For over two decades the EA has carefully mapped the flow of water in rivers across England and Wales to help protect communities from flooding and to improve habitats for wildlife through their Detailed River Network.

This new collaboration combines the data from the Detailed River Network with SEPA’s data on Scotland’s watercourses to produce one comprehensive view of all watercourses across Great Britain.

This project led to the creation of OS MasterMap Water Network and, following its initial launch in 2015, became a full product in April 2019.

This new dataset is a crucial element in understanding our natural environment. As the only detailed, heighted water network of Great Britain, OS MasterMap Water Network is continually updated and improved, showing the flow and precise course of rivers, streams, lakes and canals, at a national and local level.

OS MasterMap Water Network will support analysis used for planning and policy initiatives. This would include managing and reporting of water quality, water resources, fisheries status, mapping navigations, predictive modelling, risk assessment, regulation, incident response and a host of other river-related initiatives, from permitting applications to catchment delineation.

Since its initial launch in 2015, OS, EA and SEPA have continued to work together to improve the product. As a result, we have made 850,000 improvements to the data which focused on watercourse connectivity, flow direction, contiguous naming and identified primary flow path.

Joint working has identified and delivered improvements to successive versions of the dataset through testing. OS and EA are delighted to confirm that EA will start to migrate from their existing Detailed River Network to the OS MasterMap Water Network and will be progressively implementing this across all systems and projects where a network of watercourses is required.

The principal benefits of using the OS MasterMap Water Network are

• Continuous maintained data across geographic boundaries to allow seamless data exchange
• Common references for sharing data with other organisations using the product
• Up-to-date data
• Greater extent e.g. more watercourses mapped in fenland areas
• Better correspondence with OS base data
• Greatly reduced data management overheads for users

Martin Whitworth, Deputy Director for Data and Systems at the Environment Agency, said:

This exciting new collaboration between the Environment Agency and Ordnance Survey is an important step forwards in how we collect and use information about our rivers.

It will give us greater insight into river flows right across Great Britain, helping us to better protect communities in England from flooding whilst also bringing a host of benefits in terms of planning, construction and helping to inform important environmental conservation work.

With the release of OS MasterMap Water Network, EA will no longer need to maintain their Detailed River Network as this data will now be supplied and maintained by Ordnance Survey.

As a result, the Detailed River Network will be withdrawn from the market and this new product will replace it. OS MasterMap Water Network is available to all public sector organisations for free at the point of use and is available through commercial terms for all other organisations.

As part of the collaboration to deliver the OS MasterMap Water Network, OS has worked closely with SEPA and Scottish Government to deliver additional detailed information on the location of culverts managed by Local Authorities.

The culvert information provides the underground connections between watercourses which are vital to understand as part of the “Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009”. We completed the inclusion of the identified Scottish Local Authority culverts at the end of 2017 and are starting to work with SEPA and Scottish Government on how this information will be maintained going forward.

Dr David Pirie, SEPA Executive Director, said:

Every day SEPA works to protect and enhance Scotland’s environment, including helping Scotland prepare more powerfully for future increased flooding in the face of clear science on climate change.

This new more detailed map of Scotland’s rivers will enhance SEPA’s reporting of environmental data and provide better information on the risk of flooding.

OS will continue to work together with EA and SEPA to ensure the product meets their needs as well as the needs of other customers. For further information go to OS MasterMap Water Network

It is a pleasure to be here to launch this important piece of work.

When you look at what makes a world leading digital economy then cyber security is a crucial component of this.

And as data driven technologies become more and more widely adopted, cyber security is an issue that should concern policymakers all across the world.

Because the consequences of a major breach could be catastrophic.

Not just to our physical infrastructure, but also to the confidence that is needed to encourage the adoption of exciting new technologies.

Simple measures can form the best protection against cyber attacks.

Which means that the solutions are in our grasp.

And that the Government can have a key role to play here too.

The Internet of Things represents a new chapter of how technology becomes more common in our homes, making people’s lives easier and more enjoyable.

Forecasts vary, but some suggest that by next year, there will be an estimated twenty billion internet connected devices worldwide.

In the UK alone, it is estimated that ownership of smart devices could rise to 15 devices per household within the next twelve months.

The cyber security of these products is now as important as the physical security of our homes. Secure by design Organisations need to be taking care of their customers.

And the most effective way to do this is to make sure the products that they produce are secure by design.

Because security should no longer be an afterthought but should be embedded within everything. Last year we published the Code of Practice for Consumer IoT Security to support all parties involved in the development, manufacturing and retail of consumer IoT products.

Companies such as HP, Centrica Hive, Panasonic and Green Energy Options have all pledged their public support for the Code and we encourage other manufacturers and retailers to follow suit.

But many of the internet-connected devices currently on the market still lack even the most basic cyber security provisions.

This is unacceptable. The Government has a duty of care to its citizens, to help make sure they can access and use the internet safely.

Whilst Government have previously encouraged industry to adopt a voluntary approach, it is now clear that decisive action is needed to ensure that strong cyber security is built into these products by design.

So today we are launching our consultation on regulatory next steps for consumer IoT, which builds on the extensive work that we have done to date with industry.

The proposals within this consultation focus on ensuring that baseline cyber security is being built into these products by design.

This is why the basis of the proposals centres around the following top three guidelines of the Code of Practice.

First forbidding the use of universal default passwords in consumer IoT products,

Second, manufacturers must ensure that there is a contact point for security researchers to report vulnerabilities

And finally, consumers must be informed of the minimum length of time for which security updates are provided for their devices.

We are advocating a staged approach to regulation which will increase the baseline level of security within products whilst also providing manufacturers with sufficient time to implement the proposals.

But mandating security requirements based on the code’s top three guidelines is just the first step in the legislative journey.

As part of our commitment to review the code every two years, we will examine whether further guidelines will need to be mandated at a later date.

We know that consumers already care a great deal about security when buying an internet connected products, but there is still much more to be done to provide consumers with easy access to important information so that they can make more informed decisions when purchasing these products.

This is why we are also consulting on a voluntary labelling scheme to help consumers do just this.

The label will highlight compliance with the above mentioned aspects of the top three guidelines of the Code of Practice and will help consumers differentiate between products that have basic security provisions and those that do not.

Ultimately, the security of the Internet of Things is a global challenge, and so requires a global effort to get it right.

Our proposals are consistent with the Code of Practice and recently published industry standards on consumer IoT security.

We are working with stakeholders in Europe and internationally to drive forward a harmonised approach to securing consumer smart devices across international supply chains.

We hope the publication of this consultation will be the start of a longer conversation about how best to approach the regulation of consumer IoT products.

We want to hear your views, along with views from those outside this room.

My officials will be holding roundtables to gather stakeholders’ views and outlined in the report are a variety of mechanisms for providing feedback.

Please take advantage of them before the 5th June deadline.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank PETRAS, NCSC, industry and the various IoT security professionals involved, including David Rogers, for supporting the Government with developing these proposals.

We look forward to continuing to work with you all to achieve this secure by design vision over the coming months

Before I go, the message I want to leave you all with is this; we don’t have to choose between innovation and security.

The two are not mutually exclusive. In fact, good security gives the stability and the certainty that businesses need to thrive.

Well thought-out and flexible regulation in this space is so critical to the health of our economic success.

Ministers confirmed that a price of £253 million ex VAT has been agreed with Kier for the design and construction of the new prison at Wellingborough, in Northamptonshire. Work on the 1,680-place category C resettlement prison is scheduled to begin next month and to be completed by autumn 2021.

The new prison will be located at the same site as the former HMP Wellingborough, which closed in 2012.

The new prison is part of the Government’s Prison Estate Transformation Programme, which is reforming and modernising the prison estate to ensure conditions are suitable for rehabilitation of offenders while reducing crowding across the estate.

Along with Wellingborough, the programme will deliver a new prison at the former HMP & YOI Glen Parva in Leicestershire and a new house block at HMP Stocken, in Rutland.

Prisons Minister Rory Stewart said:

I am committed to the building of up to 10,000 modern and decent prison places to replace old, expensive and unsuitable accommodation, and the start of work at Wellingborough is an important step forward.

Providing offenders with decent conditions and regimes is absolutely key to turning their lives around and ultimately keeping the public safe.

Mark Pengelly, executive director of Kier Major Projects, commented:

We’re very proud to have been appointed to deliver the new resettlement prison at Wellingborough and look forward to working closely with MOJ and using our experience in new-build prison programmes to deliver first-class rehabilitation facilities.

We are dedicated to investing in the communities in which we work and our commitment to apprenticeships and job opportunities will not only help address the skills shortage that our industry faces but also provide a lasting legacy for the people of Wellingborough.

• £153 million for three major new UK aid programmes to help millions of farmers across Africa and South Asia affected by climate change and boost climate resilience in Ethiopia
• Foreign Secretary backs UK bid to host COP26 in 2020

Speaking in Nigeria on a five-day visit to Africa this week, the Foreign Secretary highlighted the vital role the UK is playing in tackling climate change, the most critical challenge facing future generations and which is ever more difficult to tackle in countries such as Nigeria, that face the additional threat of violent instability in parts of the country.

Over the next century increasing temperatures and extreme weather across Africa will continue to have a profound impact on the lives and livelihoods of communities. That is why since 1990, the UK has reduced emissions and grown the economy at the fastest rate in the G7. It is important we continue international cooperation to tackle the causes of climate change, and prevent further potentially devastating consequences for regional stability, developmental progress and future prosperity.

This is already being seen in the ‘middle belt’ region of Nigeria, where the impacts of climate change are affecting grazing lands, and as such have become a driver of the violence between farmers and herders in the region.

At a roundtable meeting in Abuja today, the Foreign Secretary heard about the very real impact of climate change on people and communities across Nigeria, including the role it plays fuelling violent conflict in some parts of the country.

In the Lake Chad Basin, desertification and land degradation caused by climate change have contributed to extreme poverty, one of the drivers of terrorism and the decade-long conflict that has left 10 million people without enough to eat every day and forced over 2.4 million people to abandon their homes.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said:

We know that if we don’t work together to tackle climate change it will have a catastrophic impact on hundreds of millions of people across Nigeria, the Sahel and more widely across Africa, and indeed the world, hitting the poorest and most vulnerable the hardest. 9.6 million people living in Nigeria and the Sahel can’t reliably get food – and nearly 40% of people across the Sahel live on less than a $2 a day.

Countries across the Sahel are among the most exposed to the consequences of climate change. We need to prevent the escalation of conflict and instability by tackling the root causes. Africa cannot be left to manage this crisis alone. That’s why the UK will lead efforts on climate resilience in the poorest and most vulnerable countries at this year’s UN Climate Summit, and has bid to host the vital COP26 in 2020.

To help combat this threat, the Foreign Secretary has announced three major new UK aid programmes, totalling nearly £153 million, which will help millions of farmers across Africa and South Asia adapt to the effects of climate change and boost climate resilience in Ethiopia.

Through the new Enhancing Digital and Innovation for Agri-food Systems and Livelihoods (eDIAL) programme, the UK will work in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and GSMA (the global network of mobile providers) plus other agribusinesses to develop digital solutions to improve returns for business and generate new evidence on how digital solutions can improve farmers’ productivity and resilience to climate shocks.

The Strengthening Impact Investing Markets in Agriculture (SIIMA) programme will launch a new partnership with the Shell Foundation and Acumen to mobilise £125 million additional investment and encourage future investment, including from UK investors, in innovative agri-tech businesses. This will enable the scaling up of climate-smart technologies – such as pay-as-you-go solar powered irrigation systems – across Africa which will equip farmers with the tools they need to adapt to the effects of climate change. The UK government has pledged £57.5 million for both the eDIAL and SIIMA programmes.

Finally, the UK will provide up to £95 million over five years (2019 – 2024), to support sustainable access to climate resilient clean water, improved sanitation services and good hygiene practices in Ethiopia. This programme will prioritise the drought-affected areas of the country, helping 1.2 million people by improving public health, education and nutrition.

The UK is spending at least £5.8 billion on climate finance in 2016-20 to help developing countries become more resilient to the impacts of climate change and support low carbon growth. Our co-leadership role on resilience and adaptation at the UN Climate Action Summit in September and recent bid to host COP26 next year demonstrate the UK’s deep commitment to tackling climate change.

Notes to editors

• Current UK-funded climate change projects in Nigeria include the UK-Nigeria Climate Finance Accelerator. This initiative draws on UK expertise in the City of London, by bringing together low-carbon project developers with prospective investors to help meet emission reduction targets.
• The UK is also helping to develop green bonds in Nigeria and has supported investment in large-scale solar generation through the multilateral Clean Technology Fund.

Further information

The government welcomes today’s (1 May 2019) judgements from the High Court in the judicial review of the Airports National Policy Statement. Of 26 grounds, all were dismissed with 21 of the 26 not even held to be arguable. The positive outcome confirms my belief that government undertook a robust process in coming to its decision to support a new north-west runway at Heathrow Airport by 2030. This was one of the largest public law challenges of all time and I am pleased that the hard work of the independent Airports Commission and the department has been shown in good light. In designating the Airports National Policy Statement, this government demonstrated its willingness to take difficult decisions, resolving an issue with which successive administrations had grappled for decades.

Heathrow expansion is more important than ever as we plan to exit the EU. Connectivity to our only aviation hub airport is vital to productivity, and expansion is critical if global Britain is to attract inward investment and increase trade with new and fast growing overseas markets. It would better connect the UK to the rest of world with an extra 16 million long-haul seats available by 2040. Heathrow expansion is a decision that benefits communities up and down the country – as well as the tens of thousands of local jobs it would create, expansion is expected to increase the number of domestic routes from our hub airport to 14; we have already seen the arrival of direct flights to Newquay, allowing easy access to the UK’s only hub airport from the south-west. In addition to new international and domestic routes, we would expect there to be increased competition on existing routes, giving greater choice to passengers. Heathrow Airport Limited has also made good progress on its logistics hub proposals – these aim to leave a lasting skills legacy across the UK. Today’s decisions by the court are another step towards realising these benefits.

This government recognises that airport expansion cannot be at any cost. Expansion at Heathrow would only take place in compliance with air quality legal limits. For those communities impacted by the scheme, a world class package of mitigations would be provided and, despite the third runway, a future Heathrow would be quieter than it was in 2013 as new, quieter, planes come online and robust noise mitigations are rolled out. To get people to and from the expanded airport, Heathrow must ensure more people travel by public transport – supported by the expected development of western and southern rail links.

I want to address climate change where the UK continues to lead internationally. While international aviation emissions currently represent less than 2% of total global emissions, we recognise the challenge that decarbonisation of aviation represents. International aviation emissions are currently excluded from UK carbon budgets – this is consistent with the Paris Agreement, which looks to the International Civil Aviation Organisation to provide leadership. The UK supports this approach and is continuing to lead negotiations on this issue. In coming to our decision to support expansion at Heathrow, the Airports Commission and the department concluded that expansion is possible within the UK’s current climate change obligations and the Committee on Climate Change’s recommended limit for aviation emissions. We are clear that expansion would only take place if it would not materially impact the ability of government to meet its carbon reduction targets now and in the future.

The government is currently consulting on its aviation strategy green paper, which creates a plan for sustainable growth that benefits the whole of the UK to 2050 and beyond. In developing the strategy, we will carefully consider the Committee on Climate Change’s forthcoming advice on the implications of the Paris Agreement for the UK’s long-term emissions reduction targets.

Scarce taxpayers’ resources – on all sides – would be better spent elsewhere. If the court grants permission for any appeals, we will seek to have them dealt with as quickly as possible. However, I urge all parties, particularly local authorities and community groups affected by the proposals, to move forward and engage closely with the planning process. As part of this, Heathrow Airport Limited has said it will undertake a consultation on its scheme masterplan in June. This will provide an opportunity for interested parties to give their views on the emerging scheme design. Heathrow would then apply for development consent which would be considered by the Planning Inspectorate, before a recommendation is made to government.

Outside of the planning process, the Civil Aviation Authority will continue to work with industry and Heathrow to ensure expansion can be delivered in a timely, financeable and affordable manner that is in the best interests of the consumer.

This government has taken the right decision, endorsed by a large majority of MPs, which had been ducked by other governments for decades. The expansion of Heathrow is vital to our international connectivity and shows confidence in the future prosperity of global Britain. The court’s decision confirms that the right process was followed throughout. We could not be more pleased with the outcome which will benefit people and businesses the length and breadth of the UK for decades to come.