The Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) sets out the terms for the provision of NHS pharmaceutical services in England, including the funding paid to pharmacy contractors. 

The negotiations will support the delivery of the NHS Long Term Plan’s vision for the future of primary care, in which all providers work together, making the best use of their unique skills for the benefit of patients. 

As set out in the NHS Long Term Plan and GP contract, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) will want to explore with the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) the possible roll-out of a national minor illness service through NHS 111 and the piloting of referrals to community pharmacy from other settings, such as general practice and the online platform NHS.UK. 

In opening the negotiations, DHSC has now shared proposals for the CPCF for 2019 to 2020 and beyond with the PSNC. A series of regular meetings will now take place between DHSC, NHS England and the PSNC to discuss this further.  The negotiations are confidential, meaning the department will not be able to provide further information about the negotiations until they come to a close. 

Interim arrangements from 1 April 2019 were agreed last month. These arrangements have maintained the current funding level of £2.592 billion per year and will continue until they are replaced by the substantive arrangements being negotiated. 

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock said: 

Community pharmacies are at the heart of the NHS and are crucial for our prevention agenda to help more people stay well, a core part of the NHS Long Term Plan.

I am pleased we are beginning discussions with the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee on the future Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework, guided by our new Public Health Minister Seema Kennedy.

As part of the Long Term Plan for the NHS we want to see pharmacies deliver a wider range of more efficient services and give patients more control over their care and personal health. The start of these negotiations signals an important step in delivering that ambition.

PSNC Chief Executive Simon Dukes said:

PSNC is pleased to be able to begin these negotiations, the outcome of which will be absolutely critical for all pharmacy contractors in England.

There are going to be some difficult conversations over the coming months but our negotiating team includes experienced PSNC members from both the independent and multiple sectors, so contractors can be assured that we will be well equipped and absolutely committed to getting the best possible deal for community pharmacy.

Our priority is to seek a sustainable future for community pharmacy to enable us to better utilise the skills and knowledge of pharmacy teams to help people stay well in the community.

Plans to modernise and update agricultural tenancy legislation have been published today (Tuesday 9 April) as part of a public consultation and call for evidence.

The proposals build on the work of the Tenancy Reform Industry Group (TRIG), which has provided advice on the key policy priorities for the tenanted sector as we leave the EU.

The consultations in England and Wales set out proposals to remove existing barriers to productivity improvements and help bring about structural change, improving the overall competitiveness and sustainability of the tenant farming sector.

The options that are being explored include:

• Enabling tenants of Agricultural Holdings Act (AHA) agreements to hand over their lease to new tenant farmers on their retirement, encouraging earlier succession planning.
• Incentivising more landlords to let new Farm Business Tenancies of 10 years or more, giving tenants greater security to invest and grow a sustainable businesses.
• Removing barriers which may currently dis-incentivise landlords and tenants from investing and making improvements to their AHA rented holdings. For example, there is currently the risk that agreed tenant interest payments made on investments can be lost during the rent review process.

As the existing legislation on agricultural tenancy applies to England and Wales, two consultations will run for 12 weeks in both countries.

Farming Minister Robert Goodwill said:

We are seeking views on how we can open up more opportunities for the next wave of tenant farmers, breathe new life into the sector and step up farming productivity.

We are exploring a number of options to reboot the sector, such as encouraging earlier succession planning and having more flexibility in current tenancy agreements.

The policy framework for agricultural tenancies needs to be fit for the future, and I welcome all views on the proposals set out in this consultation.

Views will be sought from farmers in tenancy agreements, agricultural landlords and the organisations which represent these groups, as well as professional advisers and financial organisations in the sector.

The government is also seeking to gather evidence on mortgage restrictions and repossession protections for farmland to better understand any issues that exist in this area.

Julian Sayers, Chairman of the Tenancy Reform Industry Group (TRIG) said:

The cross industry Group has worked closely with Defra to identify further legislative and other measures which will hopefully help to maintain and invigorate the tenanted sector.

We face a period of significant change across the whole farming industry to which both landlords and tenants must be in a position to adapt over the course of the next few years and beyond.

I therefore encourage all those with an interest in land tenure, which has such an important part to play in the future of many of our agricultural business, to respond to the consultation.

The deadline for responses is 2 July 2019.

All queries regarding this consultation can be directed to agriculturaltenancies@defra.gov.uk

During his two-day visit, which included a roundtable with senior editors to discuss media freedom in Bangladesh, the Minister warmly praised Bangladesh on its continued economic growth, including its transition toward a Middle Income Country, with Britain playing a leading role in Bangladesh’s economic development as the second-largest foreign investor, and also supporting the country through the UK aid programme.

He thanked Prime Minister Hasina for her government’s efforts in dealing with the Rohingya crisis and discussed the potential options for dialogue with Burma that would allow the Rohingya to begin returning home.

The Minister cautioned that economic progress could be undermined unless steps are taken to improve democratic governance and accountability in Bangladesh, including the need for rigorous challenge from an effective political opposition and a free press.

As well as hearing from editors during the media roundtable about journalists’ concerns in relation to the Government of Bangladesh’s Digital Security Act, the Minister also visited the office of the Prothom Alo newspaper, whose website is accessed by 1.6 million visitors from over 200 different countries.

Minister for Asia and the Pacific, Mark Field, said:

Bangladesh has been making great strides and I was pleased to discuss with Prime Minister Hasina how our two countries can strengthen our already deep links.

As well as our enduring people-to-people links, we are working together to combat human trafficking and through the Commonwealth on a variety of mutual issues from climate change to trade.

But as a true friend of Bangladesh, we stand ready to address issues around democratic governance and accountability, where we believe the government of Bangladesh must do more for its people to flourish and reach their full potential.

During the visit, the Minister also attended a British Council roundtable event and discussed how UK universities and local providers can increase the pace of co-operation to ensure UK degree programmes can be run in Bangladesh through branch campuses and provide greater choice to students in Bangladesh.

Further information

The competition, run by the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA), the MOD’s innovation hub, will seek robust and cost-effective next-generation solutions to the risks posed by hostile UAS.

The MOD is looking to develop new defensive capabilities which draw upon autonomous decision-making mechanisms and networked sensing systems capable of detecting, tracking, identifying and defeating hostile UAS over complex and varied environments.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said:

As the security threats from hostile drones are evolving at pace, it’s critical that our armed forces benefit from the very latest technology to stay ahead.

This competition will draw on the brightest and best of our defence industry to find innovative solutions that will ensure we are protected in the years to come.

The competition is the latest stage in Defence Science and Technology Lab’s (Dstl) ongoing research programme into Countering UAS which has been running for ten years.

This programme has included the extensive research, testing and evaluation of the counter-UAS technology currently employed by the MOD, including the landmark series of ‘Bristow’ trials with industry in 2013, 2015 and 2018.

Dstl’s Principal Engineer, David Lugton said:

Hostile UAS is a challenging threat in many different ways and requires cutting edge technology and well-thought-out system approaches to counter it effectively. Through this competition we are looking to inspire and develop a range of solutions to mitigate the threat posed by UAS now and in the future.

Among the technologies we’re looking for, we’d be interested in those which can detect and track multiple threats simultaneously, with minimal human oversight, and against a broad spectrum of UAS types.

We’re also interested in Counter-Unmanned Air Systems which can overcome the challenges posed by line of sight blockages, collateral, and ones which can link systems together to improve understanding of the local “drone air picture”.

Today’s call is focused on tackling the challenges of current and future UAS capabilities, in particular:

• Next-generation Counter-UAS technology – new technological solutions to provide robust and cost effective sensing and defeat options.

• Flexible Counter-UAS technology – programmes capable of bringing counter-UAS technologies together and linking with other surveillance systems and cooperative drone awareness systems.

• Countering Future UAS Systems – developing capability to detect and mitigate threats from UAS acting autonomously, in swarms and in highly congested airspace.

Phase 1, which will deliver proof of concept of the proposals, will be worth approximately £800k and is scheduled to take place from July 2019 to March 2020. The total funding for the competition is expected to be at least £2m, split over multiple phases.

The full competition document can be found here.

More than a million fishing licences were sold in 2017/2018 raising £23 million and this funds most of the fisheries work carried out by the Environment Agency.

The Annual Fisheries Report 2017-18 highlights all of the Environment Agency’s work for fisheries and anglers including the effort we have been putting into our enforcement activity.

In 2017-18 we checked the licences of nearly 65,000 anglers, responded to 569 reports of illegal fishing and conducted 2257 successful prosecutions.

In 2017-18 sales of fishing licences also funded:

• Installing 61 fish passes opening up 1,128km of habitat for fish
• Invested in 339 Fisheries and Angling Improvement projects involving 347 partners
• 37,000 fishing lessons for juniors and families to increase participation
• £3.2 million invested in fisheries projects
• More than 350,000 fish for restocking into rivers raised at the National Fish Farm
• The National Fisheries Laboratory assessed fish from 56 stillwaters collected by EA officers at incidents
• Supporting the Riverfly Partnership monitoring macroinveterbrates at 1850 sites
• Work with the Angling Trust Volunteer Bailiff Service to reduce the likelihood of people risking fishing without a licence, providing training and support for more than 400 Voluntary Bailiffs.

Environment Agency Deputy Director for Fisheries Kevin Austin said:

Income from fishing licence sales is used to fund our work to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries.

Fishing rod licence income is vital for so much of the work we do including fisheries enforcement, fish rescues, restocking, improving habitats for fish and facilities for anglers as well as working with partners to encourage people to give fishing a go.

Annual fishing licences are available from only £30. To enjoy fishing and make sure you fish legally just go to gov.uk get a fishing licence