The independent report, compiled by the University of Northampton, undertook research across the entire cadet programme and found that joining the cadets offers a range of benefits to individuals involved and the wider community.

Speaking at the launch of the report at the Albion Academy in Manchester, itself a school which has a Cadet Force, Sir Michael also announced the approval of 31 new cadet units in state schools across the country under the Cadet Expansion Programme. The new units also include the first school cadet unit to be approved under the programme in Wales.

The benefits outlined in the report include increasing social mobility, contributing directly to the Prime Minister’s vision for a ‘shared society’ and helping kids from disadvantaged backgrounds.

More specifically the report found that:

• The social impact of Cadet Forces is vastly greater than the annual cost of the cadet programme to the defence budget.

• Cadet Forces help children receiving Free School Meals achieve their potential.

• Children excluded from school who join the Cadets are more likely to have improved attendance and behaviour on their return to school.

• Cadet Forces help make communities more inclusive by helping people to overcome disadvantages in the way school does not.

• Serving soldiers who used to be in the Cadets are four times more likely to be a senior non-commissioned officer or an officer.

Meanu Bajwa-Patel, Senior Researcher, The Institute for Social Innovation and Impact, University of Northampton said:

The evidence so far has been overwhelmingly positive and demonstrates that the Cadet Forces can make a huge difference to social inclusion, social mobility and the mental wellbeing of young people. More research on the Cadet Expansion Programme and Cadet Forces across the devolved nations is planned, allowing us over the next three years to evaluate the social impact further.

The report also found that Cadet Forces help to develop an individual’s communication, confidence and leadership skills, as well as increasing their awareness of the Armed Forces and improves respect for veterans.

The new cadet units, established under the MOD and Department for Education’s Cadet Expansion Programme is backed by £50 million funding from LIBOR fines, which pays for set up costs, the cadets’ uniforms, equipment and training.

The Common Support Model (CSM) will provide a framework for comprehensive support across the Royal Navy’s fleet of warships for decades to come in one new overarching arrangement.

The model will maintain the likes of both brand new Queen Elizabeth aircraft carriers, as well as all existing warships and will be able to incorporate future ships such as the Type 26 and Type 31e.

The new arrangement will bring together separate support agreements for individual ship types under a single, more efficient and more manageable model. Worth around £1 billion, it is set to improve the performance of service providers by having them adopt a common approach across all classes of complex warships.

The move aims to boost the performance and speed of all support, no matter what the ship, as well as making savings in equipment costs with the model providing a one-stop-shop for services required.

The model will establish a support system across the surface fleet, from the largest ships ever built for the Royal Navy, the nation’s new aircraft carriers, to the new Type 26 frigates being built on the Clyde and through to the likes of Minehunters and Royal Marine Amphibious Ships. It covers everything from combat management systems, fleet-wide communications and aircraft landing aids, through to spares, repairs and maintenance.

The suite of contracts will support over a thousand jobs in the UK, including at BAE Systems and Babcock in Portsmouth, Bristol, Devonport and on the Clyde, as well as Thales in Crawley and AGI Ltd in Poole.

The model will draw on the strong partnerships across UK Defence and world-leading skills to supply Royal Navy Engineering Technicians with the services and tools they need to keep the entire surface fleet effective at home and abroad, often far from home and in very challenging environments, and enhance the Royal Navy’s mission to protect the UK’s interests around the world.

10 of the 16 agreements, worth £794 million, included in the model have already been signed, with the others set to follow in the coming months.

Common Support Model infographic. Crown copyright.

Sir Simon Bollom, Chief of Materiel (Ships) for Defence Equipment and Support, the MOD’s procurement organisation, said:

Our surface fleet is made up of some the most advanced and capable fighting ships in the world. HMS Queen Elizabeth, the Royal Navy’s newest and most advanced Aircraft Carrier, will join the fleet soon and the Common Support Model will provide a framework that will deliver effective support to the Royal Navy’s warship fleet at home and around the globe.

The innovative, ambitious and far-reaching Common Support Model, which will drive efficiencies and greater availability, has been made possible by the enduring and strong relationships which exist between the Ministry of Defence, the Royal Navy, and our industry partners.

Notes to Editors:

The first ten contracts to be signed under the Common Support Model are:

• Four contracts worth £320 million for Marine Systems Support Partner (MSSP) with Babcock, which will pay for spares, repairs and technical services for the Royal Navy’s Type 45 Destroyers and the new Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers.

• A £200 million contract for the Joint Support Solution 2 with BAE Systems to support combat management systems, tactical networks and shared infrastructures aboard 38 Royal Navy platforms including Type 23 Frigates, Type 45 Destroyers, QEC Carriers, Landing Platform/Dock (LPD) and Landing Platform Helicopter (LPH) ships and Mine Counter Measure Vessels, among others.

• Two contracts worth £150 million for amendments to the Maritime Support Delivery Framework (MSDF) with BAE Systems and Babcock to ensure the continuing support of the Royal Navy’s entire surface Fleet, including the two new QEC Carriers.

• A £100 million contract for internal and external communications systems support with Thales for fleet-wide communications support, including long-term support for the QEC Carriers and Type 45 Destroyers.

• A £12 million contract with AGI Ltd to support Visual Landing Aids for aircraft on board ships including the QEC Carriers, Type 45 Destroyers, and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s Tide Class Tankers.

• A £12 million contract for ships’ protective systems with Babcock for the current Royal Navy surface Fleet including QEC carriers, and submarines.

Presentations now available following the open meeting held on 29 September 2017.

Young salmon have been found in the River Derwent at Shotley Bridge in Consett for the first time in 300 years.

The 33 juvenile salmon caught during recent routine sampling by the Environment Agency are the first evidence of salmon spawning this far upstream since a number of large weirs were built to power industry in the region.

Around £750,000 has been invested over the past decade to build fish passes at four of these weirs to allow fish to reach upstream spawning grounds of the Derwent – which is an important tributary of the River Tyne.

The latest, built a year ago at Lintzford in a partnership project between the Environment Agency, Tyne Rivers Trust and Esh Group, was immediately successful, with adult fish seen using it within hours of its completion.

As well as juveniles caught during sampling upstream at Shotley Bridge, the Environment Agency also found record high numbers of juveniles at three other locations downstream.

Great news for river

The Environment Agency’s Phil Rippon, Fisheries Technical Specialist, said:

The presence of young salmon this far upstream has shown the immediate impact and success of the new fish pass. To find them so soon after the completion of the pass and during a single routine survey shows that significant numbers have spawned upstream.

It’s also likely that many more sea trout and brown trout will also have been able to access their historical spawning grounds. This is great news for the River Derwent.

We’ve worked really hard together with our partners over the years to make dramatic improvements to water quality right across the country. But there’s always more we can do and opening up our rivers to fish migration is vital for future biodiversity and river health.

Efforts have now started to build a fish pass at the only remaining large weir on the Derwent, further upstream at Shotley Grove, which may date from the 14th Century.

The Environment Agency and Tyne Rivers Trust have completed preliminary design work for a fish pass, and are now seeking funding to cover the estimated building costs of £275,000.

Douglas Phillips, Operations Director for Tyne Rivers Trust, added:

With more funding the Derwent could become a fantastic example of how intervention on a whole river system can improve spawning rates and the health of the river as a whole.

Members of the Marine Management Organisation’s (MMO) marine licensing team recently met with National Grid as part of ongoing improvements being made to the service it provides to industry.

The industry interchange programme involves MMO employees hosting and visiting a range of organisations, delivery partners and devolved administrations to learn more about day-to-day and strategic activities, build awareness of other operating environments and establish relationships.

In September members of National Grid visited the MMO headquarters in Newcastle for a two day event aimed at learning more about the marine licensing process.

Matthew Kinmond, MMO senior marine licensing manager said:

We were delighted to host National Grid for a two day industry interchange in Newcastle. The interchange provided us with an opportunity to give National Grid an insight into the wider work of our organisation, as well as the marine licensing team’s systems and processes.

This has improved National Grid’s knowledge and understanding of the work involved in determining a marine licence application and the wider work we are undertaking to improve our services. We look forward to the return visit to National Grid, where we can continue to build upon our already positive working relationship.

Sean Stokoe, National Grid consents manager said:

Not only were we made to feel exceptionally welcome but we were given a well-structured and comprehensive insight into the work of the MMO, and specifically the marine licensing and environmental assessment process.

Particularly apparent, was the willingness of MMO personnel to work closely with us in the future, and technically guide us, so that we can successfully deliver our construction and engineering projects to specification, programme and cost.

• The marine licensing team often carries out interchange sessions with customers and organisations with an interest in their work. This provides an opportunity to learn more about how each other operates and strengthens relationships.
• Other organisations MMO has previously carried out interchange activities with include Lafarge Tarmac, Dong Energy, Peel Ports and Cemex.