Scientists, regulators, enforcement agencies, industry and policy makers are invited to join us to discuss future challenges in food production and testing at the Government Chemist Conference in 2020. The event will take place at the Royal Society of Chemistry, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London on 24-25 June.

Our last conference took place in June 2018, Food chain resilience in a changing world.

We will be announcing the programme and opening the registration in the autumn, but keep in touch with updates by signing up to email alerts, or following us on @NML_ChemBioGC using #GCconf2020

For more information download the conference leaflet:

With just 7 days to go until the 31 July renewal deadline, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is urging customers to renew their tax credits – or their payments will stop.

Tax credits help working families with targeted financial support and more than 1,301,072 customers have already renewed their tax credits.

But 760,157 still need to renew in the next week and are being reminded they can do it any time, day or night, through HMRC’s online services, including the HMRC App.

Angela MacDonald, HMRC’s Director General of Customer Services, said:

The 31 July deadline is fast approaching and renewing your tax credits is something too important to forget. HMRC support is available at all times of the day and night via GOV.UK and the smartphone app to help customers get their renewals right.

It’s fantastic that so many customers have already renewed their tax credits. I urge those who are yet to renew to do so as soon as possible, in order to avoid having their payments stopped.

Customers can get help and information on renewing tax credits:

Tax credits help working families with targeted financial support. The deadline for people to renew their tax credits is 31 July 2019. Customers will not get a renewal pack until April 2020 if they first claimed tax credits after 6 April 2019.

Failure to renew before the deadline will mean payments are stopped and customers may have to repay the money they have received since April 2019.

Last year, 274,981 customers had their payments stopped or altered because they missed the deadline to inform HMRC of changes to their circumstances.

From this year, we are no longer taking new tax credit claims.

Our new advertising campaign has been launched to help customers remember to renew their tax credits on time.

The campaign’s refreshed creative direction provides an unforgettable reminder to customers to renew their tax credits – something too important to forget.

Watch the new advertising campaign.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has been investigating Bauer Media’s completed takeover of radio businesses it bought from Celador Entertainment Limited (Celador), Lincs FM Group Limited (Lincs), UKRD Group Limited (UKRD) and The Wireless Group Limited (Wireless).

The CMA’s primary concern is how these transactions could affect the future viability of First Radio Sales Limited (FRS). FRS currently sells radio advertising on behalf of over 100 independent local radio stations across the UK, and is the only firm providing these stations with access to national advertisers.

Following its initial, Phase 1, investigation, the CMA has found that FRS may not be able to continue to stay in business after Bauer Media buys up a large number of the stations that currently make up its customer base. Without FRS, independent local radio stations could lose access to revenues from national radio advertising sales, which could, in turn, make it more difficult for them to compete at the local level. As a result, customers for radio advertising could face higher prices and a lower quality service.

The CMA also found competition concerns as a result of Bauer acquiring some of the key rivals to their existing local radio stations in the West of England, West Midlands and Yorkshire regions.

Colin Raftery, Senior Director of Mergers, said:

About 90% of adults listen to the radio every week, and local radio remains an important way for advertisers to reach potential customers.

FRS is particularly important for independent local radio stations because it’s currently the only realistic way for them to reach national advertisers. That’s why we’re concerned that Bauer’s buy ups, which could lead to FRS exiting the market and local stations losing access to national advertisers, could damage competition.

If the merging businesses are unable to address the CMA’s concerns, the deal will be referred for an in-depth Phase 2 investigation, to be carried out by a group of independent CMA panel members.

Further details can be found on the following case pages:

The Rt Hon Lord Reed will succeed Baroness Hale of Richmond as President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, alongside three additional appointments as Justices.

The Queen has been pleased to confer a peerage of the United Kingdom for Life on Lord Reed upon his appointment as the President of the Supreme Court in recognition of the contribution that he has made to law and justice reform.

Lord Reed will take up the position of President on 11 January 2020. Lord Justice Hamblen, Lord Justice Leggatt and Professor Andrew Burrows will join the Supreme Court as justices on 13 January, 21 April and 2 June 2020 respectively.

Her Majesty The Queen made the appointments on the advice of the Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor, following the recommendations of independent selection commissions.

Lord Reed will replace Lady Hale who retires on 10 January 2020 after serving as President of the Supreme Court since September 2017.