A retired plant nursery owner has ended up with a bill of more than £27,000 for illegally disposing of waste herbicides and pesticides at a site in Somerset. The chemicals entered a stream and killed more than 270 fish.

In September 2017 the Environment Agency received a report of dead fish in a watercourse known as the London Cross tributary near Combe Florey, Taunton. Investigating officers found dead lamprey, bullhead, brown trout, eels, freshwater shrimps and other aquatic invertebrates that are food for fish. They followed the trail of dead fish and invertebrates upstream to some pipes draining into a ditch.

The next day officers met with the landowner, Michael Cheadle, who showed them an area of gravel near a polytunnel where he said he’d disposed of some old chemicals used at his former nursery business including a fungicide, disinfectant and some fertiliser granules. He said that afterwards he hosed down the area with water. The gravel was only 15 metres from the ditch the officers had seen the previous day.

Cheadle later admitted disposing of a total of 6 chemicals at the site including a fungicide called Amistar that is highly toxic to aquatic life. He told officers he had burnt the empty pesticide containers on a bonfire. Water samples taken from the ditch and stream also contained Lindane, a persistent insecticide that is toxic to humans.

The investigation revealed there was a land drain beneath the gravel where the defendant disposed of the waste pesticides allowing the chemicals direct access to the ditch and nearby stream. A biological survey confirmed the pollution had ‘significantly impacted’ approximately 2 miles of watercourse. Some of the species affected, including eels and lamprey, are endangered.

Matthew Sully of the Environment Agency said:

Pesticides can harm humans, wildlife and the environment if misused or disposed of incorrectly, so it is important farmers and growers behave responsibly.

The defendant had been in the horticultural industry for many years and should have known how to safely dispose of waste pesticides and horticultural chemicals.

Although a negligent act, Mr Cheadle has shown remorse and undertaken all remedial measures asked of him to make sure there were no lasting effects from the chemicals.

The defendant had previously paid more than £25,000 to the Environment Agency to cover its investigation costs. We have powers to re-charge for staff time and any additional resources used during the investigation of pollution incidents.

Appearing before Taunton magistrates, Michael Cheadle, of Oldway, Stogumber was fined £1,130 and ordered to pay £747 costs after pleading guilty to two charges of discharging polluting matter to the stream and the improper disposal of waste pesticide containers. The case was heard on 10 September 2019.

Although domestic pesticides can normally be taken to a local waste recycling centre, commercial and industrial pesticides should be safely disposed of via a licensed hazardous waste collector, details of which can be obtained through yellow pages, internet searches, county waste partnerships or county council websites.

In a letter sent today to universities regulator, the Office for Students, Mr Williamson welcomes the review and urged the regulator to set as high a bar as possible on quality in the sector, so universities are focused on reducing drop-out rates and ensuring the best possible value for money.

The Education Secretary also made clear that he supported the OfS’ intention to look seriously at the rise of unconditional offers and whether ‘conditional unconditional’ offers breach consumer law.

He outlines his support for the OfS’ review of admissions to look into the benefits and challenges of a Post Qualification Applications system, where students would apply to university after receiving their A level results.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said:

Higher education has the power to change lives and is vital to producing the skills our country needs. But this is only the case when students receive a high quality education and we can be confident of the value of the collective investment from students and taxpayers.

We have to fight to keep the public trust and respect in our world-leading universities and to me that means a relentless focus on quality. That’s why I want the OfS to go even further on this, developing more rigorous and demanding quality requirements, and I give my full backing to boldly use its powers to ensure value for money.

I’m also concerned about how some universities are recruiting students, in particular a worrying rise in unconditional offers. So I welcome the OfS’ focus on whether ‘conditional unconditional’ offers are harming students’ interests and whether they breach their consumer rights.

I recognise that we need to review if the current system is working as well as it can, so I am glad the OfS is looking at whether it would be in students’ interests to apply for their university place after they have their A level results.

The guidance comes after the publication of the OECD Education at a Glance report last week, which highlighted the wide-ranging outcomes and earnings for graduates, and Andreas Schleicher, Director for the Directorate of Education and Skills, reiterated the importance of having quality assurances in higher education.

As the regulator for higher education in England, the OfS plays a vital part in ensuring students and taxpayers are getting value for money. The guidance letter sets out the Education Secretary’s priorities for higher education and his expectations for the OfS’ work, including:

• Review how students rights’ as consumers can be strengthened, including looking at options for standardised contracts between higher education providers and students;

• To focus on part-time and flexible learning; reviewing how to promote greater student choice; and raise awareness of accelerated degrees;

• Develop the government’s flagship Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework to enable it to be published at subject level in 2021; and

• Explore how international students can be better supported and integrated, in line with Global Britain’s efforts to strengthen relationships around the world.

The UK’s International Trade Secretary is visiting New Zealand, Australia and Japan this week (16-20 September) to prepare for trade negotiations after Brexit on 31 October.

Liz Truss will meet her counterparts, as well senior government figures and businesses, in each country to ensure trade negotiations can begin rapidly.

The government is strongly committed to securing ambitious and high-quality free trade agreements with New Zealand, Australia, Japan and the US, as well as potentially joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said:

As the UK prepares to leave the EU on 31 October, we look forward to taking back control of our trade policy and negotiating new free trade agreements.

I am visiting some of our most like-minded trade partners this week to send a clear message: the UK is an open, welcoming business destination and we are ready to trade.

There is massive political willingness from our trading partners to negotiate ambitious new trade agreements that will benefit people throughout the whole of the UK. We look forward to beginning negotiations shortly.

Wellington, New Zealand

Ms Truss lands in Wellington, New Zealand, today (Monday 16 September). She will meet Trade Minister David Parker and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters.

The UK is one of New Zealand’s largest trading partners and UK investors are the fifth largest source of foreign direct investment in the country.

The Department for International Trade has helped many businesses to secure contracts to export their goods and services to New Zealand, which has resulted in:

• English-made Seedlip spirit – the world’s first non-alcoholic spirit – being sold in supermarkets and bars throughout New Zealand
• Farmers across New Zealand working with Cornwall-based biosecurity firm ABS Cornwall to eradicate and prevent the spread of disease in crop and livestock
• Commuters in Auckland and Wellington riding electric and low-emissions buses built by Yorkshire-based Optare and Scotland-based Alexander Dennis. 1 in every 3 of the countries buses has been built in Britain
• Residents in Dunedin benefiting from streetlights made by Cambridge-based company Telensa.

Despite already strong trade links, there are still trade barriers holding British businesses back. Some UK exporters face tariff barriers in supplying the New Zealand market, including tariffs which are between 5 and 10% on automotive and machinery sectors.

A new free trade agreement would help make British businesses more competitive compared to those in countries that already have trade agreements with New Zealand.

For example, 1 in 3 buses in New Zealand are made by a British company despite a tariff of bus imports.

Yorkshire-based bus company Optare has delivered exports worth NZ$44 million in the last year and has 116 low-emissions buses currently operating in the country.

Speaking about a future free trade agreement, Optare CEO Graham Belgum, said:

Optare is proud to have developed technology in the UK that provides New Zealand bus operators with the world’s lowest emission buses and the lowest operating costs. We have 116 of this latest generation of buses in New Zealand currently.

We hope to grow our partnership. Current trade tariffs raise the cost of our buses in New Zealand. A free trade agreement between our countries would pave the way for us to make the latest technology more affordable for New Zealand operators.

As well as lowering tariffs, a new FTA could create more opportunities for British services including:

• British architects, engineers and construction firms to build New Zealand’s new railways, airports and skyscrapers
• Tech start-ups who are exporting for the first time as New Zealand is a good place to test and develop new technologies, in particular the UK’s successful and growing FinTech market
• There is particularly strong demand for British confectionery, gourmet foods, health and free-from foods and drinks, as well as craft beer and premium gin
• The millions of small and medium sized businesses across the UK to trade more, by reducing regulatory barriers and supporting increased participation in trade.
• Building on our already successful two-way foreign direct investment.

The UK government’s negotiating strategy will draw on one of the largest public consultations in British history. This involved more than 146,000 people and organisations sharing their views about a future UK-New Zealand free trade agreement.

During his visit, the Minister will meet Investment Minister Dr Sahar Nasr, and other senior Egyptian government representatives. Dr Murrison will also meet Pope Tawadros II.

Ahead of his visit, Dr Murrison said:

The UK is a strong partner of Egypt and its economic reform journey. In Cairo I look forward to my discussion with Minister of Investment Dr Sahar Nasr, and making practical progress in our ever-growing economic partnership.

British Ambassador to Egypt Sir Geoffrey Adams said:

The UK is one of Egypt’s leading partners across a number of sectors including trade. Dr Murrison’s visit highlights the UK’s plan to remain to be at the forefront of countries supporting Egypt’s development.

Published 15 September 2019