Tag Archives: HM Government

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News story: Fishing industry in 2016 statistics published

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has published its annual UK sea fisheries annual statistics report 2016.

It includes details on the UK fleet, the number of fishermen, the quantity and value of UK landings, international trade, worldwide fishing and the state of key stocks.

  • the quantity and value of sea fish (which include shellfish) landed by UK vessels has decreased by 1 per cent and increased by 21 per cent respectively on 2015
  • UK vessels landed 701 thousand tonnes of sea fish into the UK and abroad with a value of £936 million
  • the increase in value was primarily driven by large increases in market prices, in particular, for key pelagic and shellfish species. Pelagic landings are still far higher than they were a few years ago. Mackerel and herring accounted for 44 per cent of UK fleet landings but a lower share in value (26 per cent)
  • the Scottish fleet caught mainly pelagic fish. Demersal fish account for the highest share of the English fleet’s catch and shellfish are predominately caught by the Welsh and Northern Irish fleets in 2016
  • the UK fishing fleet remained seventh largest in the EU in terms of vessel numbers, with the second largest capacity and fourth largest engine power
  • seventy two per cent of the quantity landed by the UK fleet was caught by vessels over 24 metres in length which accounted for 4 per cent of the total number of UK vessels. These vessels tend to catch lower value pelagic fish
  • around 11,800 fishermen were active in the UK. Approximately 2,300 were part-time
  • Scottish vessels accounted for 65 per cent of the quantity of landings by the UK fleet while English vessels accounted for 29 per cent.
  • Peterhead remained the port with the highest landings – 145 thousand tonnes with a value of £158 million
  • Newlyn had the highest quantity of landings in England – 14,100 tonnes with a value of £28 million, closely followed by Brixham with 13,300 tonnes but with the higher value of £31 million
  • exports of fish were little changed at 441 thousand tonnes. Imports rose by 7 per cent to 730 thousand tonnes
  • world figures for 2015 showed that China caught the largest amount of fish, 15.5 million tonnes. Indonesia had the second largest catch at 6.0 million tonnes

Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ)

In addition to the annual report there will be a further breakdown of landings by Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ).

The report highlights that in 2016, the:

  • UK caught the majority of its fish, 81% by quantity, in its own EEZ. With other EU member states’ EEZs being the next most important zone of capture, at 11% by quantity
  • UK fleet landed 571,000 tonnes of fish worth £774 million from the UK EEZ with Mackerel, Nephrops and King Scallop landings accounting for 43% of this total value
  • Northern North Sea (ICES Area Iva), worth £308 million, was the most valuable fishing area for UK vessels in the UK EEZ

We are continually working with the fishing industry to improve day-to-day management with accurate catch limits and forecasts that secure longer fisheries, while safeguarding the welfare of fish stocks.

Further information

Telephone: 0300 123 1032
Email: media@marinemanagement.org.uk

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News story: Call for evidence: teacher involvement in developing exam papers

Please contribute your views to Ofqual’s review by 31 October 2017.

PDF, 215KB, 3 pages

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email publications@ofqual.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

We are conducting a review into current teachers being involved in the development of exams, such as writing papers or questions.

As part of this review we would like to hear from anyone who has relevant insights or experiences to share – your response will be treated in confidence.

We particularly wish to hear from people who:

  • have been involved with developing exam materials
  • have taught alongside colleagues who had access to confidential assessment materials before the exams were taken
  • were taught by teachers who knew, or said they knew, what was going to be included in specific exams

We would particularly like to hear your views on:

  • the relative benefits and risks of teacher involvement in developing exams for qualifications they teach
  • the effectiveness of the safeguards used to prevent disclosure
  • the ability of a teacher who knows the content of an exam to disregard that when preparing their students for the same exam
  • how current safeguards could be strengthened

We would also like to hear from you if you have insights into, or experiences from, other sectors and/or other countries that you believe would be relevant to our review.

All information submitted in response to this call for evidence will be used only to inform our review. We will not investigate any specific complaints or allegations you raise. If you want us to look into a specific incident you should provide us with details using our normal complaints or whistle-blower procedures.

The closing date for this call for evidence is 31 October 2017 at 5pm.

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Press release: IPO launch new IP resources for universities and colleges

This week saw the launch of a suite of new tools developed by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO). The new toolkit will help students, teachers and lecturers explore the relevance of IP in their lives and future careers.

The Future Innovators Toolkit (FIT) provides Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) teachers with the resources they need to introduce IP at any point in the curriculum.

Focussing on developing enterprise and employability skills, FIT consists of lesson plans, case studies, research scenarios and PowerPoint slides. These resources raise understanding of managing and exploiting IP and prepare STEM students for Higher Education or their careers.

IP Tutor Plus has also been launched to support university lecturers and deliver consistent messaging on IP. IP Tutor Plus explains what IP is and how it fits into their students’ future careers. It includes slides, lecture notes, FAQs, case studies and wider talking points. The Law, Business & Accounting module is currently available. The Creative, Humanities and STEM modules are coming soon.

The IPO recently launched IP for Research for PhD students and researchers to understand the importance of IP in maximising the impact of their research. The IP for Research programme includes 6 quick guides on the commercialisation process, face-to-face workshops and an IP skills lens.

With IP Tutor, Intellectual Asset Management Guide for Universities and Lambert Toolkit already supporting students, management and collaborations. These new tools complete the comprehensive support for students, lecturers and researchers.

Future Innovators Toolkit, IP Tutor Plus and IP for Research are all available on the Cracking Ideas portal.

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Press release: National Justice Museum drives forward Public Legal Education

Solicitor General Robert Buckland QC MP is in Nottingham today where he will visit the recently reopened National Justice Museum to see how it is helping to educate people about the law.

The Solicitor will observe students taking part in a debate about whether capital punishment should be reintroduced in the UK, and he will also participate in a mock trial on gang violence with students from Nottingham University.

The Museum has devised a program of interactive activities to teach people about the law in an interesting and enjoyable way. Aligned to the national curriculum, the sessions use authentic courtrooms, museum spaces, objects and archives to help pupils gain a practical understanding of the law and justice system

The Solicitor General, Robert Buckland, QC MP said:

Gaining an understanding about how our legal system works and our rights and responsibilities within it is a valuable skill that we can use throughout our lives.

Public legal education gives everyone the opportunity to develop an understanding of the law. Not only does it have a practical and beneficial effect on people’s lives, but also it has a positive effect on our legal system as well. That is why these sessions are so important.

I am really pleased to be visiting the National Justice Museum in Nottingham to see its work in action.

Tim Desmond, Chief Executive, National Justice Museum said:

We are delighted to welcome the Solicitor General to the newly refurbished National Justice Museum, he is a great champion of Public Legal Education and as part of his visit he will have the opportunity to take part in a ‘Gang Violence Trial’ courtroom workshop with students from Nottingham University.

The Solicitor General will also visit the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) East Midlands office where he will commend the Area for its work in tackling serious crime.

The CPS Area’s rape and serious sexual offences team has sustained significant success over recent years, and had the highest conviction for rape in the country, at 64.6% and the third highest conviction rate for all sexual offences. Recent figures show that recorded crime has dropped by 12% in the East Midlands.

The Area covers five police force areas: Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire.

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