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Press release: River transfer project gives local communities more say

A project designed to give local organisations and communities more say over the management of local watercourses has entered a new phase with the launch of public drop-ins in four pilot areas throughout October 2017.

The project is exploring the potential to re-designate several sections of selected ‘Main Rivers’ as ‘Ordinary Watercourses,’ (a process known as ‘de-maining’) where – in agreement with the Environment Agency – partners such as Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs) or Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFAs) are keen to take on the lead role of local watercourses.

The project is piloting these changes in 5 locations. 4 of these locations are now approaching the consultation stage of the process and drop-in events will be held in:

  • areas of Norfolk and Suffolk
  • Stour Marshes in Kent,
  • The Isle of Axholme in the East Midlands
  • South Forty Foot Catchment in Lincolnshire

The final pilot at Wormbrook and Allensmore Brook in the West Midlands will be running to a different timeline.

The project aims to bring significant benefits to local communities, allowing those who know the layout of their land to take control of their local watercourses, and could help pave the way for further de-maining opportunities throughout England.

For the Environment Agency, the project will also ensure resources are prioritised where the greatest impact on reducing flood risk can be achieved.

Rachael Hill, Flood and Coastal Risk Manager for the Environment Agency, said:

We are working with local organisations to strengthen local decision-making. Internal Drainage Boards and Lead Local Flood Authorities are very much on the ground in communities so giving them responsibility over their own watercourses is a win-win situation that will ensure that the right people are managing the right watercourses in the right places.

We welcome the launch of the community drop-in sessions and we look forward to working together on this project to benefit people and the environment.

Innes Thomson, Chief Executive of the Association of Drainage Authorities (ADA), added:

This is an unmissable opportunity for local communities to have their say on how they would like to see their local watercourses managed in the best way to make use of the funds available, whilst improving the quality of those watercourses, the environment and community wellbeing associated with healthy, maintained rivers and streams.

The drop-in sessions are an ideal way to find out more about the plans, help allay possible concerns and, very importantly, to provide support for these trials so please do try and find time to come to one of them.

Gaining local support for the transfer of watercourses through engagement and consultation is essential for the success of the project. The public drop-ins will be an opportunity for local communities and interested parties to ask questions and influence the proposals.

This will be followed by a formal consultation on GOV.UK currently scheduled for December 2017 which will seek further views on the proposals. If there are no objections, changes to the watercourse will take place in July 2018.

Drop-in sessions:

East Midlands:

Date Time Location
26 October 2pm-5pm Haxey Chapel- Stephen Jones Community Hall, DN9 2LA
31 October 10am-1pm Coronation Hall, DN9 1RL

Lincolnshire:

Date Time Location
9 October 1pm-6pm Rippingale Village Hall, PE10 0TA
11 October 1pm-6pm Billingborough Village Hall, NG34 0QH
18 October 1pm-6pm Helpringham Memorial Hall, NG34 0RJ

Norfolk and Suffolk:

Date Time Location
16 October 2pm-7pm Kettlestone Village Hall, NR21 0AU
19 October 2pm-7pm Dereham Memorial Hall Meeting Room, NR19 1AD
24 October 2pm-7pm Halesworth Methodist Church, IP19 8LR
26 October 2pm-7pm Wymondham Central Hall, NR18 0QB
27 October 3pm-7pm Hunstanton Community Centre, PE36 5BW
31 October 2pm-7pm Sea Palling and Waxham Village Hall, NR12 0US

Stour Marshes:

Date Time Location
4 October 2pm-7pm Minster Village Hall, CT12 4BU
19 October 2pm-7pm Little Chart Village Hall, TN27 0QB
25 October 2pm-7pm Great Mongeham Parish Hall, CT14 9LL

Link: Press release: River transfer project gives local communities more say
Source: Environment Agency

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Press release: Wales’ opportunity to bring 5G one step closer in nationwide competition

A £25 million competition that will cement the UK’s position as a world leader in the development of 5G technology has been announced by the UK Government today.

The “5G Testbeds and Trials” competition is part of the UK Government’s £740m National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF) to support the next generation of digital infrastructure, including 5G and full fibre broadband.

New test locations are being sought all across the UK to support the future rollout of 5G – ‘fifth generation’ – technology. The UK Government is now encouraging interested parties from all around the UK to come forward with project proposals for match funded grants of up to £5 million.

This 5G innovation boost also comes on the back of the announcement that by the end of this year a UK Government investment of £1.7 billion will have supported the rollout of superfast broadband to 95% of the UK.

5G will enable internet speeds to keep up with the increasing numbers of devices that require a connection, in particular the explosion of smart devices in the home and the ‘internet of things’. With potential speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second, it will also make it easier for people to rapidly download and upload ultra HD and 3D video.

UK Government Minister for Wales Guto Bebb said:

This is a fantastic opportunity for Wales to be at the forefront of emerging digital technology, boosting capacity and productivity for local businesses – as well as for residents who want to benefit from superfast speeds.

The digital landscape in Wales is constantly evolving, and the UK Government will continue to do all it can to support this technology revolution. I encourage Welsh bodies to seize this chance to secure this funding and play its part in speeding up service across the length and breadth of Wales.

Minister for Digital Matt Hancock said:

To stay competitive we must be at the cutting edge of new technology and we are determined to be one of the first countries in the world to use 5G. In these very early stages we want all ideas, from all parts of the country, that will help us get the technology and the roll-out right to have a nationwide network of 5G innovators.

It’s all part of our determination to make Britain the best place in the world to start and grow a digital business, and deliver for all citizens now and in the years to come.

In the 2016 Autumn Statement, the UK Government announced its intention to invest in a nationally coordinated programme of 5G testbed facilities and application trials, as part of a £1bn package of announcements made to boost the UK’s digital infrastructure. The Future Connectivity Challenge Group report suggests that UK leadership in 5G could result in the opportunity to create £173 billion of incremental UK GDP growth over a ten year period from 2020 to 2030

Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, Andrew Jones, MP said:

Improving productivity requires targeted and sustained investment, which is why we are backing the UK’s digital infrastructure with over a billion pounds of UK Government funding. Whether we are doing business online or the weekly grocery shop online, strong and reliable connections are crucial to this.

Today’s announcement is a big step forward in bringing 5G to the UK and ensuring our digital infrastructure is fit for the future.

Projects are expected to be industry-led or have a strong industry component and funding will only be available to UK registered organisations, carrying out projects in the UK and working in collaboration with others.

Details on how to apply are available (from 10.00am Monday 16 October) here

Notes to Editors

  1. IHS Economics / IHS Technology estimated by modelling industry investment and impacts on total factor productivity from expected use cases that 5G will enable USD$12.3 trillion of global economic output in 2035.

  2. This first funding competition is for Phase 1 of initial testbeds and trials projects that will help to develop the UK’s “5G ecosystem” whether by exploring the potential for 5G to deliver benefits for businesses; developing new 5G applications and services; developing and exploring new business models around key 5G technologies; or reducing the commercial risks associated with investment in 5G.

Details of future funding opportunities for additional testbeds and trials will be available as the programme develops. It is likely that future funding will also include large multi-year projects that could be focused in areas that align with the UK Government’s strategic priorities or which help to address deployment or technical challenges that help to deliver the objectives of the UK Government’s 5G strategy.

Link: Press release: Wales’ opportunity to bring 5G one step closer in nationwide competition
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: All aboard the new Intercity Express trains that will transform journeys across South Wales

Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns was platform-side at London Paddington this morning (16 October) to welcome the first of the brand new £5.7 billion Intercity Express fleet of trains on the Great Western Railway network.

Providing more seats, more frequent trains, and faster, more comfortable journeys the Hitachi built Class 800 Intercity Express Train came into service this morning with trains 800005 and 800006 forming the 10-carriage service operating the 0600 from Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington.

The new trains have over 24% more seating capacity than the High Speed Train they replace; increased legroom and luggage space, and more tables. A new timetable will be introduced once Network Rail’s electrification programme has been completed in early 2019, adding 40% more seats than today and providing quicker, more frequent journeys.

The new Class 800, 10-carriage train built in Britain by Hitachi is expected to cover 803 miles on its first day, with two further five carriage trains (800008 and 800009) running as a second ten carriage service. In total the two trains will cover over 1,550 miles on their first day in service, with the potential to carry over 6,500 passengers.

The trains will benefit from Network Rail’s route modernisation programme with electrification already delivered to Maidenhead; congestion-busting upgrades to the railway such as a dive under at Acton to take freight traffic off the mainline; improved stations with longer platforms and transformation of signalling, and track to help improve journeys for passengers.wa

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

I’m delighted to see the first passenger service of the Hitachi trains roll out on to the Great Western Railway network. From today, passengers across south and West Wales will experience the benefits of travelling on faster, modern trains with increased capacity, greater comfort and better connectivity.

The UK Government is investing heavily to build a bigger, better railway for Wales, delivering improved journeys for passengers on the most advanced new trains.

Passengers expect and deserve high quality rail services. We are committed to using the best available technology for each part of the network, delivering significant benefits for those who use our railways.

GWR Managing Director Mark Hopwood said:

Today, we at GWR are once again making history, as we launch the first new Intercity Express Train in a generation – and continue to transform rail services across the region.

After much hard work across the rail industry, I am delighted our first IET has successfully completed its first journey in passenger service. Over the next year we will continue to expand the operation of these new trains across the South West and Wales as far as Swansea, including the introduction of another IET fleet specific to Devon and Cornwall next year.

The new trains, alongside our new Electrostar fleet for London and the Thames Valley, will bring about a step change in passenger transport – delivering more seats, and enabling us to operate more frequent and faster services.

Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling, said:

I am delighted to see the first of the new fleet of Intercity Express trains come into service to give Great Western passengers faster, more comfortable trains and better journeys.

The roll-out of these new trains on the Great Western Main Line and the East Coast line shows our commitment to putting passengers at the heart of everything that we do.

This state-of-the-art £5.7bn train fleet will go on to serve passengers from Aberdeen to Swansea, York to London. This is part of a record £40bn investment to transform our railway and deliver better journeys for passengers.

Hitachi Rail Europe Managing Director Karen Boswell said:

We are really proud to have built trains in the UK, designed using Japanese bullet train technology, that are improving passengers’ journeys on the Great Western route.

Nine years of hard work has gone into making today happen, from creating a brand new factory and workforce, to establishing modern maintenance facilities from Swansea to London. We’ve delivered pioneering 21st century trains for passengers to enjoy and sparked a manufacturing renaissance in the North East.

Network Rail’s Route Managing Director Western, Mark Langman said:

I am delighted to welcome GWR’s fantastic new trains. This is another major step forward in the biggest ever transformation on the Great Western Mainline as we deliver more trains, more seats and better journeys for communities across the route.

It has been a real team effort as Network Rail and GWR staff worked tirelessly to get to this stage. It is an example of track and train working together for the benefit of the passenger and really does herald an exciting time for the railway.

The hard work does not stop here as there is still much more to do all across the route. However, that means there are more exciting days to come with more services in Devon and Cornwall, electrification to Cardiff and Chippenham and the introduction of new Electrostar services between Didcot and London Paddington.

The train departed from Bristol Temple Meads this morning to fireworks, and GWR green spotlights lighting the sky. It was driven by Colin Franklin, a GWR train driver of 19 years.

The new trains will operate initially between South Wales and London Paddington, and between Bristol Temple Meads and London Paddington. As more of the trains are introduced, the new trains will extend to Taunton, and Hereford via Oxford by December, and to Cheltenham by next summer.

The trains are being built at Hitachi’s purpose-built £82 million factory in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, by a newly recruited workforce that is over 1,000 strong.

Next year GWR will extend the fleet to serve Devon & Cornwall. A further 36 Intercity Express Trains – (known as Class 802s) has also been ordered from Hitachi to improve services between London Paddington and Exeter, Plymouth and Penzance. These trains are being built to cope with the more demanding geography of Devon and Cornwall and are due in passenger service next summer.

In total Hitachi will deliver 36 x 5 carriage and 21 x 9 carriage Class 800 trains, and 22 x 5 carriage and 14 x 9 carriage Class 802 trains, with the full fleet due in service by December 2018. A significant timetable change in January 2019 will realise the full capacity and frequency benefits the new trains will bring with journey times from Bristol slashed by up to 17 minutes, and by up to 14 minutes from Swansea.

The IETs operate using bi-mode technology, allowing trains to use both diesel and electric power, which is allowing passengers to benefit from the new trains from today.

The Government-led Intercity Express Programme, funded by Agility Trains, brought together Hitachi Rail, GWR, VTEC and Network Rail to design, develop and build the new class of state-of-the-art, modern trains and supporting depot infrastructure for the Great Western and East Coast routes.

Link: Press release: All aboard the new Intercity Express trains that will transform journeys across South Wales
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: Government outlines plan to become the UK’s most inclusive employer by 2020

The Civil Service Diversity & Inclusion Strategy outlines a range of ambitious proposals to achieve this aim, including:

  • to build a dedicated ethnic minority programme to improve the representation of ethnic minority staff at the most senior levels across the Civil Service;
  • to create a Diverse Leadership Task Force that will report to the Cabinet Secretary;
  • to publish a data dashboard tracking progress on diversity and inclusion targets by April 2018;
  • to establish a new framework for measuring inclusion;
  • to embed diversity and inclusion in Single Departmental Plans.

The Civil Service has already made significant progress towards increasing the diversity of its workforce. Introducing measures such as anonymised recruitment and making Permanent Secretaries accountable to the Head of the Civil Service for improving diversity and inclusion have made a positive difference to the amount of under-represented groups in the Civil Service.

On gender whilst 42% of current Senior Civil Servants are women, in 2017, 49% of all new recruits into the SCS were women. The proportion of women at Senior Civil Service level (42%) is now greater than the representation of female executives and Board Directors in FTSE 100 companies (26%).

The proportion of ethnic minority civil servants has increased rapidly from 9.4% in 2012 to 11.2% today, and representation of disabled people within the Civil Service has increased every year since 2010, from 7.6% to 9.9% in 2017. Only 4.6% of Senior Civil Servants are from ethnic minority communities, however, and only 3.3% report having a disability, so there is more to be done.

Speaking today at the launch of the strategy, Caroline Nokes, Minister for Government Resilience and Efficiency, said:

The Civil Service leads the way on diversity in many ways. The gender pay gap is lower than in the private sector, we have significantly increased our representation of minority groups at every level, and our award winning Fast Stream programme is now broadly representative of the wider population in terms of diversity characteristics and social background. We are committed to driving this further, however, and I am proud that we are putting inclusion at the forefront of our agenda and for the Civil Service to act as a leading light for other organisations across the UK.

Cabinet Secretary Jeremy Heywood said:

In order to serve the country to the best of its ability, the Civil Service must ensure that it reflects the diversity of the UK. Having a diverse workforce is not enough though, if it is to be truly brilliant, the Civil Service must strive to be inclusive and must create an environment where differences of thought and outlook are not only respected, but expected.

Although progress has been considerable over the past few years, today’s strategy highlights how we must go further. Our ambition to become the most inclusive employer by 2020 is testament to our commitment to diversity and inclusion and to making the best use of talent that exists in all parts of society.

John Manzoni, Chief Executive of the Civil Service and Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary, added:

There are many studies and reports that evidence that diverse and inclusive organisations perform better and have happier people. The Civil Service, in order to ensure that it delivers the best quality service to the taxpayer, has a duty to attract and retain the best people from all corners of society. Our commitment to becoming the most inclusive employer in the UK by 2020 should also set an example to other public and private sector organisations.

Link: Press release: Government outlines plan to become the UK’s most inclusive employer by 2020
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: Industry-led review details plans to supercharge UK Artificial Intelligence (AI) industry

The Government has been urged to help the UK become the clear world leader in the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) – to boost productivity, advance health care, improve services for customers and unlock £630bn for the UK economy.

Experts from industry and academia today (Sunday 15 October 2017) unveiled new proposals for how Government can work with industry to stay ahead of the competition and grow the UK’s use of AI right across the economy – from smarter scheduling of operations in health care, to hiring on-demand self-driving cars.

The Industrial Strategy Green Paper, published in January, identified AI as a major, high-potential opportunity for the UK to build a word-leading future sector of our economy.

The independent review, ‘Growing the Artificial Intelligence Industry in the UK’, was announced as part of the Digital Strategy in March, and led by Dame Wendy Hall, Professor of Computer Science at the University of Southampton, and Jérôme Pesenti, Chief Executive of BenevolentTech. The reviewers were asked to report on how this pioneering technology can best thrive and grow in the UK and will inform BEIS and DCMS policy making relevant to this exciting new sector.

Culture Secretary Karen Bradley said:

I want the UK to lead the way in Artificial Intelligence. It has the potential to improve our everyday lives – from healthcare to robots that perform dangerous tasks.

We already have some of the best minds in the world working on Artificial Intelligence, and the challenge now is to build a strong partnership with industry and academia to cement our position as the best place in the world to start and grow a digital business.

Business Secretary Greg Clark said:

Artificial intelligence presents us with a unique opportunity to build on our strengths and track record of research excellence by leading the development and deployment of this transformational technology.

This important review exemplifies the world-class expertise the UK already has in AI, demonstrating the huge social and economic benefits its use can bring.

We will continue to work with the sector in the coming months to secure a comprehensive Sector Deal that make the UK the go to place for AI and helps us grasp the opportunities that lie ahead.

Many sectors across the UK economy are already embracing innovation through AI and benefitting from its use in how they do their business day-to-day including:

  • Health: Using the most advanced Artificial Intelligence, Your.MD has built the world’s first AI Personal Health Guide that provides users immediate trustworthy healthcare advice from the NHS to anyone with access to a mobile phone;

  • Banking: To help verify customer identity and increase security for HSBC customers, the bank has created an AI chatbot, Olivia, who can assist customers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with their enquiries;

  • Education: With technology that records patterns of behaviour, including what learning style works for each student, CENTURY, an AI platform, is helping children learn and teachers provide more personalised education programmes, with feedback and suggestions to help fill knowledge gaps;

  • Legal services: AI is helping lawyers to do legal searches and to draft the best standard documents, the law firm Pinsent Masons has developed its own team of computer scientists and legal engineers to put AI into practical context for its lawyers; and

  • Cars: Driverless cars are set to make the roads safer for pedestrians and car drivers alike, with companies like Oxbotica developing fully autonomous operating systems that diagnose vehicle issues and identify the best, most logical route on the move.

AI is also being deployed in a variety of different ways to assist businesses and consumers such as:

  • protecting consumers and shoppers against spam and bank fraud;

  • computer vision that monitors CCTV to improve safety;

  • managing and monitoring supply chains to reduce loss and waste;

  • improving electricity grid management to save costs and reduce CO2 emissions; and

  • using data to provide personal shopping recommendations.

Professor Dame Wendy Hall, Regius Professor of Computer Science at the University of Southampton said:

I was very honoured to be asked to co-chair this review at a time when AI is set to make major changes to the way we live and work. I’m particularly keen to ensure that we use it to inform the establishment of initiatives and programmes to help us extract the most value from artificial intelligence for the country; that includes an emphasis on increasing and improving our skill levels to prepare the workforce for the number of jobs the industry will need for the future.

AI has been around for a very long time as a concept and this latest surge of technological development is likely to see automation continue to escalate and accelerate in every walk of life. Now is the time for us all – scientists, researchers, entrepreneurs and the government – to come together and address the issues about how AI is going to impact society and seek ways to ensure that we’re able to deliver the great breakthroughs the technology has the potential to deliver.

Jérôme Pesenti, CEO of BenevolentTech, the technology division of BenevolentAI said:

In our AI review, we focused on recommendations that are both practicable and deliverable. By following these recommendations, Government, Academia and Industry can help strengthen the UK’s position in the global AI market. Our proposals are deliberately specific and boil down to three fundamentals – enable better access to data, create a greater supply of AI skills and promote the uptake of AI. I am looking forward to working with Government, Academia and Industry to drive these changes.

The report makes 18 recommendations for how to make the UK the best place in the world for businesses developing AI to start, grow, and thrive including:

  • Skills: increasing the UK’s AI expertise through new initiatives including an industry-funded Masters programme, and conversion courses to bring a broader range of people into the field;

  • Increasing uptake: helping organisations and workers understand how AI can boost their productivity and make better products and services, including public services;

  • Data: ensuring that people and organisations can be confident that use of data for AI is safe, secure and fair by making more data available, including from publicly-funded research; and

  • Research: building on the UK’s strong record in cutting-edge AI research, including making the Alan Turing Institute a national institute for AI.

These recommendations will now be carefully considered in discussions towards a potential Industrial Strategy sector deal between Government and the AI industry.

As part of the Industrial Strategy, the Government has increased investment in research and development over the next 4 years by £4.7 billion to create jobs and raise living standards, including through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.

The Business Secretary announced in April that the first £1 billion of investment is being made in six key areas in 2017/18, driving progress and innovation that will create opportunities for businesses and sectors across the UK.

Link: Press release: Industry-led review details plans to supercharge UK Artificial Intelligence (AI) industry
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: Getting to the root of tax avoidance

The victory over scheme promoter, Root2, came after they failed to report a mass-marketed tax avoidance scheme, known as Alchemy, to the tax authority.

The scheme aimed to extract profits from owner-managed companies in the form of winnings from betting on the stock market, which the scheme aimed to ensure would be tax free, rather than in the form of taxable employment income.

HMRC brought the case against Root2 under the Disclosure of Tax Avoidance Scheme (DOTAS) rules, which requires promoters to tell HMRC about tax avoidance schemes they design and sell.

The First-tier Tribunal agreed with HMRC that the promoter did not abide by the DOTAS rules.

Penny Ciniewicz, Director General of HMRC’s Customer Compliance Group, said:

This is a great victory that sends a clear message to tax avoidance scheme promoters that we will pursue you if you don’t play by the rules.

Most tax avoidance schemes don’t work. The DOTAS rules ensure that HMRC is notified of schemes so that we can investigate and challenge them.

Designers and promoters of avoidance schemes should come forward now if they haven’t already disclosed a scheme to us. We will take action and nobody should think they can get away with not disclosing their avoidance schemes and misleading users about the need to report them.

HMRC will seek to impose a substantial penalty on the promoter for failure to disclose the scheme.

Notes for Editors

  • There is no right of appeal against the Tribunal decision.
  • HMRC does not approve tax avoidance schemes. Under DOTAS, promoters must notify HMRC of schemes that contain various hallmarks of tax avoidance. If a scheme has been notified under DOTAS, it does not in any way signify that it has been approved by HMRC.
  • HMRC regularly investigates tax avoidance schemes and where it finds rules have been broken, will always take action.
  • DOTAS was introduced in 2004 and has been strengthened and broadened since its introduction to keep pace with the ever-changing avoidance landscape.
  • DOTAS covers tax avoidance involving: Income Tax, Capital Gains Tax, Corporation Tax, National Insurance contributions, Stamp Duty Land Tax, Inheritance Tax and the Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings.
  • DOTAS relies on ‘hallmarks’ to describe what has to be disclosed, not on whether something fits a description of ‘avoidance’. HMRC keeps these ‘hallmarks’ under review and has updated and strengthened them regularly since DOTAS was introduced.
  • DOTAS is a self-assessment regime – the promoter must consider the scheme it is developing and disclose it to HMRC if it meets any of the hallmarks.
  • How DOTAS works:
    • Promoter discloses scheme to HMRC
    • A Scheme Reference Number (SRN) is issued by HMRC which the promoter must provide to users.
    • Promoters must report details of their users to HMRC on quarterly client lists.
    • Users must report their use of a scheme to HMRC annually.
    • HMRC have various information powers to tackle non-compliance with the regime and promoters face penalties of up to £1m or more if they fail to disclose a scheme.
    • Disclosure under DOTAS is one of the three triggers to enable HMRC to issue a notice to a taxpayer under the 2014 Accelerated Payments regime.
  • DOTAS guidance can be found here
  • Audio version of statement can be found here
  • A picture of Penny Ciniewicz can be found here

Press enquiries please contact

Adrian Hallchurch
Tel: 03000 585 020
Email: Adrian.hallchurch@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk

Out of hours
Tel: 07860 359544

Link: Press release: Getting to the root of tax avoidance
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: International Charter space data to support Red Cross and Red Crescent disaster relief efforts

The world’s largest humanitarian network of 190 national societies will now have access to disaster mapping services based on satellite data supplied by the International Charter members.

Sune Bülow, Team Leader, Emergency Operations and Information Management at IFRC said:

Having immediate access to data and derived analysis for disaster prevention, response and recovery, is of vital importance to the IFRC. Both in the first hours of a sudden-onset event and throughout response to protracted crises, the Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies are often among the first disaster responders, and access to the International Charter will only improve the already formidable partnership with UNOSAT and ensure that we are also among the first to receive and analyse information.

Since 2000 the International Charter ‘Space and Major Disasters’ has been using space data to provide help to those affected by disasters.

The Charter, a group of space agencies, works to mitigate the effects on human life and property by providing rapid access to satellite data to assist rescue authorities in the event of a natural or manmade disaster.

Einar Bjorgo, Manager of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research stated:

We need to ensure maximum impact from Earth Observation data during disasters. Being able to support the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and their national members, with satellite image analysis derived from Charter data will greatly contribute to this goal.

Chris Lee, Head of International Policy at the UK Space Agency and outgoing Chair of the Disasters Charter noted:

We are proud to have agreed this new relationship with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. This is a fantastic opportunity for the Charter to make a real difference to communities and disaster management efforts on the ground, made possible through our work with the United Nations.

Recent activations

Requests for Charter support for emergencies have included Hurricane Irma, which hit the United States and parts of the Caribbean in early September and Hurricane Maria, a devastating storm that affected the Caribbean just a couple of weeks later.

Hurricane Irma, a Category 5 storm, ploughed through the Caribbean on 6 and 7 September 2017. In the Caribbean the storm left at least 44 dead and thousands of people were made homeless. In the United States at least 80 people were killed and the storm left flooding and damage to infrastructure in its wake.

The Charter was involved in the planning and coordination of the emergency response operation by providing satellite-derived analysis of building damage, flooding and mapping.

Hurricane Maria followed in the wake of Hurricane Irma and affected some of the same countries, with devastating results to some of the islands. Maria made landfall in Dominica on 19 September with the giant storm totally engulfing the island. It left 15 dead and devastated the island.

It then caused flooding and landslides in the Dominican Republic where at least two people were killed and 10,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes. In Puerto Rico 15 people were killed and the entire island was left without power. In the U.S. Virgin Islands one person was killed, while two people were killed in Guadeloupe. Again, the Charter helped by providing damage assessment and information on flooding and damage assessment.

Link: Press release: International Charter space data to support Red Cross and Red Crescent disaster relief efforts
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: Change of Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Finland

Mr Tom Dodd has been appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Finland in succession to Ms Sarah Price who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mr Dodd will take up his appointment during January 2018.

Full name: Thomas Erik Dodd

CURRICULUM VITAE

2016 – present FCO, Head, Counter Terrorism Department
2013 – 2015 FCO, Head, South East Asia Department
2011 – 2012 Cabinet Office, Deputy Chief Assessments Staff, Joint Intelligence Organisation
2009 – 2010 Kabul, Deputy Ambassador
2007 – 2008 Home Office, Head of Border & Visa Policy, UK Border Agency
2006 – 2007 Home Office, International Delivery Director & Europe Director, Immigration and Nationality Directorate
2005 Home Office, Deputy Director, European Policy, Immigration and Nationality Directorate
2005 Cabinet Office, Desk Officer, Civil Contingencies Secretariat
2004 Basra, Deputy Consul General
2001 – 2003 Cabinet Office, Desk Officer (Asia & Middle East), Overseas and Defence Secretariat
1998 – 2001 Cabinet Office, Desk Officer (Asia), Joint Intelligence Organisation
1991 – 1998 House of Commons Research Service, Assistant and later Senior Clerk, International Affairs and Defence Section

Further information

Media enquiries

For journalists

Link: Press release: Change of Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Finland
Source: Gov Press Releases

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The Sections 106B, 106C and 106D of the Taxes Management Act 1970 (Specified Threshold Amount) Regulations 2017

A taxpayer will be guilty of an offence under sections 106B, 106C or 106D of the Taxes Management Act 1970 (c. 9) (“TMA 1970”) in respect of certain failures to comply with sections 7 or 8 of the TMA 1970 for the year of assessment commencing on 6th April 2017 or a subsequent year where, as a result of the failure, the taxpayer does not tell the Commissioners for Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (“HMRC”) that the taxpayer is liable to pay an amount of income tax or capital gains tax chargeable on or by reference to offshore income, assets or liabilities (“relevant tax”). There is no offence under those provisions if the total of the relevant tax unreported to HMRC for the year of assessment in question does not exceed the “threshold amount”. Regulation 3 specifies the threshold amount as £25,000. Regulations 4 to 9 set out the means of determining whether the threshold amount has been exceeded.
Link: The Sections 106B, 106C and 106D of the Taxes Management Act 1970 (Specified Threshold Amount) Regulations 2017
Source: Legislation .gov.uk