Check any empty land and property regularly and make sure it is secure.
  • It is illegal to store waste on your land without the required permits. You may be committing an offence by allowing waste to be stored on your land or property without the relevant permissions and you could be liable to prosecution and the cost of removing the waste.
  • Landlords should check before signing a contract that the contract complies with regulations. You can view whether a potential tenant holds the correct permit to carry out waste operations at public register
  • The offer of payment to temporarily store waste is a scam, the waste will likely never be collected.
  • Be vigilant and report any unusual behaviour. If you are suspicious of prospective tenants please contact us for more information and advice.
  • If you are approached to store baled waste, even on a short term basis, refuse the material and call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The Environment Agency’s Prevention & Disruption teams are working hard to address waste crime, exercising new regulatory powers to lock up and block access to illegal waste sites.

Link: Press release: Environment Agency warns of illegal waste being dumped empty commercial units
Source: Environment Agency

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Press release: Employment rate at new record high

Meanwhile, the unemployment rate remains at its lowest since 1975. And, since 2010, the majority of employment growth has been in both full-time and permanent roles.

The women’s employment rate has remained at a joint record high of 71.3%. On top of this, the majority of female employment growth since 2010 has been in higher skilled occupations (74.1%) and the full-time gender pay gap has fallen to a record low of 9.1%.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Esther McVey, said:

The employment rate is now at a record high of 75.7%. With over 3.3 million more people in work since 2010, this government has seen on average 1,000 more people in work each and every day.

Making sure our jobs market works for everyone is at the heart of this department’s work and the modern industrial strategy, and with over 800,000 job vacancies we have a buoyant jobs market with plenty of opportunities available.

The 8-year trend shows the vast majority of roles are in full-time, permanent work that’s higher skilled – which means higher paid too.

The employment rate is at a new record high of 75.7%

Minister of State for Employment, Alok Sharma, said:

It’s fantastic that we have another record high in overall employment and the female employment rate has never been higher, with more people in work than ever before.

Importantly, it’s good see that wages are continuing to outpace inflation. And it’s worth remembering that of the over 3 million increase in employment since 2010, 75% are full-time and permanent, and around 70% are in higher skilled occupations which generally attract higher wages.

The unemployment rate is at its lowest rate since the 1970s, at 4.2%

Today’s figures also show:

  • the number of workers aged 50 and over remains at a record high of 10.18 million
  • the UK has the third highest employment rate in the G7
  • youth unemployment has fallen by nearly 45% since 2010

The figures today showed the wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, accommodation and food services and professional scientific and technical activities are the sectors offering the most job opportunities right now.

Sector Number of vacancies
Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles 130,000
Accommodation and food services 89,000
Professional scientific and technical activities 73,000

The government has reformed welfare to make work pay, backed businesses to take more people on, and built a stronger, fairer economy.

More information

Read the Labour Market Statistics – July 2018 from the Office for National Statistics.

Contact Press Office

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Tothill Street
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Link: Press release: Employment rate at new record high
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: Binary options company shut down over false and misleading claims

Eclipse Finance Limited (Eclipse), was incorporated on 9 October 2015 and the company’s registered office is at International House 776-778 Barking Road, London E13 9PJ. The company claimed to be operating a binary options scheme.

Binary options trading is a form of fixed-odds betting on movements in financial markets. A binary option is a financial option in which the payoff is either some fixed monetary amount or nothing at all.

The court heard evidence that following complaints received about the company’s methods, the Insolvency Service investigated and petitioned for the company to be shut down, in the public interest.

The court also heard that:

  • Eclipse traded through a virtual office facility in London and made false and misleading claims in persuading people from Britain and all over the world to invest in a bogus Binary Options scheme, which has since been wound up in the High Court on 26 June 2018
  • the company claimed to be in the business of binary trading, but all the known investors lost significant sums, averaging over £50,000 each. Losses reported to Action Fraud totalled over £600,000
  • potential investors were subject to high pressure sales tactics with misrepresentations being made as to the returns that would be made on investments. Trading was then apparently carried out with investors’ funds without authorisation and monies were removed from investors’ accounts without authorisation

The company then blamed these losses on the hacking of their computer system. This was claimed to have happened on two separate occasions but no evidence of this was provided to victims or to the investigators.

Other investors reported that their accounts were simply drained of funds without explanation and that the company then failed to respond to all attempts at contact.

Commenting on the case, Irshard Mohammed, Investigation Supervisor at the Insolvency Service, said:

Eclipse Finance Limited attracted investors with the promise of high returns but these to be unfounded and investors suffered heavy losses as a result.

The Financial Conduct Authority have warned consumers of the high risks of Binary Options trading, but in this case no evidence has been found that the company engaged in such trading. Instead they used the false promise of high returns to attract investment and then disappeared.

These winding-up proceedings show that the Insolvency Service will use the weight of its powers to take firm action against companies that operate in such an unscrupulous way.

The company was wound up on 26 June 2018 and the Official Receiver has been appointed as liquidator.

Notes to editors

Eclipse Finance Limited, company registration number 09818512, was incorporated on 9 October 2015. The company’s registered office is at International House 776-778 Barking Road, London E13 9PJ, that of a virtual office provider.

The petition to wind-up Eclipse Finance Limited was presented under s124A of the Insolvency Act 1986 on 03 May 2018. The company was wound up on 26 June 2018 and the Official Receiver has been appointed as liquidator.

Binary options trading is a form of fixed-odds betting on movements in financial markets. A binary option is a financial option in which the payoff is either some fixed monetary amount or nothing at all.

By virtue of the appointment of the Official Receiver all public enquiries concerning the affairs of the company should be made to: The Official Receiver, Public Interest Unit, 2nd Floor, 4 Abbey Orchard Street, London SW1P 2HT. Email: piu.south@insolvency.gsi.gov.uk.

Company Investigations, part of the Insolvency Service, uses powers under the Companies Act 1985 to conduct confidential fact-finding investigations into the activities of live limited companies in the UK on behalf of the Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

Further information about live company investigations is available here

The Insolvency Service, an executive agency sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), administers the insolvency regime, and aims to deliver and promote a range of investigation and enforcement activities both civil and criminal in nature, to support fair and open markets. We do this by effectively enforcing the statutory company and insolvency regimes, maintaining public confidence in those regimes and reducing the harm caused to victims of fraudulent activity and to the business community, including dealing with the disqualification of directors in corporate failures.

BEIS’ mission is to build a dynamic and competitive UK economy that works for all, in particular by creating the conditions for business success and promoting an open global economy. The Criminal Investigations and Prosecutions team contributes to this aim by taking action to deter fraud and to regulate the market. They investigate and prosecute a range of offences, primarily relating to personal or company insolvencies.

The agency also authorises and regulates the insolvency profession, assesses and pays statutory entitlement to redundancy payments when an employer cannot or will not pay employees, provides banking and investment services for bankruptcy and liquidation estate funds and advises ministers and other government departments on insolvency law and practice.

Further information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct, is available.

Contact Press Office

Media enquiries for this press release – 020 7674 6910 or 020 7596 6187

Press Office

The Insolvency Service


4 Abbey Orchard Street
London
SW1P 2HT

This service is for journalists only. For any other queries, please contact the Insolvency Enquiry line on 0300 678 0015.

For all media enquiries outside normal working hours, please contact the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Press Office on 020 7215 1000.

You can also follow the Insolvency Service on:

Link: Press release: Binary options company shut down over false and misleading claims
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: Commonwealth countries unite to tackle ocean plastic pollution

Four more countries have signed up to UK and Vanuatu-led efforts to tackle ocean plastic, announced Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey today as she hosted the first meeting of the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Alliance (CCOA).

The Alliance, which was announced by the Prime Minister during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London (16-18 April), aims to unite countries around the Commonwealth so they can work together to turn the tide on plastic entering the marine environment. It sees each country pledging to take action – be this by a ban on microbeads, a commitment to cutting down on single use plastic bags, or other steps to eliminate avoidable plastic waste.

Three months on, Australia, Fiji, Kenya and St Lucia have now formally joined the Alliance and will sit alongside New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Ghana to create a nine-strong coalition in the fight against plastic pollution.

High Commissioners from over 30 Commonwealth countries, including Tanzania and Nigeria who have not formally signed up to the Alliance, met in London today to share the ambitions and expertise they have and reiterate their commitment to healthy oceans.

The meeting was chaired by Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey where she highlighted the UK’s global leadership on ocean conservation and updated on action taken under our 25 Year Environment Plan.

Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey said:

Marine plastics pollution is one of the greatest environmental challenges facing the world today, requiring a truly global approach to developing a solution.

By joining together the expertise and ambitions of the Commonwealth countries, we can make huge strides towards eliminating all single use plastic from our oceans. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing from other countries on how they are approaching this challenge, and look forward to seeing what difference we can make together.

Minster Coffey also outlined the assistance available from the UK to support Commonwealth countries through the £61.4million Commonwealth Oceans Plastic Package, as announced by the Prime Minister at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London earlier this year.

Included in the package is a £25million Marine Plastics Research and Innovation Framework, to help researchers approach the scourge of marine plastic waste from a scientific, technical, economic and social perspective.

More details were also revealed about the Global Plastics Action Partnership, a Defra-funded £2.4million project linked to CCOA to tackle global plastic pollution in rivers, deltas and oceans. Three initial projects will be launched as part of the public-private project in hotspots around the world; in Southeast Asia, West Africa and a Small Island Developing State.

The UK Government continues to lead the way in tackling plastic, with one of the world’s strongest bans on microbeads introduced last month and 9 billion fewer bags distributed thanks to the 5p plastic bag charge. Environment Secretary Michael Gove has also outlined ambitious plans to end the sale of plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds and introduce a deposit return scheme, subject to consultation.

Link: Press release: Commonwealth countries unite to tackle ocean plastic pollution
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: Lift off for electric planes – new funding for green revolution in UK civil aerospace

  • UK to be at forefront of next revolution in electric and hybrid planes – benefiting passengers and the planet
  • £343 million government and industry investment for research and development and productivity improvements to transform the future of civil aerospace and continue the UK’s status as a pioneering aerospace nation
  • the government launches negotiations with industry on a new Aerospace Sector Deal, as part of the modern Industrial Strategy

The UK’s world-leading aerospace sector will be propelled into a new era of cleaner, greener flight through industry and government investment, the Business and Energy Secretary announced today at the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow.

From the total investment, £255 million – supported by the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) and UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) – will go towards 18 new research and technology projects, including the development of cleaner and greener hybrid aircraft. To support small and medium-sized companies, £68 million of the funding will be made available to increase research and development opportunities, with £20 million to drive improvements in long-term productivity across the sector.

The projects will not only help maintain the UK’s existing strengths in aerospace but also position the UK as a world leader for some of the most technologically advanced aircraft that will transform the face of aviation including electric aircraft, hybrid-electric propulsion systems, and future materials for aircraft manufacturing.

A major beneficiary of the latest research and development funding is the revolutionary E-Fan X project. The project brings together Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Siemens to develop a flying electrical demonstrator which will form the foundation for future electrical aircraft and help the aerospace sector to manufacture cleaner, quieter aircraft and grow the industry sustainably. Rolls-Royce’s ACCEL project will also lead a UK programme to accelerate the electrification of flight which will contribute to the UK’s aim to cut emissions through its Clean Growth Strategy.

Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark said:

The UK has a rich heritage in civil aviation as the home of the jet engine and the wings factory of the world. Technology is driving revolutionary changes in aviation that have not been seen since the 1970s and today’s investment is foundational to the future of commercial aviation and ensuring the UK remains at the cutting-edge of the sector. This revolution in civil aerospace will bring significant benefits to UK industry, passengers and the environment.

Through our modern Industrial Strategy, we are working with industry to lead the world as we embark on this journey into the new age of air travel.

This funding will also support a number of projects on the next generation UltraFan® aero engine, led by Rolls-Royce, which will contribute to their biggest shift in engine architecture since the 1970s. It will transform flight, setting new benchmarks in fuel efficiency, CO2 reductions and significant cut backs in engine noise.

Aviation Minister Baroness Sugg said:

The development of quicker, quieter and cleaner aircraft will transform the UK’s transport market and open up new and more sustainable ways for passengers to travel between our cities and regions and across the globe. Developing innovation, technology and skills is a core part of the government’s Aviation Strategy and this funding will help us to ensure that the UK aviation sector continues to be a world leader in this area.

Backing our world-leading aerospace sector, the Business and Energy Secretary also announced the start of formal negotiations for an Industrial Strategy sector deal that will further increase business investment in the UK, with discussions expected to conclude before the end of the year. The deal will:

  • explore investment opportunities around electrification and high-value design
  • raise productivity levels in the supply chain
  • and boost skill levels in the sector

The latest wave of projects to win the competitive funding underlines the significant importance of the £3.9 billion joint research and development funding commitment in the sector as part of the Industrial Strategy.

The government also welcomed the completion of Bombardier and Airbus’ Joint Venture; a partnership that will support the development and manufacture of structures for the A220 jet at the Bombardier facility in Belfast.

Notes to editors

Further information about BEIS’ Farnborough commitments.

Research and development investment

Projects supported by joint government and industry investment include:

Airbus, Rolls-Royce, Siemens

  • E-FAN X (ELECTRIFICATION), £58 million project

    A partnership between Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Siemens to develop a flight demonstrator for hybrid-electric propulsion for commercial aircraft. Hybrid-electric technology will deliver improved environmental performance that is cleaner, quieter and introduce re-evaluations of the entire design of aircraft.

Rolls-Royce

  • series of projects on ULTRAFAN®, and ACCEL, worth a total of £70 million

    4 projects on engine technologies for UltraFan involving multiple partners including universities and smaller companies. A new generation of aircraft engine that aims to transform flight, setting new benchmarks in efficiency, environmental performance and precision engineering. ACCEL is intended to accelerate the adoption of electrical technology in aviation through the design build and flight test of a high performance electric powertrain.

Bombardier

  • Competitive Composite Manufacturing Process (CoCoMaP), FANTASTIC (Nacelle) and OptiComp (Wing project), £32 million project

    3 research projects exploring more efficient manufacturing processes, new technology for engine covers (nacelles) and the application of composite material to large aerospace structures, such as wings and fuselage. All 3 projects will be led by Bombardier Belfast (Shorts).

GKN

  • CO-MET (COmposite and METallic) £9.7 million

    This project will help GKN develop new aerostructure components for aircraft upgrade opportunities and new programmes.

Airbus

  • Future Landing Gear, £16 million project

    This project aims to reduce cash operating costs by 2% through increased efficiency and reduced turn-around times.

National Composite Centre Operation Limited

  • £44 million for 3 projects

    3 projects with National Composite Centre, part of High Value Manufacturing Catapult, to develop new, more efficient ways of producing large composite aerostructures. The research will explore the use of new composite materials as well as the manufacturing process.

University/Research Organisations projects – total £26 million for 3 projects

  • University of Oxford

    Infrastructure for the University of Oxford Osney Thermo-fluids Laboratory (OSNEY Upgrade). The Oxford Thermofluids Institute is part of Oxford University’s strategic investment in the UK’s science base. The laboratory is a global centre of excellence for turbomachinery research which has made significant contributions to the technology of jet engines over the last 3 decades. This grant will be used to achieve a step change in capability to measure and research the cooling performance and hot stage technologies essential for the operation of high pressure (HP) turbine stages of Large Civil Engines.

  • University of Sheffield

    PERFORM (Disruptive Textile Technology for Aerospace Applications): Perform is a project with the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult. The research will develop new composite material and efficient manufacturing processes.

  • The Welding Institute Limited

    OAAM (Open Architecture Additive Manufacturing): the Welding Institute, an engineering research and technology organisation, is taking the lead in the Open Architecture Additive Manufacturing (OAAM) project to demonstrate the ability to manufacture large metallic components via Additive Manufacturing (AM) (also known as 3D printing) for the benefit of UK Aerospace.

Government and industry support for SMEs

£68 million joint industry and government investment for new research and development opportunities targeted to support small and medium-sized businesses. An open competition supported by UKRI will back SMEs to carry out new research on high risk, high reward solutions that will help UK companies grow their capability for the long-term.

There will also be further rounds of the successful National Aerospace Technology Exploitation Programme to help SMEs develop new technologies. SMEs will also be able to increase their productivity through a new improvement programme that will increase their ability to win new work with new and existing customers. A new partnership between the UK and Sweden will also see the 2 countries collaborate on technological research.

Defence Enterprise Export Partnership

The Defence Enterprise Export Partnership (DEEP) is a joint government, industry and academic initiative led by the Defence Growth Partnership (DGP) to ensure that the UK generates the skilled personnel able to lead successful international defence export campaigns. The initiative will support the Industrial Strategy by driving export-led growth and ensuring that the UK retains vital skills.

Link: Press release: Lift off for electric planes – new funding for green revolution in UK civil aerospace
Source: Gov Press Releases