The Government has today committed to improving reservoir safety through reforms to the regulatory regime and modernisation of the Reservoirs Act 1975 as it accepted all of the recommendations of the second part of an independent review by Professor David Balmforth.

With the review recognising the strong safety track record of reservoirs in England, the reforms will help to ensure that the regulatory regime remains effective and robust in securing the ongoing safety of such critical infrastructure so that those living downstream of reservoirs are protected from flooding which could risk their lives and property.

They will build on action already being taken to improve reservoir safety following the incident at Toddbrook Reservoir in 2019, including the government’s full implementation of the recommendations of the first part of the independent review.

Environment Minister Steve Double said:

The safety of those living and working near reservoirs must always be a priority. By modernising and reforming legislation and regulation regimes, we will help to protect communities and provide them with increased peace of mind.

Professor Balmforth’s review provided us with a comprehensive understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the reservoir safety regime, and the progress that is needed to ensure it is fit for the future, with safety standards consistently applied across all our reservoirs.

Caroline Douglass, Environment Agency Executive Director for Flood and Coastal Risk Management, said:

England has a strong reservoir safety record, but we are always be looking for ways to improve our approach, especially in the face of a changing climate.

We look forward to working with Defra, reservoir owners, and engineers to implement these reforms and ensure that reservoirs are regulated using a modern risk-based approach.

Reform of the regulatory programme will be delivered in collaboration with reservoir owners and engineers over the coming years, with a timeline that will ensure that the changes can be managed by industry while maintaining ongoing reservoir safety management.

In 2022/23 and 2023/24, reforms will be made through existing powers, guidance and training, including:

• improving enforcement options and flexibility using civil sanctions;
• introducing review of engineers’ reports by the Environment Agency;
• developing proposals for a proportionate charging scheme to improve recovery of regulatory costs; and
• introducing a free registration scheme for owners of small raised reservoirs during 2022/23.

In 2023/24, a consultation on the modernisation of the Reservoirs Act will look at:

• developing a new risk/hazard classification and how it could operate;
• developing proposals to make the future supply of reservoir engineers more sustainable;
• developing proposals for regulating small raised reservoirs within the new safety regime, for consultation.

The reforms will build on actions which are already being taken to improve reservoir safety following the incident at Toddbrook Reservoir in 2019, including a Ministerial Direction requiring all large raised reservoirs to have on site emergency flood plans, new guidance on spillway inspection and management, new guidance for reservoir engineers about carrying out inspections and supervision, and research to improve the future supply of engineers.

For the first time ever in the UK, postmenopausal women will be able to access a low dose Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) product from their local pharmacies without prescription, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced today.

Gina 10 microgram vaginal tablets (containing estradiol) are used for the treatment of vaginal symptoms such as dryness, soreness, itching, burning and uncomfortable sex caused by oestrogen deficiency in postmenopausal women aged 50 years and above who have not had a period for at least 1 year. This product is locally-applied, meaning it is inserted into the vagina and not taken orally.

The decision to reclassify these vaginal tablets follows a safety review by the MHRA, independent advice from the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM), and a public consultation. The UK regulator sought views from patients, pharmacists, prescribers and a wide range of stakeholders including the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, the Faculty of Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare, the British Pharmacopoeia Commission and the British Menopause Society.

Low-dose vaginal estradiol has been widely used for the treatment of postmenopausal vaginal symptoms as a prescription medicine since 1991 and has a well-established safety profile. The product will be supplied from a pharmacy when it is considered safe and suitable to do so, following consultation with a pharmacist.

Pharmacists are trained healthcare professionals. They will have access to training materials and a checklist that will enable them to advise women on whether these low dose vaginal tablets are appropriate and safe for them to use and to give the information they need, so they can make informed choices. Other vaginal tablets that also contain estradiol, including Vagifem 10 microgram vaginal tablets, will still be available on prescription.

Dr Laura Squire, Chief Healthcare Quality and Access Officer at the MHRA, said:

This is a landmark reclassification for the millions of women in the UK who are going through the menopause and experience severe symptoms that negatively impact their everyday life. Women will be able to safely obtain a local vaginal HRT product without a prescription, which increases women’s access to treatment and gives them greater control over their choices while relieving pressure on frontline GP services.

In reaching this decision, we have seen positive support from a wide range of people, including many women aged 50 years and above who could benefit from this decision. We would like to thank everyone who submitted their view in our public consultation.

We will continue to improve women’s access to medicines for menopausal care when it is safe to do so, and to place their views at the centre of our regulatory decisions.

Minister for Health, Maria Caulfield, said:

Menopause affects hundreds of thousands of women every year, but for some its symptoms can be debilitating and for many they can be misunderstood or ignored.

Making Gina available over the counter is a huge step forward in enabling women to access HRT as easily as possible, ensuring they can continue living their life as they navigate the menopause.

We’re putting women’s health to the top of the agenda – our Women’s Health Strategy published today is testament to that. More widely we’re continuing to work with suppliers and manufacturers to secure sustainable short-term and long-term access to HRT and our UK-wide menopause taskforce will tackle taboos and issues surrounding menopause.

Systemic HRT medicines circulate in the blood and are used to treat hot flushes and other menopausal symptoms. They include oral tablets and patches (transdermal patches) and gels which are put on the skin. Local HRT such as Gina is applied directly to the vagina and gradually releases into the vaginal tissue with very little absorption into the bloodstream.

Notes to Editors

• Consultation outcome – The public consultation received 1229 responses, with over 88% being in favour of the reclassification. All the responses received were carefully considered.
• Public assessment report for the prescription only medicine to pharmacy reclassification of Gina 10 microgram vaginal tablets.
• We are committed to widening access to medicines for the benefit of public health when it is safe to do so. Further information on reclassification can be found here and the criteria for prescription control can be found here.
• Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for regulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe. All our work is underpinned by robust and fact-based judgements to ensure that the benefits justify any risks. MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.
• The Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) advises ministers on the safety, efficacy and quality of medicinal products.

The Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab has today (20 July 2022) set out a package of measures that take aim at so-called ‘Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation’ (SLAPPs).

This includes a new mechanism to allow courts to throw out baseless claims quicker and a cap on costs to prevent the mega-rich, such as Russian oligarchs, from using expensive litigation as a weapon to silence their critics.

SLAPPs typically involve wealthy individuals or large businesses using the threat of endless legal action and associated costs – sometimes totalling millions of pounds – to muzzle their opponents under defamation and privacy laws. This tactic is increasingly being used to intimidate journalists, authors, and campaigners into limiting or abandoning critical stories or books. Most cases never make it to court because authors often back down under a barrage of aggressive legal letters – many retract stories in fear of financial ruin.

Responses to a government call for evidence unveiled today revealed that this is having a chilling effect. Journalists, media organisations and publishers reported that they no longer publish information on certain individuals or topics – such as exposing serious wrong-doing or corruption – because of potential legal costs.

Ministers are determined to put an end to this bullying and protect the UK’s free press and will legislate at the earliest opportunity.

Deputy Prime Minister, Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor Dominic Raab said:

We won’t let those bankrolling Putin exploit the UK’s legal jurisdiction to muzzle their critics. So today, I’m announcing reforms to uphold freedom of speech, end the abuse of our justice system, and defend those who bravely shine a light on corruption.

Under the reforms, a court will apply a new three-part test to determine whether a case should be thrown out immediately or allowed to progress.

First, it will assess if the case is against activity in the public interest – for example investigating financial misconduct by a company or individual. Then, it will examine if there’s evidence of abuse of process, such as whether the claimant has sent a barrage of highly aggressive letters on a trivial matter. Finally, it will review whether the case has sufficient merit – specifically if it has a realistic prospect of success.

Anyone subject to a suspected SLAPPs case will be able to apply to the court to have it considered for early dismissal.

Crucially, ministers will also introduce a new costs protection scheme to level the playing field between wealthy claimants with deep pockets and defendants.

The move seeks to shield those fighting lawsuits from crippling costs and enable meritless cases to be properly defended. The Government will consult the Civil Procedure Rules Committee as necessary and set out the design of the scheme and the precise level of cost caps in due course.

Earlier this year, the High Court dismissed a libel claim against the British journalist, Tom Burgis, brought by a Kazakh-owned mining firm for his book ‘Kleptopia: How Dirty Money is Conquering the world’, but often the purpose of SLAPPs is to suppress publications without a case ever coming to court and being reported.

Michelle Stanistreet, General Secretary of the National Union of Journalists said:

The NUJ has long been campaigning at national and international level against the use of defamation legislation to crush journalists and journalism.

Publication of these proposals is a significant step in tackling the deployment of SLAPPs and other forms of lawfare designed to stymie journalistic investigations. Abuse of the law by the sly and mighty, who deeply resent the legitimate work of the media in calling them to account, is a scourge which must be eradicated.

A free media is vital to the functioning of a democracy. That freedom is severely curtailed when those with deep pockets are allowed to use the law to threaten the very future of media organisations.

Dawn Alford, Executive Director of the Society of Editors said:

The Society welcomes the announcement by the government of a package of measures to tackle SLAPPs. For too long wealthy and powerful individuals and corporations have been able to weaponise and abuse the legal system to avoid public scrutiny while journalists, academics and authors have faced fear and harassment when carrying out their important roles.

The introduction of a new mechanism to allow the courts to throw out meritless cases more quickly and a cap on costs are essential protections that should deter the wealthy from using the threat of expensive litigation to silence their critics and should allow journalists and others the ability to fulfil their roles as the public’s watchdog without bullying or intimidation.

Meanwhile, the government’s Bill of Rights will further strengthen freedom of the press and freedom of expression. It will introduce a stronger test for courts to consider before they can order journalists to disclose their sources.

Today’s announcement follows a new clamp down on misconduct of solicitors and lawyers. The Solicitors Regulation Authority will have powers to fine rule-breakers up to £25,000, increased from £2,000. The regulator will also be able to penalise them for a broader range of offences – from lower-level cases involving inadequate staff training to those with more serious consequences including failure to implement the appropriate checks required to uncover signs of money laundering by clients.

The government has also committed to looking further into the case for reform to defamation laws.

Earlier this year the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act was expedited through Parliament which includes strengthened powers to crack down on corrupt elites and ramp up pressure on Putin’s regime.

Notes to Editors

• In March, the government launched an urgent call for evidence in response to the increasing use of a form of litigation known collectively as SLAPPs – Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation.
• Today it has published its response, setting out major reforms to protect the UK legal system from abuse.
• The new early dismissal mechanism requires primary legislation. The government will legislate at the earliest opportunity.
• The proposed cost protection scheme can be introduced via secondary legislation. The government will consult on proposals before setting out next steps.
• Bill of Rights to strengthen freedom of speech and curb bogus human rights claims.
• Extra powers for regulators to clamp down on rule-breaking solicitors.
• The Economic Crime Act was expedited through Parliament earlier this year. It enables the Government to move more quickly to impose sanctions against oligarchs already designated by our allies, as well as intensifying our sanctions enforcement.

England

In England the May data shows, on average, house prices have risen by 1.3% since April 2022. The annual price 13.1% takes the average property value to £302,278.

The regional data for England indicates that:

• the South West experienced the greatest increase in its average property value over the last 12 months with a movement of 16.9%

• London saw the lowest annual price growth with an increase of 8.2%

• the North West saw the most significant monthly price fall with a movement of -0.2% since April 2022

• the East of England experienced the greatest monthly growth with an increase of 2.6% since April 2022

Price change by region for England

Repossession sales by volume for England

The lowest number of repossession sales in March 2022 was in the East of England and West Midlands region.

The highest number of repossession sales in March 2022 was in the North West.

Average price by property type for England

Funding and buyer status for England

Building status for England

London

London shows, on average, house prices have risen by 0.2% since April 2022. An annual price rise of 8.2% takes the average property value to £526,183.

Average price by property type for London

Funding and buyer status for London

Building status for London

Wales

Wales shows, on average, house prices have risen by 0.9% since April 2022. An annual price rise of 14.4% takes the average property value to £212,414.

There was 1 repossession sale for Wales in March 2022.

Average price by property type for Wales

Funding and buyer status for Wales

Building status for Wales

Access the full UK HPI

UK house prices

UK house prices increased by 12.8% in the year to May 2022, up from 11.9% in April 2022. On a non-seasonally adjusted basis, average house prices in the UK increased by 1.2% between April and May 2022, up from an increase of 0.4% during the same period a year earlier (April and May 2021).

The UK Property Transactions Statistics showed that in May 2022, on a seasonally adjusted basis, the estimated number of transactions of residential properties with a value of £40,000 or greater was 109,210. This is 5.1% lower than a year ago (May 2021). Between April and May 2022, UK transactions increased by 1.3% on a seasonally adjusted basis.

House price growth was strongest in the South West where prices increased by 16.9% in the year to May 2022. The lowest annual growth was in London, where prices increased by 8.2% in the year to May 2022.

See the economic statement.

The data is accurate. However, this release may be subject to increased revisions as we add more data over the coming months.

Background

1. We publish the UK House Price Index (HPI) on the second or third Wednesday of each month with Northern Ireland figures updated quarterly. We will publish the June 2022 UK HPI at 9:30am on Wednesday 17 August 2022. See calendar of release dates.

2. We have made some changes to improve the accuracy of the UK HPI. We are not publishing average price and percentage change for new builds and existing resold property as done previously because there are not currently enough new build transactions to provide a reliable result. This means that in this month’s UK HPI reports, new builds and existing resold property are reported in line with the sales volumes currently available.

3. The UK HPI revision period has been extended to 13 months, following a review of the revision policy (see calculating the UK HPI section 4.4). This ensures the data used is more comprehensive.

4. Sales volume data is available by property status (new build and existing property) and funding status (cash and mortgage) in our downloadable data tables. Transactions that require us to create a new register, such as new builds, are more complex and require more time to process. Read revisions to the UK HPI data.

5. Revision tables are available for England and Wales within the downloadable data in CSV format. See about the UK HPI for more information.

6. HM Land Registry, Registers of Scotland, Land & Property Services/Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency and the Valuation Office Agency supply data for the UK HPI.

7. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) and Land & Property Services/Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency calculate the UK HPI. It applies a hedonic regression model that uses the various sources of data on property price, including HM Land Registry’s Price Paid Dataset, and attributes to produce estimates of the change in house prices each month. Find out more about the methodology used from the ONS and Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency.

8. We take the UK Property Transaction statistics from the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) monthly estimates of the number of residential and non-residential property transactions in the UK and its constituent countries. The number of property transactions in the UK is highly seasonal, with more activity in the summer months and less in the winter. This regular annual pattern can sometimes mask the underlying movements and trends in the data series. HMRC presents the UK aggregate transaction figures on a seasonally adjusted basis. We make adjustments for both the time of year and the construction of the calendar, including corrections for the position of Easter and the number of trading days in aparticular month.

9. UK HPI seasonally adjusted series are calculated at regional and national levels only. See data tables.

10. The first estimate for new build average price (April 2016 report) was based on a small sample which can cause volatility. A three-month moving average has been applied to the latest estimate to remove some of this volatility.

11. The UK HPI reflects the final transaction price for sales of residential property. Using the geometric mean, it covers purchases at market value for owner-occupation and buy-to-let, excluding those purchases not at market value (such as re-mortgages), where the ‘price’ represents a valuation.

12. HM Land Registry provides information on residential property transactions for England and Wales, collected as part of the official registration process for properties that are sold for full market value.

13. The HM Land Registry dataset contains the sale price of the property, the date when the sale was completed, full address details, the type of property (detached, semi-detached, terraced or flat), if it is a newly built property or an established residential building and a variable to indicate if the property has been purchased as a financed transaction (using a mortgage) or as a non-financed transaction (cash purchase).

14. Repossession sales data is based on the number of transactions lodged with HM Land Registry by lenders exercising their power of sale.

15. For England, we show repossession sales volume recorded by government office region. For Wales, we provide repossession sales volume for the number of repossession sales.

16. Repossession sales data is available from April 2016 in CSV format. Find out more information about repossession sales.

17. We publish CSV files of the raw and cleansed aggregated data every month for England, Scotland and Wales. We publish Northern Ireland data on a quarterly basis. They are available for free use and re-use under the Open Government Licence.

18. HM Land Registry’s mission is to guarantee and protect property rights in England and Wales.

19. HM Land Registry is a government department created in 1862. Its ambition is to become the world’s leading land registry for speed, simplicity and an open approach to data.

20. HM Land Registry safeguards land and property ownership worth in excess of £8 trillion, including over £1 trillion of mortgages. The Land Register contains more than 26 million titles showing evidence of ownership for some 87% of the land mass of England and Wales.

21. For further information about HM Land Registry visit www.gov.uk/land-registry.

22. Follow us on Twitter, our blog, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Homes England has today confirmed that John Sisk and Son Ltd are to deliver over £100m of critical infrastructure at York Central. With work expected to begin imminently, this marks another significant milestone for unlocking the city-centre brownfield site, which has been stalled for more than forty years.

York Central is one of the UK’s largest regeneration sites. Situated at the heart of the city adjacent to York Station, the 45 hectare site offers a unique opportunity to transform underused brownfield land into a vibrant and distinctive new mixed use neighbourhood – complete with residential, cultural, recreational, commercial and outdoor amenity spaces.

Over the next three years, John Sisk and Son will put in place the key infrastructure needed to enable this transformation. This includes the construction of a new road bridge over the East Coast Main Line railway, which features pedestrian and cycle lanes segregated from the carriageway, and a new pedestrian and cycle footbridge will also be added to the existing Water End Bridge.  The new access extends for 2km (with separated cycle and pedestrian paths) to connect Water End through the site to Leeman Road, and a rail spur to the National Railway Museum. John Sisk and Son will also provide the earthworks and utility works for the entire site.

This infrastructure work will make further development at York Central possible, which, when complete, will provide up to 2,500 homes, 20% of which will be affordable, and over 1 million sq. ft. of commercial space for offices, retail and leisure, providing a significant boost for the local economy. It will also see improved connectivity and access, as well as significant high quality public realm and open spaces, including an urban park.

Peter Freeman, Chair of Homes England, said:

This marks a significant moment for York Central. We know what a transformational impact urban regeneration schemes such as this can have on a place and the benefits it will offer York’s community. That’s why we’ve partnered with Network Rail to help unlock this long-stalled site.

The delivery of crucial infrastructure will help achieve that, bringing ours and our partners’ ambitions for this underutilised area another step closer to reality. It’s brilliant to see the plans starting to come to fruition.

Paul Brown, Chief Executive Officer at John Sisk and Son, commented:

Sisk is delighted to be involved in this exciting project and to build this major infrastructure in-line with the York Central masterplan. We are committed to delivering this project for the benefit of the whole community and look forward to working in partnership with all the key stakeholders.

As majority landowners on the site, Homes England and Network Rail are acting as master developers, working in collaboration with the City of York Council and the National Railway Museum.

Robin Dobson, Group Property Director at Network Rail said:

This is a major milestone for this multi-million-pound York Central development. Getting the transformation underway will take us closer to delivering an ambitious new City regeneration and community project, that integrates both road and rail.

We’re proud to be delivering this regeneration project in partnership with Homes England and look forward to seeing work progress over the next few years. When complete, York Central will reenergise the gateway to the city and unlock opportunities for economic growth across the region. We’re delivering it through a public and private partnership, an approach we are replicating in other towns and cities across the country.

The funding for the infrastructure works has been secured through the government’s Housing Infrastructure Grant (£77.1m), the City of York Council’s Enterprise Zone Fund (£35m) and from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (£23.5m).

Cllr Keith Aspden, Leader of City of York Council said:

This is another major step forward for York Central, one of the most important and exciting regeneration sites in the country, building on the site preparation works delivered by City of York Council and the partnership.

It’s excellent news that construction works are moving forward to make the project, which has been a decades long held ambition, into reality. We want to ensure that this positive progress continues to unlock the site’s enormous potential and deliver economic growth, community space and homes that York needs, all within the heart of the city.

We are working closely with partners in the York Central Partnership to deliver on our shared vision– a regeneration which drives inclusive and green growth across the city. We will continue to keep residents, businesses and communities informed as this project gathers pace and we deliver the exciting plans for the York Central site.

The contract with Sisk follows news that Homes England and Network Rail has officially launched the procurement process to secure a strategic development partner to bring forward York Central, supported by JLL.

ENDS

Photo credit: Allies & Morrison

About Homes England:

Homes England is the Government’s housing and regeneration agency. We have the appetite, influence, expertise and resources to drive positive market change.

Homes England welcomes partners who share our ambition to challenge the traditional norms and build better homes faster. For more information visit our home page or follow us on Twitter @HomesEngland.

About John Sisk & Son

Sisk is an innovative, international construction and engineering company. We are experienced in delivering high-quality projects across the UK, Ireland and Europe. With a group turnover of €1.5bn and an industry leading balance sheet, we have the strong financial platform, track record and capacity to be a total solutions provider. In the delivery of complex projects, we work collaboratively with our clients and stakeholders to understand key project drivers, enabling the development of solutions that fulfil these needs and provide best value.

For more visit www.johnsiskandson.com