Tag Archives: HM Government

Thank you very much, Tom, for that kind introduction, and for facilitating today’s nuclear showcase.

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the Civil Nuclear Showcase 2017.

This is the sixth time the event has been run by the UK government, but the first year under the auspices of the newly created Department for International Trade.

I’m delighted to see attendees from our trading partners across the world. Over 20 nuclear markets are represented here today – a reflection of the truly global nature of the nuclear sector.

To every delegation here today, the showcase will offer a busy programme of industry speakers, market access briefings from local experts, and roundtable sessions.

I would also like to thank our event partners – URENCO, Lloyds Register and the National Nuclear Laboratory, as well as our event supporters – Amec Foster Wheeler, Atkins and the Nuclear Industry Association, for their unwavering support of this showcase, and of Britain’s nuclear industry.

This showcase is, fundamentally, about building those commercial ties and business relationships that will empower the global nuclear industry far into the future.

Tomorrow, you will hear about the successes of the UK’s domestic nuclear industry, but this morning I thought I would open the showcase to reflect upon what is undoubtedly an important time for the global nuclear industry, and illustrate the key role that the United Kingdom has to play in its future.

Nuclear power is an industry with a truly global reach.

As we speak, there are 447 commercial reactors operating in 31 countries across the world, meeting around 11% of global electricity demand.

Yet this is only the beginning – there are currently another 60 reactors under construction, and plans for many more.

Over the next 20 years, it is estimated that over £930 billion will be spent expanding global nuclear capacity.

I am here today because the United Kingdom has a pivotal role to play in the future of nuclear power.

We are a nation with a strong nuclear heritage. As the first country on earth to develop and safely operate commercial nuclear power stations, our industry draws upon over 60 years of accumulated knowledge and expertise.

Underpinning this historic capability is a world-leading regulatory regime and a highly skilled and qualified workforce of over 65,000 people.

With no domestic reactor vendor of our own, UK companies are uniquely placed to offer impartial support, advice and assistance to our international partners.

Already, nuclear industries across the world, from China to the Czech Republic, are seeing the benefits of our industry-leading support.

As well as supporting new build programmes and through-life support, British companies also export their waste management and decommissioning expertise around the world. I would like to highlight the excellent work of James Fisher Nuclear and Cavendish, 2 firms who have been involved in the clean-up of Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

It is not only exports, though, that Britain has to offer.

Our domestic market is flourishing, marked by last September’s approval of Hinkley Point C – the first new nuclear power station in this country for a generation.

And as we will hear later this morning, plans are also coming together for subsequent new domestic projects involving Horizon, NuGen and EDF and CGN.

Each of these projects will provide inward investment opportunities, and will see the UK’s nuclear workforce continue to grow, particularly in the North West and the South West as the new build programme creates at least 40,000 jobs.

Looking beyond nuclear new build, the UK is also home to a large active decommissioning programme, worth over £3.2 billion annually, as well as cutting-edge R&D centres.

Both of these present a vast range of opportunities for international partnerships and collaboration.

I’m delighted to announce that CNNP UK, which was set up last April to support CNNC’s investment in the proposed China-UK Joint Research and Innovation Centre and further business development in the UK, is planning to expand its staff numbers in the UK and move to larger offices in London.

The UK welcomes their expansion, which is a strong vote of confidence in the UK, and highlights the global interest we have in our nuclear market.

Finally, given the concentration of nuclear assets and activity in the north of the UK, it is also my pleasure today to launch ‘Nuclear in the Northern Powerhouse’, which sets out areas of interest in this region to international investors.

Before we formally begin the showcase, I must touch on the European Union.

Some have suggested that the referendum result was a vote for insularity, or that the UK will somehow be abandoning our international commitments.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

We may have voted to leave the EU, but we are not withdrawing from the world.

International trade has long been the lifeblood of the British economy, and the driver of our prosperity. Commerce is part of our national DNA.

Britain will always remain open to international investment and commercial partnership, and a champion of free and open trade.

It is true that, in leaving the European Union, Britain will also be leaving Euratom.

Though our exact relationship with Euratom will be subject to negotiations with EU partners, I want to reassure you – our withdrawal from the Euratom Treaty will in no way diminish our nuclear ambitions.

This government is firmly committed to delivering a world-leading nuclear programme in close collaboration with our international counterparts.

There will be challenges ahead, but my department will support the nuclear industry every step of the way, as you continue to deploy your skill and expertise to strengthen our trading relationships with the global nuclear sector.

The Department for International Trade has a dedicated nuclear team based here in London, and they stand ready to work with our commercial officers in Embassies and High Commissions around the world to attract investment and support British companies operating overseas.

My final message today is that my department is listening. The nuclear industry is a key wealth creator in the UK, supporting tens of thousands of jobs and raising our international profile.

If we work together, we can ensure that your industry goes from strength to strength, and delivers for Britain.

Thank you, and welcome to the showcase.

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A record 167 UK tech companies are flying the flag for Britain this week at the annual Mobile World Congress (MWC) in a bid to attract global business partners, helped by Government support.

They join firms from over 200 countries at the largest ever gathering of over 100,000 tech professionals, entrepreneurs and investors from global tech giants like Samsung and Huawei to new start-ups. With one of the largest national presences the UK, through DIT, is helping small firms across the country showcase their ideas abroad.

Of the bumper delegation travelling to Barcelona from across the UK, 58 companies who secured government financial support are representing regions such as Devon, Manchester and Staffordshire, with 17 from Scotland alone.

Speaking at the event, International Trade Minister Greg Hands said:

The world continues to see the UK as a leading technology destination of choice, with global tech companies such as Facebook, Apple and Google leading the charge to invest in Silicon UK.

We have some of the most innovative tech talent and entrepreneurs in the world, and I want to encourage other investors to take notice and take advantage of our expertise and ideas. Global industry shows, like Mobile World Congress, are a huge opportunity for small businesses, and my department is here helping more UK companies than ever build the connections they need to revolutionise the world and go global.

The UK’s tech sector attracts more international inward investment than the rest of Europe combined with 25% of all overseas inward investment into Europe coming to the UK. Over 348,000 people work in UK telecomms and related software development.

DIT is working with 75 UK firms at Mobile World Congress to showcase their products and ideas and match them with potential partners and investors through meetings at the conference. This follows the continued commitment of global brands to the UK, with Snapchat choosing the UK for its new international HQ, and Google and Facebook both increasing their staff here.

With worldwide mobile data traffic expected to increase a hundredfold in the next 5 years, as more people get online, the government is helping UK firms seize an increasing global market.

Companies DIT is supporting include What3Words which offers national postal services and aid agencies a pinpoint accurate global address system. Its revolutionary mapping system has also been nominated for 2 Global Mobile Awards being announced out at MWC.

Giles Rhys Jones, Director at What3Words said:

MWC is a fantastic platform to reach potential partners, investors and influencers, and the support we have received from the Department for International Trade to help us get here has been fantastic.

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This Notice was issued as Diatom Retail Limited were placing on the market Diatomaceous Earth based products for use in the worming of animals contrary to Regulation 4 of the Veterinary Medicines Regulations (VMR). The improvements required are for: t… read more

The Environment Agency is continuing conservation measures on its Watersmeet and Glenthorne Fishery for the coming season.

Restrictions have been in place on this popular Exmoor fishery since 2014 in response to disease problems affecting adult salmon and sea trout returning to the East Lyn to spawn. Recent monitoring also revealed reduced numbers of young salmon.

Anglers have been allowed to continue fishing for salmon and sea trout on a ‘catch and release’ basis throughout the season and have been limited to fishing with a fly or spinner only. The use of worms was traditionally allowed from 16 June. However, this method of fishing can be very effective and has been prohibited in recent years to limit the number of fish caught while stocks have been under pressure.

Following discussions with the Lyn Riparian Owners Association and local interest groups, worming is being allowed again on a trial basis this year from 16 June, subject to strict conditions.

Worms will only be allowed when fished on a single circle-patterned hook, no larger than Size 4. A circle hook increases the likelihood a fish is hooked in the jaw where it can be safely removed. This type of hook reduces the risk of ‘deep hooking’ which can sometimes occur when worming. It also reduces the chances of accidentally catching trout and salmon parr on this method.

All salmon and sea trout must still be released throughout the 2017 season, irrespective of the method used to catch them. As a further conservation measure, anglers will not be allowed to fish with worm at any time in Long Pool.

Mike Holland of the Environment Agency said:

We want fishermen to continue to enjoy their sport on the Watersmeet and Glenthorne Fishery, but at the same time ensure suitable measures are in place to safeguard migratory fish returning to the river to spawn.

By allowing only circle hooks to be used for worming we hope to maximise the survival chances of any salmon and sea trout caught and released by this method. We’ll review the success of this trial at the end of the season.

The brown trout fishery regulations remain unchanged. The full list of fishery regulations can be found printed on the reverse of the permits, purchasable from local agents.

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The Chair of the Parole Board, Professor Nick Hardwick, has welcomed the publication of the National Audit Office’s findings following its investigation into the work of the Parole Board.

He said: “I am pleased the NAO has recognised the huge challenges the Parole Board faced as it dealt with more cases and more oral hearings with fewer Parole Board members. As a result, the backlog of outstanding cases grew, with unacceptable delays for victims and prisoners. Given the scale of the challenge it has taken time to put things right.

I am pleased the NAO recognises the progress we have made. We have a new strategy, have recruited over a 100 new members and our backlogs are down by over a third. There is more to do and the NAO report helpfully highlights a number of areas for us to focus on. I am confident we will continue to make progress whilst making sure that in each of the approximately 7,000 cases we decide every year we protect the public whilst treating prisoners fairly.”

Martin Jones, Chief Executive said:

“I welcome this report, as a timely examination of the challenges facing the parole system. In recent years there has been a substantial increase in the number of cases needing to be heard by the Parole Board and this has led to excessive, often unacceptable delays. We are now making steady progress in reducing those delays and are committed to ensuring that we deal with all cases fairly and in a timely fashion, whilst ensuring the protection of the public; but there remains more to do.

The appointment of new members, who are now starting to sit on hearings, will enable us to sustain our good progress in bringing the backlog down. Also, our digital project which aims to have paperless hearings by October, is helping to make the Parole Board run more efficiently. The majority of our members have transitioned from paper to digital working, saving the Board time and money. The backlog at present is 2,030 cases, down over a third from its high point of 3,163 cases in 2015, and we are on track to eradicate the delays by the end of the year.”

Notes to Editors

A full copy of the National Audit Office’s investigation report (HC 19/2016-17) is available on the NAO website at www.nao.org.uk

The Parole Board Strategy 2016-2020 is available on the Parole Board web pages at: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/parole-board

The Parole Board is an independent body that works with its criminal justice partners to protect the public by risk assessing prisoners to decide whether they can safely be released into the community. The Board has responsibility for considering life sentence prisoners (mandatory life, discretionary life and automatic life sentence prisoners and Her Majesty’s Pleasure detainees; and prisoners given indeterminate sentences for public protection); and determinate sentence cases (discretionary conditional release prisoners serving more than 4 years whose offence was committed before 4 April 2005; prisoners given extended sentences for public protection for offences committed on or after 4 April 2005; and prisoners given an Extended Determinate Sentence or Sentence of Particular Concern after 3 December 2012). The Board considers initial release into the community and re-release following a recall to prison.

For further information please call Glenn Gathercole, Business Development Directorate on 0203 334 4392 during office hours, or 07725-927954 out of hours, or e-mail glenn.gathercole@paroleboard.gsi.gov.uk

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