Published 21 December 2018
Last updated 10 July 2020 + show all updates

The first concrete pour has taken place on a new waste store at Dounreay that will be needed for the closure of the site.

Dounreay awarded the contract to construct the new intermediate level waste store to GRAHAM Construction Ltd. It is due to be finished by the end of 2021.

A 250 tonne mobile crane, which can be seen on the skyline, is assisting with the pouring of an estimated 1,200 tonnes of concrete, needed to construct the heavy duty floor slab.

Dounreay Project Manager Dave Busby said:

It’s great to see the progress of the floor slab, which is now 25% complete slightly ahead of schedule.

The store will hold drums of waste in safe long term storage in accordance with Scottish Government policy.

Dounreay new waste store construction

The Prime Minister spoke to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, today.

President Zelenskyy thanked the Prime Minister for his unwavering and unflinching support for the people and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

The Prime Minister reiterated that he would not yield on the issue of Ukrainian sovereignty, and gave his full support to President Zelenskyy in his efforts to end the conflict in the Donbas.

The Prime Minister underlined his message in Berlin yesterday: Russia’s readmission to the G7 and to the wider international community should not be considered until they have stopped their destabilising behaviour. He pointed to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and last year’s chemical attack on the streets of Salisbury as clear examples.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace met with his Iraqi counterpart, His Excellency Najah al-Shammari, signing a Memorandum of Understanding.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

The work our personnel are doing in Iraq to help them combat the scourge of terrorism is absolutely vital. Not only are we making a valued international partner more self-sufficient for the future, but we are also keeping our own streets safer by suppressing the spread of Daesh’s evil ideology.

However, we are under no illusions and fully recognise that the threat from Daesh and al-Qaeda is still very real. This document is a signal of our commitment to continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Iraq until that danger has been diminished, and also to form a longer-term defence relationship.

The UK currently has around 500 British personnel in Iraq, training and developing the skills and knowledge of local forces, as they deal with the ongoing insurgent threat from Daesh and other terrorist groups.

The deal signed today focuses on military education, while also confirming that the UK will work alongside Iraqi Security Forces to develop their intelligence structures and provide wider training and development.

In addition to targeting Daesh with airstrikes over Iraq and Syria, the UK has currently trained more than 103,000 Iraqi forces in infantry and weapons maintenance, counter IED, medical and engineering skills. This has already saved countless lives and is contributing to recent successful operations.

Work to fix a damaged section of a culvert which carries the Hogshaw Brook in Buxton is expected to start on Tuesday 27 August 2019.

The Environment Agency and Derbyshire County Council have been working in partnership to identify a solution to repair the damage to the culvert, which was discovered after recent heavy rain and flooding in the area.

The culvert runs beneath properties in the Lightwood Road area and is owned by a number of different private landowners.

But, as funding to resolve the problem through the usual channels could take some time to arrange, the Environment Agency and Derbyshire County Council have agreed to carry out the repairs and jointly cover the costs in the interests of public safety. This will ensure the repairs can be completed as quickly as possible.

A spokesperson from the Environment Agency said:

We have been working closely with Derbyshire County Council to find a suitable repair for the damaged area of the culvert and have agreed the funding to enable it to go ahead quickly. We are confident that the works will restore the culvert to a safe condition.

Councillor Simon Spencer, Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Transport and Infrastructure, said:

We understand this has been distressing for residents so we’re pleased we’ve been able to work closely with the Environment Agency to appoint a contractor to repair the culvert at the earliest opportunity.

Derbyshire County Council is now progressing plans for the repair with their contractors and the Environment Agency will continue to provide assistance as needed.

Following completion of the repair, the Environment Agency will continue to work in partnership with Derbyshire County Council to identify potential sources of funding for a wider study of the area to look at how flood risk can be further reduced for the future.