In a positive phone call this afternoon, the Prime Minister spoke to Chancellor Kurz of Austria. During the conversation, the PM extended an invitation for him to visit the UK in the near future, which he accepted.

She gave a brief update on Brexit and confirmed that the government will respect the decision taken by the British public to leave the EU.

Chancellor Kurz updated on his recent European engagement, and they both agreed to stay in touch on Brexit and Austria’s forthcoming European Council Presidency.

Natural England has today issued a licence permitting the trial of a brood management scheme of hen harriers with the long-term aim of increasing their numbers across England.

The licence is time-limited for a 2-year period and places stringent conditions on the trial, which will take place in the northern uplands of England. Brood management will only take place with the permission of the land owner.

Brood management is the sixth action within the Defra Hen Harrier Recovery Plan, ultimately aiming to reduce hen harrier predation of grouse chicks on driven grouse moors, leading to an improvement in the conservation status of hen harrier.

The licence permits the removal of hen harrier eggs and/or chicks to a dedicated hatching and rearing facility, where they will be hand-reared in captivity, before being transferred to specially-constructed pens in hen harrier breeding habitat, from which they are then re-introduced into the wild in the uplands of northern England. This intervention may only occur where hen harrier nests have reached an agreed density.

Natural England experts have rigorously scrutinised the licence application and will work closely with the licence applicant throughout the duration of the trial to ensure that all elements are carried out proportionately and effectively, to bring about the best possible outcome for hen harriers.

Natural England Chairman, Andrew Sells, said:

Improving the conservation status of hen harriers across England is something I feel very passionate about. The principles of this trial have been carefully researched by those best-placed to understand the conflict which can occur between hen harriers and driven grouse moors.

It is a complicated and emotive picture and we have considered this application very carefully. Licensing this trial will allow important evidence to be gathered which, I sincerely hope, will lead to a self-sustaining and well-dispersed breeding population of these beautiful birds across England.

Amanda Anderson, Director of the Moorland Association said:

The Moorland Association is delighted that Natural England has issued a ground-breaking research licence to test if brood management will help improve the Hen Harrier population and range in upland northern England. The Hen Harrier Brood Management Group has sought to provide a pragmatic solution to a proven predator-prey conflict while safeguarding important land use.

Moorland managed for red grouse contributes significantly to remote rural communities, businesses and treasured landscapes. This new wildlife management licence will give land mangers confidence that impacts of hen harriers breeding on their land can be minimised creating a win-win scenario.

Dr Adam Smith of the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust said:

GWCT research has over many years described the tension between grouse moor management and hen harrier conservation. We believe it important that the hen harrier recovery plan includes this practical trial of a well understood raptor conservation tool, the brood management scheme. If successful this approach should help hen harriers and red grouse thrive – in the interests of both, and of moorland.

We have published a redacted version of the full licence issued and the application submitted.

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Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson and Minister of State for Defence Affairs of Qatar, His Excellency Dr Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Attiyah, met horses and soldiers from the Blues and Royals at Horse Guards in London. Crown copyright.

The Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson and his Qatari counterpart, His Excellency Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Attiyah, have reaffirmed the important long-term relationship between the UK and Qatar during a meeting in London.

The visit follows the Defence Secretary’s trip to Qatar last December, where he signed a £6bn deal for Typhoon jets and missiles, supporting thousands of British jobs at BAE Systems.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said:

Qatar is a vital partner in the fight against Daesh, hosting the headquarters of the coalition air campaign which is still coordinating strikes on targets in Syria every day.

Our two countries face the same threats from violent extremism and a mutual interest in supporting stability in the region, which will deliver security at home.

The visit to London focussed on defence and security cooperation between the UK and Qatar ahead of the 2022 World Cup, which is being hosted by Qatar, and lessons learned from the military support to the London 2012 Olympics. In addition to the Defence Secretary, Al-Attiyah also met with Security Minister Ben Wallace and the Deputy National Security Advisor Paddy McGuiness. His Excellency also inspected the men and horses of the Blues and Royals at the Army’s historic London Headquarters at Horse Guards Parade.

Published 16 January 2018

The Minister for Policing and the Fire Service Nick Hurd has heard from experts and senior officers on police wellbeing, including a chief superintendent who wrote a personal memoir on policing and mental health, at a roundtable on Tuesday 16 January.

The roundtable, chaired by the minister, focused on how the government can assist police chiefs in their statutory duty to manage the welfare of their officers. It was attended by police leaders, including Chief Constable Andy Rhodes, who is the National Police Chiefs Council Lead on Wellbeing, as well as experts from across government, Public Health England, and mental health charities.

Metropolitan Police Chief Superintendent John Sutherland, author of ‘Blue: A Memoir’, which details his struggles with mental health during a 26-year career in policing, also addressed the event about his personal experiences.

Minister for Policing and the Fire Service Nick Hurd said:

Policing can be a very demanding job. Officers have demonstrated extraordinary courage and fortitude in the face of major challenges over the past year, including terrorist attacks and the Grenfell Tower fire. I am grateful to them for their tireless work and dedication to duty.

It is imperative that policing provides excellent support to its officers and staff – which is why I’m keen to listen to those with the most experience on how to do this best.

The government takes the issue of police welfare very seriously, and this event provides an opportunity to review progress so far and put plans in place for the future.

The roundtable builds on existing work by the sector. In July 2017, the Home Secretary awarded £7.5 million from the Police Transformation Fund over 3 years to pilot and, if it is successful, fund a dedicated national service to help provide enhanced welfare support. The new service will complement the support already delivered at force level to serving police officers and staff.

The government has also awarded £7 million since 2014, using funds from the LIBOR fines imposed on banks, to the charity Mind, which has funded targeted support and programmes for emergency services.

The College of Policing has also carried out important work in this area. CC Rhodes and Dr Ian Hesketh of the College have led the design of The Blue Light Wellbeing Framework – the first ever sector-specific self-assessment management tool. It is available via Oscar Kilo, a website that brings together those responsible for wellbeing and shares learning and best practice.

Chief Constable Andy Rhodes, National Police Chiefs Council Lead on Wellbeing, said:

Our police officers and staff work in a physically and emotionally demanding environment, putting their bodies and their minds on the line 24/7 to keep us safe.

This roundtable sends out a clear message that we are relentless in our commitment to provide the world-class welfare support police need to deliver a high-quality service for the public.

The event brought together experts and national leads to review progress and agree priorities for the future, including significant investment from the Police Transformation Fund. This investment will enable us to accelerate our efforts and significantly step up our activity over the coming years.