100 employers are being recognised today by Defence Secretary Ben Wallace for their outstanding support for the armed forces community by being awarded an Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award.

They will be presented with their awards on 12 November 2019 at the National Army Museum in London.

The Ministry of Defence’s Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Awards represent the highest badge of honour available to those that employ and support those who serve, veterans, and their families. The scheme continues to grow year on year with awardees doubling in the last 12 months, taking the total to 228.

Employers have won awards for initiatives such as employing veterans, supporting individuals transitioning out of the armed forces into a new career and providing flexibility for reservists. Included are 23 local authorities, 13 NHS hospitals and trusts and 29 SMEs.

The 100 winners have been recognised for their long-term commitment to the armed forces, with companies from the public and private sector achieving the top grade. Each has signed the Armed Forces Covenant, and where possible, engages with the MOD’s Career Transition Partnership (CTP) to promote the recruitment of service leavers, as well as honouring individual pledges of support.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

These awards recognise the outstanding support for our armed forces from employers across Britain and I would like to thank and congratulate each and every one.

Regardless of size, location or sector, employing ex-forces personnel is good for business and this year we have doubled the number of awards in recognition of the fantastic support they give.

Minister for Defence People and Veterans Johnny Mercer said:

Veterans make a huge contribution to businesses across the country and it’s fantastic to see a record breaking number of organisations recognised for their support.

We’re working closely with businesses to help them further understand the huge value that veterans, reservists and military spouses can bring to their organisation.

Amazon UK has a dedicated Military Talent Acquisition team as well as hosting Military Insight Days. Doug Gurr, their UK Country Manager said:

We are delighted to have been awarded Gold in the UK Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, which is recognition of the huge contribution hundreds of UK ex-Service personnel make every day here at Amazon.

The transferable skills of veterans and reservists are a great fit for a company made up of builders, innovators and inventors. So as we continue to invent on behalf of our customers, we hope to see more come build the future with us.

Georgina Yellowlees, Director Talent Acquisition Amazon EMEA comments:

Amazon UK are exceptionally proud to receive the ERS Gold Award in recognition of our support to the armed forces. Veterans, reservists and military spouses form an extremely important part of our ever-growing workforce.

Their leadership and management skills, honed during military service, are second to none, driving our ability to keep our customer promise every day.

IED Training Solutions Ltd was set up in 2015 by two former Royal Marines and has a strong reputation in the field of risk and trauma management, drawing heavily on the team’s military training and expertise. Ian Clark the Managing Director said:

We feel honoured and incredibly proud to receive this recognition for our work and continued commitment to the Armed Forces community and supporting this community is a primary focus for IED.

The company is wholly owned and operated by former full career Royal Marines and ‘the Commando Distinction’ characteristics – versatility, value, excellence – very much underpin our business strategy.

As a national business which provides training and consultancy, we’re well placed to advocate the benefits of Reservists and service leavers. We believe the leadership and technical skills that military personnel develop during their service, prepare them well for career transition.

The 2019 Employer Recognition Scheme Gold award winners are:

• Aberdeenshire Council
• Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Alford Technologies Ltd
• Amazon UK
• Amazon Web Services
• AmmarM UK Limited
• Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
• Anglian Water
• Arcanum Information Security Ltd
• Ascot Care
• Auctus Management Group Ltd
• Biscoes Solicitors
• Bovis Homes
• Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust
• Brunel University
• Caerphilly County Borough Council
• CAIS
• Carbon60
• Caterpillar Peterlee
• CDS Defence Support
• CGI UK
• Charnwood Borough Council
• City Building
• City of Edinburgh Council
• City of York Council
• Colchester Borough Council
• College of West Anglia
• Conwy County Borough Council
• County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service
• CPPC Logistic Group of Companies Ltd
• Derbyshire Community Health Service NHS Foundation Trust
• Digital Telecoms Network Academy Ltd
• East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust
• Edinburgh Napier University
• Finchale Group
• Flintshire County Council
• Focus7 International Ltd
• Foreland Shipping Limited
• G&A Security NE Ltd
• GE (UK & Ireland)
• Harrison Clark Rickerbys Solicitors
• Hartlepool Borough Council
• Hertfordshire County Council
• High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd
• HMP Whitemoor
• IED Training Solutions Limited
• Inzpire Ltd
• Jacobs UK Ltd
• KBR UK Ltd
• Knockhill Racing Circuit
• Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust
• Leidos Europe Ltd
• London Borough of Lewisham
• London Electronics Ltd
• Midlothian Council
• Morrison Utility Services
• Motivational Preparation College For Training (MPCT)
• Newport City Council
• North Tyneside Council
• North Warwickshire Borough Council
• Northumbria NHS Foundation Trust
• Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council
• OppO Recruitment Limited
• Police Scotland
• The Poppy Factory
• Qioptiq Ltd
• Rangers Football Club & Rangers Charity Foundation
• Rolls-Royce plc
• Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust
• Royal Mail Group Limited
• Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital
• Rushcliffe Borough Council
• Santander UK
• Schroders
• SecureCloud+ Limited
• South Tyneside Homes
• Sporting Force
• St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
• St Helens Council
• Stirling Council
• Sunderland City Council
• Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group
• Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council
• Thales UK Ltd
• Tom Harrison House
• Trafford Council
• Travis Perkins
• TSG Marine
• University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust
• University of Central Lancashire
• Veolia UK
• Virgin Money
• Vodafone
• Wagtail UK Limited
• Warwickshire Police
• West Dunbartonshire Council
• West Mercia Police
• West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust
• Wood Plc
• Yodel

Thursley National Nature Reserve’s unique wetland habitat has today been officially recognised as a ‘Dragonfly Hotspot’ by the British Dragonfly Society (BDS).

Dragonfly Hotspots are sites carefully chosen by the BDS as ideal places for dragonfly and damselfly species to live and thrive. They provide easy access for everyone to visit, and offer opportunities for the local community to learn and engage with the natural environment.

Thursley National Nature Reserve is a RAMSAR site of international importance for wetland wildlife, and has long been known as a haven for these beautiful insects, with 26 species of dragonfly and damselflies recorded on site.

The celebration, involving local partners, stakeholders, decision makers and Thursley’s volunteers, was led by Natural England’s Deputy Chairman Lord Blencathra.

Natural England’s Deputy Chairman Lord Blencathra said:

It’s fantastic to receive this badge of honour from the British Dragonfly Society. Recognition as a Dragonfly Hotspot will make Thursley an open secret, helping to put it on the map for the rich and varied wildlife that call it home, while opening up opportunities for people to engage and learn from it.

I would like to thank Natural England’s Reserve Manager James Giles and Thursley’s incredible volunteers for their work in creating the amazing boardwalk and Dragonfly Nature Trail which makes the wetland wildlife on this site accessible to all. I would encourage anyone with a love of nature to join them in supporting the wildlife on site and inspiring others to make a difference.

The 325-hectare reserve contains one of the largest remaining fragments of lowland heathland in Surrey, as well as peat bogs, ponds, pine and deciduous trees. These habitats are home to extensive wildlife, much of which is rare and confined to the heathland habitat and acid mire, including curlew, marsh clubmoss and the brilliant emerald dragonfly.

This unique wetland, less than an hour from London, can be accessed by a boardwalk, built with the help of Thursley’s volunteers. The 1.3km easy access Dragonfly Nature Trail allows visitors to take in the landscape through vibrant interpretation and viewing areas including 3D etched panels for the visually impaired.

The centrepiece of the walk is a striking dragonfly sculpture designed by local sculptors Lucy Quinnell and Adam Boydell on a former pylon which used to dominate the landscape.

The opening ceremony involved the unveiling of an information board created by the BDS and donated by the John Spedan Lewis Foundation, which will be installed at Pine Island in Thursley later this month. It was followed by a guided walk along the all-access Dragonfly Nature Trail.

Fiona McKenna, BDS Conservation Outreach Officer, said:

We are so excited to be designating Thursley as a Dragonfly Hotspot. It really is a haven for these insects thanks to the careful management by James and his team of volunteers.

It’s a beautiful site and the staff and volunteers here are really keen to conserve their local dragonfly species. Together we hope to inspire even more people to get to know and love these fantastic insects and to get involved in monitoring them and creating places for them to live.

The British Dragonfly Society and Natural England will collaborate to run courses and walks at the new Hotspot each summer. During the winter months BDS will support volunteer work parties in managing the site to keep its dragonfly habitats in good condition.

New nuclear power and new technologies to cut emissions across the economy could be rolled out under a new financing model and government investment to decarbonise the UK’s energy sector.

The government today (23 July 2019) set out proposals to explore the use of the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) approach to attract significant private investment for future nuclear power in the UK.

Regulated Asset Base approach

Already used in major infrastructure projects like the Thames Tideway Tunnel, the alternative model could reduce the cost of financing infrastructure and risk for developers while limiting the impact on consumers’ bills in the long-term.

Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark said:

Reaching net zero emissions will require action across all areas of society – from innovators, government, regulators and civil society. We will all need to act together to ensure we cut emissions and build a vibrant and innovative economy that can continue to capture the economic benefits of clean growth.

A critically important step in reaching net zero emissions will be transforming the energy system so the economy can be powered by affordable, secure and clean energy. We will need to change not just the way we use energy in our homes and businesses, but also how it is produced and delivered. We need to do this in a way that keeps the cost of energy as low as possible and ensures our energy security is never compromised.

Through our modern Industrial Strategy we are building on our international leadership in clean growth to invest and develop the technologies and funding models we will need to reach net zero emissions. This new funding model has the potential to help UK industry seize the global challenge of the low carbon transition by building the infrastructure we need, while offering value for money for consumers and taxpayers.

The RAB approach could also be used to reduce the costs of the transport and storage of carbon dioxide. A funding model similar to the Contracts for Difference scheme, which provides developers with a set price for low-carbon electricity will be explored alongside other options to deliver investment in Carbon Capture Usage and Storage (CCUS) power projects while cutting emissions. The government’s ambition is to roll out the technology at scale by the 2030s, subject to costs coming down, as part of its world-leading commitment to become a net zero emissions economy by 2050.

Other announcements

Other announcements today include:

Funding for small and advanced modular reactors

In a further boost to the nuclear sector, we are proposing to invest up to £18 million of government money in the creation of innovative mini nuclear power stations which are smaller and less expensive to build than traditional nuclear plants. A consortium led by Rolls-Royce has proposed a significant joint investment of more than £500 million focused on designing a first-of-a-kind small modular reactor (SMR). The consortium expects to more than match any government funding both by direct investment and by raising funds from third party organisations.

A working model is expected to be up and running in the early 2030s, creating 40,000 jobs at its peak, with each power station producing enough clean energy to power 750,000 homes.

Additionally, we are providing up to £40 million through the Advanced Modular Reactor (AMR) programme and are currently considering project bids. Up to £5 million will also be provided to the Office for Nuclear Regulation and the Environment Agency to build readiness for SMRs and AMRs, subject to outcome of the AMR R&D competition.

Support for heavy industry to decarbonise

The government has committed £170 million towards deploying technologies like carbon capture and hydrogen networks in industrial clusters to support our mission to establish the world’s first net zero industrial cluster by 2040.

Additionally, industry will consider investing up to £261 million into new technologies to reduce emissions from heartlands of heavy industry such as steel, chemical and refineries in the North East, North West, South Wales and Scotland.

Reusing oil and gas infrastructure for carbon capture

Plans have also been announced to make it easier to recycle oil and gas infrastructure for use in CCUS projects, including using some of the 20,000 km of pipelines and depleted oil and gas reservoirs to transport and store carbon dioxide. This could drive down costs of construction by over £100 million in some cases.

Reusing existing oil and gas infrastructure for CCUS will help to tackle emissions from industry and support people working in the oil and gas industry to move into the green economy, as the UK transitions away from fossil fuels.

Today’s consultations follow sustained support for carbon capture technologies from the government, which includes recently investing £26 million into 9 schemes. One of these, in Cheshire, will soon become the UK’s largest carbon capture project, with the captured carbon dioxide potentially being used to make a range of products, from eye drops to instant noodles.

Phasing out coal

Great Britain has already gone more than 2,500 hours without using coal for power this year – around 4 times more than the whole of 2017.

We will continue to phase out coal and will no longer be used to keep Great Britain’s lights on during the height of winter, under new proposals. Limits to the carbon emissions that electricity generators can produce when operating within the capacity market could be introduced to support the government’s ambition to phase coal out of the energy system entirely by 2025.

Notes to editors

1. Today the government published a package of proposed measures to support the decarbonisation of the UK’s energy system. These include a:

2. Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Advanced Modular Reactors (AMRs) are part of the advanced nuclear technology sector which covers a range of new innovations under development. Modular Reactors are smaller than conventional nuclear power station reactors and are designed so that much of the plant can be built in a factory and transported to site for construction. They usually fall into 2 categories – either smaller water-cooled reactors which are evolutions of existing nuclear power station reactors (known as SMRs), or Advanced Modular Reactors (AMRs) which use new cooling systems or fuels and potentially offer new uses for nuclear energy.

3. A UK consortium led by Rolls-Royce has proposed an industry and government match-funded challenge worth c £500 million to support the design of a standardised small modular nuclear power station. The government can today confirm that the Consortium’s proposal has been accepted into Wave 3 of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund. The government is looking to make an initial award of up to £18 million to the Rolls-Royce-led consortium in early Autumn 2019. This is subject to a final decision to invest, including with business case and other approvals, and this consortium representing the best option for pursuing this technology. Further questions on the approach to this challenge are welcomed until 16 August. If you would like more details please contact LCNEOI@innovateuk.ukri.org – further information will also be made available on the UKRI website.

4. Phase 2 of the Advanced Modular Reactor programme will award up to 4 R&D grants of up to £10 million subject to a positive evaluation of the proposed studies studies.

5. Up to £5 million will also be provided to the Office for Nuclear Regulation and the Environment Agency to modernise the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) and continue building readiness to take future licensing decisions on SMRs and AMRs subject to outcome of the AMR R&D competition.

6. Since it was formed in 2016, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has already taken significant action to reduce emissions from the energy sector, including:

• becoming the first major economy in the world to legislate for net zero emissions by 2050 to end the UK’s contribution to climate change entirely
• committing to phase out coal entirely by 2025 from our energy system, with just 3% of electricity coming from coal in the first 5 months of the year
• launching the Powering Past Coal Alliance with Canada, encouraging more than 80 members to pledge to phase out coal
• launching the Clean Growth Strategy to ensure the UK can seize the benefits of moving to a greener, cleaner economy with the potential of 2 million jobs and £170 billion of annual exports by 2030
• announcing up to £557 million support for renewable electricity projects like offshore wind through the Contracts for Difference scheme
• striking a deal with the sector through our Industrial Strategy to provide a third of our electricity from offshore wind by 2030
• committing to rolling out carbon capture technology at scale in the 2030s, subject to costs coming down, and investing up to £170 million to create the world’s first net zero industrial cluster by 2040
• supporting the continued installation of solar panels – now totalling 850,000 – providing up to a quarter of the UK’s electricity supply and introduced a new subsidy-free scheme to encourage further take-up
• bidding to host crucial global climate talks COP26 in the UK next year in partnership with Italy to encourage other countries to raise the ambition of their climate targets

Join the British Hallmarking Council for a chance to influence the future of an ancient and fascinating industry that employs 60,000 people across the UK and faces new challenges as Brexit progresses.

The British Hallmarking Council has vacancies for 2 new Council members.

The details of the vacancy, person specification and how to apply are on the public appointments website.

UK, US and Norway statement on new Prime Minister in Sudan:

The Troika countries (United Kingdom, United States and Norway) congratulate Dr. Abdalla Hamdok on his appointment as prime minister by the Sovereign Council and welcome the extensive professional experience he brings to the role.

We welcome this step in creating a civilian-led government. As Prime Minister Hamdok begins the process of selecting ministers and identifying the government’s priorities, we look forward to working with Sudan’s new institutions.

At this historic moment, Sudan has a unique opportunity to establish peace within its borders, draft a constitution that enshrines human rights protections and empowers all Sudanese, including women and youth, and create the infrastructure for free and fair elections.

We encourage all sides to engage in good faith to deliver these goals, in particular urging the armed movements to engage constructively with the new Government to achieve peace.

We will continue to support Sudan’s civilian-led transitional government as it conducts an investigation of the violence perpetrated against peaceful demonstrators and holds those responsible to account.

The appointment of a civilian-led government presents an opportunity to rebuild a stable economy and create a government that respects human rights and personal freedoms. Prime Minister Hamdok will have the Troika’s support in achieving these objectives.