HM Government

In less than thirty days, the UK intends to have begun its exit negotiations with the EU — marking the start of a new chapter in its relationships with both the union itself and each of the 27 member states.

But as I visit Copenhagen today, on my first visit to Denmark as the UK Secretary of State for Exiting the EU, I come with a clear message.

While Britain is leaving the European Union, it is not turning its back on Europe or on Denmark.

Together, we enjoy a strong and unwavering alliance, independent of our membership of the EU.

Our forces have operated side by side in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, while as members of NATO we are now working closely to provide support to our allies in Eastern Europe.

Trade between our two nations is also hugely important, at over £10 billion a year.

And Danish culture can be seen in all parts of British life. Television dramas like Borgen and The Bridge are screened on the BBC, our children play endlessly with Lego and ‘hygge’ is the new buzzword for coffee shops and eateries across the UK.

So as Britain leaves the EU, the relationship between our two nations will continue to thrive, not least because of the shared interests we have in this globalised world.

As threats to European security become more acute, it is critical that we continue to foster the powerful alliances that we hold across Europe. The UK will not renege on its responsibilities in keeping our continent safe.

We will also, of course, continue to trade with EU nations. The UK Prime Minister has made clear her determination to build a truly Global Britain and in doing so, we will pursue a bold and ambitious Free Trade Agreement with the European Union.

It should be one that works for both the EU and Britain. One of my key messages here will be that it is in the UK’s interest that the EU prospers politically and economically, so we want to reach an agreement about our future relationship that is in the mutual interests of both sides.

Our aim is for arrangements that allow for the freest possible trade in goods and services between Britain and the EU’s member states.

That gives British companies the maximum freedom to trade with the Danish markets, and lets Danish businesses do the same in Britain.

Because we want to preserve and build on the strong trading relationship between our two nations — and protect the £70 billion worth of investment that Danish companies have made on British shores.

That investment can be seen directly in our homes with DONG Energy producing enough renewable energy to power 4.4 million British houses.

The UK is also Denmark’s second largest partner in research within the EU. Over the next ten years, Denmark’s Novo Nordisk is set to invest £115 million in a new science research centre in Oxford, underlining the esteem that our two science communities hold each other in.

And Britain has backed Denmark – with Shell, Debenhams, and GlaxoSmithKline being just three of the hundreds of businesses that have chosen to locate in your country, employing 25.500 people.

This trade and investment between our nations will continue when the UK is outside of the EU. As will the affection our citizens hold for each other – one which brings Danish tourists to Britain and attracts British tourists to Denmark.

It has also encouraged many to stay for much longer than a holiday.

So one of the top priorities we have going into Brexit negotiations is to get an agreement to secure the status of EU nationals living in the UK, and Brits living in the EU as soon as possible.

There are 30,000 Danes who have made the UK their home, and 18,000 Brits have done the same in Denmark.

We would have liked to have reached an agreement with the EU about their status already.

It’s only fair that those who have built lives for themselves abroad, and who are contributing to foreign economies and societies, see their status secured as soon as possible.

The approach that we take on this issue – one of reasoned goodwill to secure mutual benefit – is the one that we will adopt throughout the EU exit negotiation process.

Because we enter these negotiations as friends, and we want to conclude them as friends – friends who are working together to deliver security and prosperity across our continent.

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From 01 April, most business and public sector organisations will be able to choose which company supplies their water and associated services like automated meter reading, leak detection and customer service.

Partnership approach

Crown Commercial Service is joining forces with YPO, The Energy Consortium, ESPO, NEPO, West Mercia Energy and the MoD to bring the largest public sector water framework agreement to the UK market.

The agreement will help the public sector to save more than £20 million over four years, with central government as well as schools, colleges, universities, museums, housing associations, councils, the blue light services and NHS Trusts all among those eligible to access it.

Sam Ulyatt, Strategic Category Commercial Director for Crown Commercial Service says: ‘The opening up of the water market will create a unique opportunity for efficiency and collaboration and this is the first agreement of its kind in the UK.’

The multi-supplier framework will be live and available for the opening of the market in April, running for 3 years with the option to extend by a further 12 months.

Find out more

CCS will be carrying out an e-auction on behalf of interested customers in May 2017.

To find out more about the new public sector water framework, email water@crowncommercial.gov.uk.

For further information about the water market and the CCS offering please visit the CCS ‘Buy Water’ web pages

Full information regarding the water market opening can be found at OpenWater.org

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Eleven UK-based start-ups that have received Innovate UK support were named in the list of business and industry figures to watch in 2017.

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The Home Secretary has today announced police forces will be required to collect and publish detailed data on all their use of force, including Taser usage, from April.

Adopting the recommendations of the David Shaw review into police use of force, Amber Rudd said officers will have to record the location and outcome of all CED usage, along with the ethnicity and age of those involved, with the first set of data being published locally by forces this summer.

And she said the new rules being introduced would allow the increased safeguards and transparency required for the introduction of the new Taser X2 device.

All police use of force, including physical restraint, will be captured in the new statistical publications – to be collected from April 1 and published by forces from July onwards.

The increased transparency and scrutiny will allow meaningful comparison of the effectiveness of different techniques and tactics for the first time.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said:

We ask the police to put themselves in harm’s way to defend us and the use of force is a vital part of their powers.

But when the police take the difficult decision to deploy force it is also vital that the people they serve can scrutinise it.

These new rules will introduce unprecedented transparency to this important subject and reinforce the proud British model of policing by consent.

The government is committed to improving the transparency and accountability of the police’s use of force.

In 2014, the then Home Secretary, Theresa May, asked former National Police Lead for Conflict Management, Chief Constable David Shaw, to lead a review into what data should be recorded and published.

Work has been undertaken by police forces to implement the new data collection system recommended by the review by 1 April 2017. Forces will publish the information locally on a quarterly basis, and provide an annual snap-shot of the key information collected to the Home Office as part of the Annual Data Requirement for 2017/18.

For the first time, these data will allow meaningful comparison of the effectiveness of different techniques – which will strengthen police training, tactics, decision-making, and equipment procurement.

In authorising the new Taser, the Home Office has supported the police in an open and transparent procurement exercise to identify a new device that will eventually replace the current TASER X26.

As with the authorisation process for all less-lethal weapons, the X2 has undergone extensive evaluation. A full technical evaluation has been carried out by the Centre for Applied Science and Technology (CAST), and the results of that, user handling trials, training and guidance materials were submitted for an independent medical assessment by the Scientific Advisory Committee on the Medical Implications of Less-Lethal Weapons (SACMILL).

The Committee confirmed that the medical implications of the TASER X2 are in line with those expected of a less-lethal weapon of this type.

Details of all CED deployments will be recorded by the police and shared with SACMILL on a regular basis to ensure its findings remain accurate.

Minister for Policing and the Fire Service Brandon Lewis said:

The government is committed to giving the police the tools they need to do their job effectively – we must ensure our officers have access to the best, and most up-to-date technology available.

Tasers are an important tactical option for the police, particularly in potentially violent situations where other tactics have been considered or failed.

All officers who use Tasers have to go through a comprehensive training process. This includes training officers to factor in the potential vulnerability of the person and factors such as age and stature when assessing each situation.

David Shaw was Chief Constable for West Mercia until July 2016. You can read his use of force data review.

Read the TASER X2 SACMILL medical assessment.

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Construction will start this summer on a £4 million flood storage area which will reduce the risk of flooding to nearly 300 homes and businesses in Broadway, Childswickham and Murcot.

The Environment Agency, Worcestershire County Council, Wychavon District Council, Broadway Parish Council and Childswickham Parish Council have been working in partnership and have now secured over £2 million Government Grant in Aid funding, enabling the scheme construction to begin. The Environment Agency’s English Severn and Wye Regional Flood and Coastal Committee have also contributed over £1 million. To enable access to the Government Grant in Aid funding under Defra’s Flood Partnership Funding Model, Worcestershire County Council and Wychavon District Council are contributing £555,000 and the local parishes have raised £312,000.

Broadway, Childswickham and Murcot were severely flooded in 2007 following record breaking rainfall across the area. The new flood storage area in Broadway will be able to hold up to 135,000 cubic metres of water during times of flood and will only allow a set amount of water to flow downstream at times of intense and high rainfall. This will reduce flood risk along the Badsey Brook downstream of Broadway.

The English Severn and Wye Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (RFCC) continues to support the scheme and provided funding which allowed the Environment Agency to purchase the 18 acre field where the majority of the flood storage area is to be located.

As a condition of the planning application detailed archaeological investigations, part funded by Worcestershire County Council, are being carried out. This involves excavation work and will reduce the risk of delays during construction. These ground works are almost complete.

Specialist contractors are currently on site carrying out tree clearance in preparation for the main flood scheme works.

Daniel Wilkinson, from the Environment Agency, said:

Flooding has a devastating impact on people’s lives and livelihoods, so it’s great that by working together with our partners we have managed to find a solution which means we are now one step closer to reducing the risk of flooding for residents living in Broadway, Childswickham and Murcot.

Cllr Anthony Blagg, Worcestershire County Council’s cabinet member for environment, said:

Now that the archaeological work is nearing completion, this project can move on to the next stage and closer to protecting homes and businesses with this innovative flood alleviation scheme.

Cllr Emma Stokes, portfolio holder for environment and street scene on Wychavon District Council, said:

It’s almost 10 years since the floods of 2007 but none of us will forget the devastating impact they had. This scheme will help reduce the risk of future flooding and provide greater protection to communities in Broadway, Childswickham and Murcot.

Kevin Beasley, from Broadway Parish Council, said:

We are very pleased that the flood alleviation scheme is progressing well and that the residents of both Broadway, Childwickham and Murcot will be more reassured that the properties are safer from flooding and the devastation that they have previously experienced, once the work is completed.

County Cllr for Broadway in Worcestershire, Liz Eyre BEM, said:

This project represents an enormous amount of hard work behind the scenes. I am simply delighted that sticking by the project, working with talented county and district officers at all levels and the Environment Agency has led to this, a real outcome for my residents.

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