MAIB’s report on 2 explosions of gas released from a cargo of unprocessed incinerator bottom ash on Nortrader while at anchorage in Plymouth Sound on 13 January 2017 is now published.

The report contains details of what happened, subsequent actions taken and recommendations: read more.

A safety flyer for the shipping industry summarising the accident and detailing the safety lessons learned has also been produced.

We disagree with the US decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem and recognise Jerusalem as the Israeli capital before a final status agreement. We believe it is unhelpful in terms of prospects for peace in the region. The British Embassy to Israel is based in Tel Aviv and we have no plans to move it.

Our position on the status of Jerusalem is clear and long-standing: it should be determined in a negotiated settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and Jerusalem should ultimately be the shared capital of the Israeli and Palestinian states. In line with relevant Security Council Resolutions, we regard East Jerusalem as part of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

We share President Trump’s desire to bring an end to this conflict. We welcome his commitment today to a two-state solution negotiated between the parties, and note the importance of his clear acknowledgement that the final status of Jerusalem, including the sovereign boundaries within the city, must be subject to negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

We encourage the US Administration to now bring forward detailed proposals for an Israel-Palestinian settlement.

To have the best chances of success, the peace process must be conducted in an atmosphere free from violence. We call on all parties to work together to maintain calm.

Prime Minister Theresa May and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar discussed the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, and UK commitment to restoring devolved Government to Northern Ireland.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns has joined farmer Robert Morgan from Three Crosses, Swansea as the grower’s fir tree was lit outside No10 Downing Street today (6 December).

Robert received the most votes from fellow growers to win the British Tree Growers Association (BTGA) ‘Grower of the Year’ title, and will now provide the 18ft 6” Christmas tree to adorn the front of the Prime Minister’s home.

Trees will have been nurtured for more than 10 years to reach competition height of between 1.4m and 2.2m from base to tip. They are judged on their foliage, colour, shape and marketability.

Robert was runner up ‘Grower of the Year’ in 2014, and provided a Nordman fir for the pillared state dining room inside No10. His family have been in the sheep and cattle farming industry for five generations, and started planting Christmas trees in 1996.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

This is a fantastic achievement and is a wonderful way of recognising the hard work that Robert and his family have put in over the last twenty years to produce award-winning Christmas trees.

Small business owners like Robert represent an important part of the Welsh economy, and the UK Government is determined to make sure these businesses have the support they need to grow and be successful, and are rewarded for their dedication.

I’m proud that a Welsh-grown tree has been chosen for this accolade, and wish Robert and his family a Merry Christmas and extend my warmest congratulations to them on this unforgettable day.

Robert Morgan of Gower Fresh Christmas trees said:

I look forward to our visit to Downing Street today, and my seven year old son Lloyd is especially excited. The tree at Downing Street was one of the first planted at our farm on the Gower, after deciding to venture into the Christmas tree market.

It’s a fitting tribute that this tree, which is almost 20 years old, is here today to signify the years of hard work which has gone in to producing our Christmas trees.

The grand total was raised for the mental health charity throughout 2017 as part of a year of fundraising by DVLA staff. Staff chose Mind as the agency’s annual charity of choice and have been raising money through a number of activities including half marathons, Three Peaks Challenge, skydiving and a ‘Music for Mind’ charity concert. Over the year staff also ran raffles, sweepstakes and cake sales, with every opportunity raising funds for the good cause.

Along with representatives from the charity, Swansea City Football Club Ambassador Lee Trundle showed his support by attending the presentation of the cheque to Mind at the DVLA in Morriston today, during the agency’s annual Christmas fayre.

Oliver Morley, DVLA Chief Executive, said:

The efforts of our staff in our charity of choice campaign this year have once again been truly outstanding, and I am really proud of everyone who has raised or donated money to support Mind. We’ve seen a massive range of fundraising activities taking place across the agency throughout the year and I’m grateful to everyone for getting involved and supporting this incredibly good cause.

Lorna Killin, Senior Corporate Account Manager for Mind, said:

We are absolutely thrilled that DVLA chose us as their charity of choice and for all their fantastic fundraising support. The money raised will be split between Swansea Mind, which provides support locally, and the Mind Infoline which provides support and advice for anyone experiencing mental health problems. The money raised by DVLA will help Mind ensure that no-one has to face a mental health problem alone.