Joint Statement from UK Competition and Markets Authority, U.S. FTC and DOJ Antitrust Division leadership following the G7 Competition Enforcers Summit

News story

Leadership of the Federal Trade Commission and the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice attended meetings in London this week as part of the Competition Enforcers Summit, which took place under the 2021 G7 Digital and Technology Track in connection with the UK’s G7 presidency.

The U.S. agencies expressed their appreciation to the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for hosting them during this event, and for the opportunity to meet in person with the CMA to discuss cooperation between our respective jurisdictions. Following the meeting’s conclusion, the Competition and Markets Authority, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice issue this joint statement:

This week’s Competition Enforcers Summit underscored the similar challenges we face as enforcement agencies. Our meetings highlighted the close relationship among our agencies, underscored that we each view this relationship as a critical element of our respective enforcement programs, and affirmed our intent to strengthening collaboration and coordination with one another.

New and evolving challenges require us to innovate in how we accomplish our missions. And in today’s global economy, our agencies often review the same mergers or confront similar potentially anticompetitive conduct. Given the many parallel investigations, we are committed to working closely together to promote fully informed decision-making and to facilitate best practices on pursuing effective remedies. We also welcome working with other agencies both individually and collectively.

We share common goals and are dedicated to close and regular engagement both on the agency head and staff level, as priorities and resources allow. Deeper recognition of our common cause of tackling anticompetitive conduct and mergers opens up possibilities for us to implement robust cross-border enforcement regimes and achieve success in ways that would elude individual agencies working alone.

For media queries, please contact the press office via press@cma.gov.uk or on 020 3738 6460.

Published 3 December 2021

Professor David Miles nominated for appointment to the Office for Budget Responsibility

News story

The Chancellor has nominated Professor David Miles for appointment to the Budget Responsibility Committee (BRC) of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced today (3 December) that he has nominated Professor David Miles for appointment to the OBR’s Budget Responsibility Committe
Subject to approval by the Treasury Committee, Professor Miles will start in the role on 1st January 2022

The Chancellor has nominated Professor David Miles for appointment to the Budget Responsibility Committee (BRC) of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).

The OBR is the UK’s official independent fiscal watchdog who are responsible for examining and reporting on the sustainability of the public finances. The BRC has executive responsibility for the core functions of the OBR and is responsible for judgements reached in OBR economic and fiscal forecasts.

The new BRC vacancy arises because Professor Sir Charles Bean is due to step down from office at the end of the year following the end of his 5-year term.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak said:

I am delighted to nominate Professor David Miles for appointment to the OBR’s Budget Responsibility Committee – a role that is a vital part of our commitment to strong public finances as we rebuild from the pandemic

A highly respected economist, Professor Miles brings a variety of academic and professional expertise which will only strengthen the existing independent and authoritative analysis of the OBR.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Professor Sir Charles Bean for his exceptional service to HM Government during his time at the OBR. I would like to extend my gratitude for his work and wish him all the best for his future.

Professor David Miles said:

I am very pleased that the Chancellor has nominated me to join the Budget Responsibility Committee. The work of the Committee is of great importance as the UK faces exceptional challenges after the coronavirus outbreak. Sir Charles Bean has contributed greatly to the work of the Committee. It would be an honour to replace him should the Treasury Committee wish me to do so.

The Treasury Committee will conduct a hearing with Professor Miles in the coming weeks. Subject to their confirmation, he will take up his new role for a 5-year term starting on 1 January 2022.

Further information

Professor David Miles is an experienced and very well-respected economist across the private, academic and public sectors. He currently serves as Professor of Financial Economics at Imperial College London and has published extensively on a variety of macro-economic topics from monetary policy to financial regulation. He was also Morgan Stanley Chief Economist from 2004-2009 and a member of the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee from 2009-2015.
Professor Sir Charles Bean will step down as a member of the OBR’s BRC at the end of this year. Sir Charles’ appointment to the BRC was announced in August 2016.
As set out in the Budget Responsibility and National Audit Act 2011, appointments to the OBR’s BRC require consent from the Treasury Committee
The Budget Responsibility and National Audit Act 2011 allows each term of a BRC member to be up to five years in length, Professor Miles first term will therefore finish in January 2027. BRC members can serve for a maximum of two terms.
If confirmed, Professor Miles will join Richard Hughes (Chair) and Andy King on the BRC, when he succeeds Sir Charles Bean

About the appointment process

Professor David Miles has been appointed following an open recruitment process run by HM Treasury. A panel comprising of Clare Lombardelli (Director General and Chief Economic Advisor, HM Treasury), Tom Josephs (Director of Fiscal, HM Treasury), Richard Hughes (Chairman, Office for Budget Responsibility) and Karen Ward (Chief Market Strategist for EMEA, J.P. Morgan Asset Management) interviewed candidates and made recommendations to the Chancellor, which informed his decision.
The Treasury is committed to appointing a diverse range of people to public appointments, including at the Office for Budget Responsibility. The Treasury continues to take active steps to attract the broadest range of suitable applicants for posts.

Published 3 December 2021

New wetland habitats created in Norfolk

Press release

Wildlife is set to thrive after a river habitat restoration project was completed along the River Yare near Earlham.

Hazel bundles on the river bank. Pictures credit: Norfolk Rivers Trust

The Environment Agency, the Norfolk Rivers Trust and Norwich City Council have been working together to improve the Yare Valley around the south of Norwich.

The work involved creating diverse habitats within the river to benefit aquatic plants and provide refuge for fish.

A new wetland was also constructed to collect surface water run-off, which will improve the quality of the water before it re-enters the river. The wetland also makes a great habitat for wildlife that thrive in wet conditions.

Bundles of hazel have been secured against the banks, which will help prevent erosion on this stretch. Historically the riverbanks have worn away due to the public and dogs accessing the river. A dog ramp has now been installed to prevent erosion and reduce the amount of mud entering the river.

Amy Prendergast, Environment Agency Catchment Coordinator, said:

The works have restored some beautiful sections of the River Yare.

Through Earlham Park you can see clear water, clean gravels and fish already enjoying the faster flows.

I hope people will make use of the dog ramps and help protect the riverbanks.

A spokesperson for the Norfolk Rivers Trust said:

This work has helped to increase habitat diversity and increase the diversity of species in the river.

It will also help to reduce the risk of both flooding and erosion in the area whilst also improving water quality.

We look forward to seeing the positive impact of the changes on the local wildlife.

Norwich City councillor Matthew Packer, portfolio holder for health and wellbeing, said:

What a great example of partnership work this is.

This project also aligns with the council’s ongoing commitment to protect and enhance the city’s open spaces.

I’m so pleased to see another scheme focused on enhancing biodiversity being delivered here in Norwich.

Additional information

This work is part of a wider green infrastructure project, which is creating a corridor of linked habitats and green spaces along the Yare Valley. This priority is set out in local planning policy. Read more here: Norwich City Council Planning Policy
Under this objective, the Environment Agency and its partners are aiming to improve access to green and natural spaces. Other enhancements to the area to date include:
In 2018 a new footbridge over the River Yare between Colney and Bowthorpe was constructed, funded by the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).
In 2018, fish refuges and ponds were created in Bowthorpe Southern Park and fast water running gravel glides created in the river nearby.
Works completed by the developer of the Bartram Mowers site in 2019 have also improved a section of the riverside footpath in Eaton. More works are planned to improve biodiversity and access through the next phases of development.

Published 3 December 2021

National Highways launches specialist concrete qualification with the University of Derby

A new qualification in Concrete Pavement and Construction Maintenance has been launched by National Highways and the University of Derby in a move to plug the predicted skills gap in successfully delivering repairs and renewals of concrete roads.

As a part of the Road Investment Strategy, National Highways is spending £400m in the next three years to improve the quality of existing concrete roads across the country. However, 60 percent of the current specialist concrete workforce is set to retire within 10 years, leaving a skills gap that presents a risk to the successful delivery of these projects.

To fill this gap, the National Highways Concrete Roads Centre of Excellence has worked in partnership with the University of Derby to launch a BSc Honours in Concrete Pavements and Construction Maintenance. The two-year part time course specifically focuses on pavements and highways, and provides a pathway for those already studying related subjects to specialise or convert.

Mike Ambrose, Technical Lead at National Highways’ Concrete Roads Centre of Excellence, said:

We’re delighted to be working with the University of Derby to design and deliver this course. The University of Derby and specifically the Centre for Mineral Products has a strong track record of delivering applied programmes for industry so are a natural partner for National Highways.

As the current specialist concrete workforce begin to see out their careers we’re excited to begin upskilling and working with the next generation of engineers. This employer led programme, which is open to both National Highways and the supply chain staff, will help those people get on the pathway to becoming the future industry leaders.

Mark Osbaldeston, the Head of the Centre for Mineral Products at the University of Derby, said:

We are delighted to be working in partnership with National Highways to offer this innovative new course. The concrete roads programme is fundamental in ensuring the future success of our road networks, and this BSc Honours provision will help provide a continued supply of highly skilled individuals to the profession. Our team of academics have extensive experience within the mineral products sector and are very much looking forward to sharing their knowledge and practical expertise with the next generation of industry leaders.

The course, which begins in January 2022, is the first industry led course of its kind specialising in pavements and highways design and will be open for enrolment from this December. It’s aimed at a range of learners including those with foundation degrees, Level 5 apprenticeships and pavement engineering consultants and suppliers who want to extend their knowledge and understanding of the subject areas so they can potentially specialise and pursue careers allied to National Highways or other road and pavement infrastructure companies.

Get more information about the course including how to enrol.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the National Highways customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the National Highways press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

Geological disposal programme now under way

This week, around 150 delegates gathered in central London for the first annual conference focused on the vitally important Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) programme for higher-activity radioactive waste.

RWM Chief Executive Karen Wheeler outlined the enormous progress of the last 12 months towards finding a willing community and suitable site for a deep GDF where radioactive waste can be safely disposed of, with groups in three different parts of the country now engaged in discussions.

A GDF will be one of the biggest infrastructure and environmental protection programmes in the UK and provide a major investment for the host local community and its economy, as well as being a vital project for the country.

We are now making real progress and having conversations with a number of communities about the potential for them to host a GDF. We’ve been holding wide-ranging discussions and public events in Cumbria and Lincolnshire over the last 12 months, as local people begin to explore what hosting a GDF could mean for their communities, and now we wanted to have those discussion at a national event too.

The delegates represented a broad range of national and international stakeholders from government, parliament, the public sector, industry, supply chain, major projects, regulators, academia, unions, NGOs, skills and learned societies.

Delegates came from across the UK and overseas

In a series of panel sessions and presentations from guest and RWM speakers, details were shared about the planned programme of activities for the next 20-30 years, including geophysical investigations to understand a site’s potential suitability ahead of a construction phase.

Speakers also outlined how a GDF could generate a significant economic stimulus and create social value, bringing thousands of jobs and supply chain opportunities, while attracting further inward investment.

The search for a willing host community is a nationwide process based on community consent and includes detailed investigations to ensure there is a suitable site for a GDF.

It was just over a year ago that the first GDF Working Group was formed in Copeland, Cumbria, to open discussions locally and find out more about geological disposal. A second GDF Working Group was established in neighbouring Allerdale earlier in the year, and in October, Theddlethorpe Working Group was launched in Lincolnshire.

The Cumbrian groups are now in the process of moving discussions further along after identifying search areas and beginning steps to form longer-term Community Partnerships that will unlock funding for local initiatives and enable RWM to start early on-the-ground investigations into possible sites.

RWM’s latest video about progress on geological disposal was also shared at the conference.

Learn more about geological disposal and the GDF programme.