NewzIntel.com

Category: European Union

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Appointment of Magdalena Valerio to the Council of State contrary to the ruling of the Supreme Court – E-000961/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000961/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Adrián Vázquez Lázara (PPE)

    The government of Pedro Sánchez has called judicial independence and the rule of law in Spain into question by appointing Magdalena Valerio, former Minister for Labour, Migration and Social Security, as a permanent member (Councilor) of the Council of State and president of its second section. This appointment follows the annulment by the Supreme Court of her previous appointment as president of the Council of State, as she did not meet the requirement of being a jurist of recognised prestige.

    Instead of complying with the Supreme Court’s ruling, the Spanish Government has resorted to circumventing it, thereby demonstrating a worrying disregard for the separation of powers and the law in force. This case reflects the growing political instrumentalisation of key state institutions.

    In view of the above:

    • 1.Does the Commission take the view that this appointment violates the principles of the rule of law to which the EU adheres?
    • 2.Will the Commission take a position on this issue in the next Rule of Law Report?
    • 3.What measures does the Commission have at its disposal to ensure that the separation of powers is observed in Spain?

    Submitted: 6.3.2025

    Last updated: 17 March 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Are EU officials and activist groups working together to undermine more flexible management of the wolf population? – E-003025/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    Following the adoption of the EU proposal[1] to change the protection status of the wolf under the Bern Convention[2], after its entry into force, the Commission will present a targeted legislative proposal to implement this change in EU law and to modify accordingly the protection regime of the wolf under the Habitats Directive[3].

    The change of protection status of the wolf under EU law, once agreed and transposed into national law, would increase m anagement flexibility for Member States.

    However, they would remain obliged to maintain or restore a favourable conservation status of the wolf populations on their national territory, in accordance with the directive’s requirements, with the relevant rulings of the Court of Justice of the European Union[4] and with the international commitments under the Bern Convention.

    The legal protection status of species is differentiated, in the Habitats Directive, through their listing under the different Annexes[5].

    However, the requirement to achieve and maintain a favourable conservation status is the overall objective set by the directive , and it applies to all species (and habitat types) covered by it.

    Monitoring, assessment and reporting on the conservation status of species and habitats covered by the Habitats Directive is carried out by national authorities.

    The related guidelines establishing common formats and criteria[6] have been elaborated and are regularly updated in the competent expert group, in close cooperation with representatives from all Member States, stakeholders and the European Environment Agency[7].

    • [1] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_6202
    • [2] https://www.coe.int/en/web/bern-convention
    • [3] Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7-50.
    • [4] E.g. Case C-436/22 on wolf hunting in Spain: https://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2024-07/cp240118en.pdf and Case C-601/22 on derogations to kill wolves in Austria: https://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2024-07/cp240111en.pdf
    • [5] In particular, species listed in Annex IV are subject to a strict protection regime, while species in Annex V are only subject to a protection regime (allowing more management flexibility).
    • [6] https://cdr.eionet.europa.eu/help/habitats_art17/Reporting2025/Final%20Guidelines%20Art.%2017_2019-2024.pdf/
      https://cdr.eionet.europa.eu/help/habitats_art17/Reporting2025/Explanatory%20notes%20Art%2017%20final_update%20Nov%202023.pdf/
    • [7] https://www.eea.europa.eu/en

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Harm done by PP and PSOE governments’ handling of the natural disaster in Valencia caused by a slow-moving storm with heavy rainfall – E-002416/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    1. The Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR)[1] entered into force only on 18 August 2024 and specifies the removal of primarily obsolete artificial barriers in order to restore the natural connectivity of rivers and natural functions of the related floodplains and to contribute to the EU’s target of 25 000 km of free-flowing rivers. The NRR explicitly states that Member States shall primarily remove obsolete barriers that are no longer needed for renewable energy production, inland navigation, water supply or flood protection. There is thus no obligation to remove barriers for flood protection that are still in use. Once implemented, the NRR can be expected to have a positive impact on flood prevention: restoring rivers, wetlands, peatlands, forests and floodplains play an important role in preventing or reducing the impacts of extreme weather events such as droughts and floods. Hence, the Commission is not planning to propose the total or partial repeal of the NRR.

    2. The EU has a supporting competence in the area of civil protection. Spain activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism[2], requesting support in its response to the floods. The Commission cannot take a stance on the Honourable Members’ views of specific national parties.

    3. The Floods Directive[3] established a framework for the management of flood risks, aiming at the reduction of the adverse consequences from flooding. The objectives for risk reduction are determined at national level by the Member States themselves, based on local and regional circumstances. The same applies to the selection and prioritisation of measures aiming to reduce the risk from flooding, provided such measures do not infringe on other legal acts.

    • [1] Under Regulation (EU) 2024/1991 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2024 on nature restoration and amending Regulation (EU) 2022/869, OJ L, 2024/1991, 29.7.2024, Member States have 2 years to draw up their National Restoration Plan, including an inventory of river barriers.
    • [2] https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/what/civil-protection/eu-civil-protection-mechanism_en
    • [3] Directive 2007/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2007 on the assessment and management of flood, OJ L 288, 6.11.2007, p. 27-34.
    Last updated: 17 March 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Urgent question regarding Pakistani Prime Minister’s statement of support for the pseudo-state of northern Cyprus – E-000892/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000892/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Loucas Fourlas (PPE)

    In an utterly unacceptable statement made during a joint press conference with Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, said that his country ‘fully supports the cause of northern Cyprus and fully stands by Türkiye on this cause in an unwavering fashion’. Aside from being unacceptable and provocative, this statement is a cause for serious concern as it is indicative of Pakistan’s potential intention to recognise the pseudo-state, in violation of international law, the relevant resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council and EU principles.

    In view of the above, can the Commission answer the following:

    • 1.Is it aware of the contents of the statement in question?
    • 2.What immediate steps will it take to prevent any move that would violate international law and undermine the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus?
    • 3.How, in the context of the EU’s external relations, will the Commission remind Pakistan of the commitment to comply with international law and respect the territorial integrity of the EU’s Member States?

    We expect a swift response from the Commission, to ensure the protection of international law and prevent any faits accomplis that would harm European cohesion.

    Submitted: 3.3.2025

    Last updated: 17 March 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Is the Commission abandoning the objectives of the Farm to Fork Strategy? – P-001086/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Priority question for written answer  P-001086/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Gilles Pennelle (PfE), Valérie Deloge (PfE), Fabrice Leggeri (PfE), Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain (PfE), Julie Rechagneux (PfE), France Jamet (PfE), Angéline Furet (PfE), Philippe Olivier (PfE), Pascale Piera (PfE), Mélanie Disdier (PfE), Aleksandar Nikolic (PfE), Séverine Werbrouck (PfE)

    On Wednesday 19 February, Commissioner Christophe Hansen unveiled the Commission’s ‘vision’ for agriculture and food. This roadmap was accompanied by several interviews with the Commissioner on the subject of the Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy, on which some clarification is needed.

    Does the Commission intend to maintain the following objectives:

    – a 50% reduction in plant protection products by 2030,

    – a 20% reduction in fertilisers by 2030,

    – 25% of agricultural land under organic farming by 2030,

    – a 50% reduction in sales of antimicrobials used for farmed animals and in aquaculture,

    – the Animal Transport Directive?

    Supporter[1]

    Submitted: 13.3.2025

    • [1] This question is supported by a Member other than the authors: Jean-Paul Garraud (PfE)
    Last updated: 17 March 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Luis de Guindos: Interview with The Sunday Times

    Source: European Central Bank

    Interview with Luis de Guindos, Vice-President of the ECB, conducted by Jon Ihle

    16 March 2025

    The progress of annual inflation, at least up until February, looked like it was going in the wrong direction. Are you still confident that it will converge towards 2% sometime this year?

    The disinflation process is on track. There was a small pick-up inflation in recent months, but this had been expected, mostly on account of unfavourable base effects in November, December and January.

    The main reason for our confidence that inflation will come down to 2% is that all indicators for services and underlying inflation are moving in the right direction. A very important one is compensation per employee. According to recent data and in line with our projections, wage growth is moderating, which will help services inflation to gradually decline.

    At the same time, we need to keep in mind that factors like tariffs and fiscal policy are causing a lot of uncertainty. But taking this into account, we are confident that headline inflation will converge on a sustainable basis towards our 2% medium-term target towards the end of this year or the beginning of next.

    Let’s talk about some of the factors in this uncertain environment. What are the specific factors that are influencing the Governing Council’s thinking about the rate path right now, and how has that changed since the start of the easing cycle?

    We have already reduced interest rates by a total of 150 basis points. This is what we refer to in our monetary policy statement as a “meaningfully less restrictive” stance than at the beginning of the cycle.

    Our projections now show that inflation will converge towards our target in the medium term. But again, we need to consider the uncertainty of the current environment, which is even higher than it was during the pandemic. For instance, our projections don’t include the definitive level of the tariffs imposed by the United States and its trade partners, since the current situation is so volatile.

    Nevertheless, we are confident that inflation is moving towards our target on a sustainable basis, for example due to the moderation in wage growth I mentioned earlier. Even energy prices, which had also resulted in a small pick-up in inflation, have started to decline.

    Markets in the last few weeks have had some very strong reactions to the external environment. I’m thinking of the increase in German bond yields, changing expectations for fewer rate cuts from the ECB and the stock market correction in the United States. Does any of that feed into the ECB’s thinking on the rate path?

    We look at a wide range of indicators, all of which have an impact on our analysis. These include the evolution of wages and of the economy in terms of domestic demand and growth. And we of course look at financing conditions, for which our bank lending survey is very useful.

    It’s true that bond yields have increased due to the new German Government’s budgetary plans and that we have seen a correction in US equities from very high levels. But we also need to try to look through the short-term evolution of markets and distinguish between short-term volatility and permanent or medium-term forces. If we were to be as volatile as the markets, that wouldn’t be very reassuring.

    You said the uncertainty now is even greater than during the pandemic. How would you characterise it? What are the big unknowns at the moment?

    First, the policies of the new US Administration. There’s a lot of talk about tariffs, but it’s not just about that. The new Administration has also been quite clear about deregulating banks, non-banks and crypto-assets. And beyond that, they have announced that they want to modify corporate tax, which could affect capital flows across the Atlantic. In general, what we’re seeing is that the new US Administration isn’t very open to continuing with multilateralism, which is about cooperation across jurisdictions and finding common solutions for common problems. This is a very important change, and a big source of uncertainty.

    Second, and as a result of the new Administration’s attitude towards defence, we have the European Commission’s proposal to increase national defence spending by 1.5% of GDP. This is certainly a decision in the right direction, and it will have an impact on the macroeconomic outlook. We don’t know enough details about the package to make an accurate assessment about its impact on the economy, but it will likely be positive for growth and have a limited impact on inflation.

    Let’s focus on defence. Are you comfortable with national budget rules being relaxed to accommodate more defence spending? Will you need to adjust your monetary policy as those changes in fiscal policy come through?

    We always take fiscal policy into account because it interacts with monetary policy. In this case, we need to know the concrete details of the package before we can make an accurate assessment. How will spending be distributed across items? In terms of economic impact, spending more on military wages is not the same as spending more on weapons. How much will be spent outside of the EU? How is it going to be financed? One part will be common debt, but the package is much larger than that. The rest could be covered by taxes or a reduction in public spending. All of these factors are important to know in order to assess the impact of the package on the economy.

    It looks like we may be moving closer towards a resolution of the war in Ukraine, or at least a ceasefire. Would that be beneficial for the euro area economy? Would it change anything of what you’ve outlined so far?

    From a human standpoint, a peace agreement would obviously be very positive. And in general, it would be beneficial for the economy as well. But we would need to see the exact terms of a potential settlement to know for sure.

    Turning to the United States, what role do you see for the ECB in terms of managing trade shocks and the overall approach of the Trump administration?

    We need to keep in mind that the current situation is very volatile. It seems like every day a new tariff is imposed or one that has already been announced is removed. Hopefully we’ll soon have more clarity on the US Administration’s plans for the time ahead.

    Obviously, a trade war would be a lose-lose situation for everybody. It would have a much worse impact on growth than on inflation. This is because increasing tariffs raises prices at first, but lower growth subsequently offsets this initial price increase. We also need to look not only at bilateral tariffs between the United States and Europe but also at what economists call “trade diversion”. This means that, for example, tariffs imposed by the United States on Chinese goods could redirect trade flows to Europe, along with whatever economic impact that may have.

    Once we have all the details of the final policies, we will be able to better assess their impact based on all these factors. We are now using a baseline scenario and several alternative scenarios with different trade distortions to try to calibrate the impact as best as we can.

    Another aspect of the uncertainty in the United States is the way Trump is changing the relationship of the White House to many of the independent agencies in Washington. One of those might be the Federal Reserve. What would it mean for the ECB if its independence were to erode under President Trump? Has that scenario been discussed at all in the Governing Council?

    No, we haven’t discussed that because we can’t imagine it happening. The independence of the Federal Reserve is enshrined in law. We will always defend the independence of central banks, which is crucial to ensure they can fulfil their mandates.

    There are a lot of question marks over the predictability of the United States. Does Europe need to start thinking about making the euro more of a global reserve currency, if the dollar becomes less reliable?

    The euro is already a reserve currency, and strengthening its role in that respect is not part of our mandate. But keeping inflation low, increasing the potential growth of the European economy, signalling openness to trade agreements with different jurisdictions and making the European Union a model for free trade all over the world – all of this would strengthen the role of the euro as a reserve currency.

    But do you see a need for Europe to step more into that role ahead of the United States?

    I wouldn’t make comparisons with the United States. What Europe should do is maintain the position that it has always had as an open economy, in favour of free trade, the free flow of capital and multilateralism.

    Earlier you said that a trade war would be very detrimental to growth, but we don’t know all the details yet. How has the ECB’s view on euro area growth evolved in the last few months?

    We have downgraded our growth outlook for 2025 and 2026 by 0.2 percentage points. There are two main drivers behind that downward revision. First, uncertainty about the economy in the coming months has clearly dented confidence, and this is having an impact on investment. And second, a possible trade war would reduce net exports.

    Philip Lane has said recently that the conditions in the euro area are right for a pick-up in household consumption. Do you share his optimism that it can increase and maybe drive economic growth?

    All the factors that Philip indicated are correct. Real wages have increased, inflation is declining, interest rates are coming down and financing conditions are better. But still, the reality is that consumption is not picking up.

    This is because consumers don’t always react to developments in their short-term real disposable income. They also consider what might happen with the economy over the medium term, which is clouded in uncertainty. The possibility of a trade war or wider geopolitical conflict has an impact on consumer confidence.

    Eventually, the increase in the factors that Philip pointed out will prevail. But right now, the lack of consumer confidence due to the uncertainty of the world economy is offsetting that effect.

    European households have enormous cash savings at the moment, especially since the pandemic. Christine Lagarde has spoken frequently about turning those cash savings into investment to drive innovation and growth. Are you optimistic that this can become a reality?

    The capital markets union is certainly very important, but looking at the current economic situation in Europe, it’s crucial to put structural reforms in place to make it more productive and competitive. This is also what the Letta and Draghi reports argued.

    Fully integrating the internal market will be key here. It’s very difficult to have a capital markets union if you don’t have an integrated economy for goods and services. There are certainly concrete actions we can take to complete the capital markets union, but we should also focus on removing the internal obstacles to a real single market in Europe.

    There are three key elements here: fully integrating the Single Market, completing the banking union and completing the capital markets union. We must make progress on these three elements in parallel; it will be very difficult to make progress on one of them in isolation.

    Which of those elements would you say the ECB has the most influence on? And what can it do?

    Our mandate is price stability, but we also have an advisory role and produce expert opinions. Our economists and researchers carry out a lot of analytical work on Europe. The European Council and the Commission listen to what we have to say, and we are also accountable to the European Parliament. So we continuously use our voice to make the points that we believe are key to making the European economy more productive and competitive.

    Are you happy with the levels of credit flow from European banks to households and businesses?

    They are on the rise, following the rate cuts and the improvement in financing conditions. Demand for credit is not very strong, at least from a corporate standpoint, although it’s gradually increasing. This has to do with the lack of investor confidence. If you have doubts about the future and you’re waiting to see what will happen with trade, fiscal policy and geopolitical risk, you don’t invest, so you also don’t borrow. But in the case of households, we have started to see a significant increase in demand for mortgages.

    Speaking of housing: in several countries of the euro area, housing is in crisis. There’s an undersupply, and financing isn’t available to everybody that wants to buy a house. Do you think at this stage, nearly 15 years after the financial crisis, that lending rules are still too tight? Have regulators overcorrected on capital rules for banks, harming consumers and households?

    The current situation is very different to the one that we had 15 years ago. As a finance minister in Spain, I was dealing with the burst of a big housing and credit bubble, similar to what we saw in Ireland. Now, residential real estate prices are a big problem, but the drivers aren’t the same as the ones we had back then. From a financing standpoint, the situation is very different because the banks’ solvency is not in question.

    That being said, current developments in house prices are having a very negative impact on young people, who have a lot of trouble accessing housing. In some countries, this may have to do with issues with the rental market and how it is regulated. Policies should be put in place to make housing, mainly in the rental market, much more affordable. At the European level, improving the performance of the rental market will be very important in the near future. We should foster common action to achieve this, because it’s a significant source of social upset.

    But this is for national governments to do, not the ECB. We do need to analyse the situation, however, because not all countries are in the same position with respect to their rental markets. And there are lessons to be learned from the policies some countries have put in place.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Supporting people with Council Tax debt

    Source: Scottish Government

    Citizens Advice Scotland project expanded.

    People struggling with Council Tax arrears will have access to enhanced advice through the expansion of a Citizens Advice Scotland project.

    Backed by an additional £2.2 million in Scottish Government funding, the project provides tailored support to affected households and works with local authorities to support good practice in Council Tax debt collection.

    The project has already been delivered in nine local authority areas, where it has helped to promote dignified and empathetic approach to debt collection and supported more than 1,600 people with advice on Council Tax issues. This additional funding will allow the project to be extended across the whole country.

    Housing Minister Paul McLennan said:

    “Any type of debt, including council tax debt, puts pressure on households and can cause real difficulties for family finances. Empathy and dignity must be at the heart of debt support.

    “This project has already made a big difference to the way debts are collected in the local authorities where it is in place, including supporting people who cannot access digital technology, making connections with mental health services where needed and encouraging people to seek advice early.

    “By helping families manage debts, this project will help us deliver on our driving mission of eradicating child poverty. Other steps we are taking to support this include investing £6.9 billion in social security for the year ahead, £37 million to deliver the expand the free school meals programme, and continuing to put more money in families pockets through the Scottish Child Payment.” 

    Background

    Advice and support are available for people experiencing problem debt – Debt and money – Cost of Living Support Scotland

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Tower Semiconductor Recognized by Northrop Grumman with Supplier Excellence Award

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIGDAL HAEMEK, Israel, March 17, 2025 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has recognized Tower Semiconductor as one of its top supplier partners during the company’s Supplier Excellence Awards Ceremony held recently.

    “Tower Semiconductor has supported Northrop Grumman in delivering technologies that enhance national security for the U.S. and our allies,” said Ken Brown, Vice President, Enterprise Global Supply Chain, Northrop Grumman. “The high-quality performance, dedication and partnership of our supplier teams drive operational excellence to ensure warfighters have next generation advantages in advanced weapons, aircraft, missile defense and space.”

    Recognized for Performance Excellence, Tower Semiconductor is instrumental in supporting Northrop Grumman with delivering innovative and cost-effective military and security solutions to give its customers a competitive advantage in a complex field.

    “It is an honor to once again receive the Northrop Grumman Supplier Excellence Award. This recognition underscores Tower Semiconductor’s unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional quality, reliability, and service to our Aerospace & Defense customers,” said Mike Scott, Sr. Director and General Manager of Aerospace & Defense Business Unit, Tower Semiconductor. “We take great pride in supporting Northrop Grumman and the broader defense community with our advanced technologies, manufacturing capabilities and dedicated A&D organization.”

    About Tower Semiconductor         

    Tower Semiconductor Ltd. (NASDAQ/TASE: TSEM), the leading foundry of high-value analog semiconductor solutions, provides technology, development, and process platforms for its customers in growing markets such as consumer, industrial, automotive, mobile, infrastructure, medical and aerospace and defense. Tower Semiconductor focuses on creating a positive and sustainable impact on the world through long-term partnerships and its advanced and innovative analog technology offering, comprised of a broad range of customizable process platforms such as SiGe, BiCMOS, mixed-signal/CMOS, RF CMOS, CMOS image sensor, non-imaging sensors, displays, integrated power management (BCD and 700V), photonics, and MEMS. Tower Semiconductor also provides world-class design enablement for a quick and accurate design cycle as well as process transfer services including development, transfer, and optimization, to IDMs and fabless companies. To provide multi-fab sourcing and extended capacity for its customers, Tower Semiconductor owns one operating facility in Israel (200mm), two in the U.S. (200mm), two in Japan (200mm and 300mm) which it owns through its 51% holdings in TPSCo, shares a 300mm facility in Agrate, Italy with STMicroelectronics as well as has access to a 300mm capacity corridor in Intel’s New Mexico factory. For more information, please visit: www.towersemi.com.

    Safe Harbor Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release includes forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results may vary from those projected or implied by such forward-looking statements. A complete discussion of risks and uncertainties that may affect the accuracy of forward-looking statements included in this press release or which may otherwise affect Tower’s business is included under the heading “Risk Factors” in Tower’s most recent filings on Forms 20-F, F-3, F-4 and 6-K, as were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and the Israel Securities Authority. Tower does not intend to update, and expressly disclaim any obligation to update, the information contained in this release. 

    ###

    Tower Semiconductor Company Contact: Orit Shahar | +972-74-7377440 | oritsha@towersemi.com

    Investor Relations Contact: Liat Avraham | +972-4-6506154 | liatavra@towersemi.com

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Heather Laing appointed as permanent Chief Executive

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Heather Laing appointed as permanent Chief Executive

    The Immigration Advice Authority has announced the permanent appointment of Heather Laing as Chief Executive.

    With extensive knowledge and experience in the immigration sector, Heather Laing will take on the role of Chief Executive Officer of the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) with immediate effect. Her expertise will strengthen the organisation’s leadership team and play a crucial role in delivering the IAA’s strategic objectives.  

    John Tuckett, Immigration Services Commissioner, said:

    I am delighted that Heather has been appointed as the IAA’s permanent Chief Executive. Having been in the role since January, her leadership, expertise, and commitment have already made a significant impact, and I have every confidence that she will continue to drive the organisation forward.

    With Heather in the lead, the IAA will continue to evolve and successfully deliver its mission to regulate the immigration sector, ensure high standards of practice and protect the interests of advice seekers.

    Heather Laing, Chief Executive, said:

    It’s a huge privilege to continue leading the IAA as Chief Executive. Over the past two months, I have seen first-hand the dedication of our team and the impact of our work in regulating the immigration sector. As we move forward, I look forward to building on this momentum, delivering on our strategic priorities, and ensuring that advice seekers remain at the heart of everything we do.

    Heather Laing was initially appointed as interim Chief Executive following the IAA’s rebrand on 16 January 2025. After a fair and open recruitment process, she will now continue in the role on a permanent basis.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Descartes Study: 39% of High-growth Companies Leverage Trade Compliance as Competitive Advantage

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ATLANTA and LONDON, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Descartes Systems Group (Nasdaq:DSGX) (TSX:DSG), the global leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce, released findings from its study Top Three Traits of Companies with a Successful Approach to Trade Compliance. The study showed that 39% of fast-growing companies (those expecting greater than 15% growth over the next two years) consider trade compliance to be a competitive advantage and not only a regulatory requirement, compared to 22% of slower-growing companies (those with less than 5% growth expectations).

    Furthermore, 57% of companies surveyed believe technology is also very or extremely important for competitive advantage in trade compliance strategies (see Figure 1). This view is even more pronounced in growth businesses versus non-growth companies: 72%, or almost three quarters, of fast-growing companies believe technology is a valuable competitive differentiator, compared to just 41% of businesses predicting shrinking, limited, or no growth.

    Figure 1: Importance of technology for competitive advantage in trade compliance strategies

    Source: Descartes/SAPIO

    The study also revealed that 86% of fast-growing companies indicated technology is fundamental or highly important to growth strategies. Underscoring a strong link between technology, business expansion and trade compliance, 47% of fast-growing companies confirm investing in technology is the top approach to tackling international trade challenges—compared to just 18% of those expecting shrinking, limited, or no growth.

    In addition to gaining competitive advantage by leveraging trade compliance and investing in technology, higher-growth companies are focused on building a well-resourced compliance team. The study found that companies with greater than 15% expected growth in the next two years allocate an average of eight people to trade compliance activities, compared to six people in companies anticipating shrinking, limited, or no growth.

    “Given the volatility of the current trade landscape, rife with evolving tariffs, trade barriers, sanctions and regulations, effective and efficient global trade compliance is a distinct competitive differentiator,” said Jackson Wood, Director, Industry Strategy at Descartes. “Companies that invest in building their compliance teams view compliance as a strategic advantage. They leverage leading technologies to turn compliance into an engine for growth while creating more resilient supply chain operations.”

    Descartes and SAPIO Research surveyed 887 corporate decision makers in international trade compliance and/or supply chain intelligence across Argentina, Benelux, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Sweden, UK and USA. The goal was to understand the strategies, tactics and technologies used by companies involved in international trade to help gain a competitive advantage and ensure continued business growth, and to identify if these varied by factors such as country, industry, company size and business growth. Respondents are members of company leadership teams, from management level to Chief Executive Officer or Owner. To learn more, read the study Top Three Traits of Companies with a Successful Approach to Trade Compliance.

    Learn more about Descartes’ global trade intelligence solutions.

    About Descartes

    Descartes (Nasdaq:DSGX) (TSX:DSG) is the global leader in providing on-demand, software-as-a-service solutions focused on improving the productivity, security and sustainability of logistics-intensive businesses. Customers use our modular, software-as-a-service solutions to route, track and help improve the safety, performance and compliance of delivery resources; plan, allocate and execute shipments; rate, audit and pay transportation invoices; access global trade data; file customs and security documents for imports and exports; and complete numerous other logistics processes by participating in the world’s largest, collaborative multimodal logistics community. Our headquarters are in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and we have offices and partners around the world. Learn more at www.descartes.com, and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

    Global Media Contact
    Cara Strohack                                                                     
    cstrohack@descartes.com  

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (“forward-looking statements”) that relate to Descartes’ global trade intelligence solution offerings and potential benefits derived therefrom; and other matters. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the factors and assumptions discussed in the section entitled, “Certain Factors That May Affect Future Results” in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission and other securities commissions across Canada including Descartes’ most recently filed management’s discussion and analysis. If any such risks actually occur, they could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. In that case, the trading price of our common shares could decline, perhaps materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purposes of providing information about management’s current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. We do not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2458abe4-87e5-4a31-8a58-b127eacde619

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Fun packed programme for kids during the Easter Holidays

    Source: Scotland – City of Perth

    Looking for a fun packed programme for the kids during the Easter holidays?

    Letham WAC have visits arranged to visit Westbank Woods the outdoor community woods, den building, learning about the environment and the creatures that live in it.

    There are lots of ‘Spring Activities’ including arts and crafts, planting bulbs, spring hunt around the school grounds.

    Science activities – find out how to make a rainbow using different scientific experiments. Throughout the holidays there will be lots of Easter arts and crafts, sports, outdoor play and baking throughout the holidays.

    Come along and have lots of “Fun and Do Stuff”

    To book a place at this holiday service or any of the PKC holiday services please visit Kids clubs and wraparound care services – Opening times, booking places, costs and holidays.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Just two weeks to go for many businesses to submit 2024 packaging data for pEPR

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Just two weeks to go for many businesses to submit 2024 packaging data for pEPR

    Obligated businesses must submit 2024 packaging data by 1 April 2025 under new extended producer responsibility for packaging (pEPR) scheme

    There are now just two weeks to go for businesses to submit 2024 packaging data under the new extended producer responsibility for packaging (pEPR) scheme. 

    Under legislation which came into force on 1 January 2024, large organisations must submit their July-December 2024 data by 1 April. 

    Small organisations must submit their January-December 2024 data in one annual submission by 1 April. 

    In addition, all obligated organisations, large and small, must also register with their environmental regulator by the same date. Guidance on how to register can be found here. 

    The data producers provide will be crucial in helping to ensure fees are set at an appropriate level.

    The Government is grateful to all those in industry who have engaged closely with pEPR and already submitted extensive data, helping to finetune the policy. If obligated packaging producers have neither reported their data nor registered, they could face enforcement action.

    To check whether they need to report packaging data, businesses should visit EPR: who is affected and what to do and, if necessary, follow the online instructions to access the new Report Packaging Data service. 

    pEPR will move the cost of dealing with household packaging waste away from taxpayers onto the businesses who produce the packaging.  

    It will incentivise businesses to reduce unnecessary packaging and use more recycled and recyclable packaging, leading to less waste to landfill and reducing the release of damaging CO2 emissions. 

    Dr Margaret Bates, head of the UK pEPR scheme administrator PackUK, said:

    The need for an effective pEPR scheme that shifts the cost of managing household packaging waste to producers has never been more critical. 

    We urge all businesses to check their obligations under pEPR and to report their data and register with environment regulators by 1 April. 

    Together, we will deliver a fair and collaborative scheme that addresses the challenges of packaging waste and lays the foundation for a more sustainable and responsible approach to packaging.

    If a firm or a member of the public suspects a business is not complying with the regulations, they should report this to the regulators by contacting them directly via the details listed below.  

    To report via a 24-hour telephone service, call 0800 80 70 60 for England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and 0300 065 3000 for Wales. All reports are treated with strict confidentiality, with the option to report anonymously.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The London Fire Brigade – what’s next?

    Source: Mayor of London

    The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has made significant progress in recent years, with the service removed from enhanced monitoring in March last year and an inspection in November finding it to be “outstanding” in one area, and “good” in five more.
     
    But the same report also assessed the LFB as “requires improvement” in how it manages performance and develops leaders and only “adequate” in four areas – including promoting the right values and culture. As there is no room for complacency, what are the priorities for the LFB going forward?  

    Tomorrow, the London Assembly Fire Committee will ask the Deputy Mayor responsible for the Fire Service, HM Inspector Lee Freeman KPM, and senior representatives from the LFB about the issues arising from the recent His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services inspection report. 
     
    A question-and-answer session with the LFB and Deputy Mayor will follow covering diversifying the workforce, training, evacuation of high-rise buildings and the Professional Standards Unit.
     
    The meeting will take place on Tuesday 18 March from 10am, in the Chamber at City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, E16 1ZE.
     
    The guests are:
     
    Panel 1 – HMICFRS Inspection:

    • Jules Pipe CBE, Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and the Fire Service
    • His Majesty’s Inspector Lee Freeman KPM, HMICFRS.
    • Jonathan Smith, Deputy Commissioner and Operational Director for Preparedness and Response, LFB
    • Charlie Pugsley, Deputy Commissioner and Operational Director for Prevention, Protection and Policy, LFB 

    Panel 2 – Q&A:

    • Jules Pipe CBE, Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and the Fire Service
    • Jonathan Smith, Deputy Commissioner and Operational Director for Preparedness and Response, LFB
    • Charlie Pugsley, Deputy Commissioner and Operational Director for Prevention, Protection and Policy, LFB 
    • Sally Hopper, Director for People, LFB

    Media and members of the public are invited to attend.
     
    The meeting can also be viewed LIVE or later via webcast or YouTube.
     
    Follow us @LondonAssembly.
     
     

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Labour must listen to backlash and radically rethink dangerous welfare reforms

    Source: Scottish Greens

    17 Mar 2025 Equality

    Labour’s cuts are cruel and must be stopped.

    More in Equality

    Labour has 10 days to radically rethink their cruel cuts agenda, warns Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman.

    The party’s spokesperson for social security, Ms Chapman is urging Labour to use the Spring statement, expected on March 26th, to halt dangerous social security reforms that could unleash even more harm than the Tories.

    Ms Chapman called for Labour to turn their attention towards the super rich by introducing a wealth tax instead of cutting vital life-lines and forcing disabled people into life-threatening situations.

    Ms Chapman said:

    “The reported budget cuts will only push the most vulnerable people in our society further into poverty and harm.

    “From cutting winter fuel payments and expecting pensioners to freeze or deal with it, to refusing to remove the punitive two-child cap that unfairly targets larger families, Labour has chosen to continue the most punishing Tory policies while preparing some of the most callous cuts the UK has ever seen.

    “These latest cuts represent a clear and direct attack on the lives of disabled people. They are not inevitable. They are a choice. Labour must listen to the disabled campaign groups and experts who are warning about the devastating impact these cuts will have.

    “I speak regularly with disabled people and activists who are terrified that ending this vital support will result in deaths. Is that what Labour meant when they promised change? Is it the legacy that Keir Starmer wants?

    “Each of us has intrinsic worth as human beings that is not tied to our personal economic input. It sets a harmful and dangerous tone when we say that only those who are able to work are worth helping. And we know that many people in work are also struggling to cope.

    “With so many people experiencing fear and anxiety, and with the emergence of the far right, the Spring statement is one of the most important in living memory.

    “It is time for Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves to stop pandering to Tory austerity. They must bring in a wealth tax that collects a fair and justified share from the richest people who are never punished just for existing in the way that the poorest people are.

    “Labour must make good on the promise it made in opposition, start taxing the rich properly and stop turning its back on vulnerable people.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: How we protected the UK and space in February 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    How we protected the UK and space in February 2025

    This report was issued in March 2025 and covers the time period 1 February 2025 to 28 February 2025 inclusive.

    February was a highly active month which saw uncontrolled re-entry alerts at their highest level since our records began. All NSpOC warning and protection services functioned as expected throughout the period.

    Re-entry Analysis

    February has seen an increase in the number of objects re-entering Earth’s atmosphere when compared to the previous month.  

    Chart showing number of re-entries monitored by month. March: 25, April: 22, May: 56, June: 48, July: 44, August: 89, September: 50, October: 35, November: 47, December: 83, January: 115, February: 129

    Of the 129 objects monitored for re-entry this month, 119 were satellites, 5 rocket bodies and 5 were classified as unknown objects, likely to be either a rocket body or a satellite

    In-Space Collision Avoidance

    Collision risks to UK-licenced satellites declined by 5% in January, but remained above the 12- month rolling average of 2,376.

    Chart showing number of collision risks to UK-licensed satellites monitored by month. March: 1,903, April: 1,899, May: 2,560, June: 1,881, July: 1,795, August: 2,137, September: 3,041, October: 3,181, November: 2,722, December: 2,142, January: 2,694, February: 2,567

    Number of Objects in Space

    There was an increase to the in-orbit population during January, with 380 newly catalogued objects added to the US Satellite Catalogue. 

    Chart showing number registered space objects by month. March: 28,478, April: 28,752, May: 28,850, June: 28,931, July: 28,917, August: 29,297, September: 29,678, October: 29,665, November: 29,826, December: 29,921, January: 29,985, February: 30,163

    110 newly catalogued objects were attributed to the SpaceX Transporter-12 mission, ranging from Earth imaging satellites to re-entry vehicles as well as a ‘selfie’ satellite.

    Fragmentation Analysis

    There were no new on-orbit fragmentations during February.

    Space weather

    Space weather was mostly minor to moderate throughout February, with some periods of increased activity. Key events this period included: 

    Early – Mid February:

    Frequent minor to moderate radio blackouts caused limited HF communication outages on the sunlit side of Earth. Isolated minor geomagnetic storms were triggered by fast solar winds but had limited impacts. Active high-energy electron fluence may have caused satellite charging. 

    23 February:

    A Strong (R3) radio blackout affected a wide area on the sunlit side, with possible minor disruptions to satellite navigation systems. 

    25 February: 

    A Minor (S1) radiation storm occurred, potentially causing occasional Single Event Upsets (SEUs). 

    Late February:

    Minor to moderate geomagnetic storms were recorded, likely causing minor satellite orientation issues.

    Comments

    The National Space Operations Centre combines and coordinates UK civil and military space domain awareness capabilities to enable operations, promote prosperity and protect UK interests in space and on Earth from space-related threats, risks and hazards

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Yellowstone: Where there’s always something new!

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Jefferson Hungerford, Park Geologist, and Kiernan Folz-Donahue, Field Geologist, both with Yellowstone National Park.

    The summer of 2024 was a busy time, with July’s hydrothermal explosion at Biscuit Basin and the first hydrothermal explosion ever recorded by geophysical monitoring data in Norris Geyser Basin. In addition to these higher energy events, a new hydrothermal feature popped up right in front of our eyes—literally! 

    Looking south from near a pullout along the Mammoth to Norris road just north of the Nymph Lake overlook. On the other side of the marsh is a tree-covered rhyolite lava flow, and at the base of the flow is a new thermal feature marked by a plume of steam and that formed in early August 2024.   Photo by Mike Poland, USGS, September 1, 2024.
    Map showing the Roadside Springs thermal area, located just north of Nymph Lake along the Norris-Mammoth highway.  Hydrothermal ground is shaded purple.  New hydrothermal features formed in 2003 on the north side of Nymph Lake, and also in 2024 a bit further north from the lake.  Figure by Jefferson Hungerford, Yellowstone National Park.

    While driving south from Mammoth Hot Springs towards Norris Geyser Basin early on August 5 last summer, a park scientist noticed a billowing steam column through the trees and across a marshy expanse. The eagle-eyed scientist notified the park geology team to verify if this was indeed new activity.

    This new hydrothermal feature is within a region called the Roadside Springs thermal area, which is a collection of spatially distinct areas of altered rock and hydrothermal features (data for Yellowstone thermal areas is at https://data.usgs.gov/datacatalog/data/USGS:661d5eb7d34e7eb9eb7e3a41). This new feature is at the foot of a rhyolite lava flow about 3 meters above the marsh below, and it lies within a swath of warm, hydrothermally altered ground that is approximately 60 meters (about 200 feet) long.

    Soon after it was identified, park geologists trudged through the marshy ground to get a closer look that the feature, which had a temperature of 77 °C (171 °F). A very thin veneer of grey silicious clay barely covered the surrounding surface, indicating its very young nature. 

    Although this hydrothermal activity may seem new to us, it may also just be just the latest manifestation of activity a short distance away that kicked into existence more than two decades ago. On March 10, 2003, a similar type of hydrothermal activity was first observed on the other side of the same rhyolite lava flow where the new feature is located, just west of Nymph Lake. This hydrothermal activity persists through this day but is much less energetic than when it first formed.

    Are the new feature and the activity that started in 2003 hydrologically connected? Probably. One could run a line along the axis of the older active area and it would intersect the new feature. This line also follows the trend of faults that run from Norris Geyser Basin northward to Mammoth Hot Springs and beyond. 

    Aerial view looking to the west at the Roadside Springs hydrothermal area and Nymph Lake showing the locations of thermal features that formed in 2003 and 2024.  Yellow line marks the Mammoth-Norris highway.   Figure by Jefferson Hungerford, Yellowstone National Park.

    The new feature remained prominent into the fall of 2024, with a strong steam plume that was especially visible during chilly mornings. But as fall began to turn into winter, the steam plume gradually disappeared. The feature remains active, but there is some water in the vent, decreasing the amount of steam that is released. Whether or not the strong plume returns in the summer of 2025 remains to be seen. 

    Geologists have mapped more than 100 major hydrothermal areas in Yellowstone National Park, and there are many more than 10,000 hydrothermal features within its boundaries. The activity from these features waxes and wanes with time—you might even say that some of them pick up steam! Sorry…we couldn’t resist.

    Looking southeast at the hydrothermal feature that formed in August 2024 just north of Nymph Lake. Steam is emanating from a vent that is partially full of water to create the frying pan feature nestled in the newly formed vent. A thin grey layer of silica mud covers the vent area.  Photo by Jefferson Hungerford, Yellowstone National Park, August 2024.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: President Meloni at Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin

    Source: Government of Italy (English)

    14 Marzo 2025

    The President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, visited the Inalpi Arena today for the Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025.

    [President Meloni’s visit to Special Olympics World Winter Games and Argotec SpacePark]

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: Ortus Energy and SSE Energy Solutions drive solar adoption at KIA Stockton

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    STOCKTON-ON-TEES, United Kingdom, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ortus Energy, in partnership with SSE Energy Solutions, is pleased to announce the development of a significant solar energy project at the Kia Stockton dealership, in Stockton-On-Tees.

    This initiative reinforces both companies’ commitment to supporting businesses in their transition to clean energy solutions.

    The project has seen the installation of a 601 kWp solar PV system, optimised to maximise the clean energy used at the site. This system is projected to generate 538,000 kWh of clean energy annually, meeting approximately 45% of Kia Stockton’s electricity needs.

    Kia Stockton is demonstrating a strong commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility with this new solar energy project. By embracing solar power, the dealership will significantly reduce its carbon footprint by 110 tonnes of CO2 per year.

    SSE Energy Solutions is financing the solar installation and has signed a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Kia Stockton, which will enable the dealership to pay a fixed rate for the power generated over 25 years without the need for any upfront investment. PPAs on projects such as Kia Stockton enable businesses to hedge against the volatility of wholesale energy prices, access clean energy to meet their sustainability goals, and gain greater predictability in their energy expenditure.

    “We are thrilled to partner with Kia Stockton and SSE Energy Solutions on this project,” said Alistair Booth, CEO at Ortus Energy. “This installation showcases the growing demand for solar solutions among businesses seeking to reduce their environmental impact and operating costs. It’s a testament to the strength of our partnership with SSE Energy Solutions and our shared commitment to driving the adoption of renewable energy across the UK.”

    “We are excited to partner with Ortus Energy and SSE Energy Solutions on this important initiative,” said Sohail Khan, Managing Director at Opus Motor Group/ Kia Stockton. “This solar project aligns with our commitment to environmental stewardship and will help us reduce our operating costs while providing clean energy for our business and EV Driving Customers.”

    ​​“We are proud of our partnership with Ortus Energy, as we support businesses in driving down costs and emissions. This project is an exciting opportunity, made possible by SSE Energy Solutions funding through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), offering an affordable route to renewable energy generation for Kia Stockton.” Jon Kirby, Head of Development at SSE Energy Solutions.

    This project highlights the continued success of the partnership between Ortus Energy and SSE Energy Solutions, which focuses on delivering bespoke solar solutions to businesses across the UK. By combining Ortus Energy’s expertise in solar development with SSE Energy Solutions’ strength and market knowledge, the two companies are accelerating the transition to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/51d2c9d1-0468-4d10-9ca4-caddfa22bfa5

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government welcomes C&AG Report on Recruitment and Retention17 March 2025 The Government of Jersey has welcomed the Comptroller and Auditor General’s, C&AG, report as an opportunity to reinforce its commitment to improving public service delivery for Islanders. While acknowledging… Read more

    Source: Channel Islands – Jersey

    17 March 2025

    The Government of Jersey has welcomed the Comptroller and Auditor General’s, C&AG, report as an opportunity to reinforce its commitment to improving public service delivery for Islanders. 

    While acknowledging areas for improvement, the Government has also stressed that key issues in the report were in the process of being addressed when it was compiled. 

    A new and updated People Strategy was launched at the end of 2024 which outlines the organisation’s long-term ambition for developing a high-quality public service, while investing in the development and skills of staff, creating opportunities for growth and progression, and fostering a culture where people feel like they belong. 

    Additionally, the Strategic Workforce Plan, which is a collation of outputs of all department level plans, has since been published, which provides an overview of priority areas for improvement that we are working to address. 

    The Government is also improving recruitment processes with a new careers site set to re-launch this year and is attracting and developing local talent via its apprenticeships and annual intern programme. 

    Structured training programmes are in place to address skills shortages and innovative recruitment processes have already been used to fill teaching assistant and primary teaching vacancies. 

    A pledge announced last year to curb the growth in the public service, with a recruitment freeze on non-frontline roles, is also helping to address issues around vacancy numbers highlighted in the report. The recruitment freeze has enabled the recruitment teams to focus on essential front-line service recruitment. 

    Deputy Malcolm Ferey, Vice-chair of the States Employment Board said: “We welcome the report produced by the Comptroller & Auditor General and will review findings and make progress on the necessary actions. 

    “However, this report is a snapshot in time and a number of the issues raised have already been addressed. Since the audit was conducted the frameworks, policies and processes needed to ensure we have a safe and effective recruitment process are in place. 

    “Last year, we saw a drop in turnover, with more employees staying in employment with the Public Service. 

    “As the largest employer on the Island, the organisation is also working on a number of plans to develop and nurture our talent to ensure we provide effective public services to Islanders.” 

    The Comptroller and Auditor General’s audit of Staff Recruitment and Retention​. ​

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council secures more than £3.4 million funding for warmer homes

    Source: City of York

    Published Friday, 14 March 2025

    Council leaders have confirmed that City of York Council will receive more than £3.4 million of funding thanks to 2 separate grants.

    The funding, announced this week by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, will be used to upgrade around 280 homes over the next 3 years, to reduce carbon emissions and fuel poverty and improve the comfort and health of council homes.

    The first grant of around £1.4 million will be used to improve the energy efficiency of around 140 council homes via the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund.

    The second grant of around £2 million will be used to improve the energy efficiency of around 140 homes for lower income homeowners through the Warm Homes: Local Grant Scheme.

    These works build on improving 73 council homes to which 141 energy-efficiency measures have been installed. And they add to the 211 homes of lower-income owners to which have been added 241 new energy efficiency measures. The measures include:

    • loft, flat roof, external wall and cavity wall insulation
    • air source heat pumps
    • smart heating controls
    • solar photovoltaic panels to generate electricity

    To support eligible owners and landlords of draughty, listed buildings or of homes in conservation areas, the council’s Local Energy Advice Demonstrator (LEAD) Project has given 452 pieces of advice since November 2023. This project’s funding ends on 31 March 2025, so find out more about the LEAD Home Energy Advice Scheme, or call 01904 555520 or email: saveenergy@york.gov.uk.

    Cllr Michael Pavlovic, Executive Member for Housing at City of York Council, said:

    We know that making York’s homes warmer and better insulated is a huge benefit to residents, financially and in terms of the positive impact on their wellbeing.

    “With rising energy costs and continued concerns around climate change, it’s essential that these improvements are made as soon as possible so that residents will see the benefits for years to come.

    “For free advice, assessment and coordination of energy saving measures, York residents who aren’t eligible for the LEAD scheme, should contact YorEnergy by calling 01904 211221 or emailing: hello@yorenergy.co.uk.”

    Further details about how to apply for the next phase of retrofit works will be announced as soon as possible. Meanwhile, see more information about home energy efficiency.

    An update on the council’s retrofit programme was discussed at Executive on Tuesday, 11 March 2025.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Public consultation launches to overhaul safety at Leeds’ A58 collision hotspot

    Source: City of Leeds

    Leeds City Council invites residents, businesses, and commuters along the A58 Roundhay Road and Barrack Road to share their views on important road safety, bus, walking, public realm and cycling proposals. The public consultation is currently open to the public and will run until 20 April 2025.

    The plans are proposed for Roundhay Road, Barrack Road, and the Bayswater Triangle. The Bayswater Triangle, particularly the A58 Roundhay Road junctions with Bayswater Road, Spencer Place, Roseville Road, and Gledhow Road, has experienced a high number of collisions over the past seven years. A total of 71 collisions have been recorded, resulting in 90 casualties, including one fatality, 14 serious injuries, and 56 slight injuries. The junctions in this area combined make it the Council’s number one site of concern in Leeds.

    Key proposals include:

    • New or enhanced pedestrian crossings making it safer for people to cross the road
    • Changes to key junctions around Bayswater Triangle that aim to reduce collisions, making it safer for all road users, especially people walking and cycling
    • New segregated cycle lanes, ensuring a safer route for cyclists and encouraging people to take up cycling
    • Bus priority measures and dedicated bus lanes on Roundhay Road to improve journey reliability and reduce congestion
    • Upgraded public spaces with trees and planting, to encourage people to spend more time there

    The project, delivered in partnership with West Yorkshire Combined Authority, is part of Leeds City Council’s broader commitment to the Connecting Leeds Transport Strategy and the Vision Zero 2040 initiative – aiming to eliminate any road fatalities or serious injuries on Leeds’ roads by 2040. This will be funded with £4.5million from the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund’s Corridor Improvement Programme, subject to approvals.

    Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Deputy Leader of Leeds City Council and Executive Member for Economy, Transport, and Sustainable Development, said:

    “This A58 Roundhay Road and Barrack Road scheme is a vital step towards creating a safer, more efficient, and accessible travel environment for local residents.

    The area is prone to an alarming number of collisions over the previous 7 years, with 35% of casualties involving people walking and cycling.

    These plans should deliver enhanced safety measures for all road users, especially people walking and cycling, whilst helping to ease congestion and improve bus reliability.

    Your input is essential to ensure these changes meet community needs.”

    Cllr Peter Carlill, Deputy Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, added:

    “Improving safety on our roads is vital to our ambition to eliminate all road deaths and serious injuries across the region by 2040.

    These proposals could play a huge part in that, as well as enhancing walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport facilities along this route.

    I’d encourage people to have their say and help us create a safer, better-connected region that works for all.”

    Have your say

    Residents and businesses are being consulted on the proposals until Sunday 20 April 2025. Have your say online by visiting this link.

    To request paper copies of the proposals and the survey, or a reasonable adjustment, please contact 0113 336 8868 or email connectingleeds@leeds.gov.uk.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Sydbank share buyback programme: transactions in week 11

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Company Announcement No 10/2025

    		 Peberlyk 4
    6200 Aabenraa
    Denmark

    Tel +45 74 37 37 37
    Fax +45 74 37 35 36

    Sydbank A/S
    CVR No DK 12626509, Aabenraa
    sydbank.dk
    17 March 2025  

    Dear Sirs

    Sydbank share buyback programme: transactions in week 11
    On 26 February 2025 Sydbank announced a share buyback programme of DKK 1,350m. The share buyback programme commenced on 3 March 2025 and will be completed by 31 January 2026.

    The purpose of the share buyback programme is to reduce the share capital of Sydbank and the programme is executed in compliance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 of 8 March 2016, collectively referred to as the Safe Harbour rules.

    The following transactions have been made under the share buyback programme:

      Number of shares VWAP Gross value (DKK)
    Accumulated, most recent
    Announcement

    63,000

    		  

    27,961,010.00
    10 March 2025
    11 March 2025
    12 March 2025
    13 March 2025
    14 March 2025    		 14,000
    12,000
    12,000
    10,000
    8,000    		 434.86
    438.80
    443.98
    444.05
    448.31    		 6,088,040.00
    5,265,600.00
    5,327,760.00
    4,440,500.00
    3,586,480.00
    Total over week 11 56,000   24,708,380.00
    Total accumulated during the
    share buyback programme

    119,000

    		  

    52,669,390.00

    All transactions were made under ISIN DK 0010311471 and effected by Danske Bank A/S on behalf of Sydbank A/S.

    Further information about the transactions, cf Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council on market abuse and Commission delegated regulation, is available in the attachment.

    Following the above transactions, Sydbank holds a total of 3,503,048 own shares, equal to 6.41% of the Bank’s share capital.

    Yours sincerely
            
    Mark Luscombe        Jørn Adam Møller
    CEO        Deputy Group Chief Executive

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Video: UK Women in the Armed Forces: Follow-up – Defence Committee

    Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)

    The Defence Committee is assessing progress on its predecessor Committee’s work on women in the Armed Forces, hearing from witnesses across the Ministry of Defence (MOD) including the chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force.  

     In July 2021 the Committee published a report “Protecting Those Who Protect Us: Women in the Armed Forces from Recruitment to Civilian Life”, led by Sarah Atherton. The report found that the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces were failing to protect female personnel and support Servicewomen to achieve their full potential. 

    Read the 2021 report here: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/24/defence-committee/news/156892/report-protecting-those-who-protect-us-women-in-the-armed-forces-from-recruitment-to-civilian-life/#:~:text=The%20Defence%20Sub%2DCommittee%20on,from%20Recruitment%20to%20Civilian%20Life%22.&text=The%20inquiry%20is%20one%20of,almost%20unprecedented%20level%20of%20engagement

    Key witness: Alistair Carns DSO OBE MC MP – Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Veterans and People)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYrRS74TxzQ

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Secretary-General of ASEAN meets with Ambassador of the French Republic to ASEAN

    Source: ASEAN – Association of SouthEast Asian Nations

    Secretary-General of ASEAN, H.E. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, this morning met with Ambassador of the French Republic to ASEAN, H.E. Fabien Penone, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. Both sides exchanged ideas on ways and means to strengthen the ASEAN-France Development Partnership through meaningful activities on mutually beneficial cooperation areas, as well as discussed on the preparations for the State visit of the President of the French Republic, H.E. Emmanuel Macron, to the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat in the coming months.

    The post Secretary-General of ASEAN meets with Ambassador of the French Republic to ASEAN appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Secretary-General of ASEAN meets with Ambassador of the French Republic to ASEAN

    Source: ASEAN – Association of SouthEast Asian Nations

    Secretary-General of ASEAN, H.E. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, this morning met with Ambassador of the French Republic to ASEAN, H.E. Fabien Penone, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. Both sides exchanged ideas on ways and means to strengthen the ASEAN-France Development Partnership through meaningful activities on mutually beneficial cooperation areas, as well as discussed on the preparations for the State visit of the President of the French Republic, H.E. Emmanuel Macron, to the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat in the coming months.

    The post Secretary-General of ASEAN meets with Ambassador of the French Republic to ASEAN appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Many of history’s deadliest building fires have been in nightclubs. Here’s why they’re so dangerous

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Milad Haghani, Associate Professor & Principal Fellow in Urban Risk & Resilience, The University of Melbourne

    A fire at a nightclub in North Macedonia has killed at least 59 people and injured more than 150. The blaze broke out at the Pulse nightclub in Kočani, where around 500 people were attending a concert.

    Witnesses reported that pyrotechnics used during the performance ignited the ceiling, causing flames to spread rapidly.

    Authorities have arrested 20 people so far, including the club’s manager. Investigations continue. The North Macedonian government has declared a seven-day mourning period.

    While building fires are not limited to nightclubs, many of the most devastating building fires in history have happened in nightclubs around the world. So why are nightclubs such a risky place for deadly fires?

    A long history of nightclub fires

    A look at past nightclub fires shows just how common and deadly they’ve been in the past 100 years. We identified at least 24 nightclub fires where ten or more people died since 1940.

    Collectively, these 24 incidents account for at least 2,800 deaths, with nearly 1,300 in the 21st century alone.

    The Cocoanut Grove fire (Boston, 1942) remains the deadliest on record, killing 492 people. The club’s flammable decorations and locked exits turned what should have been an ordinary night out into one of the worst fire disasters in history.

    In Argentina, the República Cromañón fire killed 194 people in 2004, caused by pyrotechnics igniting flammable materials inside the club.

    The Kiss nightclub fire in Brazil in 2013 was even deadlier, claiming 242 lives.

    More recently, Thailand’s Mountain B nightclub fire killed 23 people in 2022.

    And in 2023, 13 people died in a fire at the Fonda Milagros nightclub in Spain.

    Now, North Macedonia’s Pulse nightclub joins this long list.

    Why are nightclubs so risky for fires?

    A review of past nightclub fires we’ve collated in our database reveals common patterns. Two key factors have contributed to the frequency and severity of these fire disasters.

    1. Pyrotechnics, fireworks and flammable materials

    One of the most common causes of nightclub fires has been the use of pyrotechnics in enclosed spaces. Pyrotechnics are controlled chemical reactions designed to produce flames, smoke, or light effects.

    They have been involved in at least six of the deadliest nightclub fires, including the recent Pulse nightclub fire in North Macedonia, as well as The Station (United States, 2003), Kiss (Brazil, 2013), Colectiv (Romania, 2015), Lame Horse (Russia, 2009) and República Cromañón (Argentina, 2004).

    When used indoors, pyrotechnics can easily ignite flammable ceiling materials, acoustic foam, or decorations.

    In some cases, fireworks – which are different from stage pyrotechnics and sometimes illegally used indoors – have played a role. The Lame Horse nightclub fire, which killed 156 people in Russia in 2009, was caused by a spark from fireworks igniting a low ceiling covered in flammable plastic decorations.

    Even when fires don’t start from pyrotechnics or fireworks, the materials used in nightclub interiors can rapidly turn a small fire into a major disaster.

    Foam insulation, wooden panelling, plastic decorations and carpeted walls have all been key factors in past nightclub fires. In Cocoanut Grove (Boston, 1942), artificial palm trees and other flammable decorations accelerated the blaze.

    2. Overcrowding and blocked or insufficient exits

    Evacuation failures have been a factor in nearly every major nightclub fire.

    In some instances, crowds may not immediately recognise the severity of the situation, especially if they mistake alarms for false alarms or special effects (for example, smoke machines, loud music).

    Further, patrons could be intoxicated due alcohol or other drugs. Intoxication combined with potential disorientation due to dim lighting can further reduce judgement during an evacuation.

    Clearly, the best way to protect patrons is to prevent a fire from breaking out in the first place. But in settings where fire risks are inherently high, the ability to evacuate people swiftly is crucial.

    Nightclubs, however, have a poor track record when it comes to evacuation safety measures.

    Nightclubs are among the most crowded indoor spaces. While crowd density is part of a nightclub’s design and atmosphere, overcrowding beyond legal capacity is common.

    A crowd that has gradually gathered over several hours must suddenly evacuate in seconds or minutes to survive a fire. This is made more difficult by narrow hallways and limited exits, which quickly become bottlenecks when hundreds of people attempt to escape at once.

    What’s more, not all exits are always accessible during a fire. In several past nightclub disasters, locked or obstructed emergency exits have significantly worsened the death toll.

    Minimising the risks

    Nightclubs are uniquely vulnerable to fires due to a combination of structural risks, unsafe materials, overcrowding and regulatory failures.

    While human behaviour plays a role in how fires unfold in confined spaces such as nightclubs, people should be able to go for a night out and expect to come home safely.

    Regulatory oversight must ensure strict compliance with fire codes. Venues should have fire suppression systems (such as sprinklers, fire extinguishers and smoke detectors) to control or contain fires before they spread, and adequate exits.

    Nightclubs should ban indoor pyrotechnics and fireworks, as history has repeatedly shown their deadly consequences.

    Capacity limits must be enforced, and emergency exits should always be accessible.

    Australia has strict fire safety regulations for nightclubs, with venues required to have fire suppression systems, emergency exits and trained staff to manage fire risks.

    Public awareness is also key. Patrons need to understand the real risk of fires in nightclubs, and be prepared to evacuate swiftly but calmly if danger arises.

    Ruggiero Lovreglio receives funding from Royal Society Te Apārangi (NZ) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (USA).

    Milad Haghani does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Many of history’s deadliest building fires have been in nightclubs. Here’s why they’re so dangerous – https://theconversation.com/many-of-historys-deadliest-building-fires-have-been-in-nightclubs-heres-why-theyre-so-dangerous-252372

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Radical action plan to cut red tape and kickstart growth

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Radical action plan to cut red tape and kickstart growth

    The Chancellor will meet top regulator bosses in Downing Street today (Monday 17 March) as she unveils an action plan to deliver on the pledge to cut the administrative cost of regulation on business by a quarter, make Britain the best place to do business and drive economic growth.

    • Chancellor meets regulators in Downing Street as she unveils action plan to cut red tape as part of Plan for Change to kickstart economic growth.

    • Radical shake up will boost infrastructure building by simplifying guidance to protect bat habitats that blocks vital new homes and infrastructure.

    • Business to save billions as more regulators are axed and core legal duties are streamlined.

    • Action plan comes alongside 60 growth-boosting measures from watchdogs designed to make it easier to do business in the UK and delivers on the Prime Minister’s pledge to cut administration costs for businesses by a quarter.

    The radical shake up will cut costly red tape that fails to deliver for local communities, such as hundreds of pages of guidance on protecting bat habitats – which goes far beyond legal requirements, needlessly costs businesses money and slows down planning decisions for major infrastructure projects.  

    A streamlined process for environmental regulations will also be put in place for major projects. This could include Lower Thames Crossing, subject to planning approval, as well as future schemes like Heathrow expansion. The new system will require just one point of contact and will end the merry-go-round of developers seeking planning approvals from multiple authorities who often disagree with each other.  

    This Action Plan will save businesses across the country billions of pounds by cutting the number of regulators, streamlining their core legal duties and cracking down on complexity in the regulatory system. 

    The Plan comes after the Prime Minister set out his vision for a more lean and agile state in a speech last week, abolishing the world’s biggest quango – NHS England – to scrap duplication and give more power and tools to local leaders so they can better deliver for their communities. The Prime Minister and Chancellor are clear that regulators must work for the people of Britain, not get in the way of progress.  

    Following weeks of intense negotiations, watchdogs have signed up to 60 growth boosting measures – including:  

    • Fast-tracking new medicines to market through a new pilot to provide parallel authorisations from key healthcare regulators, so that patients can access the medicine they need quicker;

    • Attracting more investment from international financial services firms by setting up a bespoke ‘concierge service’ to help them get to grips with UK regulations, making it easier to do business in the UK;

    • Paving the way for package deliveries by drone, as the Civil Aviation Authority permits at least two more large drone-flying trials in the coming months – which have already helped cut travel times for blood samples from 30 minutes down to 2 minutes between hospitals – and streamlines the regulatory process for manufacturing drones;

    • Allowing families to manage their spending safely as the Financial Conduct Authority reviews contactless payment limits, including the £100 cap on individual payments, while speeding up queues at checkout.

    • Support for homeownership as the Financial Conduct Authority simplifies mortgage lending rules, including making it easier to re-mortgage with a new lender and reduce mortgage terms.

    • Helping start-ups secure funding to grow through the Financial Conduct Authority issuing more notices where they are likely to approve applications from budding entrepreneurs.

    The government will continue to work closely with regulators to ensure they are regulating for growth, not just risk. Cabinet Ministers will report back to the Chancellor in the summer with further suggestions for streamlining the regulatory landscape and better regulation will be a key part of the upcoming Modern Industrial Strategy.    

    Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: 

    “The world is changing and that’s why we must go further and faster to deliver on our Plan for Change to kickstart economic growth. Today we are taking further action to free businesses from the shackles of regulation. By cutting red tape and creating a more effective system, we will boost investment, create jobs and put more money into working people’s pockets.”  

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: 

    “Unnecessary regulation chokes competition and stifles business – that’s why we’re taking action to unleash industry right across the UK to go for growth.  

    “With a regulatory system that encourages innovation and economic growth combined with our Industrial Strategy, our Plan for Change can make the UK the best place to startup, invest and thrive.”  

    Further pro-business measures announced today include cutting red tape that blocks new housing and infrastructure.  

    It should not be the case that to convert a garage or outbuilding you need to wade through hundreds of pages of guidance on bats.  Environmental guidance, including on protecting bats, will be looked at afresh. Natural England has agreed to review and update their advice to Local Planning Authorities on bats to ensure there is clear, proportionate and accessible advice available.  

    We will make it simpler and faster for projects to agree environmental permits, in some case removing them altogether for low-risk and temporary projects, putting an end to delays that can slow down decisions needed to get spades in the ground. Combined with the appointment of a single lead environmental regulator, this will speed up approvals and save businesses millions in time and resource.    The government will also consult on allowing regulators to be more agile in making sensible decisions on which low-risk activities should be exempt from environmental permits. This will allow them to focus on high-impact, high-priority areas, such as low-carbon infrastructure – while ensuring nature protections are not weakened.    

    These come alongside action to crack down on complexity in the UK regulatory system, with the Chancellor promising to significantly cut the number of regulators by the end of the Parliament to reduce overlap.    

    Regulators will be summoned for performance reviews twice a year from the relevant Secretary of State and will be judged against a set of targets agreed with the businesses they affect, which could how quickly they make decision on planning applications and new licenses for businesses and products. The regulators will immediately begin discussing these targets with businesses and publish them by June. 

    Following the decision to primarily consolidate the Payment Systems Regulator into the Financial Conduct Authority, the Regulator for Community Interest Companies will be folded into Companies House to avoid duplicative disclosure requirements for companies which provide a benefit to their community. Cabinet ministers will report back to the Chancellor by the summer with further suggestions to cut numbers and create a more effective system.  

    Major regulators will also have their legal duties slimmed down, so that they do not waste time satisfying redundant duties that do not align with their core purpose or the public’s priorities. This work will begin with the financial services regulators, energy watchdog Ofgem, water regulator Ofwat and the Office for Road and Rail.  

    The Treasury will also explore ways to streamline financial services regulators’ ‘have regards’ to improve predictability and business confidence. The role of the Financial Ombudsman Service will also be reviewed to ensure that it is acting as an impartial service that provides quick and predictable resolutions to disputes – not as a quasi-regulator.   

    The new system will also support businesses to innovate instead of putting obstacles in the way, led by Lord Willetts as Chair of the Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO). The RIO works with businesses and regulators to embed a pro-innovation regulatory system that enables ground-breaking new technologies to reach the market quicker.   

    The RIO is focused on ensuring regulation supports transformative applications of emerging technologies, for example using AI to improve the efficiency and accuracy of radiology reporting, and the use of engineering biology by world leading UK companies developing innovative foods like lab grown meats.  

    Stakeholder quotes: 

    Rain Newton-Smith, CEO of the CBI, said:   

    “The UK’s Gordian knot of regulations hinders investment with compliance costs that are too high, leaving us trailing the international competition. Today’s announcement signals a shift towards a more proportionate, outcomes based approach that should deliver more sustainable growth and investment.  

    “Smart, proportionate regulation could be the UK’s international calling card once more, bringing confidence and easing the burden on many sectors.   

    “This announcement builds on the welcome commitment from the Prime Minister to reduce the thicket of regulation, and it is critical that this approach is reflected across the board including finding a landing zone for the Employment Rights Bill that supports growth, investment, and jobs.” 

    Irene Graham OBE, CEO of the ScaleUp Institute, said: 

    “It is excellent to see the Government turning its Plan for Change into real practical action. 

    “Scaling businesses have long cited infrastructure constraints and regulatory hurdles as hampering their growth. The practical initiatives set out in this Action Plan on planning reforms, the fast tracking, simplifying and streamlining of regulatory approvals and processes, and the emergence of concierge services should collectively have a significant impact in propelling the growth of these innovative firms forward across every sector and local economy.  

    “We look forward to continuing to work with the government on the next steps of this pro-growth regulatory agenda.” 

    David Postings, Chief Executive of UK Finance, said: 

    “We need a regulatory environment that supports investment and is internationally competitive. I’ve been delighted to see the progress already made by government and regulators, who are listening to the ideas put forward by UK Finance and industry and taking bold action. Today’s announcement builds on that progress, most notably reviewing how the Financial Ombudsman Service operates. It currently acts as a quasi-regulator, which was not the original intention, and addressing this issue is a key one for our sector. I look forward to continuing to work with the government to ensure financial services helps deliver growth up and down the country.” 

    Debbie Crosbie, CEO of Nationwide, said: 

    “I welcome the government’s decisive action to deliver better regulation. Clear and predictable rules will help firms focus on growth and innovation for the benefit of consumers. The target to reduce the administrative cost of regulation by 25% could make a meaningful difference to the regulatory burden and economic growth.”  

    Craig Beaumont, Executive Director of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: 

    “Today’s announcement shows the Chancellor is willing to put in the hard yards to let businesses do what they do best. Business owners are not bureaucrats. The delays, time wasting and sheer stress from having to handle layers of poorly designed regulation makes it harder and harder for small businesses to grow, generate jobs and provide for their customers. 

    “Every month a project might be delayed makes it harder to go ahead, and every second wasted on unnecessary forms is time away from business, staff and family. We have made clear recommendations to CEOs of the regulators visiting No.10 today, to transform regulation so they help, not hinder, small business growth and investment.  This is a necessary pre-condition for increasing living standards, building a stronger economy and creating new jobs.” 

    Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: 

    “This is an eye-catching package of measures which has a real potential to speed up decision-making and give businesses more certainty. 

    “Changes that would fast-track major infrastructure projects, such as the Lower Thames Crossing and Heathrow expansion, are especially welcome. 

    “Over half of firms tell us they are planning to raise prices, and with fresh uncertainty around tariffs, a 25 percent cut in the cost of regulation would be very welcome.” 

    Notes to editors 

    • The Action Plan can be found here. This sets out the strategic vision and actions that will be taken to create a regulatory system that drives growth while continuing to protect millions of people.

    • Regulators in attendance at the meeting:

    • Financial Conduct Authority

    • Prudential Regulation Authority

    • Environment Agency

    • Natural England

    • Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency

    • Health and Safety Executive

    • Information Commissioner’s Office

    • The Regulatory Innovation Office

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: First meeting of Great British Energy board members

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    First meeting of Great British Energy board members

    Inaugural meeting of the Great British Energy start-up board takes place in Aberdeen to drive the UK’s clean energy future.

    • Great British Energy start-up board meet for the first time in Aberdeen 

    • Publicly owned company will drive forward the government’s Plan for Change and clean energy superpower mission, backed by £8.3 billion  

    Great British Energy’s start-up board members will meet in Aberdeen today (Monday 17 March) to discuss scaling up the company and kickstarting investments, to deliver the government’s Plan for Change and clean energy superpower mission. 

    Great British Energy is owned by the British people, for the British people, and will own and invest in clean energy projects across the UK to create good, skilled jobs and growth.    

    Energy Minister Michael Shanks will convene the meeting alongside Start-up Chair Juergen Maier and interim CEO Dan McGrail to discuss next steps for the organisation and building up an investment portfolio that will return a profit for the British people. 

    Great British Energy has already begun engaging with the market on potential collaborations to ensure it can quickly start delivering for the British taxpayer once it is fully established, backed by £8.3 billion over this Parliament.  

    Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: 

    We now have a fantastic team in place to lead Great British Energy and establish the company in Aberdeen. 

    By unlocking homegrown clean power projects, Great British Energy will support thousands of well-paid jobs in Scotland and across the country, and deliver energy security for the British people. 

    Today’s meeting of the new board members marks another step forward for the company as it gears up to make its first investments. 

    Great British Energy Start-up Chair Juergen Maier said: 

    We are working on a plan to invest in and deliver homegrown clean power, supporting the next generation of energy jobs.  

    We are already engaging with industry on exciting investment opportunities so we can hit the ground running once Great British Energy is fully established. 

    Together we will back British innovation and support the creation of thousands of jobs in clean energy projects and their supply chains in the North East of Scotland alone. 

    Interim Great British Energy CEO Dan McGrail said: 

    Great British Energy is perfectly placed to take advantage of the clean energy revolution for the benefit of the British people. As I take up post as interim CEO today, I’m pleased to bring our new board members together in Aberdeen to discuss our plans to invest in secure, homegrown clean power – unleashing jobs and crowding in private investment. 

    It follows the appointment of the interim CEO, five non-executive directors, and chair to the company’s start-up board. On Tuesday 18 March, Juergen Maier will convene a skills roundtable to work with industry to help oil and gas workers in north-east Scotland access opportunities in clean energy jobs. The roundtable is due to be attended by organisations including Skills Development Scotland, Scottish Trades Union Congress, Green Free Ports Cromarty and Leith, ETZ Ltd and Aberdeen & Grampian Chambers of Commerce.  

    Background

    Great British Energy start-up board members include: 

    • Chair of Great British Energy Juergen Maier 

    • Interim CEO of Great British Energy Dan McGrail 

    • Minister for Energy Michael Shanks 

    • Non-Executive Directors of Great British Energy: 

    • Frances O’Grady  

    • Frank Mitchell  

    • Kate Gilmartin  

    • Dr. Nina Skorupska CBE FEI  

    • Valerie Todd CBE

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Investing in renewables revolution

    Source: Scottish Government

    £10 million planned for Port of Nigg project.

    Public investment is planned for a major redevelopment project at Port of Nigg in the Highlands.

    Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has approved up to £10 million to support development of the port’s Inner East Quay, which will result in the creation of a new heavy-duty quayside and the introduction of roll-on roll-off capability.

    The project, which is subject to formal approval by Global Energy Nigg Limited, will increase capacity and capabilities at the port, attracting new companies and investment while supporting operations across the country’s growing offshore wind operations.

    HIE’s investment forms part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to strategically invest up to £500m over five years to anchor the nation’s offshore wind supply chain.

    Port of Nigg is recognised by developers as a prime location for the manufacturing and assembly of offshore wind components and has a significant track record within Scotland’s offshore wind industry, having managed over 3.5GW of assets through the facility.

    In 2024, high voltage cable manufacturer Sumitomo Electric Power Cables Ltd chose to establish a £350 million high voltage cable manufacturing facility in the area – with Nigg serving as the primary export facility.

    Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said:

    “This is a prime example of how we and our enterprise agencies are focused on stimulating investment and targeting projects that will in turn act as a catalyst to further investment, jobs and opportunities.

    “Given its location and being part of Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport, The Port of Nigg is strategically important to the growth and success of the offshore wind sector. An investment of this nature sends a clear signal to investors that Scotland is open for business, and the Scottish Government and our partners stand ready to help unleash the enormous economic benefits of our offshore wind industry.”

    HIE’s director of strategic projects David Oxley, said:

    “Our support for this project is about keeping the UK and the Highlands and Islands region at the forefront of the energy sector, particularly renewable energy, and strengthening our international competitiveness.

    “There are many obvious benefits for the region’s economy and job creation. I’m delighted we’ve been able to facilitate further Scottish Government funding and look forward to continuing our collaboration with our public sector partners and industry as the project develops.”

    Chairman of Global Energy Group Roy MacGregor, said:

    “We welcome this significant investment from HIE and the Scottish Government, which reinforces their commitment to strengthening Scotland’s offshore wind supply chain. Since acquiring Nigg in 2011, we have invested more than £120 million in transforming the facility into a world-class offshore wind superhub, ensuring it remains at the forefront of the energy transition.

    “Today, renewables account for half of our revenue at both GEG and Nigg, underlining the critical role this sector plays in our business and the wider economy. Strategically positioned to support Scotland’s future offshore wind projects through ScotWind and INTOG, Nigg will drive sustainable job creation and long-term economic prosperity for the Highlands.”

    Background

    This project is being led by Global Energy Nigg Limited, a subsidiary of Global Energy Group (which acquired the Port of Nigg in 2011) and the agreed HIE funding is subject to formal approval by the company.

    The Port of Nigg project is expected to create around five jobs directly while supporting more than a hundred downstream at Nigg in further supply chain activity at the port.

    Sumitomo’s decision to base a facility in Scotland was secured with £24.5 million investment from the Scottish Government, HIE and Scottish Enterprise and is expected to create around 330 jobs over the next 10 year

    Recent investments made as part of the Scottish Government’s commitment of up to £500 million include:

    Scottish Ministers will host a Global Offshore Wind Investment Forum today as part of a Green Industrial Strategy commitment to raise the profile of Scotland as a destination for capital investment.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Stay safe when you are down on the farm this Springtime

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    To avoid illness and enjoy a fun day out the UK Health Security Agency advises people to:

    • always wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm running water immediately after contact with animals (including touching pens or fencing) and before eating or drinking – remember, hand gels and wipes do not kill these types of germs.
    • if a dummy drops on the ground, it will need sterilising.
    • when leaving a farm, boots, shoes and pushchair wheels should be washed, remembering to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after cleaning.
    • after holding, or having any physical contact with an animal, wash clothing at 40 degrees centigrade or warmer.

    Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing, said: “As Springtime approaches, visiting farms and petting zoos is a fun activity for many of us, especially children and families.

    “When enjoying farm visits, it’s important to remember that some animals may carry germs that can be passed on to humans and cause unpleasant infections such as cryptosporidiosis, e-coli and salmonella. 

    “Bacteria from an animal’s body, environment or droppings can easily get on your hands after petting, cuddling or feeding, or even by simply touching their pens or fences. If you then touch your eyes, nose or mouth, it only takes a small amount to cause an infection.

    “These infections can make you unwell with symptoms including diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, nausea and body aches. For young children, pregnant women, elderly or immunocompromised people, these infections can be serious, so please take care when you are out and about this Spring.”

    Anyone who feels unwell or has any symptoms such as diarrhoea or vomiting within 2 weeks of visiting a farm is asked to contact their GP or call NHS 111 as soon as possible. Anyone who has bloody diarrhoea should seek immediate emergency medical attention.

    People who have experienced sickness or diarrhoea after visiting a farm could pass the illness on to others, so they should not attend work, school or nursery until they have been free of symptoms for at least 2 days. However, with infections from some bugs, extra tests may be needed to ensure they have fully recovered and will not pass on the infection to others.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –