Wiffen pleaded guilty at Hastings Magistrates’ Court. The 29-year-old was fined £40 and imposed a £34 victim surcharge and £65 in costs.

The penalties totalled £139 – more than 4 times the cost of a £30, 12-month, 2-rod trout and coarse fishing licence, and 3 times that of a £45 3-rod equivalent fishing licence.*

Enforcement team leader for the Environment Agency, Lesley Robertson, said:

This case shows we pursue offenders through the courts and won’t hesitate to take enforcement action where anglers break rules. Anyone found fishing illegally may face prosecution and a fine of up to £2,500.

All anglers need a valid Environment Agency fishing licence. The money raised through the sales of fishing licences is re-invested and enables us to improve all fisheries, including rivers, for anglers and for wildlife.

Our fisheries enforcement officers routinely undertake licence checks, and we urge anyone with information about illegal fishing to contact us on 0800 807060.

Licences now run 365 days from the day of purchase offering 12 full months of fishing.

Any angler aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, canal or still water needs a licence. A 1-day licence costs from just £6, and an annual licence costs from just £30. Concessions are available. Junior licences are free for 13 to 16-year-olds.

For more information or to buy a fishing licence visit the GOV.UK website or call the Environment Agency on 0344 800 5386. Alternatively, you can purchase a licence from your local Post Office branch.

The Environment Agency carries out enforcement work all year round and is supported by police forces and the Angling Trust. Fisheries enforcement work is intelligence-led, targeting known hot-spots and where illegal fishing is reported.

Anyone with information about illegal fishing activities should report it to our incident hotline number 0800 807060. You can also report it to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Adam Wiffen pleaded guilty to breaching Section 27(1)(a) of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975. He was sentenced at Hastings Magistrates’ Court on 29 April.

*£45 is the cost of a 12-month trout and coarse 3-rod fishing licence. £30 is the cost of a 12-month trout and coarse 2-rod fishing licence.

Earlier today Sue Gray published her final report,

which I commissioned to get to the bottom of things and set the record straight,

and I’m grateful to her for her work.

She has identified a number of failings,

some official,

some political,

– and some that I accept are entirely my own, for which I take full responsibility.

I want to start by saying that I am humbled by what happened,

and I renew my wholehearted apology for the gathering in the Cabinet Room on the 19th June 2020 – my birthday,

for which I received a Fixed Penalty Notice.

Now that Sue Gray has completed her inquiry and everyone can read her report,

I want in all humility and without mitigating what has happened to offer a few points of context.

10 Downing Street is not just my official residence but the headquarters of the Government,

where hundreds of people work,

and because they directly support the Prime Minister,

the regulations allowed them to continue attending their offices for work purposes throughout the lockdowns.

Sue Gray describes them as “tight knit groups of officials and advisers” who “worked long hours under difficult conditions”.

These were the public servants who secured the PPE that saved many lives,

established the biggest testing programme in Europe,

and enabled the development and distribution of the vaccines that succeeded in protecting so many people.

When some of these officials and advisers were leaving their jobs, I briefly attended gatherings to thank them for everything they had done

because I believe that recognising achievement and preserving morale

are essential duties of leadership.

The police did not find my attendance at these occasions to be in breach of the rules,

but they found otherwise in respect of some of those gatherings after I had left,

or when I was not in the building.

Downing Street and the Cabinet Office together have hundreds of rooms,

and again I say this not in any way to extenuate my personal responsibility, but to give the context of these events.

And I was appalled to learn that there have been “multiple examples” in Sue Gray’s phrase of disrespectful and poor treatment of cleaning and security personnel,

and this afternoon, I personally apologised to those dedicated members of staff for what happened.

and I expect anyone who behaved in that way to do the same.

As Sue Gray acknowledges,

I have acted on her recommendations to make a series of changes.

10 Downing Street now has its own Permanent Secretary charged with upholding the highest standards.

I have appointed a new leadership team, including a new Chief of Staff and a new Principal Private Secretary

and I have made it easier for any member of staff to voice any worries they may have

and Sue Gray writes that she is “reassured” by this reform.

And it is precisely because I have learned this lesson

that I feel an even greater weight of responsibility

to deliver on the priorities of the British people,

and lead our country through some of the most challenging times in recent history.

I will work every hour to ease the hardship caused by the rising cost of living,

To protect our nation from the aftershocks of Covid,

stand firm against Putin’s aggression,

and to unite and level up across our United Kingdom,

that is the mission that drives this government and that is the mission that I will continue to pursue.

The UK and Vietnam held their first Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) in three years today (25 May 2022) in a bid to increase cooperation across several sectors, including education, agriculture, technology, healthcare and renewable energy.

The Minister of State for Trade Policy, Penny Mordaunt, welcomed her Vietnamese counterpart, Mr Dang Hoang An, Vice Minister of Industry and Trade, to London for the talks.

Minister of State for Trade Policy Penny Mordaunt said:

I am delighted to host Mr Dang Hoang An and his team in London. Vietnam is growing fast and is expected to become one of the world’s major economies by 2050. They are a vital CPTPP member, and an important trading partner for the UK that demonstrates our Indo-Pacific tilt in action.

Our talks today strengthen ties between our nations, including resolving market access barriers into each other’s economies and providing support to Vietnam so that they can reach their net-zero commitments.

The UK will reinforce its commitment to helping Vietnam meet their net zero goals by sharing expertise in the renewable energy sector and hosting a Forum for UK and Vietnamese businesses. Minister Mordaunt will host a roundtable on renewable energy attended by experts, industry representatives and officials.

The UK and Vietnam share a longstanding trading relationship, with trade increasing between the two countries by almost 11% from 2020, when the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement was signed, and 2021. This agreement eliminates 99% of all tariffs and helps forge a deeper relationship with a country who shares our belief in free trade.

Vietnam is a member of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) which the UK remains on track to join by the end of this year, moving into the final phase of negotiations at the beginning of 2022.

CPTPP is a free trade area made up of 11 countries with a joint GDP of £9 trillion.

• Call for talented individuals to help communities become more resilient to climate change
• Committee works to decide local priorities for flood risk management
• Work supports Environment Agency and local authorities in creating local partnerships to tackle flood risk

These voluntary roles make a real difference to people’s lives, livelihoods and to the environment we live in. Being an RFCC member is an exciting opportunity to guide local flood risk investment. While not a paid role, reasonable out-of-pocket expenses will be covered.

The ESW RFCC is one of 12 statutory committees across the country that make key decisions on local priorities for flood and coastal risk management. As we embark on the next 6-year period of investment to reduce the risk to 336,000 properties across England, it is an exciting time to be joining the committee.

We would love to welcome talented and enthusiastic individuals from all backgrounds to join this important committee, to represent the diversity of communities and interests from across the catchments we serve.

This committee helps to manage flood risk throughout the Severn and Wye catchments across 8 counties, as follows: Coventry, Dudley, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.

The committee is fundamental in deciding local priorities for flood risk management, approving programmes of work, and to support the Environment Agency and local authorities in creating local partnerships to fund and deliver projects, while ensuring resilience and adaptation to the impacts of climate change are embedded throughout.

A key role will be ensuring the aims of the National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy are embodied within the committee’s decisions and to ensure consistency between strategic and local plans.

Shirel Stedman, Chair of English Severn and Wye RFCC, said:

Flooding and the increasing extreme weather conditions are evidently linked to the climate change crisis.

We know that vulnerable communities, who are already the most susceptible to any threats of climate conditions and flooding are likely to be worst affected.

Joining the RFCC as an independent member will give you an exceptional opportunity to influence and support the local investment to combat those challenges

Vacancies

We are recruiting for 2 members to join the committee in 2022. This recruitment is to fill further vacancies following a campaign earlier this year for 4 committee members.

Applications are welcome from individuals with an active interest in flood risk management and from a diverse range of backgrounds, with additional interest or experience in one or more of the following:

• Catchment-based approaches – ensuring a holistic approach to risk management and environmental protection, for our current and future communities
• Land use/blue-green-grey infrastructure
• Climate change and resilience
• Coastal flood risk

Volunteers’ time commitment

The committee meets 4 times a year, usually at locations within the Severn and Wye catchments. Any work you do around the main meetings can be flexible to your own commitments. You will be given at least 6 months’ notice of quarterly meeting dates and times.

Interviews are planned for early July and the successful candidate will have the opportunity to join the 19 July 2022 RFCC meeting if they are available.

Role and how to apply

Typically, members are expected to read papers, join sub-groups if interested, and engage with Environment Agency colleagues and other committee members. You do not need formal qualifications for this post, but your enthusiasm and commitment to your local community will be important. These are unpaid roles but reasonable expenses, including travel, can be claimed. For further information please contact the Environment Agency at ESWRFCC@environment-agency.gov.uk or 0203 0251656.

Further information can be found on: www.gov.uk/government/groups/english-severn-and-wye-regional-flood-and-coastal-committee

The closing date for applications is midnight on Monday 20 June 2022.