The Secretary of State for Defence (Rt Hon. Gavin Williamson CBE MP): I am pleased to announce that the Prime Minister has invited Mr John Steele to continue to serve as Chair of the Armed Forces’ Pay Review Body for a further two-month term of office, commencing on 1 March 2018. This allows Mr Steele to draw Pay Round 18 to a conclusion.

I would also like to take this opportunity to announce that the Prime Minister has appointed Mr Peter Maddison as the next Chair of the Armed Forces’ Pay Review Body. His appointment will commence on 1 March 2018 and run until 28 February 2021.

Both the extension and the appointment have been conducted in accordance with the guidance of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Due to the bad weather, all our offices are closed on Thursday 1 March and Friday 2 March 2018.

All our online services are available to search and file your documents.

You won’t be able to use any ‘same day’ services during this time.

The contact centre is closed, and we won’t be able to answer any phone calls or emails.

All press queries must be sent to press@companieshouse.gov.uk.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Christine Middlemiss has today taken up post as UK Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) taking over from Nigel Gibbens who has stepped down after 10 successful years in the role.

Watch Christine’s message on her first day at Defra

Christine has a wealth of experience and joins Defra after serving as the CVO for New South Wales, Australia. She took up that role in August 2016 and during her tenure she led major improvements to biosecurity across many farming sectors including implementation of new outcome focused and risk based biosecurity legislation; online animal certification processes and improving evidence and risk based disease control approaches.

She comes from a farming family in the south of Scotland, with a background in beef cattle and sheep. Prior to moving to Australia Christine was an experienced veterinarian who worked for a number of years in private practice in Scotland and the north of England with specific interest in research, meat processing and livestock genetics. She then joined the Animal Health agency (now part of the Animal and Plant Health Agency) in 2008 as a Divisional Veterinary Manager in Scotland. She also led Defra’s Animal Traceability and Public Health policy team detecting and responding to new and emerging diseases such as Schmallenberg and Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea.

She re-joins the department at a time when animal welfare is a top priority for the Government, demonstrated by a number of recent announcements including legislation making CCTV cameras mandatory in slaughterhouses, the call for evidence on a ban on third party puppy sales and the draft animal welfare bill. The Government is also committed to the very highest standards on animal welfare. As the prime Minister has set out, we will make the United Kingdom a world leader in the care and protection of animals as we leave the EU.

Speaking about her appointment, Christine Middlemiss said:

I am delighted to have been appointed. It is a privilege to take over from Nigel and lead my veterinary colleagues to support our farming and food industry on the UK reputation for high health and welfare of our animals.

I am very much looking forward to working again with the team at Defra, its agencies, the devolved administrations and all the individuals and groups who will contribute to meet future challenges.

Our Secretary of State has confirmed he wants to cement the UK’s place as a world-leader on animal health and welfare as the UK leaves the European Union, and I’m delighted to have an opportunity to play a part in that.

From Monday 4 June 2018, learner drivers will be able to take driving lessons on motorways in England, Scotland and Wales.

This will help to make sure more drivers know how to use motorways safely.

At the moment, you can only have motorway lessons after you’ve passed your driving test. Some newly-qualified drivers take lessons through the voluntary Pass Plus scheme.

How the change will work

Learner drivers will need to be:

• accompanied by an approved driving instructor
• driving a car fitted with dual controls

Any motorways lessons will be voluntary. It will be up to the driving instructor to decide when the learner driver is competent enough for them.

The change only applies to learner drivers of cars. Learner motorcyclists won’t be allowed on motorways.

Trainee driving instructors won’t be allowed to take learner drivers on the motorway.

Making sure road users are ready for the change

The change is being well-publicised so that:

• driving instructors and learner drivers are prepared
• other road users know what to expect

The Highway Code rules on motorways will be updated.

Driving near learner drivers on the motorway

As with any vehicle on the motorway, keep a safe distance from a learner driver in front of you. Increase the gap on wet or icy roads, or in fog.

You should always be patient with learner drivers. They may not be so skilful at anticipating and responding to events.

Driving instructor vehicles and training

Driving instructors can decide if they want to use a driving school rooftop box during motorway lessons, based on its instructions.

The car will need to display L plates on the front and rear if the rooftop box is removed.

Guidance for driving instructors

Learning materials and the syllabus for learning to drive a car are being updated to include motorway lessons.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency won’t give driving instructors extra training on providing motorway lessons.

The driving instructor’s National Associations Strategic Partnership has produced best practice guidance to help instructors.

Preparing drivers for a lifetime of safe driving

The changes are being made to allow learner drivers to:

• get broader driving experience before taking their driving test
• get training on how to join and leave the motorway, overtake and use lanes correctly
• practise driving at higher speeds
• understand motorway specific traffic signs
• understand what to do if a vehicle breaks down on a motorway
• improve their confidence to drive on the motorway unsupervised after passing their driving test

Cumbria Exchange will build on the strong community spirit that exists in the area, by helping businesses and the community find each other for mutual benefit.

It will function as an online matching service, by quickly connecting those who need help, to those who can provide it.

It works on a simple ‘offers and needs’ basis.

Councillor David Moore, Chair of the Copeland Community Fund said;

This is an exciting collaboration that the community and businesses have been waiting for.

The sense of community spirit in Cumbria is phenomenal, but alone this isn’t enough, we needed a place that people can go to understand what help is needed, and what support is available.

Cumbria Exchange is a simple forum that makes this process easier.

We didn’t want to wait for a flood or crisis, this is something that can get maximum benefit for the community at all times.

For businesses, it tells them what the community really needs, and for community organisations it give them a place they can go to ask for help, whether that be advice, manpower or equipment.

It will only succeed if people use it, so I would urge community groups and businesses to submit your requests and offers, however big or small.

Community organisations simply submit a ‘support wanted’ request if they need help, however big or small.

Businesses can post in the ‘support offered’ area if they have specific skills, expertise or equipment that can be of benefit to the community.

Cumbria Exchange is the result of a group of organisations and community groups identifying a need for a more coordinated approach to creating social and economic impact.

It was developed as collaboration between the Copeland Community Fund, Cumbria Community Foundation, Low Level Waste Repository Ltd, the Nuclear Community Network (Sellafield Ltd and supply chain), Britain’s Energy Coast, Business in the Community and United Utilities.

It is a result of numerous community groups and local businesses identifying the need for a more coordinated way of supporting each other.

Anyone can submit a request or offer by going to Cumbria Exchange.

For support please contact by Telephone: 01946 598352 or Email: info@cumbriaexchange.co.uk