Devon farmer sows historically important fields, reaps £31,500 bill

Press release

Braunton tenant-farmer Andrew Cooper has been ordered to pay more than £30,000 for ploughing historically important fields linked to prehistoric and Second World War periods.

Brown ploughed field in foreground, blue sea in background

Andrew Cooper defied a stop order to continue ploughing land of historical importance

When Cooper of Croyde Hoe Farm ploughed and planted fields on National Trust-owned land which experts regard as archaeologically significant, he was ordered to stop and remediate the fields by Natural England in September 2017. However, the farmer ignored the stop notice and continued to plough and lime most of a neighbouring field as well by March 2018.

The fields in question, found on the Baggy Point headland jutting out on the North Devon coast, are linked to the Mesolithic and Neolithic eras where large numbers of flint artefacts have been found. They were also used as training grounds by American forces in the Second World War ahead of the Normandy invasion, and featured dummy pillboxes, trenches and graffiti left by a soldier who was killed in the landmark battle.

Dawn Enright of Natural England said:

The historic environment is a finite, non-renewable resource. Once it is lost it is gone forever. It cannot be recreated.

Impacts from cultivation are irreversible and over time may lead to the complete removal of archaeological remains and the significant displacement of remains such as flint tools.

Bill Horner, county archaeologist of Devon County Council, said:

The making of stone tools by Mesolithic hunter-gatherers over a long period makes this a particularly important archaeological site. It marks the start of a continuous human presence in Devon after the ice ages.

While we regret that the agencies involved, despite their best efforts, were left with no option but to take legal action, we are pleased that the outcome recognises the harm that was being done to this rare and important part of our national heritage.

Mr Cooper pleaded guilty at Exeter Crown Court on 7 April 2021 to breaching the Stop Notice. He was fined £7,500 with 5 months’ imprisonment in default of payment and ordered to pay £24,000 costs at Exeter Crown Court on 21 June 2021.

Published 21 June 2021



£50 million infrastructure upgrade to cement UK’s status as science superpower

Research and innovation infrastructure in the UK is to receive a £50 million upgrade, furthering the government’s aim to cement the UK’s status as a science superpower.

The projects include a boost to the world’s largest and most sensitive radio telescope network, carbon capture technologies, a state-of-the-art airborne research laboratory and a £17 million investment in digital research infrastructure.

The funding, which is supporting more than a dozen infrastructure projects and scoping studies, follows the Prime Minister’s announcement of a new ministerial council and Office for Science and Technology Strategy. Both will provide strategic direction on the use of science and technology as the tools to tackle great societal challenges, level up across the country and boost prosperity around the world.

Science Minister Amanda Solloway said:

If the last year and a half has taught us anything it’s that new challenges can arise from anywhere at any time.

By investing millions in the UK’s research infrastructure, we are putting science and innovation at the heart of our efforts to build back better while ensuring that we can respond to challenges now and in the future – from pandemic preparedness to tackling climate change.

Tackling problems such as climate change and antimicrobial resistance are immediate priorities reflected in the projects receiving funding, but this funding is equally designed to address the challenges and opportunities that may arise in the future.

By putting the infrastructure in place now, the UK will lead the world in developing innovative approaches to the challenges facing society, as well as enhancing the UK’s long-term research capability.

This investment will be delivered through grant funding and is the first to be delivered through UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Infrastructure Roadmap programme to bolster the UK’s research and innovation capabilities.

UK Research and Innovation Chief Executive Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser said:

Infrastructure and the skilled people who design, build, maintain and operate it are vital to research and innovation. Projects such as the Square Kilometre Array Observatory and the UKRI Airborne Laboratory demonstrate the importance of investing in facilities that can help us answer some of the biggest questions and tackle the most pressing challenges.

This investment provides the foundation from which the UK will continue to play an important role in the advancement of scientific research and understanding around the world.

One of the largest increases in investment to be announced today is for the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO), which is an existing project which will receive £14.75 million of the £50 million announced for this financial year. SKAO, which will have telescopes in South Africa and Australia and has its HQ in Manchester, will have the world’s largest and most sensitive radio telescope network on Earth when constructed.

The SKAO telescopes will be able to image huge areas of sky with unparalleled sensitivity and on an unprecedented scale. Its image resolution quality will exceed the Hubble Space Telescope and it will lead the way for the UK in scientific discovery, helping to maintain our world-leading position.

Today’s funding also provides £5.5 million to upgrade the UKRI Airborne Laboratory for this financial year, enhancing its world-leading research capability and enabling it to remain at the cutting-edge of atmospheric research.

This world-class aircraft is unique in the UK, is capable of being deployed anywhere in the world, and provides invaluable data that allows for climate modelling and weather prediction. The upgrades will provide new air pollution and aerosol equipment and will assess the impact of pollution on both the atmosphere and human health, ensuring continued capability to respond to airborne environment incidents that could impact society and the economy.

Further funding will be awarded to projects covering a broad spectrum of innovative work, including:

  • £17 million to initiate a national Digital Research Infrastructure to enable UK researchers to harness the full power of modern digital platforms, tools and techniques, including Net Zero computing
  • a scoping study into developing a CO2 Storage Testbed that will de-risk carbon capture and storage on an industrial scale, positioning the UK as a global leader in clean growth
  • funding to plan for infrastructure offering cutting-edge technologies to drive innovation in the UK’s screen and performance industries
  • investment to unlock the power of our rich population data to address key health issues and identify early markers for serious diseases
  • £260,000 for a project to investigate the requirements for a new national Floods and Droughts Resilience Infrastructure, which would provide a world-leading observation network. With weather events increasing due to climate change, the aim is to reduce the impacts of floods and droughts in the UK by better understanding the water cycle

The government is committed to cementing the UK’s status as a science superpower, putting the country on track to reach 2.4% of GDP being spent on R&D across the UK economy by 2027.



TRA opens first case in response to application from UK industry

Press release

The TRA will investigate whether aluminium extrusions are being dumped in the UK by businesses in the People’s Republic of China.

Cargo Ship

The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) has begun its first investigation in response to an application from a UK industry. The case was initiated on Monday 21 June.

The TRA will investigate whether aluminium extrusions are being dumped in the UK by businesses in the People’s Republic of China.

Aluminium extrusions are commonly used in the manufacture of heavy equipment, such as components for infrastructure projects like mining, oil and gas, chemical and refinery equipment. They can also be found in windows, doors and railings, cars, buses and trains, and air conditioners, personal watercraft and medical equipment.

Chief Executive of the Trade Remedies Authority Oliver Griffiths said:

This investigation into potential dumping of aluminium extrusions from China is the UK’s first new trade remedies case. We are encouraging all parties with interests in the UK aluminium extrusion market to contribute to our investigation into whether dumping has occurred and whether remedies are the right answer for the UK economy.

The TRA received an application supported by UK producers whose collective output constitutes at least half of the total production in the UK and has concluded that the application includes enough evidence to justify a full investigation.

The TRA will now seek information from all interested parties in order to establish whether aluminium extrusions have been dumped in the UK, whether that has harmed UK industry and whether it would be in the UK’s interests for measures to be put in place to mitigate that harm.

The TRA was established as an independent body earlier this month, following the passing of the Trade Act. View more information on the launch of the authority.

View further information on how to contribute to the investigation and on the TRA’s current case load, including transition reviews into steel safeguard measures, cold rolled flat steel products and HFP rebar.

Background information:

  • The Trade Remedies Authority is the UK body that investigates whether new trade remedy measures are needed to counter unfair import practices and unforeseen surges of imports.
  • The TRA is an arm’s length body of the Department of International Trade (DIT) and launched on 1 June 2021. Before its launch, it operated as the Trade Remedies Investigations Directorate (TRID) of DIT.
  • Trade remedy investigations were carried out by the EU Commission on the UK’s behalf until the UK left the EU. Forty-three EU trade remedy measures of interest to UK producers were carried across into UK law when the UK left the EU and the TRA is currently reviewing each one to assess whether it is suitable for UK needs.
  • UK industries concerned about imports have been able to submit applications for a new trade remedy measure since January 2021. These applications are considered by the TRA to see if there are grounds for an investigation. This will be the first investigation the TRA carries out in response to an application from a UK industry.
  • Anti-dumping measures are one of the three types of trade remedies – along with countervailing measures against countervailable subsidies and safeguard measures which address sudden, unforeseen floods of imports – that are allowed by the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
  • The materials being investigated in this case are rolled, drawn, extruded, forged or cast aluminium extrusions exported from the People’s Republic of China, that are in the form of bars, rods, profiles, tubes and pipes.

Published 21 June 2021



Foreign Secretary announces further sanctions on companies linked to Myanmar’s military regime

  • measures announced will restrict the military junta’s ability to profit from timber and pearl, key sources of revenue for the regime
  • UK will maintain suspension on trade promotion in Myanmar and strengthen advice to British businesses following review of Myanmar trade

In the UK’s sixth tranche of Myanmar sanctions, measures announced today will target the Myanmar regime’s economic interest with new designations against the State Administration Council (SAC), the junta’s ruling body, who continue to undermine democracy and brutally suppress Myanmar’s civilians. These sanctions send a clear message to the junta the UK will not allow financial support that props up the military regime following the coup earlier this year.

Additional measures will now be imposed on the Myanmar Timber Enterprise and Myanmar Pearl Enterprise, 2 state owned entities in Myanmar’s extractive sector. These asset freezes will be enforced with immediate effect, and target the junta’s ability to profit from pearl and timber, 2 high-value natural commodities that generate millions in revenue for the military regime.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said:

Alongside our allies, we are placing sanctions on companies linked to Myanmar’s military junta, targeting the finances of this illegitimate regime.

The military has continued its subversion of democracy and brutal killing of civilians. We will continue to hold the Junta to account and sanction those responsible, until democracy is restored.

Today the Foreign Secretary has also announced the conclusion of the UK’s Myanmar Trade Review. In a Written Ministerial Statement in Parliament, he confirmed that the UK will maintain its suspension on trade promotion in Myanmar first imposed following the coup earlier this year.

The UK will also strengthen our Overseas Business Risk guidance to reiterate the message that UK businesses must undertake enhanced supply chain due diligence and should not enter into trading relationships that benefit the Myanmar military.

The Myanmar Trade Review emphasised that UK businesses continue to have an important role to play in Myanmar in job creation and poverty alleviation, but should operate responsibly in order to avoid inadvertently supporting the military regime.

Today’s new sanctions announcement, alongside the similar announcement from the European Union on Myanmar Timber Enterprise,  follows the recent G7 communiqué which called on partners and business to exercise due diligence in their trade and investment in Myanmar. Under the UK’s presidency the G7 continues to call for an end to the coup and the immediate adoption of the ASEAN 5-point consensus.

Links to previous Myanmar sanctions announcements:



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