This statement provides an update on the ongoing AAIB investigation into an accident involving a CAP 10B near Buckland St Mary, Somerset, on 12 August 2021.

The aircraft crashed in conditions of low cloud and reduced visibility while returning to a nearby aerodrome from a cross country flight.

The investigation has considered factors including weather conditions and the provision of air traffic services.  A final report will be published in due course.

The British Office in Taipei is aware of instances recently of cyber criminals approaching businesses in Taiwan, using fraudulent email details to pretend to be British Office staff. If in doubt about the legitimacy of any contact, please check if the email details correspond to either those published on our GOV.UK website or contact us via our published email address: info.taipei@fcdo.gov.uk; or telephone +8862 8758 2088, to verify contact from a member of our team if they’re not already a trusted contact.

Please be cautious and report approaches to the Taiwanese authorities if they appear suspicious, particularly before releasing funds, providing private data or allowing access to your business.

20 innovative projects have been shortlisted for the next stage of the CCUS clusters process, representing an important step towards a net zero economy.

The UK has one of the largest potential carbon dioxide storage capacities in Europe, making it one of the most attractive business environments for CCUS technology. This is thanks to an unrivalled asset – the North Sea, which can be used to store captured carbon under the seabed. The UK government’s commitment to support CCUS UK-wide could help to create 50,000 skilled jobs in the UK by 2030.

Today’s shortlist follows the commitment in the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, to deploy CCUS in 2 industrial clusters by the mid-2020s, and a further 2 clusters by 2030. These clusters will support the government’s ambitions to decarbonise industry and put the UK at the forefront of the growing carbon capture market. In November 2021, the HyNet cluster in North West England and North Wales, and the East Coast Cluster in the Teesside and Humber were selected as Track 1 clusters, for deployment by the mid-2020s. These clusters will be the first to be considered for support under the government’s CCUS Programme, which includes the £1 billion CCS Infrastructure Fund (CIF).

The shortlisted projects will now also be considered for government funding support to join one of these clusters, to use carbon capture technology to help decarbonise their businesses.

The 20 projects announced today represent a range of innovative CCUS technologies that will capture carbon emissions, preventing them being released into the atmosphere. Carbon capture technologies offer enormous economic potential for these regions, helping to attract new private investment and support new job opportunities.

Read the full list of shortlisted projects.

• CCUS is a key technology for net zero that involves capturing and storing carbon emissions from industrial processes. The government is determined to see the UK become a world-leader in CCUS technology, helping to attract new private capital into the UK to develop new green technologies and drive forward the UK’s green industrial revolution
• a CCUS cluster in Track 1 is a carbon dioxide transport and storage network of onshore pipelines, offshore pipelines and an associated offshore storage facility and at least 2 CO2 capture projects
• the Prime Minister’s 10 Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution established a commitment to deploy CCUS in a minimum of 2 industrial clusters by the mid-2020s, and 4 by 2030 at the latest. The CCUS cluster sequencing process is how the government plans to meet this commitment
• the UK government’s commitment to support CCUS economy-wide could help to create 50,000 jobs in the UK by 2030
• today’s announcement is a shortlist of projects that will proceed to the next stage of the process, for consideration for government support under Track 1 of the CCUS cluster sequencing process. It is not the final list of projects that will receive government support, and does not imply availability of funding for any or all of the shortlisted projects
• further information on the final confirmed projects for Phase 2 will be shared in due course

Lieutenant General Sharon Nesmith has taken up the role of Deputy Chief of the General Staff (DCGS), becoming the first female British Army officer to hold the rank of Lieutenant General and occupy this prestigious role.

The appointment, which was approved by Her Majesty The Queen, was announced in April 2022.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

I am delighted that Sharon Nesmith has taken up her role as Deputy Chief of the General Staff. She brings extensive experience and new ideas to drive the Army’s transformation and deal with emerging threats across the world.

Lieutenant General Nesmith said:

I am deeply honoured to be appointed as the Deputy Chief of the General Staff at such a pivotal time for the British Army. I am excited to be playing my part in leading the Army’s mobilisation to meet today’s threats, and the delivery of our Future Soldier’s bold modernisation agenda.

Raised in Northumberland, Lieutenant General Sharon Nesmith commissioned into the Royal Corps of Signals in 1992, spending the majority of her early years serving in Germany, the Balkans and Iraq. Whilst in command she has been responsible for providing information and communication services, command support and capability development, in support of formation headquarters up to and including the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps and the UK Joint Force Headquarters. Higher command appointments were the 1st (United Kingdom) Signal Brigade and General Officer Commander the Army Recruiting and Initial Training Command.

Staff appointments have been focussed on capability development, resource planning and personnel. She has completed the Higher Command and Staff Course and is a graduate of the Major Projects Leadership Academy. She has served as Colonel Capability Plans in the Army Headquarters, the Head of Manning as a Brigadier, and the Director of Personnel as a Major General. She has also been the Senior Responsible Officer for the Armed Forces Recruiting Programme. She became the Deputy Chief of the General Staff in August 2022.

General Nesmith is the Master of Signals, a Colonel Commandant for the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, and a Vice President for Army Football and Army Rugby.