With the new football season underway, CT Policing has been working with the Premier League, EFL and FA to help improve stadium security.

Stopping people committing appalling acts of terror in the UK is something we should all want. It should go without saying.

Safeguarding our young people from becoming radicalised, either by the extreme right wing or Islamist extremists, should not be a controversial aim.

Yet there are some who actively seek to undermine the Prevent programme without offering any meaningful alternatives.

The truth is, as Commander Dean Haydon of the Metropolitan Police said this week, many of the most vocal opponents do not want Prevent to work in the first place.

They say it is about spying on communities. But asking teachers and others to be alert to signs of radicalisation and refer those who may need help works in a similar way to safeguarding processes designed to protect people from gang activity, drug abuse, and sexual abuse.

Next they claim Prevent stifles free speech. On the contrary, schools and colleges should provide a safe space in which children and young people can understand the risks associated with terrorism and develop the knowledge and skills to be able to challenge extremist arguments. This is what Prevent encourages.

Or they claim Prevent is about targeting Muslims. This is not true; Prevent deals with all forms of extremism. I am the first Home Secretary to ban an extreme right wing group, National Action, for their links to terrorism. Prevent aims to protect all those who are targeted by the terrorist recruiters who seek to weaponise them.

Currently the greatest threat comes from terrorist recruiters inspired by Daesh. Our Prevent programme will necessarily reflect this by prioritising support for vulnerable British Muslims, and working in partnership with civil society groups to tackle this problem.

Some claim they have yet to see evidence of Prevent’s success. Say that to the 150 people – including 50 children – it has helped to stop from leaving Britain to fight in Syria and Iraq in 2015. I have spoken to mothers terrified for their children and grateful for the intervention and tireless efforts of Prevent workers. I have travelled the country and seen inspiring examples of grassroots organisations, including British Muslim led organisations, leading the way in countering the risk posed by radicalisation. They do amazing work to protect our society and our country. Over the summer I will continue visiting communities, talking to organisations, families and individuals to hear their views, understand their concerns and talk about what more we can do to help.

As well as working together with communities, Prevent also involves challenging internet companies to stop their platforms being used to spread terrorist messages and propaganda, which is why I travelled to Silicon Valley last week to keep up the pressure on the internet giants and make sure they play their part.

So I want to say to these critics, Prevent has made a significant impact in preventing people being drawn into terrorism and it is here to stay. In light of the horrific terror attacks in London and Manchester, we are reviewing all aspects of our counter terrorism strategy to make sure we keep pace with the changing terrorist threat. This will ensure that we are doing everything possible to address the threat from terrorism, including stopping people being radicalised in the first place. Prevent will continue to play a major part in our future counter terrorism approach.

I am happy to engage those with constructive criticisms to make, who want to discuss and debate how the Prevent programme can be improved.

But I am clear that when it comes to keeping our families, communities and country safe, doing nothing is simply not an option.

It is difficult work but it is vital. And nobody should be able to stop it from happening

The visits to schools around Marston-on-Dove, followed a number of reports over recent weeks of children playing on weirs, which are often used by the Environment Agency to monitor river flows.

During the talks schoolchildren heard about the dangers of the water around weirs, some of which are not always obvious, including strong underwater currents and sudden changes in water depth. They were also given information about how they could avoid these risks by taking note of warning signs, not walking or climbing on weirs and avoiding swimming near weirs, locks, bridges or other structures on rivers.

Emma Smailes, Operations Manager from the Environment Agency said:

We know that children love to explore the outdoors, especially during summer holidays, and we want to help them remain safe whilst doing so. That is why we felt it was important to talk to the children directly to remind them of the potential dangers when playing near structures in rivers.

We would also encourage parents and guardians to speak to their children, teenagers and young adults to warn them about the dangers and basic safety points when out having fun.

David Walker, Leisure Safety Manager from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said:

At this time of year it’s especially important for parents to have a conversation with their family about the risks of open water, particularly in the areas where it’s prevalent.

Many of the risks aren’t obvious, such as weirs, and the effects of cold water shock. It’s important to think about this in advance so that if, on the rare occasion, you see someone in trouble or get into trouble yourself, you know what to do.

If you want to go for an outdoor swim, it’s always best to go to supervised sites such as lidos. Programmes such as the Swim Safe scheme give children the experience of swimming in open water, teaching them about how to stay safe in a controlled environment

More information about water safety is available from The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents

Environment Agency officers from teams across England have conducted an intelligence-gathering operation at Harwich International Port in Essex focussed on the illegal export of waste.

The aim of the operation was to stop and check HGVs carrying waste in a bid to identify any waste materials which could have been being illegally exported to Europe.

Around 30 loads were stopped on the day, with paperwork checked and waste loads examined. Officers were seeking intelligence about waste that could potentially be illegal heading to the continent and assessing the supporting documents.

Field intelligence officers, port officers and members of the illegal waste shipments team were on hand to speak with drivers passing through the port, offering advice and support on transporting waste abroad legally. The team on site made use of the Environment Agency’s Incident Command Unit, enabling them to receive emailed paperwork from waste contractors when it was found to be missing.

Twenty-nine trailers were inspected in total, and 18 were found to be carrying waste. In each instance the paperwork was examined and in 9 cases there were missing or incomplete documents. These were eventually all completed with the support of Environment Agency officers and the vehicles were allowed to continue their journeys.

Chris Smith, National Intelligence Manager, whose team led the operation for the Environment Agency, said:

The sheer volume of material that we found today and prevented from being exported illegally is a big win, but our work isn’t finished. Today’s action sends a strong message that we will track down those involved in illegal waste activity. We intend to continue our inspections of waste at ports around all of England to ensure waste being exported is done so legally.

The effects of exporting waste illegally is harmful to the environment and the economy. It undercuts legitimate businesses and causes harm to human health and the environment in destination countries.

Waste crime is a serious issue diverting as much as £1 billion per annum from legitimate business and the Treasury. Since April 2011 the Environment Agency has invested £65.2 million in tackling it.

Anyone with information about suspected illegal waste operators should call Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111.

The people of Rwanda participated peacefully and in great numbers in last week’s Presidential election, with a result which reflected the will of most Rwandans.

However, international observers, including from the UK, noted problems on polling day, though this followed a more open campaign than in previous elections. I hope that Rwanda will continue to improve its electoral system in advance of the 2018 parliamentary elections.

As a close and long-standing partner of Rwanda for many years, the UK looks forward to working with President Kagame on our shared priorities of development, peacekeeping, trade and the future of the Commonwealth.