Further support to ensure supplies of carbon dioxide (CO2)

Press release

The Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has temporarily exempted parts of the CO2 industry from competition law to help provide further security of CO2 supplies.

Competition laws temporarily suspended for CO2 firms to further ensure supplies to UK businesses and collaborate on a sustainable market-based solution
move will allow companies to share information and help prioritise deliveries to industries that need it most, such as the food sector
major supplier Ensus restarts CO2 operations and CF Fertilisers plant now operating at full capacity following government agreement, further securing CO2 supplies

The Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has temporarily exempted parts of the CO2 industry from competition law to help provide further security of CO2 supplies to UK businesses.

Companies in the UK CO2 industry will be granted a short exemption from the Competition Act 1998 for the purpose of sharing information and optimising supply.

The move will make it easier for the industry to avoid disruption to supplies and prioritise the delivery of CO2 – an essential component of the national economy – to parts of the country and industries that need it most, such as the food sector.

It will also allow companies to discuss specifics of purchasing and pricing, required as part of the industry’s commitment to work towards a long term market-based solution over the next two weeks.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said:

The government’s quick and decisive action last week provided UK businesses and consumers with confidence that CO2 supplies are secure. Since then, discussions with industry to deliver a long-term solution have made good progress.

Companies in the CO2 industry can now work together to ensure that key sectors receive the supplies they need and come to a sustainable market solution. Coupled with Ensus resuming production and CF Fertilisers ramping up operations, we are helping to make this critical industry stronger and more resilient.

In a further boost to supplies, major commercial CO2 producer Ensus has reopened its Wilton plant following temporary closure for planned maintenance, further securing supplies. The Wilton plant can produce up to 40% of the UK’s CO2 requirements.

Following an exceptional short-term agreement with the government to get CO2 production restarted, CF Fertilisers’ plant in Billingham is now operating at full capacity and shipping CO2 to UK businesses. The government is providing CF Fertilisers with limited financial support while the sector moves to a sustainable market-based solution.

Published 1 October 2021

731 fishing licences checked last month across East Anglia

The campaign, named Operation Lungfish, was launched on 23 July and ran until the end of August. The goal was to crack down on illegal fishing and poaching.

A total of 731 fishing licences were checked across Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire. This led to 31 offence notices being issued to anglers with no licences.

In Essex, a joint patrol took place with police and Angling Trust volunteer bailiffs at Hanningfield Reservoir. There, 41 checks were carried out and 4 offence notices were issued to anglers who were fishing illegally without a rod licence.

An Environment Agency’s fisheries enforcement officer also worked with Essex Police to carry out a joint night patrol across Colchester, Maldon and Tendring districts. All anglers were compliant.

Environment Agency fisheries enforcement officer on a river bank in Essex.

In Norfolk, a week-long patrol with Norfolk Police on the Broads resulted in 5 offence notices being issued to anglers with no fishing licence. An unattended keepnet was also seized. A second joint patrol took place at Pentney Lakes and 3 offence notices were given to anglers with no fishing licence. Nar Valley fishery syndicate was also visited and all anglers were found to be fishing legally.

Patrols also took place on rivers, drains and still waters across Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk. More than 100 anglers were checked, with 5 anglers found without a valid fishing licence.

Officers also visited 5 fisheries involved in rehoming sturgeon. Sturgeon are a non-native species and cannot be legally kept in any UK fishery. The fisheries continue to be under investigation.

A fisheries enforcement officer from the Environment Agency on patrol.

Lesley Robertson, Environment Agency enforcement team leader in East Anglia, said:

Our fisheries enforcement officers routinely work with partners such as police, local authorities and the Angling Trust across East Anglia, tackling illegal fishing. Operation Lungfish demonstrates how effective this approach is.

Fisheries enforcement work is intelligence-led, targeting hot-spots and locations where illegal fishing is reported.

We urge anyone with information about illegal fishing to contact us on 0800 80 70 60 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Ian Hirst, Environment Agency fisheries team leader in Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire, said:

Rod fishing licence income is vital to the work to maintain, improve and develop fisheries.

Revenue generated from rod fishing licence sales is reinvested to benefit angling. Examples include tackling illegal fishing, protecting and restoring habitats for fish and improving facilities for anglers.

Before you go fishing make sure you have valid fishing licence.

Government Chemist contributes to IFST food allergens resource

News story

The Institute of Food Science Technology has launched a new Food Allergens Knowledge Hub to help consumers, food businesses and educators source best practice advice

Selection of most common allergenic foods

The Government Chemist was pleased to contribute to the development of the IFST food allergy/allergens knowledge hub.

The hub aims to provide free access to reliable resources for all those needing clear and trusted, scientifically evidence-based information on this important topic. Food allergy, coeliac disease and food intolerance, are a major public health issue. The identification, control of and communication about food allergens are critical issues throughout the food supply chain.

Dr Michael Walker, former Head of the office of the Government Chemist was invited to work alongside other IFST nominated experts to develop the resources that make up this expansive knowledge hub.

Dr Walker said

It was a pleasure to contribute to the resources in the IFST food allergy/allergens knowledge hub, working with expert colleagues and a skilled IFST project manager. I look forward to widespread use of the hub to enable businesses of all sizes to provide safe well-labelled food for people with food allergies

Published 1 October 2021

120 new gritters keep drivers safe this winter

The new vehicles are part of a two-year roll-out of state-of-the-art gritters across the country with a further 132 more to come for winter 2022-23.

Regions receiving new gritters this year are:

Kent, Surrey, West and East Sussex – 36 vehicles
Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, part of Warwickshire, Rutland and part of Oxfordshire – 47 vehicles
Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and parts of Suffolk and Cambridgeshire – 28 vehicles
West Midlands, Shropshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Warwickshire, Staffordshire and part of North Gloucestershire – 7 vehicles
Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Avon, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire – 2 vehicles

Duncan Smith, Acting Executive Director of Operations, was at the National Highways offices in Nottingham to welcome the new vehicles.

He said:

The new vehicles are an impressive sight and this year’s roll out once again demonstrates our commitment to keeping drivers safe throughout the winter months.

They include state of the art technology allowing us to treat the roads up to a maximum of 50mph, 10mph faster than earlier models. We want everyone to travel safely on our roads and ask that drivers take extra care near gritters, leave a safe distance, overtake gritters carefully when it is safe to do so and at a reduced speed.

When the wintry weather arrives our winter teams across the country will be ready to work around the clock to keep traffic moving.

Duncan Smith, Acting Executive Director of Operations (pictured right) received the keys from Stephen McKeown, Managing Director of Romaquip, for the new 26-tonne Volvo gritters which will be patrolling the network this winter.

The new vehicles are equipped with technology which allows gritting routes to be uploaded directly into the vehicle, helping advise drivers where to go, which lanes to treat and drive in but also specific information to consider such as bridges, or other road features.

They meet the latest EU emission standards for heavy-duty CI (diesel) engines known as Euro 6 which are focused on reducing harmful exhaust emissions, ensuring National Highways procure the cleanest and most efficient vehicles available.

Inside the new high-tech gritter cabs

Over the last four years National Highways has replaced 311 gritters helping keep roads open and people moving in severe weather. Phase one of the roll out started in 2018 with 34 new vehicles delivered in the east of England. In 2019, 64 were put into operation in the North East and South East. And last year, 93 took to the roads in the North West and South West. This year’s 120 new gritters marks the start of phase two of the fleet refresh.

To help keep drivers on the move this winter, National Highways has 1,300 specially trained gritter drivers and 535 gritters available which have all gone through a summer service. There are 127 depots based at strategic points across the network, 23 snow blowers which can remove up to 2,500 tonnes of snow per hour and National Highways will be storing over 280,000 tonnes of salt.

To monitor the weather around the clock National Highways has around 250 weather stations located across its 4,400 miles of motorways and major A roads. Overhead warning signs can also be used to inform motorists of severe weather.

When severe weather is forecast drivers should follow this advice:

In snow and ice, drivers should stick to the main roads where they can and only travel if necessary – drivers are also encouraged to make sure they have a snow kit in their vehicle, including an ice scraper and de-icer, warm clothes and blankets and sunglasses to cope with the low winter sun.
In high winds, there’s a particular risk to lorries, caravans and motorbikes, so drivers should slow down and avoid using exposed sections of road if possible.
In heavy rain, drivers should keep well back from the vehicle in front, gradually ease off the accelerator if the steering becomes unresponsive, and slow down if the rain and spray from vehicles makes it difficult to see and be seen.
In fog, drivers should switch on their fog lights and not use lights on full beam as the fog will reflect the light back. If you really cannot see, you should consider finding a safe place to stop until it is safe to continue.

Drivers are advised to follow messages on the overhead signs and listen to radio updates.

Further information is available on Travelling in winter web page.

Further information can be found by visiting the Travel updates page, and by following @highwaysnwest @highwaysneast @highwaysseast @highwaysswest @highwayseast @highwayswmids, @highwaysemids @highwaysyorks on Twitter or calling the National Highways Information Line on 0300 123 5000.

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.

Raising the roof at Dounreay’s newest radioactive waste store

News story

The first roof beams have been lifted into place at Dounreay’s newest shielded radioactive waste store.

Seventy six beams, weighing a total of 1,400 tonnes, the equivalent of 116 double decker buses, are needed to complete the mammoth roof structure which will have a total weight of 3,300 tonnes. They were manufactured in Ireland and shipped to Scrabster in August.

In the first phase of the work, 31 beams weighing between 25 and 45 tonnes each were transported to site by 4 extendable trailer articulated lorries. They were then lifted into place using the existing on-site 250-tonne crane and a 500-tonne mobile crane.

Local company Hugh Simpson is contracted by GRAHAM Construction Ltd (GCL) to store, transport and install the beams. GCL is constructing the new waste store, which will hold drums of intermediate level waste in safe long-term storage in accordance with Scottish Government policy.

Watch the film

Dounreay’s Programme Delivery Director, William Lindsay, said:

It is a logistical challenge to get these roof beams into place, at height, in a congested site, and has required a significant amount of planning to achieve the first of a three-phase installation sequence.

Dounreay is Scotland’s largest nuclear decommissioning project and is widely recognised as one of Europe’s most complex nuclear closure programmes. The work is being delivered by DSRL on behalf of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

Published 1 October 2021