A further patient has tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases in the UK to 3. The individual did not acquire this in the UK.

The patient is being transferred to a specialist NHS centre, and we are using robust infection control measures to prevent any possible further spread of the virus. The NHS is well prepared to manage these cases and we are now working quickly to identify any contacts the patient has had.

Published 6 February 2020

Thousands of customers on heat networks will benefit from new protections under plans launched today.

The proposed measures will ensure that customers are paying a fair price for their heating and getting a good service by bringing the regulation of heat networks into line with other utilities. This will encourage the current networks to expand and new ones to be established, meaning thousands more homes and businesses could have access to cleaner heating in the next decade.

Secretary of State for Business and Energy Andrea Leadsom said:

Heat networks will be a crucial part of our commitment to eliminate the UK’s contribution to climate change by 2050. I’m delighted we’re funding more heat networks all over the country and ensuring better consumer protections for those who use them.

Heat networks – sometimes called district heating – provide heat for homes and businesses in place of a traditional gas boiler. Low carbon heat networks such as those that source energy from a heat pump or waste to energy plant distribute energy to thousands of customers, making them far more efficient than most existing forms of heating.

Ms Leadsom also announced £40 million of investment in 7 heat networks in Leeds, Bristol, Liverpool and London today. The funding – part of the government’s Heat Networks Investment Project – will mean that 30,000 more homes could have access to clean heating. This could lead to 154,300 tonnes of CO2 being saved over the next 15 years – the equivalent of planting 400,000 trees.

At present less than 5% of energy used for heating homes and buildings comes from low-carbon sources. Increasing the number of homes and businesses on heat networks is an important part of the government’s plans to improve take-up of low-carbon heat as the UK seeks to end its contribution towards climate change entirely by 2050.

Heat networks are one of the most cost-effective ways of reducing carbon emissions from heating, and their efficiency and carbon-saving potential increases as they grow and connect to each other. The Committee on Climate Change estimates that around 18% of UK heat will need to come from heat networks by 2050 if the UK is to meet its net zero target.

The measures proposed in the consultation being launched today include:

• establishing Ofgem as the heat network regulator, giving customers access to similar protections as other energy customers
• requiring heat networks to report on price and quality of service standards, meaning consumers will get a fair price and good service
• giving all heat network consumers greater transparency and information about their heat, ensuring they have options for redress if things go wrong
• giving developers and investors the tools to establish new heat networks and expand existing ones
• making sure all heat networks become low carbon by 2050

About the Heat Networks Investment Project

• BEIS is investing £320 million into heat networks in England and Wales up to March 2022 through the Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP), designed to accelerate the growth of the market
• following investment in 7 pilot projects in 2017, the main scheme opened for applications in February 2019. Triple Point Heat Network Investment Management is running HNIP under contract
• in October 2018 several key private sector organisations (Vattenfall, Metropolitan and SSE) also announced significant investment in the UK heat network sector
• the scheme has now awarded funding following 2 funding rounds The Investment Committee is comprised of 3 Triple Point members, one senior official from BEIS and an independent panel member
• find out more about the Heat Networks Investment Project

Sir Philip Barton KCMG OBE has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of India in succession to Sir Dominic Asquith KCMG. Sir Philip will take up his appointment during Spring 2020.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Full name: Philip Barton

Married to: Amanda Barton

Children: Two

2017 to 2020	FCO, Director General, Consular and Security
2016 to 2017	Cabinet Office, Acting Chair, Joint Intelligence Committee
2016	Cabinet Office, Director General of Prime Minister’s Anti-Corruption Summit and also Consulting Senior Fellow, International Institute for Strategic Studies
2014 to 2016	Islamabad, British High Commissioner
2011 to 2013	Washington, Deputy Head of Mission
2009 to 2011	Cabinet Office, Director, Foreign Policy and Afghanistan/Pakistan Coordinator
2008 to 2009	FCO, Additional Director, South Asia
2005 to 2008	Gibraltar, Deputy Governor
2000 to 2004	Nicosia, Deputy High Commissioner
1997 to 2000	No 10, Private Secretary to the Prime Minister
1994 to 1996	New Delhi, First Secretary – External
1993 to 1994	FCO, Head of Institutions Section, EU Internal Department
1991 to 1993	Cabinet Office, Assessments Staff
1987 to 1991	Caracas, Third later Second Secretary – Chancery
1987	FCO, Assistant Desk Officer, Economic Relations Department

Further information

Published 6 February 2020

The Government has today announced that it will begin reviewing 43 EU trade remedy measures, which were deemed important to UK industries and should be maintained, following a Call to Evidence last year. This will be carried out by the Trade Remedies Investigations Directorate (TRID).

Trade remedies will be overseen by a new Trade Remedies Authority that will soon be established to protect UK businesses from injury caused by unfair trading practices, such as dumping and subsidies and unforeseen surges in imports after we leave the EU.

Examples of those trade remedy measures that will be reviewed by TRID following the Call for Evidence include:

• anti-dumping duties of up to 36.1% on imports of ceramic kitchen and tableware from China;
• anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties of up to €62 per tyre on imports of bus and lorry tyres from China; and
• anti-dumping duties of up to 35.6% on imports of aluminium foil in small rolls.

TRID They will invite industry and stakeholders to participate in the process, including international exporters.

Simon Walker CBE has today been announced as Chair-Designate of the TRA and is expected to take up the position in early March.

Trade Remedies Authority Chair-Designate Simon Walker said:

I am very pleased to be taking up the Chair of the Trade Remedies Authority. Britain’s economic future will be determined by the ability of UK businesses to compete vigorously in international marketplaces.

Maintaining the interests of consumers while ensuring that producers are not handicapped by dumping and other unfair practices is going to be a vital balance as Britain embarks upon an independent trading regime.

Published 6 February 2020

Atlantic salmon are in decline internationally meaning fewer and fewer of these iconic fish are returning to rivers to reproduce than have done previously. This cutting edge project is the first of its kind for Cumbria and will uncover more about the movement of fish from the River Derwent to the Irish Sea as well as the issues they face along the way. Through partnership with the University of Glasgow the project aims to open avenues to improve the declining salmon stocks on the Derwent.

Phil Ramsden from the Environment Agency said

“We are very excited about this project. This is a huge opportunity for the River Derwent salmon population, and all those who are interested in it.

Using special tracking technology, this project aims to shed light on the journey our salmon make through the River Derwent and into the Irish Sea as well as highlighting the issues they face along the way.

This is a pioneering project for Cumbria, and one of only a few ever conducted worldwide. ‘’

The Environment Agency have formed a strong partnership with the University of Glasgow, who will be leading this study, through a PHD studentship. With strong links to other key salmon tracking projects, such as “The Missing Salmon Project” this is a huge opportunity for the River Derwent to be on the forefront of scientific understanding in this area.

Amy Green, PHD student at the University of Glasgow said

“I am excited to be starting this project and working alongside partners. This research is really exciting and will hopefully better inform all parties involved about the essential life stages and the highly important migration of Atlantic salmon. This research will also help identify river barriers to survival and provide future strategies to better assist migrating salmon populations in the near future.”

Prof Colin Adams from the University of Glasgow said

“We are delighted to be a part of the group delivering this highly innovative project that will help unlock some of the secrets of salmon migration, which will lead to improved management”

With a separate EU funded project using similar monitoring equipment in the Irish Sea from 2020 to 2022 the Environment Agency will be in the enviable position of potentially being able to track fish not only through the River Derwent, but also far beyond the local coastline.

This is a real chance to work with the leading experts in this field to understand a part of the Derwent salmon’s lifecycle that currently, nothing is known about, potentially putting the Environment Agency in a better position to make decisions that will help the decline in salmon stocks locally and internationally, this is a very significant and exciting project for all involved.