High temperatures forecast for parts of England prompts heat-health warning

With high temperatures forecast for London, the Southeast of England and the East of England, Public Health England (PHE) has asked people to remember to check up on those who are vulnerable in hot weather.

Over the next few days, temperatures in parts of the affected regions could reach close to 31°C. Older people who live alone, those self-isolating and people with underlying health conditions are at greater risk in spells of hot weather.

Ishani Kar-Purkayastha, Consultant in Public Health at PHE, said:

“Temperatures will feel very warm in the Southeast of England, London and the East of England, with localised pockets of high temperatures in some parts.

“People recovering from COVID-19 at home, older people and people with underlying health conditions will be more vulnerable during this hot spell.

“If you’re able, ask if your friends, family or neighbours need any support. The most important advice is to ensure they stay hydrated, keep cool and take steps to prevent their homes from overheating.

“Follow guidance on COVID-19 at all times, remember the ‘Rule of Six’, and when using public cool spaces including shaded outdoor spaces, do so considerately.”

Frank Saunders, Met Office Chief Meteorologist, said:

“England will be sunny with temperatures widely above 25°C.  It’ll turn hot in southern and eastern areas with temperatures reaching around 30°C in a few spots, possibly 31°C on Tuesday.

“On Wednesday, there will be plenty of sunshine in southern areas and temperatures in the mid- possibly high-20s°C.”

To enjoy the sun while staying safe:

  • drink plenty of fluids and avoid excess alcohol. Everyone is at risk of dehydration in hot temperatures, but babies, children and older people are particularly vulnerable
  • stay cool indoors: open windows when the air feels cooler outside than inside; shade or cover windows exposed to direct sunlight; move to a cooler part of the house, especially for sleeping
  • slow down when it’s hot: exertion heats up our bodies so plan any strenuous activities (such as exercise and gardening) outside the hottest time of the day, typically 11am to 3pm
  • cool your skin with water. You could use a cool wet sponge or flannel, cool water spray, cold packs around the neck and armpits, or a cool, wet sheet
  • stay connected and up to date with the weather forecast. Knowing the forecast can help you plan ahead and adapt what you’re doing
  • dress appropriately for the weather – wear a hat, and light, loose cotton clothes
  • protect yourself against the sun’s radiation by applying sun screen and monitoring the real-time UV index
  • eat salads and fruit – these foods contain more water so can help keep you hydrated

For more information on the common signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke, visit NHS.UK.

Read our COVID-19 and summer temperatures blog for more advice on how to stay well in hot weather.



UK increases Export Finance country limit for Pakistan

World news story

The UK’s credit financing agency, UK Export Finance (UKEF) has increased its financing limit for UK businesses looking to export to and invest in Pakistan to £1.5 billion.

This announcement will boost trade partnerships between the two countries and unleash Pakistan’s growth potential. UKEF helps secure large contracts by providing attractive financing terms to buyers and supporting working capital loans.

The British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Dr Christian Turner met with the Federal Minister of Commerce for Pakistan Razaq Dawood today to discuss trade ties and business potential between the two countries. The Commerce Minister welcomed the UKEF’s announcement of an increase of £500 million in the credit limit for business investment in Pakistan, especially at a time when Pakistan is looking to expand its trade potential to mitigate the impacts of COVID19.

The British High Commissioner, Dr Christian Turner said;

UK credit financing for Pakistan has tripled in the last two years, and is key to achieving my ambition to double the trade between the UK and Pakistan. It is a sign of our confidence in Pakistan and the strength of the unique relationship between the two countries. I encourage all Pakistan businesses to look for opportunities to partner with the UK on their journey towards economic prosperity.

The UK is Pakistan’s third largest export partner. Between July 2019 and March 2020 Pakistan exported 7% of its total exports to the UK, and the increase in the credit financing limit will help turbo-charge trade relations between the two countries.

Notes to the Editors:

  • UK Export Finance (UKEF) is the UK’s official Export Credit Agency (ECA) working closely with the Department for International Trade (DIT).
  • Its mission is to ensure that no viable UK export fails for lack of finance or insurance, while operating at no net cost to the taxpayer.
  • In 2019/20, UKEF provided £4.4 billion of support for UK exports globally.
  • UKEF recently completed a comprehensive review of its Country Limits, resulting in increases in over 100 markets including Pakistan
  • The Export Financing offered is quite attractive if comparing to a commercial bank
  • There is a baseline requirement for 20% of the whole deal to come back to the UK, but that doesn’t necessarily mean –for example –the whole construction on the ground or the production of a specific product. It looks at the whole supply chain. The 20% can come from a UK company that looks after the procurement of services as part of a bigger deal. This makes UKEF very attractive for multinational consortiums.
  • For further information, follow this link

Contact
Press Office
British High Commission
Islamabad
tel. +92 300 5005306

For further updates:

For updates on the British High Commission, please follow our social media channels:

Published 14 September 2020



Civil Procedure Rules relating to Contempt of Court: webinar, 8 October 2020

News story

The Civil Procedure Rule Committee will be hosting a webinar on 8 October 2020 at 5pm to discuss changes to the Civil Procedure Rules.

The Civil Procedure Rule Committee will be hosting a webinar on 8 October 2020 at 5pm to discuss changes to the Civil Procedure Rules, which come into force on 1 October 2020. The committee will introduce the new ‘one stop’ procedural code for all contempt of court proceedings in the civil courts, in the revised Civil Procedure Rules Part 81. The event is kindly being hosted by the Law Society. Please visit the Law Society’s website for more information and how to join the webinar.

Published 14 September 2020



Foreign flagged ships detained in the UK during August 2020

During August, there were zero new detentions of foreign flagged vessels in a UK port.

  1. In response to one of the recommendations of Lord Donaldson’s inquiry into the prevention of pollution from merchant shipping, and in compliance with the EU Directive on Port State Control (2009/16/EC as amended), the Maritime and Coastguard agency (MCA) publishes details of the foreign flagged vessels detained in UK ports each month.

  2. The UK is part of a regional agreement on port state control known as the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (Paris MOU) and information on all ships that are inspected is held centrally in an electronic database known as THETIS. This allows the ships with a high risk rating and poor detention records to be targeted for future inspection.

  3. Inspections of foreign flagged ships in UK ports are undertaken by surveyors from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. When a ship is found to be not in compliance with applicable convention requirements, a deficiency may be raised. If any of their deficiencies are so serious, they have to be rectified before departure, then the ship will be detained.

  4. All deficiencies should be rectified before departure.

  5. When applicable, the list includes those passenger craft prevented from operating under the provisions of the EU Directive on a system of inspections for the safe operation of Ro-Ro passenger ships and high-speed passenger craft in regular service and amending directive 2009/16/EC and repealing Council Directive 1999/35/EC (Directive EU 2017/2110).

Notes on the list of detentions:

  • Full details of the ship: The accompanying detention list shows ship’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) number which is unchanging throughout the ship’s life and uniquely identifies it. It also shows the ship’s name and flag state at the time of its inspection.
  • Company: The company shown in the vessel’s Safety Management Certificate (SMC) or if there is no SMC, then the party otherwise believed to be responsible for the safety of the ship at the time of inspection.
  • Classification society: The list shows the classification society responsible for classing the ship only.
  • Recognised organisation: Responsible for conducting the statutory surveys: and issuing statutory certificates on behalf of the flag state.
  • White (WL), grey (GL) and black lists (BL) are issued by the Paris MoU on 01 July each year and shows the performance of flag state.
  • Deficiencies: The deficiencies listed are the ones which were detainable. Further details of other deficiencies can be provided on request.

SHIPS DETAINED IN AUGUST 2020

DETENTIONS CARRIED OVER FROM PREVIOUS MONTHS

Vessel Name: MARCO POLO

GT: 22080

IMO: 6417097

Flag: Bahamas (white list)

Company: Global Cruise Lines Ltd

Classification society: DNV GL

Recognised organisation: DNV GL

Recognised organisation for ISM Doc: DNV GL

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: DNV GL

Date and place of detention: 19th June 2020 at Avonmouth

Summary: Six deficiencies with one ground for detention

Defective item Nature of defect Ground for Detention
01220 – Seafarers’ employment agreement (SEA) Expired Yes

This vessel was still detained on 31st August 2020

Vessel Name: VASCO DA GAMA

GT: 55877

IMO: 8919245

Flag: Bahamas (white list)

Company: Global Cruise Lines Ltd

Classification society: Lloyd’s Register

Recognised organisation: Lloyd’s Register

Recognised organisation for ISM Doc: DNVGL

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: Lloyd’s Register

Date and place of detention: 19th June 2020 at Tilbury

Summary: Five deficiencies with three grounds for detention

Defective item Nature of defect Ground for Detention
01220 – Seafarers’ employment agreement (SEA) Expired Yes
18204 – Non-payment of wages Not according to SEA Yes
15150 – ISM Not as required Yes

This vessel was still detained on 31st August 2020

Vessel Name: ASTOR

GT: 20704

IMO: 8506373

Flag: Bahamas (white list)

Company: Global Cruise Lines Ltd

Classification society: DNV GL

Recognised organisation: DNV GL

Recognised organisation for ISM Doc: DNV GL

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: DNV GL

Date and place of detention: 19th June 2020 at Tilbury

Summary: Two deficiencies with two grounds for detention

Defective item Nature of defect Ground for Detention
01220 – Seafarers’ employment agreement (SEA) Expired Yes
18203 – Wages Missing Yes

This vessel was still detained on 31st August 2020

Vessel Name: ASTORIA

GT: 16144

IMO: 5383304

Flag: Portugal (white list)

Company: Global Cruise Lines Ltd

Classification society: BV

Recognised organisation: BV

Recognised organisation for ISM Doc: BV

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: BV

Date and place of detention: 19th June 2020 at Tilbury

Summary: Five deficiencies with four grounds for detention

Defective item Nature of defect Ground for Detention
01220 – Seafarers’ employment agreement (SEA) Expired Yes
18203 – Wages Missing Yes
15150 – ISM Not as required Yes
18204 – Non-payment of wages Non-payment of wages Yes

This vessel was still detained on 31st August 2020

Vessel Name: COLUMBUS

GT: 63786

IMO: 8611398

Flag: Bahamas (white list)

Company: Global Cruise Lines Ltd

Classification society: Lloyd’s Register

Recognised organisation: Lloyd’s Register

Recognised organisation for ISM Doc: DNVGL

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: Lloyd’s Register

Date and place of detention: 19th June 2020 at Tilbury

Summary: Five deficiencies with four grounds for detention

Defective item Nature of defect Ground for Detention
01220 – Seafarers’ employment agreement (SEA) Not as required Yes
18203 – Wages Not according to SEA Yes
01220 – Seafarers’ employment agreement (SEA) Invalid Yes
15150 – ISM Not as required Yes

This vessel was still detained on 31st August 2020

Vessel Name: LIVA GRETA

GT: 851

IMO: 8801072

Flag: Latvia (white list)

Company: Regulus SIA

Classification society: RINA

Recognised organisation: RINA

Recognised organisation for ISM Doc: RMRS

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: RMRS

Date and place of detention: 11th January 2020 at Birkenhead

Summary: Nine deficiencies with two grounds for detention

Defective item Nature of defect Ground for Detention
11113 – Launching arrangements for rescue boats Inoperative Yes
15150 – ISM Not as required Yes

This vessel was still detained on 31st August 2020

Vessel Name: POSEIDON

GT: 1412

IMO: 7363217

Flag: Iceland (White list)

Company: Neptune EHF

Classification society: NA

Recognised organisation: NA

Recognised organisation for ISM Doc: DNV-GL

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: N/A (SMC issued by Flag)

Date and place of detention: 19th July 2018 at Hull

Summary: Ten deficiencies with two grounds for detention

Defective item Nature of defect Ground for Detention
02106 – Hull damage impairing seaworthiness Holed Yes
07113 – Fire Pumps Insufficient Pressure Yes

This vessel was still detained on 31st August 2020

Vessel Name: TECOIL POLARIS

GT: 1814

IMO No: 8883290

Flag: Russian Federation (Grey list)

Company: Tecoil Shipping Ltd

Classification society: RMRS

Recognised organisation: RMRS

Recognised organisation for ISM DOC: RMRS

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: RMRS

Date and place of detention: 6th June 2018 at Immingham

Summary: Twenty-seven deficiencies with six grounds for detentions

Defective item Nature of defect Ground for Detention
10104 – Gyro compass Inoperative Yes
10127 – Voyage or passage plan Not as required Yes
15150 – ISM Not as required Yes
11104 – Rescue boats Not properly maintained Yes
11101 – Lifeboats Not ready for use Yes
01117 – International Oil Pollution Prevention (IOPP) Invalid Yes

This vessel was still detained on 31st August 2020

Vessel Name: CIEN PORCIENTO (General Cargo)

GT: 106.

IMO No: 8944446.

Flag: Unregistered.

Company: Open Window Inc.

Classification society: Unclassed.

Recognised organisation: Not applicable.

Recognised organisation for ISM DOC: Not applicable.

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: Not applicable

Date and place of detention: 4 March 2010, Lowestoft

Summary: Thirty deficiencies including seven grounds for detention

This vessel was still detained on 31st August 2020

Notes to Editors

• The MCA is a partner in the Sea Vision UK campaign to raise awareness and understanding of the sea and maritime activities. Sea Vision promotes the importance and economic value of the sector and works to highlight the exciting range of activities and career opportunities available to young people within the UK growing maritime sector.

• Follow us on Twitter: @MCA_media

For further information please contact Maritime and Coastguard Agency Press Office, on: +44 (0) 2380 329 401 Press releases and further information about the agency is available here.



Work starts on Northumberland flood scheme

A North East MP has seen first-hand the start of vital work to improve flood defences in a Northumberland town.

The £2.7million Ponteland Flood Alleviation Scheme is the first project in the country to get off the ground out of the 22 flood defence projects to benefit from a £170million government funding boost.

The investment brings forward work on flood defence schemes across the country which will drive economic growth and better protect thousands of homes, business and jobs from the devastating effects of flooding.

Ponteland received a £450,000 cash injection used to fill a shortfall in funding, allowing the Environment Agency to start construction immediately.

On Friday (11 September) Hexham MP Guy Opperman visited the site to see first-hand the work being carried out to protect the town. He was joined by Ponteland Flood Warden Alan Maidwell on the tour. Mr Opperman said following his visit:

This additional investment from the Government for flood protection here in Ponteland is fantastic and I know will be hugely welcomed by the many residents and businesses who will benefit from this crucial work. It is great to see this extra investment transfer to shovels in the ground so quickly, bringing real peace of mind and confidence to the local community.

Hexham MP Guy Opperman is shown around Ponteland Flood Scheme

Built with climate change in mind

In Ponteland existing flood defences on the south bank of the River Pont, between the Memorial Hall footbridge and Callerton Burn Pumping Station, will be replaced with one continuous sheet piled flood wall.

This flood wall will be built to complement the existing local environment, with a stone effect and colour, and will protect more than 250 properties in the town. The new flood defences will also be built with climate change in mind, with allowances in the foundations for the walls to be raised in future if needed.

Work started at the end of August and is expected to be completed next Spring.

Leila Huntington, Flood Risk Manager for the Environment Agency in the North East said:

The recent government funding boost that the scheme received shows just how vital the completion of this work is and we’re pleased to get started on the ground.

We know there is a long history of flooding in Ponteland and we’re committed to ensuring the town is protected. We understand just how devastating it is to be flooded and we have consulted with the community throughout to develop a scheme which meets their needs.

This project is built with climate change in mind and will hopefully bring some reassurance to residents that they will be better protected now and into the future.

‘Flooding can devastate homes’

Councillor Nick Oliver, Northumberland County Council’s representative on the Northumbria Regional Flood and Coastal Committee, who attended the visit alongside Ponteland North County Councillor Richard Dodd, added:

As we’ve seen before in our county, flooding can devastate homes and destroy businesses, so we’re delighted that the funding is now in place and work has been able to start on this vital scheme in Ponteland. This is very welcome news for residents and businesses in the town, with the new flood wall designed to protect more than 250 properties.

The contractor, BAM Nuttall, will maintain a temporary flood defence throughout construction. Almost all of the people employed by BAM to work on the project are local.

There are also some environmental enhancements, with a re-profiling of the river bank from the current steep gradient to a more natural stepped terrace which will be planted with native river corridor plants.

The £170million government funding boost is on top of the record £5.2 billion government investment to create around 2,000 new flood and coastal defences to better protect 336,000 properties across England by 2027. The Environment Agency has also set out its vision for a nation ready for, and resilient to, flooding in its National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy.

The Hexham Industrial Estate Flood Alleviation Scheme also received a £1million boost towards the £4.1million estimated cost from the £170million government funding boost, while a flood alleviation scheme costing an estimated £12.7million in early development for Team Valley Industrial Estate received a significant £6million funding boost.

More information about Ponteland Flood Scheme can be found by visiting the Environment Agency’s Citizen Space page.

Flood Wardens play a vital role in ensuring communities are prepared for flooding – they help develop flood plans and are the Environment Agency’s eyes and ears on the ground during a flood.

If you’d like to volunteer as a Flood Warden, to help protect your community from the impacts of flooding, or find out more about how you can improve your community’s resilience to flooding, please contact engagement_northeast@environment-agency.gov.uk