• Enforcement Undertaking accepted to address breach of environmental legislation
• Local environment and public to benefit from the Environment Agency’s response to company’s failure to meet packaging recycling obligations

Leicestershire’s Bradgate Park Trust’s Jubilee Woodland project has received a financial boost after the Environment Agency accepted an Enforcement Undertaking (EU) from Leicester-based Trafalgar Scientific Limited.

The payment is part of an EU offered by the company for its failure to register as a packaging producer and take steps to recover and recycle its packaging waste under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007.

Trafalgar Scientific Limited is now complying with the regulations and has made a payment of £17,600 to the Bradgate Park Trust’s Jubilee Woodland project, along with taking other actions to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

The Jubilee Woodland project aims to advance the education of the public in the appreciation and care of the environment; plant more trees for the purpose of CO² sequestration (removal and storage of CO²); protect biodiversity of the woodland and create a walkway through the park.

Trafalgar Scientific is a supplier of laboratory and microbiological equipment to both public and private sectors across the UK which includes items such as air samples, petri dishes, laboratory protection wear and DNA testing kits.

Jake Richardson, Senior Technical Officer for the Environment Agency, said:

We’re pleased that Trafalgar Science is now working in line with the regulations.

Enforcement Undertakings enable businesses to address historical non-compliance under the Packaging Regulations, through a series of actions that ensure future compliance and a financial contribution to a suitable environmental project.

The aim of the Packaging Regulations is to reduce the amount of packaging waste that enters our landfill sites by requiring obligated businesses (producers) to contribute financially towards the recovery and recycling of packaging waste.

The Environment Agency is increasingly using this method of enforcement for cases to restore or enhance the environment, improve practices of the offending business and ensure future compliance with environmental requirements. However, we will continue to pursue prosecution where appropriate.

James Dymond, Director, Bradgate Park Trust, said:

The funding from the Enforcement Undertaking will be used to plant a new area of parkland tree planting in a field adjacent to our Hallgates car park. This will also include fencing, new hedgerows, field margins and interpretation.

Please report any environmental issues to the Environment Agency’s 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.

The company has also paid the Environment Agency’s administration, investigation and legal costs.

The regulation/s the company did not meet

The aim of the Packaging Regulations is to achieve a more sustainable approach to dealing with packaging materials by ensuring that businesses take responsibility for the packaging used in their operations. This in turn reduces the amount of packaging produced and the material going to landfill.

Trafalgar Scientific has acknowledged that by failing to comply with the regulations they avoided paying the Environment Agency’s annual registration fees, and they did not fund the recovery and recycling of packaging waste

In the years 2012 – 2020: Regulation 40(1)(a) – a failure to register under the Producer of Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007.

In the years 2012 – 2020: Regulation 40(1)(b) – a failure to recover/recycle under the Producer of Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007.

If a business or organisation produces or uses packaging, or sells packaged goods, they may be classed as an obligated packaging producer.

Companies are an ‘obligated’ packaging producer’ if they (or the UK group of companies they are part of) meet both of the following criteria:

• handled 50 tonnes of packaging materials or packaging in the previous calendar year
• have a turnover of more than £2 million a year (based on the last financial year’s accounts)

What is an Enforcement Undertaking?

An Enforcement Undertaking is available to the Environment Agency (EA) as an alternative sanction to prosecution or monetary penalty for dealing with certain environmental offences. It is a legally binding voluntary agreement proposed by a business (or an individual) when the EA has reasonable grounds to suspect that an environmental offence has occurred.

Enforcement Undertakings for environmental offences were introduced under the Environmental Civil Sanctions (England) Order 2010 and the Environmental Civil Sanctions (Miscellaneous Amendments) (England) Regulations 2010.

Accepting an Enforcement Undertaking is always at the discretion of the EA but if accepted enables firms and individuals who have damaged the environment or operated outside of legislative requirements to offer to complete actions which will address the cause and effect of their offending, including making a payment to an appropriate environmental project.

EUs can be offered for offences including polluting rivers, breaching permit conditions designed to protect communities, or failing to register and comply with recycling/recovery obligations. The Environment Agency then carefully considers whether the actions offered by the offender are acceptable.

Why use Enforcement Undertakings?

• Businesses will voluntarily secure compliance now and in the future, without attracting a criminal record
• The environment, local community and those directly impacted by the offending can benefit through actions being offered in an EU
• They allow the EA to deal with the less intentional and polluting offending in a more proportionate way than prosecution through the criminal courts

The Environment Agency reserves the right to prosecute, where offenders fail to comply with the terms of an Enforcement Undertaking offer.

A fish processing business in the north of Scotland has received an eight-figure funding package from HSBC UK, backed by UK Export Finance (UKEF), as it sets its sights on new international markets.

Peterhead-based Denholm Seafoods, which champions Scotland’s high quality, sustainable seafood, will use the additional finance to support its ambitious overseas growth plans.

The pelagic fish business, which processes herring and mackerel caught from sustainable fisheries, is looking to expand in European and Asian markets as it promotes the quality of its Scottish origin fish.

The funding package was backed by a £15 million General Export Facility (GEF) backed by UKEF, the government’s export credit agency. The scheme, which was launched last December, has already provided over £120 million for businesses across the UK. It has made the government’s support more accessible, allowing Denholm and HSBC UK to take a longer-term view and underpins the management team’s growth aspirations.

Mike Freer MP, Minister for Exports, said:

Scottish seafood is renowned around the world for its quality and focus on sustainability – and I’m delighted that UKEF is helping Denholm grow and sell more to the world.

We export iconic food and drink products to over 200 countries, supporting jobs and growth, promoting the Union and helping to level up every part of our country.

With the help of UKEF’s popular new General Export Facility, we hope to see British products in every supermarket in the world.

Allan Stephen, Director at Denholm Seafoods, said:

Our growth plans are ambitious and, by utilising this funding, we’re excited to enter new markets and grow in existing ones. It is the quality of our product, coupled with this additional funding that will afford us this opportunity.

As we invest in the future of Denholm Seafoods, we intend to progress the sustainability of our operations, by reducing our environmental impact as we drive the growth of our business forward.

Stephen Leckie, Senior Corporate Banking Manager at HSBC UK:

It’s fantastic to help Denholm Seafoods expand the strong export arm of its business. The Scottish Food and Drink sector is a core focus of HSBC UK; we share Denholm Seafoods’ passion and drive for bringing quality Scottish produce to new markets. We look forward to seeing the company’s next chapter as it embarks upon its new investment strategy.

Denholm Seafoods currently exports 80 per cent of its product while the remaining 20 per cent supplies major retailers in the UK market.

HSBC UK

HSBC UK serves around 15 million customers across the UK, supported by 25,500 colleagues. HSBC UK offers a complete range of retail banking and wealth management to personal and private banking customers, as well as commercial banking for small to medium businesses and large corporates.

HSBC Holdings plc

HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of the HSBC Group, is headquartered in London. HSBC serves customers worldwide from offices in 64 countries and territories in our geographical regions: Europe, Asia, North America, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa. With assets of US$2,969 billion at 30 September 2021, HSBC is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations.

Denholm Seafoods

Denholm Seafoods processes pelagic fish caught from sustainable fisheries by its local fishing partners in the rich waters of the North East Atlantic. Its wide range of high quality pelagic fish products include mackerel, herring and herring roe, which are delivered fresh or frozen to customers in the UK and worldwide. Denholm Seafoods is part of the Denholm Group.

The Denholm Group

The Denholm Group operates in four sectors: Shipping, Logistics, Seafoods and Industrial Services. The Group was originally founded as a ship agent and factor by James Denholm in 1866, who was joined in the business by his brother John in 1869. Today, the 5th generation family business is still owned by John’s descendants. With their roots in shipping and maritime services, the Denholm Group companies have evolved into businesses that work collaboratively with their customers and stakeholders. The Group employs over 1,000 people, who work to the principles of the ‘Denholm Standard’: upholding the law, integrity, fairness and respect.

UK Export Finance

UK Export Finance is the UK’s export credit agency and a government department, working along-side the Department for International Trade as an integral part of its strategy and operations. Established in 1919, it exists to ensure that no viable UK export should fail for a lack of finance from the private market. It provides finance and insurance to help exporters win, fulfil and get paid for export contracts.

For more details about GEF and how to access it, read the product page.

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Two Malaysians, retired dentist Dr Vinod Kumar Joshi and adventure guide Tham Yau Kong will receive Honorary Awards from the UK, according to the Honorary Awards List which was announced in the UK today.

Dr Joshi, founder of the Mouth Cancer Foundation in the UK and formerly a National Health Service (NHS) Consultant in Restorative Dentistry, will be awarded the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for exceptional services to fighting cancer.

Dr Joshi established the Mouth Cancer Foundation in 2004 to provide professional support to patients, carers and survivors of mouth cancer as well as head and neck cancers. Apart from connecting patients through a community forum and website, he also started his long-running campaign to encourage all dentists to be alert to the risk of mouth cancer through screening; and created a hugely successful self-examination programme where the general public can check themselves for mouth cancer at home.

Dr Joshi retired from the NHS in 2011 to join the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur as a consultant where he helped set up a restorative dentistry oncology clinic for head and neck cancer. He remains in the Mouth Cancer Foundation’s Board of Trustees.

Tham, a Sabah-based adventure guide and military historian will receive the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for outstanding services in environmental, historical and cultural conservation.

Tham was the first person to research, trace and walk the exact route of the infamous 160-mile long Sandakan to Ranau Death Marches of 1945, during which some 2000 British and Australian Prisoners of War died. Tham has been sharing his knowledge and experiences for the benefit of others including hundreds of visiting UK schools groups and in support of wartime history-focussed expeditions by contingents of the UK Armed Forces.

His Excellency Charles Hay, the British High Commissioner to Malaysia, said that the UK recognises the important contribution of Dr Joshi and Tham.

He said:

Throughout his successful career in the UK and Malaysia, Dr Joshi’s dedication and service to fighting cancer has simply been exemplary. On realising the huge psychological impact of mouth cancer on patients, carers and survivors, Dr Joshi created the much needed support network to connect like-minded patients, which evolved into a charity. As well as sharing a wealth of resources on mouth cancer, Dr Joshi and his Foundation have also been instrumental in encouraging screening as early diagnosis saves lives.

Hay also congratulated Tham on his well-deserving MBE award:

Tham’s passion has led him to rediscovering and conserving the Sandakan-Ranau Death March route, a piece of history that is important to both the UK and Malaysia. He has also been generous in sharing his knowledge and research with students groups and the UK Armed Forces, as well as connecting people including with descendants of the Prisoners of War.

Responding to news of his OBE award, Dr Joshi said:

This award means a lot to me and to the charity. It is a recognition of the perseverance of all those patients, carers and the many supporters who have sustained the vision I had for the charity from its inception and over the years. It is a big tribute to them. Without them, we would not have got this far. Sadly, some are no longer here. God bless them.

Tham was very pleased with his award. He said:

I had the greatest feeling and utmost gratitude when I heard about the MBE award. The Sandakan Ranau Death March route was lost for 60 years and tracing it in 2005 was an accomplishment in itself. It also meant a lot to me being able to see and to guide the relatives of the Prisoners of Wars when they walked through the route and visited the memorials. I helped keep the history alive, I am glad my effort is acknowledged through this award.

Dr Joshi and Tham will be receiving their respective awards later in the year.

• A £2.2 million package backed by the UK government helps Central Plains Group (CPG) export specialist agricultural equipment to its operations in Ukraine
• The financing is supporting the Scottish firm to harvest 40,000 tonnes of potatoes and fulfil multimillion-pound crisping potato contracts across Europe
• This agricultural shipment opens up new opportunities for Scottish firms in the second largest potato market in the world, supporting UK jobs and trade

Central Plains Group (CPG), a Scottish-based farming company, has boosted exports of specialist agricultural equipment and potato seeds after receiving a £2.2 million package from UK Export Finance (UKEF) and Credit Agricole.

CPG is now harvesting 40,000 tonnes of potatoes in its operations in Ukraine thanks to the deal and can fulfil several multimillion-pound contracts across Eastern Europe. This is an important deal for the seed potato industry, which is worth approximately £113 million to UK farmers every year and employs more than 11,740 people.

Today at the National Farmers’ Union conference, the Environment Secretary highlighted how the UK government is supporting farmers and the agricultural industry.

Ukraine is a major potential export market for UK suppliers of agri-tech, equipment and potato-seeds. The country produces 20 million tonnes per year and is the second largest consumer of potatoes in the world.

As one of the top British companies operating in Ukraine, CPG is an innovator in the potato industry, supplying seed, table and crisping potatoes to businesses across the country as well as developing a state-of-the-art potato starch plant.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Secretary of State for International Trade, said:

The level of investment into Scottish exports is at an all-time high and there are fantastic opportunities for our agricultural producers to export around the world. The UK agricultural industry should be proud of the standard of goods it develops, which are in demand globally.

This deal is an example of what international collaboration can deliver: helping the Scottish potato sector to thrive, support production and jobs in Ukraine, and showcase the best of UK agricultural equipment. I hope that farmers and food producers alike recognise the huge potential.

Mark Laird, CEO, Central Plains Group said:

This deal is a real game-changer, and will do a significant amount to open up Ukraine for the Scottish seed potato industry. It’s been fantastic working with UK Export Finance and Credit Agricole to support bringing UK equipment to our farming operations in Ukraine and uphold our highest standards for premium potato production.

The deal was made possible through UKEF’s Standard Buyer Loan Guarantee, which covers loans to an overseas buyer to finance the purchase of goods from a UK supplier and is the first of its kind in Scotland.

UKEF support for markets in Scotland has dramatically increased over the past six years, from c. £36m in 2016/17 to c. £416m in 2021/2022. It remains a high priority and in September, UKEF opened new Trade and Investment offices in the country to help level up export growth and support local jobs.

UK Government Minister for Scotland Malcolm Offord said:

Backed by the UK Government, this export deal is great news for the Scottish seed potato sector, offering a boost to business and supporting agricultural jobs in Scotland.

Financial support from UK Export Finance is supporting Scottish businesses in a range of sectors to export internationally. As the UK Government continues to strike new trade deals around the world, this will further help our businesses expand into global markets.

Contact

Mr President,

We meet this evening because, earlier today, President Putin announced the Russian Federation’s recognition of the independence of the so-called “Donetsk People’s Republic’ and ‘Luhansk People’s Republic’ and issued a decree to send Russian military forces into Ukraine as so-called “peacekeepers”.

Colleagues,

The actions Russia has chosen to take today will have severe and far-reaching consequences. First, to human life: an invasion of Ukraine unleashes the forces of war, death and destruction on the people of Ukraine. The humanitarian impact will be terrible on civilians fleeing the fighting. We know that women and children will suffer most.

Second, to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a UN Member State, which is protected and guaranteed by the UN Charter. As the Secretary-General said earlier Russia’s decisions are a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and inconsistent with the principles of the UN Charter.

Third, to international law. The actions taken today make mockery of the commitments Russia has made through the Budapest Memorandum and the Minsk Agreements, endorsed by Security Council resolution 2202. In seeking to redraw borders by force Russia’s actions show blatant contempt for international law.

The United Kingdom will be announcing new sanctions on Russia in response to its breach of international law and attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. There will be severe economic consequences to its actions.

Colleagues,

Now more than ever the Council must shoulder its responsibilities for peace and security and defend the principles of the UN Charter.

This Council must be united in: calling on Russia to de-escalate immediately; condemning aggression against a sovereign nation, and defending the territorial integrity of Ukraine; calling on Russia to respect its obligations under the Charter to the peaceful resolution of disputes.

Russia has brought us to the brink. We urge Russia to step back.