Under a three-year contract, the Aurora Engineering Delivery Partnership (EDP) led by QinetiQ, will provide technical support to FCAS and the Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) Catalyst delivery team, which is responsible for delivering the latest combat air capabilities to UK frontline commands.

The contract will support around 45 jobs based in Bristol, Boscombe Down, Farnborough, Malvern, Bath and Lincoln.

Alex Chalk, Minister for Defence Procurement said:

The Future Combat Air Systems programme continues to make good progress, as demonstrated by this latest engineering contract. I am delighted that highly skilled UK industry personnel will lend their support and expertise to the programme, as we work together to deliver a next-generation fighter jet for the future.

The delivery will also include the EDP partners Atkins and BMT, along with a number of subcontractors in the EDP provider network.

Richard Berthon, Director Future Combat Air, added:

This contract with Aurora and QinetiQ is a demonstration of our commitment to working with the UK’s leading defence technology companies on FCAS. Their expertise will be vital to the programme as we work at pace to deliver a next-generation combat air capability by 2035.

Nic Anderson, Chief Executive UK Defence, QinetiQ said:

The Aurora Engineering Partnership with the UK MOD and DE&S continues to go from strength to strength, providing technical support to the most complex acquisition programmes. Our work with Catalyst DT will help accelerate new ways of working using digital engineering methodologies in supporting the next generation of combat air platforms.

Work carried out by the Aurora Engineering Partnership led by QinetiQ will enable DE&S to deliver essential engineering strategies for future FCAS capabilities. The partnership will provide engineering support – initially focusing on Human Performance, Safety and Systems Engineering disciplines.

The FCAS programme currently employs around 2,500 highly skilled people across the UK including at combat air sector industrial hubs in Scotland, the north-west and south-west of England. The programme now employs 1,000 apprentices and graduates, offering attractive employment opportunities in STEM subjects such as industrial digitisation, artificial intelligence and data analytics.

Tempest, a highly advanced future fighter, is due to enter service in 2035, operating at the heart of a wider Future Combat Air System. Tempest was announced at the 2018 Farnborough International Air show and since then, has made significant progress with a flying demonstrator currently being built and the ‘Generation Tempest’ initiative being launched to create early careers job opportunities across the UK.

• The food waste recycling company was fined £36,000 plus costs for unlawful land spreading, and storage of waste, in Doncaster and Lincolnshire
• Illegal waste activities posed a risk of groundwater pollution
• Company pleaded guilty to 8 offences

A food waste recycling company has been fined £36,000 for the illegal spreading and storage of waste at 3 sites in South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, in a sentencing case heard at Doncaster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 16 November 2022.

In September 2022, Whites Recycling Limited pleaded guilty to 8 offences, including the breach of environmental permit conditions related to the spreading of waste to farmland in Auckley and Blaxton, Doncaster, and Susworth, Lincolnshire, contrary to the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.

Doncaster Magistrates’ Court heard that Whites Recycling Limited, in breach of its environmental permit, spread liquid waste to fields near to Ivy House Farm, Auckley between March and May 2018; to Acomb Farm, Blaxton in November and December 2018; and to East Ferry Road, Susworth, Lincolnshire in November and December 2019.

Liquid wastes containing nitrogen and phosphates were spread on land by the company at the wrong time of year or in excessive quantities, which posed a risk of pollution to groundwater. In addition, the Lincolnshire-based company pleaded guilty to illegally storing liquid waste in a storage tank on Acomb Farm between July 2017 and April 2018.

Whites Recycling Limited is a company involved in the disposal and recycling of waste sludge and liquid waste, the majority of which are generated by the food industry.  The company can lawfully spread such waste to farmland in circumstances where it can be demonstrated that land spreading will result in agricultural or ecological benefit.

Although the company had an environmental permit that allowed it to spread food waste to land for agricultural benefit, it was a condition of its permit that before it could start to store or spread waste at a location, it must notify the Environment Agency using a deployment form, and the Environment Agency must agree to the spreading.

This ensures that waste is only permitted to be spread to land when it benefits either the soil or the crop being grown in it and where it will not pose a risk of harm to the environment. If waste is spread to land without a deployment first having been agreed, or if waste is spread to land in circumstances which are not in accordance with the agreed deployment, then there is a risk of environmental harm.

In passing sentence, District Judge Young stated that the company had been negligent, in that it had failed to take reasonable care to put in place and enforce proper systems for avoiding the offences. The court acknowledged that the company had reviewed its systems and steps had been taken designed to avoid further offending. The court stated that it had to balance the need to bring home to the company’s management and shareholders the need to improve regulatory compliance, with the fact that the company had recently been operating at a loss.

The Court fined the company £36,000 and further ordered the company to pay a statutory surcharge of £170, and the Environment Agency’s investigation and legal costs of £38,008.17.

After the sentencing, Area Environment Manager Steve Lawrie said:

Our rules are in place for a good reason and to ensure that any material that is spread is done correctly and managed in a way that protects the environment. We will not hesitate to take enforcement action in future for those who breach their permits and refuse to cooperate.

We hope this case sends a message to other land spreading operators and farmers that we take land spreading offences very seriously. Operators must follow the correct procedures to ensure they spread safely, in accordance with their environmental permits.

We will always take action against anyone who fails to act in accordance with environmental laws and if anyone spots an environmental incident, they can report it to the Environment Agency’s 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 807060.

The charges

Between 24 March 2018 and 11 May 2018, on land near Ivy House Farm, Auckley, Doncaster, DN9 3JW, Whites Recycling Ltd did breach condition 2.2.2 of Environmental Permit Number BB3205KS by spreading waste which did not conform to the agreed deployment form, contrary to Regulation 38(2) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.

Between 24 March 2018 and 11 May 2018 on land near Ivy House Farm, Auckley, Doncaster, DN9 3JW, Whites Recycling Ltd did breach condition 2.2.7 of Environmental Permit Number BB3205KS by spreading waste earlier than specified in the agreed deployment form, contrary to Regulation 38(2) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.

Between 24 March 2018 and 11 May 2018 on land near Ivy House Farm, Auckley, Doncaster, DN9 3JW, Whites Recycling Ltd did breach condition 2.2.7 of Environmental Permit Number BB3205KS by spreading nitrogen and phosphate at levels exceeding those specified in the agreed deployment form, contrary to Regulation 38(2) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.

Between 1 July 2017 and 28 April 2018, on land near Acomb Farm, Thorne Road, Blaxton, Doncaster DN6 3AY, Whites Recycling Ltd did operate a regulated facility, namely a waste operation for the deposit and storage of waste, except under and to the extent authorised by an environmental permit contrary to Regulations 12 and 38(1)(a) Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.

Between 23 November 2018 and 2 December 2018 on land near Acomb Farm, Thorne Road, Blaxton, Doncaster DN6 3AY, Whites Recycling Ltd did breach condition 2.2.8 of Environmental Permit Number BB3205KS by spreading waste earlier than specified in the agreed deployment form, contrary to Regulation 38(2) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.

Between 16 November 2018 and 28 November 2018, on land near Acomb Farm, Thorne Road, Blaxton, Doncaster DN6 3AY, Whites Recycling Ltd did breach condition 4.3.4 of Environmental Permit Number BB3205KS by failing to provide notification in advance of the intention to commence spreading operations, contrary to Regulation 38(2) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.

Between 1 November 2019 and 17 December 2019, on land near East Ferry Road, Susworth, Whites Recycling Ltd did breach condition 2.2.8 of Environmental Permit Number BB3205KS by spreading waste later than specified in the agreed deployment form, contrary to Regulation 38(2) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.

Between 5 December 2019 and 12 December 2019, on land near East Ferry Road, Susworth, Whites Recycling Ltd did breach condition 4.3.4 of Environmental Permit Number BB3205KS by failing to provide notification in advance of the intention to commence spreading operations, contrary to Regulation 38(2) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.

Background information

Spreading waste to land is an alternative source to traditional fertilisers. Environmental permits are in place to protect the environment from these activities, and the Environment Agency will take action against anyone who breaches environmental law.

Land spreading the waste material to land reduces reliance on manufactured fertilisers. The activity is subject to a permitting regime overseen by the Environment Agency to ensure it does not impact on the environment.

Such waste is considered a means of waste recovery (recycling) and the costs involved are typically substantially lower than if the waste were disposed of at a waste treatment centre.

Pollution incidents can be reported to the Environment Agency on the 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 807060.

21 November 2022

• “After one of the most consequential global climate summits in a generation, all our Prime Minister could muster was a 33-word tweet”

Caroline Lucas, Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion, has been granted an Urgent Question on the COP27 outcome, taking place in the House of Commons this afternoon at around 15:30. Her statement is below: 

“At the conclusion of one of the most consequential global climate summits in a generation, all our Prime Minister could muster was a 33-word tweet. 

“This frankly pathetic statement is just the latest piece of evidence that our Prime Minister utterly lacks the climate leadership our country, and planet, desperately needs. From a screeching u-turn on showing up to COP27 in the first place, to failing to rule out a disastrous new coal mine in Cumbria, to gifting fossil fuel companies a gigantic tax loophole for climate-wrecking oil & gas investment – these are not the actions of a climate leader. 

“So when the COP26 President Alok Sharma so powerfully stated that 1.5C is “on life support”, can the Government explain in detail its reaction to the summit? Does it agree that the final agreement’s absence of action to peak emissions before 2025, and a clear commitment to phase out all fossil fuels, shows pitiful progress? And if so, why is this Government ploughing ahead with a swathe of new oil & gas licences? 

“And when Ministers were “concerned” about the unjust imprisonment of British citizen Alaa Abd el-Fattah, and the Prime Minister “raised the case” with his Egyptian counterpart, why are his family still being forced to seek answers and action? Alaa has faced intimidation, and has suffered fainting fits and mental breakdowns – yet the Government is standing idly by.  

“Our planet is staring climate catastrophe in the face. While the loss and damage fund agreed at COP27 is a welcome victory for climate justice, the only way we can maintain a liveable planet for all is to keep fossil fuels in the ground for good. A woefully brief Twitter statement simply won’t wash.”

ENDS 

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• The Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Bill provides a short extension to the period for Executive formation.
• The Bill also enables the Secretary of State to amend MLA salaries while the Assembly is unable to conduct business.
• The legislation will also take limited but necessary steps to maintain the delivery of Northern Ireland’s public services.

Following the Secretary of State’s recent announcement in Parliament describing his intention to legislate to extend the period for Executive formation and cut MLA pay, the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Bill will be introduced in Parliament today (Monday 21 November).

The legislation will extend the period for Executive formation by six weeks to 8 December with the possibility of a further six week extension to 19 January, to allow the Northern Ireland Parties to come together and deliver for the people of Northern Ireland.

Further, the Bill will clarify the limited decision-making powers to be provided to NI Civil Servants in the absence of Ministers, enable the Secretary of State to amend MLA salaries while the Assembly is unable to conduct business, and maintain public service delivery. The Bill will also enable a small number of vital public service appointments to be made and enable the regional rate for 2023/24 to be set should an Executive not be in place to do so.

Following discussions with the party leaders, community and business representatives across NI, the Secretary of State made the decision to introduce this legislation to allow for more time and space for Executive formation, avoiding an unwanted election.

Recognising public frustration that MLAs continue to draw a full salary while not performing the duties they were elected to do, this legislation will also enable the Secretary of State to amend the salaries and expenses payable to MLAs while the Assembly is not sitting. This measure is one of several in the Bill that will address the realities of the governance gap in NI during the present impasse.

Speaking ahead of the Bill’s introduction, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris said:

I urge the Northern Ireland Parties to use this extended time to come together and deliver for the interests of all people in Northern Ireland, particularly in this time of rising costs.

At present, MLAs are not in a position to fulfil the full range of their duties, so it is right that we take steps to reduce their salaries, especially in the current economic climate and in view of the £660 million black hole in the public finances created by poor decisions made by outgoing Ministers.

Furthermore, Northern Ireland’s people are being denied full democratic representation. The government’s priority is to see politicians elected to return to fulfil their roles in a strong, devolved and locally accountable government, as laid out by the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.

Notes to editors:

• The 28 October deadline for Executive formation introduced through the Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Act 2022 has passed. This legislation allowed 24 weeks for parties to form an Executive following the last Assembly election in May 2022. The new legislation introduced in today’s Bill will extend this time period for Executive formation.

• Independent analysis provided during a previous political impasse recommended a 27.5% reduction in MLA salaries.

• Welsh Government to receive £1.2 billion in additional funding over two years.
• Up to £10m funding for the Advance Technology Research Centre – a defence-focussed Centre of Excellence Site in Wales.

Welsh Secretary David TC Davies has responded to the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement which sets out an economic plan to restore stability, protect public services and build long-term prosperity.

Secretary of State for Wales David TC Davies said:

The difficult and necessary decisions taken today aim to tackle inflation and restore confidence and stability in the UK economy.

The UK Government has already committed to protecting Welsh households and businesses from rising energy prices, but balancing the books and getting debt falling is the best long-term solution to inflation and to limit interest rate rises.

As the Chancellor made clear, there is a tough road ahead but the economy remains strong with UK unemployment at historically low levels. Difficult choices are being made, but it is only through sound management of the public finances that we can provide the long-term economic stability that is so vital for families and businesses up and down Wales.

The Chancellor announced his Autumn Statement on Thursday (17 November) aiming to restore stability to the economy, protect high-quality public services and build long-term prosperity for the United Kingdom.

Jeremy Hunt outlined a targeted package of support for the most vulnerable, alongside measures to get debt and government borrowing down. The plan he set out is designed to fight against inflation in the face of unprecedented global pressures brought about by the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

As a result of today’s tax and spending decisions, the Welsh Government will receive around an additional £1.2 billion over 2023-24 and 2024-25.

Delivering for the people of Wales, the Chancellor has announced the UK Government will provide up to £10 million of support for the Advanced Technology Research Centre (ATRC), subject to a business case, to deliver a defence-focused Centre of Excellence site in Wales collaboratively with the Welsh Government.

He also confirmed £1.6bn in funding for the UK’s 9 Catapult innovation centres, an increase of 35% compared to the last funding cycle, which includes the Compound Semiconductor Catapult in Wales.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt said:

In the face of rising prices and soaring inflation, this Autumn Statement will help deliver economic stability and sustainable public services across the UK.

Difficult decisions have been made, but we are taking decisive action to support the people of Wales, including increasing pensions and benefits in line with inflation next year and providing the Welsh Government with £1.2 billion in additional funding over the next two years.

This money will protect the most vulnerable in our society and support households, businesses and public services through the challenging times ahead.

Further details of the Autumn Statement can be found here